Fragrant Mountain White Clouds (Part 2)

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Judging by his expression, it seemed Li Feng had agreed not to report him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Feng seized the opportunity to take out the red paper slip and handed it to Old Daoist Baiyun with a smile. "Daoist Master, please take a look at this. One is the birthdate of our Prince, and the other is that of Manager Li, the Prince's eunuch. The Prince is seeking good fortune for next year, while Manager Li is seeking... seeking... he's seeking a..."

Old Daoist Baiyun blew on his beard, curled his lip, and grumbled, "Seeking marriage and descendants, right? Sigh, those fellows who have lost their manhood, even this old Daoist can return to secular life and get married. They also have these beautiful dreams, but they don't consider that this old Daoist can still provoke a young maiden. What capital do they have to provoke anyone? Hey, this is his birthdate, isn't it?" The old Daoist muttered a few words, quickly counted on his fingers a few times, and then chuckled, "Ah, go back and tell him that what is destined will come, and that he should work hard."

Li Feng was so angry he wanted to kick him. He thought to himself, The next line is 'what is not destined cannot be forced.' Is this old Daoist deliberately messing with me? Fortunately, I've read a lot. I've read the Han Dynasty's Song and Fu, the Jin Dynasty's poetry, and the Tang and Song lyrics and songs. I've read quite a bit. Otherwise, I would have truly been played by you. However, Li Feng smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying with a smile, "That's great. Tomorrow, I'll go tell Manager Li to find a few more virtuous young ladies and say it was Daoist Master you who said he will definitely have descendants."

Old Daoist Baiyun looked extremely disheveled. He stammered for a long time before looking at Li Feng helplessly and putting on a very serious expression. "However, my Bagua in my sleeve hasn't been very accurate lately. Hmm, I'll give him a proper divination later, eh? Haha! Don't tell him the previous sentence." Old Daoist Baiyun cursed Li Feng furiously in his mind, Brat, if you tell that dead eunuch this, and that eunuch actually listens to you, won't those women who are living as widows be harmed by this old Daoist? If heaven blames me, it will be this old Daoist who takes the fall... Forget it, I'll waste a little energy and properly divine for that eunuch.

Muttering about Heaven, Old Daoist Baiyun gritted his teeth and said, "However, there's no need to calculate much for this eldest prince. After this year, his luck will definitely be very good. At least for the next year, he won't encounter any major problems. Hmm, peace and safety... This year is Hongwu year thirty. Hmm, the entire year of thirty-one, I guarantee nothing will happen. Ahaha, you can tell the eldest prince this with confidence."

Seeing the old Daoist's cheerful and joking manner, Li Feng knew he was talking nonsense again. But thinking that Zhu Xi wouldn't encounter any major misfortunes next year, Li Feng let him get away with it. Li Feng was very confident that as long as he was under Zhu Xi, there was nothing he couldn't handle.

Looking dejectedly at Little Li's birthdate in his hand, the old Daoist sighed deeply. He looked at Li Feng, then at the two young Daoists standing behind him, and reluctantly took out six coins from his sleeve, cupping them in his hands. The old Daoist grumbled, "Monk Daoyan's abilities are much greater than this old Daoist's. Why don't you go ask Monk Daoyan to divine this? You have to ask this old Daoist. Sigh... This old Daoist is already old, having lived for eighty or ninety years, and these brats are still causing trouble for this old Daoist."

Li Feng smiled, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Who is Monk Daoyan? I've never heard of him."

Old Daoist Baiyun shook the coins in his hand vigorously, adjusted his breathing, and rolled his eyes as he said, "Monk Daoyan, that thieving monk, that bird monk, that wicked monk. Hmph, he cultivates the 'Lesser Vajra Samadhi Buddhist Dharma,' plays the game of Hinayana Buddhism, emphasizing transcending oneself and ascending to the Pure Land. His martial arts are just a bit better than this old Daoist's, and his magic is also a bit better than this old Daoist's, hmm, hmm. Yet, he gets to eat from the Prince of Yan's household for free, while this old Daoist has to be busy with this and that every day."

Li Feng was inwardly amused. He guessed that this old Daoist must have suffered a lot under Monk Daoyan, which was why he was talking so much nonsense. Monk Daoyan, he hadn't heard of the name, but he figured he must be a confidant of the Prince of Yan. The old Daoist said he ate from the Prince's household for free, which was probably just him complaining out of frustration. How could there be anyone eating from the Prince of Yan's household for free? Even if there were, it would only be his two precious princes.

