Pawn Crossing the River

Everyone in Tiangangtang rested for three days in Ziandu County. During these three days, Qi Xuansu had a very "fulfilling" time and spent most of the time playing cards and drinking with Zhang Yuelu.

In fact, Zhang Yuelu did not force anything, nor did he use his status to force Qi Xuansu. It was just that Qi Xuansu had a good impression of Zhang Yuelu and did not want to reject Zhang Yuelu.

Although judging from the status of the two of them, some possibility is indeed a bit slim, and it really makes Qi Xuansu feel discouraged, but this kind of thing is like wearing a sword, and you still have to have dreams.

Just like the little pawns on the chessboard, even if the little pawn is the least valuable chess piece, it must have the ambition of the "general" opposite the old commander.

In his spare time, Qi Xuansu also asked Lingquanzi, a veteran manager, for advice on how to write official documents. Unfortunately, Lingquanzi was mainly responsible for external affairs, and Sun Yongfeng, who was responsible for internal affairs, was more familiar with official documents. Not to mention Zhou Bai, who is also a practical person and is really not good at these slightly pragmatic tasks.

Three days later, the group finished their rest, left Zandu County, and continued to the Daxue Mountain Palace.

Daxue Mountain and Kunlun form an irregular-shaped "Hui" character. Kunlun is on the left, Daxue Mountain is on the right. Qiandu County is located in the middle of the horizontal line above the character "Hui", and the small mouth inside the character "Hui" is a The huge desert basin is known as the Sea of ​​Death.

Looking at this journey of thousands of miles, we actually started from the left side of the word "Hui" and went all the way west. We circled the vast Western Region outside the word "Hui" and came to the place above the word "Hui". He walked horizontally to Ziandu County, then followed the strokes of the character "Hui" to the right side of the character "Hui", and finally took a flying boat through the small opening in the middle of the character "Hui" and returned.

So the group of people were now moving along the edge of the desert, neither too fast nor too slow. Moreover, because the snowy mountains blocked the cold current from Shuofang, it stopped snowing, which was undoubtedly a good thing.

After such a trip of more than ten days, the Snow Mountain Palace is already in sight.

The Daxue Mountain Palace was originally the palace of the Golden Horde Khan. In his twilight years, Daomen Changchun once went to the outside of the Great Wall, left the Iron Gate Pass, arrived at the Daxue Mountain Palace, met with the Golden Horde Khan, and advised the Golden Horde Khan to "respect heaven." Love the people, reduce massacres, and be pure in heart and desires." He was revered as an immortal by the Golden Horde Khan. As a result, some people in the Golden Account changed their worship to Taoist ancestors. In addition to Yaochi, Taoism has always regarded Daxue Mountain as one of Taoism's holy places.

Later, the Daxue Mountain Palace was given to the Golden Horde Imperial Master by the Golden Horde Khan. The Golden Horde State Master operated here for many years, making the Daxue Mountain Palace gradually become the core of shamanism.

Therefore, the Daxue Mountain Palace is of great significance to both Taoism and Shamanism. The two have fought several battles around this place, and now it is the Dao Sect that controls the Daxue Mountain.

The group climbed over the last snow-capped mountain, and their eyes suddenly opened up. They finally saw the Daxueshan Palace located on the sunny side.

I saw that the Daxue Mountain Palace was built against the mountain. It was all white and the same color as the mountain, like a city of ice and snow. Its architectural style is very different from that of the Central Plains, and even very different from the Royal Court of the Golden Tent. Instead, it has the style of the Western Continent and Posuzhou. You can see the towering spiers, the layers of walls and pavilions, and the continuous buildings. The arched dome and various buildings are stacked together, compact and not cluttered. At this time, the rays of light fall on the palace, which actually makes it bloom with a faint holy atmosphere.

Everyone stood on the snowy slope and looked at the Snow Mountain Palace.

This was the first time Qi Xuansu saw this famous Daxue Mountain Palace, and he couldn't help but feel lost for a moment: "Is this the Daxue Mountain Palace?"

