Apprentice at Mount Yi (Seeking Monthly Votes)

At that moment, the old Daoist priest spoke first.

"It seems fate has brought us together. I was planning to take on a disciple during this trip, and I initially thought Qing Yao was the one. But now, before I even found Qing Yao, I had already heard about you, young scholar."

"When was that?"

Lin Jue couldn't help but feel confused.

"After I dealt with the demons, on my way to Danxun, I met a scholar surnamed Wei. He claimed his home was being troubled by demons and asked me to take a look," the old Daoist priest said with a smile. "When I arrived in Danxun, I first visited the City God Temple to inquire about the situation. I didn't intend to get involved, but I happened to pass by on my way, so I decided to check it out."

Lin Jue listened, feeling quite surprised.

"On what day was that?"

"The same day you dealt with the demons, young scholar."

"I see." Lin Jue was even more astonished. "Then it truly is fate."

"You, young scholar, possess a certain chivalry. To dare to deal with demons at the Wei family's home after only a few years of practicing the Qi Nourishing Method."

"It's a long story."

Lin Jue sighed and then began to speak:

"It's all because that Wei Yuanzhong was quite cunning. He used the excuse of me having slain two strange apes in Danxun to strike up a conversation and invite me to a meal. I thought, I thought he respected my courage. By the time I realized, I had already eaten and drunk, and he had taken my clothes to wash. It would have been embarrassing to refuse.

"Secondly, I had encountered Demonic Ghosts in the village before, and I had also seen Demonic Ghosts on my way seeking the Dao. If I didn't rely on sheer courage to turn danger into safety, then I at least relied on it to remain composed. This courage cannot be lost.

"Moreover, his elder brother owes me a debt of gratitude.

"Finally, I also wanted to see Monsters for myself."

"You do have some courage," the old Daoist priest remarked, then asked, "Then why did you dare to slay that strange ape outside the city?"

"That strange ape damaged my book basket and luggage, which infuriated me."

"For a book basket and luggage, you would risk danger?"

"Daoist priest, you may not know this, but my family is poor. My book basket and the books within were gifts from others. My Uncle personally made my water bucket. To have them damaged by those strange apes... it's not a big deal, but I truly couldn't let it go! Besides, there were martial artists accompanying me, so why not?"

"You have a bit of a roguish air about you," the old Daoist priest shook his head. "Do you know, I had heard your name even before that."

"Hm?"

"Two days before that, I was traveling along the official road. Midway, I passed a desolate mountain bamboo forest. I stayed overnight at a monastery with some merchants and heard an interesting story."

The old Daoist priest said with a smile.

The young girl beside him widened her eyes and glanced at Lin Jue.

"I heard that one night not long ago, a young scholar on the road repelled some Demonic Ghosts and returned a lost mule to a merchant. The Monks in the courtyard, thinking him brave and kind-hearted, invited him to stay alone in an upper room. The Monsters in the upper room, also thinking him brave and kind-hearted, invited him to chat all night and entrusted him with their remains and some silver money. They thought he was trustworthy, but to their surprise, they discovered the next day that while they had only intended for the scholar to take a portion of the silver money as travel expenses and a token of gratitude, the scholar had taken it all, leaving nothing behind."

"I had my reasons! Didn't their families go back to look for them?"

Lin Jue frowned and asked in confusion.

"So, those two ghosts cursed the monastery for two consecutive nights, loud enough for the entire monastery to hear, and even wrote poems on the wall to insult him. Within two days, their families showed up, saying they had already received the money buried by the two ghosts and explaining the scholar's reasons for taking it, and they dug up their remains. The monastery often talks about this incident, wondering what those two ghosts were thinking." The old Daoist priest continued, "Didn't you, young scholar, consider you might be misunderstood before you took all the silver money?"

"I was in a hurry at the time. I dug it up secretly, fearing discovery, and didn't have much time to consider. Perhaps I was thoughtless," Lin Jue said, "but I have no regrets."

"That lack of regret is truly rare."

The old Daoist priest smiled faintly and walked slowly. "But what if their families took the money and didn't go back to retrieve their bodies?"

"That would be their families' fault, not mine. Besides, it's not far from Mount Qi Yun, nor from my home. I have a long life ahead of me, and I will eventually go back to take another look. If their families don't come to retrieve their remains, since I took their travel expenses as a gift, why wouldn't I personally send them back?"

"I see..."

Lin Jue, however, continued to frown, pondering what the old Daoist wanted to say, and he had a rough idea.

"Seeking immortality and the Dao is difficult enough, but to achieve carefree longevity is even more challenging," the old Daoist priest said with emotion, looking at the young scholar before him as if seeing his past self.

"One must still seek it."

"Do you know that the methods of cultivation in the world can generally be divided into three categories?"

"No."

"One is Talismans, two is Pill Cauldrons, and three is Spiritual Laws."

"Talismans, Pill Cauldrons, Spiritual Laws?"

Lin Jue silently memorized the three terms.

"Mount Qi Yun is indeed a rare Immortal Mountain in the world, but it is one of the sacred lands of the Talisman School."

"Please enlighten me, Daoist priest."

"Carefree longevity are two separate concepts: carefree and longevity," the old Daoist priest said. "The Talisman School worships deities, and perhaps there is a possibility of joining the ranks of immortals and extending one's life, but it is not carefree."

"Is that so..."

"The Pill Cauldron School and the Spiritual Law School are similar; both cultivate themselves. Currently, the Talisman School is dominant in the world, while the Pill Cauldron School and the Spiritual Law School are in decline. Among them, the Pill Cauldron School is the oldest tradition, focusing on internal and external elixirs, and mostly spends its time refining pills and cultivating in the mountains, detached from worldly affairs. The Spiritual Law School is a later path of cultivation, predating the Talisman School but following the Pill Cauldron School. It also cultivates the self, but without nurturing internal elixirs or refining external elixirs, it cultivates spiritual laws and practices Spells."

