Chapter 123: The Best Salesman

Tao Yanbai: "Is the banner your little uncle mentioned the one you made in Da Zhou Village?"

Pan Yun nodded: "Yes."

Miao and Seeing Miao Zhen had both seen the banner, but never seen Pan Yun carrying it out to perform divination or heal people; they were instantly intrigued and wanted to go too.

Pan Yun directly invited them: "Let's all four go together—I and Seeing Miao Zhen will do divination, you and Miao will heal people; no matter what kind of client we meet, we can satisfy their needs."

Miao and Seeing Miao Zhen immediately agreed, then turned to look at Tao Yanbai together.

What could Tao Yanbai do? He could only agree.

All four cheered, then turned to look at the Daoist Priest carrying the banner to perform divination.

They planned to observe him, learn some experience, and so on.

The Daoist Priest was currently holding a young woman's hand and babbling; he sensed Pan Yun's gaze, merely glanced up, then continued babbling.

Pan Yun strained his ears to listen for a while, then used the Qi-Viewing Technique to examine the young woman; it wasn't entirely wrong—he had touched on something, but got very little right.

Pan Yun became conflicted: was this man actually skilled at divination, or not?

Yet the person seeking divination clearly believed him, paid the money, and left happily.

Pan Yun rubbed his chin, then shook his head and said to Seeing Miao Zhen: "Though we must consider our clients' feelings, I still think we should speak the truth. As Daoist Priests, how can we deceive people or cheat Heaven?"

Seeing Miao Zhen nodded deeply in agreement.

The Daoist Priest had no more clients; he calmly picked up his banner and wandered aimlessly into the crowd, soon blocked by several people, visible only by his banner.

Pan Yun and the other three couldn't follow him indefinitely; they watched him go with regret: "Why did he stop? This spot seems perfect—lots of people, spacious, ideal for divination and healing."

"This spot's good. Let's claim it tomorrow?"

"Good, good," the four agreed; Tao Yanbai added: "I'll rush over to secure the spot right after I descend the mountain tomorrow—you can come later."

Pan Yun and the other two thought this idea excellent.

The three chatted enthusiastically here, unaware that the Daoist Priest hidden in the crowd slowly exhaled, lifted his sleeve to wipe sweat from his brow, and felt immense relief—those few young Daoist Priests were clearly disciples of the Three Clear Temple on Mount Sanqing.

He glanced at the characters on his banner, hesitated, wanting to change them but not wanting to.

Just then, a young man grabbed his hand: "Ah! So there you are, you fraud—I've been looking all over for you. Come with me to meet the real master."

The Daoist Priest froze, momentarily panicked, but quickly calmed and smiled faintly: "There must be some misunderstanding. I've never met you, never performed divination for you—why are you accusing me?"

The young man ignored him, dragging him away by force.

The Daoist Priest struggled twice, realized he couldn't break free, and grew anxious: "Brother, brother, let's talk calmly—why the violence? Just tell me what you want!"

The young man didn't care—he was certain this man was a fraud, and worse, a fraud impersonating their Three Clear Temple; he'd drag him back no matter what.

He was heading straight for Wang Cong when, after only a few dozen steps, he encountered Pan Yun and the other three sitting in a row along the wall, munching buns.

Pan Yun and the other three sat on the wall, bamboo-covered slopes behind them, legs dangling, swaying gently; from above, they saw Wang Xiaojing's second uncle, Wang Heng, dragging the man over.

Miao was the first to greet him: "Uncle Wang, you want divination too?"

Wang Heng stopped, looked up at the four: "Divination? Don't you see he's impersonating your temple's people?"

Miao: "Huh?"

Pan Yun looked at the banner's characters and said: "Wang the Good Man misunderstands—all Daoist disciples may call themselves disciples of the Three Clear."

The Daoist Priest trembled, regained his confidence, and declared firmly: "Exactly! All Daoists trace back to the Three Pure Ones. On what grounds do you say I am an impostor?"

Wang Heng's grip loosened slightly, feeling uneasy: "Is… is that true?"

Pan Yun nodded, glanced at the now smug Daoist Priest, and said: "But, Wang the Good Man isn't entirely wrong—he may not be impersonating a Three Clear Temple Daoist, but he does seem to be a fake Daoist."

"Who—who said that?" The Daoist Priest's pupils shrank, stuttering: "I'm not a fake! I became a Daoist from childhood!"

Pan Yun asked: "Do you have a ordination certificate? Or have you received the talisman?"

The Daoist Priest flushed red and retorted: "How many Daoists today have ordination certificates? How many have received talismans? Out of a thousand Daoists, maybe one receives a talisman, ten get a certificate—does that mean the rest aren't Daoists?"

Pan Yun's gaze settled on his face, speaking earnestly: "Brother Daoist, since we're in this line of work, shouldn't we have some professional knowledge? You have neither certificate nor talisman—surely your Qi-Viewing Technique should at least be passable?"

The Daoist Priest fell silent.

Wang Heng didn't understand much; he glanced between them, then released the Daoist Priest's hand: "If you're not impersonating a Three Clear Temple Daoist, then forget it—go on your way."

He looked up at Pan Yun and the others, focusing on Tao Yanbai: "Why are you all here? Your senior brother is swamped over there—why aren't you helping?"

Tao Yanbai couldn't sit still anymore; he leapt off the wall: "Little uncle, I'll go help Senior Brother."

