Making Things Difficult

"I don't. I want to try it myself." Shen Luo smiled.

He still remembered how, over a year ago, he had asked Daoist Luo to teach him Talisman Arts. Daoist Luo, who was usually fairly mild toward him, had simply flicked his sleeve and refused. Even when Shen Luo offered the exorbitant price of two hundred gold, the man had remained unmoved.

Daoist Luo had made it clear that the Talisman Arts taught in the temple were not the tricks charlatans used to fool people, but genuine secret arts that only Inner Disciples possessing magical power could cultivate. Forget a Registered Disciple like him—even formal Outer Disciples need not dream of learning them.

"Fine, I'll bring it for you." Bai Xiaotian nodded after hearing this.

"If you can, see whether the tavern has any rooster blood and black dog blood." Seeing that he was about to leave, Shen Luo added.

"I know you often read miscellaneous books, but don't take too seriously the things written by those scholars and assorted writers..." Bai Xiaotian said with a frown.

As one of the temple's only three Inner Disciples, he naturally had access to the genuine Talisman Arts. However, the rules were strict. No matter how close he was to Shen Luo, he could not divulge a single thing.

"Don't worry. I know my limits. I won't do anything reckless." Shen Luo yawned and answered vaguely.

Knowing that persuasion would be useless, Bai Xiaotian could only wave a hand before turning and leaving.

Shen Luo watched his figure disappear into the mountain forest, and the smile on his face gradually faded.

He knew Bai Xiaotian was kindly advising him out of fear that he might stray down the wrong path, but only Shen Luo himself understood his circumstances.

It was not that he was bent on dabbling in such unorthodox ways. His lifespan was simply limited, forcing him to seek another path.

That invasion of yin energy more than two years ago had already damaged the very foundation of his vitality. Over the past two years, he had mainly relied on a dose of Red Snow Powder every three months to sustain his life.

Even so, he still felt his body worsening by the day. Walking even a little farther than usual left him short of breath. Especially last winter, even wrapped in a fur cloak, he had still felt chills welling up from within, his limbs ice-cold.

As for why he only took one dose every three months, it was not because he could not afford the hundred taels of silver. Rather, this schedule maximized the medicine's effects. Taking it more frequently would not only be wasteful, but might also leave his body unable to bear the nourishment. Daoist Luo would not permit it either.

As for cultivating the Minor Transforming Yang Art, his progress was truly too slow. He had only just entered the basics today, yet even the Outer Disciple with the poorest foundation in the temple cultivated faster than he did. Besides, according to Daoist Luo, even if this art were mastered, it could at most add another ten or twenty years to one's lifespan.

But at his cultivation speed, he feared he would have no chance of reaching mastery before riding a crane west.

He had paid such a great price to come to this mountain temple not merely to eke out a few more years of life.

Lost in thought, Shen Luo slowly made his way down the mountain.

Spring Autumn Temple was built against Azure Radiance Mountain, following the contours of the slope. Aside from the mountain gate near the middle of the mountain, buildings such as the Divine Official Hall and Jade Emperor Hall were scattered up the mountainside in ascending tiers. The most important Three Pure Ones Hall stood at the summit.

Other than the Inner Disciples, the quiet chambers where the other disciples lived were concentrated along three cliffside stretches on either side of the mountain path between the gate and the Divine Official Hall. Since the terrain there was relatively open, nearly everyone could have a room to themselves.

The temple did not impose many restrictions on the disciples' cultivation. Apart from designated lecture days, when all disciples had to gather before the Three Pure Ones Hall to listen to Daoist Luo and other elders explain Daoist scriptures, they did not need to attend morning lessons together at other times.

In any case, the Minor Transforming Yang Art had already been distributed to every disciple. Everyone simply relied on their own aptitude and practiced on their own.

The place where Shen Luo practiced was not far from the Jade Emperor Hall, and he had now returned to the plaza before it.

Near the hall entrance, he did not enter. He merely gave a Daoist salute outside, rested his feet for a moment, then turned to head down the stone steps toward the foot of the mountain.

"Isn't this Junior Brother Shen? Back from practice? How did it go? Have you entered the basics of the Minor Transforming Yang Art yet?" At that moment, a rather familiar voice came from inside the hall.

Shen Luo sighed inwardly and turned around.

Just as he had expected, it was Senior Brother Ding, who had never gotten along very well with him. Before the man had even crossed the threshold, his protruding belly had already poked out through the hall doors.

Behind him followed two young men in blue cloth Daoist robes. One held a broom, while the other carried a bucket, apparently having just finished their daily duties.

"Greetings, Senior Brothers." Shen Luo wore a warm smile as he cupped his hands and saluted them.

"Junior Brother Shen, it's not that I want to criticize you, but when cultivating the Minor Transforming Yang Art, you must avoid rushing for quick results. Although you have failed to enter the basics after two years, don't be too anxious. There is still plenty of time ahead. As for aptitude, worrying is useless. Just keep working hard..." Seeing that Shen Luo was properly respectful, Senior Brother Ding found it difficult to say anything harsher. He first offered a few insincere words of comfort, then began lecturing him with the bearing of an elder brother.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I was fortunate enough to enter the basics today, and Senior Brother Bai has already helped confirm it." Shen Luo blinked and replied as if casually.

"W-what? You've already entered the basics? Bai Xiaotian knows too?" Senior Brother Ding froze, his expression immediately turning rather unsightly.

The other two young men also stared at Shen Luo in astonishment, their eyes full of disbelief.

After all, they knew Shen Luo's situation well. Otherwise, he would not have made no progress despite cultivating bitterly for two years.

By their private estimates, with Shen Luo's frail body, he might not have entered the basics even after another three to five years of practice.

Shen Luo had long expected their reactions. He said nothing further and merely smiled as he nodded.

A trace of frustration flashed through Senior Brother Ding's eyes. If Bai Xiaotian had not known, he could have concealed the matter first and then found a way to cancel the wager. But since Bai Xiaotian already knew, he had truly lost the bet.

"If there is nothing else, this junior brother will not disturb you Senior Brothers in carrying out your duties." Shen Luo smiled and cupped his hands toward the three again.

"Wait. Junior Brother Shen, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Although Bai Xiaotian has already confirmed it, he has not been in the temple for long. There is no guarantee he did not misjudge. Why not let this senior brother confirm it for you as well?" Senior Brother Ding said with a sidelong glance and a smile that did not reach his eyes.

Shen Luo immediately felt displeased upon hearing this.

This Senior Brother Ding did not actually have any grievance with him, but he had deep conflicts with Bai Xiaotian.

The reason was simple. This Senior Brother Ding Yuan's younger brother, Ding Hua, was also a disciple of Spring Autumn Temple. Like Bai Xiaotian, he was one of the temple's only three core disciples.

Ding Hua studied under the temple master, Bai Xiaotian studied under Daoist Luo, and the third studied under Uncle-Master Wang. All three were among the disciples with the highest cultivation aptitude in the temple, so naturally they competed with one another openly and covertly.

"I don't think that will be necessary. Senior Brother is busy with cultivation and duties, so there is no need to trouble yourself over me." The smile on Shen Luo's face faded.

Though he was usually polite to others, he was no soft persimmon for anyone to squeeze.

He knew when he needed to be firm and when he could yield a little.

"Junior Brother Shen, how can you speak to Senior Brother Ding like that? Senior Brother is only trying to help." One of the men behind Ding Yuan said sternly.