Chapter 175: Fairy Mountain Temple, Fortress of Solitude!

Chapter 175: Fairy Mountain Temple, Fortress of Solitude!

The moment Lan Chow and I descended back into the primary production area, Kate broken away from the staff, sprinting over to wrap her arms around my neck to ensure I was completely unharmed.

"Rick, tell me you aren't hurt!" Kate demanded, her protective gaze shifting to glare daggers directly at Lan.

I offered a cheerful smile, wrapping my arms around her waist to soothe her tension. "Miss Chow and I are perfectly fine, Kate. We simply wanted to make the physical fight sequence look significantly more impressive for the final cut, but she unfortunately lost her footing on the track. It is no problem at all. In fact, now that our fists and feet have properly spoken, she and I are actually close friends."

I explicitly chose those words because several production crew members were actively milling around us, and both the director and executive producer had just arrived at our position.

The female director clapped her hands together, her face lighting up with intense professional excitement. "Rick! Lan! That performance was absolute genius! I absolutely loved the dynamic adjustments you two made on the fly. In fact, we are officially throwing out the scripted routine and running with this raw footage for the final movie. And Rick, what on earth was that lethal style you just showcased with those handguns?! I was completely mesmerized. Moving forward, I want you to utilize that exact firearm discipline for every single fighting sequence in the film!"

The older woman was practically jumping up and down like a child on a playground, prompting me to offer a calm explanation. "I personally call it Gun-Fu. Just as the name implies, it is a highly specialized martial art that integrates traditional Kung-Fu movements while holding and fluidly firing handguns from each hand."

"Gun-Fu? Oh, I absolutely adore that name!" she cheered, tapping her clipboard. "I am going to intentionally leak a brief sneak-peek of this footage along with the official name to the media. The action press will absolutely salivate over seeing something so entirely fresh on the market! And don't worry about the prop firearms you dropped over the railing; our crew has plenty of duplicates stocked inside the equipment vehicle. Miss Chow, are you completely alright?"

Lan offered a polite, graceful smile. "Mr. Tang was an absolute gentleman and moved instantly to ensure my safety, so there are absolutely no worries on my end."

"That is wonderful to hear," the director replied, thoroughly relieved. "We will obviously edit out the accidental slip during the post-production phase so the continuity remains perfectly normal. Now, if you two are up for the challenge, I want to capture a few alternative camera angles of your approach."

A short while later, with Kate and Lan sitting directly beside me in folding chairs under a shaded canopy, I pulled out my smartphone. I quickly dialed an encrypted number that I had only utilized a handful of times in this life.

The line connected with a sharp click, and a deep voice echoed through the receiver. [Hello, is this Rick Tang?]

"Mike Hue, it is indeed me," I answered, keeping my voice low and businesslike. "I am calling you regarding an upcoming underworld operation. I wanted to know if you and your remaining practitioners are fully willing to merge with another prominent faction to officially revive a brand-new Mountain Temple?"

The line went completely dead for a long moment before Mike responded, his tone laced with sudden disbelief. [Are you serious, Rick? I was under the impression that I had completely surrendered the legal right to ever reconstruct the Mountain Temple legacy.]

"I have successfully convinced the current Master of the Snow Temple to align her forces directly under my network," I explained, shifting my gaze toward the quiet woman beside me. "She and her loyal disciples are fiercely intent on establishing a new temple presence. Given her elegant appearance and disciplined demeanor, I am thinking we should formally name your combined faction The Fairy Mountain Temple. What do you think of the concept?"

I honestly wished I could see Ashley's father's face twitch in real-time at the ridiculous name choice, but the veteran martial artist managed to smoothly maintain his composure. [Actually, that choice is absolutely perfect. Not only does it preserve our traditional Mountain Temple name, but because the vast majority of my surviving faction members happen to be women, the title is incredibly suitable for our ranks. Tell me, is the woman you partnered with Lan Chow?]

"Yeah, she is sitting right next to me as we speak," I confirmed. "I already detailed my plans to forcefully kick the Forest Temple out of our home territory, and I informed her that I will be personally funding your entire joint operation from behind the scenes. Furthermore, I am preparing to secure complete, unrestricted copies of your traditional style's lost forms, and I will be personally teaching both of you an entirely new combat discipline I created."

[I suppose that means Lan Chow will be stepping up to serve as the official Temple Master?] Mike questioned, his tone analytical. [I have absolutely no objections to that arrangement, considering my past record legally prevents me from holding the official title anyway. Tell me, what specific role do you want me to assume within the hierarchy?]

