A Mere Shallow Affinity

The moment Li Qingyun entered, the clear-skinned, beautiful young woman in white cast a sideways glance at him, her eyes holding a mix of curiosity, languor, and haughty coldness.

She seemed to be looking down at him from a superior position, appraising him.

He felt her gaze was detached and unrestrained, not a casual glance but a form of scrutiny, even criticism.

"Her features are like a painting, but it seems her nature is cold and detached…"

His heart stirred, and he immediately lowered his head slightly.

He appeared to be stunned by the young Daoist woman's beauty, unable to meet her gaze directly.

A bit shy, a bit bashful, fitting for a sixteen-year-old boy.

Having grown up in a marquis's mansion where dangers ran as deep as the sea, Li Qingyun had long mastered the necessary "acting skills." Displaying them now, showing the genuine shyness of a young man infatuated, was flawless.

"Heh heh!"

Seeing his reaction, the beautiful young woman's interest piqued. She chuckled softly, the coldness in her eyes diminishing slightly.

Lin Wanjin, with a touch of respect, nodded to the young woman and quietly reminded Li Qingyun:

"This is Senior Sister Lu Liqian, Master Lu's beloved daughter. You mustn't slight her in the future, Junior Brother!"

Li Qingyun nodded slightly.

He committed the name to memory.

However, his intuition told him it would be best to keep his distance from Senior Sister Lu Liqian if possible.

"You must be Li Qingyun. Offer a cup of tea as usual, receive the Qi Absorption Art, and then you may leave..."

At this moment, the middle-aged Daoist in purple robes, seated in the center of the grand hall, spoke lazily while fiddling with a lustrous jade ruler in his hand.

As Lin Wanjin had indicated, this middle-aged Daoist was Li Qingyun's nominal master and the registrar of Lingbao Temple, Lu Nanling.

Lu Nanling wore a dark robe embroidered with gold thread. He had handsome features, fair and glowing skin, and intelligent eyes, exuding an imposing presence.

Yet, when looking at Li Qingyun, his supposedly new disciple, Lu Nanling's demeanor and tone were casual, almost indifferent.

As a highly respected registrar of Lingbao Temple, he found wasting time on a "useless" disciple to be rather tiresome.

To accumulate resources for his daughter's foundation, he gave away ten Dao Affinity Tokens within his authority every year, taking in a large number of disciples for free.

In Lu Nanling's spiritual sight, the young man in the hall was clearly deficient in Blood Essence, exhausted in spirit, and his three treasures were dim and listless, even more so than the previous disciples he had taken in.

He thought to himself: "Many years ago, when I was traveling in Qinghe County searching for Qingyang Fish, I was invited by Marquis Qinghe to test the roots of this young master of the marquis's mansion. This child had no Dao Bone or Spiritual Root whatsoever. Seeing him now, he's even worse, unable to even control his own desires…"

If it weren't for the fact that Marquis Qinghe had sent over a cart of excellent Dan Sha and two Qingyang Fish a few days prior, he wouldn't even have bothered to see him. He would have directly sent Li Qingyun to the miscellaneous labor courtyard.

After all, most illegitimate sons and daughters like Li Qingyun, who had some family background, came to the mountain gate just to pass the time. Expecting them to achieve cultivation and bring honor was highly unrealistic.

These mortals went to great lengths to squeeze into the mountain gates of various Daoist temples, wasn't it just to escape demons, find a patron, and seek a peaceful life?

"Junior Brother Li, quickly offer your respects with tea. From now on, we'll be fellow disciples under Master Lu!"

Lin Wanjin handed Li Qingyun a cup of hot tea and gestured for him to step forward and offer it to Lu Nanling.

It seemed this Senior Brother Lin was accustomed to such situations, well aware of his master Lu Nanling's temperament and style.

Li Qingyun's handsome face turned serious as he took the teacup.

He didn't pay much mind to Lu Nanling's attitude.

Maintaining a respectful posture, he stepped forward with the tea and bowed to Lu Nanling, who appeared casual and somewhat distracted.

"Disciple Li Qingyun pays his respects to Master Lu!"

After speaking, he hesitated for a moment before preparing to kneel.

Since he was here to formally join the sect and perform the duties of a disciple, shouldn't he kneel?

He had only been able to enter the temple by obtaining Lu Nanling's Dao Affinity Token, and from now on, he would be considered part of Master Lu's lineage.

But his movement halted as he felt a soft, cloud-like force surge towards him, preventing him from kneeling.

Simultaneously, his hands were emptied as the cup of hot tea vanished. It had already reached Lu Nanling's hand.

Lu Nanling casually took a sip of the tea, waved his hand, and said with a faint smile:

"No need to kneel! Since you entered the temple with my Dao Affinity Token, you should know some things."

This Registrar Lu was quite candid and direct.

"Demons, ghosts, and strange creatures roam the world. Too many people wish to seek refuge within the gates of Daoist temples for protection. I issue ten Dao Affinity Tokens each year to those who are fated. However, this is a shallow fate, and it ends here..."

"When you truly achieve cultivation and refine a furnace of Mana, it will not be too late to return and become my disciple..."

Hearing Lu Nanling's words, which he didn't even bother to conceal, Li Qingyun had a moment of realization.

This Dao Affinity Token, obtained so "easily," truly held no weight.

His nominal master wasn't so easily earned!

But thinking about it, Li Qingyun felt at ease.

"Such a Daoist master is better off without, saving future karma…"

He understood Lu Nanling's meaning.

From childhood, Li Qingyun had been tested by Taoists from various temples around Qinghe County, including Lingbao Temple. They all confirmed he possessed neither the so-called Dao Bone nor Spiritual Root.

In cultivation, he was a complete failure, incapable of achieving anything.

It was already fortunate that he could use Lu Nanling's "wealth-grabbing" and carelessly distributed Dao Affinity Tokens to be accepted into Lingbao Temple and secure a peaceful life for half a century.

As a cultivation failure, how could he dare to ask for more?

As for the "one furnace of mana" Lu Nanling mentioned, Li Qingyun had gathered some common cultivation knowledge during his time at the Marquis's estate. He knew that one furnace's worth was the universally recognized minimum standard for entering cultivation in this world, signifying officially stepping into the Qi Refining Realm.

"This disciple takes his leave..."

Having thought it through, Li Qingyun didn't linger. He maintained his clasped-hand salute and slowly retreated a few steps.

Then, he stood firm as a pine tree, no longer retreating.

"Give me the Precious Furnace Qi Absorption Art, didn't you say there was another technique required?"

He muttered to himself.

"Hehe, this junior brother is quite interesting! Father, he's afraid you won't give him that Precious Furnace Qi Absorption Art!"

The beautiful young woman at the jade desk couldn't help but chuckle lightly upon seeing this. Her laughter was like clear bells, pleasant to hear.

Her eyes, shimmering like jewels, revealed a hint of interest as she looked Li Qingyun up and down again.

She thought that apart from excessive indulgence, this young man had a good appearance and demeanor.

Especially his frail, introverted, yet seemingly persistent youthful state, stirred a peculiar ripple in her heart, a mix of pity and something else