This celestial master cultivates both physical and magical arts; why did you provoke him?

Five days after the sealing incident at Tianzhu Mountain.

After returning from the mountain, Shane slept for a whole day. When he woke up, he found that his right hand was swollen.

It's not an injury; it's a normal reaction after exhausting one's magical power.

The school beauty Liu Ruyan bandaged him up, Fang Zijian cooked him porridge, Cuihua fanned him, and Shen Ye held a porcelain jar and watched him from the side. The scene looked just like an intensive care unit.

"My hand is just swollen, not paralyzed," Xia En said, looking at the group of people with a hint of helplessness.

"Shut up." Liu Ruyan held the porridge to his lips. "Drink."

Xia En obediently drank her porridge.

Fang Zijian was squatting on the steps scrolling through his phone when he suddenly exclaimed, "Huh?"

"Xia En, someone is saying bad things about you online."

"What did you say about me again?"

They said you were greedy, ruthless, and unlike a Taoist master. They also said you only knew how to use brute force and had no foundation in Taoist magic.

Xia En took a sip of porridge. "Let them be."

"But this person is different." Fang Zijian handed over his phone. "Look."

The screen displays a video with the title:

Xia En of Longhu Mountain? He's just a brute who only knows how to use brute force.

In the video, a middle-aged man in a Taoist robe speaks eloquently to the camera, saying that Xia En's thunder magic is unorthodox, his fist techniques are unorthodox, and his talismans are a waste of materials, and that he is not a qualified Taoist master at all.

He spoke with great enthusiasm and exaggerated expressions, clearly trying to ride the wave of popularity.

"Who is this person?" Xia En asked.

Fang Zijian checked it out.

"He's from Maoshan, named Li Daochun. I think he's an elder of the Maoshan sect, and he specializes in lecturing on Taoist practices online; he has quite a few followers."

"An elder of the Maoshan Sect? Why does he act like some internet celebrity?"

"Taoist priests these days need to keep up with the times," Fang Zijian said. "Aren't you the top salesperson at the Celestial Master's Mansion?"

Xia En was speechless.

"But what he said was quite nasty."

Fang Zijian read a few comments: "Xia En is just a nouveau riche, all money and no culture. He's disgraced Longhu Mountain. Cultivating both physical and magical arts? I think he's useless in both..."

Liu Ruyan, who was standing nearby, couldn't stand it anymore.

"Why are these people talking like this? They've never even seen Xia En, so what gives them the right to say that?"

"Because of jealousy."

Shen Ye suddenly spoke up, "Xia En is too strong, so strong that he poses a threat to people from other sects. They can't beat Xia En, and they can't out-argue Xia En, so they can only resort to cheating, spreading rumors, smearing, and stirring up trouble online."

Xia En finished the last mouthful of porridge and handed the bowl to Liu Ruyan. "Let them be."

"Aren't you angry?" Fang Zijian asked.

"What's the use of getting angry? They won't stop talking just because they're angry." Shane lay back in the wicker chair. "Besides, they're right."

Fang Zijian was taken aback. "What?"

"My lightning magic is indeed unorthodox because I've combined lightning magic with physical techniques, which isn't traditional lightning magic. My fist techniques are also unorthodox because no one taught me; I figured it out myself. My talismans are also wasteful of materials because I use over a hundred at a time, while others can use one talisman three times."

Fang Zijian opened his mouth, unable to speak.

"But they said I wasn't a qualified Taoist master, which is wrong."

Xia En popped a lollipop into his mouth. "Whether I'm a qualified exorcist or not isn't up to them to decide. It's up to the people I protect to decide."

The courtyard was quiet.

Liu Ruyan looked at Xia En, her eyes a little red.

Fang Zijian lowered his head and stopped talking.

Shen Ye looked at the porcelain jar, a hint of respect flashing in his silvery-white eyes.

Just then, a strong Taoist aura surged from afar.

It's not evil, it's not demonic, it's authentic Taoist energy.

It is profound, majestic, and carries an oppressive feeling that makes people involuntarily want to worship it.

Xia En sat up and looked at the courtyard gate.

A person pushed open the door and walked in.

He was an old man, over seventy years old, with completely white hair, wearing a gray Taoist robe, and leaning on a peach wood cane.

His face was covered in wrinkles, but his eyes were bright.

He stood in the center of the courtyard, looked around, and finally his gaze landed on Xia En.

"You're Xia En?"

Xia En stood up and looked at the old man.

He could sense that this person's Daoist aura was stronger than anyone he had ever seen.

He was stronger than his master Zhang Jingxuan, stronger than the elders of Maoshan and Qingcheng, and even stronger than himself.

"It's me. And you are?"

The old man smiled slightly. "I am Li Qingyuan from Maoshan."

Fang Zijian's phone slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, cracking another corner of the screen.

He didn't bother to pick it up; his mouth was agape, and his eyes were wide open like saucers.

"Li...Li Qingyuan? The former head of the Maoshan Sect? The number one figure in Taoism?"

