MOUNT LAOJUN 3

"Nayin, how long does it take until we reach our destination?"

Zhu Su must admit that he had got tired. As a son of the emperor, he was accustomed to living in luxury life, wherever he stepped, he would always get excellent services and facilities, hence climbing up the mountain with this commoner style was undeniably hard for him. He also began to shiver since the temperature on the mountain turned chilly. While Wu Qi and Hu Nayin were still walking at medium speeds, Zhu Su's walking speed had already far reduced.

"We've just taken a few steps, my Lord. Mount Laojun is extremely spacious, it must be a difficult job to find Xie Wang's hideout." Wu Qi answered.

"Ah... It seems like we have walked so far..."

"We can take a break, my Lord. Mountain climbing must be something you are not used to."

"Yeah... to be honest, it's really a new stuff." Zhu Su wiped his sweat, felt uneasy.

"But, where should we take a break? Here the area seems inappropriate to have a break..."

"Just take more steps, and we'll arrive at a lake. We can rest there." Hu Nayin answered. "See there, it's been in sight." She pointed to the end of their path.

The road they were stepping through indeed ended at a very large lake. Seeing the lake, Zhu Su, gasped. The lake was real amazement for him. If West Lake in Hangzhou was surely beautiful, then this lake he was visiting at was not just beautiful. It gave an extraordinary sensation, an exotic charm. The gurgling sound of the lake's water, the surface of the lake which seemingly became a giant mirror reflecting the world above it... all of these, created a mystical tranquility. Far behind the lake, the blue mountain soared as a background of this natural painting, coupled with the vast blue sky which had no boundaries, its white clouds were rolling like a dragon.

Mount Laojun itself is a truly exotic mountain. There are two Mount Laojun - one in Yunnan and another in Henan. Now we are talking about Mount Laojun in Yunnan.

Its special location and exotic environment makes this mountain, which is almost always hidden in the mist, appear interesting and also mysterious. People believe that Laozi, Founder of Daoism, had concocted a pill for eternal life here, that is why this mountain called Mount Laojun - Mount of Master Lao. Abundant of plants, endangered animals, numerous ice lakes, and enormous karst, Mount Laojun is the best place for the souls of people who are thirst for wisdom. There is even a kind of belief, here we will be able to obtain the blessings of peace nature offering to us.

"This lake... is far more beautiful than West Lake..." Still in a state of amazement, Zhu Su mumbled as he gazed at one of the largest lakes in Mount Laojun.

"More than merely beautiful, Your Highness. This lake has its own charm. Staying here for a few moments can drive away all grieves in our minds, making us calm and happy." Hu Nayin chimed in.

Zhu Su approached a large stone located on the edge of the lake, then sat on it. As soon as he sat down, he could feel his fatigue disappeared and now replaced by extraordinary relaxation and peace.

Wonderful! All of my fatigue... my worries... All of my bad thoughts seem to be sucked out, replaced by great relief. As if there's nothing to worry about anymore. The hell Xie Wang does, the hell my father does, damn all those political problems... They have nothing to do with my happiness. This happiness... I've got it, right at this moment.

"I also bring meals." Hu Nayin said, she withdrew some meal from her backpack. Her voice brought Zhu Su back from imagination to the real world. "It's almost lunchtime. You must have been hungry."

"I bring meal, too." Wu Qi said.

"Looks like we all have good preparation. Good." Zhu Su also took his meal out from his backpack. "We do need to make good preparations to fight against Xie Wang."

"What do you think about Mount Laojun, Your Highness?" While eating, Wu Qi asked.

"I agree with you. Mount Laojun has a mystical charm. I feel like I am sucked into a place where I have nothing to worry anymore. Before, no matter how hard I've tried to calm my mind and meditate, I won't reach the stage of tranquility my teachers always taught. But here... it's different." Zhu Su expressed his thoughts.

"Some Daoist Priests also meditate here." Hu Nayin said. "I often meet with them."

Just as Hu Nayin finished her words, a Daoist Priest was passing through nearby. The Daoist Priest had seen them, too. All of them bowed their heads slightly and greeted each other.

"There is also a small temple inside this mountain." Hu Nayin said again while pointing a vague image of a building standing far from them. On the other hand, the Daoist Priest was now taking water from the lake. Mount Laojun is named after Laozi, the Founder of Daoism, Zhu Su believed that Daoist Temples here were more than one.

"But soon war will occur here... What will happen to them, anyway?..." Suddenly Zhu Su got worried about the temple.

Ah... This is the most important reason why we must avoid war as much as possible. We would hurt the lives of innocent people. But... is it possible to make this war abolished?...