Wudang Sect Leader

When a group of old men joyfully discovered they had entered a realm they had long been unable to break through, Zhang Hupan had already stopped lecturing. He simply watched the white-bearded elders weep, inwardly sighing at the hardships of the path of cultivation!

Finally, the scene of mixed sorrow and joy, the heart-wrenching scene, calmed down. Anyone would feel a pang of sadness watching a group of centenarian old men cry. The Taoist priests, as if by prearrangement, lined up neatly before Zhang Hupan according to their seniority and bowed deeply to him with great respect. If their gratitude for receiving the celestial pills earlier was heartfelt, then their current gratitude came from the very depths of their souls. Before, Zhang Hupan had merely given them fish, a temporary solution, but now he was teaching them to fish, bestowing upon them skills for lifelong use.

At this moment, Zhang Hupan silently accepted the grand salute from the Wudang disciples, his heart filled with emotion for these Wudang disciples who lacked guidance from their ancestors. In reality, Zhang Hupan didn't understand that the Wudang disciples were already quite fortunate; Zhang Sanfeng and other seniors had generously passed down many scriptures and magical artifacts. They simply lacked a true master's guidance. As for other sects, their disciples and grand-disciples were even more unfortunate, with masters merely introducing them to the path and the rest being up to individual effort. Only a few exceptionally gifted disciples received special instruction; ordinary individuals could only practice the most basic Taoist arts. This was why the Wudang Sect, with its mere 700 years of history, could rank among ancient cultivation sects that had been passed down for tens of thousands of years. Although only at the lower-middle tier, it was already a miracle.

After the grand ceremony, Qingmu respectfully approached Zhang Hupan, then kowtowed several times with loud thuds, saying, "Disciple Qingmu, greets the Old Ancestor!"

Zhang Hupan lightly waved his sleeve, and a gentle force softly lifted Qingmu. Zhang Hupan then curiously observed the current Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect, who faced the secular world. He was slender with snow-white beard and eyebrows, smooth skin, possessing an almost otherworldly immortal aura, truly befitting the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect.

Although Zhang Hupan's gaze was gentle, as it swept over Qingmu, Qingmu felt as if he were naked and exposed before Zhang Hupan, feeling incredibly awkward. However, he was, after all, the current Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect. In today's complex society, even with little experience, Qingmu was a master of social interaction in front of Zhang Hupan and these Taoist priests. His eyes darted, and he began to flatter with boundless, creative, and extravagant praise, like a surging river. If a modern person were present, they would undoubtedly dismiss Qingmu as worthless, scolding him for using such outdated and vulgar language. But to the naive ears of Zhang Hupan, it sounded like heavenly music, incomparably beautiful. The old Taoist priests, upon hearing Qingmu's flattery, felt like committing suicide by smashing their heads against a tofu block. Especially when they saw Zhang Hupan, in his delight, bestow three celestial pills and three celestial swords of excellent quality upon Qingmu, they even considered asking Qingmu to hold a remedial class for them to improve their skills in this area.

"Qingmu! This humble Taoist wishes to descend the mountain and cultivate in the mortal world. Can you teach me some common knowledge about the secular world in the next few days?" Zhang Hupan asked Qingmu with a smile.

Qingmu desperately wanted to say yes; that way, he could surely gain more benefits from this senior, the most senior figure in Wudang. However, Qingmu was self-aware. Society had changed drastically; it was no longer the world he knew forty years ago. Despite the great temptation, Qingmu dared not commit the act of betraying his master and ancestors. He could only honestly report, "Old Ancestor, this disciple has not descended the mountain for decades and is not very clear about the current state of the world. However, my second disciple, Mingde, frequently moves about in the secular world. Perhaps I could have him explain things to you?"

"That would be good! Bring him here tomorrow. For the next few days, I will lecture on the Heavenly Dao every morning, and in the afternoon, Mingde can tell me about secular matters. Please also bring the other disciples of the Qing generation to listen. That is all, you may disperse and focus on comprehending the Heavenly Dao taught today!"

Thus, everyone returned to their rooms to cultivate, and Qingmu happily returned to Yuchun Palace. Upon reaching his room, Qingmu sent away the young Taoist attendant who served him and summoned Song Feng. Looking at his second disciple, who was slender, elegant, and well-versed in worldly affairs, Qingmu felt, for the first time, the desire to pass on his mantle to Song Feng. He had always disliked Song Feng's excessive enthusiasm for secular matters, wasting precious cultivation time. Now, his eldest disciple, Mingwu, was close to reaching the Innate Realm, just one step away from entering the cultivation world, while Song Feng remained at the same level as ten years ago, with no progress. However, just now, he had, for the first time, realized the benefits of understanding worldly affairs. Didn't he receive celestial pills and magical artifacts better than his master and grandmaster? From their envious, no, jealous gazes, one could tell the difference was not small! If he had been active in the human world recently, he could have spent more time with the ancestor, and then, wouldn't celestial pills and magical artifacts be readily available! He wondered what stroke of luck his second disciple had stumbled upon to be fortunate enough to teach the ancestor about secular matters. Thinking this, Qingmu seemed to see piles of celestial qi-filled celestial pills and immortal treasures. Wouldn't Song Feng's immortal path be boundless! Instantly, Qingmu looked at Song Feng as if he were a rare treasure, his eyes shining, and said to Song Feng in an exceptionally gentle voice, "Mingde! How has your master treated you?"

"Master's kindness to me is as immense as a mountain. Without Master, I would have frozen to death on the streets long ago!" Although Song Feng found his master's unusual behavior today a bit strange, recalling Qingmu's kindness to him, he answered with deep emotion.

"Then, if you have any treasures, would you share them with your master?" Qingmu asked gently, secretly pleased with himself for having a good disciple. If there were children present, they would surely exclaim, "The Big Bad Wolf!" Because Qingmu today was no longer the ethereal immortal; he was more like a cunning, greedy animal.

Unfortunately, how could Song Feng suspect the master who had raised him since childhood and taught him martial arts? "Of course, I will!" Song Feng replied without hesitation. However, having been in contact with modern society for many years, Song Feng's reactions and perceptiveness were astonishing. He realized that perhaps someone had been slandering him in front of his master. Although he had always gotten along harmoniously with other Wudang disciples, he couldn't rule out the possibility of someone being jealous of his frequent excursions down the mountain. Thus, Song Feng hesitantly asked cautiously, "Master, has someone told you that I obtained treasures in the secular world? This is a grave injustice. If this disciple obtains any treasures in the secular world, I will report them to Master!"

"No, no, how could this master suspect you!" The face of the centenarian Qingmu actually showed a hint of redness, which left Song Feng utterly bewildered.

"What I mean is, if you have the opportunity to obtain some treasures recently, could you let your master choose two?" After saying this, Qingmu stared nervously at Song Feng.

Poor Song Feng, although he had mingled in the secular world for decades and was considered cunning and experienced, even with another head, he wouldn't believe that a miracle would happen to him soon, that treasures would fall from the sky. Moreover, these were things that even his master, who was considered an immortal in the eyes of the secular world, called treasures – they were rare and sought after, and obtaining even one in a lifetime was a blessing from a past life, let alone two. Song Feng, having become wise with age, naturally knew that his master was currently awaiting his answer with great tension. Although he found his master's unusual behavior today strange, even wondering if people had a menopause at 100 years old, his master was, after all, the person he respected most. Therefore, despite the abnormality, he still answered without hesitation, "If such a thing truly happens, this disciple will obey Master's command!" (To be continued)