With a 'clang,' the coins fell to the ground. The old Daoist noted the position and orientation of the coins, then picked them up one by one. After circulating his profound energy for a while, he scattered them again.

Li Feng watched Old Daoist Baiyun perform his tricks for a while, then put the coins back into his sleeve. The old Daoist then gave Li Feng a strange look. Li Feng looked at the old Daoist inexplicably and asked, "Daoist Master, is it that Manager Li is destined to have no descendants in this life? Just tell me directly. For eunuchs, having no descendants is their duty. He should be able to accept it."

Old Daoist Baiyun was just taking a mouthful of tea when he suddenly heard Li Feng's words and spurted out all the tea. He coughed violently and cursed, "Manager Li, this old Daoist is old and weak. If you want to kill me, you don't have to use such a ridiculous method, do you? Hmm, hmm, what do you mean it's the duty of a eunuch to have no descendants? Hmm, this old Daoist just had a sudden inspiration and saw some strange things."

Li Feng's heart stirred slightly. This ability to calculate heavenly secrets, I don't have it. Seeing the old Daoist like this, could he have such profound magical powers? What did he see? Why is he looking at me so strangely? Could it be that what he saw involves me?

Old Daoist Baiyun was silent for a long time, and finally said, "Hmm, this old Daoist just examined the divination. As a result, my mind was inspired, and I sensed the will of Heaven. I saw a scene. In it, Manager Li was wearing the official robe of a first-rank official, and thousands of people were bowing before him. Beside Manager Li was you, wearing a supreme official robe, with power over everything... Hmm, hmm, am I about to die? Otherwise, how could I see this? This old Daoist has calculated tens of thousands of divinations for others in his life, and being able to see a scene so clearly has only happened two or three times. Strange, strange, or has this old Daoist's cultivation suddenly advanced greatly?"

Li Feng was silent. He pondered in his heart, Supreme official robe? Doesn't that mean I can become a very, very high official? That's a good thing, hahaha, I am indeed the pillar of the nation. Besides, I've been enduring humiliation by staying by Zhu Xi's side, isn't it all for the sake of fame and fortune? However, why is this old Daoist speaking so hesitantly? Could his brain be faulty?

However, Li Feng would absolutely not ask about these sensitive matters that concerned him, lest people say he was eagerly asking questions after hearing about wearing an official robe. Wouldn't that be embarrassing? Especially since Li Feng knew that these old Daoists all emphasized "heavenly secrets cannot be revealed," so even if he asked, he wouldn't get anything out of it.

Therefore, after thinking for a long time, Li Feng suddenly said, "It seems that Manager Li will have a great official career in the future. Whether he has descendants or not, he probably won't care. I'll just make up a few words to get by when I go back. As for myself, I hope Daoist Master can give me some advice. Since the Prince has invited Daoist Master to be our Prince's teacher, we will meet frequently in the future. I hope Daoist Master will take care of me. I am a rough person and don't understand many things."

Since this old Daoist was known as a living immortal in Yanjing City, he must have deep connections and understand people from all walks of life. After all, those people would ask this living immortal for this and that, gossiping about everyone. What wouldn't this old Daoist know? Li Feng maliciously speculated in his heart, This old Daoist must freely enter and exit the residences of civil and military officials. Perhaps he knows what color the wives wear as undergarments, and what kind of underpants their concubines wear.

Old Daoist Baiyun examined Li Feng's face carefully, blinked a few times, and after a moment of silence, slowly nodded and said, "Speaking of others, there's no need to pay too much attention. Those civil and military officials are all pillars of the nation. Among the generals, there are a few powerful figures who are currently stationed with troops in the northeast and are not in the city. In the city, there is Commander Zhang Yu, who is one of Prince Yan's most formidable generals. As for other civil officials, I believe Manager Li doesn't take them to heart. The Prince himself has fought battles all his life and prefers martial prowess, so he doesn't attach much importance to civil officials."

