"Taoist Xian Yuan! Taoist Fa Ran!" Gu Zhao greeted them.
Taoist Xian Yuan and Taoist Fa Ran looked up. When they saw Gu Zhao, their eyes instantly lit up.
"Mr. Gu!"
The one who spoke was Tong Hui. The young Daoist had been scrolling on his phone under the eaves, but when he saw Gu Zhao appear, he sprang to his feet.
Taoist Xi Ning and Taoist Miao Zhen had returned a few months prior. They had given the three of them Golden Gang Bracelets and Qi Replenishing Medicine Wine, and roughly shared some news that wasn’t exactly a secret. Therefore, the three had been eagerly awaiting Gu Zhao’s visit for quite some time.
Since there was no need for further explanations, Gu Zhao simply gave the three of them Thunder Seeds and instructed them to head to Yangcheng to find Taoist Xu Ning first.
In the Northwest, on Kongdong Mountain.
Kongdong Mountain was also one of the famous mountains of Daoism. Legend had it that Guang Chengzi lived there, and the Yellow Emperor had once ascended the mountain to seek the Dao, giving it an esteemed status within the Taoist Sect.
But legends were ultimately just legends. Furthermore, Kongdong Mountain’s location was far too remote, keeping it out of the ranks of the Four Great Taoism Mountains. Later on, as its fame spread, Buddhist Temples and the Confucian Family also built structures there, turning it into a renowned mountain where the three teachings converged. However, because the Taoist Family’s foundation was the deepest and the mountain bore the name of the "Empty Cave" (Kongdong), the public still primarily viewed it as a famous Daoism mountain.
Gu Zhao strolled along Kongdong Mountain. He had to admit, the place was indeed remote.
In the southeast, or even in the densely populated Guanzhong area, even a small Taoist Temple would have flourishing Incense. But Kongdong Mountain was located in the northeast of Long Province and the southeast of Ning Province. While it wasn’t quite the Great Northwest, it was definitely far from any bustling civilization. Moreover, the local desire to worship Daoism wasn’t particularly fervent, resulting in even fewer tourists here than at West Mountain.
However, fewer tourists was a good thing. It had been a long time since Gu Zhao had experienced such peace and quiet on a famous Daoism mountain.
Starting his ascent from the tourist service center, Gu Zhao’s footsteps seemed slow but were actually incredibly swift. To onlookers, he appeared to be walking leisurely, but in the blink of an eye, he was already far in the distance.
Kongdong Mountain truly lived up to its name. Palaces and temples built during the Tang and Song Dynasties and renovated during the Ming and Qing Dynasties—such as Purple Cloud Palace, Queen Mother Palace, Taiqing Palace, Thunder Ancestor Hall, and Yu Zhen Palace—were all meticulously preserved. Far from the prosperous Central Plains, the mountain’s architecture had suffered far fewer ravages of war.
Of course, alongside the Taoist Sect architecture, there were also attractions related to friendly teachings, such as the Guanyin Nunnery, Mituosi Temple, and Sacrifice Cliff, as well as the Imperial City, the Three Religions Zen Forest, and other scenic spots tied to the Confucian Family. There were both Daoists and Monks on the mountain, and the scenic area was even larger than Gu Zhao had anticipated.
As Gu Zhao strolled up the mountain, with a mere stir of his Divine Thought, he swept his perception over the entire scenic area. Raising an eyebrow slightly, he headed southwest toward Supreme Lord Peak.
Supreme Lord Peak, Sacrifice Cliff, and Needle Grinding Terrace—it truly was a seamless convergence of the three teachings.
When Gu Zhao arrived at Needle Grinding Terrace, he saw two old Daoists playing Go under an ancient pine tree, with two young Daoists scrolling on their phones beside them. Gu Zhao walked over and stood beside them to watch the match.
The two old Daoists ignored him. The two young Daoists glanced at him but paid no mind, though they did put away their phones and sat up straight beside their masters to watch the game.
To date, Gu Zhao had recruited over seventy old Daoists for Daluo Palace, and more than half of them knew how to play Go. Gu Zhao hadn’t known how to play initially, but after watching them so often, he had eventually picked it up. However, his skill level was abysmal; he lost no matter who he played against.
