Chapter 41: Integration

One sentence made Tao Ji think of his senior disciple, and he fell silent.

Master Xuanmiao accepted it fastest, nodding at Pan Yun, "Little sister."

Pan Yun bowed with a smiling salute, "Fourth senior sister."

Then she grinned and shook her clenched fists at Tao Ji, "Third senior brother."

Tao Ji's face turned red with effort, but he still called out, "Fifth junior sister."

Since the elders had accepted her, the three younger disciples had no say—they stepped forward again to greet Pan Yun.

Miao He was the most disappointed, "I thought I'd finally become a senior sister."

She had been so happy last night.

Pan Yun, who stood as tall as her, reached out and patted her head, "Don't be downcast—I'll protect you as your junior aunt. Isn't that happier than being a senior sister?"

Miao He: "Will you attend classes with us from now on, junior aunt?"

Pan Yun also turned to look at Wang Feiyin.

Wang Feiyin said "Mm" before adding, "You're still young—learn more things, see what you like, then choose one path to specialize in later. Even if you specialize in one, you mustn't be ignorant of the others, understood?"

Pan Yun and the others all agreed.

"Alright, have breakfast. After eating, go wait in the main hall—I'll inspect your coursework soon."

"Your third uncle and the others just returned last night, so today you're given a day off. After I check your coursework, go play freely. Tomorrow, those who should attend class, attend class; those who should descend the mountain, descend the mountain."

Everyone responded in unison.

Pan Yun ladled a bowl of porridge and took a steamed bun, sitting with Miao He and Miao Zhen, "Who's going down the mountain?"

"Me," Tao Yanbai appeared, sitting beside Miao Zhen and sighing, "I really don't like going down the mountain."

Miao He ate her porridge while saying, "My master is going down too, Third Brother—you don't like going down, but I do, yet my master won't let me."

Pan Yun steered the topic back, "What's Third Brother going down for?"

Miao He: "To take Third Brother along to practice medicine."

Tao Yanbai explained, "I have no talent for Dao cultivation, and I still have parents and family. The imperial court has decreed: if a child of soldiers, civilians, or slaves cuts their hair to become a monk or Taoist, their parents must serve the court by tilling the land."

Pan Yun, a frog at the bottom of a well, knew nothing: "Then how are you here?"

"I stayed at the monastery under the pretense of studying arts," Tao Yanbai said with full vigor, "But even so, I still study hard. When I turn twenty, I'll take the ordination exam—if I pass, even with poor talent, I can remain in the monastery with my fellow brothers and sisters."

Pan Yun: "Go for it!"

"Go for it? That's not good—it implies fire burns too fiercely, the wick consumes too fast, excess is worse than deficiency."

Pan Yun readily corrected herself, "You're right—work hard!"

Tao Yanbai nodded vigorously.

Seeing this, Miao He also devoured her steamed bun in loud bites, then stood up, "I'm going to submit my coursework now."

She rushed toward the main hall.

The three sat watching her vanish; once she was out of sight, Tao Yanbai asked Miao Zhen, "Has she finished her coursework?"

Miao Zhen: "She has."

"How well did she do?"

Miao Zhen thought a moment, then said, "It depends on Grandmaster's mood today."

If he's in a good mood, he might just wave it off.

Tao Yanbai understood at once and relaxed; he stood up too, "I'll go submit mine."

With Miao He as a comparison, I shouldn't fare too badly, right?

Pan Yun silently lowered her head to eat—Grandmaster's mood today might be slightly off; he certainly wouldn't be happy.

Wang Feiyin indeed wasn't happy—he punished Miao He for her mediocre coursework, and Tao Yanbai for his diligent but insufficient work, praising only Miao Zhen.

Pan Yun watched briefly, then wandered the monastery—she explored every corner: the vegetable plots carved into the mountain slope behind it, the large vats beside the plots…

But she saw no well.

Pan Yun thought: this morning, Wang Feiyin had taken her to the mountaintop and descended a stretch—there was a large emerald pool there, the water looked good—should she go fetch water there?

Pan Yun returned to the main hall; Miao He and Tao Yanbai had already been punished and were cheerful again, inviting Pan Yun to share the items.

The items Tao Ji had brought back from down the mountain.

Food, clothing, various herbs—Tao Ji had also bought two girls beautiful hair ribbons, letting them freely choose and match.

Even the composed Miao Zhen couldn't hide her smile, calling Pan Yun to join in the joyful sharing.

Pan Yun was forcibly given two hair ribbons.

They were all young, their hair both short and sparse, so they didn't use hairpins—only ribbons.

Taoists had no such constraints; they naturally followed their own tastes, so Tao Ji had prepared ribbons in every color, letting them choose freely.

There was also fabric—Pan Yun learned then that their Taoist robes were all made by themselves: "Before, our grandmaster, master, and uncles helped make them, but now we've grown—we must learn to make our own. Little aunt, can you sew?" Pan Yun had spent her first eight years either cultivating or taking medicine—if she had the energy or leisure to walk to the gate, her father would weep with joy; naturally, she had learned nothing of needlework.

She had always thought herself an introverted homebody—truly, she was suited only to a life of being fed and clothed without effort, solely focused on cultivation, deaf to all worldly affairs.

