Before the Enlightenment Pavilion Stands an Immortal Master

Fourth watch.

The night was like woven silk, thin mist drifting through it and driving away the daytime heat.

Inside the dormitory, while everyone else slept soundly.

Creak—

Glancing at Old Huang's empty bunk, Lu He quietly pushed open the door and slipped outside.

Behind the dormitory stood a latrine built of mud bricks.

Perhaps because of the heat, the stench inside was overpowering, enough to make one unable to open their eyes.

Thus, including Lu He, the tenant farmers from several nearby dormitories all kept their distance from it.

Usually, only when Old Huang had spare time would he go in to scoop it out or gather some manure to throw inside.

It was used as fertilizer for the vegetable patch beside it.

At one corner of the cesspit.

Lu He stood firm and held his breath, gripping a manure fork in one hand while the other continuously felt around the cracks in the wall.

After more than a dozen breaths.

A small silk pouch quietly appeared in his hand.

It was about half the size of a palm, thin, its opening tightly tied with hemp rope and covered in dust.

When he gave it a gentle shake, it produced the crisp clink of metal striking metal.

"Judging by that sound, there are at least three or four leaf talismans inside. As expected of Old Huang's lifelong savings!"

Lu He's eyes lit up.

He was just about to open it.

Suddenly, a rustle of footsteps sounded beside his ear.

"Tsk, couldn't hold yourself back so soon..."

Lu He's gaze narrowed, but he was not surprised.

He immediately stuffed the pouch containing the leaf talismans into the inner layer of his trousers, then used the manure fork to vigorously stir the cesspit.

In less than a moment, he hooked out a clay jar.

It also held Old Huang's savings: only five taels of broken silver.

According to Old Huang, if anyone discovered he had hidden things in the latrine, this would serve as an obvious bait to divert their attention.

Now, it was proving perfectly useful.

"Growing vegetables was a reasonable excuse for frequently visiting the latrine, while hiding money in the cesspit was another layer of misdirection. One scheme within another—being forced to sleep in a communal bunkhouse had really driven him to such painstaking lengths..."

Lu He sighed inwardly.

Before long, disorderly footsteps reached the entrance of the latrine, followed by a string of astonished cries:

"Damn, it was hidden in the pit! He really knew how to hide things. No wonder we only found a hundred-odd copper coins in his bed. I knew it—this kid was always close to Old Huang, so he had to know something."

"Our day-and-night watch wasn't wasted after all."

"Tsk, still too young. Couldn't keep his cool. It's only been three days, and he already gave in..."

"..."

Lu He turned to look.

Outside the latrine, the other six men who had supposedly been sleeping in the dormitory were already dressed and gathered around him.

A Dao diagram surfaced in the depths of his eyes, then gradually faded away.

[White Ape Child Cave-Evolution Diagram]

[Level: 1 (97/100)]

[Grade: White]

[Talent: Immaculate Heart Ape (First Stage)]

Lu He instantly entered a state of enlightenment. The surroundings, even every movement of those around him, were reflected clearly in his mind.

Then he controlled his expression, revealing a look of shock as he raised his head toward the dark, sturdy man in a coarse brown shirt leading the group. His hands gripped the manure fork nervously.

This man was called Li Zhuang. He had worked in the herb garden for ten years, and in their dormitory, his seniority was second only to Old Huang's.

"Brother Lu, you can't keep it all for yourself."

A short, fat man strode straight up to Lu He, the flesh on his face wobbling wildly.

"Old Huang was one of our dormitory brothers. The property he left behind after his death naturally belongs to the dormitory as a whole. Don't worry, Master Zhuang is fair. You won't be denied your share."

As soon as he finished speaking.

"Brother Lu, we'll each take ten percent of the wealth in this jar. If there's anything else valuable, we'll sell it for silver and divide it afterward. What do you say?"

Li Zhuang gave Lu He a faint glance. He seemed to be asking, but his tone allowed no refusal.

Across from him, Lu He silently examined the people surrounding him, as though weighing the difference in strength between the two sides.

After a moment.

"Fine."

Lu He spoke with apparent difficulty, looking as though he had yielded to reality. Then he pointed at the jar and asked in confusion, "What about the remaining thirty percent?"

