Chapter 330: Two Daoists

Yu Lin finished eating the wine and dishes, placed a few five‑zhu coins on the table, stood up intending to leave the noisy tavern and wander elsewhere in Luoyang City, to experience the capital's customs.

Just as he reached the stairwell, he saw an old Daoist and a young one walking up from below.

The elder Daoist, with white beard and hair, looked quite aged, yet his spirit was not waning; instead he exuded a carefree, worldly detachment.

His appearance was far from the typical image of an ethereal, transcendent sage; he wore an old Daoist robe, washed pale and even stained with a bit of oil, looking very down‑to‑earth.

Most striking was one of his eyes, whose pupil was a gray‑white hue, dim and without light, clearly blind.

But his other, intact eye was unusually lively, darting about, flashing a hint of cunning and worldly insight.

Behind the old Daoist followed a young Daoist of about twenty, looking fresh‑faced.

He cradled a heavy travel pack, his steps a little unsteady as he followed his master, muttering softly, his face showing obvious distress: "Master, what are we eating today? We've been eating dry baked cakes for five days; my throat is about to smoke…"

The old Daoist, hearing this, turned and glared at him, his single eye full of "you ungrateful brat" expression: "What's wrong with baked cakes? If it fills the belly it's good! So many people want it but can't get it! Look how spoiled you've become!"

He paused, then shifted tone, puffed out his not‑very broad chest with a hint of announcing a major decision, "Anyway, since we're in Luoyang under the Son of Heaven today, I'll make an exception and be generous!"

Saying that, he reached into his bosom and fumbled.

The young Daoist's eyes lit up instantly, his face breaking into an expectant glow, staring tightly at his master's hand.

After fumbling for a while, the old Daoist, under his disciple's eager gaze, solemnly produced—five copper coins!

"Here, take them!" the old Daoist slapped the copper coins onto the disciple's palm.

The young Daoist looked at the five shabby copper coins in his palm, his expectant expression instantly collapsed into a stunned, dumbfounded stare: "…huh?"

"What's 'what'?" the old Daoist replied boldly, "Take them, buy some cooked lamb! Remember, pick the fattier ones; the lean ones get stuck in your teeth!"

The young Daoist's mouth twitched, plaintively looking at his master: "…Master, is it true? Five wen… to buy lamb? And… and it has to be fattier?"

The old Daoist's single eye rolled: "What? Too little? Don't think I didn't notice you secretly pocketed three silver‑horn coins after that day you drove the little ghost away for that rich household!"

The young Daoist, exposed for his secret stash, felt like a duck with its throat pinched, lost all spirit, shrank his neck, muttering softly: "Alright, alright, I'll go right away, right now…"

With that, he hugged his travel pack, hung his head and turned to go down the stairs.

Only then did the old Daoist turn back satisfactorily, pat his hands, and was about to continue forward when his gaze happened to meet Yu Lin, who was standing at the stairwell, watching the whole scene with a hint of playful smile.

At that glance, the old Daoist Zuo Ci seemed to be struck by a freezing spell, frozen on the spot.

His intact eye widened instantly, first flashing an incredulous shock, then bursting with a scorching brilliance as if he had discovered a priceless treasure!

He cared little for etiquette, leapt forward in a single stride to Yu Lin's front, and, without any hesitation, began circling Yu Lin, scrutinizing him from all sides, his nose twitching as if sniffing something.

He uttered a "tch‑tch" of amazement, growing more excited as he watched, shaking his head and swaying, exclaiming:

"This, this, this… marvelous! wondrous! Incredible, incredible!"

He stopped, standing directly before Yu Lin, his single eye shining, his tone decisive:

"Inexpressibly precious! Inexpressibly precious, you hear! I have roamed the world for ages and have never seen such…! Daoist friend, you are no mere pond creature!"

Yu Lin allowed him to examine him until he ceased circling and exclaiming, then gave a slight smile, clasped his hands and said:

"I am Yu Lin, merely an idle wanderer; may I ask your name?"

The old Daoist, hearing this, hurriedly straightened his wrinkled Daoist robe, cleared his throat, assuming a solemn demeanor, and clasped his hands in return:

"I am Zuo Ci, style Yuanfang, pleased to meet you, Daoist friend!"

Zuo Ci?!

Could that disciple who just went down be Ge Xuan? The founder of the Ling Bao Sect?!

Yu Lin nodded, showing a hint of understanding: "So you are the left Daoist friend, I have heard of you long ago."

Then, knowingly, he asked: "What prompted you just now to speak such words? Where does the 'inexpressibly precious' come from?"

Zuo Ci, hearing this, stroked his snow‑white long beard, his single eye flickered, a clear look of difficulty appearing on his face.

He deliberated for a while, his lips murmuring a few times, as if words were about to emerge, but finally forced them back, shook his head, and with a hint of mystery and solemnity said: "Heaven's secrets… must not be revealed, must not be revealed."

"In short, your honor, Daoist friend, is beyond ordinary comparison, even in these times…"

He abruptly stopped, as if hitting a taboo, quickly laughed, and reiterated, "Inexpressibly precious, inexpressibly precious, you hear!"

He clearly did not wish, or dared not, to discuss further, and immediately changed the subject.

After all, not everyone is reckless with their life.

At that moment, the young Daoist who had gone down to have the waiter prepare lamb returned, seeing his master conversing with the distinguished young gentleman at the stairwell, and curiously asked:

"Master, is this young gentleman also your friend?"

He added, "But the money you gave isn't enough for another person's portion."

Zuo Ci, hearing this, instantly showed a hint of embarrassment, especially before Yu Lin, feeling a loss of face, glared at his disciple and feigned anger: "What nonsense! Is the master such a stingy, miserly person?"

Speaking, he actually reached again into that seemingly withered sleeve pocket, fished out a bright yellow gold ingot, and generously thrust it into Ge Xuan's hand:

"Take it! Hurry and buy more fine wine and dishes! Do not keep the honored guest waiting!"

He turned to Yu Lin, his face instantly adopting a warm smile, and explained: "Please excuse my rudeness."

"This is my wayward disciple, Ge Xuan, a bit unruly but still shows some talent; he is not foolish on the Daoist path."

He patted his sleeve pocket: "Daoist friend, do not worry about money; I wander the clouds, yet I have some savings."

Yu Lin, seeing this, gave a slight smile, waved his hand to decline: "Zuo Ci, you're too kind; I have already eaten and drunk my fill, about to leave, no need to spend further."

"Please enjoy at your leisure; I still plan to stroll around Luoyang City a bit, so I won't trouble you further."

He bowed, saying simply: "Farewell."

Having said that, he said no more, turned and walked down, his figure quickly disappearing around the stair corner, merging into the bustling crowd below the tavern.

Ge Xuan watched Yu Lin's vanishing direction, blinked, then lowered his gaze to the heavy gold ingot in his hand, finally regaining his senses, leaned toward Zuo Ci, lowered his voice, with a hint of disbelief:

"Master… so you were pretending to be poor all along? You made me gnaw dry baked cakes for five days!"

Zuo Ci seemed not to hear his words, reached out and took the gold back, eyes narrowed, picked up chopsticks and lightly tapped the rim of an empty bowl:

"Stop chattering, hurry and urge the wine and dishes, the master is hungry."

"Oh."