Chapter 10: The Upper Scholar Asks About the Dao, Practicing It Diligently

Inside the hospital room, after Su Ping felt he had gained some certainty by relying on the information gathered by the two spirit mice, Xiaobai and Xiaohui.

He slowly opened his eyes, stood up, and after checking the invisibility spell that had already expired, he took out another Invisibility Talisman and slapped it onto his body.

Only then did he leap up, leave this spawn point directly through the window, and dash toward the East King Temple.

Inside the East King Temple.

The young Daoist priest who had taken over this temple was named Zhou Xuan; having just turned twenty this year, his background was actually not bad.

When he was studying at the Daoist Academy, he was the kind of enviable existence who could not achieve the Dao or obtain a certificate, but could still go home to inherit several buildings and collect rent.

However, in ancient books, Zhou Xuan would likely be the type described as an Upper Scholar who asks about the Dao and practices it diligently.

Seeming like a natural seed of the Dao, he had a weak constitution as a child, so the elders in his family would take him to Daoist temples to burn incense and worship the gods.

Unexpectedly, after coming into contact with Daoist knowledge because of this, he became obsessed with it.

Moreover, his talent for his studies was excellent, which made the people at the Daoist Academy marvel; it took a lot of persuasion before his parents finally agreed to let Zhou Xuan embark on the path of the Dao.

Although in this day and age, practicing the Dao cannot produce supernatural powers that can steal the heavens and change the sun.

And not many people believe in the talk of Ghost Gods overhead anymore.

But if one really becomes famous in this line of work, it is actually not a bad path for an individual.

Being a great practitioner can also grant one a certain social status.

And most importantly, the sect that Zhou Xuan joined does not forbid marriage.

It even upholds the principle that whether one practices or not is entirely voluntary; as long as the person wishes, they can withdraw at any time and turn into an ordinary lay practitioner.

As for Zhou Xuan himself, he is also highly valued; this time at the East King Temple is merely a trial.

In as short as half a year, or as long as a year, he will be selected to go to some famous mountain or great temple to continue his cultivation and advanced studies.

Having finished his call with a friend and concluded his meditation practice, Zhou Xuan did not care about these empty titles.

Whether at the Daoist Academy or at this small Daoist temple.

What he cared about more was his own cultivation.

It is just that...

"Is it really impossible to become a True Immortal in this world?"

Zhou Xuan lowered his head to look at the floor and sighed softly with some unwillingness.

Although he had practiced Daoist arts for many years, he was still a young man who had just turned twenty.

Coupled with the current information age, Zhou Xuan could not avoid coming into contact with many related fantasies, and he yearned for those cultivators in anime and novels.

As a young Daoist priest.

He also wanted to be able to take on ten opponents at once, or even fly on a sword to slay demons and eliminate evil.

Unfortunately, cultivation in the fantasy world and the real world... cannot be said to be exactly the same; they are completely unrelated.

Relying on meditation to cultivate one's character is not a big problem.

But slaying demons and eliminating evil is truly something that can only be achieved by daydreaming.

"Sigh, time to cook."

Zhou Xuan stretched his limbs, having no need to look at a clock.

After many years of practice, he could already rely on his senses to determine the meal times for every morning, noon, and evening.

Washing rice and cooking; thanks to the temple having water and electricity, Zhou Xuan, who used an electric rice cooker directly, did not need to chop wood and build a fire like in cultivation novels.

"Hmm?"

"Is there someone in the master bedroom?"

After the rice was cooked, Zhou Xuan entered the backyard intending to make some cold dishes to go with the meal, when he suddenly discovered that the door to the room he lived in had been opened.

And looking from the window, there was a human figure inside!

He was slightly stunned and hurriedly walked over quickly.

"Could it be some wandering Daoist? My temple does not provide food or lodging."

Stepping over the threshold, Zhou Xuan, who was wearing a cyan Daoist robe, was still thinking about which fellow Daoist had run over upon seeing a temple here, and he was about to speak while performing a Daoist salute with both hands.

His mouth opened slightly, but he lost his voice the moment he saw the other person turn around.

There was no help for it.

Appearing in this side room, Su Ping, who had already reached the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

Dressed in a brand-new dust-repelling Daoist robe, wearing cloud-patterned cloth shoes, and carrying a simple, ancient sword scabbard on his back, his aura was simply too ethereal, mysterious, and awe-inspiring.

At the first glance, it made Zhou Xuan think of the descriptions of exiled Immortals in ancient books.

Even though he had long since stopped believing that there were truly Immortals in this world.