"In the entire Yanjing City, the most inconspicuous yet the one who has the greatest influence on Prince Yan, besides the 'Imperial Guard' supervisor, Eunuch Lü, is Monk Daoyan. He once traveled to Mount Song Temple in Zhongzhou and met the physiognomist Yuan Gong. Yuan Gong said he was 'born to be bloodthirsty.' Although he cultivates Buddhism, he enjoys pursuing fame and fortune. He constantly talks about Mahayana Buddhism being for the salvation of the world, yet when he preaches, he only seeks this life. I've sparred with him several times, hmm, he is unfathomable. It's hard to tell who is superior."

Old Daoist Baiyun secretly glanced at Li Feng. Seeing that Li Feng didn't ask any questions about his words, he smiled and continued, "Speaking of magic, Monk Daoyan is on par with this old Daoist. But Manager Li is probably not interested in ghosts and spirits, so this old Daoist won't say more. However, Daoyan's martial arts are exquisite, reaching the realm of heaven and man. Under his self-created 'Thirty-Six Seals of Luotian,' this old Daoist has no choice but to avoid his sharp edge."

"Especially his profound wisdom and deep schemes make him a top-tier figure of this era. He usually lives in seclusion, only occasionally going to the Prince's mansion for discussions. However, whatever he says, the Prince always agrees. If Manager Li wants to advance and seek fame, he can try to work on this damned monk."

Li Feng smiled faintly and shook his head, "Daoist Master, you jest. If I don't strike the bell now and try to refine copper myself, wouldn't that be foolish? Since Daoist Master is invited to the Prince's mansion today, it shows that you are deeply trusted and valued by the Prince. Especially since Daoist Master has been invited by the Prince to be the eldest Prince's teacher, I will naturally seek your guidance every day."

Old Daoist Baiyun looked troubled. He crossed his legs on the Grand Tutor's Chair, tilted his head back, and sighed, "Alas, this Prince has given me a big problem. This old Daoist doesn't like to show himself in public. Today, the Prince summoned this old Daoist to the city and asked me to attend the evening banquet. This old Daoist fears liveliness the most, fears being surrounded by those officials with their vulgarity. I managed to decline the Prince's kind offer to not attend the banquet, but then he insisted that I become the eldest Prince's teacher. Monk Daoyan also chimed in, and this old Daoist had no choice but to agree to escape."

The old Daoist's entire face was like a bitter gourd. He shook his head desperately, "That Monk Daoyan is not a good person. He hides in his temple comfortably all day and forces this old Daoist to come out and sell his life for the Zhu family's empire. How can this old Daoist have so many lives to sell? Alas, wasting time, wasting time! Thinking of the eldest prince, what does he need this old Daoist to teach him? Am I supposed to teach him the harmony of dragon and tiger, and the inner containment of the Golden Core?"

Li Feng's eyes became very bright. He eagerly handed the fruit plate to the old Daoist, let the old Daoist stuff a few osmanthus sugar candies into his mouth, and then carefully flattered, "It's not a waste of time, is it? Daoist Master has achieved success in the Golden Core Dao, so you are already immortal. You are a deity! What does a little time matter? Daoist Master being our Prince's teacher, you don't need to teach him any Daoist secrets, you just need to teach our Prince how to be a person!"

"Furthermore, what if, I'm just saying what if, our Prince inherits the Prince of Yan's throne, and Daoist Master can assist our Prince in pacifying the people and creating a prosperous land. This is a matter of immeasurable merit... For this supreme merit, even if Daoist Master wastes a little time, it's not a big deal."

Old Daoist Baiyun fiercely pointed at Li Feng's nose and scraped it hard. He cursed, "Nonsense! If this old Daoist had truly achieved the Golden Core Dao, I would have kicked that Daoyan into a well long ago, and it wouldn't be his turn... Eh, eh, hmm, cough... That so-called Golden Core Dao requires forming a Golden Core. Cultivating the Dao is easy, but forming the Golden Core is difficult. Being able to cultivate the Golden Core means you are a true demigod. Only the legendary hermits of the world have such cultivation! This old Daoist has cultivated diligently for nearly a hundred years, and has only entered the Innate Realm. I don't know how long I will need to cultivate hard to reach the Golden Core."

The old Daoist sighed, "Human lifespan is limited. Without a good teacher and spiritual medicine, how can one form a Golden Core within a mere hundred years? This old Daoist knows his death is not far away. He is thinking of making a final effort to contend with the Heavenly Dao and see if he has the fortune to cultivate the Golden Core. Assisting the eldest prince, it sounds easy, but how to do it? Without ten years of effort, how can this old Daoist get away? Ten years of hard work..."

