Having obtained a name, Chong An asked again, "May I ask your honored name, Master? And what should our lineage be called?"
Seated upon a meditation cushion, the Daoist said, "Your master is honored as Qing Xuan. As for this Daoist temple, there are only you and me, master and disciple, so there is no need for any particular form of address."
Chong An answered that he understood.
He felt that although this Daoist temple lacked the grandeur of those he had seen along his journey, this teacher was far more wondrous and unfathomable than any temple master he had encountered.
The Daoist said, "There are rooms to either side. Settle in there for now. Tomorrow, I shall expound the Dao to you."
"Yes, Master."
Chong An answered, but after hesitating a moment, he asked, "Master, this disciple has something he does not understand. Might I ask Master for guidance?"
The Daoist said, "Speak."
Chong An recounted his previous experiences, then said, "This disciple does not understand why I repeatedly failed to find a master before. One temple master in particular even said that my heart was insincere."
The Daoist asked, "At what age did you leave home to seek a renowned master?"
Chong An said, "Nineteen."
The Daoist said, "You came out to seek the Dao too late. Your flesh, bones, and skeleton had already largely taken shape, and your qi channels had become fixed. Even if you forced yourself to cultivate, it would be difficult to achieve anything. Besides, since you failed to find a master and were unwilling to remain as a servant, naturally no one was willing to keep you."
Chong An said in confusion, "I went to learn the Dao. Naturally, I was unwilling to become a slave or servant. Not only would I never