Good News

After finishing his Stance Training, Liu Yuanzhou practiced the Plum Blossom Fist a few more times.

Only when he was covered in sweat did he stop, return to the Cave Dwelling, and slowly drink a cup of hot tea, feeling incredibly comfortable all over.

After resting, he opened Third Master's wooden box of books and took out one of them.

This was a Crippling book, with missing pages at the beginning and end. The content mainly discussed various taboos related to rural weddings, funerals, house construction, road repairs, and long journeys. Liu Yuanzhou wasn't interested in these, so he only skimmed through it without reading it carefully.

He went straight to a certain page and saw a Golden Talisman paper clipped inside. He picked up the talisman with two fingers and examined it closely.

"The surface is smooth and golden. Is it made of gold?"

"This talisman is so thin, even thinner than paper, but it's very heavy. Could it really be a talisman paper made of gold?"

"If it were exchanged for silver, it should be worth a lot, but this Golden Talisman should be extraordinary. I should keep it. Besides, if I take it to exchange for silver, the origin of this Golden Talisman would be difficult to explain, and it's very likely to attract trouble."

Liu Yuanzhou pondered in his heart and put the Golden Talisman back into the book.

This Golden Talisman was naturally obtained by Liu Yuanzhou from the Thousand Buddha Cave that day.

Liu Yuanzhou clipped the Golden Talisman inside Third Master's collection of books. For the past ten days or so, he had been studying this Golden Talisman every day, hoping to unlock its mysteries.

The thing that the White-Haired Taoist tried so hard to obtain should not be ordinary, but after Liu Yuanzhou repeatedly studied it for more than ten days, he only concluded that the talisman might be made of gold, and that the runes on the talisman seemed to have some kind of profoundness, but he gained nothing else.

Sighing, Liu Yuanzhou decided to temporarily put aside his research on the Golden Talisman. After all, his knowledge was limited at the moment, and he would slowly study it after he went to the city in the future.

"Ding-ling-ling," the sound of a bell came from outside the door.

He closed the book box and was about to get off the bed when he suddenly heard the "ding-ling-ling" sound of a bell outside.

"Livestock has entered the yard. Could it be that Third Master is back?" Liu Yuanzhou was shocked. He quickly closed the book and stuffed it into the box haphazardly.

Jumping off the bed, Liu Yuanzhou didn't have time to put on his shoes and ran to open the door in his slippers. Looking outside, he saw a mule cart already parked outside the door.

"Third Master, it's really you who's back." Liu Yuanzhou said in surprise, running towards the carriage.

"Aiya, I've finally arrived home. It's killing my old bones." Third Master lifted the curtain of the carriage shed, jumped out of the car, and smiled at Liu Yuanzhou.

"Old man, take it easy, don't fall." Liu Yuanzhou quickly stepped forward to support Third Master's arm and said with a smile.

"Haha, your Third Master isn't as weak as you think. These ten years of martial arts haven't been for nothing. Stop being so fussy and hurry up and move things." Third Master laughed and pushed Liu Yuanzhou away.

"Third Master, should I move everything into the Cave Dwelling?" Wang San Ge, who was driving the cart, asked as he carried a large bamboo basket from the mule cart.

"Yes, move everything into the Cave Dwelling. Little Wang, you come into the Cave Dwelling with me to rest. Just let that kid Second Child do the moving." Third Master walked to the door, lifted the curtain, and walked in.

"You old man, rest first, I'm not tired." Wang San Ge said with a smile.

Soon, the things on the mule cart were moved into the Cave Dwelling. Liu Yuanzhou looked at the several large bamboo baskets on the ground, his eyes wide open, and sighed, "Third Master, you've brought back a lot of good things."

Third Master was sitting, leaning against the wall, drinking tea, watching Liu Yuanzhou's surprised look, and smiling without saying a word.

Liu Yuanzhou couldn't help but rummage through the things in the bamboo baskets. He didn't feel any restraint in front of Third Master.

Three large bamboo baskets, one filled with frozen chicken, Beef, Mutton and balls, another filled with fresh vegetables, and the last filled with groceries such as cloth, pastries, and candies, as well as several cloth bags. Liu Yuanzhou didn't open them, not knowing what was inside.

"Hey, your uncles packed all of these. Remember to take some meat back later." Third Master took a sip of tea and sighed, "Aiya, it's still comfortable in my own nest. Little Wang, come up to the bed and have some tea."

Wang San Ge sat on the edge of the bed, and Third Master poured him some tea.

"You really have to thank me. I'm the one who comes every few days to light the fire in your cave and clean the place. Otherwise, could your cave dwelling even be habitable?" Liu Yuanzhou said with a smile.

