Perhaps you are all wondering who the late Master’s close companion was, the one who dared to launch such a treacherous attack on him,” Tao Zhongwen said, his voice growing urgent with emotion. “Actually, even we didn’t know much about him.”
Many of you may wonder who that close associate of our late master was, who could have the audacity to ambush him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we ourselves do not know much about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze turned to Liu Xing, and he sighed deeply. “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, assuming we are his six disciples. But that is incorrect. We, brothers and sisters, are actually five. The eldest brother is the former National Preacher Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third brother is the master of this estate, Liu Shuxing, the fourth brother is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth sister is Mei Wuduo… only us five. There is another who followed our master, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was he, Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with our master the longest, receiving his teachings and care, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in the eyes of the listeners deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an inner disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist ways. But earlier, Tao Zhongwen also mentioned that they, as disciples, did not know much about this person. So, what exactly was Anu’s identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao Zhongwen had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it necessary to disclose them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head. “Third brother, there is nothing that cannot be spoken of. These are not shameful matters, especially now that our master has passed away, and our eldest brother and youngest sister have also died. If we continue to hide behind sectarian walls, how can we gain the trust of our fellow Taoists? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a rightful reputation for our sect.”
At this point, Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding spoke up again, “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also say that you do not know much about Anu. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed to Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wu Ding, our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and my eldest brother and I went out to travel. We happened to meet the emperor, who was very interested in Taoism, and he greatly admired my eldest brother. Thus, my eldest brother entered the court to explain the art of alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as the National Preacher. I stayed by my brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, the expressions of the listeners varied, some showing disdain, others caution.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often sought the support of worldly powers, especially the aid of national fortune, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects of Jiangnan, forcing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master.
However, relying on national fortune can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And what dynasty does not eventually fall? A sect may last for hundreds of years, or even over a thousand, far longer than the lifespan of a dynasty. Thus, truly renowned sects generally do not take such great risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan dynasty to prosper the Heavenly Master sect, yet he also independently founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master resided far away at Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader settled in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan dynasty was about to fall, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the world’s fortune was taken by the Heavenly Master sect. But when the Yuan dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect was left to bear the brunt. This clever substitution truly surprised the Taoist sects, and in hindsight, one can only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen say that Shao Yuanjie and he himself were both from the Plum Blossom Sect, and that they had served as National Preachers in two generations, and that today he was clearly intent on establishing the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist world, how could this not make everyone extremely cautious?
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. My eldest brother, however, often mentioned this master, saying that his cultivation was extremely advanced. But once, when I was in the midst of a crucial period of cultivation, I did not leave my retreat for a long time. When I finally emerged, I suddenly saw my eldest brother appear, looking very anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to bring rain and had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure to bring rain was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai causing trouble behind the scenes. Zhang Yuchong was furious and had found out where our master was, and had set off to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist listeners became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, and it was not hard to see that this calmness was too deliberate. He recalled their earlier analysis, and it was likely that many of those present had been involved in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failure to bring rain. Although it was unclear who had actually caused the trouble, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The fact that everyone was so calm and did not raise any objections to Tao Zhongwen’s account was quite abnormal, revealing their guilty consciences.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master sect, and might even have some connection to Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s words. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan simply sipped from his wine gourd, seemingly oblivious to what Tao Zhongwen was saying.
“At that time, we were all very anxious, and we didn’t know what was happening in our sect. My brother and I hurriedly sent a message to our third brother and set off to return.” At this point, Tao Zhongwen shook his head repeatedly, expressing regret. “We thought it was simple, that Zhang Yuchong might just want to clarify things with our master, but we never expected, never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao Zhongwen’s words, but after a few glances, he finally said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother, who usually served by his side, was not there, and there was no message left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy, but to no avail. We began to worry, and our third brother was also delayed. Finally, my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. Because we were in a hurry, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own safety. I went deep into the northern mountains, and just as I was moving forward with all my might, I suddenly received a message from my brother, saying that there was a surge of true essence near a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. Hearing that he had already rushed over, I also accelerated my flight. But on the way, I never received another message from my brother, and I began to have a bad feeling.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, I saw that the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“Those two people were my eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned the name “Anu,” although his expression remained calm, the anger and hatred in his voice were unmistakable. It was clear that the hatred from all those years ago had not diminished in the slightest.
“At that moment, I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what is going on? Where is our master?'”
“My eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. I saw that Anu’s attacks were vicious, all aimed at killing my eldest brother. He also had two strange artifacts, exuding an evil aura, and my brother was barely holding on. I quickly stepped in to help. But Anu was extremely fierce, and even though we were two against one, my brother had already been injured by his sneak attack, so we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks became increasingly evil, and finally, my eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing a great deal of his cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit, to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, Anu had no choice but to flee. My brother and I chased after him, and it was then that I asked my brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching south and, when he was not far from here, he felt an unusual surge of true essence, which he recognized as familiar. He sent a message to me and hurried over. When he got closer, he discovered that our master was in a battle with someone, and that person was none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance and saw that our master was already gaining the upper hand, with Anu watching the battle. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique from our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the listeners’ eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, as a Heavenly Master, though not necessarily the most powerful cultivator in the world, had held the title for many years and was no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom had defeated Zhang Yuchong, it would not be surprising. But to break through his defenses and subdue him personally, this level of cultivation was clearly far superior to Zhang Yuchong’s.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
“It was precisely this Anu—though not a disciple—who ended up killing the Master, despite having spent the longest time with him, receiving his teachings and care for many years!”
Many of you may be wondering who that close associate of our late master was, who could have the audacity to attack him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we didn’t know him very well either.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that’s incorrect. We, the brothers and sisters, are actually five. The eldest brother is the former National Preacher Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third brother is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth brother is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth sister is Mei Wuduo… only us five. There was another person who followed our master, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was this Anu, who was not a disciple but had followed him the longest, received his teachings and care the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an indoor disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had followed him for a long time and learned his Taoist ways. But earlier, Tao had also mentioned that they, as disciples, didn’t know much about this person. So, what exactly was Anu’s identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect, is it necessary to reveal them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be told to others. These are not shameful things, especially now that our master has passed away, and both the eldest brother and little sister have also died. If we still confine ourselves within our sect, hiding our faces, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name, and to establish a proper reputation for our sect.”
At this moment, Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding spoke up again, “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, and that you didn’t know much about this Anu. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed slightly to Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wu Ding, you may not know, but our master was quite strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and I and the eldest brother went out to wander. By chance, we met the emperor, who greatly admired the eldest brother. Thus, the eldest brother entered the court to explain the art of alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as the National Preacher. I stayed by the eldest brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the crowd showed disdain, while others were on guard, their reactions varied.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often sought the assistance of worldly powers, especially the support of national fortunes, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan Dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects in the south, forcefully placing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Celestial Master.
But relying on national fortunes can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall, as one becomes tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And what dynasty lasts forever? A sect may last for hundreds of years, or even over a thousand, far longer than the lifespan of a dynasty. Therefore, most renowned sects do not take such great risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan Dynasty to prosper the Celestial Master sect, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect separately, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Celestial Master resided far away at Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader settled in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan Dynasty was about to fall, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the world’s fortunes was taken by the Celestial Master sect, but when the Yuan Dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect took the fall. This substitution was truly unexpected by the various Taoist sects, and in retrospect, one can only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen say that Shao Yuanjie and himself were both from the Plum Blossom sect, serving as National Preachers in two generations, and today clearly intending to establish the Plum Blossom sect within the Taoist community, how could this not make everyone highly vigilant?
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. It was the eldest brother who often mentioned this master, saying his cultivation was extremely profound. But once, when I was in the midst of a critical phase of my cultivation, I didn’t leave my retreat for a long time. Only when I felt I had made some progress did I emerge. Suddenly, I saw the eldest brother appear, looking anxious. He said that Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong, having failed to bring rain, had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure to bring rain was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai causing trouble behind the scenes. Zhang Yuchong was furious and had found out where our master was, and had set off to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist community became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not hard to see that this calmness was too deliberate. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many had participated in the discussion about Zhang Yuchong’s failure to bring rain. Although it was unclear who exactly had meddled, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The current calmness and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were quite abnormal, revealing the crowd’s guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Celestial Master sect and might have some relationship with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s words. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan just sipped his wine gourd with relish, as if he hadn’t heard what Tao Zhongwen was saying.
“At that time, we were all very anxious, not knowing the current situation of our sect. My brother and I hurriedly sent a message to the third brother and set off to return.” At this point, Tao Zhongwen kept shaking his head, somewhat regretfully saying, “We thought it was simple at the time, thinking that Celestial Master Zhang’s visit might just be to clarify things with our master, but we didn’t expect, we didn’t expect, alas—”
Liu Xing, hearing Tao Zhongwen’s words, frowned slightly, just glanced at him a few times, and finally said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even the fourth brother who served by his side was not there, nor was there any message left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual thoughts and messages, but to no avail. We began to worry, and the third brother was also delayed, so my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. Because we were anxious, we both pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own safety. I went deep into the northern mountains, moving forward with all my might when I suddenly received a message from my brother, who had sensed a disturbance of true essence near a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. Hearing that he had already rushed over, I also accelerated my flight. But on the way, I never received another message from my brother, and I began to have a bad premonition.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, I saw that the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“These two people were the eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” although his expression was calm, the anger and hatred in his words were unmistakable. Clearly, the hatred from years ago had not diminished at all.
“At that moment, I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“The eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. Seeing Anu’s vicious attacks, all aimed at killing the eldest brother, and wielding two sinister artifacts, my brother was barely holding on. I quickly stepped in to help. But Anu was extremely ferocious, and even with our combined efforts, my brother had already been injured by his sneak attack, so we couldn’t gain the upper hand.”
“But Anu’s attacks became increasingly evil, and finally, the eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing a great deal of his cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit, to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu had no choice but to flee. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked my brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching south and, not far from here, sensed an unusual disturbance of true essence, which felt familiar. He sent a message to me and hurried over. When he got closer, he discovered that our master was in a battle with someone, and that person was none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Celestial Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance, seeing that our master had the upper hand, with Anu observing the fight. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the crowd’s eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a Celestial Master for many years, was no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom had defeated Zhang Yuchong, it wouldn’t be surprising. But to break through his defenses and subdue him, this level of cultivation was clearly far superior to Zhang Yuchong.
“But then, suddenly, something unexpected happened.”
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second Senior Brother, these are all secrets of our sect. Perhaps there is no need to speak of them openly before these fellow Daoists?”
Many of you may wonder who that close associate of our late master was, who could have the audacity to betray him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion. “In truth, we knew very little about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that is incorrect. We, the senior disciples, are actually five. The eldest is the former National Preacher Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth is Mei Wuduo… only us five. There was another who followed our master closely, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was this Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with him the longest, receiving his teachings and care, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an indoor disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist ways. But earlier, Tao Zhongwen also mentioned that they, as disciples, knew very little about this person. So, what was Anu’s true identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao Zhongwen had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect, is it necessary to reveal them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there is nothing that cannot be told to others. These are not shameful secrets, especially now that our master has passed, and our eldest brother and youngest sister are also gone. If we still hide behind sectarian walls, how can we gain the trust of our fellow Taoists? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a rightful reputation for our sect.”
