The boy's hand trembled, nearly knocking over the teacup. He quickly steadied himself, and his gaze toward Lin Yu shifted from curiosity to horror, even tinged with fear.
This man, who looks so young, is actually... Heavenly Master?!
That legendary, immortal Heavenly Master of Maoshan?
Uncle Nine glanced at the distraught boy but did not reprimand him. He simply waved his hand gently and said, "Go down. Do not say anything more about what you have seen today."
"Yes, Master! This disciple takes his leave!" The boy felt as if he had been granted a pardon and hurriedly bowed as he left the courtyard, his steps slightly unsteady.
His heart was in turmoil, his mind filled with thoughts like "The Heavenly Master has returned" and "The Heavenly Master is so young."
After the boy disappeared, only the master and his disciple remained in the courtyard.
A gentle breeze rustles through the pines, carrying the delicate aroma of tea.
Lin Yu looked around at the quiet courtyard and asked, "Master, why don't I see Wen Cai Brother Wencai and Senior Brother Qiu Sheng?"
Uncle Nine picked up the freshly brewed tea, took a sip, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. "In the years after you left, thanks to the methods you left behind, the two of them followed me back to the mountain and devoted themselves to cultivation, making quite rapid progress."
"After several years, I can finally say I've truly graduated."
"They have both taken on disciples and opened their own temples at the foot of the mountain."
He gazed at the clouds on the horizon, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes. "In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed. Back in the mortuary, you three lads often gave me a headache, but now you can all stand on your own."
As Lin Yu listened, he seemed to see the daily scenes of the four masters and disciples bickering, practicing martial arts, and eating in the mortuary back then. A warm current surged in his heart, but he also felt a little sentimental about how things had changed.
"Master, you've worked so hard all these years," Lin Yu said sincerely.
Uncle Nine waved his hand, changing the subject. "Four Eyes and Chin Hok also retired completely a few years ago."
"He said he'd spent his whole life driving corpses and subduing demons, his back ached, and he wanted to enjoy a peaceful life. Now, in his temple, he's with Chin Hok, tending flowers and playing with birds, living a carefree and happy life."
Speaking of Four Eyes, Uncle Nine's lips curled into a smile, clearly approving of his two junior brothers' retirement life.
After catching up on their recent lives, Uncle Nine put down his teacup and turned his gaze back to Lin Yu, asking, "Your sudden return this time, is it because your cultivation at Guanjiangkou has come to an end? Or...?"
Immortals rarely descend to the mortal realm, and upon seeing Lin Yu, Uncle Nine assumed there was another upheaval in the human world.
Lin Yu shook his head. "Don't worry, Master, there's no special purpose. It's just that my cultivation level has stabilized, and the True Lord probably saw that I haven't been home for so many years, so he gave me special permission to go down to the Lower Realm to visit my family."
Lin Yu could also sense Uncle Nine's worry. His words were both to reassure his master and to tell the truth.
Upon hearing this, the last trace of doubt in Uncle Nine's eyes vanished. "Good, it's good that you're back. Now that you're back, stay on the mountain for the next few days. Also, have Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai come back as soon as possible so that we, master and disciples, can have a proper get-together."
Next, Lin Yu settled down in Maoshan.
Uncle Nine originally intended to summon the elders and important disciples of the sect to announce the return of the Maoshan Heavenly Master, but Lin Yu firmly stopped him.
"Master, my return is primarily for visiting relatives, with quiet cultivation as a secondary purpose. I cannot stay for too long."
"Although I hold the title of Heavenly Master, I can never stay at Maoshan forever."
"Under Master's leadership, Maoshan is thriving and well-ordered. It is most prudent for Heavenly Master to continue holding the position of Celestial Master."
Seeing his resolute attitude and sound reasoning, Uncle Nine pondered for a moment and then agreed.
Therefore, the news of Lin Yu's return was only known to a few core elders and Uncle Nine.
To most of the Maoshan disciples, this suddenly appearing, extraordinary young Daoist was assumed to be the sect leader's newly accepted disciple.
