I was selling peach wood swords on a live stream, how did I become a Taoist ancestor?

Chapter 36 Oh no! What to do if mistaken for a highly accomplished Taoist master?! (Two chapters combined, please read on!)

Qingfeng Temple.

Li Jun was completely unaware that the world outside had been turned upside down.

He held the jade pendant and sat motionless in the chair for a full half hour.

Sunlight streamed in through the old window frame, casting dappled shadows on the floor.

The Han sword named "Zhenxie" lay quietly on the ground by the door, its blade dull and unremarkable.

But Li Jun knew that what had just happened was not an illusion.

The sword moved on its own.

The jade pendant flew out and suppressed it.

"Extraordinary powers truly exist in this world."

Li Jun muttered to himself, his voice unusually clear in the quiet room.

He looked down at the jade pendant with the Tai Chi symbol in his hand.

The jade pendant remained as smooth and lustrous as ever, looking no different from usual.

But Li Jun clearly remembered that it was this jade pendant that flew out on its own, emitting a soft light, and forcefully suppressed the flying sword.

"So—this jade pendant I brought from my time travel is actually a treasure?"

Li Jun's mind was in a mess.

Three years ago, he first saw this jade pendant while browsing an antique shop. Just as he picked it up, he was suddenly used as a speed bump by an out-of-control stroke of luck and sent to this parallel world.

He always thought that the jade pendant was just an ordinary antique, at most made of better material. After all, he had already experienced time travel, so wearing a jade pendant was nothing special.

But now it seems—

This jade pendant is probably the key to his time travel.

"Could it be like in the novels, this is my cheat code?"

Li Jun's heart raced, and an indescribable excitement welled up inside him.

Which man hasn't dreamed of extraordinary things?

Flying on a sword, lightning in the palm, immortality —

He used to think these were all fictional, but now, a flying ancient sword is right in front of him, and a jade pendant that can suppress evil weapons is in his hand.

All of this tells him that the extraordinary is real!

"etc----"

After the initial excitement, Li Jun suddenly calmed down.

He recalled Zhou Wenyuan's unusual behavior earlier.

The other person's hesitant tone when speaking, and that question, "Is there anything wrong with the sword?" —

Now it all makes sense.

Zhou Wenyuan is probably a member of the extraordinary world!

Otherwise, why would he send over this obviously unusual sword?

And those netizens in the live stream—

The night watchman of the southern city, the mountain patrolman of the northern lands, the sea sniffer of the eastern sea —

These IDs are all incredibly cringeworthy, and they all sound like code names from a novel.

Previously, Li Jun only thought they were paranormal enthusiasts or a cosplay group.

But now it seems—

"Could they also be from the extraordinary world?"

Li Jun thought about it more and more and it seemed possible.

Those netizens were snapping up items in his live stream with ridiculously fast hands, and every time something was put on the shelves, no matter how many, it would sell out in seconds.

He used to think it was just that netizens were too enthusiastic.

But now it seems that these people really do treasure what he made.

"The amulets I printed, the peach wood sword I casually carved—they used them to slay demons?"

Li Jun felt that his worldview was collapsing.

He always thought those netizens were either obsessed or just playing along with his live stream for entertainment purposes.

So they were serious?

In the eyes of those in the live stream, was he a highly accomplished master?

"But if that's really the case—"

Li Jun suddenly remembered something.

Why were the things he made useful?

He knew perfectly well that it was just an ordinary handicraft, or even a handicraft at all. The lightning-struck peach wood was made on the spot using a lighter, and the amulet was printed using a woodblock. There was nothing special about it at all.

But do netizens actually find it effective?

Lost in thought, Li Jun didn't notice at all—

From the moment he began to think, the jade pendant he held in his hand began to glow faintly.

The black and white energies subtly flowed, as if they had come alive, slowly moving across the surface of the jade pendant.

But soon, the jade pendant began to shimmer.

Just like when the battery is low, the light and darkness alternate, becoming weaker and weaker.

Finally, with a "poof," it completely dissipated and returned to normal.

The whole process took less than ten seconds.

And it was at this moment.

"Could it be a jade pendant—?"

Li Jun looked down at the jade pendant in his hand again.

Just like in novels, the protagonist transmigrates with a cheat code.

However, although his cheat ability had been working for three years, it remained hidden until he encountered danger and then it took the initiative to show itself!

This guess is reasonable.

Otherwise, there's no way to explain why what he made would be useful.

But he himself is an ordinary person through and through.

"But----"

Li Jun frowned.

"How do I use this jade pendant?"

He recalled the scene that had just occurred.

The jade pendant flew out on its own; it wasn't under his control.

Moreover, after suppressing the sword, it fell to the ground and remained motionless.

Li Jun tried to concentrate and silently chanted in his mind, "Fly."

The jade pendant did not react at all.

"Inject energy?"

