Simulated immortality allows me to calculate talent stats.

"My master takes on one disciple every thirty years, and now it's my turn. It's truly destiny."

【"well."】

Seeing the old Taoist priest's worried face, you couldn't help but wonder.

"Master, why are you so worried? Could it be that my three senior brothers...?"

The old Taoist priest shook his head: "Come with me."

The old Taoist priest rose from the threshold, his wide sleeves billowing as the scene before him shifted.

[I've brought you to a secluded hall in the Celestial Master's Mansion.]

The surroundings were quiet and peaceful, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the sound of sweeping could be heard.

Beneath the ancient, sturdy tree, an old man dressed in a plain Taoist robe was sweeping fallen leaves from the ground with a broom.

The old man was hunched over, with white hair and a refined, ancient face.

He would walk a couple of steps, then stop and rest; he would walk a couple more steps, then rub his back; after that, you could see he was almost out of breath.

I'm really afraid I'll suddenly die here.

"This...is this Senior Brother?"

[You find it hard to believe, but as the senior disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion, to catch the eye of this old Taoist priest, one's talent, if not unparalleled, must certainly be unique.]

How could he... be so weak?

[He looks worse off than most ordinary people in their nineties who have mastered the art of maintaining good health.]

The old Taoist priest simply shook his head and remained silent.

[You may have doubts, but you maintain proper etiquette and bow.]

"Yu Jing greets Senior Brother."

You waited a moment, but heard no response, and looked up in confusion.

[The eldest disciple caught his breath and began sweeping again.]

"Yu Jing greets Senior Brother!"

[You raise your voice and shout.]

But the eldest disciple remained oblivious, continuing to sweep the floor with difficulty and persistence.

【Uh……】

You looked at the old Taoist priest, puzzled.

The old Taoist priest's face was full of worry; thunderous sounds boomed, sending leaves scattering everywhere.

"Jade Guardian!!!"

The sound was as powerful as a thunderclap.

The eldest disciple trembled violently, his bones nearly breaking, and he could barely stand. A clear light appeared in his cloudy eyes.

"Oh, it's Master."

[The voice was weak, yet possessed a unique clarity and brightness—a striking contradiction.]

The old Taoist priest led you to him.

"This is my newly accepted disciple, Yu Jing!!!"

The thunderous sound boomed into the senior brother's ears, allowing him to barely hear it.

"Oh! A new junior brother! Congratulations! The Celestial Master's Mansion has a worthy successor!"

[The eldest disciple, Gu Jun, had a kind and gentle smile.]

[Greeting each other to the air.]

You raised your hand, frozen in mid-air, your gaze fixed on the old Taoist priest.

【well. 】

The old Taoist sighed, feeling helpless. He pulled his eldest disciple around and straightened the direction.

"Thank you for your trouble, Master."

The eldest brother thanked you apologetically, his cloudy eyes looking at you: "Junior brother, please don't take offense. I'm getting old; my eyesight is failing, my hearing is failing, and my body is weak. I'm no longer useful."

The old Taoist's eyelids twitched, and faint arcs of electricity seemed to pierce through the void.

You suppressed your inner turmoil and greeted them politely.

Finally, the old Taoist priest couldn't bear it any longer and clenched his fist: "Zhang Yushou, today is the day I accept disciples. I don't mind maintaining the number of successors in the Celestial Master's Mansion..."

【hiss……】

You gasped in shock. Did the Celestial Master's Mansion really have such a rule?

[If you have a new apprentice, do you have to get rid of the old ones? Are they not being brought back?]

[Before you can finish your rambling thoughts.]

A burst of clear light rose from the crown of the eldest brother's head and then covered his entire body.

Your eyes showed surprise.

Having spent so much time with Xu Kun, this inner demon, you have a very high level of understanding regarding the spiritual, mental, and emotional realms.

[It can be sensed that this clear light is an incomparably pure and boundless power of the soul and mind.]

[It's terrifying beyond imagination.]

