Transforming Yang Initiation

News that the eldest young master's evil affliction had been driven out by an expert—and that he was going to leave home and become a Daoist priest—spread throughout the Shen family, immediately causing quite a stir from top to bottom.

From the household's matriarch, "Second Mother," down to the servants and maidservants who swept the floors, everyone wore wonderfully varied expressions.

Before long, the news had even spread through more than half of Chunhua County.

Everyone knew that the "sickly young master" of the famed Shen family, a wealthy household in the county, was giving up his position as eldest young master to become a Daoist priest.

More than half a month later, in a somewhat desolate unnamed hill outside Chunhua County.

Shen Luo stood in a pavilion, dressed in a blue-green long robe and carrying a small bundle on his back. His complexion was rosy as he kept looking around, seemingly waiting for something.

At the center of a moss-covered stone table in the pavilion was a palm-sized triangular plaque embedded in its surface. It was dark and seemed to be forged from fine iron, yet it now emitted a faint white glow, making it appear rather mystical.

"Are you Junior Brother Shen, the one Master mentioned?" A deep male voice suddenly came from behind Shen Luo, startling him. He hurriedly turned around.

A burly young Daoist had appeared in the pavilion at some unknown time. With thick brows and large eyes, he was smiling at Shen Luo.

"I am indeed Shen Luo. May I ask who you are, Daoist?" Shen Luo cupped his hands and asked cautiously.

"I am also Daoist Luo's disciple. My name is Tian Tiesheng. Daoist Luo sent me to bring you into the temple." The young Daoist scratched the back of his head and answered honestly.

"So it is Senior Brother Tian." Shen Luo cupped his hands again.

"You can call me Tiesheng. Though I wear Daoist robes, I am not really a Daoist priest either, just like you. The others in the temple are the same." As Tian Tiesheng spoke, he casually slapped the stone table with one hand.

Bang.

The stone table trembled slightly, and the iron plaque at its center immediately sprang out and landed steadily in his hand.

Shen Luo then followed the young Daoist out of the pavilion and along a seemingly secluded path into the distance.

"Senior Brother Tiesheng, that move you made when you struck the stone table was amazing. Your palm seemed to grow larger. What kind of technique was that? Is it powerful?"

"Hehe, that was the Azure Yang Hand. It is a type of external martial art, and most disciples in the temple have practiced it. They say that if it is cultivated to a profound level, one can become impervious to blades and spears, and sever gold and jade."

"That powerful? From the way you speak, Senior Brother, are there many people in the temple?"

"Not too many. There are around a hundred Inner and Outer Disciples combined, plus some martial uncles and martial elders."

"Inner and Outer Disciples? What are those? Does a Registered Disciple like me count as an Inner Disciple or an Outer Disciple? Senior Brother must be an Inner Disciple, right?"

"I am still an Outer Disciple for now. Becoming an Inner Disciple is not so easy. There are only three slots in the entire temple, and I have fallen just a little short several times... In truth, most people in the temple are Outer Disciples. There are not many Registered Disciples like you either. At present, it seems there is only Junior Brother Shen. Also, let me tell you: our sect has a martial granduncle who stays in seclusion year-round. They say he is already several hundred years old."

"Only one..."

"Junior Brother Shen, why have you gone quiet? For some reason, I feel such an affinity with you. I want to tell you everything. We will definitely get along well in the future." Tian Tiesheng's rough voice echoed through the little hill.

"I..."

Two years later.

On a gray-white boulder, a young man who looked to be in his early twenties sat cross-legged facing the slowly rising crimson sun. His eyes were slightly closed, his hands formed a circle as though embracing something, and he remained utterly motionless.

After an unknown amount of time, an almost imperceptibly faint red thread began to gather between his cupped hands, flickering in and out of view. At first, it was only about an inch long. Slowly, it grew to an inch and a half, then two inches, then two and a half. Once it reached three inches, it could grow no longer, instead seeming about to disperse amid faint flickers.

The young man suddenly drew in a deep breath. The red thread between his hands instantly turned into a wisp of red mist and went directly into his mouth and nose. Only then did he lower his arms and open his eyes, a crystalline red gleam flashing across his face before vanishing.

"This should count as getting started, right?" the young man murmured. Feeling the warm changes within his body, a trace of delight appeared on his face.

The young man was naturally Shen Luo.

Clap. Clap.

"It was all thanks to Junior Brother Shen. Everyone bet that you would not be able to get started with the Minor Transforming Yang Art within three years. Only I believed that your diligence would surely make it possible. As expected, you did not disappoint me."

A fair-faced young man in blue robes suddenly emerged from behind the boulder. A delicate white jade cicada pendant hung from his waist. He clapped his hands and grinned at Shen Luo.

"Bai Xiaotian, why are you here? You used me to bet with other people again?" The moment Shen Luo saw the blue-robed youth, his head seemed to grow several sizes larger.

"It hardly counts as betting. I merely won a few trifling coins, nothing compared to a wealthy man like you." Senior Brother Bai Xiaotian shook his head as he spoke, as though the only thing he lacked was a folding fan in his hand.

Shen Luo could not help rolling his eyes at him.

Who else would know?

Among the hundred-plus disciples of Spring Autumn Temple, if anyone were the richest, he, a Registered Disciple, could at most rank among the top three. First place was most likely Bai Xiaotian, who had entered the temple around the same time as him. To say nothing else, if he was not mistaken, the pendant hanging from the other man's waist alone was a rare item worth a hundred gold pieces.

It was not suitable to air such private grumbling, so Shen Luo did not dwell on the matter.

"Since you won money because of me, even if you are not going to split half with me, treating me to a good meal should not be a problem, right?" He raised a brow and said to Bai Xiaotian with a smile.

"That is not a problem. It is just that the food in the temple is truly hard to swallow. If you want something good, you have to make a trip down the mountain, and the senior brother guarding the gate is not easy to talk to..." Bai Xiaotian looked troubled and hesitated.

"Quit pretending. When you secretly slipped down the mountain to buy wine before, why did I not hear you say it was difficult to leave the temple?" Shen Luo exposed Bai Xiaotian's lie in a single sentence.

"Senior Brother Niu Dadan, the gatekeeper, is truly ruthless and greedy. When has he ever not demanded an outrageous price? If he did not confiscate half my stash, would he let me back in? Fortunately, I discovered a hidden trail around the back mountain. You can leave without going through the gate. Hehe, I will take you along someday..." Bai Xiaotian was indignant at first, but quickly began smiling again.

"Only an Inner Disciple and direct successor like you can get away with being caught sneaking out of the temple. If a Registered Disciple like me dared do that, I would definitely be in deep trouble." Shen Luo hurriedly waved his hands.

Others might have come to Spring Autumn Temple to learn the Dao and martial arts, but he was different. He had come to prolong his life. How could he afford to fool around?

"I have something to ask of you. Since you are going to town, please make another trip to the apothecary and the paper effigy shop. Bring me some cinnabar and yellow paper." Shen Luo recalled something else, caught up with him in a few steps, and spoke seriously.

"You want to make talismans? Daoist Luo taught you?" Bai Xiaotian asked in surprise.

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