Entering the White Cloud Temple

Having handed the Embroidered Spring Blade, which was being prepared for its edge, to the shop assistant, Lu Zheng picked up the Cloud Pattern Longquan Sword and examined it from left to right.

"A fine sword!"

"Although the material and sharpness are similar, this sword is very different from that blade. You can't just hack and slash with it," Du Lin reminded him.

Lu Zheng acknowledged, "Rest assured."

The last time he went to White Cloud Temple to deliver the Corpse Ghoul's belongings to Daoist Priest Mingzhang, Lu Zheng noticed a sword hanging on the wall in his room.

Judging from the hilt, he seemed to be someone who practiced swordsmanship regularly, which was why Lu Zheng intended to cater to his interests.

With a divine sword, plus his talent for developing Qi in half a month, could he possibly squeeze something else out of him? After accepting the Cloud Pattern Sword, Lu Zheng happily took a taxi home.

"Hmm?"

Just as he entered, Lu Zheng lowered his head to change into slippers, but his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed.

Someone had been in his house! Just during the time he was out.

Because the slippers Lu Zheng had left at the door had been moved slightly! He remembered very clearly that when he left, the slippers were kicked askew, placed diagonally, but now they were much straighter.

If it had been a long time, Lu Zheng might have thought he was mistaken, but it had only been a morning. More importantly, he had specifically glanced at them before leaving, but was too lazy to bend over again, so Lu Zheng was sure he wasn't mistaken.

A thief? In broad daylight? How audacious! Lu Zheng expressionlessly checked all the more valuable items in his house, but found nothing stolen.

If the position of the slippers hadn't been so clearly moved, Lu Zheng might have thought he was hallucinating.

"Impossible, did a thief come, find nothing of value, and then leave?"

He opened the door and looked left and right, but there wasn't a sound in the quiet corridor.

Lu Zheng frowned, and could only put aside his doubts.

Nothing was lost, and reporting to the police based solely on his memory of the slippers being moved would probably result in the police giving him a good lecture on wasting public resources.

"Looks like I need to change the lock... Would a combination lock be safer?"

Lu Zheng moved the small box containing his ID card and bank cards again, and carefully checked the house to see if anyone had secretly installed pinhole cameras.

Fortunately, there weren't any...

In the afternoon, Lu Zheng traveled to ancient times, first having Uncle Li go to the carriage and horse shop to book a carriage for the next morning, and then circulating his breathing technique, practicing the Mountain Carrying Eighteen Forms, and consolidating the True Qi and Martial Blood Qi in his body.

At the same time, he would occasionally travel back to modern times to deal with various messages on his phone, such as his mother's check-ins and encouragement, and Tong Muxuan's teasing and boasting.

The day passed so boringly.

The next day, White Cloud Temple.

"Why does Young Master Lu have the leisure to visit my White Cloud Temple to burn incense again today?" Daoist Priest Mingzhang said with a smile.

Lu Zheng routinely donated a string of merit coins, and then, holding a box, came to Daoist Priest Mingzhang's quiet room.

"Young Master, this is..."

"I must thank the Daoist Priest for the breathing technique you bestowed that day," Lu Zheng said first, "The mere relics of a Corpse Ghoul, the Daoist Priest actually helped me solve a problem. Although Lu is not talented, he understands reason."

"Young Master is too polite. This poor Daoist also gained some merit from those two scriptures and spells. Young Master need not be so modest."

Lu Zheng smiled, "Today, I have come for two reasons. One is that I recently obtained a good sword and have come to offer it to the Daoist Priest as a thank you gift. The other is that I have cultivated Qi using the Midnight Stillness Breathing Technique and would like to ask the Daoist Priest if there are any spells that can be taught to me?"

Hearing Lu Zheng mention the first part, Daoist Priest Mingzhang was still stroking his beard and smiling, but when Lu Zheng finished speaking, he was greatly surprised.

"You have already cultivated Qi?"

"Indeed."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang reached out and grasped Lu Zheng's wrist, probing with his True Qi.