Thinking of this, Gu Zhao couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret. Unfortunately, the Five Thunders Order could only enhance his own Cultivation and couldn’t boost his mundane skills. But when he remembered that he had accumulated nearly five thousand years of Dao Practice after crossing over just three or four years ago, he felt completely balanced again.
Because Gu Zhao knew the rules but was a terrible player, a few of the old Daoists who couldn’t beat their peers loved roping him into a match. This meant that while Gu Zhao was atrocious at playing, he had developed a decent eye for the game. At the very least, he could accurately judge who had the upper hand.
Looking at the board now, he saw that the old Daoist playing black, who had moved first, had surrounded a large dragon of white stones. His offensive crashed forward like a tidal wave. However, the old Daoist playing white was advancing steadily, setting up a solid defense with a soft exterior that hid sharp fangs, ensuring he hadn’t yet lost his chance at victory.
He then evaluated the two players.
The old Daoist playing black had a lean, clear-cut face with three long strands of beard trailing from his chin, giving him a peaceful, kind-hearted appearance. The old Daoist playing white, on the other hand, was broad and stout, boasting a full beard and bright, piercing eyes that exuded a stern and solemn aura.
Unexpectedly, their playing styles were a complete contrast to their physical appearances.
Much like Taoist Fang De of the Wen Shi Sect and Taoist Wu Zhi of the Shaoyang Sect at South Mountain back then, these two old Daoists were clearly playing casually for entertainment and didn’t take long to ponder their moves.
After Gu Zhao watched for barely half an hour, the old Daoist playing black shattered white’s defense in one fell swoop, capturing a large dragon and forcing the old Daoist playing white to resign.
"Are you also a lover of the game, my young friend?" Taoist Yun Chang stroked his long beard and looked at Gu Zhao.
Seeing Gu Zhao in casual clothes, without a backpack or trekking poles, Taoist Yun Chang assumed he was just a local resident who had bought an annual pass for Kongdong Mountain and occasionally came for a stroll. That would explain why he ignored the beautiful scenic spots and instead spent over half an hour watching them play. Although his face was unfamiliar, there were plenty of unfamiliar faces around.
So, Taoist Yun Chang thought nothing of it and extended an invitation, "Are your hands itching? How about we play a round?"
Gu Zhao rubbed his hands together, thoroughly tempted.
Although he got utterly crushed by the old Daoists back in Daluo Palace, his skills had still seen some improvement. At the very least, he could put up a decent fight against some of the less skilled old Daoists. From his observations just now, he felt these two weren’t exceptionally strong either.
It was worth a try!
Gu Zhao nodded. "Then I won’t be polite."
Taoist Hai Zhao, who had just played white, stood up to offer his seat with a warm smile. "It’s rare to meet a young man who loves playing Go."
Gu Zhao smiled as he sat down. "A few of my elders at home love playing, so I learned a bit from them. My skills really aren’t great."
Taoist Yun Chang helped Gu Zhao clear the stones, then took the black pieces to move first.
Although playing black and moving first offered an inherent advantage, due to the point compensation rule, white actually possessed a slightly higher win rate. Therefore, Taoist Yun Chang playing black first was actually his way of going easy on Gu Zhao.
The two then began to lay out their opening moves, placing stone after stone.
In the initial stages, both played quickly. After a dozen moves, Taoist Yun Chang raised an eyebrow, and Taoist Hai Zhao’s eyes lit up. Gu Zhao’s opening was highly methodical, distinctly unique, and carried the undeniable demeanor of a true master.
Taoist Yun Chang was thrilled to encounter a worthy opponent. "I’ve met an expert!"
Meanwhile, having executed his opening based on the collective wisdom of all the old Daoists back home, Gu Zhao also felt his current board position was excellent. Confident, he nodded and continued to play.
The two young Daoists beside them also knew how to play. Seeing Gu Zhao take a seat at the board, they put down the phones they had just sneaked out again and sat attentively to watch the battle unfold.
As the game progressed, however, their expressions shifted wildly—from surprise and amazement, straight into deep contemplation and sheer confusion. Taoist Yun Chang was equally baffled, glancing back and forth between the board and Gu Zhao in utter disbelief.
Gu Zhao, on the other hand, rubbed his chin and smacked his lips in profound bewilderment. "Huh? This is so strange. Why is the situation getting worse the more I play?"