I am a wandering immortal in the mortal realm.

"What are you looking at?" Zhuang Ping asked warily.

Shen Yuan shook his head and chuckled, "It's nothing. After all, you are a major customer of mine, so I couldn't help but want to take a second look at you."

"you!"

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Ping remembered the silver he had just given away, and his face contorted with rage.

"Master!" Zheng Ren, fearing the two would start arguing again, quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "My nephew is straightforward; please don't take it to heart!"

"Haha..." Shen Yuan laughed, his tone light and airy. "Don't worry, layman. I've seen plenty of people who are obsequious at first but arrogant later. If I had to be so particular about everyone, I wouldn't need to cultivate anymore."

"Who are you calling obsequious at first but arrogant later?"

Zhuang Ping was furious. He glared at Zhuang Ping, taking the opportunity to vent his resentment.

Shen Yuan glanced at him only once before looking away and saying to Zheng Ren, "I am a newcomer here and have no reputation. I thought I would have to endure some hardship for a while, but I didn't expect to have business coming to me in just three days. To be honest, I have to thank you for your trust!"

"I dare not! I dare not!" Zheng Ren waved his hand, then sighed, "Daoist Master is a truly skilled master; I merely happened to be there. Daoist Master is now like a dragon swimming in the abyss; even without me, with just a moment of wind and rain, you can ride the clouds and soar to the heavens. I believe you will soon be able to revitalize the Yiyuan Daoist lineage!"

"In that case, I thank you for your kind words, sir!" Shen Yuanshen bowed, then suddenly said, "As we part, I also have a few words I'd like to offer you!"

"Oh? I'm all ears!" Zheng Ren said, unusually serious.

Shen Yuan said, "Taking on too many responsibilities may lead to trouble; forcing things is also not a good thing. In all matters... we should always be mindful of potential dangers and know when to back down..."

"This..." Zheng Ren didn't understand what he meant and fell into deep thought.

Shen Yuan smiled without saying a word, only saying, "Now that this matter is settled, this humble Taoist should return to the mountain."

Zheng Ren snapped out of his daze and hurriedly said, "Daoist Master, why are you in such a hurry? You've had a long and tiring day. My wife is a very good cook, and since it's on the way here anyway, why don't you have a meal at my house before heading back to the mountain?"

"Yes!" Old Chen's voice suddenly came from behind. "If you don't want to eat home-style dishes, the fish sashimi at Jin Yu Lou is also excellent. I can book a table right now and we will definitely have a good time drinking and chatting."

"Thank you for your kindness, but I have other matters to attend to and will not disturb you any longer," Shen Yuan said, refusing again.

"Is that so..."

A hint of disappointment inevitably flashed in their eyes, but the Taoist's words were so resolute that it was not easy to force him to stay.

As they watched the Taoist priest's tall, slender figure disappear at the end of the mountain path, a thought inexplicably arose in their minds—"Yiyuan Temple should prosper!"

……

"Brother Ox, Brother Ox!"

The moment the Taoist's voice rang out outside the temple, a colossal creature strode out with excited steps.

"Woof!"

"Slow down, slow down!"

Shen Yuan was shocked and quickly turned around to avoid the takin's attempt to burrow into his arms.

"Woof!"

Seemingly because Shen Yuan didn't let it rub against his chest, the takin was a little temperamental and nudged him with its head.

The Taoist gently patted its large head and said irritably, "Have you forgotten your pair of horns? Trying to murder me and seize the temple for yourself, is that it?"

"Woof!"

The Taoist was overjoyed. Ever since they had slept together in each other's arms that night, the relationship between the man and the ox had become very close, as if a certain bond had been formed between them.

The contract we signed back then naturally became a testament to our friendship. Yeah, people are so fickle!

"Come, Brother Niu, the Taoist priest made a little fortune this time and bought you some new food!"

The Taoist priest took out another oil paper package from his bag. The takin thought of the fruit from that night, and its eyes lit up.

"Look, Sachima, a food brought from the Manchu people in the north. It's sweet, soft, and fragrant. The Taoist priest spent a lot of money on it. If you behave well in the future, the Taoist priest will buy it for you again."

"Woof!"

The takin chewed on its sweet and sticky food and shook its huge head again.

