Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 2 Accepting a Disciple
There weren't many items in the backpack. Apart from a VIP red envelope that Zhang Chengdao hadn't yet opened, there was the character and character training items given as a first recharge bonus, as well as the daily gift pack for permanent members.

The latter is fixed at 100 Peach Blossom Stones, 5 drops of Fairy Dew, and a member's red envelope, which can be claimed every day.

Leaving aside the fact that member red envelopes are used as blind boxes to draw items, peach blossom stones are the in-game currency.

He took out the peach blossom stones from his backpack to examine them. They were cool to the touch, light pink, and each one was imprinted with a peach blossom pattern. They resembled jade and gold and had a very nice texture. However, he didn't know if they had any special functions. If not, they could probably only be used to buy some basic materials in the game store.

In the original game, the elixir was used to irrigate the Tree of Immortality, which dropped longevity fruits every day. The little characters in the game could extend their lifespan by eating these fruits.

The problem is that the Immortal Tree only exists in the game and didn't travel with me! So I don't know what use these 5 drops of fairy dew might have.

Besides that, the character from the first recharge didn't come with me; all I got were a bunch of martial arts manuals, upgrade pills, and a set of equipment and the character's default appearance.

Among them, the [Elementary Qi Refining Book], which originally disappeared after being used on a character in the game, did not disappear after Zhang Chengdao explored and practiced according to the instructions on it, so it seems that it can be reused.

The cultivation manuals given as a first-time bonus consist of six books: the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment manuals. Each book explains the cultivation techniques for three levels. According to the game's setting, each realm has nine levels. For example, the Qi Refining stage progresses from the first to the ninth level, and only by breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage can one advance further.

In addition to ten portions of [Kudzu Root Decoction] and ten portions of [Traumatic Injury Powder], the elixir also includes five [Foundation Building Pills].

In the game, the Foundation Establishment Pill is used for characters to break through realms. Because breaking through realms can reset talents, the gift pack contains five pills.

As for its appearance... it's currently being worn by Zhang Chengdao.

It is a long robe with wide sleeves and a blue and white color scheme. The patterns and accessories are black and gold. The crown is very long. It is paired with the character's own weapon, a long sword. Overall, it looks like a "sword cultivator" or a Taoist sect from various online games.

The most amazing thing is that the character given as a gift for the first recharge is a white-haired man with a high ponytail and a hair crown. After he puts it on with one click in his backpack, he also automatically turns into a white-haired man!

This might be why that cheap apprentice insisted on thinking of himself as a grandmaster.

Zhang Chengdao made his guesses.

Thinking of those books on Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, Zhang Chengdao felt conflicted.

Actually, there's nothing wrong with taking on an apprentice.

Although he can't teach his disciples any martial arts of this world, he can teach them how to cultivate immortality!

Once his disciple successfully cultivates to immortality, he can go back and slap those villains in the face, and then he can dominate the region, right?
Wouldn't my master be able to win without lifting a finger?
After all, this cheap apprentice is the protagonist's script, a chosen one!
With this plan in mind, Zhang Chengdao stood up and said, "Since you are so persistent, then I will take you in."

Upon hearing this, Chang Ping'an was overjoyed and his face turned red with excitement. He immediately kowtowed three times and called out "Master" repeatedly.

Then, he bowed again and said, "This disciple has not yet asked for Master's title?"

Zhang Chengdao was stumped by the question.

He's not a Taoist priest, he doesn't even have a Taoist name, let alone an honorific title!

You can't exactly say that you use the ID "King of Rice Planting in the Canyon" in the game, can you?
After rejecting several Taoist titles that came to mind, such as "Changchunzi" and "Yuxuzi," Zhang Chengdao couldn't think of any more prestigious titles. He could only reply in a serious tone, "My surname is Zhang, and my given name is Chengdao. We cultivators believe in the simplicity of the Great Way and do not take any honorific titles."

Truly a master!
Chang Ping'an was deeply shocked upon hearing this.

