Please call me Huanxian

Chapter 360: Distinguished Guests
Zeng Shanlang would try to contact his master every three days. He would casually take out a communication talisman and throw it into the air. He saw the talisman flash and fly away to the east. Unlike usual, it would circle twice in the air and then fall back into his hand. He suddenly reacted.

Master has come out of retreat!
Without blocking the Qi anymore, we were finally able to get in touch.

The burly black man, weighing nearly 200 pounds, somersaulted with joy.

He hurriedly took out another Wanli Communication Talisman and recited silently for a long time respectfully. He wanted to know everything about his master who had been in seclusion for many years, whether his transformation into a mortal had gone smoothly, whether he could be allowed to visit him, etc. He was actually feeling a little worried.

After sending the communication talisman into the air, what remained was a wait that seemed extremely long to him.

Without the master's consent, he would not tell his eldest senior brother the good news for the time being.

Xu Yuanchang, who was thirty thousand miles away, did not take the stick that Dong Xing held with both hands. He smiled and said, "From now on, you will take over the position of the fifth abbot of Xishui Temple. I can put down this burden, enjoy a few days of peace and quiet, and truly travel around the world."

Dong Xing could sense that the old abbot was determined to leave, so he hurriedly said, "You can enjoy your life in the Taoist temple. Master, if you have something to do, I will do the hard work. As I have practiced for a long time, I find that there are many things I don't understand, and I want to listen to your teachings more often."

He was not in a position to tell them directly that his master was old and that he was worried about him traveling around.

Xu Yuanchang wandered around the Taoist temple to the back mountain. The ground was covered with small rocks picked up from the foot of the mountain. The path was winding and there was no mud even on rainy days. There were several osmanthus trees planted near the wooden pavilion.

In August, the ground is dotted with small golden flowers.

The sky is high and the clouds are vast, and the fragrance of osmanthus is rich.

"I can't stay here for long. You're so thoughtful."

Xu Yuanchang walked into the pavilion, leaned on the railing and looked into the distance, and asked, "How much of the silver I entrusted to you is left?"

Dong Xing leaned on the stick and replied, "The silver you gave me totaled 221 taels and 5 cents. In addition to the 50 taels I gave to my parents as a filial gift, I spent it on candles, oil, paper, ink, books, and other expenses for the Taoist temple over the past three years, and bought some furniture. I still have 205 taels left. Occasionally, neighbors ask me to perform rituals to exorcise evil spirits, which helps to supplement my income and expenditure."

"So I feel relieved to hand the Taoist temple over to you."

Xu Yuanchang smiled and said, "I am lazy and don't like to do chores. From now on, you can let go and tear down the thatched cottage in the backyard and rebuild the yard for servants and Taoist children to live in. You can recruit more Taoist children and servants. You can open up the hillside and the foot of the mountain. The mountain gate must also be rebuilt. Well, there are many places to spend money."

Dong Xing bowed and said "Yes", then asked: "Master, does the Taoist temple need to be expanded?"

"You are the host, you make the decision."

Xu Yuanchang then gave a wake-up call: "Everything and everywhere is for cultivation. Don't let the complexity and greed blind your eyes. When you cultivate in the mortal world, you must pay attention to your daily routine, eating, drinking, clothing, movement, speech, and dealing with things. If everything is in accordance with the laws of heaven, then the Tao is nothing but this."

Dong Xing personally learned from his master and carefully studied and understood his master's teachings.

Xu Yuanchang stretched out his hand to catch a ray of talisman flying from the sky. He did not let Dong Xing, who was frowning and thinking, notice anything unusual. It was a blank message sent by his apprentice Zeng Shanlang. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. Not long after, the second message followed. He could understand his apprentice's ecstasy and incoherent speech.

He sent a message back, informing him that he was at Xishui Temple, six hundred miles east of Zijinfu City in the Xiyu Dynasty, and allowed his disciple to visit him.

