Bountiful Harvest

Daoist Priest Mingzhang nodded.

"To enter the temple's direct lineage, this poor daoist must report to the main temple and take you to be entered into the direct-lineage daoist registry. But a Lay Practitioner need not go through so much ceremony."

Nominal disciples really weren't valued...

"This poor daoist can accept you directly, enter you into the branch temple's daoist registry, and simply notify the main temple."

So he had agreed?

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

Don't give me that nonsense about modern people not kowtowing. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, understand?

"Don't be in such a hurry. Even if there are fewer formalities, you will still be a nominal disciple of White Cloud Temple. Have your senior brother set up an incense table in the Three Purities Hall later. Your master will explain the precepts, confer the teachings, and enter you into the registry."

"Yes!"

Lu Zheng rose with a smile and pushed the wooden box before him toward Daoist Priest Mingzhang. "Perfect. Let this sword be this disciple's gift upon entering your tutelage."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang stroked his beard and smiled. In truth, he had not taken Lu Zheng's gift too seriously. As the son of a modestly wealthy family in a county town, what divine weapon or sharp treasure could Lu Zheng possibly obtain? Still, a gift might be light, but the sentiment weighed heavy. Lu Zheng's sincerity pleased Daoist Priest Mingzhang greatly.

"Good. Then your master shall accept it with thanks."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang casually opened the wooden box and glanced inside, only to freeze.

The black water-buffalo-hide scabbard bore cloud patterns that seemed to flow across its surface, while the brass fittings were exquisite and delicate. One look told him it had been fashioned by a master craftsman.

A glint flashed in Daoist Priest Mingzhang's eyes. He reached into the box, drew out the sword, and gripped the hilt in his right hand.

Clang!

The cloud-patterned hundredfold-forged steel nearly dazzled Daoist Priest Mingzhang blind.

"Fine sword!"

Buzz!

The Jade Seal trembled lightly, and strands upon strands of Light of Luck surged in without end. Stunned, Lu Zheng silently counted until he reached twenty-nine.

What was going on?

Wasn't this far too much?

Why had Daoist Priest Mingzhang's—uh, Master's—luck changed so drastically?

No matter how impressive the Cloud Pattern Sword was, it was still only an external object. Surely it couldn't be this much?

He merely seemed extremely happy. It did not look as though he had gained some sudden enlightenment.

Daoist Priest Mingzhang plucked out one of his own hairs with his backhand, laid it against the blade, then gave a gentle puff.

Without a sound, the hair was sliced cleanly into two.

"It can sever hair with a breath. Lu Zheng, where did you get such a fine sword?"

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

"Heh heh, this disciple has his own channels."

Lu Zheng did not want to lie, so he simply said nothing more. At the same time, this was a small test for Daoist Priest Mingzhang.

After all, it was only a sword.

"Very well, your master will not ask." Daoist Priest Mingzhang could not help but laugh. "But this gift you have offered upon entering my tutelage is truly weighty. If such a sharp weapon were sent to Zhongjing, it would be worth at least three thousand strings of cash."

"As long as Master likes it."

"Good!" Daoist Priest Mingzhang nodded in satisfaction. "You have put your heart into this. With such a sharp weapon, your master will have enough to rely on for protection."

Lu Zheng's gaze flickered. A protective treasure...

Could Daoist Priest Mingzhang avoid a deadly calamity in the future because of this sword?

If so, then such a massive cut of Light of Luck made sense.

"Master, I know this sword is indeed a divine weapon and sharp treasure to ordinary people, but is it also precious to cultivators?"

Daoist Priest Mingzhang reached out and bent the spine of the blade, feeling its spring and resilience.

"Very precious." Daoist Priest Mingzhang nodded.

"An ordinary blacksmith might never forge a furnace of steel like this in his entire life.

"Though cultivators are more meticulous than ordinary blacksmiths when refining weapons, it consumes an immense amount of energy and spiritual sense, and they certainly do not make it their profession.

"Among the countless ordinary cultivators in the world, not everyone can possess a divine weapon or sharp treasure to protect themselves."