Li Feng looked at the helpless old Daoist and felt a chill in his heart. Yes, is the Golden Core that easy to cultivate? This old Daoist has worked hard for a hundred years and is only close to the Qi Condensation stage. Alas. Is the Golden Core cultivation method that hard to find? Are the ancient cultivation methods really only found in those Daoist sects? I don't believe it, I absolutely don't believe this evil.

Li Feng gritted his teeth and forced out a few smiles. "Daoist Master, you are mistaken... Heaven's heart is most compassionate. If Daoist Master can assist our Prince and benefit the people, the people's grateful hearts will surely move Heaven. How can good people not receive good rewards? 'Player-Buddha,' 'Player-Buddha'... Daoist Master distributes clothes and porridge every year. How many people can White Cloud Temple help? Why doesn't Daoist Master assist our Prince? With the strength of a nation, enriching the country and strengthening the people, there will be no one cold or hungry in the world. The merit is immeasurable."

The old Daoist muttered, "Heaven's heart is most compassionate, merit is immeasurable, Heaven's heart is most compassionate, Heaven's heart is most compassionate..."

Li Feng gently circulated a bit of true Qi and whispered into the old Daoist's ear, "Daoist Master, wake up. To seek immortality is to seek the human Dao, and the human Dao is already at your feet."

With a 'boom,' Old Daoist Baiyun jumped up, waving his hands and feet, and shouted loudly, "Yes, yes, this old Daoist was mistaken. To emerge or to retreat, what does it matter if the worldly dust is overwhelming? I will maintain a pure heart. Once successful, I will brush off my sleeves and leave, leaving no name in the world. I only seek my heart to be as pure as the bright moon, why should I care about the ten thousand feet of red dust that blinds people." Old Daoist Baiyun seriously bowed to Li Feng, "Manager Li, this old Daoist has learned. The purity of Daoism, acting according to one's heart and without forced action. Since the Prince wants me to enter the world, then what if I enter the world? This old Daoist has cultivated diligently for a lifetime, and in his old age, Heaven has given this old Daoist an opportunity."

Li Feng almost jumped up. He also bowed solemnly and said sternly, "Indeed, all things are born with reason. Many incredible things are within the cycle of heavenly principles. Since I, Li Feng, am here now, with my spirit here, Heaven naturally wants Li Feng to do something. How dare Li Feng not take it seriously?"

The old Daoist was so happy that he laughed. Li Feng's words had blown away his worries of more than ten years, and he felt a surge of clarity and agility in his heart. In a daze, he felt that his magical powers had greatly advanced.

Li Feng saw the old Daoist darting around the room like a monkey. He then looked at the incense on the table, which had already been replaced twice. He immediately got up to take his leave. "In that case, this humble one will take his leave. For tonight's banquet, if Daoist Master doesn't mind, why not go together? Even if we are all worldly people, worldly people are still people."

The old Daoist nodded heavily. "Wise words. Worldly people are also people. This old Daoist is also a person, and you are also a person. We are all people. Why can't people be together? Disciple, pack your things, wrap up all of Master's Daoist scriptures, and we'll head to Yanjing City now."

Seeing the overjoyed Old Daoist Baiyun, Li Feng felt a sense of emptiness. "This old Daoist lives a very simple life. As long as he knows what he is pursuing, even if the hope is slim, he will pursue it steadfastly. What about me? What I am pursuing, alas... Oh Heaven, just drop a big pie from the sky and hit me."

The wind and snow had stopped, and a pale sun appeared in the high sky. Li Feng and his entourage left White Cloud Temple and headed towards Yanjing City.

Old Daoist Baiyun looked at the fresh air, the vast expanse of clean snow on the ground, and the two raptors soaring and flying in the sky, full of vitality and profound principles. His spirits were lifted, and he shouted loudly, "To be honored or disgraced is like being startled; to value great misfortune as oneself. What does it mean to be honored or disgraced like being startled? Disgrace is low; to gain it is to be startled, to lose it is to be startled; this is called being honored or disgraced like being startled. What does it mean to value great misfortune as oneself? The reason I have great misfortune is because I have a self; if I have no self, what misfortune do I have! Therefore, to value the world with oneself is to be entrusted to the world; to love oneself for the world is to be entrusted to the world..."