After seeing Su Ping's Immortal countenance, it still made his eyes flash with amazement, and he hurriedly performed a Daoist salute and changed his prepared words:

"Greetings, Daoist. I am the current Temple Master of this East King Temple." "Since you have come to this East King Temple, is there anything I can help you with?"

Looking at the young Daoist priest whose attitude had become humble in the blink of an eye.

Su Ping stroked his own flawless chin, looked at the room layout which was already different, and said slowly:

"The previous Temple Master... that Daoist Yu?"

"Daoist Yu? The previous Temple Master was Daoist Niu... wait, are you asking about the Temple Master Yu who passed away twelve years ago?"

"Passed away twelve years ago?"

Although he had already guessed as much, Su Ping still shook his head slightly with a bit of emotion.

Zhou Xuan cautiously observed Su Ping, seeing that his guess seemed correct based on the other's reaction, and then looking at the other's ethereal aura and face whose exact age was difficult to discern.

He vaguely realized something, and the gaze he directed at Su Ping carried a hint of fervor.

"I was an old acquaintance of that Temple Master Yu."

"I felt something in my heart today, so I returned to this old place, but I did not expect that the person is already gone."

Su Ping said in a low voice, and everything he said was the truth.

He really did know the Temple Master of this East King Temple.

It was just not the kind of acquaintance the other party guessed.

"This temple has always had a connection with me; this time coming down the mountain, I intend to stay in this temple for a short while."

"Please keep these gold bars safe, little friend, and it will also help me purchase some things I need."

Saying this, Su Ping stretched out his right hand and gave a light wipe across the wooden table in the guest room.

Three small gold bars were lying neatly on the tabletop, making Zhou Xuan widen his eyes at once.

"A trick? Or magic?"

Looking at the gold bars that had suddenly appeared on the table, Zhou Xuan then looked at Su Ping, who had a calm face, as if wiping and producing gold bars was a very normal thing.

He struggled in his heart for a moment, made up his mind, hurriedly bowed, and said with a resonant, powerful voice:

"Daoist is an old friend of the Temple Master, it is this junior's honor that you are willing to stay here!"

"It's just...! I ask the Daoist to clear up my confusion!"

"May I ask the Daoist, in this world, is there really a method for Cultivation and Changsheng?"

Gathering his courage to ask, Zhou Xuan tensed his body and looked at Su Ping.

"A real method for Cultivation and Changsheng?"

Hearing this, Su Ping looked at the expectant gaze Zhou Xuan revealed, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

He chose to come to this East King Temple to settle down first.

The reason was naturally to be able to quickly integrate into the society of Water Blue Star and make use of the resources here.

And the best way to integrate quickly, while avoiding the attention of those above as much as possible, was naturally to find a native spokesperson to help.

Then, Su Ping conducted a preliminary analysis after collecting information.

This Zhou Xuan, who had a heart for seeking the Dao, as a Cultivator of the East King Temple who had a certain status and was more enthusiastic about the mysterious than others, naturally entered Su Ping's eyes at the first opportunity.

Whether to foolishly report extraordinary clues in exchange for nonexistent rewards, or to listen and act in exchange for that slim possibility of stepping into the extraordinary! Su Ping believed that Zhou Xuan, who could be recognized by the Dao Academy, obtain a certificate, and become a Temple Master,

was a smart person who would make a smart choice!

Furthermore, if the other party's heart for seeking the Dao was not faked, then for such a Cultivator, what could be more important than the opportunity to cultivate a true method! This kind of person's obsession with Cultivation.

Su Ping had seen plenty of it in his twenty years in the Cultivation World.

As it happened, he was a genuine Cultivator, and could become the greatest inner demon in the heart of the Zhou Xuan before him!

"Hahaha!"

"The method of Cultivation and Changsheng is extremely difficult, but it does exist after all!"

Su Ping waved his sleeves with both hands and laughed freely.

Immediately, he silently activated the Object Manipulation Technique.

Clang! The Red Flame Wooden Sword flew out from the scabbard on Su Ping's back with a clang, flew a circle in mid-air, and then swished to a stop in front of Zhou Xuan.

At this moment, the sun was setting.

Some glaring red light shone through the window into this small guest room.

It illuminated the suspended wooden sword, making it shine brilliantly.

It made Zhou Xuan, who was staring fixedly at this wooden sword, feel his eyes start to sting.

He was already reluctant to blink.

Seeing true extraordinary means for the first time in his life, he...

was actually—entranced because of it! (End of this chapter)