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

A few days later, at the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain.

Zhang Jingxuan sat on the grand master's chair in the back hall, with the banner that read "The First Sales Champion of the Celestial Master's Mansion" displayed in front of her.

Zhang Jingqing stood beside him, holding her phone, and read him the updates from the internet.

"Master, Li Daochun has deleted the video. The Maoshan Sect has also issued a statement saying that Li Daochun's remarks do not represent the Maoshan Sect's position."

Zhang Jingxuan picked up her teacup and took a sip. "They're smart enough to know what's good for them."

"but,"

Zhang Jingqing hesitated for a moment, "There's still a lot of controversy online about my junior brother. Some say he's the strongest representative of Longhu Mountain, while others say he's a heretic. The two sides are arguing fiercely."

Zhang Jingxuan put down her teacup and looked out the window at Longhu Mountain. "Talent resides only in Longhu Mountain. The Celestial Masters of Longhu Mountain never follow the conventional path."

He stood up and walked to the window. "Your junior brother is the least like a Celestial Master in the hundreds of years of Longhu Mountain. But he is also the best Celestial Master in the hundreds of years of Longhu Mountain."

Zhang Jingqing fell silent.

"Pass the word down."

Zhang Jingxuan turned around and said, "On the ninth day of next month, the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain will hold the Celestial Master Conferment Ceremony. Xia En will be officially conferred the title of the 67th Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion."

Zhang Jingqing was stunned. "Master, you...you're going to pass the position of Celestial Master to my junior brother?"

"It's not a succession of the throne, it's the bestowal of a title."

Zhang Jingxuan said, "The Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion is not just one person. He can be a Celestial Master, and so can I. The Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion has never been just one person."

Zhang Jingqing opened her mouth, unable to speak for a long time.

"Go ahead and inform him."

Zhang Jingxuan sat back in the armchair. "Let him come back to participate in the ordination ceremony."

That evening, Xia En received a call from Zhang Jingqing.

"Junior brother, Master said that you should come back to participate in the ordination ceremony on the ninth day of next month."

"Ordination? It's not like I haven't been ordained before."

"This time is different. This time it's the bestowal of the Celestial Master's Register. Your master will officially designate you as the sixty-seventh Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Zhang Jingqing waited a few seconds, but heard nothing. "Junior brother? Are you listening?"

"Yes." Xia En's voice sounded a little strange. "Master... is he serious?"

"Seriously."

Xia En fell silent again.

Then he said, "Okay. I'm going back."

After hanging up the phone, Xia En sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the moon outside the window. The moonlight was bright, shining on the floor, making it appear silvery white.

He recalled the first time he went to Longhu Mountain. He was only five years old and didn't understand anything. He only knew to follow his master to chant scriptures, practice kung fu, and draw talismans.

Eighteen years.

He went from being a clueless little kid to a Taoist priest who could punch the zombie king to pieces.

Now, his master is going to bestow upon him the Celestial Master's Register.

He smiled, a smile that made his nose tingle with emotion.

"My master," he muttered to himself, "is really something."

He buried his face in the pillow and mumbled, "Go to sleep."

The next day, Fang Zijian learned the news and was so excited that he ran around in the yard.

"Celestial Master! You're going to become the Celestial Master! The 67th Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain! What an immense honor!"

Xia En lay on the wicker chair, sucking on a lollipop.

"The title of 'Celestial Master' is just a name; he still catches ghosts and collects money as usual."

Fang Zijian's lips twitched. "Can't you have a little bit of a sense of ceremony?"

"Rituals can't put food on the table."

Fang Zijian was speechless.

Liu Ruyan came out of the house, holding a new Taoist robe in her hand.

It is navy blue, made of high-quality fabric, with exquisite workmanship, and embroidered with a golden yin-yang symbol on the chest.

"This is what I made for you. Wear it on the day of your ordination ceremony."

Xia En took the robe and felt the fabric. "How much?"

Liu Ruyan blushed. "It wasn't much money."

"I asked you how much it cost not to give you the money, but to remember the amount so I can pay you back later."

Liu Ruyan looked at him, her eyes a little red. "No need to return it. Consider it a gift from me."

Xia En paused for a moment, then folded his Taoist robe and placed it beside him. "Okay. Thank you."

Liu Ruyan smiled.

Shen Ye emerged from the corner, carrying a porcelain jar. His silvery-white eyes looked at Xia En.

"After receiving the ordination, you will be a formal Celestial Master. The Celestial Master's duty is to protect people. Will you continue in this role?"

Xia En looked at him. "Yes."

Why?

"Because it's the only thing I know how to do."

Shen Ye paused for a moment, then nodded. "Then I'll go with you."

Xia En smiled. "You can come with me, but you'll have to pay for your meals."

