Chapter 118: Trouble

Shameless Pan Yun broke free from Wang Feiyin's grip and asked, "Senior Brother, do we have any grudge against that fellow Daoist just now? Should we be careful?"

"No need, she's just foul-mouthed, but her character's fine. See that old Daoist standing ahead? Him you must watch out for."

Pan Yun looked up and saw a handsome young Daoist standing before the steps, head bowed as he spoke to someone; seemingly sensing their gaze, he suddenly turned around.

Seeing them, he smiled broadly, his whole face lighting up as if the wind itself had grown brighter.

Pan Yun halted her step, but Wang Feiyin quickened his pace, stepping forward with a cheerful grin, "Junior Brother Ming, long time no see!"

The young Daoist clasped his hands in greeting and smiled, "Senior Brother Wang, long time no see. Is this the temple keeper of the Mountain God's shrine, the Mountain God's own direct junior disciple?"

Wang Feiyin nodded and smiled, "Yes, my junior sister, Pan Yun. Junior sister, this is Master Ming You from the Liangong Temple."

Pan Yun smiled and clasped her hands in greeting, "Senior Brother Ming."

Ming You hurried to say, "Your humble servant's Dharma name is Yu Chengzi. Junior Sister Pan, you may call me by my Dharma name. I don't yet know your Dharma name."

Pan Yun said, "I'm still young. My master says I'll get a Dharma name when I'm older, so I don't have one yet."

Ming You smiled and nodded, "I see. Junior Sister Pan does indeed look very young."

He led Wang Feiyin and the others to the back courtyard and said, "Everyone's arrived, just waiting for Senior Brother Wang. Won't Senior Tao and Sister Zhang be coming?"

"They're coming, they're right behind us."

The back courtyard of Fuqing Temple was no less bustling than the front, crowded with many people; looking around, there were not only male and female Daoist Priests, but also monks and nuns.

The open ground in the back courtyard was marked with circle after circle, forming an ellipse, with ellipses nested within ellipses, yet with a path running through the center; because of the crowd, it looked chaotic from afar.

But upon closer inspection, one realized that if viewed from above, all the circles formed a Bagua diagram.

Pan Yun was just curious about the purpose of these circles when an old Daoist pushed through and grabbed Wang Feiyin's arm, "We've been waiting for you! Hurry, hurry, we're drawing lots to assign spots."

Wang Feiyin said, "You're too eager. We said the draw would be at Si Shi, and it's barely past Chen Zheng—why are you dividing spots already?"

"This year's event is especially lively—Long Hushan's Zhang family even sent people. We can't keep them waiting."

The old Daoist pulled Wang Feiyin into the main hall, and everyone gathered in the courtyard fell silent, all eyes turning toward the main hall.

In the center of the main hall stood two chairs; one chair held a man around thirty, dressed in a Daoist robe, his expression solemn. Only when Wang Feiyin reached him did he rise, clasping his hands in greeting, "Senior Brother Wang."

Wang Feiyin stroked his beard and smiled, "So it's Brother Wu. I thought Brother Er would send Brother San—this year's Mount Sanqing is especially lively."

"It is lively," Zhang Wu Ge's gaze immediately fell on Pan Yun behind him, and he offered a faint smile. "Is this the Mountain God's direct junior disciple?"

"Yes, my junior sister," Wang Feiyin gestured for Pan Yun to step forward and introduce her. "This is Daoist Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang of Long Hushan—he's the fifth in his family, so call him Zhang Wu Ge, just like your senior sisters do."

Pan Yun clasped her hands in greeting, "Zhang Wu Ge."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang paused, then nodded with a smile and pulled a jade talisman from his sleeve, "This jade talisman contains a Thunder Sword. Consider it my greeting gift to you, Junior Sister."

Pan Yun immediately glanced at Wang Feiyin.

Wang Feiyin instantly said, "Hurry and thank your Senior Brother Zhang—Long Hushan's talismans are legendary, and the Thunder Sword is their second masterpiece. You've just received both masterpieces!"

Pan Yun immediately thanked him, accepting the jade talisman with visible gratitude and carefully placing it inside her pouch—Treasure and hold dear.

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang smiled and asked, "Senior Brother Wang, may I ask where Junior Sister Pan is from and what cultivation art she's currently studying?"

Wang Feiyin beamed, "She's originally from Jiangnan. Currently, she's studying Kunyuan Art."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang frowned slightly. "Kunyuan Art? I thought only half the scroll remained. Has Mount Sanqing found the complete version?"

"No, but she's suited to Kunyuan Art, and in my view, half is enough for her to train with for a long time."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang: "Senior Brother Wang has too little faith in Junior Sister Pan. I've heard she built a Mountain God shrine the moment she arrived at Mount Sanqing—clearly the Mountain God truly favors her. With her potential, she might even become a Earth Immortal. How could half a scroll of Kunyuan Art possibly suffice?"

"How many people today have broken through the First Marquis and entered the Second Marquis? Half a scroll of Kunyuan Art is enough to carry her to the Second Marquis—in my view, it's more than enough."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang looked unconvinced, pitying Pan Yun. "That's mistaken. Our inability to advance doesn't mean you can't. Without long-term planning, trouble will soon follow. If you don't choose the right cultivation art now, when the time comes to progress further, it will be impossibly hard—and you'll have no path to regret. What then?" If not for her twenty years of past-life memories—if not for knowing Kunyuan Art's true power—she might have doubted whether Wang Feiyin had given her an unsuitable art.