"Of course."

Daoist Priest Mingzhang's tone shifted. "Such divine weapons and sharp treasures are ultimately only mortal weapons. No mana can be imbued into them during forging, nor do they possess any supernatural powers after they are made. They rely solely on sharpness. They are useful to ordinary cultivators, but to true masters and great powers, they are utterly useless. Therefore..."

"So we cannot rely on external objects. Our own cultivation must still be strong."

"You can be taught!"

Lu Zheng blinked, now understanding the value of the patterned steel blades and swords he had brought from the modern world.

Even among low- and mid-level cultivators, they were extremely valuable!

In Zhongjing, one was worth three thousand strings of cash!

At noon, White Cloud Temple, Three Purities Hall.

Offer incense!

Kowtow!

Present tea!

Explain the precepts!

Enter the registry!

Confer the teachings!

Finally, because he belonged to the Yuan generation, Lu Zheng received his own daoist name: Yuan Zheng.

After that grand disciple-acceptance ceremony, Lu Zheng had not only received important scriptures and spells, but had also become acquainted with all the Daoists of White Cloud Temple in Tonglin County.

The most important people, aside from Daoist Priest Mingzhang, were his junior brother Daoist Priest Mingjun, as well as Yuan Jing, the young daoist and direct-lineage disciple Daoist Priest Mingzhang had accepted into White Cloud Temple.

All three had their names registered at White Cloud Temple's main temple, and their cultivation was relatively high. Although the other seven or eight were also daoists stationed at the temple, they only had records in the branch temple's daoist registry.

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

It was simply that if they raised their cultivation, they would also be qualified to have their names entered into the main temple's registry. Lu Zheng, however, did not intend to stay at the temple as a daoist, so this was as high as he could go.

White Cloud Temple's precepts were not much to speak of. As long as one strictly upheld the moral bottom line of the twenty-first century, one would be a good disciple of White Cloud Temple.

What delighted Lu Zheng most was the conferral of teachings. Sure enough, good things were reserved for one's own people. Daoist Priest Mingzhang gave Lu Zheng three books.

One was the "White Cloud Commonly Spoken Qi Refining Scripture."

One was the "Five Talisman Method."

One was the "Cloud Mist Moving Skill."

The first was a Qi Refining scripture, several grades higher in quality than the "Midnight Stillness Breathing Technique." It taught how to circulate true qi within the body and absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, supplementing this with the strengthening of one's physique and tempering of one's soul. The quality of the true qi cultivated from it also far surpassed that of the "Midnight Stillness Breathing Technique."

The second was a method of using true qi to draw talismans. It recorded five talismans in total: the Peace Talisman, Qi Seeking Talisman, Evil Expelling Talisman, Swift Travel Talisman, and Breath Concealing Talisman. They covered five functions—warning, tracking, combat, escape, and concealment—forming a complete talisman system.

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

The third was a minor spell for moving objects over long distances. White Cloud Temple disciples could use the qi of clouds and mist as a medium to retrieve objects from afar.

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

"Though the paths of cultivation differ among the various schools, refining essence, refining qi, and refining spirit are the fundamental foundation. This 'White Cloud Commonly Spoken Qi Refining Scripture' focuses on Qi Refining, supplemented by refining essence and refining spirit. Its quality is excellent. You must cultivate diligently. Once your true qi cultivation reaches a certain realm, the temple will naturally bestow further methods upon you."

"Yes!"

"I see that you have no intention of residing permanently at the temple. Thus, if you encounter any difficulties, you may come up the mountain at any time. Even if I am absent, your Uncle-Master Mingjun and Senior Brother Yuan Jing can explain them to you."

Lu Zheng gave a dry laugh and bowed in thanks once more.

"Enough, go back." Daoist Priest Mingzhang waved his hand. "Oh, right. When you come again in the future, there will be no need to offer Merit Money."

"Yes, Master."

Lu Zheng nodded in agreement, but agreement was agreement. If he came up the mountain in the future without bringing money, he naturally had to bring other gifts instead. He could not truly keep showing up empty-handed.

Only mutual benefit could last.