Entrusting One's True Self

As soon as Su Yao finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Yang Xiu directly refused:

"Fellow Daoist Su, my Golden Court has not accepted any disciples for many years."

Su Yao didn't respond to his words, but simply lowered his left hand, letting it fall outside the chair. His sleeves obscured the view of the people below, leaving only a gesture that Yang Xiu could see.

Seeing this, Yang Xiu's heart sank. After a moment's thought, he changed his words and said:

"Although my Dao does not accept disciples, if Fellow Daoist Su feels that this person is suitable for cultivating Profound Qi, he may come to my Dao to obtain the Cultivation Method and pass it on to this disciple."

Su Yao then spoke, looking down at Ren Han and smiling:

"Aren't you going to thank Fellow Daoist Yang?"

Ren Han was taken aback upon hearing this; even the Profound Qi wasn't out of the question...

So he first looked at Su Yao and bowed with clasped hands in greeting:

"Thank you, Abbot. I will follow your instructions."

Su Yao waved his hand.

He then looked at Yang Xiu:

"Thank you for your willingness to impart the Dharma, Daoist Master."

Yang Xiu remained calm and waved his hand.

Zilin, sitting on the right, was taken aback by their actions.

Su Yao, seeing this, was slightly puzzled. Wasn't Golden Court Daozi supposed to be too soft-hearted...?

But today is not the time to ponder this matter.

Then he pointed to the young Bai People:

"Come forward."

Upon seeing this, the young Bai People stepped forward to bow, and then said:

"Zichuan greets the Prefect."

After speaking, he lowered his head.

Su Yao remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

The young man from Bai People felt a sudden jolt in his heart and glanced at the scholar in blue robes to the side.

At this moment, the scholar in the blue robe tried his best to signal with his eyes.

Zichuan then forced herself to continue:

"Disciple Zichuan greets the Abbot."

Su Yao then pretended to have just heard it, looked up at Zichuan, and slightly raised the corner of his mouth:

"The Purple and Green blossoms are like precious flowers, and the river's light connects to the distant ford; it is indeed a fine name."

Zichuan was taken aback upon hearing this, and quickly replied:

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Excellency."

Su Yao then asked:

"Given your humble origins, your name possesses a poetic quality. I wonder who chose it for you?"

Upon hearing this, Zichuan quickly replied:

"My parents only gave me the name A Mu, and I have come to become their disciple..."

He paused, then glanced back at the scholar in the blue robe:

"Young Master Duan requests that Master Duan grant it to his disciple."

Su Yao nodded upon hearing this, and then asked:

Why cultivate Daoism?

Upon hearing this, Zichuan felt a sudden jolt in her heart and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Ren Han, standing to the side, wore a complicated expression upon hearing this. He couldn't help but glance at Zichuan out of the corner of his eye, thinking to himself: What is so special about this person?

Although I had never met this academy master in my previous life, I had heard of him, and that he had achieved the Purple Mansion at the age of eighty-five.

This person is now highly regarded by this academy director.

Zichuan thought for a long time before finally managing to utter a sentence:

"This disciple wants my parents to have a better life."

Su Yao nodded upon hearing this.

Seeing this, Zilin laughed and said:

"What a pure and innocent heart."

Su Yao smiled but remained silent upon hearing this.

Zichuan replied:

"Thank you for the compliment, Daozi."

Su Yao then spoke:

"Our Rainbow Clouds Dao stands apart from the world; among the many manifest Daos in the world today, our Dao is the supreme among immortals."

He paused:

"It's rare to find someone with such a sincere heart. You and Ren Han should wait a bit. Both Profound Qi and Rainbow Clouds need to go up the mountain to retrieve their Cultivation Method, which will take some time. Besides, I believe we should learn the scriptures first, then the methods. For the next few years, you two will work alongside me, doing small tasks, and incidentally learn the Daoist scriptures from me."

Upon hearing this, both of them bowed and expressed their gratitude.

Su Yao waved his hand, signaling the two to step back.

Then, ignoring the scholar in blue robes who had also passed the examination and come up the mountain, he looked instead at the five people.

After a conversation, Su Yao found none of the four people, including those from the Yang and Li families, of any interest.

There was one young man, the oldest among them, who was now twenty-three years old.

Of the eight people who came today, Ren Han is sixteen, Zichuan is fourteen, and the scholar in blue robes who came with Zichuan is only thirteen.