Pan Yun immediately jumped down too: "I'll go too!"

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao echoed him, leaping down after them.

Wang Heng took the lead to guide them; the Daoist Priest silently followed beside them.

Wang Heng turned back: "Why are you still following us? I already told you to go."

The Daoist Priest glanced at him, said nothing, and looked at Pan Yun.

Pan Yun: "Why are you looking at me? I have no intention of arresting you."

The Daoist Priest said: "Brother Daoist, let's become friends?" Pan Yun blinked, watching him silently.

Just then, they reached Wang Cong's stall—he was explaining toothbrushes and how to use them.

The Daoist Priest saw his Daoist robe, heard Tao Yanbai call him "Senior Brother," and understood; he stood and listened for a while, grasped how the toothbrush worked—it was similar to a willow twig, but finer, softer, and denser bristles meant slightly different usage.

He stepped forward, grabbed a handful of toothbrushes: "Let me help you."

Tao Yanbai's eyes widened, reaching out to grab him—but Pan Yun held him back.

"Little uncle?"

Pan Yun said: "Let him go."

Seeing Miao Zhen said: "I feel he has some connection with our Three Clear Temple."

Tao Yanbai trembled, lips quivering: "You don't mean… he might become my junior brother?"

Pan Yun glanced at him: "What are you thinking? There are countless connections in this world—why skip all the others and pick the closest one?"

She said: "Even if we have affinity, it needn't run this deep."

!.

Seeing Miao Zhen asked curiously: "What kind of affinity is that?"

Pan Yun said with an enigmatic air: "Wait until the future—you'll know. Just follow your heart, and the affinity will naturally form."

Seeing Miao Zhen translated: "It's simply that we are too shallow in knowledge and haven't mastered the art well enough to calculate it."

Pan Yun: "Seeing Miao Zhen, we can say this among ourselves, but when outsiders are around, you mustn't speak the truth anymore—otherwise you'll get beaten like Third Master and Fourth Sister."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "Oh."

Tao Yan Bai and He also calmed down—it was just that they couldn't calculate it. Then there was nothing to worry about.

Everyone leaned together to watch the Daoist Priest selling toothbrushes.

No one knew how he did it, but in less than a quarter-hour, he returned with all his toothbrushes sold, handing over a large handful of coins to Wang Cong.

Wang Cong, who had just been giving the villagers a detailed explanation of the difference between toothbrushes and willow branches and the advantages of toothbrushes, paused a moment before taking the money.

He was about to ask the Daoist Priest something when another villager pulled him aside and asked: "How often should this toothbrush be replaced?"

Wang Cong said: "Keep using it until the bristles wear out. Each one costs ten cash—it's not cheap. I estimate it'll last two or three years. Brush gently—don't use too much force, or you'll damage your gums."

The villager: "Two or three years~~" He became even more eager.

Wang Cong urged him: "Exactly. One toothbrush lasting two or three years is far better than picking willow branches every month. Willow branches are free, but you have to replace them regularly—they're troublesome, don't clean well, and easily injure your teeth and mouth."

The villager, upon hearing this, reluctantly counted out thirty cash: "Then give me three. This toothbrush is good, but it's too expensive."

Wang Cong: "Once you start using it, you won't think it's expensive. If you take good care of it and use it for three years, that's only three and a half cash per year—isn't that an excellent deal?"

The villager thought about it—it really was. He finally stopped feeling the pain.

The Daoist Priest had already grabbed another handful of toothbrushes and left; in less than a quarter-hour, he returned empty-handed again.

When he grabbed another handful of toothbrushes and left once more, Wang Cong finally had a moment to rest. He took the steamed bun Pan Yun handed him, bit into it, and watched as the man approached people one by one, selling one toothbrush here, another there.

Wang Cong himself was numb from it.

He turned to Pan Yun and asked: "Little Uncle, where did you find this man?"

Pan Yun: "Among the crowd. We didn't find him—he came to us himself."

Wang Heng, who had been squatting nearby selling his own handmade wooden stools and winnowing baskets, grew uneasy at this, opening his mouth several times but unable to interject.

Wang Cong: "Unprovoked kindness is never innocent—it's either deceit or theft. You must be careful."

Pan Yun and the others all nodded.

Wang Cong: "I'm not too worried about Little Uncle and Seeing Miao Zhen—I'm worried about Third Brother and Fifth Sister."

Tao Yan Bai: "Big Brother, I'm older than them."

Wang Cong: "But you're denser than them."

He chuckled, watching Tao Yan Bai.

Wang Cong turned to her: "What are you laughing at? You're just like him."

He: …

Pan Yun and Seeing Miao Zhen burst out laughing.

Everyone sat behind the stall, watching the young Daoist Priest rush about; soon, he had sold thirty or forty toothbrushes.

He alone accomplished in one go what the five of them from Qingqing Temple had achieved in an hour.

Pan Yun was deeply impressed; Wang Cong was too: "I thought I was already good at business, but I'm nowhere near this level."

Pan Yun: "Indeed, a Daoist Priest with a silver tongue is the best salesperson. This man's only weakness is his poor fortune-telling skill—everything else is excellent. If he learned the Art of Gazing at Qi and could read fortunes, wouldn't he be invincible?"

Today's lucky number is any number ending in 0—screenshot as proof.

(End of Chapter)