"Exactly" Zhang Yuelu pointed at the mountain below the Daxue Mountain Palace with his riding whip, "As far as I know, there is a huge corpse raising ground below the Daxue Mountain Palace, which was left over from the shamanism in the past. It was a real hundred thousand corpses. The human trap is filled with corpse energy, even confusing the boundaries between yin and yang, so the Daxue Mountain Palace is still a suppressive formation. "

Qi Xuansu was shocked: "There is such a thing."

Zhang Yuelu waved his hand: "Go up the mountain."

The mountain road was fairly flat. After walking for about an hour, we finally came to a huge stone bridge. This bridge stood majestically over an abyss and connected two peaks. It was about a hundred feet long and could accommodate six horses walking side by side.

From a visual point of view, the abyss below is like a moat, surrounding the Snow Mountain Palace. This bridge is the suspension bridge across the moat leading to the city gate, so it is extremely tightly guarded, with more than ten armored spiritual officers guarding the place.

Zhang Yuelu stepped forward and showed the ultimatum and the documents from Tiangang Hall. The leading spiritual official immediately put on a smile: "It turns out that Deputy Hall Master Zhang has arrived. Deputy Palace Master Zhao and several deacons from Tiangang Hall have been waiting for a long time."

Deputy Palace Master Zhao is the third-grade Youyi Taoist Zhao Jiaowu who assists Master Fei Ling in taking charge of the Western Region Taoist House. He is the seventh-generation Quanzhen Taoist disciple after ZTE. Although he is still one step away from the second-grade Taiyi Taoist priest, he is He is not yet fifty years old this year and is in his prime. He is expected to be promoted to the second-grade Taiyi Taoist priest before he is sixty years old. He also has a bright future.

Zhang Yuelu nodded slightly and said, "Please lead the way."

Lingguan led Zhang Yuelu and his party across the long stone bridge and into a special "city gate cave" dug into the rock wall, about half a mile long, about two feet high, about three feet wide and going all the way up.

After passing through this long tunnel, we entered the outskirts of the Snow Mountain Palace, a place similar to a urn city.

From a distance, I saw Zhao Jiaowu coming to greet him. He came before anyone arrived and said: "For more than fifty days, I have been chasing the murderer for thousands of miles. I admire you, I admire you."

Zhang Yuelu dismounted and stepped forward to greet him.

The rest of the people also dismounted and followed Zhang Yuelu.

After the two greeted each other, Zhao Jiaowu said: "It has been three months since we said goodbye to Chiming Palace in July. Deputy Hall Master Zhang has been working really hard. How are you doing lately?"

Zhang Yuelu said: "Thank you, Deputy Palace Master Zhao, for thinking about me. Everything is fine."

Everyone saluted Zhao Jiaowu again.

Accompanying Zhao Jiaowu were Mu Jin, Xu Zhen, Zheng Ding and others.

Mu Jin and Xu Zhen stepped forward to salute Zhang Yuelu, and then joined the queue behind Zhang Yuelu. Zheng Ding saluted directly and said: "Thank you, Deputy Hall Master Zhang, for saving your life."

Zhang Yuelu's expression was indifferent: "Deacon Qi and I discovered you together, and it was Director Lingquan who summoned your soul. You don't have to thank me alone."

Zheng Ding's expression changed slightly, and then he saluted Qi Xuansu and Lingquanzi.

Lingquanzi nodded slightly and said nothing. On the other hand, Qi Xuansu, who mostly looked like a flower garden Taoist priest in front of others, took the initiative to help Zheng Ding up and said warmly: "Brother Taoist, there is no need to be polite."

Zheng Ding's face was a little stiff, while Mu Jin rolled her eyes.

Zhao Jiaowu turned a blind eye to all this and changed the topic without leaving any trace: "All the Taoist friends from Tiangang Hall have been working hard all the way. I have already asked people to prepare a banquet to welcome Deputy Hall Master Zhang and his party."

