Do Not Tarnish Your Reputation

Under the plum blossom tree, I saw a young man discussing the Dao with an old man?

Several True Persons exchanged glances, none of them understanding the meaning of this sentence, nor what the old man and the young man under the plum blossom tree signified.

All of them were True Persons capable of establishing their own lineage, yet before this Daoist who pushed open the rotten wooden door and emerged, they behaved with extreme deference, standing quietly. The Daoist looked at the poem on the white paper for a long, long time. Then, he placed the paper on a nearby stone table without a word.

The sect leader of this lineage appeared to be only middle-aged, his Daoist robe simple. He cupped his hands slightly and inquired, "Senior, you have emerged from seclusion today."

"Have you gained any insights?"

The Daoist's expression was exceedingly calm. "I have gained nothing."

"The Heavenly Emperor has banished me to this place. Unless I can comprehend the Great Dao, I cannot return to my former position, nor can I take a single step down the mountain. I have sat here for a thousand years with little enlightenment."

"My inspiration has dried up. I cannot move forward, nor can I achieve sudden enlightenment."

"Perhaps this is the punishment."

He sighed slightly, paused, and after a long period of contemplation, added, "However, I dreamt of this person today. Perhaps they are also connected to my opportunity to leave this place. Your sect's disciples travel the world; you can help me keep an eye out for this person. If you find them, I will surely reward you."

Everyone bowed in return.

The Daoist, with his plain and unremarkable features, waved his sleeve and said lightly, "You may go."

After the many True Persons of the Daoist Sect departed, someone else asked the Sect Leader:

"Since it is an opportunity, should we use Ziwei Doushu, the art of astrology and divination, to deduce heavenly secrets and find this young man?"

The Sect Leader smiled and shook his head. "What the Dao seeks is affinity."

"If there is affinity, we will meet eventually."

"If there is no affinity, forcing it will not work and may instead create enmity."

"Why bother?"

"The Dao follows nature. Why be attached? Those who strive often fail; those who cling often lose. Let it be."

The other True Persons all bowed and left, after which they practiced breathing exercises and taught their disciples. Regarding this matter, it was only passed down as a password among the ordinary disciples, without any insistence. However, it stirred ripples throughout the world. Meanwhile, the youngest daughter of the Cui Family, that beautiful genius, Cui Yuanzhen, who was like a banished immortal, successfully became a disciple under the Head True Person, practicing swordsmanship and forging her own destiny.

The next day, Su Yue'er, dressed in red, and the young man from the Cui Family were to descend the mountain.

Cui Yuanzhen saw them off.

Having entered the sect for only a day, she had already exchanged her worldly clothes for the attire of the Daoist sect. Her three thousand strands of black hair were tied up with a Daoist hairpin.

Her demeanor was refined and elegant, her appearance beautiful, yet the cinnabar mark between her brows gave her a sharp, almost fierce aura.

Although she had not yet fully matured, it was clear she would be a rare beauty in the future.

Many proposals had already been made. A few years prior, an old man surnamed Li, who was passing through on his travels, had smiled and said she should cultivate the Dao, rather than marry into a high wall.

Even if she were to marry, it should be to an immortal.

Thus, she came to love the Dao.

As they walked, the scenery they saw was entirely different from the mortal world, possessing its own unique charm, making them linger and forget to return.

As they approached the mountain gate to leave, they saw that the majestic gate had been newly renovated. The original imposing characters had been removed and replaced with four lines of poetry, which were more like verses than couplets.

Cui Yuanzhen was surprised and stopped there.

She raised her sword, looked up at the characters, and murmured:

"White Jade Capital in the Heavens, Twelve Towers and Five Cities."

"An immortal strokes my crown, ties my hair and receives longevity."

Her expression shifted slightly. Although at first glance it seemed less grand and imposing than the previous couplet, for some reason, the more she savored it, the more she felt that these twenty short characters held an inexhaustible charm, a graceful ease, and a calm composure. It possessed a deeper aura and a more lasting aftertaste than the previous couplet, and she liked it even more.