That night, the old abbot, Dong Xing, and two Taoist boys finished their evening lessons in the main hall.

The night is dark and the bright moon is high.

Walking out of the not very spacious hall, Xu Yuanchang smiled and greeted the figure standing quietly at the bottom of the stairs: "You are very nimble and run very fast."

Zeng Shanlang knelt down with a plop and bowed deeply, and said excitedly: "Disciple greets Master!"

"Alright, alright, get up."

Xu Yuanchang's old appearance was maintained by an illusion. After he broke through and was promoted, he retained his middle-aged appearance. His disciples were all over 140 years old, so he could no longer put on a young face to pretend to be young. He even despised people who pretended to be young like Ye Changmeng.

He reached out his hand to help up the first disciple in black clothes, and introduced him to Dong Xing who had hurried out after hearing the noise: "My disciple, Zeng Shanlang, has come from a very far place."

Dong Xing looked at the man who was as strong and sturdy as an iron tower, clasped his fists and saluted: "Dong Xing greets Senior Brother Zeng."

Zeng Shanlang saw his master nod slightly and smiled in return: "Junior Brother Dong, you are too polite. Thank you for taking care of Master's daily life these years."

"Of course, of course, Senior Brother, please!"

Dong Xing invited the two men into the side hall on the left, made tea and arranged snacks, then left and closed the door.

He could tell that Senior Brother Zeng had not seen the old host for a long time, and his admiration and excitement came from the bottom of his heart, so he couldn't fake it at all. He gave them some space and didn't disturb the conversation between the master and the disciple.

"Master, is your journey to becoming a mortal being going smoothly?"

"Don't beat around the bush, kid. I feel exhausted if you don't mind."

Xu Yuanchang smiled and said, "Master has already passed the test and advanced. You can send a message to your unreliable senior brother, Qiu Yan and others to inform them. Master will have to stay here for about another year to finish the affairs in the mortal world."

Zeng Shanlang grinned so hard that his eyes disappeared. Master was the first person after the older generation to advance to the sixth level.

He quickly took out a stack of communication talismans and spread the good news anxiously.

After his disciple was busy for a while, Xu Yuanchang said, "At the beginning, I didn't wait for you to come out of retreat, and I went out to embark on the path of becoming a mortal. Your marriage with Yi Yi..."

Zeng Shanlang chuckled, "Yiyi and I haven't gotten married yet. Senior Yu said that Yiyi's state of mind is still lacking, so there's no need to rush. Currently, Yiyi's master, Senior Yu, is still in seclusion. I heard from Yiyi that he will be able to come out in about a year."

Xu Yuanchang smiled and nodded, then asked, "Does Mr. Mu have any news?"

"I heard from my senior brother that the ancestor went to the demon tribe's territory three years ago. The ancestor said that if you come out of seclusion within three years, he will meet you. The time should be about the same."

"You send a message to Shengtian and ask him to find a way to spread the news of my master coming out of seclusion to the three continents of the demon clan."

"Yes, I will tell Senior Brother again."

Zeng Shanlang took out the communication talisman again, recited silently for a moment, and then sent it out.

Xu Yuanchang then inquired about the major events that had happened in the Qianfang Realm in recent years. After the Dark Realm gate was closed, the cultivation world was prosperous, and various sects and forces were trying their best to gather good talents for cultivation. Some masters were in seclusion, while others were traveling, and there were almost no conflicts.

The master and the disciple chatted until midnight, during which time they received countless messages.

The next morning, there was an endless stream of guests coming to visit. Dong Xing didn't know how some of them got up the mountain. The small Taoist temple was crowded with people, and the wooden pavilion on the back mountain was also filled with guests who came to enjoy the scenery.

There are young and old, men and women.

Each of them had an extraordinary demeanor, but they were very polite and easy-going towards the host of this small country Taoist temple.

