Enter My Sect

The man who had transformed from a yellow ox and the simple, tall man exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of emotion.

It's been a long time...

Even though they knew some things in advance, seeing this scene with their own eyes still brought a mix of sighs and ripples to their hearts.

Even if he's just an introductory disciple, [formal apprenticeship] is still different.

Before the apprenticeship, one is merely registered. After the apprenticeship, one can be called a disciple and enter the Daoist Sect.

The blue-robed youth let out a soft breath, took a step forward, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply, saying, "It is my earnest wish..."

I originally wanted to do this.

I was just worried about bothering you.

The old man stroked his beard and nodded. Seeing that he was about to perform the full kowtow, he waved his hand and smiled, instructing, "Daoist cultivators, outsiders, do not observe such worldly customs. Rise first and take a seat." He then looked at the man over there and said gently, "I'll trouble you with the things I asked you to prepare earlier."

The burly man laughed heartily, "Hahaha, the good fortune my wife and I have now is thanks to the elder's words back then. Even if it's the most difficult thing now, we have to do it, let alone this mere trifle?"

"How can it be considered troublesome?"

"Besides, today is a good day. If someone catches your eye, we should all celebrate properly."

"Come, sit, everyone sit down. I'll go prepare the things."

Qi WuHuo sat at the lower seat beside the elder, while the burly man took a seat on the other side, followed by the young girl. She merely looked at the white-haired old man with curiosity, not knowing anything special about him.

The yellow ox did not sit down, only smiling and sighing, "Although you are here today, Elder, you did not bring my [Big Brother]."

"If he were here too, we could have a good drink of strong liquor together."

"I won't sit today then."

He sat by the doorway, gazing up at the distance. Soon, Qi WuHuo would understand what the prepared [things] were.

Even from a great distance, Qi WuHuo could smell an incredibly enticing aroma. For some reason, upon smelling it, he felt an indescribable, intense hunger, as if every inch of his flesh and blood was releasing a strong craving.

The old man stroked his beard, looked at him, and asked with a smile, "Are you hungry?"

Qi WuHuo nodded, merely humming in response.

He wasn't entirely unfamiliar with that feeling. It was similar to when he was nine years old, wandering and surviving on tree roots and bark for seven or eight days.

And then, for the first time, he ate some rice porridge.

It was as if he had returned to the human world from the brink of death.

But afterward, he had eaten well, and recently he could even eat meat.

Why would he still feel this way?

The dishes were brought to the table – more than ten of them. There was a platter of fruits and vegetables, sliced fresh lotus root, stir-fried greens, exquisitely prepared and beautiful meat dishes, and a bowl of soup. It was golden and brilliant, and when it rippled, it looked like starlight, so exquisite it resembled a work of art.

The burly man said with some pride, pointing to the fragrant rice, "Don't underestimate this. This rice is no ordinary thing. It takes three hundred..." The elder coughed slightly and shook his head with a smile. The man, who had intended to introduce his own produce, was stunned for a moment, then nodded in understanding, realizing that some things needed to be kept hidden.

Was it because he didn't want him to become arrogant?

So, he spoke gently and explained with a smile:

"This rice needs three hundred days to sprout, three hundred days to grow, and another three hundred days before it can be harvested."

"I had already planted it for hundreds of days before I came, and it will take another hundred days before it can be eaten."

Qi WuHuo asked in surprise, "Does it take three years?"

The simple and sturdy man laughed heartily, "Yes, it grows a little slowly."

"But because it grows slowly, it naturally has some unique qualities. It's quite helpful for cultivating Primordial Qi."

"Of course, the most important point is that it tastes very good. For example, eating it with this dish is absolutely divine..."

He then introduced each of the other dishes one by one, clearly proud of his culinary skills. Finally, he pointed to the fish soup and smiled, saying, "As for these fish, there's nothing particularly special about them. I just caught them from the river this morning."

"Consuming them is very beneficial for one's own Primordial Essence."

"It will be very helpful for you, WuHuo."

Even though he was affected by the intense, instinctive hunger, Qi WuHuo sat quietly. Only after the old man nodded did he pick up his chopsticks. The rice itself had an excellent flavor, leaving a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth. The fish was incredibly tender, its texture like white jade, with a springy elasticity. The young girl beside him happily shared her favorite way of eating.

She especially recommended pairing the golden fish soup with the rice.

This rice seemed not to fill the stomach.

