Chapter 8: Shall We Team Up?

Wen Gu went to see the Daoist Priest, intending to bring his cousin along as well.

The Village head was worried that this person would anger the Daoist Priest.

Wen Gu said, "My cousin's heart and source are pure and clear; the Daoist Priest will not be angry."

The Village head also knew what kind of situation this was; he hesitated for a moment, but still agreed.

Thus, when the villagers were delivering supplies to the Daoist Priest, Wen Gu had them deliver a Butie with a great sense of ceremony, and only then did he head over with his cousin.

When Qingyi Daozhang received the Butie written in such a pretentious manner by the other party, his internal vigilance was already maxed out, and he specifically tidied up an empty room to use for his conversation with Wen Gu.

He dared not let Wen Gu see his Alchemy items; who knew what kind of trouble that Gou Shusheng would stir up after seeing them!

The small farmhouse courtyard where Qingyi Daozhang lived, although it was just a few thatched huts and a yard enclosed by a fence, was already at a luxury level within the Village.

The room he chose was not large, but its confidentiality was decent, and it was not easy for the conversation content to be heard from the outside.

When Wen Gu entered, he did not look around; in such a small place, everything was within his line of sight.

Usually, this Daoist Priest was shut inside the Danfang, busy at work; the surrounding villagers could smell the scent of Medicinal Herb and only assumed the Daoist Priest was refining medicine inside, but they did not actually know what he was busy with.

With no one else around, Qingyi Daozhang really did not want to waste time discussing any Great Dao with Gou Shusheng.

What was there to discuss?

With his eye for the world gained from years of traveling the rivers and lakes, this Gou Shusheng absolutely did not want to talk about that.

His gloomy gaze swept toward that side.

It was precisely because this Gou Shusheng was so capable of stirring up trouble that he had to plan ahead, taking advantage of the fact that his influence over the villagers was still there and had not been siphoned away by this Gou Shusheng, and that the weather outside had turned cold, to scrape together more things and run away, lest something change.

Wen Gu did not mind the cold reception, nor did he want to stand there idly, so he found a stool and sat down.

He smiled with scholarly grace and went straight to the point: "During my Study Tour, I once heard that some people who need to travel far make 'anti-hunger pills' with glutinous rice, dates, sesame, and the like, to facilitate their journey."

The original body had not heard of this during his Study Tour, but that did not mean it did not exist.

It was Wen Gu himself who had seen relevant records in books.

As long as it worked, that was enough.

Sure enough, upon being pointed out by Wen Gu that the substances listed on the inventory had other purposes, Qingyi Daozhang's complexion grew even gloomier.

At the same time, Qingyi Daozhang was also puzzled.

He certainly knew about scholars on a Study Tour. Outside of the school, students would also go out to travel, seek out famous teachers, understand the people's livelihood and political situation, and broaden their horizons.

But you, this scholar...

Qingyi Daozhang really wanted to ask: What kind of study are you touring? Why do you know so much obscure knowledge?!

Which decent scholar goes on a Study Tour like this?

A fierce light flashed in Qingyi Daozhang's lowered eyes; he even wanted to strike immediately.

Among those who could survive in this world, how many were indecisive?

It was just that, looking at Wen Gu's cousin guarding on the side, and thinking about how the whole Village might be watching this place, he held back.

Otherwise, he could have directly knocked Wen Gu unconscious and then packed his bags to run away.

Annoying.

How is this Gou Shusheng so capable of stirring up trouble!

Watching Qingyi Daozhang's expression shift, Wen Gu did not keep harping on this matter.

He smiled, his voice gentle: "The Daoist Priest's magic power is profound; you must have had many experiences?"

Although his little secret had been exposed, Qingyi Daozhang still maintained his arrogant posture, wanting to salvage some dignity:

"This poor Daoist has traveled north and south for ten years, tempering my body and mind. The Sage said: Set your heart on the Dao, base yourself on virtue, rely on benevolence, and roam in the arts."

Wen Gu clicked his tongue, his words meaningful: "I can tell that the Daoist Priest's 'roaming in the arts' must be very exciting."