This man is sharp.

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang said, "Junior Sister Pan, next April, Long Hushan's Academy opens. Would you like to study there? There are many cultivation arts—since your training is still young, you might try others and find one better suited to you."

"At least, other arts are complete—they won't be like Kunyuan Art, with only half a scroll."

Wang Feiyin said, "She's still young. Isn't Long Hushan's Academy only open to those twelve and older?"

"Since Junior Sister Pan has taken the Mountain God as her master, her cultivation speed will surely be fast. All orthodox Daoist Priests must receive talismans before ascending from mortal to sacred, gaining divine rank and office. I've heard she built her own shrine and appointed herself temple keeper. Senior Brother Wang, forgive me for speaking plainly—this is a rogue divine office."

Wang Feiyin snapped, "Brother Wu, don't you dare! My master is the legitimate Mountain God of Mount Sanqing—what rogue? Speak with respect!"

"I didn't say the Mountain God of Mount Sanqing is rogue. I said Junior Sister Pan hasn't received talismans from Long Hushan—her temple keeper title is a rogue divine office."

Wang Feiyin's face turned cold. "We obtained county magistrate approval to build the shrine. I also wrote to Long Hushan. From the moment I sent the letter until the shrine was built—two full months—you never replied. Isn't that tacit approval?"

"She was appointed temple keeper by my master. The imperial court approved it. Long Hushan said nothing. How is she a rogue divine office?"

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang sighed helplessly. "But she hasn't received talismans. Long Hushan oversees all deities. Daoist Priests must receive talismans to hold office—that's the rule."

!. Read

"Bullshit rule! Ask my master if He recognizes your rule," Wang Feiyin sneered. "You didn't reply to my letter for two months—wasn't that because you thought Mount Sanqing's shrine was too small and didn't care? I bet you didn't even open the letter!"

Zhang Wu Ge's face stiffened. "Senior Brother Wang, don't speak nonsense."

"Pah! You all know whether I'm lying. Your own fault, yet you want to blame it on my senior and junior siblings? Dream on!" Wang Feiyin shouted loudly. "Listen up: either you keep pretending you don't know about this and let it slide, or—right now—grant her talismans and let her take the official seal as temple keeper!"

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang: …

Under so many eyes, he'd shouted loud enough for everyone outside to hear—including all those monks and nuns. Could he possibly brush this off?

He certainly couldn't grant her talismans—if he did, wouldn't every Daoist temple across the land descend into chaos?

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang lowered his voice, whispering a threat: "Senior Brother Wang, let's discuss this later."

"No discussion! You can pressure Mount Sanqing all you want—but you won't pressure my senior or junior siblings!"

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang: … So your temple is split between mountain and people?

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang's face darkened, about to erupt—when a voice suddenly cut in: "Senior Brother!"

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang looked up and saw Master Xuanmiao approaching slowly through the crowd, sword in hand. Tao Ji and Wang Cong followed behind her, one on each side, carrying enormous bundles and bowing apologetically to those jostled aside.

But no one paid them any mind—all eyes were fixed on Master Xuanmiao, burning with awe, as if they wanted to cling to her and Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang's faces.

Seeing Master Xuanmiao, Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang's face grew even stiffer. He said nothing and involuntarily stepped back half a pace.

Wang Feiyin rushed over the moment he saw Xuanmiao, grabbed her hand, and choked out, "Sister, you've come just in time—someone's bullying your elder brother for being old and weak; I've been driven to despair."

Pan Yun's eyes also reddened; she pushed forward and seized Xuanmiao's left hand, overlapping it with Wang Feiyin's, and choked out, "Fourth sister, someone's bullying me for being young and powerless; I'm terrified."

Xuanmiao: …

Everyone: …

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang felt a lump lodge in his chest, neither rising nor falling, nearly choking himself into spitting blood.

Xuanmiao tried to pull her hands back, but Wang Feiyin and Pan Yun held them fast, even tugging her sleeves to wipe their eyes.

Xuanmiao: …

Xuanmiao took a deep breath, turned a sharp gaze on Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang, and said coldly, "Long Hushan may be mighty, and Mount Sanqing may indeed be a small temple—but even our small temple follows the rules. I wonder if Long Hushan has followed them too."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang hurriedly said, "Younger sister, Long Hushan did receive Brother Wang's letter, but the junior disciple tasked with sorting letters was newly initiated, careless in his duties. When delivering the letter to Second Brother, he passed by the Divine Tortoise Pool and was startled by the tortoise—the letter fell in. Not only Brother Wang's letter, but several others were soaked. Afraid of punishment, he secretly destroyed the water-damaged letters, which is why the mansion never learned of this."

"Second Brother learned that Mount Sanqing had built a shrine to the mountain deity and appointed a disciple just beginning the Dao as its priest. He suspected foul play below, knowing Brother Wang was a man who strictly followed rules—he would never appoint a priest without saying a word. Only after investigating did they uncover the junior disciple. He's already been dealt with, but the deed was done and cannot be undone—so we must find a way to resolve it."

Tail number 8

(End of Chapter)