In the martial arts world, there are many who chase fame and fortune. Which of those so-called grandmasters or venerable ones doesn't have five or six titles? Compared to them, my master's low-key demeanor makes him a true reclusive immortal and a highly accomplished master!
Upon realizing this, Chang Ping'an immediately bowed again: "Master is right! This disciple has learned a lot!" Zhang Chengdao felt very uncomfortable seeing his cheap disciple kneeling and bowing endlessly, so he reminded him: "Alright, you don't need to kneel and bow all the time. In our sect, we don't observe these worldly etiquettes."

"Yes!"

Chang Ping'an readily accepted the good advice, scrambled to his feet, and stood respectfully to the side.

Now that he had a disciple, Zhang Chengdao, who had been somewhat confused after transmigrating, suddenly felt a sense of responsibility and inquired, "Do you know what kind of land deeds and mountain deeds are required if you want to occupy mountains and land to build a sect in Xiao Kingdom?"

Chang Ping'an assumed that his master was a recluse who was unaware of worldly affairs, and replied, "Of course I want one. You can choose one from the Baozhou government office. Moreover, because this place is located at the junction of three kingdoms, it is often affected by war, so the land price is extremely low."

Zhang Chengdao finally realized the advantage of having an apprentice—at least it was convenient to inquire about things, so he wouldn't be completely clueless!

He then asked, "Is there anything about residency or household registration? Do you need these things to buy land?"

Chang Ping'an nodded: "That's true. I was originally a miscellaneous household. Most of the Mohe people in Xiao Kingdom are regular households. In addition, there are households that pay taxes and households that do not pay taxes. Without a household registration, it is indeed impossible to purchase permanent property."

After saying that, seeing Zhang Chengdao's furrowed brows, Chang Ping'an quickly added: "There are exceptions. If you reclaim wasteland on your own, you can get a land deed after three years without spending any money. However, you will have to pay taxes from the fourth year onwards. At the same time, you can also be converted into a tax-paying household, and you will be checked every three years. However, apart from Zhongdu, other towns will not be so troublesome. You only need to pay the taxes."

Hearing this, Zhang Chengdao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Asking for money is easy; with my golden touch, making money is really not difficult.

And...would a base-building game panel be afraid of pioneering?
Zhang Chengdao was even somewhat eager to try!
"Reclaiming wasteland... What was the name of this mountain again?"

Chang Ping'an replied, "White Stone Mountain."

Zhang Chengdao looked out over the valley, surveying his surroundings, and then asked, "Does this White Stone Mountain have an owner? Is it considered a barren mountain?"

Chang Ping'an guessed Zhang Chengdao's thoughts, hesitated for a moment, opened his mouth but paused, and then honestly replied: "Baishi Mountain stretches for over a hundred miles and is a day's walk from Baozhou Prefecture. Of course, it is a barren mountain, and I have never heard of anyone owning it."

"Then what do you say, shall we build our sect in White Stone Mountain?"

Although Zhang Chengdao was asking a question, his words carried an unquestionable tone.

Chang Ping'an hesitated for a long time before gritting his teeth and reminding him, "If Master prefers this place, that's fine, but the Sword Forging Manor is nearby, and I'm afraid there might be some friction in the future..."

Zhang Chengdao decisively encouraged his disciple to get into the revenge plot ahead of time, saying, "That's perfect! Let's wipe them all out! Your so-called natal sword was destroyed by them, right? And what about your true qi meridians and stuff? You couldn't have broken them yourself, could you?"

The phrase "wiping out the whole group" startled Chang Ping'an. He quickly explained, "It was just a fight between outer disciples within the manor. A disciple was caught off guard and got caught. I suppose the manor lords were too busy to know the full story..."

"Bullshit!"

Zhang Chengdao sneered: "Whether they know it or not, allowing this dark jungle law to prevail just proves that they are all bad people!"

He glanced at Chang Ping'an and earnestly instructed him: "If you repay evil with good, how will you repay good? People who can do such evil deeds, and people who let such evil people do so, if you don't deal with them, there will be more victims like you! Therefore, a great man should act uprightly, but he should not be too soft-hearted!"

"This disciple has learned much..."

(End of this chapter)