In the afternoon, the old host began to chase the guests out, saying with a smile: "You all came here empty-handed in the name of visiting, but in fact you are here to eat and drink for free, and to beg for money. All right, go back. My place is small and cannot accommodate all of you great gods. Say hello to the others and don't join in the fun. Let me have a few days of peace and quiet."

Before leaving, many of the guests, who seemed to have plenty of money, shared the red persimmons and dates that Dong Xing had sent people to the village to buy for the guests, saying that they wanted to take advantage of Master Xu's good luck.

The last to say goodbye were Bian Qiuyan, Lao Shi, He Shutang, Song Shuqian, Lan Ying'er, Zhao Jun, Tang Yijian and others.

"What a bunch of robbers! They have never seen anything before. They took everything and didn't even leave me any."

Old Shi cursed and patted Dong Xing on the shoulder, saying, "Little brother, when you can leave Xishui Temple in the future, if you encounter any difficulties, just tell me my name, Old Shi. People in the underworld call me 'Thousand Faces', and all friends in the underworld have to give me some face."

"Ha, you have a shitty reputation. You are just a bully in your own backyard. Who in the world knows you?"

He Shutang attacked and sabotaged them ruthlessly. They were used to making trouble, but it was a pity that the other brothers could not come back.

After coming out of the Dark Realm, Hei Xiayi secluded himself for ten years and finally advanced to the fifth floor. He managed to make it. He pulled the dizzy Dong Xing out of the clutches of the guys and said with a smile: "Don't listen to their nonsense. Just follow Master Xu and practice. One day you will be able to get out of this mountain."

When she said walking out of the mountains, she meant embarking on the true path of spiritual practice.

Dong Xing hurriedly clasped his fists to express his gratitude. In just a moment, the mountaintop, which was bustling just a moment ago, was deserted.

At the back of the mountain, Xu Yuanchang bowed to Meng Shanhe, Wu Zhe and others and said goodbye. He asked Zeng Shanlang and Meng Yiyi, Xu Shengtian and others who came later to go back. It was enough for everyone to meet and chat together.

He refused Uncle Meng's offer to organize a promotion banquet for him.

A practitioner does not care about empty rituals; he prefers to follow his heart and act according to his nature.

Currently in Dingzhou there are Meng Shanhe, Wen Yining, Xie Yunchuan and Yu She, the head of Daqiling who was promoted a few years ago. Including him, there are a total of five sixth-level masters, and Yu Fengwu who is about to come out of seclusion. When you add it up, the overall strength is enough to overwhelm other continents in Qianfang Realm.

After receiving the call from Meng Shanhe, the high-ranking officials of the Xiyu Dynasty did not dare to mobilize a large force to disturb Taoist Master Xu who had completed the path to mortal transformation and advanced in the Zijin Mansion. Several veteran monks from the fifth floor paid a low-key visit to show their hospitality.

After a few days of hard work, it was finally quiet.

Xu Yuanchang did his daily homework, drew talismans, wrote, and drank tea. He would occasionally discuss trivial matters in life with Dong Xing. He never gave any instructions on specific practices and lived a leisurely life.

After the Double Ninth Festival storm in September, the weather became colder.

The leaves are falling and the chrysanthemums are fading.

Xu Yuanchang was drinking tea and playing chess with Dong Xing in the wooden pavilion. Suddenly, he put down his chess pieces, stood up, clasped his fists and said with a smile, "We have distinguished guests. I am sorry for not coming to greet you. I hope you are well, Mr. Mu."

Dong Xing hurriedly stood up and saw an old man with a majestic look walking towards the rock on the cliff.

He already knew that the old host was definitely not an ordinary person and had friends all over the world.

The ornament that the customer casually wore around his waist last time seemed extremely valuable to him.

Zeng Wanglou smiled and returned the greeting, saying, "I went on a long journey to find the old monster Xuan to bring disaster upon himself. Fortunately, he managed to escape the disaster by seclusion. Can you guess who I met in Tianhuangzhou a few days ago?"