Li Qingyuan glanced at him.

"Young friend, do you know this humble Taoist priest?"

Fang Zijian's mouth opened even wider.

I'm currently reading Chapter 60 of the novel "Cola Novel," and I'm completely engrossed in it. "If you can't beat them or argue with them, do you just start cheating?"

"Know you? Who doesn't know you! You were already famous throughout the land thirty years ago! You subdued an ancient dragon! You suppressed a thousand-year-old corpse king! You're a living fossil of Taoism!"

Li Qingyuan smiled but didn't reply, only looking at Xia En. "Xia En, I've come today to see you for myself."

"Look at me?"

"Yes. Look at you, this young man who's been thoroughly vilified online, what kind of person are you really?"

Xia En paused for a moment. "Then what kind of person do you think I am?"

Li Qingyuan did not answer immediately.

He walked up to Xia En and looked him up and down.

He closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time.

Then he opened his eyes and let go of his hand.

"Your Dao heart is very pure," he said. "So pure that it ranks among the top three of everyone I've ever met."

Xia En was taken aback. "Dao Heart?"

"Yes. Dao Heart. It's not talent, it's not strength, it's Dao Heart."

Li Qingyuan looked at him and said, "Your thunder magic, fist techniques, and talismans are not traditional. But your original intention in doing things is more traditional than anyone else's: to protect people. Those people on the internet can't see this, but I can."

Xia En didn't say anything.

"I have come here today not to apologize on behalf of the people of Maoshan, nor to plead for them."

Li Qingyuan's voice was calm, "I've come to tell you... don't pay attention to what they say. The path you've chosen is the right one."

Xia En looked at the old man and remained silent for a long time.

Then he smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Li Qingyuan turned and walked towards the courtyard gate. After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Xia En.

"By the way, my good-for-nothing grand-disciple Li Daochun has said a lot of bad things about you online. I'll teach him a lesson when I get back."

Xia En laughed. "No need for a lecture. What he said makes sense; my lightning magic is indeed unorthodox."

Li Qingyuan looked at him and suddenly laughed. "What's wrong with unorthodox methods? As long as you can win, that's all that matters."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and walked out.

Xia En stood there, watching the figure disappear into the alley, and remained silent for a long time.

Then he sat back in the wicker chair and popped the lollipop into his mouth.

Fang Zijian.

"Um?"

"Which platform does Li Daochun stream on?"

Fang Zijian was taken aback. "What are you going to do?"

"Send him some gifts."

Fang Zijian was stunned. "He insulted you, and you still sent him gifts?"

"right."

Xia En laughed, "After sending him the gifts, send him a private message: 'Master Li, you're right, my thunder magic is indeed unorthodox. But unorthodox methods can also win. How about we arrange a time for a spar?'"

Fang Zijian's lips twitched. "You're... challenging me to a fight?"

"It's not a challenge to a fight, it's just a friendly exchange."

Xia En took the lollipop out of his mouth, looking at the sugar stains remaining on the stick. "He insulted me, and I can't insult him back. But I can let him see for himself whether this unorthodox Taoist priest can actually fight."

Looking at Xia En's expression, Fang Zijian suddenly shivered. This person is more terrifying when he's not angry than when he is.

That evening, Li Daochun received a private message from Xia En.

After reading it, his face turned pale for a moment, then turned ashen, and finally he slammed his phone on the table.

"He...he's clearly threatening us!"

The disciple beside him asked cautiously, "Master, are you going?"

"Go where?! Didn't you see the video? He punched the Zombie King to pieces! He killed the Evil Spirit Cult Protector in two moves! You want me to spar with him? Am I going to throw my life away?"

The disciple fell silent.

Li Daochun paced back and forth in the room, growing angrier with each passing thought. "If he can't beat me or out-argue me, does he just resort to cheating? He's bullying me by taking advantage of his strength!"

The disciple then cautiously asked, "So...you deleted the video?"

Li Daochun stopped in his tracks, his expression turning even more grim.

Deleting the video? Isn't that admitting you were wrong?

What if Xia En really comes to challenge him to a duel? He won't delete it?

He hesitated for a long time before finally making a decision: to make the video private, and then posted an update:

"I have recently gained some insights into my cultivation and have decided to temporarily withdraw from the internet to pursue further spiritual practice. Thank you all for your continued support."

Fang Zijian saw this post and laughed so hard he rolled on the ground.

"He chickened out! He chickened out!"

Xia En lay on the wicker chair, a lollipop in his mouth, his expression calm.

"He's not a coward, he's smart. He knows he can't win, so he doesn't fight. There's nothing shameful about that."

Fang Zijian wiped away the tears that came out of his laughter.

"And what about you? Aren't you angry?"

Why should I be angry?

Xia En looked at the sky. "He cursed me because he's afraid of me. There are too many people who are afraid of me, and I'd get angry at them all; I can't keep up with them all."

Looking at Xia En, Fang Zijian suddenly realized that this person was on a much higher level than him.