Chapter 27: Cold Mountain Temple
\nZhi Hua had seen many landscape paintings before\u2014she was, after all, a renowned talented woman of Suzhou. Though she couldn\u2019t pinpoint why, this particular painting felt uniquely alive, as though an entire world existed within its brushstrokes. Such profound works rarely appeared in the common market, usually hidden among the treasures of great figures. Having glimpsed one such masterpiece in the past, Zhi Hua was instantly stunned by this piece.
\n\u201cBoss, which master created this painting?\u201d
\nDespite her dislike for the shop owner, she couldn\u2019t hold back the question.
\nOnly a reclusive High Person could produce such art.
\n\u201cOne hundred taels.\u201d
\nZuo Meng had painted it out of boredom. Though untrained, his status as a creator meant even his casual scribbles held immense value to ordinary people. To martial artists, it might reveal peerless techniques; to Immortal Cultivators, it could unlock immortal methods. To him, it was just ink and paper.
\nOne hundred taels?
\nAn insult to the master\u2019s work! Zhi Hua glared at Zuo Meng, lounging lazily with closed eyes. The fool clearly didn\u2019t understand\u2014such paintings sold for tens of thousands of taels, if they ever reached the market at all. One hundred was a laughable pittance.
\n\u201cI\u2019ll take it. But I don\u2019t have the silver now. My servants will deliver it later.\u201d
\nShe needed time to gather the funds but feared losing the painting to another buyer.
\n\u201cNo credit.\u201d
\nZuo Meng, nearly broke, saw an easy mark. The girl thought she\u2019d scored a bargain. Little did she know he\u2019d simply doodle another copy the moment she left.
\n\u201cHold it for me! I\u2019ll return in half an hour.\u201d
\n\u201cDepends on fate.\u201d Zuo Meng rocked his chair, indifferent.
\n\u201cYou!!\u201d Stomping her foot, Zhi Hua stormed off to fetch the money.
\nBreathless but triumphant, she returned precisely half an hour later, clutching her prize. As she left, she shot Zuo Meng one last contemptuous glare.
\nWith silver secured, Zuo Meng shut shop.
\nNow to execute his plan: spread his cultivation method across the real world, refine it through collective wisdom, and find a Transcendent path. Aligning with the world\u2019s changing rules required starting with basic inner strength.
\n\u201cOnce inner strength flourishes, the world\u2019s combined intellect will forge a way forward during the coming upheaval.\u201d
\nThe Three Great Lords posed no real threat\u2014his two centuries of inner strength narrowed their advantage. Even Heifeng Fort\u2019s mysterious mirror was only a temporary obstacle. His true aim? Shattering the real world\u2019s constraints to ascend the Way of the Immortals.
\n\u201cBut first, I need the prestigious sects\u2019 influence. Alone, I\u2019m just another ordinary person.\u201d
\nAbandoning his physical form to regain creator powers would\u2019ve allowed meteoric solutions, but the rules bound him to mortal means. A plan took shape.
\nOutside Suzhou stood Cold Mountain.
\nCold Mountain Temple, home to a thousand monks, dominated its slopes. The abbot was a revered High Person. Literary monks handled ceremonies and official matters; martial monks enforced discipline with fists and staves.
\n\u201cFor incense, go to the Front Yard. The rear houses the Arhat Hall.\u201d
\nA bald monk blocked Zuo Meng\u2019s path.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve long admired Cold Mountain Temple\u2019s martial arts.\u201d Zuo Meng bowed. \u201cI am Xue Chuan, a lifelong enthusiast. I humbly request a spar with your esteemed monks.\u201d
\n\u201cAmitabha.\u201d
\nThe welcoming monk chanted a Buddhist chant.
\nConsidering the silver, the monk didn\u2019t drive Zuo Meng away. One hundred taels was no small sum for ordinary people\u2014even someone from a wealthy merchant family like Zhi Hua would need to scrape together such an amount.
\n\u201cThe Buddha\u2019s door opens wide to all; how could we turn away a benefactor? This way, please.\u201d
\nThe welcoming monk led Zuo Meng through the front gate to the training yard behind.
\nRows of martial monks practiced boxing techniques bare-chested, while a senior monk from the Arhat Hall paced ahead, observing their movements.
\n\u201cJie Nian, Benefactor Xue donated one hundred taels as incense offering and wishes to spar with our martial monks. Assign a disciple.\u201d The welcoming monk spoke to the inspecting monk, revealing his higher status.
\nOne hundred taels?
\nThe inspecting monk gave Zuo Meng a surprised look before clasping his hands.
\n\u201cUnderstood, Master Uncle!\u201d
\n\u201cJian Wen, step forward to practice with Benefactor Xue. Hold back your strength\u2014don\u2019t harm our guest.\u201d
\nJie Nian called out to a burly monk at the front.
\nThe muscular monk bowed as others cleared space. Jian Wen moved opposite Zuo Meng and clasped his hands respectfully.
\n\u201cFists and feet lack eyes\u2014please stay cautious, benefactor.\u201d
\n\u201cBegin!\u201d
\nZuo Meng raised his hand.
\nHe\u2019d mastered inner strength long ago in the real world, and the Dream World posed no challenge\u2014this was his creation, like a game admin knowing every hidden treasure. He\u2019d boosted his inner energy to near three years\u2019 worth of ordinary training in just two days.
\n\u201cHah!\u201d
\nDespite Zuo Meng\u2019s scholar robes, Jian Wen attacked full-force\u2014a martial artist\u2019s instinct.
\nStrike like a lion hunting rabbits. Cold Mountain Temple\u2019s reputation held true.
\nBut Zuo Meng moved quicker.
\nBefore Jian Wen\u2019s fist landed, Zuo Meng leaped. Three fingers clawed the monk\u2019s bald crown, crushing him mountain-heavy to his knees with a thunderous crack. A palm strike to the forehead followed\u2014fluid motions, lightning-fast. By the time gasps rose, Jian Wen lay sprawled on the ground.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter 27: Cold Mountain Temple Zhi Hua had seen many landscape paintings before\u2014she was, after all, a renowned talented woman of Suzhou. Though she couldn\u2019t pinpoint why, this particular painting felt uniquely alive, as though an entire world existed within its brushstrokes. Such profound works rarely appeared in the common market, usually hidden among the treasures of great figures. Having glimpsed one such masterpiece\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[3],"tags":[],"fcn_genre":[],"fcn_fandom":[],"fcn_character":[],"fcn_content_warning":[],"class_list":["post-1406","fcn_chapter","type-fcn_chapter","status-publish","hentry","category-dreaming-to-become-a-creator"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/fcn_chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1406"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1406\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1406"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_genre?post=1406"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_fandom","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_fandom?post=1406"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_character","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_character?post=1406"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_content_warning","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_content_warning?post=1406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}