Chapter 9: The Spirit Cave

From the moment Zhang Shaochen laid eyes on Dongling Mountain, he was filled with immense excitement

In fact, whether it is the Immortal Sect or the Demon Path, both believe that what they practice is the righteous path of heaven and earth; there are hardly any demonic sects that would refer to their domain with frightening names like "Purgatory Valley" or "Demon City," which are clearly associated with villains

After this, Zhang Shaochen followed the guiding disciple and walked another ten or so miles along the mountain path

As a renowned mountain in the Jiangnan West Road, Dongling Mountain indeed possesses an extraordinary grandeur. From the foot of the mountain, one can see it towering majestically, with lush vegetation and mist swirling around, a presence that is truly unmatched by ordinary peaks.

He felt that he had traversed through the cool mist, witnessing the magical realm of the ethereal fairy mountains, and thus he resembled a carp fighting against the current, finally leaping over the Dragon Gate

However, although he sensed a certain dampness, when he reached out to touch it, he found no traces of water, only a slight coolness that penetrated his skin

They traversed through the green woods, passed by the giant rocks, walked past the flowering trees, went through the stone caves, crossed the natural stone bridge over the mountain stream, and navigated through countless mists and clouds, before finally arriving at the dojo of the Demon Spirit Sect

From this perspective, he truly has a strong affection for this Demon Spirit Sect

In theory, the Demon Spirit Sect should not lack manpower or resources, but when he saw the stone archway of the mountain gate, he discovered that the tall stone pillars were covered in moss, and the ground around them was overgrown with weeds, especially the weeds that were thriving, growing quite tall, almost engulfing one-third of the height of the stone pillars

At this moment, it is spring, and the vast mountain landscape is lush and vibrant. Whether in light green or deep blue, it appears particularly vivid and ethereal, resembling a massive piece of jade placed under the blue sky, occupying most of Zhang Shaochen's field of vision.

Of course, this idea is merely something to think about in one's mind

If he had not already had an idea in his mind, Zhang Shaochen would probably not have been able to discern at first glance what these four characters actually said

Haven't I mentioned to you before that I have only been teaching for about fourteen or fifteen years

As he journeyed along this path, by the time he reached his destination, Zhang Shaochen's collar was already somewhat damp

This is where Zhang Shaochen finds it strange

The disciple who guided Zhang Shaocheng to Yuping Peak did not do so merely because it was on the way, but because Zhang Shaocheng had already been assigned to serve as a disciple in the Water Spirit Hall of the Demon Spirit Sect, which is located on Yuping Peak

Although there were other new disciples at this time who were equally excited, why did their excitement seem so normal to me?

From the moment he entered the mountains, the youth from Zhangjia was already subjected to discrimination

Ling Mountain is ethereal, the mountain path winds through the clouds

How could this happen

On the verdant mountainside, clusters of wildflowers are scattered, in shades of pink, tender yellow, pale purple, and vibrant blue, blooming profusely. Although they appear chaotic, they are arranged like stars in the sky, extending from the foot of the mountain to the misty peak, where they meet the blue sky and white clouds, transforming the entire Dongling Mountain into a breathtaking fairyland that seems to have accidentally fallen into the human realm

I did not expect that a simple question would provoke the disdain of the guiding disciples

With a heart full of excitement, Zhang Shaocheng looked up and examined the stone archway.

The location of the Demon Spirit Teaching Temple is at Yuping Peak of Dongling Mountain, which is the first major mountain encountered when coming from the southern mountain pass

At this moment, he himself is unaware

The shorter the time, the more we must make our mountain gate appear ancient, so as to avoid being ridiculed by those long-established demonic sects.

At this moment, Zhang Shaochen was still unable to perceive the poetic essence, yet such peculiar and minute details were sufficient to excite him

It turned out that, with the explanation from the contact, Zhang Shaochen also understood that although the Demon Spirit Sect had only been established for about fourteen or fifteen years, which was incomparable to those prestigious sects that had existed for hundreds or even thousands of years, it was still filled with talented individuals and had a thriving population.

The youth, who had originally warned himself to speak less, could not help but voice his questions to the guiding disciple after passing through the mountain gate

Excitedly following behind the disciple who guided him, Zhang Shaochen entered through the southern gate of Dongling Mountain. As he ascended the mountain, he soon arrived in front of the stone archway inscribed with "Demon Spirit Cave Heaven"

Upon arriving at the dojo of the Demon Spirit Sect—indeed, it is also referred to as a dojo—there is even a stone tablet erected amidst the weeds at the entrance, which are similarly overgrown and covered in moss. The stone bears the two characters: "Dojo"

However, he secretly found it somewhat amusing, believing that this Demon Spirit Sect was indeed a cult of evil, as even a mere mountain gate could provoke such petty thoughts, revealing their true vanity and lack of generosity

After a moment of observation, he discovered something strange

This is akin to a bully or a villain, who would never introduce himself by saying, "I am the bully Li San," but would only refer to himself as "the brave Li San"

Unintentionally, that exuberant mood could not help but show, and in the eyes of those disciples who were guiding, it inevitably reminded them of the identity of that young "rascal," which could not help but evoke a sense of disdain.

If the disciples who were guiding him earlier were to learn that the young man had entered the gates of the Demon Sect while still being concerned about the rival Immortal Sect, they would likely draw their swords and slay this unfilial fellow disciple on the spot.

But how can a mere fourteen-year-old boy easily exercise restraint

In this way, it aroused his longing and curiosity for the Xianji Gate: "I wonder what the Xianji Sect on Mogan Mountain is like? It must be truly ancient and magnificent."

Of course, the Dragon Gate in his mind is the renowned Immortal Extreme Dao Sect; however, this Demon Spirit Sect is precisely his stepping stone, his ladder to the heavens

If it were not for this, it would have no face to claim to be the number one sect of the demonic path, nor would it have the qualification to be a thorn in the flesh and an eyesore to the Immortal Extreme Sect

Alas, it is a pity that I was young back then; otherwise, it would have been wonderful to visit Mogan Mountain, which is not far from Hangzhou.

He had originally fallen to a point lower than low, practically down to the dust, so even being taken in by an ordinary sect on an ordinary hill would have thrilled him, let alone now, upon seeing such a magnificent and grand celestial mountain at a glance

This disciple of the guiding master, who is only a few years older than Zhang Shaocheng, arrogantly said: "Hmph, the reasoning is so simple, and you can't even think of it? I can't be bothered to tell you."

"Yes, yes, yes, it is my lack of experience. Thank you, senior brother." Zhang Shaochen expressed his gratitude repeatedly

In fact, among his peers, Zhang Shaochen is already considered tall, but in front of the imposing archway of the Demon Spirit Sect, he still appears somewhat diminutive

He is actually making an effort to restrain his excitement, so as not to be looked down upon by his peers in the Demon Spirit Sect

This can be overlooked, but the four ancient seal script characters "Demon Spirit Cave Heaven" at the top of the mountain gate, representing the face of the Demon Spirit Sect, are still obscured by moss and stained with dirt

Even in clear weather without rain, one still gets their clothes damp when entering the depths of the clouds

Moreover, the couplet on the stone pillars, "Taking on the responsibility of great talent, boldly advancing through the fierce atmosphere," is also obscured by moss and flowing water, truly a disservice to the imposing and fierce nature of the couplet itself

This captures the essence of "The mountain path has no rain, yet the empty green leaves dampen one's clothes"