Chapter 124

The toothbrushes on the stall were nearly all sold out.

Wang Cong had only kept a hundred of them.

The young Daoist returned and said to Pan Yun: "Fellow Daoist, keep these remaining dozen or so for yourselves to sell slowly."

Pan Yun led the thanks, then asked: "I dislike owing people favors—what do you want?"

The young Daoist blushed and said: "Master, I am Li Jisi. You mentioned the Art of Observing Qi just now—I'd like to learn how it's done."

Pan Yun thought for a moment, then activated her technique and used her talent to observe him.

What her talent revealed was clearer and more abundant.

She saw that within his white aura, a faint gold-purple hue lingered, almost invisible; under her talent's gaze, she could directly perceive his clear, upright features, naturally radiating righteous energy.

She smiled slightly and asked: "You want to learn?"

The young man nodded, blushing, "Can I? I'll give you all my money."

He pulled out a money pouch and handed it to Pan Yun.

Pan Yun glanced at his money pouch, fell silent for a moment, then reached out and took it.

"Meow—" Pan Xiaohei, dozing beside the stall, lifted its head and asked in confusion: "Aren't you trying to form a good karmic bond with him? Why are you taking his money now?"

【This is the true good karmic bond,】 Pan Yun thought: 【My connection with him ends here—the transaction is complete, and we'll have no further ties. But he carries righteous energy; once he learns this skill, he can form even more good karmic bonds. So even if we never meet again, the bond we've formed remains good.】

Pan Yun murmured: "So this is what Fourth Senior Sister meant by the mystery of transmitting the Dao."

The young Daoist waited anxiously for her reply; when she took the money, he exhaled half his tension, and when she raised her eyes and said, "Fine, I'll teach you," the rest of his tension vanished.

He couldn't help but break into a wide smile.

Wang Cong understood what the Daoist sought, and thus happily accepted his help.

As for Pan Yun teaching him the Art of Observing Qi, Wang Cong didn't care.

When he first began learning Daoist arts, his father had told him: as long as he acquired skill, no matter where he learned it, it became his own ability.

Once knowledge became his ability, it was his to control—he could pass it on or withhold it, meaning he could freely take disciples.

But know this: whether he taught or not, it was his own karmic consequence, which he alone must bear.

So for Little Auntie to teach him the Art of Observing Qi was purely her own affair.

Mount Sanqing had no rule forbidding the transmission of secret techniques; they followed Ge Xianweng's ideals, welcoming all who sought immortality and had interest in health cultivation.

So Wang Cong quietly asked Pan Yun: "Little Auntie, are you going to take him as your disciple?"

Pan Yun stared at him in shock: "I'm still a child myself—I'm just teaching him one Art of Observing Qi. How could I possibly take a disciple?"

Wang Cong nodded: "I also think he has no master-disciple affinity with you."

Although Pan Yun said she wouldn't take disciples, the young Daoist still knelt and kowtowed to her before formally beginning his studies, calling out: "Master."

Pan Yun said: "Call me Master today only. Once you've learned, leave—don't come back to Mount Sanqing again."

The young Daoist looked troubled: "What if I don't learn today?"

Pan Yun: "Then call me Master again tomorrow."

"And if I still don't learn tomorrow?"

Pan Yun stared at him, exasperated: "You have only three days. If you still can't learn after three days, change careers—and don't tell anyone you ever claimed to be my disciple."

Pan Yun looked at him speechlessly and said irritably, "You only have three days. If you still can't learn it after three days, you might as well change careers, and after changing careers, don't tell anyone you were once my disciple."

Seeing Miao Zhen eagerly stepped forward and said to her: "Little Auntie, let me help you teach him."

She wanted to see if she could teach a disciple too.

Pan Yun believed she had memorized and learned everything from the Xuanmiao Sect.

But judging from how effectively she used the Art of Observing Qi, she knew there was a vast chasm between memorizing knowledge and applying it.

Though she appeared confident, she was inwardly uneasy, so she immediately agreed to Seeing Miao Zhen's offer.

Seeing Miao Zhen had also learned the Art of Observing Qi well; with her helping to fill gaps, Pan Yun was certain they could teach Li Jisi.

Pan Yun turned and invited Tao Yanbai: "Yanbai, come with us."

Tao Yanbai had greater talent in the Art of Observing Qi and had been praised by Master Xuanmiao.

Tao Yanbai had even greater talent in the Qi-Gazing Art, and had been singled out by Master Xuanmiao for praise.

Seeing Miao He stared at Pan Yun with starry eyes.

Pan Yun paused, then called her too: "Miao He, come along as well."

Seeing Miao He immediately agreed: "Yes, yes!"

Li Jisi hadn't expected that after just one kowtow, he'd gained four Masters.

He turned to look at Wang Cong, his eyes hopeful—this Daoist was the oldest, looked the most formidable, surely he was the strongest too?

Wang Cong, who had been watching the scene, immediately turned his head away, avoiding Li Jisi's gaze.

He was already busy enough—he had no time to join Little Auntie's game.

Pan Yun pulled him aside and secretly taught him the Art of Observing Qi: "Concentrate your spiritual power into your eyes…" Li Jisi: "What is spiritual power?"

