Chapter 7

You say studying with you gives one the ability to protect oneself—could it be that we scholars have no such ability? We scholars cultivate the righteous aura, fearless of ghosts and gods.

Moreover, you cultivators face the three calamities, nine difficulties, ten tribulations, and besides, it depends on innate talent and comprehension—not everyone can cultivate the Dao!

Guo Xuesong gave a cold snort, seeing Liu Dongzhu open her mouth, about to say something, knowing what she wanted to say, he spoke first:

Dongzhu, I know, because of that beastly matter, you have a great misunderstanding of us scholars, and you don't want your Ping'an to tread the same beastly path again.

But Dongzhu, you must understand that Daxia grants scholars enormous privileges—do you really want Ping'an to spend his whole life as a farmer?

It's not that he looks down on farmers; rather, within Daxia's borders, farmers are the lowest stratum, anyone can bully them, so many farmers pin their hopes on their offspring.

They hope to pass the imperial examinations, not necessarily to become top scholars, but at least to earn the status of a cultivated talent or even a recommended graduate, thereby gaining some preferential treatment from the state.

Scholar, you're right—we cultivators stress innate talent and comprehension, unlike you scholars, where anyone willing to study can learn; but the grandson of Patron Wang is very likely an Innate Dao Body—if even he cannot cultivate the Dao, who could?

Xuanqing Daozhang snorted in dissatisfaction, his face full of barely concealed envy—just after birth, he can draw the surrounding spiritual qi into his body; if that's not an Innate Dao Body, what else could it be? He said arrogantly:

As for what you said, that scholars can rise above others—do we cultivators not also rise? If one wishes to rise, one can take the path of the Immortal Official!

Immortal Official is a post arranged by Daxia for cultivators, from prefecture capital down to county towns, everywhere Immortal Officials are stationed; besides slaying demons and eliminating evil, preventing demonic mischief within the realm, they also have the duty to pray for rain.

It is a most exalted status!

Guo Xuesong sneered: "Xuanqing Daozhang, you're right—if Ping'an cultivates the Dao, he can take the Immortal Official path, but that path is far harder than the imperial examinations, and you are merely a rustic daoist of a wild daoist temple; on that path you can be of no help to Ping'an whatsoever!"

You……

Xuanqing Daozhang instantly flared up—'as the saying goes, strike a man but not his face'—his Xuanqing Daoist temple lies on Hutou Mountain beside Hutou Gou, founded by himself, with no history to speak of; calling it a wild daoist temple is no exaggeration.

Otherwise he wouldn't have fallen so low as to make a living by performing soul salvation at others' funerals.

Scholar, Xuanqing Daozhang, please don't quarrel!

Although Wang Lin secretly rejoiced—whether it was Guo Xuesong or Xuanqing Daozhang, both are top figures in Hutou Gou, even the Village Chief dares not provoke them—yet over the contest for his grandson they were about to come to blows; however, he could not let them continue arguing, so he hastily spoke:

Our Ping'an is still young; even if you took him as a disciple, it would be useless—why not wait until he understands and let him choose?

No problem!

Xuanqing Daozhang said eagerly.

Although he is a rustic daoist of a wild daoist temple, he also studied under a legitimate daoist temple, learning orthodox daoist methods, which have a lineage.

If someone told him they wanted to become his disciple and learn his arts, he would have to consider them—let alone agreeing; not even getting a slap across the face would be bad.

But if this person were an Innate Dao Body… he wouldn't just not get angry; he would be overjoyed.

If he could become the master of an Innate Dao Body, even if only an enlightenment teacher, he might perhaps leave a name in their Daoist tradition.

Guo Xuesong smiled and said, 'Old Brother Wang, I have no problem either!'

Xuanqing Daozhang turned, about to leave, to continue reciting the soul salvation scripture for Wang Ruhai—after all, his quarrel with Guo Xuesong had made him a laughingstock to those around; but catching sight of Ping'an out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly stopped.

Then.

Xuanqing Daozhang took out a yellowed little booklet from his pocket and handed it to Liu Dongzhu, saying, 'Madam Wang, this is the Ziqi Classic, the most basic qi-refining method of our Daoism, from Ziyang Palace; please, Madam Wang, give it to your child when he is five or six, so it can lay a solid foundation and give him a healthy body.'

'Thank you, Xuanqing Daozhang!' Liu Dongzhu took the Ziqi Classic with one hand that Xuanqing Daozhang had handed over.

'This is a gift for my future disciple!'

Xuanqing Daozhang gave a hehe smile, turned his head toward Guo Xuesong, his face full of provocation.

'Ding! Xuanqing Daozhang grants you a copy of the Ziqi Classic, obtaining the technique: Ziqi Classic 【Entry Level】!'

Guo Xuesong ignored Xuanqing Daozhang's provocation, yet still took out a yellowed book from his bosom, handed it over, and said with a smile, 'Dongzhu, this is my Thousand-Character Essay; let Ping'an carry it on his person, to bless him to grow up safe and sound, free from evil influences.'

'Guo Shi……'

Liu Dongzhu looked embarrassed; this time she did not simply accept it as before, but wanted to refuse—not because she didn't know the Thousand-Character Essay was extraordinary.

Rather, she hoped her Ping'an would become a disciple of Xuanqing Daozhang rather than Guo Xuesong!

It's not that Guo Xuesong is bad; it's that studying under him reminds her of Wang Ruhai, and having lost one husband, she does not want to lose her son as well.

Guo Xuesong looked at Liu Dongzhu's expression and could not fail to see her thoughts; he sighed slightly, and his hatred for Wang Ruhai deepened a bit.

This novel you have reached

Even such a good daughter-in-law saying no is just despicable, worse than a beast!

'Dongzhu, this is the scholar's sincere intention—hurry up and take it!'

Zhang Guihua glared at Liu Dongzhu, snatched away the Thousand-Character Essay that Guo Xuesong was about to take back—not because she was greedy for money, knowing the book was valuable, but because she was drawn by the four big characters 'Ping'an's safe growth' in Guo Xuesong's words.

Now.

His son Wang Ruhai is essentially dead; the old Wang family has only Wang Ping'an as a lone sprout, naturally hoping their grandson grows up safe.

Moreover, Xuanqing Daozhang and Dong Qing said her grandson was a reincarnation of a Great Virtuous Person, likely to attract demons and monsters; even with Dong Qing's sword qi and Xuanqing Daozhang's jade pendant, she still felt worried inside.

At this point there is already something that can bless her grandson to grow up safe—how could she give it up?

'Ding! You have received Guo Xuesong's gift of a Thousand-Character Essay written with righteous aura, obtaining the skill: Thousand-Character Essay 【Entry Level】!'

Mechanical, cold tones echoed one after another in Wang Ping'an's mind; Wang Ping'an was delighted again and again—just now, perhaps due to the talent 'heart holds good thoughts,' people mistook him for a reincarnation of a Great Virtuous Person.

It granted him the talents Dao Heart and Sword Bone, as well as the skill Nurturing Sword Technique.

Unexpectedly…

Using the Nurturing Sword Technique to attract the wandering spiritual qi between heaven and earth led Xuanqing Daozhang to mistake him for an Innate Dao Body, wanting to take him as a disciple; then Scholar Guo Xuesong came to contend, and thus he also obtained the Ziqi Classic and the Thousand-Character Essay skill.

'Could it be that I am the reincarnation of the Fortune God?'

Wang Ping'an couldn't help but feel secret delight.

(End of chapter)