At this moment, Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding spoke up again, “Tao Zhenren, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also claim to know very little about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was the relationship with the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed to Li Daoding and sighed, “Wu Ding Zhenren, you may not know, but our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and my eldest brother and I went out to travel. We happened to meet the emperor, who was very fond of Taoism, and he greatly admired my eldest brother. Thus, my eldest brother entered the court to explain the art of alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as the National Preacher. I stayed by my brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the crowd showed disdain, while others were on guard, their reactions varied.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often sought the aid of worldly powers, especially the support of the nation’s fortune, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects of Jiangnan, forcing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Celestial Master.
But relying on the nation’s fortune can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall. Thus, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And what dynasty does not fall? A sect may last for hundreds of years, or even over a thousand, far longer than the lifespan of a dynasty. Therefore, most renowned sects do not take such great risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan dynasty to prosper the Celestial Master sect, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Celestial Master was stationed at Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader resided in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan dynasty was about to fall, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the nation’s fortune was taken by the Celestial Master sect, but when the Yuan dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect bore the brunt. This clever substitution was unexpected by the Taoist sects, and in hindsight, one could only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen reveal that Shao Yuanjie and himself were both from the Plum Blossom sect, and had served as National Preachers in two generations, and today he was clearly aiming to establish the Plum Blossom sect within the Taoist world, it was no wonder that everyone was on high alert.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. My eldest brother, however, often mentioned this master, praising his high cultivation. But once, when I was in seclusion at the sect’s gate, I did not leave for a long time until I felt I had gained some insights. When I emerged, I suddenly saw my eldest brother appear, looking anxious. He said that Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to bring rain and had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai causing trouble behind the scenes. Zhang Yuchong was furious and had found out our master’s location, setting off to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist practitioners became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not missing the deliberate calmness. He recalled their earlier analysis, suspecting that many had participated in the discussion about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. Although it was unclear who had actually interfered, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The excessive calmness and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were quite abnormal, revealing the crowd’s guilty conscience.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Celestial Master sect and might have some connection with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s claims. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan just sipped his wine gourd contentedly, as if he hadn’t heard a word Tao Zhongwen said.
“At that time, we were all very anxious, not knowing the current situation at our sect. My brother and I urgently sent a message to our third brother and set off to return.” Tao Zhongwen shook his head regretfully, “We thought it was simple, believing that Celestial Master Zhang might just want to clarify things with our master, but we never expected, never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao Zhongwen’s words, glancing at him a few times, but ultimately said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother, who was supposed to be by his side, was absent, with no messages left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy, but to no avail. We grew anxious, and our third brother was delayed, so my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about leaving traces. I headed deep into the northern mountains, moving at full speed when I suddenly received a telepathic message from my brother. He had detected a surge of true essence near a cliff by the southern river, possibly our master. Hearing that he was heading there, I also accelerated my flight. But on the way, I never received another message from my brother, and I began to have a bad premonition.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“Those two were my eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” although his expression remained calm, the anger and hatred in his voice were unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from all those years ago had not diminished.
“I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what is going on? Where is our master?'”
“My eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. I saw Anu attacking viciously, aiming to kill my eldest brother. He wielded two sinister artifacts, and my brother was barely defending. I rushed to help, but Anu was ferocious. Even with both of us fighting, my brother had been injured by his sneak attack, so we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly evil. Finally, my eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu fled. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked my brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching south and, not far from here, felt an unusual surge of true essence, which he recognized. He sent me a message and hurried over. When he got closer, he saw our master engaged in a battle with someone, who turned out to be Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Celestial Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance, seeing our master gaining the upper hand, with Anu observing the fight. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the crowd’s eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a Celestial Master for many years, was no ordinary figure. It was not surprising that Master Plum Blossom could defeat him, but to break his defenses and subdue him indicated a level of cultivation significantly higher than Zhang Yuchong’s.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
At this point, the Wuding Zhenren, Li Daoding, spoke up again, asking, “Master Dian, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your Master, yet you also say that you didn’t really know much about him. So what exactly happened back then? How did your Master meet his end, and what does it have to do with the former Celestial Master, Zhang Yuchong?”
Many of you may be wondering who that close confidant of our late master was, who could have the audacity to betray him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we don’t know much about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed deeply. “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, assuming we are his six disciples. But that is incorrect. We, his disciples, are actually five in number. Our eldest brother was the former National Preceptor Shao Yuanjie; I am the second; the third is the master of this estate, Liu Shuxing; the fourth is Duan Jiyong; and the fifth is our sister, Mei Wuduo… only us five. There was another who followed our master closely, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was this Anu, who was not a formal disciple but had been with our master the longest, receiving his teachings and care, who ultimately betrayed and killed him!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in the eyes of the listeners deepened. According to Tao, Anu was not an official disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and had learned his Daoist arts. However, Tao had also mentioned that even they, as disciples, did not know much about this person. So, what was Anu’s true identity? And what was his connection to Mei Qing, whom Tao had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second Brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it really necessary to reveal them to our fellow Daoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head. “Third Brother, there is nothing that cannot be spoken of. These are not shameful matters, especially now that our master has passed, and both our eldest brother and younger sister are also gone. If we continue to hide behind sectarian walls, how can we earn the trust of the Daoist community? Today, I am determined to bring the Plum Blossom Sect into the light of the Daoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish our sect’s rightful place.”
At this point, Li Daoding, the Daoist of Wuding, spoke up again. “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also claim that you know little about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was the connection to the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen clasped his hands and sighed in response. “Master Li, our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and my eldest brother and I left to travel. By chance, we encountered the emperor, who held Daoism in high regard. He was particularly impressed with my eldest brother, who was then invited to the court to explain the Dao of alchemy, eventually being appointed as the National Preceptor. I remained by my brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for many years.”
As he spoke, the expressions of the listeners varied—some showed disdain, others caution.
Since ancient times, Daoists have often relied on worldly power, especially the support of the state, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liusun, who, during the Yuan dynasty, used the empire’s momentum to dominate the Daoist sects of the south, suppressing the Maoshan and Gezao sects beneath the Celestial Master.
However, relying on the state’s power can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall. Once the state’s fortunes decline, so too does the Daoist sect that depends on it. Therefore, those who rely on state power are inevitably tied to the rise and fall of the nation. But no dynasty lasts forever. A sect, however, can endure for hundreds, even thousands of years, far longer than any dynasty. Thus, most reputable sects avoid taking such risks.
But Zhang Liusun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the Yuan dynasty’s power to elevate the Celestial Master sect to great heights, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At the time, the Celestial Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader was based in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
In this way, the Celestial Master sect gained control of the world’s spiritual energy, but when the Yuan dynasty collapsed, the Xuanjiao sect took the fall. This clever substitution caught many Daoist sects off guard, and in hindsight, they could only marvel at Zhang Liusun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen reveal that both Shao Yuanjie and he himself were from the Plum Blossom Sect, and that they had served as National Preceptors in different generations, it was clear that he intended to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Daoist community. Such a revelation naturally put everyone on high alert.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. My eldest brother, however, often spoke of him, praising his profound cultivation. But once, when I was deep in meditation and had not left my chamber for a long time, I finally emerged with some insights. Suddenly, my eldest brother appeared, looking anxious. He told me that Zhang Yuchong had failed to bring rain and had been stripped of his title as Celestial Master by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure was due to interference from our master, Fan Wentai. Enraged, Zhang Yuchong had discovered our master’s whereabouts and had set off to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Daoist listeners became eerily calm, as if they were hearing a familiar story.
Mei Qing glanced around, noticing the deliberate calmness. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many of those present had been involved in the discussions surrounding Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. While it was unclear who had actually interfered, those here today must have at least heard about the incident. Their overly calm reactions and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were abnormal, revealing their unease.
At this thought, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Celestial Master sect and might have some connection to Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao’s claims. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan simply sipped from his wine gourd, seemingly oblivious to Tao Zhongwen’s words.
“At the time, we were all very worried and had no idea what was happening at our sect. My brother and I urgently sent a message to our third brother and set off to return,” Tao Zhongwen continued, shaking his head with regret. “We thought it might be a simple matter, that Zhang Yuchong just wanted to clarify things with our master. But we were wrong, so wrong…”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao Zhongwen’s words but remained silent.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen went on, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother, who usually stayed by his side, was gone. There was no message left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy, but to no avail. We grew increasingly anxious, and when our third brother still hadn’t arrived, my brother and I decided to split up and search for him.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about leaving traces. I traveled deep into the northern mountains when I suddenly received a message from my brother. He had detected a strong surge of spiritual energy near a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. He was already on his way, so I hurriedly flew there as fast as I could. But along the way, I received no further messages from him, and a sense of foreboding grew in my heart.”
“I rushed to the riverbank, only to be shocked by what I saw.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, once a lush hill covered in trees. But when I arrived, the entire hill had been flattened. In the air, two figures were locked in combat!”
“Those two were my eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” his voice was calm, but the hatred in his words was unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from all those years ago had not faded.
“I was stunned and immediately asked, ‘Eldest Brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“My brother cried out, ‘Second Brother, hurry! This heartless traitor has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I stood frozen until my brother called out to me twice more. I then saw Anu attacking with vicious intent, clearly trying to kill my brother. He wielded two sinister artifacts, and my brother was barely holding on. I rushed to help, but Anu was ferocious. Even with both of us fighting together, my brother had already been injured in a sneak attack, so we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly malevolent. In the end, my brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turning against him, Anu fled. My brother and I chased after him, and I finally asked him what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching southward when he felt an unusual surge of spiritual energy not far from the river. Recognizing the energy as familiar, he sent me a message and hurried over. When he got closer, he saw our master engaged in a fierce battle with someone—none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his title as Celestial Master.”
“My brother watched from a distance as our master gained the upper hand, with Anu observing nearby. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talismans and subdue him.”
At this point, the listeners’ expressions shifted to either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, as a Celestial Master, was no ordinary figure. While it wasn’t surprising that Master Plum Blossom could defeat him, the fact that he could break through Zhang’s defenses and subdue him indicated a level of cultivation far superior to Zhang’s.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
Upon hearing this, some in the crowd looked disdainful, others wary—reactions varied.
Since ancient times, Daoist cultivators have often acted contrary to the ways of ordinary people, frequently relying on worldly power, especially the strength of national fortune, which is considered most valuable. A recent example is Zhang Liusun from the previous dynasty, who, using the Yuan dynasty’s might, suppressed many southern Daoist sects, forcing the Maoshan and Geyao sects beneath the Celestial Masters.
However, while such reliance brings rapid rise, it also leads to swift decline once the national fortune wanes. Thus, those who rely on imperial power are inevitably tied to the fate of the dynasty. Yet no dynasty lasts forever. Daoist sects, on the other hand, often endure for hundreds or even thousands of years, far outlasting any single dynasty. For this reason, most renowned sects tend to avoid such risks.
Yet Zhang Liusun was an exception. He used the Yuan dynasty’s power to elevate the Celestial Masters, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect independently, becoming its Grand Master and establishing it as the state religion. At the time, the Celestial Masters remained in Longhushan, while the Xuanjiao Grand Master resided in the capital, making the two sects like brothers. When the Yuan dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect bore the brunt of the collapse and perished in one generation.
Thus, the national Daoist authority passed to the Celestial Masters, while the Xuanjiao sect took the fall. This clever switch caught all Daoist sects off guard. In hindsight, they could only marvel at Zhang Liusun’s cunning and foresight.
