"Fine, suit yourself.♠♟ 🍩😂"
Shen Gongbao stretched and got up from the couch, then passed Lu the incantations for the two Taoist arts.
"Most arts in this world are rooted in the Five Elements, and these two are no exception."
Shen Gongbao said, "These two arts aren't all that hard to learn. Go practice them yourself and you'll get the hang of them. Go on, don't disappoint your master!"
"Will do!"
Having learned two Taoist arts, Lu Chuan was in high spirits as he turned and headed out.
Only after Lu Chuan had left did Shen Gongbao let out a sigh of relief and mutter, "Good thing this poor Daoist reacted quickly..."
In the courtyard.
As for Lu Chuan, he had been in an excellent mood when he left, and had gone straight for the well.
But as he walked into the courtyard and the blazing sunlight beat down on him, it suddenly dawned on him that something was off. The smile on his face froze.
"Wait, something... doesn't seem right!"
Lu Chuan turned around thoughtfully and looked back. Somehow, without his noticing, the door to Shen Gongbao's room had quietly shut.
"Sure enough, the old fox is craftier. Master, you've got me... you're good!"
Lu Chuan's expression shifted through a whole range of emotions. After a moment, he shook his head and let out a long sigh. "This disciple admits defeat."
He'd been conned.
He might not have been a genius, but he'd always considered himself smart enough. And yet Shen Gongbao had conned him just now—and he'd only figured it out after the fact.
The moment he'd entered and seen how comfortable Shen Gongbao looked, he'd immediately voiced his protest, putting Shen Gongbao on the defensive.😲♞ ✋♖
But Shen Gongbao had then said that he was making Lu practice tempering his heart in such hot weather.
Cultivation meant cultivating one's Dao and arts, and tempering one's heart!
It was a rather abstruse saying. At first listen, it sounded as though it held some profound wisdom, enough to make a person stop and think.
This time, Lu Chuan had fallen for it because of that very line.
If Shen Gongbao had made up some other excuse, Lu Chuan might not have been fooled.
But when it came to cultivation, Lu Chuan couldn't help but take the bait.
After all, he'd only just begun cultivating. As a disciple still in the learning stage, who would dare doubt their master's teachings?
And then there was Shen Gongbao's tone, expression, and gaze, all so full of "care" and "concern" for his disciple. It would've been hard not to fall for it.
While Lu Chuan was still mulling over those words, before he could react, Shen Gongbao had seized the initiative. He'd quickly changed the subject, turned the tables, and taken control of the situation...
In the end, not only had Lu Chuan failed to blame him, he'd even gone out thanking him profusely.
"Does this mean I got sold off and even helped the seller count the money?"
Lu Chuan muttered to himself. He and his master had just shared a little joke, but it was also the first time he'd experienced just how formidable his master could be.
Only after leaving had he realized: if the weather was hot enough to temper the heart, why had Shen Gongbao hidden away to enjoy the breeze instead of sitting in meditation beneath the sun?
But now that he thought back over what had happened, all Lu Chuan could feel was utter admiration. Ba Shu69 Xin
That nimble, clever mind, those incredible improvisational skills, that Oscar-worthy performance, and a tongue that could make you fall for a trick after just a few words...
He was convinced!
Completely and utterly convinced!
Now he finally understood how Shen Gongbao managed to thrive wherever he went.
And he understood why so many people would fall for those words of his: "Fellow Daoist, Please Stay."
"Great con man, old fox!"
Lu Chuan muttered under his breath, grateful that the two of them weren't enemies, but master and disciple. Still, the "fellow Daoists" Shen Gongbao set his sights on in the future were in for a rough time.
Lu Chuan mourned for them in his heart for a second, then cheerfully headed to the shop up ahead to practice his arts.
Following Shen Gongbao really did teach him a lot of useful things—not just Taoist arts, but experience too. Experience gained through tricks like that.
There was no shame in losing to one's own master. After all, Shen Gongbao's intelligence was plain to see in Investiture of the Gods. As long as Lu Chuan learned from this mistake and didn't fall for anyone else's schemes, he'd be fine.
Inside the shop.
Lu Chuan set the half-bucket of water down behind the counter. He would practice his arts here, taking care not to let the passersby outside see him.
Then he too sat cross-legged behind the waist-high counter, in front of the bucket, with his whole body concealed by it.
"Ice Chill Technique, Ice Chill Technique. Whether my 'grand plan to make a fortune' succeeds depends entirely on you."
Lu Chuan looked at the half-bucket of cold water in front of him and pondered. After all, in this world, being capable didn't necessarily mean you'd live well. Take Jiang Ziya, for instance.
So what if he knew Taoist arts? Hadn't he still been forced by his wife to sell bamboo strainers and noodles on the street?
But lately, Jiang Ziya had been busy cultivating Samadhi True Fire, and Lu Chuan hadn't seen him again. He wondered how his martial uncle had been faring.
In this world, there was basically only one path to a good life and riches: entering the imperial court, whether as a civil official or a military general. That way, you could enjoy endless wealth and honor, along with power and influence.
As the saying went: "Master the arts of letters and arms, then sell them to the emperor!"
But among the four trades—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—Lu Chuan had his eye on commerce. Running a business at least made money, right? Having money was what really mattered!
Lu Chuan focused his mind and circulated his energy. He raised his right hand before him, forming a hand seal, and recited the Ice Chill Technique incantation he'd learned.
Hiss!
When he finished reciting it, a pale blue glow appeared above the hand seal he'd formed with both hands.
"Go!"
Lu Chuan's face lit up with delight. He pointed his hand seal at the bucket, and a streak of blue light flew into it.
Crack, crack, crack!
The moment the blue light entered the bucket, the water inside froze solid at a speed visible to the naked eye.
But it stopped soon after, leaving only a block of ice the size of a bowl floating on the water.
"Looks like I didn't put in enough true energy." After examining it, Lu Chuan searched for the reason he'd failed.
The power of some Taoist arts after they were mastered still depended on the caster's level of cultivation.
Take the Ice Chill Technique, for example.
Although it wasn't considered a high-level art, an immortal could use it to freeze rivers, while Lu Chuan's version was far less powerful.
His first attempt had worked, but he hadn't controlled the amount of true energy properly and hadn't managed to freeze a whole bucket of water.
Splash!
After thinking it over, Lu Chuan looked at the floating chunk of ice in the bucket, then suddenly smiled and stuck one hand into the water.
"Mmm... refreshing!"
After he'd used the Ice Chill Technique, the water in the bucket had turned icy cold. The chill prickled his skin, making every hair on his body stand on end.
"Now that's a chill to the bone..."
Lu Chuan narrowed his eyes, savoring the feeling. Then he took out the block of ice, leaned in, bit off a piece, and crunched away.
It didn't taste like anything, but in weather so sweltering it could practically cook a person alive, biting into some ice was a truly extravagant pleasure.
In weather this hot, only the households of princes and ministers had ice cellars. Ordinary families didn't have that kind of luxury.
After a few bites, Lu Chuan set down the ice with a satisfied look and sighed in comfort.
At last, he'd recaptured the feeling of eating an ice pop.
"Next, I'll need to get some sugar, mix it into sugar water, and freeze it. Then I'll have to cut it into evenly sized pieces, and I'll need some little wooden sticks..."
With the Ice Chill Technique, Lu Chuan knew his "grand plan to make a fortune" was already halfway to success.
"But we're about to head into the mountains to hunt down that unknown ferocious beast. I should focus on cultivation first. I can get back to this 'grand plan to make a fortune' after we return."
Before you continue