Taicang Mountain

**Taicang Mountain** (太苍山, *Tàicāng Shān*) is the mountain where Xie Lian studied cultivation alongside Mu Qing.

## Description

Taicang Mountain consists of multiple peaks, on the highest peak stands a golden temple of the Heavenly Emperor, Jun Wu.

It was infamous for the flaming-red maples that covered the entire mountain. Atop the mountain were also many fruit trees: peaches, oranges, pears and cherries. They were nourished by springs and bore fruits filled with spiritual aura. They could be used as offerings, but also by the disciples on the mountain. Many swings were installed on the mountain for fun and training as well. A wide and paved green path showed the way when hiking the mountain, often filled with pilgrims or young trainees.

In the present, the mountain scenery has become quite different. Once new seeds were planted after the mountain had burned down during the fall of Xianle, the maples and path were no longer. It is now covered in other fresh trees and bushes, but also rocks, debris and withered plants.

### Locations:

* **Royal Holy Pavilion:** The Royal Holy Pavilion was the cultivation centre of the Xianle Kingdom. Its training grounds and temples covered the entire mountain range, being an expansive and glorious cultivation centre where one could worship various gods. They had extremely strict selection standards, and people of poor upbringing could only enter through the recommendation of royalty.
* **Great Martial Hall:** A golden temple dedicated to Jun Wu that sat upon the highest peak of the mountain, called the Martial Deity Summit.
* **Crown Prince Temple:** Upon the second-highest peak was a magnificent and grand temple dedicated to Xie Lian. After that temple was built, the peak was given the name Crown Prince Summit.
* **Sixiang Pavilion:** One of the temples in the Royal Holy Pavilion. Its entrance was guarded by Zhu An.
* **Imperial Mausoleum:** By jumping into a dried up well on top of the Crown Prince Summit and crawling through a tunnel that opens after pressing bricks in a certain order at the bottom of the well, one can reach the Imperial Mausoleum. Priceless night pearls cover the ceiling of the Great Hall, illuminating the room and appearing like a starry sky. At the end is the entrance to a chamber with the coffins of the King and Queen of Xianle inside.

## Trivia

* Each temple of Taicang Mountain possessed a black pagoda covered in lattice sandalwood panels, which were stacked with soul-sealing jars that contained ghosts that had once caused havoc.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Novel, Book 1, Chapter 56: In Search of the Past; Retracing Steps to Mount Taicang
2. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 61: Lost Red Pearl; Inadvertent Eyes Red with Desire II
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Novel, Book 1, Chapter 57: In Search of the Past; Retracing Steps to Mount Taicang II
4. ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 2: The Scrap Immortal; Third Time Entering the Heavenly Capital
5. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 59: On the Martial Deity Avenue; An Awe-Inspring First Impression
6. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 62: Lost Red Pearl; Inadvertent Eyes Red with Desire III
7. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 67: To Ascend is Human; to Fall is Also Human II