Junior sister, I really need to control you

He knew his daughter all too well; she was clever and mischievous, but also greedy and lazy. No matter how many tutors they hired, they couldn't get her to learn anything.

How come it seems like they suddenly changed their ways and became more motivated once they got to the mountain?

"Keep trying!" Mu Xiaoyu stepped forward and nodded repeatedly, "Father, I really work hard, the kind of hard work you can't even imagine! Many people in other Taoist temples don't work as hard as I do..."

"I'm talking to the immortal, don't interrupt! And how can you be so boastful? You have no humility at all!" Mu Hu scolded.

"Oh……"

Mu Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue at her father and returned to her mother's side.

Li Yinsheng smiled and testified for Mu Xiaoyu: "Prince Mu has misunderstood Xiaoyu. She really wasn't just bragging."

"Over the past year, whether in terms of effort or progress, she has indeed surpassed many disciples from other Taoist temples."

Mu Hu was somewhat skeptical.

He still remembers that when Li Yinsheng accepted his daughter, he said that new disciples should start by copying and learning scriptures.

It's only been a year, I bet they haven't even finished studying the scriptures yet.

Moreover, Immortal Changchunzi had already examined Xiaoyu's aptitude and made it clear that she had no inherent talent and was of low quality, so only those impoverished small temples would be willing to accept her.

With these two factors combined—low aptitude and a dilapidated small temple—how could he possibly progress faster than disciples from other Taoist temples?

“Even the Immortal Master himself said that Xiaoyu is working hard, do you still doubt your daughter?” The woman glared at Mu Hu.

Then, he gently rubbed Mu Xiaoyu's cheeks and asked, "Xiaoyu, how long are you staying this time?"

Mu Xiaoyu paused for a moment and looked at Li Yinsheng—she really forgot to ask her senior brother this question before she came back.

"It depends on how long Xiaoyu wants to stay at home, three to five days or a month or two is fine," Li Yinsheng said with a smile.

There are still about half a year until the Dao Examination, and right now, my junior sister's daily cultivation focus is on weapon crafting, so she practices martial arts less. Even if she doesn't have spiritual energy in the mortal realm, it won't affect anything.

And to be honest, this was his first time here, and he was somewhat interested in both the mortal dynasties and the mortal rogue cultivators.

If he stays longer, he can wander around and experience the difference between the mundane world and the mountain life.

“Then, senior brother, let’s stay for two months!” Mu Xiaoyu said without hesitation.

Li Yinsheng nodded.

Actually, leaving three or even four months is plenty of time, but he plans to keep that amount of time in case his junior sister works hard enough in weapon crafting during this period, as a reward for her.

After chatting with Prince Mu for a while, Li Yinsheng suggested that he planned to wander around the mortal world and hoped that Prince Mu would arrange accommodation and a convenient identity for him.

Mu Hu nodded repeatedly and said that there was a quiet but comfortable courtyard next to the courtyard where Mu Xiaoyu lived.

Mu Xiaoyu's eyes widened slightly.

And you're living next to your senior brother?

Last time I stayed next to my senior brother at the forging furnace, he arranged for me to refine weapons every day!

……

Late at night, in the main hall of the Prince's Mansion.

A figure with an air of otherworldly grace and white hair and beard strode in, with Mu Hu following a step behind, his face full of respect.

Li Yinsheng had already been arranged to rest in the small courtyard next to his daughter before he went to the Yangqi Pavilion, which was specially built for the immortal Changchunzi for his cultivation, and invited him there.

"The young princess was brought back by the fellow Daoists from Xuanzhen Temple to visit relatives?" Changchunzi asked in surprise, "She shouldn't be staying for long, right?"

“Immortal Master, you are wise,” Mu Hu said, “I estimate you will return to the mountain in one or two months.”

"Then it's alright!" Changchunzi waved his hand. "You didn't choose to start this in the last month or two."

“What Xiao Wang is worried about is not the uprising,” Mu Hu said. “My daughter has only been cultivating for a year before going down the mountain. Can she really learn anything?”

"Does Prince Mu really expect the little princess to cultivate immortality and learn the Dao?" Changchunzi was taken aback. "Didn't you say that if she failed in the end, there would just be a place for her to live in peace and avoid trouble?"

"This... is mainly to avoid trouble," Mu Hu rubbed his hands together, "but it would definitely be better if we could learn some real skills."

"Forgive my bluntness, Prince Mu," Changchunzi shook his head, "your daughter truly lacks the aptitude for cultivation, and her temperament is somewhat unruly; I'm afraid it will be difficult for her to achieve anything..."

"Actually, when I recommended you to try Xuanzhen Temple, I didn't have high expectations."

"But other fellow practitioners say that the once behemoth Xuanzhen Temple seems to have suffered a calamity, plummeted in value, and become quite dilapidated."

"I think they might be willing to accept some disciples who are not very talented but come from decent families."

"Originally, there wasn't much hope for this, so it's already a pleasant surprise that the little princess was accepted."

Changchunzi shook his head.

He didn't intend to hurt Mu Hu, but compared to being frank and honest, giving people false hope first and then disappointing them was clearly more cruel.

"Alas... what the immortal says is true, it was Xiao Wang who was greedy..." Mu Hu sighed.

"Speaking of that young man who brought the little princess, is he only in his early twenties?" Changchunzi asked.

Mu Hu nodded: "In my opinion, she should be around twenty-three or twenty-four."