Now, as Tao Zhongwen revealed that both Shao Yuanjie and himself were disciples of the Plum Sect, and that they had successively served as National Masters, and now sought to formally establish the Plum Sect within the Daoist world, it was no wonder that the crowd was deeply wary.
Many of you may wonder who that close confidant of our late master was, who could have the audacity to betray him with such a treacherous act,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we didn’t know him very well either.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed deeply. “The world refers to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, assuming we are his six disciples. But that is incorrect. There are only five of us—senior brother Shao Yuanjie, the former national preceptor; myself, second in line; third brother Liu Shuxing, the master of this estate; fourth brother Duan Jiyong; and fifth sister Mei Wuduo. That’s all of us. There was another person who followed our master closely, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was Anu, who was not a formal disciple but had been with our master the longest, receiving his teachings and care, who ultimately betrayed and killed him!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in the eyes of the listeners only deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an official disciple of Master Plum Blossom, yet he had been with him for a long time and had learned his Daoist arts. However, Tao had also mentioned that even they, the disciples, did not know much about Anu. So, what was Anu’s true identity? And what was his connection to Mei Qing, whom Tao had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it really necessary to disclose them to our fellow Daoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head. “Third brother, there is nothing that cannot be spoken of. These are not shameful matters, especially now that our master has passed away, and both our senior brother and younger sister are also gone. If we continue to hide behind sectarian walls, how can we gain the trust of our fellow Daoists? Today, I am determined to bring the Plum Blossom Sect into the light, to honor our master’s name, and to establish our sect’s rightful place in the Daoist world.”
At this point, Li Daoding, the Daoist of Wuding, spoke up again. “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also claim that you didn’t know much about Anu. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was the connection with the previous Celestial Master, Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen clasped his hands towards Li Daoding and sighed. “Master Li, you may not know this, but our master was very strict with us disciples, and there were many things he did not allow us to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and my senior brother and I left to wander the world. By chance, we encountered the emperor, who was deeply interested in Daoism, and he greatly admired my senior brother. Thus, my senior brother was invited to the court to explain the Dao of alchemy to the emperor, which led to him being appointed as the national preceptor. I remained by my senior brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some of the listeners showed disdain, while others grew wary.
Since ancient times, Daoists have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of the state, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the might of the Yuan Empire to suppress the Daoist sects of Jiangnan, forcing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the authority of the Celestial Master.
However, relying on the state’s power can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall. Those who depend on the state’s power are inevitably tied to its rise and fall. And what dynasty lasts forever? A sect can endure for hundreds, even thousands of years, far longer than any dynasty. Therefore, most reputable sects avoid taking such risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the Yuan Empire’s power to elevate the Celestial Master sect to great heights, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect, declaring himself its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Celestial Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader settled in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the Celestial Master sect gained the world’s spiritual authority, but when the Yuan dynasty collapsed, the Xuanjiao sect bore the brunt. This clever substitution surprised many Daoist sects, who could only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen speak of Shao Yuanjie and himself as members of the Plum Blossom sect, and both serving as national preceptors, it was clear that he intended to establish the Plum Blossom sect within the Daoist community. Such a move naturally made everyone wary.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Celestial Master, Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. My senior brother, however, often spoke of him, praising his profound cultivation. Once, when I was in deep meditation, I didn’t leave my quarters for a long time. When I finally emerged, I was startled to see my senior brother appear, looking anxious. He told me that Zhang Yuchong had failed to bring rain and had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure was due to our master, Fan Wentai, who had allegedly interfered behind the scenes. Enraged, Zhang Yuchong had discovered our master’s whereabouts and set off to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Daoist listeners became eerily calm, as if they were hearing a familiar story.
Mei Qing glanced around, noticing the deliberate calmness. Recalling their earlier analysis, it seemed likely that many of those present had been involved in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain ritual. While it was unclear who had actually interfered, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. Their overly calm demeanor and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account seemed abnormal, revealing their unease.
Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Celestial Master sect and might have some connection to Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s claims. To his surprise, Zhang Shisan simply sipped from his wine gourd, seemingly oblivious to Tao Zhongwen’s words.
“At the time, we were all very worried, not knowing what was happening at our sect. My senior brother and I urgently sent a message to our third brother and set off to return,” Tao Zhongwen shook his head regretfully. “We thought it was simple, believing that Zhang Yuchong might just want to clarify things with our master. We never expected… never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned slightly at Tao Zhongwen’s words but remained silent.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother, who usually stayed by his side, was absent, leaving no message. We tried to contact our master through spiritual means but received no response. Growing anxious, and with our third brother still not arriving, my senior brother and I decided to split up and search.”
“My senior brother went south, while I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own well-being. As I ventured deep into the northern mountains, I suddenly received a spiritual message from my senior brother, who had detected a disturbance in the spiritual energy near a cliff by the river, possibly our master. Hearing that he was heading there, I accelerated my flight. But along the way, I received no further messages from him, and a sense of foreboding grew in my heart.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush, wooded hill. But when I arrived, I saw that the entire hill had been flattened. In the air, two people were locked in combat!”
“Those two were my senior brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” his face remained calm, but the hatred in his voice was unmistakable. Clearly, the anger from all those years ago had not diminished.
“I was stunned and immediately asked, ‘Senior brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“My senior brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless wretch has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I stood frozen until my senior brother called out to me twice more. Then I saw Anu attacking with ruthless intent, clearly aiming to kill my senior brother. He wielded two sinister artifacts, and my senior brother was barely holding on. I rushed to help, but Anu was ferocious. Even with both of us fighting together, my senior brother had already been injured in a sneak attack, and we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly malevolent. Finally, my senior brother resorted to a forbidden technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu fled. My senior brother and I pursued him, and I asked him what had happened.”
“My senior brother explained that he had been searching southward when he sensed an unusual disturbance in the spiritual energy, which felt familiar. He sent me a message and hurried to the source. When he arrived, he saw our master engaged in combat with someone—none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Celestial Master title.”
“My senior brother watched from a distance, seeing that our master had the upper hand, with Anu observing the fight. Before my senior brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talismans and subdue him.”
At this point, the listeners’ expressions shifted to either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, as a Celestial Master, was no ordinary figure. While it wasn’t surprising that Master Plum Blossom could defeat him, the fact that he could break through Zhang Yuchong’s defenses and subdue him indicated a level of cultivation far superior to Zhang Yuchong’s.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
At this point, he paused, and the expressions of the Daoist crowd had turned unusually calm, as if they had heard something very familiar.
Mei Qing glanced around at the crowd and could easily tell that this calm was forced. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many had been involved in the discussions surrounding Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain-summoning ritual. Although the actual perpetrators remained unknown, those present today must at least have heard of the matter. Their overly calm reactions and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were highly suspicious, betraying their inner unease.
Thinking this, Mei Qing turned his gaze toward Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang was originally from the Celestial Master sect and might even have some connection to Zhang Yuchong. He wondered whether Zhang would object upon hearing this. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan merely sat there, drinking heartily from his gourd, as if he hadn’t heard a word Tao Zhongwen had said.
Many of you may wonder who that close associate of our late master was, who dared to ambush him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion. “In truth, we don’t know much about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze turned to Liu Xing, and he sighed. “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that’s incorrect. There are only five of us: the eldest brother is the former National Preceptor Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third is the master of this estate, Liu Shuxing, the fourth is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth is Mei Wuduo. That’s all of us. There was another person, a follower who stayed by our master’s side, called Anu.”
“It was Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with our master the longest, learned from him, and was cherished by him, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an official disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Daoist arts. But earlier, Tao Zhongwen mentioned that even they, the disciples, didn’t know much about Anu. So, what was Anu’s true identity? And what was his connection to Mei Qing, whom Tao Zhongwen had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it necessary to reveal them to our fellow Daoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head. “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be spoken of. These are not shameful secrets, especially now that our master has passed, and both our eldest brother and youngest sister are gone. If we still hide behind sectarian walls, how can we gain the trust of the Daoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the world, to honor our master’s name and to establish our sect’s rightful place.”
At this point, Li Daoding, the Martial Stability Daoist, spoke up again. “Master Tao, you keep saying that Anu killed your master, yet you also claim to know little about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was the connection to the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen clasped his hands towards Li Daoding and sighed. “Martial Stability Daoist, you may not know this, but our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and my eldest brother and I went out to travel. By chance, we encountered the emperor, who was deeply interested in Daoism, and he greatly admired my eldest brother. Thus, my eldest brother entered the court to explain alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as National Preceptor. I stayed by my brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the audience showed disdain, while others were wary.
Throughout history, Daoists have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of the state, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun, who, during the Yuan dynasty, used the empire’s momentum to suppress the Daoist sects of Jiangnan, forcing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Celestial Master’s authority.
However, relying on the state’s power can lead to rapid rise and fall. Once the state’s fortune wanes, so does the Daoist’s influence. Therefore, those who depend on the state’s power are tied to its rise and fall. But no dynasty lasts forever. A sect, lasting hundreds or even thousands of years, far outlives any dynasty. Thus, most renowned sects avoid such risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted contrary to expectations. He used the Yuan dynasty’s power to elevate the Celestial Master’s sect, yet he also founded the Profound Teaching, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Celestial Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Profound Teaching’s leader was based in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two. When the Yuan dynasty fell, the Profound Teaching perished with it.
Thus, the Celestial Master’s sect gained the world’s spiritual fortune, but when the Yuan dynasty collapsed, the Profound Teaching took the fall. This substitution was unexpected by the Daoist community, and in hindsight, they could only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen speak of Shao Yuanjie and himself as members of the Plum Blossom Sect, both serving as National Preceptors, and his intention to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Daoist community, it’s no wonder everyone is on high alert.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. My eldest brother, however, often spoke of him, praising his profound cultivation. But once, when I was in the midst of a critical phase of my cultivation, I stayed secluded for a long time. Only when I felt I had made progress did I emerge. Suddenly, my eldest brother appeared, looking anxious. He said that Zhang Yuchong had failed to summon rain and had been stripped of his Celestial Master title by the emperor. There were rumors that this failure was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai’s interference. Enraged, Zhang Yuchong had discovered our master’s whereabouts and was on his way to confront him…”
As he spoke, the Daoist audience’s expressions became eerily calm, as if they were hearing a familiar story.
Mei Qing glanced around, noticing the deliberate calmness. Recalling their earlier analysis, it seemed that many had been involved in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. Although the true culprits were unknown, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. Their overly calm reactions and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were abnormal, revealing their unease.
Thinking this, Mei Qing looked at Zhang Thirteen. He knew Zhang Thirteen was from the Celestial Master’s sect and might have some connection to Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Thirteen would refute Tao Zhongwen’s claims. But to his surprise, Zhang Thirteen simply sipped from his wine gourd, seemingly oblivious to Tao Zhongwen’s words.
“At the time, we were all very worried, not knowing the current situation at our sect. My brother and I urgently sent a message to our third brother and hurried back,” Tao Zhongwen shook his head regretfully. “We thought it might be a simple matter, that Zhang Yuchong just wanted to clarify things with our master. We never expected… never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao Zhongwen’s words but remained silent.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother, who usually stayed by his side, was absent, with no messages left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy, but to no avail. We grew anxious, and when our third brother still hadn’t arrived, my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about leaving traces. I traveled deep into the northern mountains when I suddenly received a message from my brother. He had detected a surge of spiritual energy near a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. He was already on his way, so I sped up to join him. But along the way, I received no further messages from my brother, and a sense of foreboding grew in my heart.”