This young woman, who had always been described as having the talent and beauty of a banished immortal, memorized this poem and asked her fellow disciples with a smile:

"This poem is truly extraordinary."

"Was it written by the Ancestor on Heavenly Pillar Peak?"

The Daoist recognized his junior sister, who had been taken as a disciple by the Head True Person upon entering the sect. He cupped his hands with a smile and replied:

"It was not."

"It was written by the Ancestor in a dream, while discussing the Dao with a young man under the plum blossom tree."

"Its extraordinary aura is more celestial than the original, which is why we disciples replaced the couplet."

Cui Yuanzhen nodded in understanding. "So that's how it is."

Su Yue'er, reciting this experience and seeing the couplet, couldn't help but feel a sense of longing, revealing a satisfied smile.

"Discussing the Dao in a dream and writing such ethereal verses is truly a celestial affair."

"It is truly worthwhile to come out and witness such a thing."

"If I were at home, I would certainly never have access to this."

"Yes, when I return home, I'll tell Father and his disciples to make them envious!"

Thinking of that young man her father valued so highly, she pondered:

I'll tell that Qi WuHuo too!

It was to broaden his horizons.

The axe blade split the firewood, then cut through it in one go.

The firewood was thus divided into two equal parts and fell to the ground.

Qi WuHuo split firewood to cook. With magic, he could save a lot of effort.

Even while cooking, he was still flipping through the Record of Becoming Immortal and the cultivation notes from the Mountain God. The old man, who had originally planned to leave today, was leisurely stroking his beard and sipping tea nearby. He had said he would leave in three days, showing none of the urgency he had displayed yesterday.

He said he was going to see someone, but he didn't say where or who.

He just smiled and said it was very close.

He then joked that he had given Qi WuHuo three choices back then: one was to receive a large sum of gold, another was to live for another twelve hundred years, and the third was to meet the Cui family's youngest daughter, who was like a banished immortal, and be introduced to her.

Since you refused then, I won't take you there now. This time, I'm just going to see a young friend.

You might know him. Perhaps you'll recognize him when you see him.

Qi WuHuo became even more curious.

He put down the notes, his understanding of cultivation having been largely organized and broadened.

He thought that he had previously told the guardian spirits in the mountains that he would preach the Dao soon. He wasn't sure how long he would be visiting the old man's friend, so he could go and preach in the mountains first, and then accompany the old man to visit someone else. He mentioned this to the old man during dinner. The old man smiled and asked, "You're going to preach the Dao in the mountains?"

"Yes."

"Just like the former Mountain God?"

"Yes."

Qi WuHuo nodded. He had the elixir furnace from Tantai Xuan and planned to refine some elixirs for the spirit beasts in the mountains. These elixirs could also help improve their Qi cultivation on a daily basis. The old man stroked his beard and nodded, lowering his head to look at some scripture. Then, as Qi WuHuo was leaving, he casually said:

"Golden Crow and Jade Rabbit catalyze each other, the twin sun and moon pills come and go.

Refine spiritual elixirs to achieve medicine, in the human world, only longevity's ash remains."

"Since you want to refine elixirs, you should have the method. This is one of the General Principles, so you won't have an elixir furnace but not know how to use it or use it poorly. As for the Golden Crow, the Jade Rabbit, and the [Method of Mutual Catalysis], how to circulate Qi, and what the twin sun and moon pills are, I've already told you during your previous cultivation, so I won't repeat it now."

"I enjoy refining elixirs and cannot stand seeing precious things wasted."

"That's why I'm telling you this."

The old man looked up, stroked his beard, and smiled:

"Since you're going to preach, go and do it well. Preach as much as you like."

"Form good karma, and you will receive good results. Act without acting, and yet nothing is left undone."

"Yes."

Qi WuHuo slung his backpack over his shoulders and, dressed in blue, walked out. He heard the old man casually say something.

It seemed ordinary.

Yet, it also seemed different from his usual gentle whispers, with a hint of other meaning. He said plainly:

"Do not tarnish your reputation."

Qi WuHuo paused, turned around, and cupped his hands in a salute:

"Yes."