I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 279 The Disciple of the Mourning Sect, the Five Shadow Daoist

On the night the charity performance ended, Chen Guangrui hosted a banquet at Wangjiang Tower for the troupe's leading figures and a group of wealthy merchants and gentry.

It was called a banquet, but it was actually an official banquet to address issues related to the development of the county.

Chen Guangrui was an upright official, but not a rigid or conservative one. In the past, these gentry people tried to get him to accept bribes and gain favors, but all their efforts were in vain.

Today, Magistrate Chen decided to take advantage of the gathering of everyone and simply lay the matter out in the open to resolve it all at once.

Although Xu Qing was not a local gentry, he was a local tyrant in Linjiang County. He not only monopolized all funeral business, but also developed many emerging industries.

More importantly, Manager Xu is willing to donate money and work for the well-being of the people of Linjiang County. Such a person with awareness and integrity should certainly be invited to serve as a role model!
At this moment, celebrities from the county and even Tianjin were gathered in one room, raising their glasses and exchanging toasts. On the surface, they were all very friendly, but Xu Qing could hear the calculations in their hearts from a great distance.

However, none of this concerned him. He was in the business of dealing with the dead, and everyone present was a potential customer in the future, so he didn't have any direct conflict of interest with them.

Everyone has to die eventually, and the gentry and celebrities present were all respectable people. They cared about their reputation while they were alive, and they cared even more about their reputation when they died. Now that the funeral parlor's business of performing funeral plays had been fully implemented, most of these people would choose Xu's Funeral Parlor in order to maintain their dignity after death.

Therefore, everyone present gave Xu Qing a friendly look, and everyone had to respectfully call him Mr. Xu or Boss Xu.

"Well, Manager Xu, you might as well say a few words."

When Chen Guangrui talked about the fundraising efforts to expand the county school for spreading the sacred words and laws, and to establish community schools to educate the public, the banquet hall instantly fell silent.

Everyone kept their eyes down and their minds to themselves, none of them willing to be the first to step forward.

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Chen Guangrui turned his gaze to Xu Qing, who was reading Liu Su'e's palm.

Xu Qing was dragged along by Chen Guangrui just to make up the numbers; he wasn't interested in the discussions and deliberations among the officials and gentry present.

Upon hearing Chen Guangrui's question, Xu Qing, who was full of interest in I Ching and fortune telling, reluctantly put down Boss Liu's hand.

Seeing everyone's gazes, Liu Su'e blushed slightly and quickly tucked her hands into her sleeves.

"Building new county and community schools is a good thing. Raising disaster relief funds to build foundations and rebuild homes for displaced people is an even more commendable act of kindness. If you are all willing to contribute money and effort, I believe the county magistrate will erect a monument in the county school to commemorate this, and a merit monument outside the new village. At that time, your names will be engraved on the monument, and you will surely become famous throughout Tianjin. If, in the future, an extraordinary talent emerges from among these beneficiaries..."

"It is not impossible for these talent scouts to become famous in history in the future."

Xu Qing chuckled and said, "I am not very talented, but I am willing to contribute my earnings from the past few years to the development of Linjiang."

Since the funeral parlor was not comparable to the real merchants and wealthy gentry, Xu Qing took a clever approach. Instead of specifying how much silver he would donate, he expressed his attitude and stance, giving Chen Guangrui a pretext to make a fuss.

As for the rest, that was none of his business.

Chen Guangrui knew that merchants valued profit, and the benefits Xu Qing mentioned would likely not easily entice these greedy creatures to open their mouths.

After much haggling, Chen Guangrui used the merchants' role in transporting goods to monopolize resources such as tea and salt in exchange for profits, thus coercing and persuading them to cooperate with the government.

As the banquet ended, Xu Qing bowed to Chen Guangrui and said, "My Xu family shop is most skilled at engraving inscriptions. Why don't you let me handle the engraving of the future merit stele? That way, you can save some trouble."

"Then I'll have to trouble Manager Xu."

After leaving Wangjiang Tower, Xu Qing led Liu Su'e back to Jingxia Street.

Nowadays, Boss Liu no longer lives in the Pear Garden Opera House, but temporarily resides in the coffin shop, where he can also manage the business on his behalf.

"When you have some free time, Mr. Liu, you can teach those new plays you've been performing these past few days to your colleagues at the opera house. The wider these plays are performed, the better it will be for our shop."