Lin Yu was happy to have some peace and quiet.
During the day, he often went to the back mountain to discuss Daoism with the three Heavenly Masters and to experience the Daoist essence accumulated by Maoshan over a thousand years.
At night, he would often sit in the quiet room of the Heavenly Master Mansion, enjoying tea and discussing Daoism with his Uncle Nine until late into the night.
During their discussion, Lin Yu felt more and more that his master was unfathomable, and that even the three Heavenly Masters were probably no match for him.
No wonder the three Heavenly Masters were able to recommend my master for the position of Heavenly Master.
Although Uncle Nine did not receive the Heavenly Register and ascend to the ranks of immortals, he possessed the essence and blood of the Pangu Clan, which had been systematically improved and had boundless potential.
More than a decade ago, his cultivation level was already beyond Lin Yu's comprehension.
Now, more than ten years later, he sits in Maoshan, regulating the earth's veins, presiding over rituals, subduing demons and monsters, and comprehending the entire Shangqing Sect's thousand-year-old Daoist scriptures. His cultivation has long since reached a profound realm.
Although he did not reveal his abilities, his understanding of the Dao, the Qi of Heaven and Earth, and the cause and effect of human nature was profound and extensive, often pointing directly to the source, which made even the immortal Lin Yu feel enlightened from time to time.
In particular, there are many insights that Uncle Nine expounds on regarding tranquility and non-action, following the natural way, the balance of Yin and Yang, and the cause and effect of karma.
This gave him a deeper understanding of how to integrate his own Dao of Yang Earth into the Dao.
Several days later, Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai, having received the message, rushed back to Maoshan, travel-worn and exhausted.
The three brothers reunited in the backyard of the Heavenly Master Mansion, and naturally there was a great deal of excitement and commotion.
Qiu Sheng patted Lin Yu's shoulder forcefully, while Wen Cai grinned sheepishly as he looked Lin Yu up and down, his eyes full of joy.
Lin Yu looked at his two senior brothers; at this moment, time had left clear marks on them.
The youthful exuberance of Qiu Sheng had faded, replaced by a more capable and composed demeanor. Fine lines appeared at the corners of his eyes, but his gaze remained sharp and his aura refined, exuding the air of a master.
Wen Cai was even more honest and simple, slightly overweight, and always had a kind smile on his face.
He didn't have Qiu Sheng's sharp and imposing aura, but he was upright and peaceful, giving off a feeling of embracing all things and being as inclusive as the ocean.
Clearly, both of them have forged their own paths.
Although the two have matured a lot, the occasional playful banter, tacit understanding, and reverence for their master that they occasionally reveal in their words and actions still vaguely resemble those in the mortuary back then, making Lin Yu feel very close to them.
After staying in Maoshan for some time, Lin Yu remembered his Uncle Four Eyes, so he explained his intention to Uncle Nine and set off for Four Eyes's Dojo.
The Four Eyes Dojo remains located in that secluded valley.
He just modified it a little.
A few bamboo huts, surrounded by a fence, are planted with melons, fruits, flowers and grasses, and the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard, creating a pastoral scene.
When Lin Yu arrived, he saw him lying on a bamboo rocking chair, squinting in the sun, fanning himself with a tattered palm-leaf fan, and humming an off-key tune.
He had indeed aged considerably compared to his younger days; his hair was gray, and his face was deeply wrinkled, but his expression was serene and content, and his breathing was peaceful.
He felt someone blocking his sun, opened his eyes in annoyance, and thought it was the old monk bothering him again.
"You are..." As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar figure standing in front of me.
He stared at her for Four Eyes second, then rubbed his eyes, unable to believe it.
"Lin Yu!"
"Uncle-Master."
Seeing that his martial uncle recognized him, Lin Yu smiled and responded.
Four Eyes pinched his thigh. "Am I dreaming? Or am I about to die, and my junior disciple is coming to take me to the Immortal Realm?"
Lin Yu listened to his martial uncle's ramblings and was speechless, marveling that his martial uncle was still the same as before.