“I rushed to the riverbank and was shocked by what I saw.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, the entire hill had been flattened. In the air, two people were fighting!”
“Those two were my eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” his voice was calm, but the hatred in his words was unmistakable. Clearly, the anger from all those years ago had not diminished.
“I was stunned and immediately asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“My eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless wretch has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I stood frozen until my brother called me twice more. Then I saw Anu attacking viciously, trying to kill my brother. He wielded two sinister artifacts, and my brother was barely holding on. I rushed to help, but Anu was ferocious. Even with both of us fighting, my brother had already been injured in a sneak attack, so we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly malevolent. Finally, my brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his spirit to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu fled. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked him what had happened.”
“My brother had been searching south when he felt an unusual surge of spiritual energy, familiar yet strange. He sent me a message and hurried to the source. When he got closer, he saw our master engaged in a fierce battle with someone—none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Celestial Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance as our master gained the upper hand, with Anu observing nearby. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talismans and subdue him.”
At this point, the audience’s eyes showed a mix of doubt and admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a Celestial Master for many years, was no ordinary figure. While it wasn’t surprising that Master Plum Blossom could defeat him, the fact that he could break through Zhang Yuchong’s defenses and subdue him indicated a level of cultivation far surpassing Zhang Yuchong’s.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
Liu Xing listened to Tao Zhongwen’s words and frowned slightly, but after glancing at him a few times, he said nothing.
You may wonder who the close associate of our late master was, who could have the audacity to ambush him,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we didn’t know much about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze turned to Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that’s not correct. There are actually five of us: the eldest brother is the former National Preceptor Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth is Mei Wuduo… only five of us. There was another who followed our master as an attendant, named Anu.”
“It was this Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with our master the longest, learned from him, and was cherished by him the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an inner disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist practices. But earlier, Tao Zhongwen also mentioned that they, as disciples, didn’t know much about this person. So, what was Anu’s true identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao Zhongwen had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it necessary to reveal them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be told. These are not shameful secrets, especially now that our master has passed away, and both the eldest brother and younger sister have also died. If we still hide behind sectarian walls, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a rightful reputation for our sect.”
At this point, Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding spoke up again, “Master Tao, you keep saying that Anu killed your master, yet you also claim that you didn’t know much about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen clasped his hands towards Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wu Ding, our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for seclusion, and I and the eldest brother went out to travel. By chance, we met the emperor, who greatly admired the eldest brother’s knowledge of alchemy. Thus, the eldest brother became the National Preceptor, and I stayed by his side, also favored by the emperor, which kept me busy with worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the audience showed disdain, while others remained cautious.
Taoist practitioners have always been contrary to the common people, often relying on worldly powers, especially the support of the state. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects in Jiangnan, forcing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master’s control.
But relying on the state’s fortune can lead to rapid rise and fall. Once the state’s fortune wanes, so does the practitioner’s. Therefore, those who rely on the state’s power are tied to its rise and fall. And what dynasty lasts forever? A sect may last for hundreds or even thousands of years, far longer than any dynasty. Thus, most renowned sects avoid such risks.
However, Zhang Liushun often acted contrary to expectations. He used the Yuan dynasty’s power to elevate the Heavenly Master’s sect, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader stayed in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
This way, the Heavenly Master’s sect gained the world’s fortune, but when the Yuan dynasty collapsed, the Xuanjiao sect took the fall. This clever maneuver by Zhang Liushun surprised all Taoist sects, who could only marvel at his cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen speak of Shao Yuanjie and himself as members of the Plum Blossom Sect, both serving as National Preceptors, and his intention to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, it naturally raised everyone’s vigilance.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. However, the eldest brother often mentioned him, praising his profound cultivation. Once, when I was in seclusion, I didn’t leave my chamber for a long time until I felt I had made some progress. When I emerged, I suddenly saw the eldest brother appear, looking anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to summon rain and had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that this failure was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai’s interference. Zhang Yuchong, enraged, had discovered our master’s whereabouts and was on his way to confront him…”
As he spoke, the Taoist audience’s expressions became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around and noticed that this calmness was too deliberate. Recalling their earlier analysis, it seemed that many of those present had been involved in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. Although it was unclear who had actually interfered, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. Their overly calm demeanor and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account seemed abnormal, revealing their guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master’s sect and might have some connection with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s claims. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan simply sipped his wine gourd, seemingly oblivious to Tao Zhongwen’s words.
“At that time, we were all very anxious and didn’t know the current situation at our sect. My brother and I hurriedly sent a message to the third brother and set off to return.” Tao Zhongwen shook his head regretfully, “We thought it was simple, believing that Heavenly Master Zhang might just want to clarify things with our master. We didn’t expect… alas—”
Liu Xing frowned slightly at Tao Zhongwen’s words but remained silent.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even the fourth brother who served him was absent, with no messages left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy but failed. We grew anxious as the third brother didn’t arrive, so my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own safety. I traveled deep into the northern mountains when I suddenly received a message from my brother, sensing a surge of spiritual energy near a cliff by the river, possibly our master. Hearing that he was heading there, I also sped up. But on the way, I never received another message from my brother, and I began to have a bad feeling.”
“I hurried to the riverside and was shocked by what I saw.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, the entire hill had been flattened. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“Those two were the eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” his voice was calm, but the hatred in his words was unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from years ago had not diminished.
“I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“The eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice that I snapped out of it. I saw Anu attacking viciously, trying to kill the eldest brother. He wielded two sinister artifacts, and the eldest brother was barely defending himself. I rushed to help, but Anu was ferocious. Even with both of us fighting, the eldest brother had already been injured in a sneak attack, so we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly evil. Finally, the eldest brother used a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his soul to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu fled. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked him what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching south and felt an unusual surge of spiritual energy near the area. Sensing something familiar, he sent me a message and hurried over. When he got closer, he saw our master fighting someone—it was Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance as our master gained the upper hand, with Anu observing nearby. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the audience’s eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, as a Heavenly Master, was no ordinary practitioner. While it wasn’t surprising that Master Plum Blossom could defeat Zhang Yuchong, the fact that he could break his defenses and subdue him showed that his cultivation was clearly superior.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
Many of you may wonder who that close associate of our late master was, who could have so treacherously attacked him,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion. “In truth, we didn’t know him very well either.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze turned to Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that’s incorrect. There are actually five of us: the eldest brother is the former National Preacher Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth is Mei Wuduo… only us five. There was another who followed our master closely, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was this Anu, not a disciple but the one who followed him the longest, learned from him, and was cherished by him the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an indoor disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai but had followed him for a long time and learned his Taoist ways. Yet, Tao had previously mentioned that even they, the disciples, didn’t know much about this person. So, what was Anu’s true identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it necessary to disclose them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be told. These are not shameful secrets, especially now that our master has passed away, and our eldest brother and youngest sister are also gone. If we still hide behind sectarian walls, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a proper reputation for our sect.”
At this point, Li Daoding, the Wuding Real Person, spoke up again, “Real Person Tao, you keep saying that Anu killed your master, yet you also say you didn’t know much about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was the relationship with the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed slightly to Li Daoding and sighed, “Real Person Wuding, you may not know, but our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and my eldest brother and I went out to travel. We happened to meet the emperor, who was very interested in Taoism, and he greatly admired my eldest brother. Thus, my eldest brother entered the court to explain alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as the National Preacher. I stayed by my brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus was tied up with worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, the expressions of the listeners varied, some showing disdain, others caution.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of national fortunes, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan Dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects of Jiangnan, effectively placing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master.
However, relying on national fortunes can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall. Therefore, those who rely on national power are often tied to the rise and fall of the state. And what dynasty does not eventually fall? A sect, lasting for hundreds or even thousands of years, far outlasts the rise and fall of dynasties. Thus, truly renowned sects generally avoid such great risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan Dynasty to prosper the Heavenly Master sect, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master was stationed at Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader resided in the capital, forming a brotherly relationship. When the Yuan Dynasty was about to fall, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the national fortunes was taken by the Heavenly Master sect, but when the Yuan Dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect took the fall. This substitution was a great surprise to the Taoist sects, and in hindsight, one could only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen speak of Shao Yuanjie and himself as coming from the Plum Blossom Sect, and both serving as National Preachers, and today clearly intending to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, how could this not make everyone extremely cautious?
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I didn’t have much contact with him. My eldest brother, however, often mentioned this real person, saying his cultivation was extremely advanced. But once, when I was in the midst of a critical stage of cultivation and hadn’t left my retreat for a long time, I finally emerged with some progress. Suddenly, my eldest brother appeared, looking very anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to bring rain and had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure to bring rain was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai causing trouble behind the scenes. Zhang Yuchong was furious and had found out our master’s location and was on his way to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist community became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not hard to see that this calmness was too deliberate. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many had participated in the discussion about Zhang Yuchong’s failure to bring rain. Although it was unclear who exactly had intervened, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The current calmness and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were quite abnormal, revealing the crowd’s guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master sect and might have some relationship with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s words. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan just sipped his wine gourd contentedly, as if he hadn’t heard what Tao Zhongwen was saying.
“At that time, we were all very anxious and didn’t know the current situation at our sect. My brother and I hurriedly sent a message to our third brother and set off to return.” At this point, Tao Zhongwen kept shaking his head, somewhat regretfully saying, “We thought it was simple at the time, believing that Heavenly Master Zhang’s visit might just be to clarify things with our master. We didn’t expect, we didn’t expect, alas—”
Liu Xing, hearing Tao Zhongwen’s words, frowned slightly, just glanced at him a few times, and finally said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother who served by his side was not there, nor was there any message. We tried to contact our master through spiritual thoughts and messages, but to no avail. We began to worry, and our third brother was also delayed. Finally, my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. Because we were anxious, we both pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own well-being. I went deep into the northern mountains, moving forward with all my might when I suddenly received a message from my brother, who had sensed a disturbance of true essence at a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. Hearing that he was already on his way, I also accelerated my flight. But on the way, I never received another message from my brother, and I began to have a bad feeling.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, I saw that the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“These two were my eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” although his expression was calm, the anger and hatred in his words were unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from all those years ago had not diminished.
“I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“My eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. I saw Anu attacking viciously, trying to kill my eldest brother. He had two unknown magical tools, extremely evil, and my brother was barely defending himself. I quickly went to help. But Anu was ferocious, and even though we were two against one, my brother had already been injured by his sneak attack, so we couldn’t gain the upper hand.”
“But Anu’s attacks became increasingly evil, and finally, my eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing a great deal of his cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit, injuring Anu and destroying his magical tools. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu fled. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked my brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching south and, not far from here, felt an unusual disturbance of true essence, which he recognized as familiar. He sent me a message and hurried over. When he got closer, he saw our master fighting someone, who turned out to be Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance and saw that our master had the upper hand, with Anu watching the fight. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the expressions of the crowd showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a Heavenly Master for so many years, was no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom had defeated Zhang Yuchong, it wouldn’t be surprising. But to break through his defenses and subdue him, this level of cultivation was clearly far superior to Zhang Yuchong.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
“I hurried as fast as I could and arrived at the riverside, only to be shocked beyond words.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, once a lush hill covered in trees. But when I arrived, the entire hill had been completely leveled. There, in midair, two figures were locked in fierce combat!”
