Master

Celestial Master Xujing Zhang Jixian!

Hearing that somewhat familiar name, a flicker stirred in Zhou Sheng's eyes.

He recalled that even on Earth in his previous life, Celestial Master Xujing Zhang Jixian had been an immensely renowned figure in Taoism.

Among the successive Celestial Masters of Longhu Mountain, in terms of fame, aside from Ancestor Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, perhaps only Celestial Master Xujing could compare.

According to Longhu Mountain's rule of "the eldest over the youngest, the legitimate over the concubine-born," Zhang Jixian's elder brother should originally have inherited the position of Celestial Master.

Yet in the end, Zhang Jixian became the head of the Celestial Master's Mansion at only nine years old. Not a single High Official objected; all accepted it wholeheartedly.

There was only one reason: the talent Zhang Jixian displayed could already be called that of a True Immortal reborn.

He had been born extraordinary. Before the age of five, he had not spoken a word. Then one day, upon accidentally hearing a rooster crow outside, he suddenly laughed aloud and recited a poem.

"A divine rooster bears five virtues, its comb and spurs never leave its body. At the fifth watch it opens its great mouth, waking those lost in dreams."

The next day, he sat serenely atop a blue lotus. Everyone called it miraculous and hailed him as a True Immortal.

In the second year of Chongning under Emperor Huizong of Song, flooding struck the salt ponds of Xie Prefecture. Thirteen-year-old Zhang Jixian "wrote an iron talisman and cast it into the pond; raging thunder tore the Flood Dragon to death, and the salt tax returned to normal."

With a single iron talisman, he subdued the Flood Dragon and cured the flood.

There were many similar records. Zhang Jixian later had a disciple named Sa Shoujian, one of the Four Great Celestial Masters in Heaven.

And Sa Shoujian had a disciple named Wang Lingguan.

In his previous life, Zhou Sheng had enjoyed collecting old objects, including all sorts of ancient texts. He loved reading and read Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist works alike. Records with such legendary color had left a particularly deep impression on him.

But those were records from his previous life. In this world, where Ghosts and Gods existed and people could cultivate, Celestial Master Xujing was undoubtedly even more extraordinary. In Master's words, he was a grandmaster who had weathered eight heavenly tribulations, one who shook antiquity and dazzled the present.

Yet because he had wanted to forcibly peer into the Heavenly Realm, he had ascended and undergone Liberation by Violence.

Starting from when Huang Chao proclaimed himself emperor and founded the Great Qi Dynasty...

Zhou Sheng's heart stirred. That was also precisely the fork where the histories of the two worlds diverged. At just that time, the responses of the Gods and Buddhas in the Heavenly Realm to the mortal world had gradually vanished as well.

No wonder Lu Pan had been so fearless that he even dared split King Ma's statue.

"So, if you want to survive the Ghost Festival two months from now, kid, you need to raise your strength as quickly as possible!"

Master's words pulled Zhou Sheng's mind back from the Heavenly Realm to the mortal world.

He nodded silently, without much unease in his heart. Six days had already passed since he last took the medicine; he would soon be able to take the Mica Formula for the second time!

By then, his cultivation would surely rise greatly. Then he would use the Luo Book to deduce and restore the true Immortal's Cloud Mica Pill. After swallowing a few doses, when the Ghost Festival arrived two months later, he might just give Lu Pan quite a "surprise."

Sorry, I have cheats.

"Dao cultivation cannot be rushed, but your skills onstage must be stepped up."

Yu Zhensheng looked at his disciple. "Your foundations are already extremely solid. It is time to find you a framework of four beams and eight pillars, and have you formally take the stage to perform."

"Take the stage?"

Zhou Sheng was somewhat surprised. Hadn't Master said that Ghost Opera Performers could not perform with ordinary opera troupes? Otherwise, not only would it bring misfortune upon those in the troupe, but even the audience could suffer disaster.

Yin Opera differed from ordinary opera. Though it too emphasized Singing, speaking, acting, and martial arts—the Four skills and five methods—it was performed for the dead.

Once the singing began, it could easily draw in departed souls, Ghosts and Gods, demons, and monsters. If ordinary living people listened to Yin Opera, they could easily attract unclean things.

There might seem to be nothing wrong while they were listening, but after returning home, they would discover there was one more person.

"Nonsense. Of course you need to take the stage. A Ghost Opera Performer who never takes the stage will reach no further, no matter how hard he practices. It's just that this stage..."

Yu Zhensheng gazed deeply at his disciple, his words weighted with meaning. "It will not be easy to step onto."

Zhou Sheng's heart thumped, and an ominous premonition rose within him.

It seemed Master's idea of taking the stage was certainly different from what he had imagined. There were dangers within it unknown to others.

"In martial arts, there is a shortcut called Stealing Heavenly Secrets. Practice atop sheer cliffs and precipitous crags, and your skill can advance a thousand miles in a day. For those of us who sing Yin Opera, every time we take the stage is Stealing Heavenly Secrets."

