Half a day after the lecture gathering, within a residence not far from Divine Pardon Palace Lodge, a black-robed Daoist passed through a flower corridor covered in bottle gourd vines and headed toward a tranquil bamboo grove.
He looked at the gourds swaying before his eyes. They were small, pale blue-green in color, each one smooth and lustrous, tender as jade and charmingly adorable. The surrounding leaves were also a fresh emerald green, exceptionally pleasing to the eye. These little gourds seemed alive; as he passed by, they began to sway as well.
He withdrew his gaze and found that the flower corridor had reached its end. An elderly Daoist was waiting there. He hurried forward and bowed. "Lord Li."
Old Daoist Li said, "How did it go?"
The black-robed Daoist said, "Lord Li, I have just returned from the place of the lecture. That man has received the seal bestowed by the Profound Venerable."
Old Daoist Li stroked his beard, as if setting aside a worry. His expression relaxed as well.
The black-robed Daoist flattered him, saying, "Lord Li's strategy is brilliant. A man as eager for the Dao as Zhang Yu, upon suddenly encountering such an opportunity, will surely cast everything aside in the coming days and devote himself to seeking the Dao."
Old Daoist Li nodded silently. After a while, he added, "It had better be so."
The black-robed Daoist continued, "Once news of this spreads, there will likely be quite a few people going to compete with him for this fated opportunity. By then, he will probably have even less leisure to concern himself with other matters."
Old Daoist Li said, "Those people are nothing to count on. With his abilities, such a rabble poses no threat at all. They cannot even be called a nuisance."