I forge immortality with spiritual treasures.

Chapter 74 Leaving
It turns out that the Taoist priest Ying Chan met when he first arrived at the Taoist temple was the abbot.

Now he also knows what words are inscribed on the plaque of the building where the academy owner is located.

Those are the two characters 'Guanxu'.

The Guanxu Pavilion was as spacious and quiet as ever.

The abbot, as always, hung his head as if dozing off, but the young abbot was no longer the same person.

The new Taoist acolyte was a girl with two little braids, quite adorable. She was sweeping the main hall with a broom when she noticed Ying Chan entering. She was equally startled and quickly ran to the table, calling out, "Taoist Master, Taoist Master! Someone's here."

The academy director jumped, immediately straightening up: "What's going on?"

"Master Dao, someone's here."

"who?"

The scene was exactly as it always has been.

Ying Chan couldn't help but chuckle, and stepped forward to bow: "Disciple Ying Chan greets Daoist Master."

"Ok?"

The abbot squinted, as if trying to discern Ying Chan's appearance.

Ying Chan was just entering his youth and possessed orthodox Taoist magical powers. In just a year and a half, his appearance remained virtually unchanged, but his temperament became even more refined.

"It is you."

The academy master recognized Ying Chan and was quite surprised: "I wondered which young man had cultivated the Profound Light to come and see the Daoist Master."

"I remember you only came to the Taoist temple last year?"

Ying Chan replied, "Yes, Daoist Master has a good memory."

"Hahahaha." The academy master seemed to find this very pleasing to the ear, and stroked his beard as he laughed heartily: "This Daoist is not old yet."

“Back then, I already felt that you were a piece of unpolished gold and jade, and that there would be another time to meet you.”

"I just didn't expect it to come so quickly."

When praised by his elders, Ying Chan simply listened humbly without saying much.

The abbot was even more pleased with this, and ordered a servant boy, "Go and bring me the Taoist priest's precious gourd."

The young disciple responded and left. Only then did the abbot say to Ying Chan, "Come, give me your disciple's certificate."

Ying Chan took the wooden talisman out of his pocket. The academy master took it and sighed, "You won't need this wooden talisman for long."

"But don't rush to discard it. You can still use it when you join the sect and register."

As they were talking, the disciple's certificate was returned to Ying Chan. He was still confused when he heard the academy master say, "The training in the academy is conducted over a period of ten years, and there are also ten tests."

"Now that you have cultivated the Profound Light, the remaining tests will be conducted with the result of passing all of them, and you will be commended with ninety merits in your cultivation."

Ying Chan said in surprise, "Thank you, Daoist Master."

"No need for thanks," the academy head waved his hand and said, "That's just the custom."

Just then, the young Taoist boy returned and called out, "Master Taoist, the gourd has arrived."

She was carrying a vermilion gourd in her arms, which was as tall as an adult and as wide as a millstone, completely obscuring her figure. Therefore, she looked like a gourd swaying as she approached.

Ying Chan was surprised to see this.

The abbot stroked his beard and replied, "Let go."

The boy was startled and hesitated whether to let go, but the vermilion gourd swayed slightly and floated up, tilting in mid-air.

Ying Chan saw a faint glimmer of light emanating from the gourd's mouth, and then something flew down toward him.

The thing came extremely fast, and Ying Chan had no time to react. He simply raised his hand to catch it, and a pill appeared in his hand.

The pill is about the size of a fist, with a golden hue, a hard texture, and no taste or fragrance.

"Master Dao, this is..."

"These three-stage golden pills were specially refined by the Daoist Master for you."

The academy master smiled and said, "Every disciple who has cultivated to the Profound Light realm in the academy will receive one. Keep it."

"Yes."

Ying Chan had no choice but to put away the golden pill and thank the Daoist.

The abbot nodded slightly, then sighed, "Year after year, I have seen countless disciples come here to join our sect..."