Qingyi Daozhang acted as if he hadn't heard and continued: "Later, my skills were not refined enough, so I went into the mountains for bitter cultivation."

Wen Gu nodded, expressing understanding: "Mm, you went for further studies."

He probably ran into a tough nut to crack while swindling people and found some remote mountain to hide in for two years.

Qingyi Daozhang paused and took a deep breath: "Ten years of wandering, two years of bitter cultivation, one day descending the mountain..."

He never thought about scraping things from this bunch of poor ghosts!

He was a person with ambition!

He only ever set his sights on the wealthy!

Alas, luck was not on his side...

He was irritable, not just because Wen Gu was being difficult here, but because his full heart of ambition could not be unleashed!

In this current world, it was exactly the time for someone like him to show his skills.

Yet he could only huddle in this small mountain Village, fantasizing about his peers maneuvering among major forces and gaining both fame and fortune; every day was a torment!

Qingyi Daozhang's heart was almost overflowing with depression.

Wen Gu observed this Daoist.

In this dynasty, Buddhism was flourishing, but there were also several emperors who revered Daoism.

If one were virtuous and prestigious, one might obtain titles and wealth, gaining both fame and fortune. But if one were of poor character and learning, it was a completely different kind of treatment.

Some Daoists were people with the Great Dao and great righteousness in their hearts.

And some Daoists were deceptive and swindling, with questionable character.

The Qingyi Daozhang before him did not look like the former, no matter how one looked at him.

But obviously, he did not position himself as the latter either.

Qingyi Daozhang continued to save face: "This poor Daoist has lofty aspirations that ordinary people cannot comprehend."

Just a broken little Village, so poor it had nothing; his Daoist Robe had been torn several times, and he had no new one to change into, mending and patching it for half a year—when had he ever been this destitute!

Those precious materials in his hands had to be poured into this place just to exchange for more favorable treatment in the Village.

It was just like trading gold for a mouthful of food; every time he performed a ritual, his heart ached terribly!

The materials he brought with him were almost used up, and if things continued like this, he wouldn't be able to perform any more rituals.

The villagers supported him because he was useful enough; villagers who could survive until now in these chaotic times were no ordinary villagers. Without tangible benefits, his status in the village would drop, and his days would become even harder to endure.

In fact, even without Wen Gu, Qingyi Daozhang's current mental state was already reaching its limit; otherwise, he wouldn't have decided to run away early just because of a minor disturbance.

I've protected this village for so long, so what's wrong with me scavenging some things before I leave? Who are you, this Gou Shusheng, to meddle in other people's business?!

Wen Gu analyzed the information hidden in Qingyi Daozhang's words and expression.

He asked: "I heard that you, Daoist Priest, are also planning to set off around autumn and winter. Have you thought about where to go? Forgive my presumption, but my brother and I are also about to head north to join our relatives, and I wanted to ask for some peace of mind. Have you ever cast a hexagram to calculate which direction might allow us to avoid disaster?"

When it came to his professional field, Qingyi Daozhang's expression calmed down: "The north is auspicious."

Wen Gu pondered in his heart.

Just saying "the north" was too vague, which meant that this Daoist Priest probably didn't have a clear goal either.

This "enlightened master" possessed a global perspective and knew to head north to avoid disaster.

But his level wasn't high enough.

As everyone knew, "enlightened masters" had very extensive connections!

From lowly ruffians and Idlers to imperial relatives and nobles, they could all establish ties.

If he truly had that level of skill, he wouldn't be without a clear destination right now. Perhaps he didn't even understand the Beidi region at all.

Qingyi Daozhang indeed didn't know much about Beidi; in the past, his activities were mostly in the South. As the world became chaotic, information became difficult to obtain, and he understood even less.

However, he believed in his own abilities; as long as he went out and met living people, he would be able to uncover more news.

There were several powerful clans entrenched in Beidi now, and powerful families from the South were migrating north. This autumn and winter season was exactly when people from the North and South were active, so news would always leak out.

Qingyi Daozhang was just pondering how to brush Wen Gu off and run away with the village's belongings.

