Walking by the Abyss on Thin Ice

Chapter 38 – Wensheng Temple

Hua Hu was still puzzled and said, "There is the Immortal Ape's Qi Cultivation Manual, but we cannot learn it without a teacher."

Su Yun flipped through the Immortal Ape's Qi Cultivation Manual while continuing to move forward. He couldn't help but recall his experience in the other world behind Tianmen and felt a surge of courage in his chest. "Then let me be your teacher and teach you the Immortal Ape's Qi Cultivation Manual."

Several little foxes looked worried.

Being a teacher is not something that anyone can do.

If one misunderstands the cultivation method, not only will they practice it incorrectly, but they will also pass it on to others, causing great harm!

However, Hua Hu and the others understood Su Yun's intentions. Yuan Jialing would inevitably discover Yuan Wu's body and come after them.

Knowing oneself and the enemy leads to victory in every battle. Understanding Yuan Jialing's cultivation method now would be better than being caught off guard later!

The road ahead was covered in snow, making it difficult to walk. Su Yun and the others, dressed neatly, trudged through the snow, but after walking a few miles, they were out of breath.

The snow was waist-deep, and they couldn't even see Hua Hu, Qing Qiuyue, and the others.

Moreover, it was snowing again in the sky.

.

"It's snowing, so we don't have to worry about being caught up to," Su Yun breathed a sigh of relief, took out the Immortal Rope, and threw it into the air. The four little kids in the snow jumped up and grabbed the rope, which lifted them into the sky.

Su Yun also grabbed the rope and ascended into the air.

The Immortal Rope was a remarkable treasure, but the key was how to use it. Su Yun had only figured out how to throw the rope into the air.

This rope could take them out of a one-rope distance - when the rope flew into the sky, it would spread out.

When the rope was shortened, it was just a hanging rope, barely long enough to hang on a tree and hook a person. However, when it was lengthened, it could reach seven hundred feet. Therefore, a one-rope distance was seven hundred feet.

Su Yun and the others walked forward on the rope, covering a distance of seven hundred feet before grabbing the rope and sliding down it.

It was even colder at high altitude, and they were almost frozen and unable to hold onto the rope. Qing Qiuyue almost fell, but fortunately, Su Yun caught her.

After landing, Su Yun said in a deep voice, "The snow is thick, and it's still falling. Yuan Jialing's monkey demon won't be able to find our tracks in this dark weather!"

They continued to move forward in the wind and snow. Hu Buping felt that he was walking too slowly as a human, so he took off his clothes and put them in his bag before transforming back into a fox.

However, this little fox demon only crawled around in the snow for a moment before turning back into a little demon child and silently putting on his clothes.

Li Xiaofan asked quietly, and Hu Buping remained silent for a moment before saying, "It's cold. My butt and ears are freezing."

Hua Hu joked, "It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. I used to not wear any clothes in the winter, but now that I've put them on, it's hard to take them off."

They walked another six or seven miles. The sky grew darker and darker, and Su Yun, who was tall, looked around and saw a low-lying temple gate covered in snow in the dimness.

The temple was covered in snow, and only the white roof could be seen from afar. The temple gate was not covered in snow and could be barely recognized.

They walked towards the temple against the wind and snow. When they arrived, Su Yun looked up and saw that the words on the plaque were covered in snow and difficult to distinguish.

He exhaled and the snow on the plaque flew up, revealing the words "Temple of the Saint of Literature."

Su Yun breathed a sigh of relief. "The Saint of Literature worshipped here is a Confucian saint. Confucian saints are upright in their behavior and dealings. We should be safe staying here."

He knocked on the door, but no one answered for a while, so he pushed it open and walked in.

The Temple of the Saint of Literature's courtyard was not large, with only the main hall and east and west wings. The east wing was where the temple keeper cooked with firewood, while the west wing was where guests could rest.Su Yun led Hua Hu and the others to the main hall. Inside, there was an altar for the sage of Confucianism. A person was holding a book and pointing to the words inside, either asking for advice or explaining the text to others.

Su Yun found some incense under the altar, lit it, and placed it in the censer. Everyone paid their respects to the Confucian sage and then left the main hall.

He and Hua Hu went to the east wing to gather some firewood. Qing Qiuyue, Hu Buping, and the others were cleaning up the rooms in the west wing. There were no bedding, just some cleaning and dusting.

Su Yun set up a small bonfire and put a simple frame on top of it, placing a small pot on it. Hua Hu brought a large snowball and put it in the pot. The snowball gradually melted.

Su Yun took out some Luo Mo from his bag and roasted it by the fire. The aroma of the bread and eggs filled the air, and he distributed it to everyone.

After they finished eating, they boiled some water and drank it. Hu Buping opened the door to check the weather outside and saw that the snowstorm had stopped, but it was still cold.

"Close the door, close the door!" The others urged from behind. "It's so cold! Don't let the cold wind in!"

Hu Buping stood in front of the door and turned back, saying, "It's so lively outside!"

Everyone was surprised. Su Yun walked up and looked outside through the broken wall. Indeed, it was bright and lively outside.