Yang Yanchang's younger brother, Yang Zhao, is twelve years old, but speaks with a slightly arrogant tone. Li Mosi's grand-nephew, Li Xu, is fourteen years old and of decent talent, but he always glances at Su Yao's expression out of the corner of his eye, showing that he is too clever for his own good.

The two girls, Lin Shuang and Xu Qingluo, who came from farming families at the foot of the mountain, were about the same age, only eleven years old. They were timid and shy, perhaps because it was their first time in such a situation and they were not quite used to it.

As for the young man Lu Yuan, although he was just as nervous as the two girls, his mind was the purest, or rather, the kindest.

But in this world, it's too hard for good people to live.

Su Yao might not consider himself a good person, but he could still offer shelter to such people for a while.

Although he likes him, if Su Yao behaves differently, it might be a bad thing for him.

As for their aptitude, these individuals all possessed excellent spiritual apertures, with at least three of their nine apertures open, ensuring they could at least Foundation Establishment.

So they changed their original plan to have Liu Yunhe and the others teach these five people. Looking at the five people again:

"The five of you will also study the scriptures with me, just like the two who came before you."

He paused, then continued:

"There will be an assessment every ten days. The bottom two will no longer study the scriptures with me, and will be taught by the instructors who previously assessed you."

Several people accepted the order.

Su Yao looked at Li Siyi:

"Siyi, go and arrange accommodations for them."

Li Siyi accepted the order and looked at the group:

"Come with me."

"Wait!" At this moment, the scholar in the blue robe, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.

Su Yao looked over upon hearing the sound and said displeasedly:

What do you want?

Upon hearing this, the scholar in the blue robe lost some of his morale and replied:

"You... the academy hasn't asked me yet..."

Su Yao laughed upon hearing this, then said seriously:

"You can't have your cake and eat it too. Do you wish to abandon the Four Books and join my Mysterious Gate, to live in the mountains, cultivate your spirituality, and live a solitary life?"

After pausing for a moment, noticing the scholar's hesitant face, he continued:

"Or do you wish to descend the mountain and enter the world, using the words of Confucian School sages to uphold the nation and benefit all under heaven?"

After a long while, the scholar in the blue robe returned the greeting and said:

"I apologize for my presumption; my heart is set on Vast Righteousness."

He paused, then looked up at Zichuan:

"I originally came to see if A Mu was being bullied, but now it seems I have no worries. I'll have my father send over some wild herbs when I get home. They may not be as precious as the divine ones, but they are my token of goodwill."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao sighed and waved his hand.

"It's alright, I understand that you care about your friend."

He paused, his gaze sharpening.

"It is fate that we have this opportunity, so I will present you with a poem:"

"A young man, full of youthful vigor, cherishes friendships; with a pure heart, he remains devoted to his friends."

May you journey thousands of miles into the mortal world, and let not the wind and dew dampen your eyes.

The journey may be unpredictable, and one must be wary of leaving the boat unmoored midway.

One day I will climb to the highest point, and the bright moon will still shine on the clear autumn sky.

The scholar in the blue robe nodded in thanks.

"Thank you very much, Prefect. I will need to trouble you to send someone to escort me down the mountain."

Seeing this, Su Yao couldn't help but think to himself that he had been observing the group through the Prism, but compared to Zichuan, the Vast Righteousness Golden Nature within this person had been constantly being influenced by the Greater Yin.

Then he looked at Liu Yunhe:

"Yunhe, there are many monsters on the road. Let's take him home."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yunhe stepped forward, grabbed the scholar, and flew down the mountain.

In the blink of an eye, Liu Yunhe and the scholar in blue robes vanished, leaving only the scholar's lingering voice:

"The sound of bells from beyond the clouds reaches the ferry crossing; a mountain behind which one turns back."

Like a pine tree that withstands snow, one's body is like Zi Lake, free from moorings.

We part ways, each pursuing our own path: Confucianism and Daoism. In years to come, we'll watch the water flow eastward together.

Though we parted like floating clouds, let us not forget each other; I still remember the gentle beauty of the Pear Garden.

I offer you this silent gift, my heart's desire remains; let us not fail the pine breeze and the green hills.

Hearing this, Su Yao looked at Zichuan and smiled:

"You do have such a good friend."