Fortune Above All

A plump, oversized hand landed warmly on Li Qingyun's shoulder. Daoist Qingfeng, white and fat, smiled as though he had known him for ages.

"So it's Junior Brother Li. Come with me—I'll take you to see Uncle-Master Lu!"

"Now that you've entered these mountain gates, we'll be one family from now on, so don't stand on ceremony with your senior brother! Mm, Junior Brother, I'm sure you won't be lonely at Lingbao Temple. Uncle-Master Lu, hehe, has many disciples under him..."

As he patted Li Qingyun's shoulder, Daoist Qingfeng's hand discreetly weighed the bundle on his back. The smile on that fat face grew even brighter.

Li Qingyun was rather speechless.

In his previous life, there had been the saying: wealth, companions, Dharma, and land. This Lingbao Temple's emphasis on "wealth" seemed especially prominent!

"Junior Brother Qingyun, cultivation within the mountain gates is no easy matter. If you have any troubles in life from now on, just come find me. Why? Because you and I hit it off at first sight!"

Daoist Qingfeng warmly hooked an arm around Li Qingyun's and led him toward the layers of courtyards and buildings beyond the mountain gate. Along the way, he kept probing indirectly, asking about Li Qingyun's origins and background.

Li Qingyun felt a faint disappointment.

Even the Daoist groves within the mountain gates were so steeped in worldly dealings?

It was vastly different from what he had imagined!

Yet he did not reveal the slightest trace of it outwardly, merely answering mildly from time to time.

As he walked, he surveyed his surroundings and discovered that Lingbao Temple's rear mountain was far broader than the front temple. Amid the hazy mist, indistinct platforms, halls, and pavilions flickered in and out of sight between red maples and white fog, like a blessed land hidden within a cave heaven.

This rear mountain was where Lingbao Temple's mountain gate truly lay, completely unlike the bustling front temple crowded with worshippers.

Li Qingyun looked far into the distance, but could see only vague outlines. The mist shrouding every peak seemed capable of twisting and blocking one's vision, keeping him from seeing the rear mountain's true appearance clearly.

Sometimes, he would see a pavilion ahead that appeared close enough to reach in a few steps. Yet after following Daoist Qingfeng for several minutes, that pavilion would vanish before his eyes.

He could not help marveling at the Daoist sect's methods.

He thought that without someone to guide him, he would surely become utterly lost if he wandered through the rear mountain alone.

The entire rear mountain must have been laid with some kind of bewildering grand formation.

That restored a little of his confidence.

"At least Lingbao Temple should possess some genuine skills."

After winding through countless twists and turns, Daoist Qingfeng finally brought Li Qingyun before an exquisite courtyard that covered a considerable area.

At some point, Daoist Qingfeng had already tucked away the smile covering his face. He became solemn and proper, lowering his brows as he cupped his hands in salute toward a middle-aged Daoist priest at the courtyard gate.

"Senior Brother Lin, I have brought Junior Brother Li Qingyun."

The black-bearded middle-aged Daoist priest at the gate had a square face, thick brows, and large eyes. His features were somewhat rugged, yet his skin faintly gleamed, and he possessed an innate air of authority. He must have achieved something in cultivation.

Senior Brother Lin, the black-bearded Daoist, nodded casually and said flatly, "Thank you for the effort, Junior Brother Wang Qingfeng. You may go."

Daoist Qingfeng respectfully bowed again. As he withdrew, he gave Li Qingyun a meaningful look and left him a quiet message. "Junior Brother, once you're settled in, I'll treat you to a drink."

Qingfeng had kept his posture exceedingly humble before the black-bearded Daoist, making Li Qingyun attach several more degrees of importance to Senior Brother Lin before him.

Through the broad, imposing gate adorned with elaborate carvings and paintings, Li Qingyun could see that the courtyard within was spacious. There were courtyards inside courtyards, Daoist priests moving about, as well as spring pools and pavilions. Exotic Flowers and Herbs adorned the grounds, and every arrangement was exceptionally refined and exquisite.

"This Master Lu seems to hold no low status within the temple!"

He secretly guessed to himself.

Then Senior Brother Lin, the black-bearded Daoist, spoke in an even tone.

