I cultivate the Purple Mansion Golden Elixir Dao on Earth

Jiang Songjing burst into tears. Scenes from the past and memories flooded his mind, filling his heart with a mixture of sorrow and joy, making it impossible for him to distinguish which was stronger.

The Taoist books I had seen in the Baiyang Temple's archives, which I had initially thought were erroneous or inaccurate, now seem so clear and self-consistent when I look back on them now, especially when I start by interpreting them using the Taoist theories of Tianyi Dao talismans and rituals!

Furthermore, before his death, the old Taoist Yunfu had words left unspoken, expressing his regrets...

"Master... Master..."

Jiang Songjing was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

so long.

After his tears had stopped, Jiang Song calmed himself down and finally returned to reality.

The joy of sudden realization resonated with his sorrow, yet he composed himself, looked at the middle-aged man, and solemnly clasped his hands in a respectful gesture of respect:

"Thank you for your explanation, senior. May I ask whether I should address you as a lay Buddhist or a fellow Daoist?"

Whether it's a lay Buddhist or a fellow Daoist, these are terms used to address people within the Daoist community.

Now that things have come to this, Jiang Songjing has never even considered the possibility that the middle-aged man could be an ordinary worshipper.

Not to mention his profound understanding of the Tianyi and Xuanzhen paths.

The fact that he could speak so fluently about the now-decayed lineage of the Baiyang Temple, and that he could immediately reveal the true meaning of the book "Wuzhen Tongcan Shudan Chixuan Zhiyao" clearly to me, demonstrates that this person is extremely familiar with the Baiyang Temple and has an incredibly deep understanding and memory of Taoist classics!

Jiang Songjing even had a vague suspicion in her mind.

—This person's actions suggest he is a high-ranking cultivator of the Heavenly Dao Sect, perhaps even a Great Immortal from the [Muyun Palace] who has already received the "Shangqing Three Caverns Scripture" or even the "Shangqing Great Cavern Scripture." His visit to [Baiyang Temple] is specifically to offer guidance and help the temple return to its rightful place and sect!

"But... Master has believed in Xuanzhen his whole life. If he were to truly return to the Heavenly Dao Sect, wouldn't that be..."

Jiang Songjing was conflicted, but Lin Yu looked at him with great joy.

Over the past ten days or so, despite his travels through mountains and rivers, he has not neglected his research on the metal element.

Just now, Jiang Songjing recalled his memories, almost going through his entire life in detail.

Lin Yu stood to the side, but what Jiang Songjing remembered and thought also flowed through his mind, just like the orthodox Xuanmen soul-searching technique from his previous life, but even more subtle and unknown than that kind of technique.

This is precisely the effect of the Soul-Listening Incense supernatural power that Lin Yu activated by utilizing the subtle wonder of the metal element of the [Sinking Wood]!

Compared to the day he faced Yang Hongyu and used the subtle power of metal to manipulate the magic, the [Soul Listening Incense] magic that Lin Yu used today is far more powerful.

This ability to hear the soul and see into the heart, to search the hidden realms and enter the realm, although it cannot yet match the orthodox Purple Mansion Divine Power, is comparable to the effect of the Dao Foundation Wonderful Method after Foundation Establishment.

Now, by utilizing the metal element of the [Sinking Wood], Lin Yu, in his mortal body, has connected with and activated the metal element, unleashing wondrous supernatural powers. Although this has greatly depleted Lin Yu's mental energy, it has deepened his understanding of the wonders of the metal element, and this insight is invaluable.

Both gained something, but Lin Yu waved his hand at Jiang Songjing.

"I am neither a lay Buddhist nor a fellow Daoist. I am merely a devout believer."

"...believers."

Upon hearing this word, Jiang Songjing's expression changed slightly, but she quickly returned to normal.

"This... faithful believer, you are joking. You are so familiar with the Baiyang Temple and also know the theories of the Xuanzhen Heaven and the other two schools of Taoism. Otherwise, how could you make such a wonderful deduction? Even in the Taoist community, you are probably a high-level cultivator. How could you be an ordinary worshipper?"

Jiang Songjing shook her head repeatedly, not believing it at all.

"That's just because I'm somewhat interested in the history of Taoism, and since Baiyang Temple is located in Minjiang, a lot of the information about the temple has been scattered among the people. I just happened to have seen it before and made some inferences about it."

"As for the orthodox Xuanmen sect, Daoist treatises and classics... I don't know more than you do."

Lin Yu smiled.

Jiang Songjing couldn't believe these words, but they were genuine and heartfelt.

He was reborn twice.

Lin Yu is a Great True Man at the pinnacle of the Purple Mansion realm. His understanding of Daoist theories is second only to that of a True Lord, yet he is closely related to the flow of spiritual energy and the imagery of fruition in the cultivation world.

Lin Yu is an ordinary programmer at an internet company. His daily work consists of nothing more than writing code, maintaining databases, and copying and modifying code from websites, including Hub.

