Red Emperor True Form

Hearing the voice, the scene before Ling Qing suddenly dispersed.

An old Taoist with a worn headwrap, a blue cloth robe, and refined features was looking at him.

Ling Qing looked around. Before him was still the same Taoist temple as before.

The Taoist child from earlier stood beside the old Taoist.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist." Setting aside his doubts, Ling Qing cupped his hands in salute. "This poor Daoist is Ling Daoqing. May I ask this Daoist brother's name?"

"This poor Daoist is surnamed Liu, given name Taizhen." The old Taoist gave Ling Qing a thorough look, lingering especially on the whisk in his hand.

"The Taoist child said you wished to lodge at my temple?"

After another glance at the whisk, he asked, "May I ask whether you carry an ordination certificate?"

"I do." Ling Qing took out an ordination certificate.

Old Taoist Liu accepted it and examined it. Ling Daoqing's name, place of origin, and cultivating temple were all clearly recorded upon it.

After reading it, he returned the certificate to Ling Qing. "It is not that this poor Daoist is unwilling to take you in. It is simply that this temple has little incense offering income; we can barely support ourselves."

"This poor Daoist was inconsiderate." A look of realization crossed Ling Qing's face. "This poor Daoist previously received a little incense money while begging alms. Today, I offer it to the Dao Ancestors as an expression of merit."

As he spoke, he took some broken silver and copper coins from his robes and placed them in the merit box within the hall, then bowed to the images of the Three Pure Ones.

"Excellent, excellent. Fellow Daoist's merits are boundless indeed." Old Taoist Liu beamed with delight.

He then led him to the eastern side courtyard, pointed