Upon seeing this, the Taoist priest grinned and led the takin into the Taoist temple.

Having received an extra ten taels of silver, he bought even more things this time. Seeing that it wasn't dark yet, he tidied up and arranged things again.

The desolate and dilapidated Taoist temple gradually became more and more popular.

When they arrived at the backyard, they were pleasantly surprised.

The osmanthus tree in the courtyard, which had long since withered, suddenly sprouted tender buds.

"Ah, a withered tree comes back to life! This is auspicious!" The Taoist bowed to the cassia tree and said loudly, "Thank you, Brother Tree, for adding greenery to the temple!"

"Woof!"

The takin, unaware of what the people were doing, curiously approached and, upon seeing the green buds on the osmanthus tree, opened its mouth to bite them.

"No, no!" the Taoist priest stopped it. "Even the tree is determined to live; the ox cannot be killed!"

"Woof!"

The takin let out a cry, shook its head, and when the Taoist priest told it not to gnaw on the tree, it ran away out of boredom.

It recently spotted several foxes in the back mountains, but failed to catch them after several attempts. This time, it can't let them escape.

……

The Taoist ate two pieces of sachima to fill his stomach a little, and then prepared to practice the "Word Spirit" method taught by Old Chen.

But before that, he lit three sticks of incense on the altar, placed them in the newly bought incense burner, and sincerely recited:

"We humbly acknowledge the auspicious signs of the heavens and the pervasive influence of the Dao. We, the Daoist Shen Yuan, with utmost reverence and humility, respectfully burn incense to report to the patriarchs of the Yiyuan Temple throughout the ages:"

I am a foolish and dull disciple, unworthy to be in charge of affairs. I am always afraid that my virtue is too shallow and my conduct too shallow, and that I will fail to live up to the teachings of my ancestors.

I humbly acknowledge that the path of cultivation is fraught with peril and hardship, and I often look up at the moon over the altar with trepidation; the work of refining one's nature is as vast and boundless as the winds and waves, and I often gaze upon the stars of the Crimson Palace with heartfelt devotion.

I humbly pray that the Ancestral Master will bestow his compassion and illuminate my wisdom in this darkest of times; I humbly pray that the True Spirit will bless me and infuse my cultivation with the Qi of the Dao. May I, your disciple, break through delusion like the morning sun melting frost, and attain true understanding like a clear spring cleansing jade. May I swiftly realize the mysteries of the Xuanmen and forever inherit the lineage of the Dharma.

I bow deeply and respectfully submit this memorial to Your Majesty.

As expected of a genius scholar, he spoke eloquently and fluently. Suddenly realizing that he had said such a long passage, Shen Yuan was stunned.

At this moment, the sky was clear and the air was still. Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew from the ground, stirring the banners in the hall. It was as if a spirit had descended from the darkness, and the Taoist's originally turbulent emotions instantly calmed down.

Shen Yuan's eyes lit up. He felt that the patriarch had granted his request, and that he would surely achieve something in his cultivation today.

He sat upright on the prayer mat in front of the hall, and thanks to the original owner's three years of cultivation, he quickly entered a state of deep meditation.

Recalling what Old Chen had said today, he kept trying to imitate that vocal technique. But for some reason, he always struggled to make progress. As soon as he made a little progress, his mind would immediately become cluttered with thoughts, as if all his inner demons were coming at him, determined to ruin all his previous efforts.

They dawdled around like this all afternoon, and it got dark. The takin came back at some point, its head covered in mud.

Seeing the Taoist sitting upright, it barked as if to say it was hungry, but when it received no response, it immediately approached and lay down, looking somewhat aggrieved.

"Buzz..."

Suddenly, it raised its bull head and stared at the Taoist priest with some doubt, as if curious about why there were strange sounds coming from him.

After listening carefully for a while, it finally determined that the voice was coming from the Taoist priest.

Could it be that the Taoist priest is playing some kind of game?

With nothing else to do, it gradually became interested and wanted to play with the Taoist.

It couldn't learn the Taoist's vocal techniques, but it could make sounds from its belly. So, subconsciously, it throbbed its membranes, producing rumbling thunderous sounds from its abdomen.

And so, one "refined" and the other "played," and without them even realizing it, their voices inexplicably began to resonate...