Neighbors

Faced with everyone's anticipation, Daoist Caiyun did not keep them waiting.

She raised her hand and took an embroidered gold-thread pouch from her waist.

"The Mind-Calming Incantation I just taught excels at regulating one's state of mind and offers some help with cultivation as well."

"Besides that, I also have a Sun and Moon Worship Technique here.

If you master this technique, it can enhance your spirituality and replenish your Qi, speeding up your progress somewhat when you cultivate."

"Anyone interested need only pay ten Spirit Stones."

Jiang Yan was greatly surprised to hear this.

Ever since Daoist Caiyun had begun preaching, she had not wasted a single word.

He had thought she was a lecturer with a withdrawn disposition. He had not expected her to start doing business here in the Preaching Plaza.

The senior disciples around him were clearly prepared for this. Quite a few had already risen and stepped forward to buy it.

They had even formed a line before Daoist Caiyun's lotus platform.

This so-called Sun and Moon Worship Technique probably won't have much of an effect. After all, it only costs ten Spirit Stones.

But judging by how eager all these senior disciples are, it should be worth the price.

As the saying went, when in doubt, learn from your elders.

To Jiang Yan, the senior disciples here were precisely the elders he ought to learn from.

He could also accept the cost of ten Spirit Stones.

With that thought, Jiang Yan rose from his cushion and joined the line.

Daoist Caiyun's pouch was clearly a Storage Law Artifact.

A faint smile hung at the corners of her mouth. Whenever a disciple handed over their Spirit Stones, she took a Jade Tube from the pouch in exchange.

Money in one hand, goods in the other-her movements were swift.

Soon, it was Jiang Yan's turn. He too handed over ten Spirit Stones in exchange for a finger-sized Jade Tube.

Back in his seat, Jiang Yan watched the senior disciples around him who had also obtained Jade Tubes.

He discovered that most of them used their Jade Tubes immediately.

After some thought, he copied their movements and pressed the Jade Tube to his forehead.

Much as when he had first obtained his cultivation method, the moment the Jade Tube touched his forehead, a stream of information flowed out, seeking to enter Jiang Yan's mind.

But the Dao Register in Jiang Yan's mind suddenly manifested, blocking this stream of information.

The Dao Register gave off a faint glow. After flickering a few times, it seemed to confirm that the information was harmless before allowing it into his mind.

So this Dao Register not only assisted Daoists when they set up altars, but could also serve as protection?

Seen this way, once a Daoist registered for ordination, they effectively gained a "firewall."

Even when faced with an invasion by external demons or possession by practitioners of the Evil Dao, while it might not necessarily stop them, it could at least provide something of a buffer.

For a mere ninth-grade Dao Register to have such an effect, its usefulness could truly be called extraordinary.

And if he raised his Dao Register's grade in the future, it would presumably become even stronger.

Marveling inwardly, Jiang Yan gave the Sun and Moon Worship Technique, which the Dao Register had inspected, a rough read.

He did not immerse himself in it, however. He would wait until the lecture ended, then go back and study it closely.

He sat below and waited a little longer, until no one else went up to Daoist Caiyun to seek a technique.

By Jiang Yan's rough calculation, Daoist Caiyun had earned at least several hundred Spirit Stones from this occasion alone.

If she did this every month when she lectured, it should count as a steady stream of income even for a seventh-grade Daoist.

After pouring all the Spirit Stones into her pouch, Daoist Caiyun nodded in satisfaction.

Giving these lectures was an obligation of every Prefecture Academy lecturer, and there was no remuneration for it.

But that did not mean lecturers could not find their own ways to gain some benefit from it.

Generally speaking, each lecture lasted about two days.

During the final few hours of the second day, however, the lecturers would conduct some trades with the disciples.

These might involve ordinary cultivation notes, assorted sundries, or handy techniques.

The disciples were happy for the lecturers to do this too. Indeed, many came specifically for it.

If this part were actually left out, everyone would be displeased.