Qi WuHuo felt the rich flavor as he chewed, and as he swallowed, it transformed into a clear energy, not making him feel bloated. It then dispersed throughout his body. Unknowingly, he had already eaten more than ten bowls. Among those present, he ate the most, and the burly man was stunned.

His eyes widened slightly, as if a spiritual light flashed, transforming into a supernatural ability that scanned Qi WuHuo's body.

He frowned slightly, surprised in his heart.

'This is...'

'Five kinds of fatigue and seven injuries, having survived death, experienced calamities, and endured long periods of hardship and labor in his youth. His spirit also seems to have suffered a great shock.'

'Long-term starvation, surviving on tree bark and wild grasses that were not beneficial to the body, and even toxic.'

'It seems he also ate things like 'Guanyin soil', which only filled the stomach but provided no nutrition.'

'It's only due to his extremely tenacious willpower that he didn't die.'

'Even so, my foundation is greatly damaged.'

He used the Art of Returning Light to observe.

Given the difference in strength between him and Qi WuHuo, he could glimpse some of the events that had happened to Qi WuHuo.

He saw disaster strike. A nine-year-old child stumbled along the road, surrounded by refugees fleeing famine. Though he had walked far, the child gritted his teeth, turned back, and shared his biscuit with a younger child. However, his last possessions were snatched away, forcing him to survive by eating leaves and roots. He found a sword and began to wander.

He used the found sword to wound an adult who grabbed him. Famished, he opened a iron pot, only to see a child's arm inside, with signs of gnawing. The nine-year-old child, holding the sword with both hands, was the emaciated figure who finally cried out in despair—

'You can't take my meat.'

'I traded my child for this!'

'You can't!'

He lunged forward, wanting to grab Qi WuHuo and throw him into the pot.

The nine-year-old child, gripping the sword tightly with both hands, killed him.

Then, he used the sword to dig the earth, burying the child who had died in the pot.

He took a small piece of biscuit from the hand of the dead six-year-old child, apologizing.

Then he dragged the sword away.

The man watched these fleeting images and suddenly understood why the old man had asked him to bring out today's items. After experiencing such events, even if one survived, the damage to their foundation and spirit would be immense. It would be so great that even with a proper cultivation method, they might only live to sixty or seventy.

His Primordial Spirit had become even more resilient due to these experiences.

As for Qi and Primordial Essence, they were the foundation of the body and had naturally been greatly affected.

Eating special spiritual items could compensate for past experiences.

The man sighed inwardly, then looked at the boy, who was only fourteen years old, with a hint of pity in his eyes. He wondered how much suffering the boy had endured in his past to sustain such injuries and illnesses. He also wondered why, after going through all that, he still maintained his current disposition. He supposed he must have met someone who could guide him away from the path of wickedness.

The old man saw Qi WuHuo finish another bowl and continue eating. He smiled and pushed his own bowl over.

Qi WuHuo instinctively said, "Old man..."

The old man chuckled, "You still call me old man?"

Qi WuHuo replied, "...Teacher."

Only then did the old man smile in satisfaction, "Since you call me teacher, don't be so formal anymore."

By the end of the meal, Qi WuHuo had eaten more than everyone else combined, which made him feel a bit embarrassed. Just then, the man Qi WuHuo called Uncle Yun waved his sleeve, signaling for the table and dishes to be cleared. The old man sat at the head of the table, and as Qi WuHuo looked on in confusion, Uncle Yun smiled and said, "It's time."

He clapped his hands.

Suddenly, three people emerged from outside the house. They were all dressed in green, with jade pendants hanging from their waists, wearing lotus-colored embroidered shoes, their hair tied up high. They were beautiful, with smiles on their lips, holding white jade-like trays. They walked in together.

The trays were covered with red silk, and on top of the silk were items.

On the first tray, lay a blue water-repellent robe.

The robe was neatly folded.

On top of the water-repellent robe rested a Daoist sect cloud crown.

Smiling, they stood before Qi WuHuo.

On the second tray, lay a Daoist five-colored silk sash, in five colors, symbolizing the five elements, five colors, and the five directions' Heavenly Emperors.

The third tray held a pair of simple shoes and a jade disc.

They lined up in front of Qi WuHuo, bowed in unison, and said with smiles, "Daoist master, please."

The elder said, "Since you are entering the sect, how can you still be dressed like this?"

His eyes were gentle, his voice calm and unhurried as he said, "Since I am your teacher."

"I shall perform the initiation for you."