Pan Yun then pulled him aside and secretly taught him the Qi-Gazing Art. "Gather your spiritual power in both eyes…" Li Jisi: "What spiritual power?"

Li Jisi turned bright red and whispered: "What is Yuanli?"

Pan Yun: "…Then try using Neili?"

Li Jisi: "Master, I only know basic martial footwork—I don't know Neili or Wu Gong."

The new master and disciple stared at each other, then Pan Yun said: "Fine. I'll teach you a breathing method—a Neigong heart method—you can practice it."

Pan Yun gritted her teeth: "Even though you have no Yuanli or Neili, it doesn't matter—the Art of Observing Qi can still be done with the naked eye."

"Look at that person's face—what color do you see?"

Li Jisi turned to look and saw a middle-aged woman standing among the crowd, one hand holding a basket, the other tugging a child, haggling fiercely with a vendor over fabric at a nearby stall.

Li Jisi turned to look, and saw a middle-aged woman standing in the crowd, a basket slung over one arm and a child clutched in the other hand, selecting fabric at a nearby stall while vigorously haggling with the vendor.

Li Jisi looked for a while and said, "Red, and a bit… purplish?"

"Hm?" Pan Yun immediately knew he was mistaken; she shifted her gaze and saw the middle-aged woman Li Jisi had pointed out.

!. Du

She suddenly stood up and dashed toward that direction.

Tao Yanbai and the other two also turned to look; when they saw the woman's face, Tao Yanbai and Miao He instantly rose and ran after her.

Pan Yun pushed through the crowd and reached the woman's side, grabbing her hand that clutched the fabric: "Good person, good person, calm your heart and rest a moment."

The middle-aged woman snatched her hand away, pulling the child into her arms and eyeing Pan Yun warily. "Who are you? I have no money to give—go beg elsewhere."

Pan Yun: "... I'm not begging. I see your face looks unwell—I just want you to rest."

"You're the one with a bad face..."

The vendor who had just been haggling loudly with her now spoke directly: "Your face really does look bad. Listen to this young Daoist Priest and take a rest."

The middle-aged woman: "I saw this fabric first—you can't steal it from me! Boss, can you lower it? Two more wen and I'll buy it."

The vendor grumbled—he truly didn't want to sell to her; she'd haggled mercilessly. But after Pan Yun's nod, he looked again at her face and saw something was wrong.

He feared trouble and didn't want to argue further, so he said: "Fine, fine, take it."

The middle-aged woman, surprised by his easy agreement, felt regret—she thought she could have haggled even lower.

She bent her head and kept rummaging through the fabric, saying nothing more.

The vendor was furious—this was how it always went: she haggled and haggled, he gave in, then she didn't buy, and still tried to haggle lower.

The final price of this fabric had changed three times already.

If she asked for less, he'd have to pay out of pocket.

The vendor looked at Pan Yun, his eyes pleading.

Pan Yun:...

She realized now—this was not someone who could be reasoned with.

She decisively turned to Tao Yanbai, who had just arrived: "Go get Third Senior Brother."

Tao Yanbai glanced at the woman's face and turned to run.

Pan Yun leaned against the side, arms crossed, watching as the woman and vendor resumed haggling—sweat on her brow grew thicker, her face redder and redder.

So this is what it feels like to watch someone destroy themselves?

Li Jisi stood beside Pan Yun for a while, then confirmed it; after thinking, his gaze fell on the child in her arms, and he stepped forward, delighted: "What noble aura this child has—this child's future is boundless."

Pan Yun's eyes lit up; she lowered her arms and stood straight, giving Li Jisi a grateful look—she felt he was even sharper than she was.

Just as she was about to smile, the middle-aged woman turned and glared at Li Jisi, pulling the child close and shouting: "Go away, go away! We don't believe in this nonsense—we have no money for you."

Li Jisi's expression didn't change; he smiled: "Sister, this child has noble aura—I'll read his fate for free."

"No free readings either. You're all frauds—I know exactly what you're like. Say you won't charge now, then next thing you'll say my family is cursed or ill and need money."

Li Jisi's face stiffened.

The middle-aged woman: "See? See? I told you—I know best! All Daoist Priests and Monks in this world are frauds—don't trust them!"

The Daoist Priests present—first, second, third, fourth—and the newly arrived Monk Huiyuan:...

Huiyuan glanced at the woman's face and murmured a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha. Devotee, you are plagued by grave illness—calm your heart, sit down, and rest properly..."

Only then did the middle-aged woman realize she was surrounded by Daoist Priests and Monks; she clutched the child tightly, alarmed: "W-what do you want? I'm not afraid of you—we have many people from our village here!"

Seeing her condition worsening, Huiyuan dared not provoke her further; he stopped and softly began reciting sutras.

His voice was deep and rich; under his innate talent, Pan Yun saw each Buddhist character leap from his lips and fly toward the woman—yet before they reached her, they were violently repelled.

The sutras, infused with Buddhist truth, were completely blocked—none could enter, and thus none could save her.

Truly... persistent.

Pan Yun stared intently at the middle-aged woman—such a determined person, stubborn though she was, would surely succeed in whatever she did.

Seeing Huiyuan now lowering his head and reciting quietly, the woman relaxed slightly—but still felt uneasy, so she turned and shouted at the vendor: "Are you selling or not?"

Tail number 0

(End of Chapter)