He didn't understand what energy was, so he could only try things blindly.

Hold your breath, widen your eyes, and imagine a warm sensation in your lower abdomen —

The jade pendant still didn't react.

He then tried the blood test to identify the jade pendant—he bit his finger and dripped a drop of blood onto the pendant.

Blood beads slid down, but the jade pendant remained unmoved.

He fiddled with it for a long time, but the jade pendant didn't change at all.

"Could it be that suppressing that sword just now exhausted its energy?"

Li Jun recalled what had just happened.

After the jade pendant suppressed the ancient sword, it fell to the ground, and its light dissipated.

"Like a phone running out of battery?"

He thought the metaphor was very apt.

The jade pendant needs energy, and the operation just now depleted its stored energy.

"How do I charge it?"

Li Jun frowned.

He recalled the concepts from the novel—spiritual energy, true energy, and magical power—

"Is there a spiritual force in this world?"

Li Jun didn't know.

But he knew that Zhou Wenyuan and his people definitely knew.

"No, you can't ask."

Li Jun immediately rejected the idea.

The jade pendant was his greatest secret, and it absolutely could not be revealed.

Every husband is not guilty, and he is guilty of his crime.

He understands this principle.

If Zhou Wenyuan and his ilk knew that he wasn't some highly skilled master at all, but just an ordinary person who cheated using a jade pendant—

The consequences could be disastrous.

"I can no longer sell things online."

Li Jun made up his mind.

He didn't know that before and thought it was just selling some handicrafts, so it didn't matter.

But now that we know those things are actually useful, and that the people who bought them might really be using them to slay demons, the nature of the situation is different.

What if the jade pendant malfunctions now, and the things he makes are ineffective? If netizens use them to fight monsters, wouldn't that be harmful?

"Zhou Wenyuan's orders also have to be cancelled."

Thinking of this, Li Jun felt a pang of heartache.

One hundred special amulets and fifty custom-made peach wood swords, totaling over eight hundred thousand!

This is an astronomical figure for Qingfeng Temple.

With this money, the Taoist temple can be completely renovated, and the master can enjoy his old age in peace.

but----

"You can't make money by dishonest means."

Li Jun gritted his teeth.

Money is important, but conscience is more important.

"We'll make plans after the jade pendant is restored."

He took a deep breath and sorted out his thoughts.

First, the matter of the jade pendant must be kept absolutely secret; no one can tell anyone.

Second, the production and sale of all handicrafts will be temporarily suspended.

Third, cancel Zhou Wenyuan's order and come up with a reasonable excuse.

Fourth, try to study the jade pendant and figure out how to charge it.

Fifth, observe secretly and find a way to reach the extraordinary level.

After thinking these things through, Li Jun felt much more at ease.

He looked at the Demon-Suppressing Sword on the ground.

"What should we do with this sword?"

Throw it away?

No, that's too dangerous.

If an ordinary person were to find it, it could be fatal.

Keep it?

Even worse, who could stand having this thing flying around in their room?

"Let's put it away for now."

Li Jun found the bronze box and carefully put the sword back.

The moment he closed the lid, he clearly felt the sword inside the box tremble.

It looks like a protest.

But things quickly returned to calm.

Li Jun stuffed the box under the bed and covered it with other items.

After doing all that, he sat back down in his chair and stared out the window, lost in thought.

The sun was shining brightly, and a gentle mountain breeze was blowing.

The distant mountains and forests are lush and green, with the occasional bird song drifting through the air.

Everything was so calm, so normal.

But Li Jun knew that the world had changed.

Extraordinary powers are real.

Because of a jade pendant, he accidentally stepped into this hidden world.

"I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse —"

Li Jun muttered to himself.

But deep down, he felt more of an expectation.

Expectations for the extraordinary.

Anticipation of the unknown.

"If the jade pendant could be restored, if I could master extraordinary power—"

Li Jun gripped the jade pendant tightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

Which man doesn't dream of roaming the world with a sword?

That used to be a fantasy.

But now, the opportunity may be right in front of us.

"No rush, take your time."

Li Jun reminded himself.

You have to eat one bite at a time, and you have to go step by step.

The most urgent task is to deal with Zhou Wenyuan's situation first.

He took out his phone and found Zhou Wenyuan's chat window.

[Li Jun]: Researcher Zhou, are you there? There's something I'd like to discuss with you.

The message was sent out, but it disappeared without a trace.

He thought for a moment, then sent another message.

[Li Jun]: Researcher Zhou, I'd like to discuss the previous order with you. I haven't been feeling well lately and can't produce the effect you requested. In order not to delay your business, let's cancel the order and I'll refund your deposit.

The message was sent, but there was still no reply.

Li Jun exited the chat window and opened Douyin.

There are a bunch of unread messages in the background.

Everyone's urging him to start streaming and release new content.

He looked at the messages, his mind filled with mixed emotions.