"You are Junior Brother Li Qingyun from Qinghe County, correct? I am Lin Wanjin. Follow me inside. Only after you pay respects to Master Lu will you count as an official disciple of the temple."

With that, Lin Wanjin signaled Li Qingyun to follow and led him into the courtyard.

As they passed through pavilions, covered walkways, and corridors, Lin Wanjin spoke without pause, his attitude neither warm nor cold.

Still, he was fairly conscientious, giving Li Qingyun quite a few pointers.

"Master Lu is the Record Keeper of the temple and holds an exceptional status. Being able to enter Master's tutelage is also a matter of fate for you..."

"I see that both your qi and blood are depleted, while your yang fire is feeble. Even the weakest wandering soul could take your life now. You must have had a bitter fate as well. But before Master, all are treated equally. So long as you offer sincere filial devotion, you can still learn some skills. Remember that!"

"There are quite a few in the temple like you, Junior Brother—those with utterly unremarkable aptitude, who enter the mountain gates to escape the world and seek only to cross their lives in peace. But living in the temple is no easy matter. Later, you will still need to find ways to make money, if you wish to live comfortably in the future..."

Through Lin Wanjin's reminders, Li Qingyun, newly arrived at Lingbao Temple, finally gained some understanding of the mountain gate's circumstances and would no longer be blind despite having his eyes open.

It was simply that, both openly and implicitly, Lin Wanjin was hinting that Lingbao Temple did not keep paupers—unless one belonged to the sort with outstanding aptitude.

If one thought that entering a Daoist temple meant a life of carefree ease afterward, where one could simply lie flat and await old age, then one was greatly mistaken!

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother. Please accept this small token of my appreciation, and do not disdain it!"

When they arrived before a grand hall in the central courtyard, Li Qingyun took out two golden pearls and, smiling, slipped them into Lin Wanjin's wide sleeve.

Lingbao Temple appeared to be a mountain gate that would rather die than part with money, but Li Qingyun did not mind. So long as the mountain gate possessed true methods, and there was a path to obtain them, his journey here would not have been in vain.

Once he possessed real abilities, why would he lack wealth?

"Junior Brother, you're not bad!"

Lin Wanjin gently pinched the golden pearls within his sleeve, and the smile on his face immediately became two parts more sincere.

The little junior brother before him, who had clearly indulged too much in pleasure and suffered grave depletion of vital essence, now seemed somewhat more pleasing to the eye.

After being "deposed," Li Qingyun had not simply allowed Cui and her son to carve him up at will.

He had handed over most of the industries under his control, but had secretly left himself some "way out."

The outer layer of the large bundle slung over his shoulder held changes of clothes, while within, layer upon layer of wrappings concealed gold ingots, pearls, and the like.

As for silver, he had only brought a few banknotes with him.

He had long since learned that Daoist cultivation did not rely solely on breathing in and out the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. Before one's cultivation reached a certain realm, eating, drinking, relieving oneself, and sleeping were not much different from ordinary people.

Gold and pearls in particular seemed to be needed for cultivation as well, and low-level cultivators had a considerable demand for them.

Stepping over the threshold, Li Qingyun followed Lin Wanjin into the grand hall.

The hall was magnificent and imposing, spotless without a speck of dust. Burning aloeswood incense curled through the air, refreshing his heart and clearing his mind.

Daoist paintings and divine talismans hung on both walls. Exquisite jade elephants and golden toads sat upon the floor. The tea sets, chairs, meditation cushions, and everything else were lavishly beautiful, even more particular than those in his own marquis's residence.

Li Qingyun clicked his tongue softly.

He thought that when cultivators in this world cared to indulge themselves, even mortal kings and marquises had nothing on them!

The spiritual incense drifted, making his vision slightly hazy. In the center of the hall sat a middle-aged Daoist priest wearing a jade crown, with two young disciples of extraordinary presence standing behind him.

Yet what drew Li Qingyun's attention was a young woman in white Daoist robes seated behind a jade desk to the right of the entrance.

Set off by her exquisitely tailored moon-white Daoist robe, the young woman's skin seemed like jade gleaming with snow, and she was charmingly beautiful.