Tucking the pouch back at her waist, Daoist Caiyun concluded the lecture.

Jiang Yan had intended to leave with the crowd, but he saw a female Daoist pass through the people and walk toward Daoist Caiyun, who had yet to depart.

Quite a few others in the crowd noticed the female Daoist as well and stopped out of curiosity.

The female Daoist approached Daoist Caiyun and prostrated herself in a formal salute.

"Your disciple Xiangyun has only just set foot upon the Dao Path..."

With her forehead touching the ground, the female Daoist poured out a great many words.

"Today, I bare my heart in blood and offer my sincerest reverence, wishing only to observe the rites of a disciple and enter your gates!"

So this female Daoist wanted to take Daoist Caiyun as her master.

Although Prefecture Academy disciples could attend the lecturers' lessons every month, not all the questions they encountered in their daily lives could be answered.

Thus, they could also seek masters themselves, though whether the master they chose would accept them was another matter.

The female Daoist named Xiangyun was only in the ninth-rank lower realm, and she was filled with apprehension.

Fortunately, Daoist Caiyun spoke from above.

"Your name is Xiangyun? It does bear a resemblance to my name, Caiyun. You and I could be said to share an affinity."

Daoist Caiyun considered for a moment before continuing:

"But your cultivation has only barely reached the ninth-rank lower realm, so you can only be a nominal disciple for now. If you can break through to the upper realm within five years, you may become my direct disciple."

"This disciple thanks Master for her favor!"

Though she would only be a nominal disciple, it was better than nothing. The Daoist acolyte Xiangyun immediately kowtowed, addressing her as Master.

Daoist Caiyun took out a Jade Tube half the size of a palm and handed it to the Daoist acolyte Xiangyun, then gave her a few more instructions.

Only then did she pat the lotus platform beneath her, turning it into a colorful cloud and floating away.

The Daoist acolyte Xiangyun rose from her knees, a smile of delighted surprise still on her face.

Seeing that she had successfully found a master, quite a few senior disciples revealed looks of envy and jealousy. Some even took the initiative to approach her and strike up a conversation.

Jiang Yan was naturally envious too, but he did not overestimate himself and go up to flatter her.

Mounting Jinbao, he prepared to visit the Market again.

From his cursory look at the Sun and Moon Worship Technique earlier, he needed to prepare a few things before he could practice it, and he intended to buy them along the way.

Jinbao's speed had not changed much. Another hour passed before they finally reached the Market.

The things Jiang Yan wanted to buy this time were not particularly valuable, so there was no need to visit the shops farther inside.

He browsed the stalls on the outskirts. Perhaps because the senior disciples had all returned, the gains from their Yearly Examinations had flowed into the Market.

The various stalls here actually had quite a few more good-quality items.

After picking through them, Jiang Yan chose a sunflame stone, a moonshade stone, and a portion of spirit ink.

Neither kind of stone was particularly rare. Even with the spirit ink, they cost only four Spirit Stones altogether.

Once he had bought everything, Jiang Yan dared not linger in the Market.

He feared he would find something else he liked and deplete his meager supply of Spirit Stones even further.

He only spent a little more Talisman Money to buy Jinbao some food it liked.

After all, it had frequently had to hop about lately and had truly worked hard.

Speaking of Talisman Money, back when Jiang Yan was at the County Academy, he had relied on it to buy everything he needed.

Now that he was at the Prefecture Academy, Talisman Money had instead become of little use.

Most resources were priced in Spirit Stones. Talisman Money was only useful for purchasing a few everyday necessities.

After being fed, Jinbao was in an excellent mood. Its pace even quickened a little, and before long, they reached home.

This time, at last, he did not see that woman Zhang Yunhong at the courtyard entrance.

Instead, two Daoists he had never seen before were talking in the courtyard. They were probably the two neighbors Jiang Yan had never met.

Seeing Jiang Yan enter the courtyard, they both looked over.