There is no clear distinction between the inner and outer cities of Taiyin City, but the inner and outer cities are clearly separated.
Just as there was no anti-flying magic array in the inner city, everyone obediently walked on the ground.
Generally speaking, the further outward you go, the closer you are to the city wall, the higher the building density and the taller the buildings, and vice versa.
Until a certain point, the style suddenly changed. Surrounded by numerous forests, springs, and lakes, the towering buildings of Taiyin City suddenly transformed into an antique-style city composed of mansions and estates.
A straight highway leads directly to the majestic mountains at the very center.
The road was ten zhang wide, with mansions and estates lined both sides, and towering mountains at the end seemed to pierce the clouds.
This is the mountain gate of Chilong Temple!
Generally speaking, the main gates of major sects are located in secluded and blessed lands.
After all, the mortal world is just a place for cultivators to enjoy blessings. The fake sacred lands for cultivation are all places where spiritual veins converge, where they open up blessed mountain gates.
However, the "immortal masters" of the Heshan Sect are clearly different from those of other sects.
Not only did it occupy the most prosperous central area of Taiyin City, but it also forcibly "moved" a large mountain to serve as the mountain gate of the Chilong Temple.
Moreover, they spared no effort to confine and restrict the spiritual energy of the earth's veins within a radius of tens of thousands of miles to the area of the mountain gate.
Without the permission of the Crimson Dragon Temple, even "breathing" a breath of spiritual energy is illegal.
Have you heard of the crime of illegal mining?
With that thought in mind, Bai Cang walked leisurely and soon arrived at the foot of the mountain.
The tall archway has a red roof and golden tiles, with the three large seal characters "Chilong Temple" inscribed on it.
It truly is like stepping into paradise for the first time.
Golden rays of light roll like red rainbows, and auspicious clouds spray purple mist.
Deep blue, crafted from glass; gleaming bright, adorned with precious jade.
Inside the mountain gate are several large pillars, carved with golden-scaled, sun-drenched, red-bearded dragons; there are also several long bridges, engraved with colorful, soaring blue phoenixes.
If you were to place several more Heavenly Marshals on either side, and then line up a dozen or so golden-armored deities around them.
Bai Cang even wondered if he had arrived at the Southern Heavenly Gate!
However, he did not trespass on the mountain gate, but instead came to a long stretch of buildings in front of the mountain gate, with the words "Guest Hall" written on it.
The structure of Xia Guohe Mountain Sect is completely different from that of the headquarters of Shiwan Mountain. It is inherited from the Ten Directions Forest System of Longhu Mountain.
All palaces and temples are equipped with three chiefs, five principals, eight stewards, and eighteen heads.
The three "du" refer to: Du Guan (都管), Du Jiang (都讲), and Du Chu (都厨).
The head of the department is in charge of all matters, large and small; the head of the department is responsible for the cultivation methods and scriptures; and the head of the kitchen is in charge of all dispatching, monthly wages, logistics, and so on.
The five masters are the hall master, the palace master, the tranquility master, the scripture master, and the transformation master.
The eight stewards are: Guest, Dormitory, Treasury, Accountant, Scripture, Classics, Hall, and Name.
The eighteen heads were the heads of various miscellaneous tasks, namely, the head of the storehouse, the head of the estate, the head of the hall, the head of the bell, the head of the drum, the head of the gate, the head of the tea, the head of the water, the head of the fire, the head of the rice, the head of the vegetable, the head of the granary, the head of the mill, the head of the grinding stone, the head of the garden, the head of the latrine, the head of the trough, and the head of the cleaning.
Among them, the Guest Hall is the most important, serving as the management center for daily operations. It is responsible for external liaison, receiving guests, lay Buddhists, and wandering Taoist priests, as well as coordinating various halls, managing attendance and discipline, and managing various temples, etc.
It can be described as a combination of diplomacy and domestic affairs, making the matter extremely complicated.
Therefore, the structure of the guest hall is quite complex, with more than a dozen positions of varying sizes, such as "Guest Master", "Guest Attendant", "Liaoyuan", and "Gatekeeper". Among the eighteen stewards, a small portion of them are under the jurisdiction and command of the "Guest Master".