Regardless of the era, it has absolutely no connection with the scriptures and the evolution of Taoist theories of the two major Taoist sects of Tianyi Xuanzhen on Earth.

The reason he was able to make such a comprehensive and insightful deduction was simply due to the supernatural power of the "Soul Listening Incense." When he listened to the soul and peered into the heart of Jiang Songjing, all the classic texts and theories he had learned and memorized over the years were also entered into Lin Yu's mind.

The arguments Lin Yu used to investigate the root cause—whether it was generational genealogy, Taoist scriptures, or the history of Taoism—were actually in Jiang Songjing's mind.

However, being in the midst of it all, he had no doubt that the Baiyang Temple belonged to Xuanzhen, and therefore could not draw any conclusions.

However, with his profound Taoist cultivation and the wondrous nature of metal, Lin Yu used the supernatural power of the Soul Listening Incense to immediately piece together the truth from these fragments.

This is exactly what it means to have a commanding view from a high vantage point.

This is the domineering nature of the Life Flower Divine Power. With a touch of the Soul Listening Incense, Lin Yu can see all of Jiang Songjing's life memories and even perceive subtle details that Jiang Songjing cannot detect.

In a previous life, supernatural powers such as the "Soul-Listening Incense" would have been even more terrifying.

At that time, with the power and status of Grand Master Lin Yu, a single wisp of [Soul Listening Incense] would reveal all the profound skills, techniques, and opportunities in the memories of cultivators below the Purple Mansion level, reflecting them clearly in his mind and transforming them into resources for his own cultivation!

"I remember in my past life, I was a true disciple of the Changqing Sect under the rule of the True Lord Ganmu Tianyang Fengsheng. With a powerful backer and my own cultivation at its peak, this Soul Listening Incense technique made many ordinary sect cultivators and overseas wandering cultivators grit their teeth in resentment. They even gave me the demonic name 'Peeping into the Netherworld'..."

"...Heavens have mercy! The most important of all my supernatural powers is the [Coffin Palace], which is also the ultimate supernatural power of my [Sinking Wood] for attaining the fruit of gold. It is the gathering place of the metal element. Even if I were to be reborn and awaken my past wisdom, it is still the place where I understand it most clearly now... But those cultivators are indignant about a [Soul Listening Incense] that has almost no lethality. How petty."

Lin Yu smiled inwardly, but when he thought of the past two hundred years within the Changqing Sect, he couldn't help but feel a sense of realization.

Having lived two lives, Yu and Yu were ultimately both himself.

Although he now identifies himself as Lin Yu, the traces of Lin Yu can never be erased.

Lin Yu's thoughts shifted rapidly, but in reality, not even a second had passed.

He looked at Jiang Songjing, who was still processing what he had just said and seemed to want to ask something else.

Lin Yu immediately raised his hand, stopping the boring passing game.

"Whether you believe it or not, Abbot, I have nothing to do with the Tianyi and Xuanzhen sects. I came to Baiyang Temple only to ask you for a favor."

"...What is it?"

Jiang Songjing kept those doubts in her throat, swallowing them along with a slight sense of relief.

Since this senior isn't going to say, it means they don't want to. It would be impolite to keep asking.

Knowing the origins of the Baiyang Temple and the true meaning of those Taoist texts was already a blessing that would allow the ancestors of the Baiyang Temple to rest in peace. This middle-aged man had personally told him these deductions, and regardless of his true intentions, he had at least done him a favor.

—Is it right to be aggressive towards one's benefactor?

"I came to Baiyang Temple to find a quiet place to stay temporarily—for as little as ten days or half a month, or as long as several months."

The request coming from the middle-aged man was unexpected—it wasn't about money or goods—which made Jiang Songjing's eyes widen slightly.

"You're coming to stay here..."

"Yes."

Lin Yu stopped smiling and nodded in response, which deepened Jiang Songjing's doubts.

This mysterious middle-aged man came to the remote Baiyang Temple and solved a decades-old mystery that had kept the temple in the right direction, restoring the orthodox lineage of Taoism—but his final request was simply to stay at Baiyang Temple for a few months!

"Could it be...?"

A ridiculous idea suddenly popped into Jiang Songjing's mind.

"...This middle-aged man is indeed a legendary cultivator who has attained immortality through qi refinement. He came to this Baiyang Temple because the temple is filled with spiritual energy, which can help him in his cultivation..."

The idea was so absurd that Jiang Songjing found it laughable the moment it came to mind and suppressed it.

After all, where in this world are there cultivators?

If the legendary Taoist arts of immortality, flight, and teleportation truly existed, the world wouldn't be dominated by technology, armies, or modern governments—it would be dominated by these Taoist priests!

They, as orthodox Taoists, naturally understood this very well.

After a quiet smile, Jiang Songjing composed herself and nodded to Lin Yu:

"The senior has been kind to our Baiyang Temple, so of course we will not refuse such a request."