"You will be positioned as the supreme Grand Elder and the ultimate Protector of the sect," I declared firmly. "Next to the Sect Master herself, absolutely no one will possess a higher authority. Plus, the Central Government cannot raise a single political argument regarding your placement as a Grand Elder, whereas they would aggressively block you from holding the official Sect Leader title. I also think Ashley would be incredibly happy to see her childhood temple restored with some of her old friends filling out the ranks."

[Lan is an exceptional choice for leadership,] Mike agreed, before pausing thoughtfully. [But tell me, why didn't you simply select Logan Chen to command the new temple structure?]

"I am currently training Logan to completely take over his own Sea Temple organization the exact moment he graduates university," I revealed, mapping out the timeline. "With Lan operating as my hand-picked leader and me commanding the Fire Birds network, Crimson's Snow Temple will naturally align under our banner in the future. The Forest Temple will be the singular faction completely isolated from our secret alliance."

For a couple of intense minutes, absolute silence stretched over the line as Mike calculated the sheer scale of the operation. When he finally spoke, the casual tone vanished, replaced entirely by the commanding, heavy authority of a former Syndicate Leader. [This massive mobilization... it is entirely because of the Central Government's upcoming five-year plan, isn't it?]

"Oh? I am glad the older generation is fully aware of the timeline," I countered, a dark smile pulling at my lips. "Then yes, exactly. Because of that fast-approaching deadline, I require The Fairy Mountain Temple to be operating at its absolute combative peak when the clock strikes zero. There is a massive, violent storm brewing on the horizon, and I need you, Grand Elder Hue, to help guide the next generation of Hidden Temple practitioners alongside Lan. Logan is also preparing to teach his new combat style to his disciples, ensuring his temple is fully ready for a war."

While I was casually sketching out the framework for an impending Eurasian insurrection, my companions were passing the time in their own individual ways. Kate was completely locked into her own world, listening to music through her headphones while napping in her chair. Lan, however, sat in a strict meditative posture, her exceptionally refined hearing allowing her to absorb every single syllable of my conversation.

A deep, booming laugh erupted through the phone speaker, breaking my train of thought. [Hah?! My old blood is genuinely boiling right now, Rick. I honestly believed the remainder of my days would be incredibly boring, but to discover a young man possessing the absolute balls required to orchestrate such a monumental feat... I can die happy. Count me in. I am fully on board.]

"Thank you, Uncle Hue," I replied smoothly. "By the way, I have already purchased the expansive plot of land required to construct the new hidden temple grounds. Take a wild guess as to where it's located."

[The exact same geography as the old temple?] Mike guessed, humoring me. [No, that would make it entirely too obvious to our enemies... Perhaps situated right off Interstate 69, near the area where you initially confronted Laura Long?]

"I was originally leaning toward that specific location, but I came up with a significantly better concept to keep the Fairy Mountain Temple close to my base of operations while remaining entirely invisible to the public," I chuckled. "I built the massive Lang-Lee Raceway for a specific structural reason, Uncle. Do you catch my 'drift' now?"

The line went silent for a fraction of a second before a sharp gasp came through. [Wait a minute... you purchased all of the surrounding land wrapping around Old Highway 07! You purposefully pulled the street racers away from that territory to artificially drive the land value down and secure total privacy close to the city? Rick, those mountain ranges are absolutely perfect for a hidden sect!]

"Exactly. And the isolated Rest Stop previously utilized by the street racers will serve as our official hidden entrance," I explained, laying out the logistics. "The location will still see a minor amount of traffic from novice drivers, but every single surveillance camera is being systematically removed because the entire zone is transforming into private property, he-he. With temple practitioners constantly coming and going through a public rest stop, it won't look suspicious or obvious that a massive secret tunnel network is operating right beneath their boots."

[And I assume you plan to utilize the heavy enforcement of the Hidden Dragons and the Fire Birds to permanently chase off any unwanted snoopers?] Mike questioned, his awe apparent. [You have truly put an immense amount of strategic thought into this layout, haven't you?]

"Well, my primary goal is to ensure you are stationed close enough to regularly see your grandchild," I answered honestly. "I also want the ability to personally visit the grounds and instruct the disciples from time to time. If the temple were constructed far outside my territory, my frequent travel patterns would instantly alert the hostile eyes watching my movements. In reality, the Fairy Mountain Temple will eventually become my personal Fortress of Solitude."