Many of you may wonder who that close associate of our late master was, who could have the audacity to attack him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we ourselves do not know much about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, assuming we are his six disciples. But this is incorrect. We, the brothers and sisters, are actually five. The eldest brother is the former National Preacher Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third brother is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth brother is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth sister is Mei Wuduo… only us five. There is another who followed our master closely, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was this Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with him the longest, receiving his teachings and care, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, this Anu was not an indoor disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist practices. But earlier, Tao Zhongwen also mentioned that even they, the disciples, did not know much about this person. So, who exactly was Anu? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao Zhongwen had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it necessary to reveal them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there is nothing that cannot be spoken of. These are not shameful matters, especially now that our master has passed away, and our eldest brother and youngest sister are also gone. If we still cling to sectarian secrecy, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a proper reputation for our sect.”
At this moment, Li Daoding, the Wu Ding Taoist, spoke up again, “Taoist Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also claim to know little about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen clasped his hands towards Li Daoding and sighed, “Wu Ding Taoist, you may not know this, but our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to ask about. Later, our master went into seclusion in the mountains for a period, and my eldest brother and I left to wander. By chance, we encountered the emperor, who was deeply interested in Taoism, and he greatly admired my eldest brother. Thus, my eldest brother was invited to the court to explain the art of alchemy to the emperor, which led to him being appointed as the National Preacher. I stayed by my brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the audience showed disdain, while others were wary, their expressions varied.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of national fortunes, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan Dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects of Jiangnan, forcing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master.
But relying on national fortunes is a double-edged sword; it rises quickly but falls just as fast when the national fortune declines. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And which dynasty does not eventually fall? A sect may last for hundreds or even thousands of years, far longer than the lifespan of a dynasty. Thus, truly renowned sects usually avoid such risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan Dynasty to elevate the Heavenly Master Sect to great heights, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao Sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader settled in the capital, forming a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, the Xuanjiao Sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the world’s spiritual energy was taken by the Heavenly Master Sect. But when the Yuan Dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao Sect bore the brunt. This substitution was a move that surprised all Taoist sects, and in hindsight, one could only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen speak of Shao Yuanjie and himself as members of the Plum Blossom Sect, both having served as National Preachers, and now openly declaring the establishment of the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, it was no wonder that everyone was on high alert.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. My eldest brother, however, often mentioned this Taoist, praising his high level of cultivation. But once, when I was in the midst of a long period of seclusion, I suddenly saw my eldest brother appear, looking anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, having failed to summon rain, had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that this failure was due to interference from Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, who had meddled behind the scenes. Zhang Yuchong, in his anger, had discovered our master’s whereabouts and had set off to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist audience became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not missing the deliberate calmness. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many of those present had been involved in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. Although it was unclear who had actually interfered, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The current calmness and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were quite abnormal, revealing the crowd’s unease.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but glance at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master Sect and might have some connection with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s claims. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan simply sipped from his wine gourd, seemingly oblivious to Tao Zhongwen’s words.
“At the time, we were all very anxious, not knowing the current situation at our sect. My brother and I hurriedly sent a message to our third brother and set off to return,” Tao Zhongwen shook his head regretfully, “We thought it might be a simple matter, that Zhang Yuchong might just want to clarify things with our master. We never expected… never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao Zhongwen’s words, glancing at him a few times but ultimately saying nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother, who usually stayed by his side, was absent, with no messages left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy, but to no avail. We began to worry, and our third brother was also delayed. In the end, my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own safety. I traveled deep into the northern mountains, moving as fast as I could, when suddenly I received a message from my brother. He had detected a strong spiritual energy fluctuation near a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. Hearing that he was already on his way, I also accelerated my flight. But along the way, I received no further messages from my brother, and a sense of foreboding crept into my heart.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, I saw that the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“These two were my eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” although his expression remained calm, the anger and hatred in his voice were unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from all those years ago had not diminished in the slightest.
“At that moment, I was shocked and immediately asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what is going on? Where is our master?'”
“My eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless wretch has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was completely stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. I saw that Anu’s attacks were vicious, all aimed at killing my eldest brother. He also wielded two sinister artifacts, and my brother was barely holding on. I quickly joined the fight. But Anu was extremely ferocious, and even with the two of us fighting together, my brother had already been injured in a sneak attack, so we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly evil. Finally, my eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing a great deal of his cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit, to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turning against him, Anu fled. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked my brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching southward and, not far from this place, had sensed an unusual spiritual energy fluctuation that felt familiar. He had sent me a message and hurried over. When he got closer, he discovered that our master was in a battle with someone, and that person was none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance, seeing that our master had the upper hand, while Anu was observing the fight. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the expressions of the audience showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, as a Heavenly Master, though not necessarily the most powerful cultivator in the world, had held the title for many years and was no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom had defeated Zhang Yuchong, it would not be surprising. But to break through his defenses and subdue him personally, this level of cultivation clearly surpassed Zhang Yuchong by more than a notch.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
As Tao Zhongwen spoke the name “Anu,” his expression remained calm, but the tone of his voice clearly carried deep anger and hatred. Clearly, even after all these years, his resentment had not faded in the least.
Many of you may wonder who that close confidant of our late master was, who could have the audacity to betray him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we didn’t know him very well either.”
His gaze then turned to Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world refers to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, assuming we are his six disciples. But that’s incorrect. There are actually five of us siblings. The eldest is the former National Preceptor Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth is Mei Wuduo… Just the five of us. There was another who followed our master, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with him the longest, learned from him, and was cherished the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to him, Anu was not an indoor disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist ways. But earlier, he also mentioned that even they, as disciples, didn’t know much about this person. So, what was Anu’s true identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it really necessary to disclose them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be told. These are not shameful matters, especially now that our master has passed, and both the eldest brother and our younger sister have also died. If we still confine ourselves to sectarian secrecy, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a rightful reputation for our sect.”
At this point, Li Daoding, the Wuding Taoist, spoke up again, “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also claim not to know much about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed slightly to Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wuding, our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and my eldest brother and I went out to travel. We happened to meet the emperor, who greatly admired my brother’s knowledge of alchemy. Thus, my brother became the National Preceptor, and I stayed by his side, also favored by the emperor, which kept me occupied with worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the audience showed disdain, while others were on guard.
Taoists have always been contrary to the world, often relying on worldly powers, especially the support of national fortunes. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects in the south, placing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master.
But relying on national fortunes is a double-edged sword; it rises quickly but falls just as fast when the national fortune wanes. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And what dynasty lasts forever? A sect can last for hundreds, even thousands of years, far longer than any dynasty. Thus, truly renowned sects usually avoid such risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted contrary to expectations. He used the power of the Yuan dynasty to prosper the Heavenly Master sect but also founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader was based in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan dynasty was about to fall, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the world’s fortunes was taken by the Heavenly Master sect, but when the Yuan dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect bore the brunt. This substitution was unexpected by the Taoist sects, and in hindsight, one could only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen say that Shao Yuanjie and he himself were both from the Plum Blossom Sect and had served as National Preceptors in different generations, and today he clearly intends to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, how could everyone not be on high alert?
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I didn’t have much contact with him. My eldest brother often mentioned this master, saying his cultivation was extremely high. But once, when I was in the midst of a critical phase of my cultivation and hadn’t left my retreat for a long time, I finally emerged with some progress. Suddenly, my eldest brother appeared, looking anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong had been stripped of his title by the emperor for failing to bring rain, and there were rumors that it was Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai who had sabotaged his efforts. Zhang Yuchong, furious, had found out our master’s location and was on his way to confront him…”
As he spoke, the Taoist audience’s expressions became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not missing the deliberate calmness. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many of those present had been involved in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. Although it was unclear who had actually interfered, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. Their overly calm demeanor and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were quite abnormal, revealing their guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master sect and might have some connection to Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao’s claims. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan just sipped his wine gourd contentedly, as if he hadn’t heard a word Tao Zhongwen said.
“At that time, we were all very anxious and didn’t know the current situation at our sect. My brother and I hurriedly sent a message to our third brother and set off to return,” Tao Zhongwen shook his head regretfully, “We thought it was simple, that Zhang Yuchong might just want to clarify things with our master, but we never expected, never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao’s words but after a few glances, he finally said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother, who usually stayed by his side, was absent, with no messages left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy, but to no avail. We grew more anxious, and as our third brother was also delayed, my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“My brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about the traces we left. I went deep into the northern mountains, moving as fast as I could, when suddenly I received a telepathic message from my brother. He had sensed a surge of true energy near a cliff by the river in the south, which seemed to be our master. Hearing that he was heading there, I also accelerated my flight. But on the way, I never received another message from my brother, and I began to have a bad premonition.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, the entire hill had been leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“Those two were my eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” although his expression remained calm, the hatred in his voice was unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from years ago had not diminished.
“I was shocked and immediately asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“My eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. I saw Anu attacking viciously, aiming to kill my brother. He had two sinister artifacts of unknown origin, and my brother was barely defending. I quickly joined the fight. But Anu was extremely fierce, and even with both of us fighting, my brother had already been injured by his sneak attack, so we couldn’t gain the upper hand.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly evil. Finally, my brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turning against him, Anu fled. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked my brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching south and, not far from here, sensed an unusual surge of true energy that felt familiar. He sent me a message and hurried over. When he got closer, he saw our master fighting someone, and that person was none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance as our master gained the upper hand, with Anu observing the fight. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the audience’s eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a Heavenly Master for many years, was no ordinary figure. It wasn’t surprising that Master Plum Blossom could defeat him, but to break his defenses and subdue him indicated a level of cultivation significantly higher than Zhang Yuchong’s.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
Many of you may wonder who that close associate of our late master was, who could have the audacity to betray him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we don’t know much about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that’s not accurate. There are actually five of us: the eldest brother is the former National Preacher Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third is the master of this estate, Liu Shuxing, the fourth is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth is Mei Wuduo… just the five of us. There was another who followed our master, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was this Anu, not a disciple but the one who had been with him the longest, learned from him, and was cherished the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to him, Anu was not an official disciple of Master Plum Blossom, Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist ways. But earlier, Tao had also mentioned that even they, the disciples, didn’t know much about Anu. So, what was Anu’s true identity? And how was he connected to Mei Qing, whom Tao had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are the secrets of our sect. Is it really necessary to disclose them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be told. These are not shameful matters, especially now that our master has passed, and both the eldest brother and our youngest sister are also gone. If we still hide behind sectarian walls, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a rightful reputation for our sect.”
At this point, Li Daoding, the Wu Ding Taoist, spoke up again, “Taoist Master, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also claim not to know much about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was the connection with the previous Heavenly Master, Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed slightly to Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wu Ding, you may not know this, but our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and the eldest brother and I went out to travel. We happened to meet the emperor, who was very interested in Taoism, and he greatly admired the eldest brother. Thus, the eldest brother entered the court to explain the art of alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as the National Preacher. I stayed by his side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the audience showed disdain, while others were wary, their reactions varied.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of national fortunes, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan Dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects in the south, effectively placing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master.