A hundred steps away from the temple was a large mansion covering over ten acres. The lights were on, and there were sounds of music and laughter coming from inside, as if someone was having a night banquet.

There were also other mansions nearby, as grand as palaces, with even more singing and laughing, and people coming and going like a dragon.

In the distance, there were palaces and mansions that were not there during the day, rising up from the snowy mountains and plains, brightly lit and lively. There were also maids and young masters coming out to admire the snow and play in it, while mischievous children played snowball fights, making the foxes around Su Yun restless and wanting to run out and play in the snow.

However, these buildings and scenes could not be seen during the day, only appearing at night, which was especially strange.

"It's those big tombs we saw during the day."

Su Yun guessed, "Most likely, their spirits are out to play at night."

Just then, there was a knock on the door outside the temple. Someone asked, "Is the Saint of Literature at home?"

"What's the matter?" Someone inside the east wing answered.

The four little foxes around Su Yun were frightened, and Hua Hu trembled, "There's no one in the east wing..."

They could faintly hear the sound of the door opening, and someone saying, "I am from Eastern Ling, and the host said that the snow is beautiful and rare, and invites the Saint of Literature to come over for a visit. The host has prepared fine wine and dishes, and is waiting for you. Please inform him."

"Wait a moment, let me inform them."

Footsteps approached and passed by the west wing, but Su Yun and the others did not see anyone. They only heard the footsteps gradually going to the main hall.

There was a sound of the door opening and people whispering inside. After a while, footsteps approached again and went to the temple gate.

"The Saint said that there are guests staying in the west wing of my house. If the host leaves to attend the banquet, it would be disrespectful to the guests and violate the etiquette. Therefore, he had to decline and ask for forgiveness from the Eastern Master."

"That's a pity. The host has invited several other Saints this time."

"Who are the other Saints?"

"Who else could there be nearby? They are just the masters of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."

"Let me inform them again."Not long after, voices were heard again in front of the temple gate: "Please inform the Eastern Master that the Saintly Duke will arrive soon. The guests in the West Wing will have to bear with it."

"As long as the fire doesn't go out, who would dare to cause trouble in Wensheng Temple?"

"That's true."

In the West Wing, Su Yun and the four little fox spirits looked at each other.

At this moment, the main hall's door opened. Su Yun quickly covered the door of the West Wing and heard footsteps coming to the door of the West Wing. One person and four foxes in the room had their hearts pounding and dared not move, guarding the bonfire.

A deep and gentle voice came from outside the door: "Guests are staying overnight, and the host cannot leave to attend the banquet. However, we have made an appointment with our dear friends and cannot miss it. Guests, please do not extinguish the bonfire at night. As long as the flame is still burning, I can discern the direction of the temple at night and arrive in an instant."

Footsteps sounded, and the sound of the temple door opening and closing came from outside.

One person and four foxes looked at each other by the bonfire, speechless for a while.

Su Yun said, "I have been studying the Immortal Ape's Qi Cultivation Technique on the way and have almost studied it thoroughly. You guys can sleep first, and I will continue to study it. When it's the second half of the night, whoever wakes up can take over for me."

Qing Qiuyue, Li Xiaofan, and Hu Buping each turned into foxes and slept by the bonfire. Hua Hu took care of them, and after a while, the three little fox spirits fell asleep, and Hua Hu gradually fell into a dream.

The bonfire occasionally crackled and sparked.

Su Yun took advantage of the firelight to finally read the Immortal Ape's Qi Cultivation Technique once. His heart moved, and he mobilized his true energy, carefully controlling his blood to enter his eyes.

Since he had cultivated to the sixth level of the Honglu Transformation, his blood had forced apart the Immortal Sword and the Heavenly Gate Seal that had blocked his pupils. However, neither the Immortal Sword nor the Heavenly Gate Seal had disappeared. They still appeared in his vision!

If one didn't look carefully, they wouldn't notice anything strange about his eyes. But in Su Yun's eyes, besides the surrounding world, he could also see the flying Immortal Sword, the magnificent North Sea, and the undestroyed Heavenly Gate Seal!

Of course, there were also the eight towering Chao Tian Que!

"I've come to another world!"

Su Yun urged his blood, and it rushed towards the Chao Tian Que.

Last time, he couldn't see the shape of the Chao Tian Que clearly, nor could he see how the Heavenly Gate was opened. This time, he finally saw it.

He saw reliefs of divine and strange beasts on the Chao Tian Que. When his blood reached them, they were absorbed by the reliefs and slowly transformed into flesh and blood!

Before Su Yun could take a closer look, the Chao Tian Que had already been activated!

All kinds of divine and strange beasts on the Chao Tian Que were resurrected and flew into the air, landing on the Heavenly Gate of the Heavenly Gate Seal!

The Heavenly Gate Seal changed, and light flowed out from each door, converging on the central door.

Buzz!

Su Yun felt a strange vibration, and everything in front of him turned white. When his vision gradually recovered, he found himself in another world behind the Heavenly Gate again!

In the distance, the immortal mountain was vast, and the immortal platform floated in the clouds. The long stone bridge snaked up and down in the clouds like a dragon.