TODC Chapter 10

“….”

The words Baoyu had said earlier about reading Zhang Chulan’s fortune were, of course, something he made up.

Zhang Chulan, being the protagonist of this anime, is undoubtedly a character akin to the ‘child of fate.’

As for Baoyu, he didn’t know much about the future. He only had a rough idea of the plot from the first two seasons of the anime, but he had no knowledge of the later manga storyline. In other words, his foresight had a very limited time frame.

Moreover, with his presence as a “butterfly” in this world, the duration of his foresight had unknowingly shortened even further.

Whatever changes may come in the future were now beyond his ability to predict.

Therefore, he needed to use the knowledge he had about the current storyline to build a good relationship with Zhang Chulan, the ‘child of fate,’ even if that meant lying to achieve it.

Unlike many monks who are wholeheartedly devoted to Buddhism and lack cunning, Baoyu possessed a certain degree of adaptability.

Otherwise, Master Jiekong wouldn’t have been confident enough to let this ‘first-time traveler’ young monk participate in the Luotian Dajiao alone!

…

The group paid no attention to Feng Baobao, who was noisily chattering nearby.

“Just as Master Baoyu said, my grandfather carries too many secrets, all of which are connected to Longhu Mountain. If I win this time, I’ll be able to meet the Old Heavenly Master and ask him about what really happened back then!” Zhang Chulan’s voice was somber.

Wang Ye, standing next to him, suddenly laughed: “You want to meet the Old Heavenly Master? It’s never been hard to see him!”

Saying this, Wang Ye began walking forward.

Zhang Chulan hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed, calling out to Feng Baobao as he left, “Sister Bao’er, I’ll be right back!”

Baoyu watched their figures disappear ahead and followed suit.

Meanwhile, at a nearby stall, the monk with the drooping white eyebrows, who had been trying to sell Feng Baobao the essence of the Fire Qilin, had somehow transformed into a Daoist priest…

…

The three of them walked for about 200 meters, rounding a bend.

A grand Daoist residence appeared before them, its grey-tiled roof adorned with high, upward-curving eaves. Six bright red columns stood tall below, supporting the structure. Hanging under the blue-green glazed tiles were six large red lanterns.

In the center stood two columns with a couplet written on them:

Kirin Palace welcomes divine guests,
The chancellor’s home resides in Longhu Mountain.

On either side of the entrance were two stone sculptures of qilins, vivid and majestic.

…

Standing in the center of the entrance were three people.

In the middle stood a tall, imposing old Daoist dressed in a dark robe embroidered with clouds and dragons. His hair and beard were white, but his complexion was rosy, and his small eyes were slightly narrowed, giving him a youthful appearance despite his age.

To the old Daoist’s left stood an elderly man in a suit, with a dignified, official look about him.

On his right was a young Daoist.

The young Daoist wore a white robe, his hair flowing naturally without a topknot. His forehead was broad and high, with a single dot of vermilion in the center. His slender eyebrows curved like willow leaves, and his eyes shimmered with a gentle radiance. His high nose, pointed chin, and exposed collarbones added to his ethereal appearance.

He stood like an exquisite white lotus—distant and untouchable, exuding a unique aura beyond mere “immortal grace.”

For a man to possess such breathtaking beauty that most women would pale in comparison was truly extraordinary.

Baoyu, who had always been confident in his own looks, glanced at the two men beside him—Wang Ye, whose features he had praised for their perfection not long ago, and the sunny and handsome Zhang Chulan…

Yet, in front of this Daoist, all of them seemed to lose their luster.

The three men at the entrance were in the middle of taking a photo, with reporters snapping pictures in front of them.

The flash of cameras illuminated the scene, and the old Daoist in the center made a playful peace sign, squinting his already small eyes into crescents as he flashed a mischievous grin.

“Yay!”

…

The three watching this from a distance couldn’t help but smile.

Wang Ye stepped forward.

“Haha, looks like some officials are here for an inspection again. The Old Heavenly Master must be exhausted!” He said, striding forward.

Zhang Chulan stood there, dumbfounded, muttering to himself, “So this is the Old Heavenly Master!”

Baoyu nodded, his mind now crystal clear.

…

The two Daoists in the photo—one old, one young—were among the most important characters in the anime.

The old Daoist in the middle was Zhang Zhiyi, the current Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain and the organizer of the Luotian Dajiao.

But his most significant title was as the supreme power of this world—an invincible force.

Zhang Zhiyi was synonymous with invincibility, the strongest being in this realm, bar none.

As the saying goes:

One supreme,
Two heroes,
Three corpses,
Four maniacs,
Six thieves…

The “one supreme” referred to Zhang Zhiyi, the Old Heavenly Master.