But relying on national fortunes can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall when the national fortune declines. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And which dynasty lasts forever? A sect, lasting for a few hundred years, or even over a thousand, far outlasts the lifespan of a dynasty. Thus, truly renowned sects usually avoid such risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan Dynasty to prosper the Heavenly Master sect, yet he also independently founded the Xuanjiao, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader was based in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two. However, when the Yuan Dynasty was about to fall, the Xuanjiao perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the national fortune was taken by the Heavenly Master sect, but when the Yuan Dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao took the fall. This substitution was completely unexpected by the Taoist sects, and looking back, one can only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen speak of Shao Yuanjie and himself as coming from the Plum Blossom Sect, and both serving as National Preachers in different generations, and today clearly aiming to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, it’s no wonder that everyone is on high alert.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master, Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. However, the eldest brother often mentioned this Taoist master, praising his profound cultivation. But once, when I was in the midst of a critical phase of my cultivation and had not left my retreat for a long time, I suddenly saw the eldest brother appear, looking very anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to bring rain and had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure to bring rain was due to interference from Master Plum Blossom, Fan Wentai. Zhang Yuchong, in his anger, had found out our master’s location and was on his way to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist audience became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not hard to see that this calmness was too deliberate. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many of those present had participated in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. Although it was unclear who had actually interfered, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The fact that everyone was so calm and had no objections to Tao Zhongwen’s account was quite abnormal, revealing their guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master sect and might have some connection with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s claims. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan just sipped his wine gourd contentedly, as if he hadn’t heard what Tao Zhongwen was saying.
“At that time, we were all very anxious, not knowing the current situation at our sect. The eldest brother and I hurriedly sent a message to the third brother and set off to return.” Tao Zhongwen shook his head repeatedly, expressing some regret, “We thought it was simple, believing that Heavenly Master Zhang’s visit might just be to clarify things with our master, but we never expected, never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing, hearing Tao Zhongwen’s words, frowned slightly, glanced at him a few times, but ultimately said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even the fourth brother who usually served by his side was absent, with no messages left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and messages, but to no avail. We began to worry, and the third brother was also delayed. Finally, the eldest brother and I had to split up to search.”
“The eldest brother went south, and I went north. Being anxious, we both pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own safety. I went deep into the northern mountains, moving as fast as I could, when suddenly I received a message from the eldest brother, who had detected a strange spiritual energy fluctuation near a cliff by the river, possibly our master. Hearing that he was heading there, I also sped up. But on the way, I never received another message from the eldest brother, and I began to have a bad feeling.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, I saw that the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“These two were the eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” although his expression remained calm, the anger and hatred in his words were unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from those years had not diminished at all.
“At that moment, I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“The eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until the eldest brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. I saw Anu attacking fiercely, clearly trying to kill the eldest brother. He also had two sinister artifacts, and the eldest brother was barely defending. I quickly joined the fight. But Anu was extremely vicious, and even with the two of us, the eldest brother had already been injured by his sneak attack, so we couldn’t gain the upper hand.”
“But Anu’s attacks became increasingly evil, and finally, the eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his spirit to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turning against him, Anu fled. The eldest brother and I chased after him, and I asked him what had happened.”
“Originally, the eldest brother had been searching south and, not far from here, felt an unusual spiritual energy fluctuation, which he recognized as familiar. He sent me a message and hurried over. When he got closer, he saw our master in a battle with someone, who turned out to be Zhang Yuchong, who had just been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“The eldest brother watched from a distance, seeing that our master was already gaining the upper hand, with Anu watching the fight. Before the eldest brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talismans and subdue him.”
At this point, the audience showed expressions of either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, as a Heavenly Master, though not necessarily the most powerful, had held the title for many years and was no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom could defeat Zhang Yuchong, it wouldn’t be surprising. But to break his defenses and subdue him, this level of cultivation was clearly far superior to Zhang Yuchong.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
Many of you may be wondering who that close associate of our late master was, who could have the audacity to ambush him,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we don’t know much about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, assuming we are his six disciples. But that’s incorrect. There are only five of us siblings. The eldest is the former National Preceptor Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth is Mei Wuduo… only us five. There is another, a follower who stayed by our master’s side, called Anu.”
“It was this Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with him the longest, learned from him, and was cherished the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an inner disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist arts. But earlier, Tao Zhongwen also mentioned that they, as disciples, didn’t know much about this person. So, what exactly was Anu’s identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao Zhongwen had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it really necessary to reveal them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be spoken of. These are not shameful matters. Besides, our master has passed away, and both the eldest brother and the youngest sister have also died. If we still cling to sectarian secrecy, how can we earn the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a proper reputation for our sect.”
At this moment, Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding spoke up again, “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also claim not to know much about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed to Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wu Ding, our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master went into seclusion in the mountains, and the eldest brother and I left to wander. By chance, we encountered the emperor, who was fond of Taoism, and he greatly admired the eldest brother. Thus, the eldest brother entered the court to explain the Tao of alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as the National Preceptor. I stayed by the eldest brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus became entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the audience looked disdainful, while others were wary.
Taoists have always been contrary to the common people, often relying on worldly powers, especially the support of national fortunes. A recent example is Zhang Liusun, who used the momentum of the Yuan Dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects in Jiangnan, forcing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Celestial Master.
But relying on national fortunes is a double-edged sword; it rises quickly but falls just as fast when the national fortune declines. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the country. And what dynasty does not fall? A sect may last for hundreds, even thousands of years, far longer than the lifespan of a dynasty. Thus, truly renowned sects usually avoid such risks.
But Zhang Liusun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan Dynasty to prosper the Celestial Master sect, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Celestial Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader settled in the capital, forming a brotherly relationship. When the Yuan Dynasty was on the brink of collapse, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the national fortune was taken by the Celestial Master sect. But when the Yuan Dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect bore the brunt. This substitution was a surprise to all Taoist sects, and in hindsight, one could only marvel at Zhang Liusun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen speak of Shao Yuanjie and himself as members of the Plum Blossom Sect, both serving as National Preceptors, and his intention to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, it naturally raised everyone’s vigilance.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. The eldest brother often mentioned this master, praising his profound cultivation. But once, when I was in deep meditation and had not left my retreat for a long time, I finally emerged with some insights. Suddenly, the eldest brother appeared, looking anxious. He said that Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to summon rain and had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai’s interference. Zhang Yuchong, furious, had found out our master’s location and was on his way to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist audience became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around and noticed the calmness was too deliberate. Recalling their earlier analysis, it seemed that many had been involved in the discussion of Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. Although it was unclear who had actually interfered, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The current calmness and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were abnormal, revealing their guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but glance at Zhang Shisan. He knew Zhang Shisan was from the Celestial Master sect and might have some connection to Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s words. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan was simply enjoying his wine, seemingly oblivious to what Tao Zhongwen was saying.
“At that time, we were all very anxious, not knowing the current situation at our sect. The eldest brother and I hurriedly sent a message to the third brother and set off to return.” Tao Zhongwen shook his head regretfully, “We thought it might be a simple matter, that Zhang Yuchong just wanted to clarify things with our master. We never expected… never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao Zhongwen’s words but ultimately said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even the fourth brother who usually stayed by his side was absent, leaving no message. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy but to no avail. We grew more anxious, and the third brother was also delayed. Finally, the eldest brother and I had to split up to search.”
“The eldest brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own safety. I traveled deep into the northern mountains, moving as fast as I could, when suddenly I received a telepathic message from the eldest brother. He had detected a surge of spiritual energy near a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. Hearing he was already on his way, I also accelerated my flight. But along the way, I received no further messages from the eldest brother, and a sense of foreboding grew in my heart.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, I saw the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“Those two were the eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” though his expression remained calm, the anger and hatred in his voice were unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from all those years had not diminished.
“I was shocked and immediately asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“The eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until the eldest brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. Seeing Anu’s vicious attacks, all aimed at killing the eldest brother, and wielding two sinister magical artifacts, I rushed to help. But Anu was extremely fierce, and even with both of us fighting, the eldest brother had already been injured by his sneak attack, so we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly evil. Finally, the eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu fled. The eldest brother and I chased after him, and I asked what had happened.”
“The eldest brother had been searching south and, not far from here, sensed an unusual surge of spiritual energy, familiar yet strange. He sent me a message and hurried over. When he arrived, he saw our master engaged in a battle with someone, who turned out to be Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Celestial Master title.”
“The eldest brother watched from a distance, seeing our master gaining the upper hand, with Anu observing the fight. Before the eldest brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the audience’s eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a Celestial Master for many years, was no ordinary figure. While it wasn’t surprising that Master Plum Blossom could defeat him, being able to break his defenses and subdue him clearly indicated a level of cultivation far surpassing Zhang Yuchong’s.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
Perhaps you all are wondering who that close confidant of our late master was, who could have the audacity to betray him with such treachery,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we knew very little about him.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed deeply. “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that is incorrect. We, the brothers and sisters, are only five. The eldest brother was the former National Preacher Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third brother is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth brother is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth sister is Mei Wuduo… only us five. There was another who followed our master closely, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was he, who was not a disciple but had been with our master the longest, receiving his teachings and care the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an indoor disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist ways. But earlier, Tao Zhongwen also mentioned that they, as disciples, did not know much about this person. So, what exactly was Anu’s identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao Zhongwen had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect, is it necessary to disclose them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head and replied, “Third brother, there is nothing that cannot be told to others. These are not shameful matters, especially now that our master has passed away, and both the eldest brother and the youngest sister have also died. If we still confine ourselves within the sect, hiding our faces in everything, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name, and to establish a proper reputation for our sect.”
At this moment, Li Daoding, the Wu Ding Zhenren, spoke up again, “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, and that you knew little about this Anu. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was the relationship with the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen cupped his hands towards Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wu Ding, you may not know this, but our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and my eldest brother and I went out to wander. By chance, we met the emperor, who was deeply interested in Taoism, and he greatly admired my eldest brother. Thus, my eldest brother entered the court to explain the Tao of alchemy to the emperor, which led to him being appointed as the National Preacher. I stayed by my brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus was caught up in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the crowd showed disdain, while others were alert, their expressions varied.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of national fortune, which is highly valued. A very recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan Dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects of Jiangnan, forcefully placing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master.
But relying on national fortune brings rapid rise, and once the national fortune is damaged, the fall is equally swift. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And which dynasty in the world does not eventually fall? A sect, lasting for hundreds of years, or even over a thousand years, far outlasts the rise and fall of dynasties. Therefore, truly renowned sects generally do not take such great risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan Dynasty to prosper the Heavenly Master sect, yet he also separately founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master was stationed far away at Longhu Mountain, while the leader of Xuanjiao resided in the capital, making them brother sects. When the Yuan Dynasty was about to fall, Xuanjiao perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the world’s geomancy was taken by the Heavenly Master sect. But when the Yuan Dynasty fell, Xuanjiao was used as a scapegoat. This move of substituting one for the other truly surprised the various Taoist sects. Looking back, one can only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenious planning.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen say that Shao Yuanjie and himself were both from the Plum Blossom Sect, and that they served as National Preachers in two different generations, and today he clearly intends to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, how could this not make everyone extremely wary?
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. However, my eldest brother often mentioned this master, saying his cultivation was extremely profound. But once, when I was in the midst of a critical phase of my cultivation, I did not leave my retreat for a long time. Only when I felt I had gained some insights did I emerge. At that moment, I suddenly saw my eldest brother appear, looking very anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to summon rain and was stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure to summon rain was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai causing trouble for him, manipulating things behind the scenes. Zhang Yuchong was furious and had found out our master’s location, and was on his way to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist practitioners became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not hard to see that this calmness was too deliberate. He recalled their earlier analysis, suspecting that many had participated in the discussion about Zhang Yuchong’s failure to summon rain. Although it was unclear who exactly had manipulated things, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The current overly calm demeanor of the crowd, with no objections to Tao Zhongwen’s account, was quite abnormal, clearly showing their guilt.
