I am a wandering immortal in the mortal realm.

Guihua Hutong, Linquan County.

Today, the village has hung several white banners at the entrance, and two white lanterns with the character "奠" (meaning "offering sacrifice") on them are swaying in the wind, conveying a sense of sorrow.

Zhuang Ping, dressed in mourning clothes, stood at the door with a sorrowful expression, greeting each of the neighbors who came to pay their respects.

Because Zhuang's father had been ill for a long time, all the necessary funeral items, such as coffins, burial clothes, incense, candles, and yellow paper, had actually been prepared in advance.

With the help of Zheng's father, the funeral hall was set up in just half a day.

He then called over his children and bought rice, noodles, meat, and oil.

When relatives and friends from the hometown come to pay their respects, the funeral feast must of course be prepared.

Everything was in perfect order, drawing praise from everyone.

In his spare time, Zhuang Ping would boast to his wife, "I was so farsighted to invite Uncle Zheng over. If it were anyone else, would they have managed things so diligently?"

After feeding Qingge'er, the woman placed the child in the cradle and said softly, "Uncle Zheng has worked so hard without complaint, but we can't just sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor. Consider it as if he's done work for us these past few days. Once the funeral is over, the head of the household must not shortchange him on his wages!"

Zhuang Ping snorted: "What do women know? Uncle Zheng and Father have been friends since childhood. Now they're seeing each other off to the very end. It's a story that would be celebrated even in a folk tale. How can money be used to tarnish it?"

The woman rolled her eyes and said irritably, "Even if the affection is deep, it belongs to the previous generation. Hasn't the master ever heard of 'when people leave, the tea grows cold'?"

"Besides, presiding over the funeral is your responsibility, and Uncle Zheng's dedication is truly a matter of kindness and righteousness. Even if he just came to visit and sit for a while, no one else could find fault with him."

After saying that, she gently advised, "Husband, we live next door to each other, and we have a long life ahead of us. You only have three older sisters, and if anything happens in the future, you'll probably have to ask the Zheng family for help again. If you alienate them today, you might not be able to get help from them again!"

"Oh, I know! I know!" Zhuang Ping waved his hand, his tone somewhat irritated. "Do you think I don't want to be generous? Father's been sick these past few days, and we've already wasted a lot of money. This funeral will drain our savings even further. Even if I wanted to pay him, I'd have to conjure up the money first!"

Hearing his words, the woman sighed and paused before saying, "Uncle Zheng knows your nature and has already been very frugal. Even when he makes purchases, he always uses favors to pay the lowest prices. Now, paying only his wages isn't enough, is it? Besides, four members of the Zheng family came to help, but none of them asked for money."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Ping took it as an accusation and immediately jumped up, furious and embarrassed, saying, "You think he's a good person? Actually, he's as cunning as a devil. The very night Father passed away, he came to me saying he wanted to change the sorcerer. I had already decided on Wang Duangong, but seeing that he was an elder and feeling sorry for his hard work, I reluctantly agreed. Everyone knows that sorcerers cost money; there might be some shady dealing involved!"

The woman, who also had a fiery temper, immediately retorted, "Wang Duangong quoted one tael and eight mace, but Uncle Zheng invited a legitimate Taoist priest from Yiyuan Temple, who I heard was even from Yuanjing. He only charged one tael of silver. Even if there's something fishy going on, how much could he possibly give him?"

"How many years has the Yiyuan Temple been abandoned? You actually believe what he says?"

"You and I both know what kind of person Uncle Zheng is. If I don't trust him, why should I trust you?"

"Ignorant fool! I can't reason with you!" Zhuang Ping cursed angrily.

Just as the two were about to start arguing, Qingge'er on the bed suddenly started crying. The woman quickly stopped talking, picked up the child, and comforted him by making "oh oh" noises.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the backyard.

Just then, the woman's aunt, running from her maternal side, shouted, "Cui'er, Zhuang'er, hurry, hurry! The sorcerer Uncle Zheng invited is here!"

Zhuang Ping gave a light snort, while the woman beside him composed herself and said helplessly, "Auntie, you're here, why are you in such a panic?"

"Oh dear, how can I explain this to you?" Aunt clapped her hands, exclaiming dramatically, "Just go out and see for yourself, that person... he's like he stepped out of a painting, so handsome..."

The couple exchanged a glance, looking at each other in bewilderment, both filled with curiosity.

So the two of them followed their aunt out of the courtyard and arrived at the gate, where a group of villagers had already gathered to watch the spectacle.

