A Great Harvest

Daoist Priest Mingzhang nodded.

"To become a direct disciple of the temple, I still need to inform the main temple and register you in the direct disciple records. However, there aren't so many formalities for a lay disciple."

So, registered disciples aren't valued that much...

"I can directly accept you as my disciple, register you in the branch temple's records, and simply notify the main temple."

So, he agreed?

"Greetings, Master!" Lu Zheng's eyes darted around, and he immediately kowtowed.

Forget the nonsense about modern people not kowtowing. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?

"Don't rush. Even with fewer formalities, you're still a registered disciple of the White Cloud Temple. In a moment, I'll have your senior brother set up an incense table in the Three Purities Hall. I'll lecture you on the precepts, impart the Dharma, and register you."

"Yes!"

Lu Zheng rose with a smile, pushing the wooden box in front of him towards Daoist Priest Mingzhang. "Coincidentally, this sword will serve as the disciple's initiation gift."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang stroked his beard and smiled. In truth, he didn't take Lu Zheng's gift to heart. With Lu Zheng's background as the son of a wealthy family in a small county, what kind of divine weapon could he possibly obtain? However, it was the thought that counted, and Lu Zheng's sincerity pleased Daoist Priest Mingzhang greatly.

"Very well, then I thank you."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang casually opened the wooden box, and a glance was all it took for him to be stunned.

The black water buffalo leather scabbard, with cloud patterns on the surface that seemed to flow, and the delicate and refined brass decorations, were clearly the work of a skilled craftsman.

Daoist Priest Mingzhang's eyes flashed, and he reached out to take the sword from the box, gripping the hilt with his right hand.

"Clang!"

The Cloud Pattern Refined Steel directly dazzled Daoist Priest Mingzhang.

"A fine sword!"

"Buzz!"

The Jade Seal trembled slightly, and strands of Light of Luck continuously poured in. Lu Zheng silently counted in astonishment, reaching twenty-nine.

What's going on?

This is too much, isn't it?

Daoist Priest Mingzhang, uh, why is Master's Light of Luck changing so drastically?

Even if the Cloud Pattern Sword is powerful, it's just an external object. It shouldn't cause this, right?

He just looks happy, not like he's having some kind of epiphany, is he?

Daoist Priest Mingzhang plucked a hair from his head, stuck it on the blade, and gently blew on it.

Silently, the hair was split into two sections by the blade.

"Hair-splitting sharpness, Lu Zheng, where did you get such a fine sword?"

Having confirmed their master-disciple relationship, Daoist Priest Mingzhang directly began calling Lu Zheng by his name.

"Hehe, this disciple has his own channels."

Lu Zheng didn't want to lie, so he simply didn't say anything, while also subtly testing Daoist Priest Mingzhang.

After all, it was just a sword.

"Alright, I won't ask." Daoist Priest Mingzhang couldn't help but chuckle. "But your initiation gift is truly generous. This kind of weapon, if sent to Zhongjing, would be worth at least three thousand strings of cash."

"It's good as long as Master likes it."

"Good!" Daoist Priest Mingzhang nodded in satisfaction. "You have a good heart. With such a weapon, I can protect myself."

Lu Zheng's eyes flashed. A treasure for self-protection...

Could it be that Daoist Priest Mingzhang will rely on this sword to avoid a fatal disaster in the future?

If that were the case, the large amount of Light of Luck drawn would be explained.

"Master, I know this sword is indeed a divine weapon for ordinary people, but is it also valuable for cultivators?"

Daoist Priest Mingzhang reached out and flicked the spine of the sword, feeling its springiness and toughness.

"Very precious," Daoist Priest Mingzhang nodded.

"An ordinary blacksmith might not be able to forge such a batch of steel in their entire life.

Although a cultivator's forging is more meticulous than that of an ordinary blacksmith, it consumes a great deal of energy and spiritual power, and they would never make it their profession.

Most ordinary cultivators in the world can't all have a magical weapon to protect themselves."