Then he heard Wen Gu say: "My brother and I are about to head north to find our relatives. The journey is difficult, and we are in need of the help of an expert like you, Daoist Priest, who is proficient in the Pixie Shenji. If you have no urgent matters for the moment, why not travel together? We could even discuss the profound principles of the Dao along the way."

You dog of a Daoist, want to team up?

Qingyi Daozhang thought to himself: Who the hell wants to discuss anything with you!

But Wen Gu's words also stirred his heart.

"The relatives you are heading north to join, I heard they are a military officer in Beidi?"

When the Wen brothers first arrived in the village, they had revealed this information to the village head.

"I won't hide it from you, Daoist Priest, that is indeed the case. My uncle comes from a prominent family; although the family's influence has declined, there has been a trend of resurgence in recent years. Now that the world is in great chaos, I don't know what the situation in Beidi is like. If it is peaceful, my brother and I heading north will at least give us a place to settle down," Wen Gu said.

Qingyi Daozhang listened to these words.

If Wen Gu's relative were just a minor local official, or not an official at all, without any real power, it would be impossible for Wen Gu to travel such a long distance to join them.

Although this Gou Shusheng was physically weak, his mind was resilient and insidious. He must have weighed the pros and cons, and with such a firm attitude about heading north to join his relatives, perhaps this so-called unremarkable Beidi military officer was actually quite powerful?

Even if they weren't a person of high status, if Wen Gu's relative was doing well, he would go there to enjoy the offerings.

If that relative wasn't doing well, he would use that place as a stepping stone and go find someone with more power after making a name for himself!

In the blink of an eye, his thoughts shifted, and Qingyi Daozhang had already judged the pros and cons.

Having made his decision, he looked at Wen Gu again.

Since the Daoist Priest had entered the village, his gaze had never been so clear and sincere.

"Very well, you with your frail body..."

Qingyi Daozhang looked to the side at Wen Gu's cousin, who had a blank expression on his face.

"... and with only this simple-minded brother by your side, I will protect you for a leg of the journey."

Wen Gu smiled and bowed: "Then many thanks, Daoist Priest!"

After these days of observation and probing, Wen Gu had some understanding of this Daoist.

A swindler, indeed a great swindler, but in these chaotic times, he couldn't be considered an absolute villain; while he grabbed benefits, he also left himself some leeway.

And he was indeed quite talented.

Wen Gu thought that once they settled in Beidi, having this Daoist Priest by his side would allow him to stir up more things.

"Then let us discuss the arrangements made for the village before we leave." Wen Gu unfolded the list of supplies in his hand quite naturally, "Daoist Priest, is this list of yours... perhaps inappropriate? Why not change it slightly?"

Qingyi Daozhang:???

Wait!

Had the topic jumped too fast?

Weren't we talking about teaming up? We just made the decision, and you're already ordering me around?!

You dog of a scholar!

Qingyi Daozhang did not respond.

Wen Gu said: "Daoist Priest, we must seek long-term development. The journey is dangerous, the state of the world is ever-changing, so leave yourself a way out."

Qingyi Daozhang's eyes flickered slightly.

The pressure he had exerted on the village with that previous list, in order to run away early, had indeed been quite heavy.

Wen Gu bringing this up now, did it mean that the village had actually started to voice objections?

That was true, leave a way out.

If he were blocked from going north, he could retreat back to the village and be their "Immortal Master."

However, he would not change the list he had already given out. He had to continue maintaining the demeanor of an expert; what he gave the village had to remain as it was.

But he would make some amends.

"Fine, I have my own plans," he said.

This counted as accepting the request.

The primary goal of this "discussion of the Dao" having been achieved, Wen Gu did not linger, giving this person more time to consider the subsequent arrangements.

After Wen Gu left, Qingyi Daozhang entered his Danfang.

His heart was no longer as restless as before; although nothing had been explicitly stated between him and Wen Gu, they could be considered to have reached a consensus of mutual benefit.

With a goal for heading north and having found a stepping stone, while feeling joyful, he also inexplicably had the illusion of being a "big sucker"?

It must just be an illusion.

There will be an update at 8:00 PM.

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(End of chapter)