Changchunzi stroked his long, white beard: "That seems to be a junior from the Xuanzhen Temple. I wonder what his cultivation level is?"

"I have interacted with many other independent cultivators, but I have rarely encountered cultivators from sects, let alone a prestigious sect like Xuanzhen Temple."

He chuckled and said, "If Your Highness Mu doesn't mind, may I go and meet that young friend?"

"This..." Mu Hu hesitated, "I haven't had a chance to inform that young immortal about the immortal's matter yet..."

"Hey, the existence of rogue cultivators in the mortal realm is a secret to you mortals, but common knowledge to cultivators. He shouldn't be too surprised."

Changchunzi shook his head and said, "I have no ill intentions. I just want to establish a good relationship with him."

“A young cultivator in his twenties, even if he comes from a Taoist temple, still has shallow cultivation. I have cultivated for several decades and can give him some pointers.”

"If it is truly inconvenient for Prince Mu, then I will not insist. Please go back and continue your cultivation."

Mu Hu pondered for a moment and said, "May I inform that young immortal master tomorrow and inquire briefly..."

Changchunzi was about to nod.

"No need."

A clear voice rang out beside the two, and a tall, slender figure in black appeared out of thin air, looking at them with a half-smile.

"I already know."

Chapter 124 Capital City Loose Cultivator Exchange Meeting

In the main hall of the Prince's Mansion.

Upon hearing the sound, Changchunzi instinctively pulled Mu Hu back.

The old man, though over sixty, was as agile as a monkey. In a few leaps, he pulled Mu Hu back to the doorway. At the same time, he raised his hand and made a hand seal, and two magical artifacts flew out of his Qiankun bag.

A pure silver token and a small shield shaped like a tortoise shell surrounded Changchunzi and Muhu.

After doing all this, Changchunzi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As a rogue cultivator, he had fought many battles in his early years, experiencing life and death several times. His quick wit and adaptability were unparalleled.

Although Mu Hu was a mortal, he possessed martial arts skills and reacted quickly, bowing respectfully to Li Yinsheng.

"Greetings, Immortal Master Li."

Upon hearing Mu Hu speak, Changchunzi relaxed a little, but still showed no intention of retracting his magical artifact.

He had no ill intentions, but the young man in black in front of him, though he looked young, had no aura about him, as if he didn't exist, which made him feel uneasy.

Therefore, he maintained the protection of his magical artifact, and simply smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Uh, this Fellow Daoist Li must be a fellow Daoist from Xuanzhen Temple. I am Changchunzi, and I have long admired Xuanzhen Temple..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Yinsheng raised his hand and beckoned.

The tokens and small shield magic artifacts that were originally surrounding Changchunzi suddenly went out of control and fell directly into Li Yinsheng's hands.

Holding the token and the small shield artifact in his hands, Li Yinsheng glanced at them and looked at Changchunzi with some surprise.

"I believe your cultivation level is not bad, so why are you only using a low-grade magic weapon for protection?"

Changchunzi was filled with fear, but when he saw Li Yinsheng speak, he immediately came to his senses and bowed, saying, "This humble Daoist Changchunzi greets Senior."

In all his years of life, he had never seen such magic that could so easily seize another person's magical artifacts; it was truly terrifying.

He had used the silver light token and the tortoise shell shield for many years and had refined them to a very high level. Yet, they were taken down without any resistance.

No matter what kind of miraculous magic the young man in front of him used, his cultivation level was definitely above his own.

Mu Hu, standing to the side, looked on in astonishment.

Aren't Immortal Master Li and Immortal Master Changchunzi both cultivators?

Immortal Changchunzi looks much older than Immortal Li, so how come Immortal Li took away Immortal Changchunzi's magic weapon with just a wave of his hand?

“Young friend, there’s no need for such formalities,” Li Yinsheng said, pushing the two magical artifacts back to Changchunzi. “You haven’t answered my question yet.”

"A question from a senior?"

Changchunzi carefully put the magic artifact back into his Qiankun bag and respectfully asked, "Senior, are you asking why I used a low-grade magic artifact?"

Seeing Li Yinsheng nod, Changchunzi couldn't help but scratch his head.

“Senior, shouldn’t a cultivator of my level use a low-grade magic weapon? I know several fellow cultivators of similar cultivation, and their magic weapons are about the same as mine.”

Li Yinsheng was stunned for a moment, not expecting such an answer.

Seeing that Changchunzi's cultivation was decent, no worse than the middle-aged scholar's two junior disciples, he naturally assumed that this person should at least have a mid-grade magic weapon.

But now it seems that the three of them were probably well-off rogue cultivators, while the Changchunzi in front of them was the typical rogue cultivator.

Changchunzi, being an old and shrewd man, observed Li Yinsheng's expression and recalled his words, and immediately realized what he had said, and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"Could it be that in your Xuanzhen Temple, mid-grade magic artifacts are not such rare treasures?"

"A treasure?" Li Yinsheng shook his head. "A mid-grade magic weapon isn't cheap, but it's far from being a treasure."

Within the Zhengyang lineage, which direct disciple of any Taoist temple doesn't possess one or two mid-grade magic artifacts? Some of the more outstanding direct disciples even have high-grade magic artifacts.

This Changchunzi's cultivation level is no worse than some of the direct disciples, so why is it so difficult for him to access mid-grade magic artifacts?

Although he knew that the situation of rogue cultivators was worse than that of cultivators in Taoist temples, he did not expect that even mid-grade magic weapons would be so rare.