All outsiders who wish to pay homage at the mountain gate must first register with the guest hall.
Thinking of this, Bai Cang immediately stepped forward and said to the young Taoist boy guarding the entrance of the guest hall, "I am Bai Cang, a Taoist from Sanyin Temple in Guobei County. I have come to pay my respects to the mountain on my master's orders. Please inform the guest master on my behalf."
Bai Cang's words were quite meaningful; an expert could glean a lot of information from them at a glance.
First, one must introduce oneself: generally, one refers to oneself as "the abbot of a certain temple," otherwise, one must add one's title after the temple name.
The abbot of a county temple is considered a high-ranking official within the ten-direction monastic system of the Red Dragon General Temple.
This is to identify oneself!
Then, he said he was "arriving on the orders of his master" and addressed the high-ranking "Guest Master" as his senior brother, indicating that he was not a nobody without connections and had a very strong backer in the Red Dragon Temple.
As for the phrase "please see the guest master," it is also significant. It indicates that he is here to "study further" or "stay permanently," rather than to "stay temporarily" or "do business." Otherwise, he should have been invited to see the "dormitory head" and go to Yunshui Hall.
I am a high-ranking official with powerful backing, and I will be residing at the Chilong General Temple in the future. Can I just stand here and let you do things for me?
In just one sentence, Bai Cang managed to put on a little show of bravado.
However, the young Taoist on duty, upon hearing this, simply bowed to him with an impeccably polite smile, saying, "So you are Daoist Bai Cang. I will inform you of your arrival immediately."
And then, that was it!
He remained standing in the same spot, simply smiling as he looked at Bai Cang.
There was nothing to criticize about his appearance or his speech.
But they just won't do anything!
Bai Cang was taken aback at the sight, but then he realized what was happening.
With a flick of his finger, a stack of silver notes fell into the sleeve of the young Taoist priest on duty.
The whole process was as smooth as flowing water, without any trace of human intervention.
"Master, please come in and wait with the boy."
The young Taoist priest on duty knew the face value of the stack of silver notes—one thousand taels—with just a squeeze.
He immediately smiled and led Bai Cang into a side hall next to the main hall.
On the surface, everything seems fine.
But how sharp are Bai Cang's senses?
"Damn it! You're still not satisfied with a thousand taels?"
Bai Cang felt a slight anger in his heart, but on the surface he remained calm.
Just by looking around, one could see more than a dozen cultivators waiting in this side hall, including many fellow disciples of the Heshan Sect dressed in Taoist robes.
The treatment of these people varied: some sat with great pomp and circumstance, served by young Taoist disciples with fragrant tea and fruit, while others could only stand aside dejectedly, watching others chat and laugh.
Bai Cang's treatment was undoubtedly the lowest tier; he was practically standing at the door.
I was sixteen that year, standing like a lackey in the guest hall of the mountain gate.
Fortunately, although the young boy on duty was not a human being, he did not neglect his duties.
Before long, a handsome, elegant middle-aged Taoist priest came out.
He looked to be in his early thirties, and his cultivation level was around a dozen or so.
"My name is Xu Yang, and I am the head of the guest hall. Is this Master Bai Cang in person?"
Upon seeing Bai Cang, Xu Yang's slightly arrogant expression immediately softened, becoming warm and welcoming. "May I ask which elder you are a disciple of, or are you here to register for the position of Abbot of the Three Yin Temple?"
This one is definitely not to be underestimated; he is indeed very handsome.
He was dressed in a blue Taoist robe and looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old. Surprisingly, he had already entered the path of cultivation and practiced Qi, and his cultivation level was not much inferior to mine.
His eyebrows resembled jade mountains, and his eyes shone like cold stars. Coupled with his handsome and otherworldly temperament, he truly looked like a celestial being.
Based on Xu Yang's experience, such a person could at least be a "treacherous minister".
Although he's not without connections, it's best not to offend him if possible.
Upon hearing this, Bai Cang remained calm, a gentle and humble smile on his face.
Simply by raising one's gaze three feet upwards, one naturally exudes an air of arrogance and disdain for everything.
"My master is Han Qinhu!!!"
[Seeking free gifts, thanks to the "Starlight Drifting" expert]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com