Thinking of this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master sect, and might even have some relationship with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s words. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan was just sipping from his wine gourd, seemingly oblivious to what Tao Zhongwen was saying.
“At that time, we were all very anxious, not knowing the current situation of our sect. My brother and I urgently sent a message to our third brother and set off to return.” Here, Tao Zhongwen kept shaking his head, somewhat regretfully saying, “We thought it was simple at the time, believing that Heavenly Master Zhang’s visit might just be to clarify things with our master, but we never expected, never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing, hearing Tao Zhongwen’s words, frowned slightly, just glanced at him a few times, and finally said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even our fourth brother, who was supposed to be with him, was not there, nor was there any message left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy, but to no avail. We became anxious, and our third brother was also delayed, so my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“At that time, my brother went south, and I went north. Because we were in a hurry, we both pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about leaving traces. I went deep into the northern mountains, and just as I was moving forward with all my might, I suddenly received a message from my brother, who had sensed a disturbance of true essence at a cliff by the river in the south, seemingly from our master. Hearing that he had already rushed over, I also accelerated my flight. But on the way, I never received any further messages from my brother, and I began to have a bad premonition.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, I saw that the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people still fighting in the air!”
“Those two people were my eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” although his expression remained calm, the anger and hatred in his words were unmistakable. Clearly, the hatred from all those years ago had not diminished in the slightest.
“At that moment, I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what is going on? Where is our master?'”
“My eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was completely stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. I saw Anu attacking viciously, trying to kill my eldest brother. He had two strange, evil artifacts, and my brother was barely holding on, so I rushed to help. But Anu was extremely fierce, and even with the two of us combined, my brother had already been injured by his sneak attack, so we couldn’t gain the upper hand.”
“But Anu’s attacks became increasingly evil, and finally, my eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit, to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu had no choice but to flee. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked my brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching southward and, when he was not far from here, felt a strange disturbance of true essence, which he recognized as familiar. He sent me a message and hurried over. When he got close, he saw our master in a battle with someone, and that person was none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance and saw that our master had the upper hand, with Anu observing the battle. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdued him on the spot.”
At this point, the expressions of the crowd showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a generation’s Heavenly Master, though not necessarily the most powerful, was certainly no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom had defeated Zhang Yuchong, it wouldn’t be surprising. But to break through his defenses and subdue him personally, this level of cultivation was clearly far superior to Zhang Yuchong’s.
“But then, suddenly, something unexpected happened.”
Many of you may wonder who that close confidant of our late master was, who could have the audacity to commit such a treacherous act against him,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew slightly hurried as he spoke with agitation. “In truth, we don’t know much about him either.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that’s not accurate. There are only five of us siblings. The eldest is the former National Preceptor Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth is Mei Wuduo… just the five of us. The other one was a follower who stayed by our master’s side, called—A’nu.”
“It was this A’nu, who was not a disciple but had been with him the longest, receiving his teachings and affection the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, this A’nu was not an inner disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai, yet he had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist arts. But earlier, Tao had also mentioned that even they, as disciples, didn’t know much about this person. So, what exactly was A’nu’s identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second Brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it necessary to disclose them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third Brother, there’s nothing that cannot be told. These are not shameful matters, especially now that our master has passed, and both the eldest brother and our younger sister are also gone. If we still confine ourselves within the sect, hiding half of our faces, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a rightful reputation for our sect.”
At this moment, Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding spoke up again, “Tao Zhenren, you keep saying that it was A’nu who killed your master, yet you also claim that you don’t know much about this A’nu. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen clasped his hands towards Li Daoding and sighed, “Wu Ding Zhenren, you may not know this, but our master was quite strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master returned to the mountains for a period of seclusion, and the eldest brother and I went out to travel. By chance, we met the emperor, who was fond of Taoism, and he greatly admired the eldest brother. Thus, the eldest brother entered the court to explain the art of alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as the National Preceptor. I stayed by the eldest brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus was entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the crowd showed disdain, while others were on guard, their reactions varied.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of the nation’s fortune, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liushun from the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects in the south, forcefully placing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master.
But relying on the nation’s fortune brings rapid rise, and once the nation’s fortune is damaged, the fall is equally swift. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And which dynasty does not eventually fall? A sect may last for hundreds of years, or even over a thousand, far longer than the lifespan of a dynasty. Thus, truly renowned sects usually do not take such great risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan dynasty to prosper the Heavenly Master sect, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master resided far away at Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader settled in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan dynasty was about to fall, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the nation’s fortune was taken by the Heavenly Master sect. But when the Yuan dynasty fell, it was the Xuanjiao sect that took the fall. This clever substitution was unexpected by the various Taoist sects, and looking back, one can only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen say that Shao Yuanjie and he himself were both from the Plum Blossom Sect, and had served as National Preceptors in two different generations, and today he clearly intends to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, how could this not make everyone highly vigilant?
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. However, the eldest brother often mentioned this Zhenren, saying his cultivation was extremely profound. But once, when I was in the midst of a crucial stage of my cultivation, I didn’t leave my retreat for a long time. When I finally emerged, I suddenly saw the eldest brother appear, looking anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to bring rain and had been stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai causing trouble behind the scenes. Zhang Yuchong was furious and had found out our master’s location, setting off to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist community members became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not missing the fact that this calmness was too deliberate. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many had participated in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rain summoning. Although it was unclear who exactly had meddled, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The current overly calm demeanor and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were quite abnormal, revealing the crowd’s guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master sect and might even have some connection to Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao’s words. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan was just sipping from his wine gourd, seemingly oblivious to what Tao Zhongwen was saying.
“At that time, we were all very anxious, not knowing the current situation at our sect. The eldest brother and I hurriedly sent a message to the third brother and set off to return.” At this point, Tao Zhongwen kept shaking his head, regretfully saying, “We thought too simply at the time, believing that Heavenly Master Zhang’s visit might just be to clarify things with our master. We never expected, never expected, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao Zhongwen’s words, glancing at him a few times, but ultimately said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even the fourth brother who served by his side was absent, with no messages left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual senses and telepathy, but to no avail. We began to worry, and the third brother was also delayed. Finally, the eldest brother and I had to split up to search.”
“The eldest brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own well-being. I traveled deep into the northern mountains, moving at full speed when I suddenly received a message from the eldest brother. He had detected a surge of true essence by a cliff by the river in the south, which seemed to be our master. Hearing that he had already rushed over, I also accelerated my flight. But on the way, I never received another message from the eldest brother, and a sense of foreboding grew in my heart.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the riverside, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“These two were the eldest brother and A’nu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “A’nu,” although his expression remained calm, the anger and hatred in his words were unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from all those years ago had not diminished in the slightest.
“At that moment, I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest Brother, A’nu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“The eldest brother cried out, ‘Second Brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until the eldest brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. Seeing A’nu’s vicious attacks, all aimed at killing the eldest brother, and wielding two sinister magical artifacts, the eldest brother was barely holding on. I quickly stepped in to help. But A’nu was extremely ferocious, and even with our combined efforts, the eldest brother had already been injured by his sneak attack, so we couldn’t gain the upper hand.”
“But A’nu’s attacks grew increasingly evil. Finally, the eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing a great deal of his cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit, to injure A’nu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turning against him, A’nu had no choice but to flee. The eldest brother and I chased after him, and it was then that I asked the eldest brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that the eldest brother had been searching southward and, not far from here, felt an unusual surge of true essence, which seemed familiar. He sent me a message and hurried over. When he got closer, he discovered that our master was engaged in a battle with someone, and that person was none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“The eldest brother watched from a distance, seeing that our master had the upper hand, with A’nu observing the fight. Before the eldest brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him on the spot.”
At this point, the crowd’s eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a Heavenly Master for so many years, was no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom had defeated Zhang Yuchong, it wouldn’t be surprising. But to break through his defenses and subdue him personally, this level of cultivation clearly surpassed Zhang Yuchong by more than a notch.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
Many of you may wonder who that close associate of our late master was, the one who dared to ambush him with the T7 lung technique,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we don’t know much about him either.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze turned to Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world refers to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that’s not accurate. There are actually five of us—senior brother Shao Yuanjie, the former National Preceptor; myself, second in line; third brother Liu Shuxing, the master of this estate; fourth brother Duan Jiyong; and fifth sister Mei Wuduo. That’s all of us. There was another person who followed our master, a servant named—Anu.”
“It was this Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with our master the longest, learned from him, and was cherished by him the most, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, Anu was not an official disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai but had been with him for a long time and learned his Taoist arts. Yet, Tao had earlier mentioned that even they, the disciples, didn’t know much about this person. So, who exactly was Anu? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it really necessary to disclose them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be spoken of. These are not shameful matters. Besides, our master has passed, and both our senior brother and younger sister are also gone. If we still hide behind sectarian walls, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a rightful place for our sect.”
At this point, Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding spoke up again, “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, yet you also claim not to know much about him. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed slightly to Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wu Ding, our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master went into seclusion in the mountains, and senior brother and I left to wander. We happened to meet the emperor, who favored Taoism, and he greatly admired senior brother. Thus, senior brother became the National Preceptor, explaining alchemy to the emperor, and I stayed by his side, also favored by the emperor, which kept me tied up with worldly affairs for years.”
Hearing this, some in the audience looked disdainful, while others were wary.
Since ancient times, Taoists have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of national fortunes, which is highly valued. A recent example is Zhang Liusun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects in the south, forcing sects like Maoshan and Gezao under the Celestial Master’s authority.
However, relying on national fortunes can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall if the national fortune declines. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the state. And what dynasty does not fall? A sect may last for hundreds or even thousands of years, far longer than the lifespan of a dynasty. Thus, truly renowned sects usually avoid such risks.
But Zhang Liusun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan to elevate the Celestial Master’s sect, yet he also founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Celestial Master resided in Longhu Mountain, while the Xuanjiao leader stayed in the capital, creating a brotherly relationship between the two sects. When the Yuan dynasty fell, the Xuanjiao sect perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the world’s fortunes was taken by the Celestial Master’s sect, but when the Yuan dynasty collapsed, the Xuanjiao sect bore the brunt. This clever substitution was unexpected by the Taoist sects, and looking back, one can only marvel at Zhang Liusun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen reveal that Shao Yuanjie and he himself were both from the Plum Blossom Sect and had served as National Preceptors in different generations, and that he intended to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, it was no wonder that everyone was on high alert.
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. Senior brother often mentioned him, praising his high cultivation. Once, when I was in deep meditation and hadn’t left my room for a long time, senior brother suddenly appeared, looking anxious. He said that Celestial Master Zhang Yuchong had been stripped of his title by the emperor for failing to bring rain, and there were rumors that Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai had sabotaged his efforts. Zhang Yuchong, furious, had found out our master’s location and was on his way to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist audience became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around and noticed that this calmness seemed too deliberate. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many of those present had been involved in the discussions about Zhang Yuchong’s failed rainmaking. Although it was unclear who had actually sabotaged the effort, those present today must have at least heard about it. Their overly calm demeanor and lack of objection to Tao Zhongwen’s account were quite abnormal, revealing their guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but glance at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Celestial Master’s sect and might have some connection with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s claims. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan just sipped his wine leisurely, as if he hadn’t heard a word Tao Zhongwen said.
