Xuan Yuan

"Only Holy Trinity Saint, a lesser Taiji, universally receives the Household Mandate of Vast Calamity, bears the praise of countless ranks, bestows blessings and dispels misfortune, broadly saves the living and the dead. His Dao crowns all heavens, his grace spreads through the Three Realms; of great compassion and great vows, greatly sage and greatly merciful."

The rhythmic chanting echoed endlessly through the spacious Karst Cave. All six disciples of Qingfeng Temple, Li Huowang included, sat cross-legged on prayer cushions and followed their master through the morning lesson.

There were no scriptures before any of them. Li Huowang could only mumble along with his senior brothers during the morning lesson.

As he chanted, Li Huowang raised his head, his gaze fixing on Danyangzi seated at the very front. The hostility that had just surfaced in his eyes was swiftly suppressed.

Toward that disgusting bastard, he wished he could eat his flesh and strip his skin. But Li Huowang knew that he was still too weak, nowhere near a match for him.

The other man was powerful. He could not act rashly. What he needed most now was to endure and secretly seek an opportunity.

Perhaps the road was riddled with difficulties, and perhaps Danyangzi would discover him and make him die horribly. But Li Huowang no longer cared about any of that.

When Danyangzi shifted slightly to one side, Li Huowang's gaze swiftly moved upward, passing over three tall incense sticks to the three Divine Statues placed within the hollowed-out rock wall.

The three immortals had different appearances. Dressed in yellow Daoist Robes and holding fly-whisks, their eyes held neither sorrow nor joy as they gazed down at the tiny mortals below.

They possessed not the slightest air of immortal grace or Daoist bones. Their features were ordinary instead; without their Daoist Robes, they merely looked like three oversized commoners.

Naturally, Li Huowang did not know who these three Divine Statues were, but he deeply etched their appearances into his mind.

At that moment, the chanting began to slow. When the final short passage left their lips, the Apprentice heavily struck the red drum three times, ending the morning lesson.

All the disciples rose along with Danyangzi. At the same time, they used their right hands to pinch the thumbs of their left hands, placed the four fingers of their left hands over the fingers of their right, then raised both hands above their heads and bowed to the Divine Statues.

After the bow, Danyangzi slowly turned around and surveyed the disciples behind him.

When he saw Li Huowang, dressed in a Daoist Robe and standing calmly at the very back of the crowd, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Xuan Yuan, Xuan Yang has only just entered our sect and surely has much he does not understand. As his senior brother, teach him well."

"Yes, Master." A middle-aged man with a round face and a somewhat plump expression bowed to Danyangzi.

"Enough. Mao Hour has passed. If there is nothing else, go eat." With his hands behind his back, Danyangzi headed toward a nearby cave entrance.

A gloomy young man wearing a Hunyuan Headband followed behind him and left with him.

"That was Senior Brother Zheng Kun. Since Senior Brothers Zheng Kan and Zheng Zhen fled the sect, he has become Master's only inner disciple. If you encounter him in the temple later, remember to show him respect. He does not have Master's good temper."

Xuan Yuan walked over to Li Huowang and explained the man's background.

Li Huowang nodded. "Thank you, Senior Brother Xuan Yuan, for clearing up my confusion. Does he also possess divine abilities like Master's?"

He did not know about anything else, but Li Huowang knew that Danyangzi could control objects from afar. He was also monstrously strong, able to lift a Stone Urn weighing several hundred jin.

Yet those were not what Li Huowang feared most. What he feared most was that Danyangzi seemed to know everything that happened in the Karst Cave, whether it was Li Huowang calling him a fart or Li Huowang not agreeing to flee with the others before.

If he truly wanted to deal with him, he had to get to the bottom of this.

"He is an inner disciple. How would I know what he learned from Master?" Li Huowang detected the jealousy in his words.

One person's strength is too feeble. Should I find other allies within Qingfeng Temple? The thought arose in Li Huowang's mind, but it was quickly extinguished.

Those with thoughts of resistance had likely already been devoured by the Black Tai Sui last time. Even if those remaining were not utterly devoted to Danyangzi, they were probably timid, cowardly people.

"Come, let's talk as we walk." After saying that, Xuan Yuan turned and led Li Huowang toward the kitchen. "I know what you are thinking. Do not covet Master's Immortal Ascension Technique. If it is handed down in order, you will be the last to receive it."

"You should simply focus on your work. Do whatever Master tells you to do. When your turn comes according to seniority, it will naturally be yours."

By then, they had reached the Karst Cave where they ate. The other senior brothers who had arrived early were already drinking porridge.

He recognized three of them. Two sword-bearing Daoists were Chang Ming and Chang Ren, while the other was Xuan Yin, whom he had met once before.

Adding Xuan Yuan at his side and himself, Xuan Yang, all five Unregistered Disciples of Qingfeng Temple had gathered here.

"The rules of Qingfeng Temple are: do not speak while eating, do not speak while sleeping. After the meal, I will teach you other things." Xuan Yuan sat down and began drinking porridge.

Li Huowang sat down, lifted the Black Pottery Bowl, and took a sip. His eyes silently observed the conduct and mannerisms of his other senior brothers.

These people all looked different. None were particularly striking, nor were any especially ugly. Yet as they sat together in Daoist Robes, Li Huowang could not shake the feeling that something was strange.

When he saw Xuan Yin press one side of his nose and forcefully blow snot onto the ground, while the other two senior brothers frowned slightly, Li Huowang finally understood. Their dispositions were different.

Among them, some possessed more of a scholarly air, while others had thick joints in their hands and feet, looking like laborers accustomed to rough work.

Where had Danyangzi found these five disciples? Could they have been promoted from Medicinal Guides, just like me?

One empty bowl after another was set down. The other senior brothers did not spare a single glance for their newly arrived Junior Brother Xuan Yang and strode toward the door.

After the meal, Xuan Yuan continued introducing Qingfeng Temple to Li Huowang. From him, Li Huowang learned that the five Unregistered Disciples were each responsible for different areas within the temple.

Some managed the Daoist Children, some went outside the temple to procure supplies, and some raised the Black Tai Sui. Several of the more senior ones even had to shoulder multiple duties.

They had not originally been so busy. Unfortunately, after that batch of people had died, their responsibilities could only be forcibly distributed among the remaining disciples.

Li Huowang's responsibility went without saying. Everything in the Material Room was under his care, and everything these disciples did was to assist their master in ascending to immortality.

After circling about for an entire day, Li Huowang finally gained a detailed understanding of the whole temple from Xuan Yuan.

Li Huowang firmly committed these matters to memory. This was no longer an illusion he could leave at any moment. If he wished to kill Danyangzi, this information might prove immensely useful.

After spending the day together, Xuan Yuan and Li Huowang had grown somewhat more familiar. The two were walking back from Zhengyi Hall.

"Junior Brother Xuan Yang, there is actually no need to be so nervous. Your work will not be that busy. Master does not refine pills every day, either."

"Oh? Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Xuan Yuan."

"Pill refinement is closely related to celestial signs and the Double Hour. The pills made from certain ingredients can only achieve their greatest effect at fixed times. For example, today and tomorrow are unsuitable for refining pills, but Zi Hour the day after tomorrow will be an exceptionally good time."