Liu Su'e didn't quite understand the connection, but since her benefactor had said so, she would do as he said. The two passed through Changdeng Street, which had the most brothels and gambling dens. When they reached the street corner, there were two fat Taoist priests who looked exactly alike standing in the middle of the street, seemingly oblivious to everyone else.

Beside the two Taoist priests was a middle-aged man who rarely smiled.

Xu Qing recognized the other party's identity at a glance from the iconic double swords and blades.

"Two Taoist priests, the matter entrusted to us by His Majesty is of utmost urgency. We must find the demon's location as soon as possible and thwart the rebels' plot."

"General Zuo, you are not a disciple of the sect and have never entered the path of cultivation. How would you know the methods of my Xuanmen sect? I have naturally kept in mind the matter entrusted to me by His Majesty. Now, I am searching for the whereabouts of that Dharma King."

As he spoke, the fat Taoist casually shone his mirror at the street corner, then exclaimed with undisguised delight, "My luck is truly remarkable! Although there are only two shadows, they are the formation of an anomaly. It was worth my long stay!"

"Please wait, layman." The fat Taoist priest bypassed Xu Qing and looked at Liu Su'e, whose face was as beautiful as a peach blossom. His eyes lit up again and he said, "I see that you walk with a light step and have a pure aura. You are definitely not a person of the mortal world. Why don't you come with me to enter the gate of all wonders and cultivate my Tao?"

Liu Su'e stopped and said politely, "I am a woman born into the mortal world and have no intention of becoming a nun. Please forgive me, Daoist."

The fat Taoist priest persisted, saying, "I am a disciple of the Xuanji Pavilion of the Celestial Master's Mansion, and I have received the true teachings of Celestial Master Lu. If you follow me into the sect, I can guarantee you a bright future and that you will be forever free from worldly concerns!"

Upon hearing the words "Celestial Master's Mansion," Xu Qing pulled Boss Liu behind him and squinted, saying, "Daoist, you're too late. She's already become my disciple and can't go anywhere else!"

"You guys? May I ask which sect or school you belong to, fellow Daoist?"

"Mourning Gate".

"."

The fat Taoist's face darkened, thinking that Xu Qing was deliberately making fun of him.

"How could you mere mortals understand the mysteries of the Xuanmen (Taoist school)? This humble Taoist will not explain it to you!"

The portly Taoist looked at Liu Su'e again and said with a smile, "This lady has bright and beautiful features, and a pure and upright destiny; her steps are light and graceful, and her spiritual energy flows freely. She is truly a person of excellent character and profound wisdom."

Liu Su'e blinked and asked curiously, "What is 'root bone'?"

Ignoring Xu Qing's deadpan expression, the fat Taoist said meaningfully, "There is a trace of wood spirit around you, as soft as a willow branch and as resilient as a new branch. Perhaps you have had a karmic connection in the past. Such extraordinary qualities are your innate talent."

"I see. Thank you for your explanation, Daoist. However, I have already entered the Mourning Gate and will be a member of it from now on. I cannot go anywhere else. Please forgive me, Daoist."

"."

The fat Taoist's face froze. So these two scoundrels were making fun of him together!
The Mourning Gate? Let alone people in Buddhist or Taoist sects, even the martial arts world has never heard of such a sect!
Xu Qing ignored the fat Taoist who had been humiliated, turned to Zuo Zixiong, and cupped his hands, saying, "General Zuo, how have you been?"

Zuo Zixiong recognized Xu Qing; the two had met briefly at Wujiu Slope. He nodded and then advised the fat Taoist, "Master Lingfeng, important matters are paramount. As for taking on disciples, it's not too late to do so after this matter is over."

The fat Taoist priest glanced at Xu Qing and Liu Su'e with a gloomy look, then turned around, took the mirror, and walked into Changdeng Street.

Behind the fat Taoist, a Taoist with the exact same appearance and build followed silently, like the other's shadow guard.

While Zuo Zixiong and the others were still at the end of the road, Xu Qing took out the Illuminating Treasure Mirror and waved it behind them.

Zuo Zixiong's qi and blood were like a furnace, clearly indicating that he had reached the pinnacle of Qi Condensation and was only one step away from becoming a Grandmaster.

Looking at Lingfeng Daoist again, there were five shadows entangled behind him on the treasure mirror, while the person who looked exactly like Lingfeng Daoist had no shadow behind him at all.

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(End of this chapter)