"Hoping to hear news of you again in the future, that you will still be on the path of climbing the great road."

Ying Chanlue straightened his face and replied, "This disciple will certainly not disappoint your expectations."

"Go."

The abbot said no more, only saying, "Go to the outer mountain gate, and someone will naturally guide you into the immortal abode."

Ying Chan answered yes, but did not leave. The academy master raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is there anything else?" He hesitated for a moment before saying, "This disciple has something to ask you, Daoist Master."

"Go ahead."

“I have a good friend who is a sparrow from the mountains that has become a spirit.”

"A sparrow has become a spirit?"

After a moment's thought, the abbot said, "Is it the colorful bird that came to the academy with you?"

Ying Chan breathed a sigh of relief. The day Cai Que'er hid in his arms, she had indeed not escaped the Daoist's discerning eyes.

“Exactly,” Ying Chan said. “It is said that the sparrow has become a spirit, but that is not actually the case…”

He gave a brief account of Cai Que'er's situation.

"Born with exceptional intelligence, able to understand a hundred languages?"

The academy director murmured, "That sounds pretty serious."

Ying Chan exclaimed in surprise, "Does the Daoist know what kind of strange beast it is? Then it might be able to cultivate?"

"Is this..."

The academy master pondered for a moment and said, "I haven't seen it, so I can't say for sure."

"Did the disciple bring him to Guanxu Pavilion?"

The abbot seemed somewhat interested, but after a moment's thought, he suddenly said listlessly, "No need."

"This." Ying Chan was puzzled, but then the academy master said, "If you want to find a way out for it, just bring it into the immortal abode."

"Can this disciple bring it into the Immortal Abode?"

Ying Chan was even more surprised. He had thought that since he was going to join the sect, he would have to leave Cai Que'er at the academy.

That's why I took the liberty of asking the academy master for advice, hoping to find a cultivation method for Cai Que'er, and I never expected to have such a reward.

"Do you think the Immortal Abode is such a place that it can't even accommodate a colorful bird?"

The academy master smiled and said, "Once they join our sect, remember to register their spirit beast identity, and then ask the people of Immortal Garden Mountain for advice on how to help them cultivate."

"Immortal Garden Mountain?"

"The immortal abode is the dwelling place of the spirit birds and beasts, and also the location of the lineage for our sect to cultivate the art of beast taming."

After saying this, the abbot waved his hand and said, "Go."

Ying Chan bowed respectfully before bidding farewell to the academy master and leaving Guanxu Pavilion.

It was already dusk.

Ying Chan realized that this might be the last time he would walk through the clouds and the rosy clouds, so he walked particularly slowly.

Along the way, Taoist priests came and went, each with a different posture.

Sure enough, year after year, day after day, it's always the same.

Upon returning to Courtyard No. 26 (甲字二十六院), as soon as I pushed open the door, I heard a clear voice: "Taoist!"

The colorful sparrow flew down from the branch and said happily, "I could tell from the footsteps that it was you coming back, not that silly boy."

"Silly boy?"

Ying Chan immediately knew it was Zhang Yu. He smiled and said, "Isn't Zhang Yu in the courtyard?"

“He’s not here,” Cai Que’er said. “He seems to be spending all his time at Yunji Pavilion lately, sometimes he doesn’t even come back at night.”

"Is it?"

Ying Chan smiled slightly, said nothing more, and walked towards his own house.

Cai Que'er followed Ying Chan into the east wing and saw him looking around the small room before sitting down in the hall, somewhat lost in thought.

"Taoist priest," Cai Que'er asked cautiously, "Are you leaving?"

"Ok?"

Ying Chan was stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening and saw that Cai Que'er's small eyes seemed to be filled with sorrow.

He chuckled softly and said, "It's true that I'm leaving, but I'm not alone."

"What do you mean?"

"If the fairy is willing, she can come with me to the fairy palace."

"real?!"

"real."

(End of this chapter)