"Naturally, it will be set aside for Master Zhuang's cultivation."

The short, fat man answered without hesitation, his voice brimming with reverence.

"Brother Lu should know that Master Zhuang has already cultivated at the Enlightenment Pavilion six times. He's only half a step away from comprehending a true immortal art!"

"Most likely, one more visit tomorrow will let him fully learn an immortal art. Our dormitory shares glory and disgrace. If Master Zhuang becomes a steward, we brothers will naturally rise with him."

The man reached out a large hand and lightly patted Lu He's shoulder.

"I must thank all you brothers for making this possible."

Li Zhuang cupped his hands, a hint of a smile appearing on his hard, cold face.

"Brother Ding, since Brother Lu has already gone through the trouble of fishing out the jar, I'll have to trouble you to open it." He looked at the clay jar on the ground, covered in "yellow mud," and his voice became gentler.

"Huh? Me open it!"

The short, fat man's smile abruptly froze.

That night.

All was silent.

"Just as expected, once they got the silver, those people relaxed somewhat."

Lu He slowly opened his eyes. Thinking of the silver he had "voluntarily" handed over today, he felt as though his heart were bleeding.

Four taels of silver...

After working himself to the bone for a month, rising early and returning late, he only barely earned a few hundred copper coins.

Of course, reluctance was one thing, but even if he had to do it again, he would make the same choice.

The reason was simple.

Thanks to the perception granted by the White Ape Dao Diagram, Lu He had noticed from the day Old Huang died that people in the dormitory had begun watching him, day and night.

Their purpose needed no explanation.

"They kept watch on me for three whole days over a vague possibility. They really are persistent!"

You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing some bait! If tomorrow weren't my day off, forget three days—even thirty or three hundred days, I could endure it! Damn those skinflint stewards—tenant farmers can't even ask for leave?

Lu He grumbled inwardly.

Originally, he had planned to drag things out longer and see how long this bunch could keep watching him.

But whenever he thought of Old Huang's gruesome death, an indescribable urgency welled up in his heart.

If he missed tomorrow's day off, he would have to wait until next month to visit the Enlightenment Pavilion again.

With that thought.

Lu He carefully took out the silk pouch.

Untying the hemp rope, five willow-leaf copper talismans suddenly came into view, faint light flowing across their surfaces.

"There are actually five leaf talismans!"

His eyes widened, and immense joy instantly engulfed him.

The Azurehold Herb Garden covered nearly a hundred thousand mu, vast and sprawling. The famed Enlightenment Pavilion stood at the garden's southwestern corner.

At dawn, there were still more than two hours before the Enlightenment Pavilion opened, yet over a hundred figures were already gathered in the open space before it, some sitting and some standing.

Beneath a pine tree at the edge of the clearing.

Lu He sat cross-legged, his expression filled with surprise.

The work in the herb garden was arduous, and over the years it wore down the mind greatly. All tenant farmers, regardless of age or gender, carried some measure of lifelessness about them.

He himself had been the same before the golden book awakened.

Yet among the people waiting here, only a small portion at the outer edge matched Lu He's impression of tenant farmers.

As for the rest.

Especially the dozen or so figures near the entrance, they brimmed with vitality, their blood and vigor as deep as an abyss, their heartbeats pounding like great drums.

Even from dozens of zhang away, they made Lu He's heart tremble, as though beneath their robes lurked inhuman beasts like lions, tigers, bears, and giant wild boars.

"Tenant farmers who have already learned immortal arts and stepped onto the path of cultivation?"

Lu He guessed inwardly, the fire in his heart burning ever stronger.

With such presence and such strength, they should not fear those savage spirit creatures drawn in by the Blackleaf Spirit Wheat, right?

At the beginning of the Hour of the Dragon, the sun hung high overhead like a blazing white fireball.

The doors of the Enlightenment Pavilion rumbled as they slowly parted to either side. Misty light flowed out from within, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood and spiritual energy.

Tap, tap—

A tall figure walked out at an unhurried pace. Beneath the sunlight, the gold patterns embroidered on his white robe flowed with brilliant immortal radiance, making him seem incomparably noble.

As though sensing something, Lu He abruptly opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet.

"It's time!"