Shen Ye's lips curled slightly ."good."

On the ninth day of next month, at the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain.

The ordination ceremony was held in the rear hall.

There were no outsiders, only disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion and a few Taoist elders who had been invited to attend the ceremony.

Zhang Jingxuan, dressed in formal purple robes, wearing a lotus crown, and holding a jade tablet, stood before the portrait of the Three Pure Ones.

Xia En knelt on the prayer mat, wearing the dark blue Taoist robe that Liu Ruyan had made for him, his expression calm.

Zhang Jingxuan looked at him, her voice solemn.

"Xia En, are you willing to become the sixty-seventh Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion?"

"willing."

"Are you willing to take it upon yourself to protect people, and never back down no matter what difficulties you encounter?"

"willing."

"Are you willing to uphold your principles, remaining unswayed by fame and fortune, and undisturbed by evil spirits?"

"willing."

Zhang Jingxuan nodded and picked up a jade seal—the Celestial Master's Seal—from the tray beside him. He walked up to Xia En, placed the jade seal on Xia En's head, and gently pressed it down.

"Ordination".

A golden light surged from the Celestial Master Seal and entered Xia En's head.

Xia En felt a surge of powerful magic power flowing into his body.

Like a warm river, flowing through my whole body.

His hand was no longer swollen, his magic power had been restored, and he was even stronger than before.

Zhang Jingxuan put away the Celestial Master Seal and looked at Xia En.

"From today onwards, you are the sixty-seventh Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion."

Xia En stood up and looked at his master.

Zhang Jingxuan has aged; her hair is completely white, and the wrinkles on her face are deeper than before.

But his eyes were still as bright as when he first met Shane.

"Master," Xia En's voice was a little hoarse.

"Um?"

"Thank you."

Zhang Jingxuan looked at him and smiled. "What are you thanking me for? You're my disciple, if I don't help you, who will?"

Xia En lowered her head, holding back her tears.

Beside him, Fang Zijian held up his phone, his eyes red-rimmed.

Liu Ruyan stood beside him, tears already streaming down her face.

Shen Ye held the porcelain jar, his silvery-white eyes gleaming.

Cuihua floated on the roof beam and cried silently, though she had no tears.

After the ordination ceremony concluded, Zhang Jingxuan summoned Xia En to the rear hall.

"Master, what is it?"

Zhang Jingxuan took a wooden box out of the drawer and handed it to Xia En.

"This was passed down from your grandmaster. I've never opened it before. Now, it's yours."

Xia En took the wooden box and opened it.

Inside was a talisman.

The golden talisman paper is made of the same material as the Earth Explosion Star, but the runes on it are completely different.

The rune on this talisman has only one character: Heaven.

"What is this?" Xia En looked up.

"Celestial Master Talisman"

Zhang Jingxuan said, "This is a priceless treasure passed down through generations of Celestial Masters of the Celestial Master's Mansion. Only a true Celestial Master can use it."

Xia En stared at the talisman in silence for a long time. "What's it for?"

"have no idea."

Zhang Jingxuan said, "Because none of the Celestial Masters throughout history have ever used it. They all felt that the time was not yet right to use it."

Xia En closed the wooden box and tucked it into his arms. "Then I don't need it."

Zhang Jingxuan looked at him and smiled. "Whatever you say."

Xia En walked out of the back hall, stood at the mountain gate, and looked at Longhu Mountain in the distance.

As the sun sets, it paints the entire mountain in gold.

The wind blows, and the pines rustle in the breeze.

Fang Zijian walked over and stood next to him.

"Xia En, you're now a formal Celestial Master. What are your thoughts?"

Xia En thought for a moment. "My feeling is... I still need to keep making money. The roof of the Celestial Master's Mansion is leaking again."

Fang Zijian burst into laughter.

Liu Ruyan walked over and stood on the other side of Xia En.

What are your plans for the future?

"Keep catching ghosts, keep collecting money, keep repairing the Celestial Master's Mansion."

Xia En said, "By the way, find Xuanming and deal with him completely."

"Aren't you afraid of him?"

"I'm scared." Xia En laughed, "But even if I'm scared, I have to fight. Because I'm a Taoist priest."

He turned and walked down the mountain. Everyone followed behind him. The setting sun cast long shadows of them, like a painting.

"Xia En," Fang Zijian suddenly said.

"Um?"

"You once said that as long as you can win, it doesn't matter what method you use. Do you still think that way now?"

Xia En stopped and turned to look at him. The setting sun shone on his face, bathing him in a golden light.

"Yes," he said, "as long as we win."

He turned around and strode down the mountain.

In the setting sun, his shadow was long and straight, like a sword drawn from its sheath.

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