"But... Baiyang Temple is a small temple, not very popular, and the surrounding infrastructure is not very good. Although there is water and electricity, there is no piped water, so we have to use liquefied gas. Food delivery can only be made to the village entrance a few kilometers away at most. So we all cook for ourselves here, and we have to buy the ingredients in advance. I was afraid you would find it inconvenient to live here."

"...However, if you would like to stay here, I will make room for you today. Although you are modest and do not acknowledge any master, I would very much like to learn from you about the Daoist doctrines."

These words were spoken very tactfully, and Lin Yu listened quietly, her expression remaining unchanged.

He already knew all of Jiang Songjing's contents when he used the [Soul-Listening Incense]. But he still didn't stop Jiang Songjing from listening to it again.

Having heard everything, Lin Yu said casually:

"No problem at all, but how much does accommodation cost here?"

These words were truly unexpected, causing Jiang Songjing to chuckle:

"Accommodation fee... You are a senior, and you also have the guidance of Dao En, who is not an ordinary benefactor. It's one thing not to give you a lodging fee, but how dare we charge you again!"

Despite the straightforwardness, Lin Yu chuckled lightly:

"Kindness is kindness, and material possessions are material possessions. They cannot be confused."

Not to mention… he himself had experienced the profound mysteries of metal through Jiang Songjing. If there was any kindness, it was mutual gratitude—Lin Yu kept this thought to himself, not uttering it aloud, and continued to discuss mundane monetary transactions:

"...If you ask me, how about five hundred a day?"

The number startled Jiang Songjing, causing his eyes to twitch and him to wave his hands repeatedly in shock.

"No, no... Even the 'Daoist retreats' and 'meditation classes' offered to patrons by grand temples and monasteries cost at most this price. How can our Baiyang Temple possibly accept that! Senior, let's not talk about money!"

"...Five hundred a day, I'll pay one month's rent in advance. Let's do that for now."

Lin Yu casually finalized the matter.

A single, seemingly casual remark, yet it pressed down with the weight of a tripod, definitively establishing cause and effect.

Jiang Songjing felt that, for some reason, although she still had some thoughts of rebuttal, she couldn't say anything for a moment.

"besides--"

Lin Yu's tone suddenly changed.

"From now on, there's no need for titles like 'senior,' 'fellow Daoist,' or 'you.' We're all modern people. It's fine to use Daoist terminology when discussing Daoist principles, but speaking in such a formal and slow manner in everyday life just makes us sound like old fogies."

"My surname is Lin, and my given name is Yu, the Yu of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. I should be quite a bit older than you, so you can call me by my full name or just call me 'Brother Lin'."

"...By the way, I haven't had the chance to ask yet, young Taoist priest, what's your name?"

This middle-aged man, whose mental age combined with his past and present lives was at least two hundred years old—making him the oldest monster in history on Earth—chuckled at Jiang Songjing, feigning friendliness, and asked a question.

……

As the sun rises and the moon sets, its clear light enters the room.

Lin Yu sat cross-legged on the bed in a newly cleaned-up room at Baiyang Temple. His phone, which was placed beside him, vibrated slightly, prompting him to glance at it.

「【开发银行】您帐户xx09于04月31日19:21入帐220000元，存款xxxx……」

A notification appeared on the phone screen that money had been deposited into the bank account, along with a chat message from Yang Hongyu:

"Lin, your compensation should have arrived in your account by now..."

220,000?

After eight years of work, and with an additional 1 month's salary, the figure is exactly the right number, no more and no less.

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow and replied to Yang Hongyu:

"Thank you, I have received it."

A smiley face emoji immediately appeared on the other end, but Lin Yu only glanced at it before putting her phone away.

Under the soft moonlight, Lin Yu was not completely calm after putting down her phone.

220,000...

The memories Lin Yu had accumulated over the past twenty years living on Earth pointed to a part of her inner self that was sighing softly, exuding a sense of loneliness.

A person's eight years of peak energy and experience, from age twenty-seven to thirty-five, were cut short by this sum of money.

Although the compensation of 220,000 is substantial nationwide, for the individual, it symbolizes a denial of their abilities and position. Moreover, after the age of 35, finding a job similar to their previous one will be extremely difficult, and things will get worse every day from now on, as the best years of their lives have completely passed.

If it were the Lin Yu of the past, at this moment, he would probably have been slightly pleased by the compensation, followed by deep worry, then tossing and turning in bed, feeling utterly distressed...

It is sinking...

Lin Yu let her thoughts sink in, and a sense of desolation welled up within her.

But at the same time, the corners of his lips curled up slightly.

At this moment, one's consciousness has sunk to its deepest point, stirring that supremely divine and wondrous golden nature of the "sinking wood"!

He intended to utilize a portion of his past memories to generate a sense of self-pity, thereby aligning with the yin energy of the metal element of [Sinking Wood] and establishing the starting point of his path at this moment—

[Fetal breathing]!