Chapter 42: Losing Twenty Years of Lifespan

The next day, early morning.

Wang Lin was doing chores in his own courtyard when he heard footsteps approaching from not far away; he instinctively looked up and saw Yuanliang striding ahead as he walked over, about to greet him, when he saw the old man supported by Yuanliang.

An old man with white hair and a gaunt face!

Upon closer look……

Wang Lin was startled at once, first happy, then panicked, and exclaimed in shock: 'Daozhang Xuanqing, you've returned—you, you, why is your hair all white?'

Don't look at Daozhang Xuanqing being old, but he still had a thick head of black hair; one could tell he had achieved cultivation, yet no one expected that after just a few days or even ten days of not seeing him, his hair had turned completely white.

Daozhang Xuanqing smiled lightly and said: 'Sir Wang, it's perfectly normal for someone of my age to have white hair.'

Wang Lin opened his mouth, wanting to say something; he might not know Daozhang Xuanqing's exact age, but he roughly knew how old he was, and knew he wasn't younger.

Logically speaking, if his hair were to turn white, it should have done so long ago; it couldn't be delayed until now.

Therefore.

He didn't believe a single punctuation mark of Daozhang Xuanqing's words.

'Daozhang Xuanqing, you, you, you—was this caused by your trip to the Capital City?'

Wang Lin took a deep breath, suppressing his inner agitation; although he knew Daozhang Xuanqing was capable, the Capital City is a dragon's pool and tiger's den, and moreover, Daozhang Xuanqing had provoked the Chancellor's daughter.

All of this was done to stand up for their family's Ping'an.

Wang Lin suppressed his inner emotion; seeing Daoist Master Xuanqing not answer, he hurriedly asked the junior Daoist Yuanliang: 'Junior Daoist, what exactly happened to your master?'

'Old Sir Wang, my master's trip to the Capital City cost him twenty years of yang lifespan!'

Yuanliang could no longer hold back; tears streamed from his eye sockets like a breached river.

Not long ago.

Having awakened from his cultivation, he was preparing to go down the mountain to the Wang family to recite a blessing scripture for Ping'an when, in the Daoist temple, he saw the returning Daozhang Xuanqing and was very happy.

Although Daozhang Xuanqing had only been away a short while, he was full of worry for him, fearing that Daozhang Xuanqing might never return.

After all, the place Daozhang Xuanqing went to is a dragon's pool and tiger's den, and the task he had to undertake was as difficult as climbing to heaven.

How could there be no danger?

Seeing Daozhang Xuanqing return safely, how could one not be happy?

But.

When he saw Daozhang Xuanqing's specific condition, the joy on his face was instantly replaced by panic; at a glance one could tell that his master's trip to the Capital City had suffered severe injury.

He first inquired, but Daozhang Xuanqing gave a perfunctory reply; only after repeated questioning did Daozhang Xuanqing fully explain everything.

He had perfectly handled the Wang family's affairs, but upon his return he was attacked by strongmen, losing twenty years of yang lifespan; had it not been for their apprehension of his Ziyang Palace background, they might have taken his life.

Although.

The other party didn't reveal their identity, but he knew that eight or nine times out of ten they were people from the Chancellor's Manor.

What he did in the Capital City was to affront the Chancellor's Manor; how could the Chancellor's Manor possibly let him off lightly?

'Daozhang Xuanqing……'

Wang Lin's face changed drastically, startled again and again; wanting to say something, he was cut off by Daozhang Xuanqing: 'Sir Wang, don't listen to my disciple's nonsense—what "lost twenty years of yang lifespan"? I don't even know if I can live another twenty years; I look worn out because the return journey was rushed.' 'Daozhang Xuanqing, I'm not yet senile, don't lie to me!'

Wang Lin said with a complex expression: 'It's my fault; had I known, I shouldn't have let you go to the Capital City.'

He knew the Capital City is a dragon's pool and tiger's den, and he knew how formidable the Chancellor's Manor is, but Daozhang Xuanqing is a cultivated Daoist, and moreover comes from Ziyang Palace.

Daozhang Xuanqing's trip to the Capital City was to slap the Chancellor's Manor in the face, but the Chancellor's Manor would at most give a lesson; after all, they were the ones who were at fault first.

Moreover, Daozhang Xuanqing is no ordinary person!

Who would have known.

The people of the Chancellor's Manor would actually be so ruthless as to cause Daozhang Xuanqing to lose twenty years of yang lifespan.

Had we known, we shouldn't have let Daozhang Xuanqing stand up for them; it is the Wang family that harmed Daozhang Xuanqing.

'Sir Wang, you're mistaken; I went to the Capital City of my own volition!'

Daozhang Xuanqing chuckled, not wanting to continue the topic; losing twenty years of yang lifespan is a severe punishment even for someone of his cultivated stature, but now that he could take Ping'an as a disciple, what does it amount to? He changed the subject:

'I just returned to the Daoist temple and heard my disciple say that your family is preparing to let your young grandson become my disciple?'

'That won't do; Ping'an is supposed to study with me—how could he become a disciple of a wild Daoist like you?'

Before Wang Lin could even open his mouth, an unpleasant voice came from afar: it was Scholar Lord Guo Xuesong, who, having just learned of Daoist Master Xuanqing's return, rushed over immediately.

This novel you to

Guo Xuesong had just finished speaking when he saw Daoist Master Xuanqing's white hair and gaunt appearance; he knew that Daoist Master Xuanqing was a cultivated Daoist.

Returning to youth may be impossible, but keeping hair black as ink is no problem.

Guo Xuesong exclaimed in shock: 'Daoist Master Xuanqing, your hair, your hair…… what on earth is going on with it?'

'It's just a dog bite; it seems the minds of you scholars are unusually small—clearly it's his fault, yet you still have the nerve to launch a sneak attack!'

Daozhang Xuanqing gave a cold snort, not knowing whether he was pointing at mulberry trees while cursing locust trees, and said angrily: 'Other people's parents are in charge of their own children; what business is it of yours, an outsider, to say more? Furthermore, I am no mere wild Daoist—I have a lineage, and I am qualified to send my own disciples to Ziyang Palace to learn skills; don't say that Ziyang Palace is also some wild Daoist temple!'

Guo Xuesong opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but looking at Daoist Master Xuanqing's appearance, the words on his lips ultimately could not be spoken; he said: 'You're willing to sacrifice your life to take Ping'an as a disciple—is it worth it?'

He very much wanted to say, 'What am I, an outsider? I am Ping'an's father's teacher, but considering that Wang Lin has severed father‑son ties with Wang Ruhai, in the Wang family this teacher of mine counts for nothing as kin.'

Moreover.

Don't think Daozhang Xuanqing's tone is light, but how could he fail to guess that his trip to the Capital City was extremely perilous?

Moreover, the great reputation of Ziyang Palace is known to him; he never expected that Daozhang Xuanqing had the ability to send his own disciple into Ziyang Palace.

Under these circumstances, how could he feel comfortable speaking about Daozhang Xuanqing taking disciples?

'Is it worth it?'

Daozhang Xuanqing smiled, thinking of Ping'an's situation, his face full of satisfaction, and said: 'As long as I can take Ping'an as a disciple, let alone losing twenty years of yang lifespan, even if I had only a few days left to live, it would be worth it!'

'What, Daozhang Xuanqing, you lost twenty years of yang lifespan?'

A cry rang out; only then did one see Liu Dongzhu clutching Ping'an rushing out of the bedroom—it was Wang Lin who had run to call her out, and as soon as she stepped out she heard Daozhang Xuanqing's remarks.

How could one not be startled?

(End of chapter)