He didn't want mortals to hear their conversation, it was just a matter of thought.

Xu Yuanchang invited Mr. Zeng to sit down in the pavilion and said with a smile: "Besides Ye Changmeng, who else is worth mentioning?"

He waved his hand to let Dong Xing, who was feeling uncomfortable, go down.

"You kid, you are too disrespectful and polite to Senior Ye. I don't understand you."

Zeng Wanglou swept his right hand across the chessboard, and the black and white pieces fell into two chess baskets respectively. He picked up a white piece and casually placed it at the Tianyuan position, saying, "Senior Ye invited me to drink and chatted with me for a long time. Senior's demeanor is like a spring breeze."

Xu Yuanchang followed suit and asked, "Did he mention me?"

"No, Senior Ye and I talked about everything, and we were quite compatible. He never mentioned you at all."

Zeng Wanglou showed off a bit on the surface. He was not a superficial person, but communicating with Senior Ye who knew everything was really a wonderful collision of ideas, which was thought-provoking and beneficial.

He admires very few people in his life, and Senior Ye is definitely one of them.

It’s a pity that we met too late.

Xu Yuanchang understood what Lao Li was worried about, so he changed the subject and said, "Mr. Zeng, I still have a year to leave here. I want to invite you to attend the wedding of Zeng Shanlang and Meng Yiyi. It is also Shanlang's wish. You are not in a hurry to ascend to the upper realm anytime soon."

Zeng Wanglou nodded and said, "It will take me a few years to figure out the conversation between me and Senior Ye. I will participate in the conversation in the name of your friend."

Without thinking, he gestured in the direction of the Taoist temple and said, "Is that your new disciple? His aptitude is not that good. Do you want him to practice Taoism using the ancient method? First, he should be enlightened and increase his wisdom, and then he can cultivate his magic skills and supernatural powers."

Xu Yuanchang briefly explained the situation and said, "I haven't accepted him as a disciple yet. It depends on his luck. I don't know much about the 'ancient way of cultivation'. How about you give him some pointers?"

Zeng Wanglou was quite interested in mortals' cultivation of Taoism. He could see that the little fellow had developed a hint of wisdom. He didn't know how Xu Yuanchang did it. He said, "Okay, I have nowhere to go, so I will stay at Xishui Temple for a few days and teach him some methods of meditation."

Glancing toward the horizon, I saw a black dot turning and falling toward this side.

The person who came was the middle-aged man whom he met in Hunshan Village. Seeing two people playing chess in the pavilion and showing no intention of getting up to greet him, the "god" who flew down from the sky, the old Taoist priest did greet them.

He looked closely and saw that the strange old man was colorful and magnificent. His eyes suddenly felt sore and uncomfortable as if they were pierced by needles. He was so scared that he quickly bowed and saluted: "I am Ni Haozhong, the monster catcher of Zijin Mansion. I am here to greet the two seniors. I hope Senior Xu will forgive me for any offense I have caused in the past."

He could not see any signs of cultivation on the aged host's body, but could someone who could stand on equal footing with the masters be an ordinary mortal?

There are many records in the classics that there are hermits living in the mountains and wilderness. I just don't understand why Senior Xu would lower himself to fight with ordinary bandits? Looking at the situation at the time, it doesn't seem like he was faking it.

Xu Yuanchang extended his hand to support him and said, "Miss Ni, you don't have to be polite. Is there anything you need today?"

"Nothing, nothing. I was just passing by and suddenly remembered Senior Xu, so I stopped by to visit. Sorry for disturbing your peace. I'll take my leave now!"

"Go ahead, and don't tell anyone else."

"Yes, yes, I understand."

Ni Haozhong retreated far away, turned around and walked down the mountain, not daring to fly in front of the two unfathomable seniors.

He felt deeply regretful that he had missed an opportunity that was right in front of him.

……

(End of this chapter)