This is what an immortal should be like

Chapter 235 The opportunity has come
This young Taoist priest named Du Jinxuan looked very young and got along well with the young people coming and going, which made everyone subconsciously overlook some things.

But at this moment, the young Taoist priest's words and expression made everyone realize that he was very likely a Taoist immortal, and was different from ordinary mortals.

At this moment, Ce Xiong Xuguang suddenly realized something. This was not from a dream, but from the data that the Imperial Observatory had always had. Since the atmosphere had reached this point, he hesitated for a moment but still asked.

"Young Taoist priest, I've heard that true cultivators of the past possessed a method of observing qi, which allowed them to determine the true nature of an unknown person upon first meeting them. Is this true?"

The young Taoist priest thought for a moment and nodded. Although there was an element of setting up a scheme, in essence, relatively sincere communication was also a prerequisite. Moreover, some things would be known in the future anyway, so there was no need to deliberately hide them.

"The so-called ability to discern a person's character through their aura does exist, but it's not as mystical as some claim. It cannot determine a person's true nature, much less know their thoughts. Of course, the higher a person's level of cultivation, the greater their ability to observe aura. They can not only see the person's own aura but also discern whether the other person harbors ill intentions from changes in their aura."

"However, observing qi is not always accurate. Skilled practitioners can also use the method of concealing qi. Whether one can conceal it well or see through it is a contest of spiritual level. This applies to hidden demons and the treacherous human heart. Whether the righteous are one foot higher than the demons, or whether evil will prevail over good, depends on the practitioner themselves!"

As the young Taoist priest spoke, he refilled the teacup for the person who had initially asked about learning the art, and also poured some tea for Xiong Xuguang, which helped to ease the awkward atmosphere from before.

However, the young Taoist priest's words were thought-provoking, and Xiong Xuguang couldn't help but ask a follow-up question.

"Did that young Taoist priest and the other senior Taoist priests in the temple also examine our aura?"

I've finally heard that!

I've imagined similar scenarios many times before, and they may vary, but they are generally about being relatively honest and helping both parties get to know each other better.

The young Taoist priest smiled peculiarly upon hearing this, and then glanced at everyone present before speaking.

“Ordinary people, without the proper methods, cannot conceal their destiny. For example, Mr. Xiong, when you first came to Taiji Temple, our master saw that you had a bright official aura above your head, indicating that you must be a member of the current imperial court. And you all, you also have some official aura on your bodies, so you must all have ranks and cannot be considered minor officials!”

There's a popular internet slang term these days called "Holy crap," and right now, that's what's on everyone's mind, including Xiong Xuguang.

Indeed, these people may just be regular staff members in the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, but it's important to know that entering the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics is already several levels above ordinary civil servants. They can also mobilize resources in emergency situations and get many units to cooperate, so they are definitely not low-level officials.

The moment the young Taoist priest uttered these words, everyone at the table froze.

So they already knew they weren't ordinary tourists, but just never said anything? The awkward atmosphere is much better now than before.

Du Jinxuan's smile remained unchanged. He had imagined this scene many times, but he had to admit that seeing it in person was even more interesting.

"Of course, I think the same as my grandmaster, master, and senior uncle. You may have some inconveniences or other purposes, but judging from the demeanor of those who come here, they are all upright and honest, outstanding among ordinary people, and definitely not people with evil intentions. Therefore, we are willing to receive you!"

The young Taoist priest stood up as he spoke, looking towards the only temple and the peach tree whose blossoms were still vibrant. His words carried a hint of pride that was evident to everyone.

"Although my Tai Chi Temple is a small temple and is looked down upon by many, and is even less prestigious than the so-called religious associations of today, it is still a place for the cultivation of the righteous path, and not a place where any demons or monsters can come and go as they please!"

Just then, a sound of laughter and cursing seemed to suddenly come from afar.

"You little rascal, did you do your homework today? Don't embarrass yourself when you get there—"

The sound gave the illusion that it was initially quite far away, but later it seemed to be coming from nearby outside the gate of Taiji Temple, accompanied by the sound of footsteps.

Just moments ago, the young Taoist priest Du Jinxuan was extremely proud, standing tall and acting like a superior being, but now he subconsciously shrank his neck.

"Oh dear, Master and the others are back. Please make yourselves at home. I must take my leave now. By the way, please take what I said today as a joke, and don't go around saying anything carelessly, or I'll be in for a good scolding!"