[Superb!] Mike cheered, his voice ringing with renewed vigor. [Teach this old dog some brand-new tricks, and transform that mountain into your hidden sanctuary. I will personally guarantee that every single practitioner who joins our ranks remains fiercely loyal to your name. All right, let me gather our remaining members and initiate the migration south toward Star City. Where exactly do you want us to wait out the transition?]

"Direct your people to report to my Fire Birds brothel located at 762 Clinch Street," I ordered. "Instruct them to all wear matching red scarves to serve as a basic disguise for our lookouts. They will be provided with private rooms to remain out of sight until the heavy construction phase concludes. You will need to remain hidden for roughly two months. Furthermore, I will need you personally to step onto the battlefield alongside Lan, Logan, and myself to completely repel the active forces of the Forest Temple."

[All right, Rick, I will initiate the mobilization immediately,] Mike concluded. [Tell Ashley that her father will see her in exactly one week. I am incredibly glad that you are living as neighbors with her; it brings my mind total ease. Well, you are both powerful leaders now, so your resources are immense. I'll see you soon, bye.]

The moment the call disconnected, Lan’s long eyelashes fluttered open. She turned her striking blue eyes directly toward my face, a trace of genuine surprise coloring her tone as she questioned me. "Did you actively plan out this entire arrangement for my future from the very beginning, Rick?"

I offered a calm smile, looking into her eyes to deliver an honest answer. "Initially, my strategy was to simply select a veteran practitioner from the old temple hierarchy to lead the charge. But after witnessing firsthand how remarkably reasonable and cooperative you can be, I decided it was best to bring you directly under my wing. You aren't upset that I am utilizing your position to secure my territory like this, are you?"

She shook her head slowly, letting out a soft sigh as she explained her personal circumstances. "Not at all. In reality, my original intention was to spend the rest of my days living quietly inside the Snow Temple. However, the Sect Master's arrogant nephew began executing a series of aggressive romantic designs targeting me. Because of his pursuit, the moment I was deployed for an assignment outside the temple walls, I made a conscious decision to give away my physical purity to a complete outsider, ensuring her nephew would completely lose all interest in marrying me. Unfortunately, my terrible luck turned out incredibly strange, considering the random man I selected happened to be our most hated foe from the Sea Temple, sigh."

I could easily comprehend the classic trope of arranged marriages within traditional martial sects, but one glaring detail didn't add up. "But if your laws strictly forbid you from leaving Crimson territory, and Logan was equally barred from crossing the Black State border, how on earth did you two manage to bump into each other in the first place?"

An intense wave of pure, unadulterated anger flashed through her blue eyes as she recalled the encounter. "That absolute bastard somehow managed to board the completely wrong flight! Because of his stupidity, he was entirely in the wrong for trespassing directly onto Snow Temple lands. I could tell the moment our paths crossed that he was an exceptionally powerful martial artist, but I had absolutely no clue he belonged to my hated rival temple. The entire encounter left me feeling deeply humiliated and physically hurt. Because of the shame, I attempted to kill him to prevent myself from being branded a traitor by my own elders. Instead, he successfully defeated me and fled directly out of Crimson territory! And that is the exact reason I hate his guts so incredibly much. The worst part is that he never even bothered to offer a single apology."

"Oh, he told me the basic story of how you two met," I chuckled, shaking my head at the sheer absurdity of it all. "But he never once bothered to mention that he got completely lost and accidentally ended up in Crimson territory. That is honestly hilarious."

"Do you still harbor feelings for him?" I asked, watching her expression closely. "Do you want to be with him?"

She glared at me with pure, unadulterated hatred at the question, pointing a slender finger directly at my chest, entirely unafraid of my status.

"Not a single chance in any lifetime!" she hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "I only slept with that idiot for the sole purpose of discarding my physical purity. He was fit for a brief, meaningless fling, and absolutely nothing more. I could have easily returned to my normal life within the sect if he hadn't belonged to a rival hidden temple, but his true identity transformed me into an absolute laughingstock. Because of his total inability to read basic airport gate numbers, every single thing I built was completely sullied. The mere fact that I am choosing to no longer actively murder him on sight should be viewed as his ultimate blessing."

Realizing she was growing thoroughly irrational and losing her composure in front of me, she took a deep, steadying breath. She forced her shoulders to relax, calming her chaotic thoughts before continuing.

"I apologize, Rick, for yelling at you like that. Regardless, the entire reason I traveled south to the Azure State to establish a government-sanctioned temple was explicitly to avoid the Sect Master's predatory nephew. She explicitly informed me that if I returned to our main grounds without successfully completing this expansion mission, I would be forced to become his woman. That is precisely why I was so desperate to defeat you, the Forest Temple, and the Sea Temple. Now, as the official head of the Fairy Mountain Temple, I will even be openly at odds with the Snow Temple—well, on paper, at least. But my true, hidden goal in this life is to systematically eliminate that nephew. His disgusting lust for my body is the sole catalyst for my downfall."