"Well, the cave is indeed heated very warmly for me," Third Master nodded. "But why do I smell another scent, like a woman's? Second Child, which woman did you bring to my cave?" Third Master looked at Liu Yuanzhou with a suspicious expression, but he was secretly laughing in his heart.

Liu Yuanzhou's heart skipped a beat. Was I found out? No, he's just teasing me. With a change of thought, he raised his thumb and pretended to be shocked, saying, "Third Master, your nose is really amazing. You could even smell that. Then guess who I brought."

"Haha, you're just bragging. The only girl you were close to has already run off to the city." Third Master laughed.

"Can we not talk about this?" Liu Yuanzhou said, somewhat amused. "Alright, you guys rest first. I'll go back and tell my mom to cook. How about Mutton Heluo Noodles for dinner this afternoon?" Liu Yuanzhou asked Third Master.

"Good, but don't rush off yet. I have some good news to tell you." Third Master saw that Liu Yuanzhou was about to leave and stopped him.

"What good news?" Liu Yuanzhou asked curiously.

"It's about you." Third Master picked up his cup and began to drink tea.

"If you don't tell me, I'm leaving." Liu Yuanzhou pretended to leave.

"You kid really have no patience. Alright, it's like this, I've managed to get you a job at the Tai Xuan Sect Yan Province Branch. How about that, is that good news?" Third Master looked at Liu Yuanzhou with a smug expression.

"Really? You're not lying to me, are you?" Liu Yuanzhou looked surprised. He couldn't believe it. It was like someone offering a pillow when you're sleepy. Could there really be such a good thing?

"Absolutely true. When has your Third Master ever lied to anyone?" Third Master put on a stern face.

"No, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just that this news is too surprising for me." Liu Yuanzhou said quickly. "Third Master, really, really..." He looked at Third Master, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Alright, no need for too many words of thanks. Now hurry up and get me some food, I'm starving." Third Master waved his hand.

"Okay, I'll go right now." Liu Yuanzhou ran out excitedly, "I'll get you a pound of wine too."

"This kid." Third Master shook his head with a smile.

At night, Liu Da sat on the edge of the kang, puffing on his dry tobacco pipe, while his wife, Zhang Shi, stitched the soles of shoes under the oil lamp.

"I say, Liu Da, are you really going to let Second Child go to work in the city?" Zhang Shi threw the half-finished shoe sole onto the kang, looked up at her husband, her eyes full of resentment.

In the afternoon, they had invited Third Master to their home for dinner. During the meal, Third Master mentioned that he had found a good job for Liu Yuanzhou in the city and asked for their opinion. At that time, Liu Da had happily agreed, and Zhang Shi had remained silent out of consideration for Liu Da's feelings. After seeing Third Master off and the two sons had gone to rest, the fire that had been building up inside Zhang Shi finally erupted.

"Keep your voice down, it won't be good if they hear us," Liu Da knocked his tobacco pipe, frowned at his wife, then lit another bowl of tobacco, sighing, "Alas, you still don't understand our Second Child. Look at how happy he was this afternoon, he knew about the news long ago."

"Our Second Child has a very high ambition. Although he doesn't say it, I can tell that he wants to go out and make a name for himself. His heart isn't in the village."

"And there's also Xiao Zhong, who he grew up with, who went to take the Xiucai exam and the imperial exam in glory. Can our Second Child feel good about that? Can he be content? Alas, it's all our fault for not having the ability to let the child study."

"He never tells us these things. I know he's afraid of making us worry. But we, as adults, can't let the child feel so stifled. Alas, what else can you do in the village besides farming?"

"Fortunately, Third Uncle found a job for the child, thanks to the family's connections. With him taking care of him, I naturally happily agreed. It's better than letting him go out and wander around on his own."

Zhang Shi wiped away her tears, picked up the shoe sole and continued to stitch, "I know all of this, but I just can't bear to let the child go out."

"Alas, the child has grown up, how much longer can we control him?" Liu Da sighed.

Liu Yuanzhou naturally didn't know about his parents' sighs. He was currently lying on the kang, his heart still too excited to fall asleep.

Thinking that he would soon be able to join the Tai Xuan Sect, the problem that had been troubling him was solved easily. How could he sleep peacefully?

According to Third Master, things had basically been settled. He had used the internal connections of Family Elder Shu, but such a large sect like the Tai Xuan Sect still had to go through some basic procedures for new recruits. Due to the New Year holiday, some departments were on vacation, so the specific date for completing the procedures would be notified later.

"Hopefully it will be soon." Liu Yuanzhou silently wished in his heart.