Hearing this, Lin Jue knew how to choose.

"Where can one seek the great path of Spiritual Laws?"

"Mount Yi can be found."

"Mount Yi..."

Lin Jue paused, then continued, "I wonder about Floating Hill Peak where the Daoist resides..."

"Floating Hill Peak on Mount Yi, Floating Hill Temple. I am the Abbot."

"..."

Lin Jue immediately stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening.

Hearing this, he knew in his heart that the old Daoist intended to take him as a disciple.

He suspected that when he was in Danxun County, the old Daoist had overheard his conversation with the Tree Demon and realized he was the person he had heard in the temple a couple of days prior. Those "couple of days" for Lin Jue had been more than ten days.

Their encounter on the road yesterday, including climbing the mountain together, whether intentional or coincidental, Lin Jue now felt was a test from the old Daoist. This conversation now felt like an inquiry after the test.

As for Lin Jue's previous doubts, they had already vanished with these words.

Mount Qi Yun was not suitable for him. On Mount Yi, there was a Daoist temple with genuine cultivation and a true lineage, and its Abbot was right in front of him, yet he had never known.

Moreover, the old Daoist had tested him—

This was a good thing.

A place that tested one's character before accepting a disciple was enough to alleviate many of his worries about the unknown path of cultivation.

"I wish to become your disciple, Daoist! To follow you in seeking immortality and the Dao!" Lin Jue said.

"Have you thought it through?"

"I have!"

"Your talent is immense, possessing both character and wisdom. Your future achievements are limitless. Your ambition is also high. Our Floating Hill Peak is not that grand. My lifespan is drawing to a close; I won't live many more years. What you must know is that if you truly have a heart set on seeking immortality, the Dao, and eternal life, I and Floating Hill Peak can at most send you off on your journey. To achieve the eternal life you seek on Floating Hill Peak is absolutely impossible."

"I will never regret it."

"Good, good, good! But then again, if you truly seek freedom and eternal life, which Daoist temple in this world could possibly accommodate you?"

The old Daoist chuckled, then continued walking, "Then first, follow me back to Floating Hill Peak on Mount Yi. Once we reach the temple, after you two perform the grand ceremony of discipleship, you will be considered my disciples."

"Understood."

Lin Jue felt a mix of emotions he couldn't quite articulate.

Finally, he had a master, a place where he could learn Daoist magic and spells, and finally, he could stand on a broader vantage point to see what this world truly looked like.

His heart was filled with both anticipation and trepidation.

The old Daoist's name was He Xianyu, and his Daoist title was Cloud Crane Taoist.

The young girl's name was Qing Yao. She was from Willow Village in Qiuru County and also bore the surname Liu.

Lin Jue followed the old Daoist towards Mount Yi. Since he was about to become his disciple, he naturally took on the tasks of gathering firewood, starting fires, fetching water, and asking for directions along the way. These were tasks he would have been doing on his own journey anyway.

The young girl spoke little. She looked young and delicate, yet she also performed these tasks.

If Lin Jue gathered firewood, she would gather firewood. If Lin Jue started a fire, she would watch the fire. If Lin Jue fetched water, she would hold the waterskin and follow behind him. It seemed she didn't want Lin Jue to work alone, or perhaps she was competing with him to see who could be more diligent, unwilling to be outdone.

Lin Jue often asked the old Daoist about cultivation matters.

The old Daoist was approachable and conversed with him as usual.

He learned that the old Daoist had originally brought a disciple when he descended the mountain. He first went to a grand ceremony on Mount Qi Yun, then traveled alone to another prefecture to visit old friends he had made in his youth, and was now returning.

He had originally intended to take on a disciple along the way. He hadn't expected to meet Lin Jue after already taking the young girl.

That evening, by the side of the desolate mountain road.

Lin Jue sat cross-legged under an ancient tree.

In front of him was a pile of burnt-out bonfire, a few split bamboo tubes, with faint traces of having cooked food inside, indicating the three had enjoyed a hearty meal.

Night had deepened. Lin Jue was not practicing the Qi Nourishing Method but was instead using the shade of the tree to sense the Spiritual Charm of wood.

The 'Earth Wood Essence' was tucked into his embrace.

It was true, this Earth Wood Essence was effective. Lin Jue simply kept it on him, and it continuously released the essence of earth and wood Spiritual Charm naturally. If he entered the state he often did when practicing the Qi Nourishing Method, he could also feel the profound Spiritual Charm emanating from it—one of thickness and stability, another of boundless vitality.

He gradually smelled the woody fragrance from the ancient tree behind him. The night breeze rustled the leaves, as if outlining the shape of the tree's branches and foliage.

With the old Daoist sitting beside him, Lin Jue was naturally not worried about the Demonic Ghosts on the road.

He only knew that his "Wood Escape" technique was likely showing signs of emerging.

According to the old Daoist, these were all spells from the Spiritual Law School.

He wondered what kind of divine abilities the alchemy and talisman arts entailed.

Without realizing it, his consciousness grew hazy, and the night passed.

Waking up at dawn, the diligent young girl had already fetched water for them. After washing up, they continued on their journey.

In less than two days, they were nearing Mount Yi.

This place was indeed remote; the roads they traveled had become mere paths.

Cloud Crane Taoist led them through the dense forest and up a small slope. He pointed to the distant mountains and said to them, "That is Mount Yi. In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor once refined elixirs here."

"The Yellow Emperor..."

"Do you see that mountain peak that looks like scissors? Our Floating Hill Peak is next to it."

"I see it."

Lin Jue looked up, feeling that it was incredibly high.