And the so-called “two heroes” beneath him were leagues behind.

In this world, the Old Heavenly Master stood above all, the closest being to ascension!

…

The stunning young Daoist beside him was Zhang Lingyu, the Old Heavenly Master’s final disciple, known as “Lingyu Zhenren.”

Gifted and powerful, with a heart of gold, Zhang Lingyu was one of the most outstanding individuals of his generation.

…

Wang Ye had already approached the Old Heavenly Master, with Baoyu and Zhang Chulan following closely behind.

Wang Ye clasped his hands together in a respectful greeting. “Wudang’s Wang Ye greets the Old Heavenly Master!”

The Old Heavenly Master, Zhang Zhiyi, turned to face the three young men and replied, “Ah, young Wang Ye! How’s your grandmaster doing?”

“He’s in excellent health!” Wang Ye replied with a smile.

“Old Heavenly Master, look who I’ve brought to see you!”

The Old Heavenly Master’s gaze shifted between Baoyu and Zhang Chulan before settling on Baoyu.

“If I’m not mistaken, this young monk must be Master Jiekong’s prized disciple, Baoyu, correct?”

“Indeed, I am Baoyu, and it’s an honor to meet the Old Heavenly Master! My master speaks of you often. It’s a great fortune for me to see you today. I bring my master’s greetings!” Baoyu quickly responded.

Baoyu quickly responded…

As he stood in front of the old Celestial Master, at first glance, the elder seemed like an ordinary old man, with only a faint air of transcendence about him and nothing particularly extraordinary.

In his past life, watching the anime, Baoyu had been thrilled when the old Celestial Master came down the mountain and single-handedly fought the entire All-Sect group. It confirmed for him that Yi Ren was indeed an anime of old-man heroics!

Now, with this legendary figure standing before him, Baoyu’s curiosity was overwhelming. He couldn’t resist the urge to use his unique vision technique…

He had used this technique before on both his master and senior brother. When he used it on his master, Master Jiekong, he saw a simple, ordinary old man. But when he used it on his senior brother, Baowen, he saw a massive, burning fireball, radiating intense golden light.

His master had once warned him not to reveal this technique easily in front of others, so he rarely used it since then…

But now!

Standing before this peerless Celestial Master, his curiosity grew like wild weeds in his heart.

Just one look… Just one glance!!

The jade pendant on his chest flashed slightly, and an unusual light flickered in his eyes…

He saw it…

What he saw was a towering mountain, so high he couldn’t see the peak. It stood majestically before him, like an immovable force piercing through the clouds!

A mountain of great reverence!!

A mountain of awe!!!

Sweat began to bead on Baoyu’s smooth bald head. This was a power far beyond his current reach!

…

Zhang Zhiwei gave Baoyu a surprised glance. He clearly sensed that brief moment of prying, and it had come from this young monk in front of him.

But what surprised him even more was that, despite his own immense cultivation, he hadn’t been able to fully identify this vision technique…

What kind of technique was this?

Zhang Zhiwei’s expression didn’t change.

“Hehe, this young one… is interesting! I haven’t seen Master Jiekong in many years. How is he doing?”

“Thank you, Celestial Master, for asking. My master is in good health,” Baoyu quickly replied, feeling slightly nervous.

Zhang Zhiwei nodded gently and then turned his attention to Zhang Chulan, standing nearby.

“You must be Chulan, right?”

Zhang Chulan stepped forward. “Junior…”

“Call me Grandmaster!” Zhang Zhiwei waved his sleeve, cutting off Zhang Chulan mid-sentence. “Your grandfather taught you both the Golden Light Mantra and Thunder Techniques. You’ve earned the right to call me Grandmaster.”

“Gra… Grandmaster,” Zhang Chulan scratched his head, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

…

“Lingyu, take care of Wang Ye and Baoyu. I need to have a word with Chulan,” Zhang Zhiwei instructed Zhang Lingyu, who stood beside him.

“Yes, Master.” Zhang Lingyu’s voice was soft and serene, like the sound of wind through trees and the music of flowing water, leaving one with a feeling of a refreshing spring flowing through their heart.

“Daoist Wang Ye, Master Baoyu, please.” Zhang Lingyu said calmly, slightly turning his body to invite them along.

However, Baoyu, standing before the so-called “Lingyu True Man,” couldn’t help but notice the subtle hint of resentment and disdain in the glance Zhang Lingyu had just cast toward Zhang Chulan…

After parting ways with the Celestial Master…

Baoyu and Wang Ye followed Zhang Lingyu, chatting as they walked toward the back of the mountain.