"Danshan, if you want to survive the Ghost Opera of the Ghost Festival two months from now, you must experience in advance... the terror of taking the stage."

After saying this, Yu Zhensheng silently added another sentence in his heart.

I hope you will not blame your master for being cruel.

Zhou Sheng suddenly laughed, his voice calm and powerful, more confident and composed than before.

"Master, as long as I can grow stronger, no matter how bitter, exhausting, or dangerous it is, this disciple will not be afraid!"

As Heaven moves with vigor, so must the gentleman strive ceaselessly for self-improvement.

The Luo Book could certainly offer him a shortcut reaching the heavens, but if he could not endure a thousand hammerings and a hundred temperings, if he did not possess the heart of a true powerhouse, then even with Dao cultivation, he could not attain the true Great Dao.

Zhou Sheng's gaze had never been limited to that three-foot opera stage. He possessed greater ambition and loftier aspirations.

Like a lone moon in the eternal blue sky.

He raised his head to gaze at the bright moon in the night sky and the stars that had endured countless millions of years yet still shone brilliantly. His heart burned hot.

Master had said that Celestial Master Xujing Zhang Jixian was a grandmaster who had weathered eight heavenly tribulations. This meant that beyond Passing the Six Gates, there were still higher realms.

Perhaps as lofty as that bright moon...

Though the road of Yin Opera was dangerous, it had given him the qualification to climb high and gaze upon the moon. Thus, he was deeply grateful to the Master who had led him through the gate.

That little boy who had nearly starved to death had been gently lifted into his arms, like an ephemera beneath a well that had finally glimpsed the blue sky.

A brief silence fell over the temple. Other than their breathing and the cicadas chirping outside the window, there seemed to be no other sound.

Suddenly, Zhou Sheng's voice rang out.

"Master, you should have heard everything the judge said, about borrowing a corpse to—"

He seemed to have struggled over it for a long time before finally deciding to broach the subject.

His transmigration was his secret, one he had never told anyone. But since he could no longer conceal it, he might as well speak openly. Better that than let a rift grow between master and disciple.

Yet just as he began, Master's voice cut him off.

"Your master is old. My ears are not so sharp anymore. I did not hear the judge clearly, nor am I interested."

Yu Zhensheng leaned against the pillar with his eyes closed and smiled freely.

"All I know is that you little brat have never let me rest easy since you were five years old, yet you are as stubborn as a mule. I could not drive you away even if I tried..."

Hearing this, Zhou Sheng was instantly relieved. He too leaned against the pillar and slowly closed his eyes.

"Master, why did you use your own life as collateral to buy me three more years?"

This was the second time he had asked this question. The last time, Master had said Lu Bingyuan was lying and refused to admit it no matter what. This time, he could not possibly claim that Lu Pan was lying too, could he?

"Heh, no wonder Lu Bingyuan and Lu Pan both have the surname Lu—they even lie the same way!"

"Stop imagining things. I used my life to pay for you, this annoying little brat, and only bought three years? Is your master's life really that worthless? What a joke!"

A faint smile appeared on Zhou Sheng's face.

Yes, this was Master—the stubborn old man, hard and foul as ever.

He said nothing more. His breathing gradually became even and deep. Once he relaxed, exhaustion and drowsiness surged over him like a tide.

First he had shot Daoist Xie and the county magistrate's constables, then sung Zhong Kui Battles the Rampant Soldiers, followed by Wu Song's Blood Splatters on Mandarin Duck Tower, and finally fled from Lu Pan's pursuit for most of the night.

Even a body forged of iron could not withstand such exhaustion. He soon fell into a deep sleep.

Yu Zhensheng slowly opened his eyes and looked at his disciple's sleeping face. He seemed about to say something, but then suddenly raised his hand and slapped Zhou Sheng across the face.

Seeing that the other showed no reaction, Yu Zhensheng still did not feel at ease. He extended a finger to check Zhou Sheng's pulse. Only after confirming that he truly was asleep did he finally lower his guard.

His gaze softened bit by bit.

"When I first saw you, you reeked of the dead. Your yang energy was greatly damaged, your vitality drained dry. You were like a... little clay doll hollowed out from within. Forget cultivation—even surviving was difficult."

"It took a full three years—medicated oils on the outside and medicinal meals within—to nurse your body back to health. But that also meant your start was later than everyone else's."

After a pause, he raised his head to look at the moon, an indescribable emotion flowing through his eyes.

"My disciple, Yu Zhensheng's disciple, cannot be made to suffer losses."

Since he had fallen behind by three years, then Master would win back three years for him.

If he died in the Ghost Opera, that meant his learning had been inadequate. But if a disciple was sent down Ghost Gate Pass before he was prepared, then it meant his master was inadequate.

"You sang Yin Opera for Old Xu because you sought a clear conscience."

"I fought to gain you three more years for the same clear conscience."

Thanks to a handsome bastard for the hundred-tip donation, hearts!