“At that time, we were all very anxious and didn’t know the current situation at our sect. Senior brother and I sent a message to third brother and hurried back,” Tao Zhongwen shook his head regretfully, “We thought it might be a simple matter of Zhang Yuchong wanting to clarify things with our master, but we never expected… alas—”
Liu Xing frowned slightly at Tao Zhongwen’s words but ultimately said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even fourth brother, who usually stayed by his side, was gone without any message. We tried to contact our master through spiritual means but failed. We grew more anxious as third brother didn’t arrive, so senior brother and I had to split up to search.”
“Senior brother went south, and I went north. In our haste, we pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own well-being. I traveled deep into the northern mountains when I suddenly received a message from senior brother about a surge of spiritual energy near a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. Hearing that he was already on his way, I sped up as well. But along the way, I received no further messages from senior brother, and I began to have a bad feeling.”
“I rushed to the riverbank and was shocked by what I saw.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, the entire hill had been leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“Those two were senior brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” though his expression remained calm, the hatred in his voice was unmistakable. Clearly, the resentment from all those years ago had not diminished.
“I was stunned and immediately asked, ‘Senior brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“Senior brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was frozen until senior brother called me twice more. Then I saw Anu attacking viciously, trying to kill senior brother. He had two sinister artifacts, and senior brother was barely holding on. I quickly joined the fight. But Anu was ferocious, and even with both of us fighting, senior brother had been injured in the ambush, so we were at a disadvantage.”
“But Anu’s attacks grew increasingly evil. Finally, senior brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit to injure Anu and destroy his artifacts. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu fled. Senior brother and I chased after him, and I asked what had happened.”
“Senior brother had been searching south and felt an unusual surge of spiritual energy, which he recognized as our master’s. He sent me a message and hurried over. When he arrived, he saw our master fighting someone—none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Celestial Master title.”
“Senior brother watched from a distance as our master gained the upper hand, with Anu observing nearby. Before senior brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him.”
At this point, the audience’s eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, as a Celestial Master, though not necessarily the most powerful, had held the title for many years and was no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom could defeat Zhang Yuchong, it wouldn’t be surprising, but to break his defenses and subdue him indicated a level of cultivation far surpassing Zhang Yuchong’s.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
Many of you may wonder who that close associate of our late master was, who could have the audacity to launch a T7 lung attack against him,” Tao Zhongwen’s voice grew urgent with emotion as he spoke. “In truth, we don’t know much about him either.”
As he spoke, Tao Zhongwen’s gaze fell upon Liu Xing, and he sighed, “The world points to the ‘Six Plum Blossoms’ under Master Plum Blossom, thinking we are his six disciples. But that’s not accurate. We, brothers and sisters, are actually five. The eldest brother is the former National Preceptor Shao Yuanjie, I am the second, the third brother is the master of this manor, Liu Shuxing, the fourth brother is Duan Jiyong, and the fifth sister is Mei Wuduo… only us five. There was another who followed our master as an attendant, called—Anu.”
“It was this Anu, who was not a disciple but had been with him the longest, receiving his teachings and care, who killed our master!”
After Tao Zhongwen finished speaking, the confusion in everyone’s eyes deepened. According to Tao Zhongwen, this Anu was not an indoor disciple of Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai but had followed him for a long time and learned his Taoist ways. Yet, he had previously mentioned that even they, the disciples, didn’t know much about this person. So, what exactly was Anu’s identity? And what was his relationship with Mei Qing, whom Tao Zhongwen had clearly targeted earlier?
Liu Xing looked directly at Tao Zhongwen and said, “Second brother, these are secrets of our sect. Is it necessary to disclose them to our fellow Taoists?”
Tao Zhongwen shook his head, “Third brother, there’s nothing that cannot be told to others. These are not shameful things, especially now that our master has passed away, and both the eldest brother and the youngest sister have also died. If we still confine ourselves to sectarian secrecy, how can we gain the trust of the Taoist community? Today, I am determined to present the Plum Blossom Sect to the Taoist world, to honor our master’s name and to establish a rightful reputation for our sect.”
At this moment, Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding spoke up again, “Master Tao, you keep saying that it was Anu who killed your master, and that you don’t know much about this Anu. So, what exactly happened back then? How did your master meet his end, and what was his relationship with the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong?”
Tao Zhongwen bowed to Li Daoding and sighed, “Master Wu Ding, you may not know, but our master was very strict with us disciples, so there were many things we were not allowed to inquire about. Later, our master went back to the mountains to seclude himself, and I and the eldest brother went out to travel. We happened to meet the emperor, who greatly admired the eldest brother’s knowledge of alchemy. Thus, the eldest brother was invited to the court to explain the Tao of alchemy to the emperor, which led to his appointment as the National Preceptor. I stayed by the eldest brother’s side, also favored by the emperor, and thus was entangled in worldly affairs for several years.”
Hearing this, some in the audience showed disdain, while others were alert, their reactions varied.
Since ancient times, Taoist practitioners have often relied on worldly powers, especially the support of national fortunes, which is highly valued. A very recent example is Zhang Liushun of the previous dynasty, who used the momentum of the Yuan dynasty to suppress the Taoist sects in the south, forcefully placing the Maoshan and Gezao sects under the Heavenly Master.
But relying on national fortunes can lead to rapid rise and equally rapid fall when the national fortunes decline. Therefore, those who rely on national power are tied to the rise and fall of the nation. And which dynasty does not eventually fall? A sect may last for a few hundred years, or even over a thousand, far longer than the lifespan of a dynasty. Thus, truly renowned sects usually do not take such great risks.
But Zhang Liushun often acted in ways that defied expectations. He used the power of the Yuan dynasty to prosper the Heavenly Master sect, yet he also separately founded the Xuanjiao sect, becoming its leader and establishing it as the state religion. At that time, the Heavenly Master was stationed far away at Longhu Mountain, while the leader of Xuanjiao resided in the capital, making them brother sects. When the Yuan dynasty was about to fall, Xuanjiao tied itself to the dynasty and perished with it.
Thus, the leadership of the national fortunes was taken by the Heavenly Master sect, but when the Yuan dynasty fell, it was Xuanjiao that took the fall. This substitution was a great surprise to all Taoist sects, and looking back, one can only marvel at Zhang Liushun’s cunning and ingenuity.
Now, hearing Tao Zhongwen speak of Shao Yuanjie and himself as both coming from the Plum Blossom Sect, and having served as National Preceptors in two generations, and today clearly intending to establish the Plum Blossom Sect within the Taoist community, how could this not make everyone extremely cautious?
Tao Zhongwen continued, “Speaking of the previous Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong, although I was in the court at the time, I had little contact with him. The eldest brother, however, often mentioned this master, saying his cultivation was extremely high. But once, when I was at the gate of my cultivation retreat and had not come out for a long time, I finally felt some progress and decided to leave. Suddenly, the eldest brother appeared, looking very anxious. He said that Heavenly Master Zhang Yuchong had failed to bring rain and was stripped of his title by the emperor. There were rumors that the failure to bring rain was due to Master Plum Blossom Fan Wentai causing trouble behind the scenes. Zhang Yuchong was furious and had found out where our master was, and had gone to confront him…”
As he spoke, the expressions of the Taoist audience became unusually calm, as if they were hearing a very familiar story.
Mei Qing looked around at the crowd, not hard to see that this calmness was too deliberate. Recalling their earlier analysis, it was likely that many of those present had participated in the discussion about Zhang Yuchong’s failure to bring rain. Although it was unclear who actually caused the trouble, those present today must have at least heard about the incident. The current calmness of the crowd, with no objections to Tao Zhongwen’s account, was quite abnormal, clearly showing their guilt.
Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but look at Zhang Shisan. He knew that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master sect and might have some relationship with Zhang Yuchong. He wondered if Zhang Shisan would refute Tao Zhongwen’s words. But to his surprise, Zhang Shisan just sipped his wine gourd contentedly, as if he hadn’t heard what Tao Zhongwen was saying.
“At that time, we were all very anxious, not knowing the current situation at our sect. My brother and I hurriedly sent a message to the third brother and set off to return.” At this point, Tao Zhongwen kept shaking his head, somewhat regretfully saying, “We thought it was simple at the time, believing that Heavenly Master Zhang might just want to clarify things with our master, but we didn’t expect, we didn’t expect, alas—”
Liu Xing frowned at Tao Zhongwen’s words, glanced at him a few times, but ultimately said nothing.
After a pause, Tao Zhongwen continued, “When we returned to our sect, we found that our master was not in the mountains, and even the fourth brother who served by his side was not there, with no messages left. We tried to contact our master through spiritual thoughts and telepathy, but to no avail. We became anxious, and the third brother was also delayed, so finally, my brother and I had to split up to search.”
“At that time, my brother went south, and I went north. Because we were in a hurry, we both pushed ourselves to the limit, not caring about our own conditions. I went deep into the northern mountains, moving forward with all my strength, when suddenly I received a telepathic message from my brother, who had detected a surge of true essence at a cliff by the river in the south, possibly our master. He had already rushed over, and I also accelerated my flight. But on the way, I never received another message from my brother, and I began to have a bad feeling.”
“I hurried as fast as I could, and when I reached the river, I was shocked.”
“The place was called Yumu Terrace, originally a lush hill. But when I arrived, I saw that the entire hill had been completely leveled. There were two people fighting in the air!”
“These two people were the eldest brother and Anu!”
When Tao Zhongwen mentioned “Anu,” although his face was calm, the anger and hatred in his words were unmistakable. Clearly, the hatred from those years had not diminished at all.
“At that moment, I was shocked and quickly asked, ‘Eldest brother, Anu, what’s going on? Where’s our master?'”
“The eldest brother cried out, ‘Second brother, come quickly! This heartless beast has killed our master!'”
“My mind went blank, and I was stunned. It wasn’t until my brother called me twice more that I snapped out of it. I saw Anu attacking fiercely, intent on killing the eldest brother. He had two unknown magical tools, extremely evil, and the eldest brother was barely defending. I quickly went to help. But Anu was extremely ferocious, and even though we were two against one, the eldest brother had been injured by his sneak attack, so we couldn’t gain the upper hand.”
“But Anu’s attacks became increasingly evil, and finally, the eldest brother resorted to a secret technique, sacrificing his own cultivation and shaking his primordial spirit to injure Anu and destroy his magical tools. Seeing the situation turn against him, Anu had no choice but to flee. My brother and I chased after him, and I asked my brother what had happened.”
“It turned out that my brother had been searching south and, not far from here, felt an unusual surge of true essence, which he recognized as familiar. He sent a message to me and hurried over. When he got close, he saw that our master was fighting someone, and that person was none other than Zhang Yuchong, who had recently been stripped of his Heavenly Master title.”
“My brother watched from a distance and saw that our master had the upper hand, with Anu watching the fight. Before my brother could intervene, our master used a forbidden technique of our sect to break through Zhang Yuchong’s protective talisman and subdue him on the spot.”
At this point, the audience’s eyes showed either doubt or admiration. Zhang Yuchong, a generation’s Heavenly Master, though not necessarily the top in cultivation, had held the title for many years and was no ordinary figure. If Master Plum Blossom had defeated Zhang Yuchong, it wouldn’t be surprising. But to break through his defenses and subdue him personally, this level of cultivation was clearly far superior to Zhang Yuchong.
“But then, something unexpected happened.”
“Yet, just at that moment, an unexpected catastrophe occurred.”
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