"Of course."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang changed his tone, "After all, this kind of magical weapon is just an ordinary weapon. It can't be blessed with magic power during forging, and it has no supernatural power after it's made. It's only useful to ordinary cultivators because of its sharpness, but it's of no use to true experts and great powers, so..."

"So we can't rely on external objects, we still need to strengthen our own cultivation."

"A promising child!"

Lu Zheng blinked, also knowing the value of the Damascus steel swords he brought from the modern era.

Even among low and mid-level cultivators, they are very valuable!

In Zhongjing, they are worth three thousand strings of cash!

Noon, White Cloud Temple, Three Purities Hall.

Offering incense!

Kowtowing!

Offering tea!

Preaching the precepts!

Registering!

Bestowing the Dharma!

Finally, because he was of the Yuan generation, Lu Zheng also received his Dharma name, Yuan Zheng.

After a large-scale initiation ceremony, in addition to obtaining important scriptures and spells, Lu Zheng also got to know all the Daoist Priests of the White Cloud Temple in Tonglin County.

The most important people, besides Daoist Priest Mingzhang, were his junior brother Daoist Priest Mingjun, and Yuan Jing Little Daoist, a direct disciple of the White Cloud Temple taken in by Daoist Priest Mingzhang.

These three were all registered in the White Cloud Temple's main temple and had relatively high cultivation levels. Although the other seven or eight people were also resident Daoist Priests, they only had the Daoist registration of the branch temple.

Strictly speaking, their status was basically the same as Lu Zheng's.

However, if they improved their cultivation, they would be qualified to register in the main temple, but if Lu Zheng didn't want to be a resident Daoist Priest, that would be his limit.

The precepts of the White Cloud Temple are nothing to talk about. As long as one strictly adheres to the moral bottom line of the 21st century, one is a good disciple of the White Cloud Temple.

What surprised Lu Zheng the most was the Dharma transmission. As expected, one's own people get good things. Daoist Priest Mingzhang gave Lu Zheng three books.

One copy of the "White Cloud Commonly Spoken Qi Refining Scripture".

One copy of the "Five Talisman Method".

One copy of the "Cloud Mist Transportation Art".

The first book is a Qi refining scripture, of much higher quality than the Midnight Stillness Breathing Technique. It talks about transporting the true qi in the body, absorbing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, supplemented by improving the physique and tempering the divine soul. At the same time, the quality of the true qi cultivated is far superior to the Midnight Stillness Breathing Technique.

The second book is about using true qi to draw talismans. The talisman method records a total of five kinds of talismans: Peace Talisman, Qi Seeking Talisman, Evil Expelling Talisman, Swift Travel Talisman, and Breath Concealing Talisman, which integrate the five functions of early warning, tracking, combat, escape, and hiding. It is a complete system of talisman methods.

While Lu Zheng received the talisman method, Daoist Priest Mingzhang also gave him a stack of yellow paper and a box of cinnabar.

The third book is a small spell that can transport things over long distances. Disciples of the White Cloud Temple can use the qi of clouds and mist as a carrier to retrieve objects from the air.

Next, Daoist Priest Mingzhang explained the difficult points of the three books to Lu Zheng.

"Although the paths of cultivation are different for each school, refining essence, refining qi, and refining spirit are the fundamental foundations. This "White Cloud Commonly Spoken Qi Refining Scripture" focuses on refining qi, supplemented by refining essence and refining spirit. It is of excellent quality. You must cultivate it well. When your true qi cultivation reaches a certain level, the temple will naturally bestow subsequent cultivation methods."

"Yes!"

"I see that you have no intention of staying in the temple permanently, so if you have any questions, you can come to the mountain at any time. Even if I am not here, your Uncle Mingjun and Senior Brother Yuan Jing can explain it to you."

Lu Zheng gave a dry laugh and thanked him again.

"Alright, go back." Daoist Priest Mingzhang waved his hand, "Oh right, in the future when you come again, you don't need to offer merit money anymore."

"Yes, Master."

Lu Zheng nodded in agreement, but while he agreed, if he didn't offer money when he came up the mountain in the future, he would naturally bring some other gifts. He couldn't really come empty-handed every time.

Mutual benefit is the only way to last.