In her past life, she had been forced by life and studies to become outgoing—not only studying and researching, but occasionally hunting demons and monsters; compared to that, staying home drawing talismans for extra income had been bliss.

In this life, had her father not been suddenly exiled, she could have lived off her father and brother, enjoying the very life she had dreamed of in her past life.

Her second brother had already promised her: if she never married, he would support her; if he failed the imperial exams, he'd take her back to Changzhou to live. At that moment, she had decided she'd never marry.

Though Pan Yun hadn't planned to be so useless, she had planned: once she achieved some cultivation, she could resume her old trade—drawing a few talismans to sell, earning enough to live on, relying on her father and brother to focus solely on cultivation. Perhaps when they grew old, she might achieve true cultivation and find a way back to the other world?

Pan Yun hugged the fabric shoved into her arms, eyes welling with tears—past dreams had all dissolved like foam and shadows; her life must be planned anew.

Miao He saw her about to cry and hurriedly asked, "Little sister Pan Yun, what's wrong?"

Miao Zhen nudged her, "Call her junior aunt."

Pan Yun shook her head, indicating she didn't mind, and said, "I'm moved—I've never received fabric as a gift before in my life."

Miao He immediately said, "Junior aunt, you'll get gifts often—my master brings us gifts every time he returns from down the mountain, and Grandmaster brings the most. I miss Grandmaster so much."

!.

Seeing Miao Zhen nodded, whispering softly, "I miss Senior Brother too."

Pan Yun suppressed her longing for her father and brother, wiped away the tear at the corner of her eye, and asked curiously, "Where is Senior Brother now?"

Seeing Miao He sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. Senior Brother went into business—he travels somewhere different every day, and no one knows where he is now."

"Then when does Senior Brother usually return?"

Seeing Miao He: "It varies. Sometimes when business is good, he comes back in September or October. Sometimes when business is bad, he won't return until the New Year."

It sounds so pitiful.

But Seeing Miao He and Seeing Miao Zhen were used to such separations—they had grown up in this environment and didn't think separation was wrong.

They soon became absorbed in the joy of dividing the gifts. Tao Yan Bai washed a basin of apricots and brought them over, eating as they shared the gifts.

Tao Ji had brought mostly candies and pastries, besides some precious herbs and fabrics.

The three of them stashed them in various corners, and Pan Yun learned the temple's food storage spots along with them.

A little was kept in the kitchen cabinet, a little in the rice vat, each person secretly hid a packet of their favorite snacks in their room, and the rest were unpacked and offered before the stone statues and spirit tablets of the Three Pure Ones, Ge Xianweng, and Li Minister.

They lit incense, inviting them to partake—but by noon, several pieces of the pastries before each deity's offering plate had been eaten, evenly distributed—one piece taken from each deity's plate.

Seeing Miao He took one piece, bowed, then bit into it. Seeing Pan Yun watching her, she took another, bowed again, and handed it to Pan Yun, pulling her to sit on a meditation cushion to eat.

"The Ancestral Masters have already eaten; now it's our turn," she said. "Master Bo said that when the Ancestral Masters see us enjoying our food, they too are pleased. Once a gift has been offered with sincerity, it may be consumed."

Pan Yun also held her pastry and sat beside her, eating. "The Ancestral Masters are truly kind."

Seeing Miao He nodded vigorously. "The Ancestral Masters are truly wonderful—I love them the most."

The two girls, heads bent over their pastries, did not notice the faint glimmer of light passing through the eyes of the Three Celestial Lords.

Pan Yun successfully integrated into the Three Pure Ones Temple family. She didn't find time until afternoon to take out the half-volume manuscript and study the cultivation method.

Pan Xiaohei studied with her. As a realm spirit who had seen countless cultivation techniques, it could judge a technique's quality better than Pan Yun.

After one glance, it said, "Congratulations."

Pan Yun: "Too bad it's only half."

Pan Xiaohei declared confidently, "I definitely have a record of the full volume."

Pan Yun perked up. "Where? Find it!"

"That part hasn't been unsealed yet. Wait until I break more seals."

Pan Yun: …

Seeing Pan Yun's doubt, Pan Xiaohei hurriedly added, "Truly! I've archived countless cultivation techniques. Don't you know where I came from? Why I was originally created? Once I'm fully unsealed, not only will I give you the second half of this technique—even more profound methods are within reach."

Pan Yun lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, then said, "Fine. I'll believe you. Tonight we'll try activating the formation."

Pan Xiaohei happily rolled over on the spot, obeying its black cat's nature.

Pan Yun spread out the cultivation technique and began to practice.

Human memory can be quickly corrected, but bodily memory is hard to change.

The greatest difficulty in switching to Kunyuan Art is altering bodily memory.

The two techniques are too similar—or rather, they stem from the same original technique, with only minor differences. Now, she must erase the memory already deeply ingrained in her body.

It's like pedaling a bicycle: for eight years, she lifted her hands when stepping down. Now she must lift them when stepping up. Bodily memory is hard to change—but Pan Yun believed she could.

Today and tomorrow's lucky numbers are those ending in 3. Screenshot as proof. Add "Jian Zou Pian Feng de Da Ming" to find Mo Yan for ten points of affection.

(End of Chapter)