I offered a calm smile, watching the dangerous fire dancing within her eyes as she plotted the demise of her stalker.

"Lan Chow, I am willing to share the ultimate secret to entering the Grandmaster realm at an accelerated pace," I stated, leaning back in my chair. "But I can guarantee you right now that you are not going to like what I have to say. Tell me, do you truly want to become stronger?"

A look of deep confusion flickered across her features, but she nodded her head in a firm, decisive motion.

"Just like Laura Long and countless other veteran Masters across the hidden martial world, they find themselves permanently stuck at their current level forever," I explained, holding her gaze. "It happens because their hearts and minds are entirely consumed by a psychological phenomenon known as a Heart Demon. Laura could never bring herself to lower her immense pride, and her mind was completely obsessed with securing revenge, which ultimately blocked her from ever becoming a Grandmaster. Now, I will tell you exactly what is stopping your own progression."

She shifted her entire body to face me fully, hanging on my every word. I raised my hand, utilizing my fingers to systematically point out the internal flaws she needed to correct.

"First, the fundamental reason the Central Government allows hidden temples to exist in the first place is because cultivating a true Grandmaster requires an absolute peace of heart that can only be unlocked through deep, isolated seclusion. Practitioners who spend their entire lives training within the military, on active battlefields, or inside the chaotic hustle of the city almost never manage to step into the Grandmaster realm. This foundational practice was originally brought over from the ancient Japan and China Empires."

"The second point is that you, my dear, are actively blaming absolutely everyone else for your current misfortunes. That mindset has to come to an absolute end right now. No more blaming a lost Logan Chen for boarding the wrong flight, and no more blaming the arrogant nephew of your old Snow Temple. Stop blaming my actions, and stop blaming cruel fate. You must only blame your own actions or your own inaction. The exact moment you truly accept that you are the absolute master of your own destiny, you will finally take that massive step into the Grandmaster realm."

"Finally, the third step required to cross that immense boundary is to actively cultivate personal hobbies, internal cultivation, and genuine harmony around your daily life. You must locate the peaceful, grounding things that anchor your mind and heart to reality; only then will you possess the key to unlock that door. This is the exact phase of training that systematically kills off Heart Demons. Then, when you finally stand as a true Grandmaster, all of your past trials and tribulations will become crystal clear to you."

She listened to my philosophical lecture with absolute, rapt attention, looking exactly like a curious student Panda absorbing the ancient wisdom of becoming a Dragon Warrior by an old Turtle master. "I think I understand... Tell me, what exactly were your personal hobbies, your internal cultivation, and your source of harmony in this life?"

I could tell she was desperately seeking a blueprint to forge her own path, forcing me to quickly manufacture a believable answer on the fly.

"Well, I was fortunately born with my internal cultivation completely unlocked," I lied smoothly. "As for my personal hobbies... that would definitely be building my massive business empire. And as for my ultimate source of harmony... that belongs entirely to my beautiful lovers and my children."

She instantly interpreted my first answer as the legendary, inherited knowledge of her sect's ancient founders. Completely unknown to me at this time, I had actually created the entire foundational Snow Temple martial arts style during a previous reincarnation centuries ago in the China Empire, but I was entirely oblivious to that historical fact. Furthermore, while she didn't fully comprehend my grand business dreams, she understood perfectly well how massive wealth directly facilitates absolute power in the martial world. As for the concept of family, she sat in absolute silence, deeply pondering how a network of lovers could serve as a source of perfect harmony.

"I am aware that Miss Kyusho is also operating as your dedicated student, and she is a high-ranking member of your Fire Birds network," Lan Chow murmured, her eyes wide with reverence. "You are building a true, unyielding force capable of completely reshaping the world, aren't you?"

"Lan Chow, the world is going to change with or without my intervention," I replied, a dark, ambitious smile spreading across my face. "But I intend to forcefully reshape it entirely in my own image. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

She executed a deep, incredibly respectful bow, her voice filled with absolute loyalty. "Lan Chow understands completely, and I will faithfully follow your divine teachings to the letter... Ancestor."

Did the corner of my lip violently twitch at that final title? Yes, it absolutely did. Lan Chow caught the brief slip in my otherwise unshakeable facade, a brilliant, knowing smile breaking across her face at my exasperated expression.