The clear light enveloped his entire body, washing away his aged and frail appearance.

A handsome and refined young man stood gracefully.

[Like a banished immortal who could ascend to heaven at any moment.]

It's truly impossible to reconcile this with the elderly man who was about to collapse after taking just a few steps.

"So this is what our senior brother is really like. He truly possesses an otherworldly and refined demeanor."

[Your sincere praise.]

"Junior brother, you misunderstand. That was my true form before; this is merely my soul form."

【Um……】

You summarized what your senior brother had said.

[Profound and unfathomable, beyond immediate comprehension.]

The old Taoist priest offered a helpless explanation from the sidelines.

"He was so focused on comprehending the calming mantra that he ended up like this."

Oh dear...

[Does the calming mantra have such side effects?]

【Humph! 】

The old Taoist priest read the cricket's song in your heart, and snorted coldly.

"The Celestial Master's Mansion has always emphasized the cultivation of both body and mind. It was your eldest brother who only cultivated the Mind-Calming Mantra and insisted on not being tainted by the golden light, which caused this imbalance."

Senior Brother Yu Shou nodded with a gentle smile.

[This means Master is right.]

A smile gives people a feeling of warmth and comfort, making the surrounding environment appear brighter and cleaner.

This ability to evoke a sense of soul is truly astonishing.

"You can continue sweeping. I'll take him to see Yu Xu."

The eldest brother respectfully saw you off, smiling kindly at you, "Junior brother, come visit often when you have time."

"I will."

The old Taoist waved his hand, and the scene changed once more.

Before you could even see your surroundings clearly, you were blinded by the dazzling golden light.

After adapting, look around.

[Golden, glazed walls, ground, trees, tall pillars, pavilions, and magnificent palaces.]

Every brick, every tile, every blade of grass, every stone, is crafted from gleaming gold and glazed tiles.

[It is even more magnificent and opulent than the Heavenly Palace in the capital.]

The old Taoist priest led you to push open the palace gates.

The ground shimmered with a golden, shimmering light. Sixteen golden and jade pillars stood amidst a vast, empty space, with only a six-zhang-tall (approximately 33 meters) divine statue remaining in the center.

You looked around.

"Where is my second senior brother?"

The old Taoist priest raised his eyes and looked at the six-zhang-tall statue.

Your pupils widened.

"Second Senior Brother ascended to heaven?"

"No, this is your second senior brother."

The old Taoist priest walked to the six-zhang-tall statue, picked up three incense sticks, lit them with an electric arc, and flicked them out, inserting them into the statue's forehead.

"Hmph! A master offering incense to his disciple—that's truly a rare sight indeed."

Three incense sticks were inserted into the forehead of the statue, as if being breathed on as if smoking.

The next moment, the statue slowly opened its eyes.

A deep, resonant voice, tinged with honesty, rang out.

"Thank you for your hard work, Master."

"Sigh, it's not that it's hard, it's just that my life is tough."

The old Taoist priest gestured to you: "This is your second senior brother, Yu Xu. The surrounding buildings and scenery have all been distorted and transformed by his golden light."

"Because his cultivation of the Golden Light was too intense, his physical body suppressed his soul, hence he usually remained asleep."

"Only by lighting three incense sticks with the power of one's mind can one be briefly awakened."

Your expressions changed.

In a daze, I felt that the Celestial Master's Mansion wasn't such a normal place after all.

[Based on at least the three I've contacted so far.]

[My master is actually quite normal, except for his habit of cursing at the heavens.]

[The eldest brother, however, was devoted to meditation and spiritual cultivation, which resulted in an incredibly strong soul, while his body aged prematurely.]

[Second Senior Brother, your cultivation of golden light was too intense, and your physical body suppressed your soul, causing you to fall into a deep sleep.]

【Those three senior brothers…】

No wonder he only takes on a new apprentice every thirty years.

[So, the old Taoist priest ruined his main account, then created a secondary account, ruined the secondary account, and then renewed his subscription.]