He was initially very happy about the business, but now he only feels immense pressure.

These netizens may really be waiting for his "magical artifact" to save their lives.

But he is now—

Li Jun gritted his teeth and clicked on the post.

【Riding an Ox Out of Hangu Pass】: Dear fellow Daoists, I am very sorry that due to personal reasons, we will be temporarily suspending operations for a period of time. The specific resumption time is yet to be determined. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

I just posted an update, and a bunch of notifications popped up.

Nine thunderclaps were heard in Luxian County, sparking heated discussion!

[Abnormal weather has occurred in many areas; experts explain it as a rare meteorological phenomenon!]

[Paranormal enthusiasts claim to have sensed spiritual energy fluctuations; netizens comment: "His chuunibyou is acting up again!"]

Li Jun clicked on the first topic.

It contains videos posted by local netizens in Luxian County.

In the video, the sky was clear when suddenly there was a loud clap of thunder, followed by eight more.

The thunder was so loud that even the phone's camera was shaking.

The comments section is filled with all sorts of speculations.

"Holy crap, that thunder was terrifying!"

"If it's just thundering but not raining, does that mean an earthquake is coming?"

"My grandfather said this is a thunder in the dry season, which is bad luck."

"Don't talk nonsense, it's just a normal weather phenomenon."

Li Jun flipped through it but didn't see any useful information.

He then clicked on a third topic.

It contains posts from netizens who claim to be "spiritual practitioners" or "paranormal enthusiasts".

"The spiritual energy has returned! I can feel it! It really is!"

"The world is about to change drastically!"

"Fellow cultivators, seize the time to cultivate!"

The comments section was filled with mockery.

"Another one has gone mad."

"Chuunibyou is in its late stages, beyond saving."

"I suggest sending him to a mental hospital."

Li Jun looked at these posts with mixed feelings.

Who would have thought that these seemingly most unreliable things are actually the closest to reality!

As he was thinking, his phone suddenly rang.

It was Jin Hao calling.

"Hey, Golden Horn, what's wrong?"

"Brother Taoist! Are you alright?" Jin Hao's voice was urgent. "I just saw on the news that there were nine claps of thunder in Lu County. It scared me to death!"

"I'm fine." Li Jun was taken aback. "It was just that the thunder was a bit loud, nothing else."

"That's good, that's good." Jin Hao breathed a sigh of relief. "By the way, Brother Taoist, I—I'm going back to Lu County."

"You're back?" Li Jun was taken aback. "Weren't you planning to stay in Harbin until the end of December?"

"Something came up, so I came back first." Jin Hao stammered, "That Taoist priest, I—"

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Jin Hao's voice sounded a little strange. "Brother Taoist, I'll get off the bus and go up the mountain to find you."

The two chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up.

Li Jun put down his phone, feeling that Jin Hao's tone just now was a bit off.

He suddenly remembered the message Jin Hao had sent him after receiving the talisman.

I used to think it was just psychological, but now—

Could this kid have really run into something in Harbin?

at the same time.

Central Plains Folk Culture Research Association.

Zhou Wenyuan's hands were trembling as he looked at the message Li Jun had sent on his phone screen.

Two colleagues nearby came over to take a look and were also stunned.

"What does Master Li mean by this?" a young team member asked, puzzled. "Didn't we agree on everything before?"

-

Zhou Wenyuan remained silent.

Was it because of that sword?

Is Master Li dissatisfied with their "testing"?

"It's over————"

He slumped in the chair, his face deathly pale, completely at a loss for what to do.

Just then, his phone rang.

It was Zheng Shanhe calling.

"Feed—" Zhou Wenyuan's voice was dry.

"Wen Yuan, the second wave of the spiritual tide has erupted. You must immediately take people to check on those things underground." Zheng Shanhe's voice was solemn.

"What?!" Zhou Wenyuan sat bolt upright. "Wasn't the prediction ten years from now?"

He knew very well what the second wave of the spiritual tide meant.

In the near future, the monsters will become more numerous and stronger.

The pressure on the Night's Watch will increase exponentially.

"The situation has changed; it broke out earlier than expected."

"Oh, right————"

Zheng Shanhe paused for a moment, then asked, "Is there anything unusual about Master Li?"

Zhou Wenyuan smiled wryly: "I just received a message from Master Li. He said he can't accept the order and needs to refund the deposit."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

A full minute later, Zheng Shanhe's voice finally came through, filled with deep exhaustion.

"understood."

"Don't reply to Master Li for now."

"Let's talk about it after things calm down."

"Yes."

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Wenyuan looked at the bright sunshine outside the window, but his heart felt cold.

A spiritual tide is erupting, and chaos is imminent.

Their greatest reliance—Master Li—seems to have been alienated by their "tests".

"Wouldn't this be considered—reaping what you sowed?"

He muttered to himself.

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