After the young Taoist priest finished speaking, he ran off in a flash, leaving Xiong Xuguang and the others sitting at the table still in a daze, looking at each other with indescribable expressions on their faces.
-
This was another important piece of information, and after the Bureau of Investigation learned about it, many people actually felt a sense of relief.

The information conveyed by the young Taoist priest was both unexpected and reasonable to many people in the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, or rather, to many in the upper echelons of the Great Yan Dynasty.

The so-called immortal cultivators are people who possess incredible power.

After this experience, when the Bureau of Investigation sent people to Taiji Temple again, their interactions with the Taoist priests became more cautious yet also more candid, and they didn't deliberately hide anything. After a considerable period of contact, it wasn't difficult to deduce what a practitioner's state of mind was like.

They may have known that Xiong Xuguang and the others were government officials, but in their understanding, people are different, but not so different. Communication depends on fate and character, and identity is not necessarily important.

So we've come full circle back to that question that's already been pointed out before—does Taiji Temple accept disciples, or rather, can it accept people from the imperial court?

However, regarding this issue, although no one who went to Tai Chi Temple asked the Taoist priests again in the days that followed, it had been discussed many times within the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. Many plans were proposed and overturned many times, and the conclusion was that it was not advisable to overreact.

Most people in the Bureau of Investigation also tend to believe that although the Taoist priest of Tai Chi Temple knows that there are several civil servants who frequently visit the temple, he may not know that the hierarchy behind it is actually very high.

The cultivators still don't have much trust in the imperial court as a whole, and the young Taoist priest's last words can be considered as evidence of that.

In this matter, although some voices hope to move forward quickly, even at the cost of taking some relatively radical measures.

However, the vast majority of people in the Bureau of Investigation and the upper echelons of the Great Yan remained rational and absolutely restrained. During this awkward yet important period, no excessive behavior was allowed to occur.

Those who had previously shown a tendency toward extreme measures were gradually and imperceptibly alienated from the core decision-making circle of the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations. This was not only the intention of the Bureau's higher-ups, but also the intention of the Supreme Council of the Great Yan Dynasty.

Those who made more radical suggestions were re-evaluated several times in their absence. Those who made purely suggestions were fine, but those with other tendencies were gradually alienated from the core decision-making circle of the Bureau of Investigation.

In this complex and conflicted atmosphere, a surprise finally appeared.

The abbot of Taiji Temple is the old Taoist priest Xu Ming, whose Taoist name is Xuanming. He has two disciples: Wen Wentao, whose Taoist name is Qingyun, and You Suzhen, whose Taoist name is Qingping.

Master Qingyun's disciple is Junior Master Du Jinxuan, but Master Qingping has never had a disciple.

Perhaps the young Taoist priest remembered the conversation from before, or perhaps he mentioned it to several Taoist priests at Taiji Temple.

This may have inspired Master Qingping's desire to take on disciples, so he went down the mountain to travel again.

However, although the people from the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations knew that Master Qingping had gone down the mountain and had actually followed and observed him in secret, they did not know his purpose and he seemed to be just an ordinary wanderer.

It wasn't until the height of summer that Xiong Xuguang, after several failed attempts to meet Master Qingping at Taiji Temple, deliberately mentioned it and asked about it with young Master Du Jinxuan, from whom he learned an important piece of information.

Master Qingping went down the mountain this time to find her disciple!

When the news reached Kyoto, it immediately caused an uproar among those in the know within the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations.

opportunity!

An opportunity we absolutely must seize!

Soon the instructions from above became clear: the first priority was to help Daoist Qingping find a suitable disciple.

This includes, but is not limited to, secretly providing convenience for Master Qingping's journey, and doing things in a relatively reasonable way when Master Qingping shows interest in certain people and the latter is hesitant.

Secondly, the Bureau of Investigation should also take the initiative and offer their services with the utmost sincerity. They should proactively visit Tai Chi Temple and, ideally, ask Master Qingping to become their disciple.

In short, the matter of Master Qingping accepting disciples has become a high-level task for the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations.

Even if the people from the Bureau of Investigation and the Imperial Court cannot be selected as disciples, we must at least help Daoist Qingping find a disciple. We must not let him return empty-handed!

As long as suitable disciples can be found and the process of accepting apprentices goes smoothly, then it is possible to continue accepting apprentices.

(End of this chapter)