"I appreciate Deputy Palace Master Zhao's kindness." Zhang Yuelu politely declined, "I have been resting in Qiandu County for three days, and I have already provoked people from Tiangang Hall to curse. I must return to Yujing as soon as possible to report on my work. After all, this matter has too much impact. It's so bad that it even alarmed the real person on duty. I really can't stay for a long time. I hope Deputy Palace Master Zhao can forgive me."

If others are so disrespectful, Zhao Jiaowu will inevitably feel unhappy, but Zhang Yuelu has a "notorious reputation" and has long been known to be unkind. Even Li Tianzhen has had trouble with her. It can be seen that she is a lonely person, so there is no need to follow her. She is generally knowledgeable.

Zhao Jiaowu did not force it, and nodded: "In that case, I won't keep Deputy Hall Master Zhang around. The flying boat is ready and ready to go at any time."

"Thank you, Deputy Palace Master Zhao." Zhang Yuelu said, cupping his fists.

Zhao Jiaowu stretched out his hand to summon a spiritual official and ordered: "Take Deputy Hall Master Zhang and others to Yaochi." Then he turned to Zhang Yuelu and said: "I still have official duties, so I won't send them away."

Because Yaochi and the Daxue Mountain Palace are not on the same peak, Zhang Yuelu and others did not stop at the Daxue Mountain Palace. Under the guidance of this spiritual official, they passed through the Wengcheng here, entered another tunnel dug into the stone wall, and passed through a The stone bridge, which is about several miles long, goes to the peak where Yaochi is located.

Yaochi in Daxue Mountain is as famous as Tianchi in Taibai Mountain. It is half-moon-shaped, about seven miles long and three miles wide at its widest point. It is located at the top of the mountain where clouds cover the place and the mist surrounds it. Emperor Mu had a feast with the Queen Mother of the West here more than 2,000 years ago. The antiphonal song has left a lasting legacy, earning it the reputation of "Yaochi" and being mistaken by the world for being the residence of immortals.

To go to Yaochi, you have to pass through a natural mountain pass, which is about ten feet wide on both sides and about three feet at the narrowest point. It is flanked by two peaks and connected by a line. It is also called "Shixia". The stone walls are majestic and the sky is amazing. Like two open door panels. The color of the stone is ocher and dark, like cast iron. There is a poem that says: "The majestic Stone Gorge Yaochi Gate, the cliff hangs over the sky and is dangerous to the soul. It can be chopped with a ghost ax and a magic knife, and a straight line leads to the blue sky."

After passing the stone gate and climbing to the top of the mountain, not far away is Yaochi. The lake is clear and crystal-like as jade, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and shrouded in clouds and mist. The sky, water and mountains are all the same color.

To the southeast is the peak where the Snow Mountain Palace is located, and there are two peaks connected to the left and right. Looking up into the distance, you will see three peaks rising side by side, standing abruptly in the clouds, like a pen stand.

At this time, a flying boat was moored on the lake of Yaochi, tall and majestic.

Because this is a business trip, there is no need to buy a ticket and you can board the ship directly.

This was Qi Xuansu's second time riding a flying boat. Last time he could only stay in an ordinary room on the first floor, a single room, which was far from simple and had only one bedroom. There are no other guests on the flying boat this time. His deacon status is only lower than that of Zhang Yuelu and Lingquanzi, so he can stay in the upper room on the second floor. It not only has a bedroom, but also a small study room. Normally, it is all It is exclusively used by Taoist priests of the fourth grade and above. This is the benefit of traveling on official business.

After everyone boarded the building boat, the flying boat slowly took off.

Feizhou uses dragon beads as its core, and also has some magical powers of dragons, and is filled with water and vapor. After the flying boat left the Snowy Mountains and entered the Sea of ​​Death, due to the cold weather, the water vapor surrounding the flying boat actually turned into snowflakes, which condensed but did not disperse, hung but never fell, leaving a trail of snowy white wherever it passed. .

After half a day like this, the majestic Kunlun and Xuandu Yujing can be seen in the distance.