Lu Zheng took the opportunity to guide Qi out of his Dantian, circulating it around his Great Circulation.

"You really have cultivated True Qi!" Daoist Priest Mingzhang was astonished. "Also, in just a few days, why is your blood Qi so rich? Have you also cultivated Martial Path methods?"

"Uh, yes." Lu Zheng grinned, not daring to be specific.

"Do you have a Martial Path master?"

"No, I don't. I just accidentally got a copy of Mountain Carrying Eighteen Forms and practiced it randomly."

"Practiced randomly..." Daoist Priest Mingzhang was speechless.

Involuntarily shaking his head, Daoist Priest Mingzhang continued, "Last time, I just saw that your physique was quite strong, but I didn't expect that you had also cultivated Martial Path methods."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang said to himself, "Because you didn't have a famous teacher to guide you, you didn't achieve anything in your previous studies. You were just tempering your body and didn't cultivate Martial Blood Qi. Later, you got a breathing technique and made inferences, and you only cultivated it in the last few days?"

"Cough cough..."

"While cultivating Blood Qi, you will have an extremely keen sense of touch in your body for a moment. Is that why you directly cultivated Daoist Qi sensation?"

"Uh, hmm..."

"In any case, to be able to cultivate Qi sensation in half a month, and this wisp of True Qi is not weak, Young Master Lu, you are very talented."

"Cough cough, you flatter me..."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang let go of Lu Zheng, sat back in his original position, and stared at Lu Zheng without speaking.

"Daoist Priest?"

"Young Master Lu, you are interested in cultivation, I have known it for a long time, but before, I saw that you were a wealthy idler in the mortal world, so I had no intention of accepting you as a disciple."

What wealthy idler, to put it bluntly, he just didn't look like someone who could endure hardship, so he didn't like himself at all.

"But I didn't expect that you also cultivated Martial Cultivation methods, but I misjudged you."

"You flatter me, you flatter me."

"Being able to kill Corpse Ghouls with a mortal body shows your extraordinary nature."

"You praise me too much!"

"Of course, I have the methods that are spread outside, but they are not very powerful, better than nothing."

"Uh..."

"Is Young Master only satisfied with these small methods that can be spread outside?"

Lu Zheng was speechless, the problem is that I wanted to become your disciple before, but you didn't accept me?

"Is Young Master willing to join my White Cloud Temple?" Daoist Priest Mingzhang asked solemnly.

Huh? Is it okay this time? Lu Zheng's eyes lit up, "That's what I want, um, are there any requirements?"

"A direct disciple must wear Daoist robes, reside in the temple, not miss morning and evening classes every day, and be recorded in the main temple's Daoist register." Daoist Priest Mingzhang said with a smile that was not a smile.

"Hehe." Lu Zheng couldn't help but smile dryly, he could completely understand why people didn't accept him last time.

"There is also a kind of lay disciple, which is roughly similar to a registered disciple. Although you can't get the most core inheritance of the temple, most of the cultivation methods can still be passed on."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang explained, "However, this kind of lay disciple also needs to contribute money and effort when the temple needs it, and must not refuse."

"Do I have to go even if you ask me to kill or set fire?" Lu Zheng couldn't help asking.

"Nonsense, White Cloud Temple is a large Daoist temple, and it is also famous throughout the Great Jing Dynasty. It is a famous and upright sect, how could it let you kill or set fire?"

"Just asking, just asking." Lu Zheng said with a dry smile.

"Are there any other questions?"

"How powerful are the cultivation methods you give? Can they make me live forever?"

"That depends on yourself. The temple really has an old ancestor who once witnessed the divine power of the Jing Emperor when he founded the country."

"Can you subdue demons and eliminate evil?"

"There is a white crane in the main temple, which is the body of the Great Southern Kingdom Demon."

"Are you allowed to practice other methods? Uh, of course, it's the righteous path."

"If you have the ability and opportunity, the temple can't wait for it."

"Then I'm willing!"