Zhuang Ping found a gap and swam to the front of the crowd like a fish. He was stunned at first glance.

The day was bright and sunny, and a gentle breeze suddenly blew, causing the wildflowers and grass by the roadside to sway.

The Zheng siblings walked hand in hand from the crossroads, and the Taoist followed them at a distance.

He wore a wide, flowing robe that fluttered in the wind. His features were serene and refined, like a celestial being from a painting. With just one glance, he captivated countless young women.

"Truly an immortal!" someone couldn't help but exclaim in praise.

It seems that monks and Taoists are not necessarily more attractive with age; a handsome appearance to a certain degree is enough to dispel all doubts.

Only now did they understand.

What exactly is meant by "ethereal and otherworldly"?

What must a "celestial immortal" be like?

Compared to this, the Taoist priests in the Jade Emperor's Palace are really not presentable at all!

Zheng's father was also in the crowd. When he saw Shen Yuan, he was filled with worry.

At first, I thought it was just my children exaggerating, but I never expected the Taoist priest to be so handsome.

My daughter is very pretty; if I don't keep an eye on her, I'm afraid she'll become deeply entangled in love and unable to extricate herself in the future.

If I fail to control myself in the future and something else happens, then it will truly be too late to regret it.

The others didn't think as much as he did; they all started to inquire about the Taoist's background. When they heard that he was the new abbot of Yiyuan Temple, it immediately caused a stir.

Some people even teased Zhuang Ping, saying, "Brother Zhuang, you're not being honest. You didn't even say you were inviting someone like this. Yesterday, when Wang Duan Gong's letter was rejected, he was furious. If you had known, you should have called the person over and seen for yourself where the problem lay!"

"Hahaha……"

Everyone burst into laughter again!

Zhuang Ping forced a stiff smile.

His wife was also stunned by Shen Yuan's appearance for a moment. When she came to her senses and heard the exclamations of surprise around her, she felt inexplicably proud and felt that she had gotten more than her money's worth.

After thinking for a moment, he whispered to the woman beside him, "Auntie, after the funeral feast is over, if there is any leftover meat and vegetables at home, please give some to Uncle Zheng to take back."

Auntie was puzzled: "Didn't we already divide one portion? Why do we need to add more?"

The woman said, "Uncle Zheng has been so kind these past few days, managing everything so well. Now, he's even invited such a distinguished person to perform rituals for my father-in-law's soul; I imagine it must have cost a lot in terms of favors and money. Uncle Zheng may not have said anything, but I can't pretend I don't know. However, you must know my husband's temperament. I'm just a woman; I can't make the decisions myself, nor do I have the money to help. I can only offer what I can, and be extra careful in these small matters!"

Upon hearing this, Auntie exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be that Zhuang-ge'er intended from the very beginning for people to work for him for free?"

The woman looked ashamed and lowered her head.

"Oh dear, what a disaster!" Auntie slapped her thigh, pointing at the woman with exasperation, "After all these years, you still haven't changed his temper. If it were anyone else, wouldn't they have been utterly humiliated afterward?"

The woman remained silent, only twisting her handkerchief, her face growing increasingly embarrassed.

"You, you, you, you figure it out yourself!" Auntie said this and hurriedly went to the backyard.

At this moment, Shen Yuan and the others had already reached the entrance of the Zhuang family's residence, and there was another burst of uncontrollable exclamations.

Linquan Town has been around for so many years, but it has never produced such a graceful figure. She is truly beautiful from afar and up close, and suits both light and heavy makeup.

Fortunately, those who came to pay their respects were all married women. Although they greatly admired her appearance, they did not have any ulterior motives. Otherwise, Zheng Baozhu would probably have been the first to break down.

After introductions, Shen Yuan greeted Zhuang Ping. Although Zhuang Ping was displeased, he still smiled and responded in front of outsiders.

On the contrary, Zheng's father's attitude was inexplicably cold, which made Zheng Baozhu glare at him several times.

"Master, please don't be angry with my father. That's just how he is. He likes to have a cold face, but he actually has a very good nature."

While the altar was being set up, Zheng Baozhu whispered something to the Taoist priest, seemingly afraid that her father's attitude might be unpleasant and leave a bad impression.

Shen Yuan smiled and shook his head: "Young Master Zheng, rest assured, I haven't taken this matter to heart. Besides, your father even introduced me to a job, for which I am already grateful. How could I possibly be angry with your father?"

"Really?" Zheng Baozhu glanced at the Taoist priest, seeing that his expression was calm and not feigned, she suppressed her anxiety and smiled, her eyes crinkling, "Taoist priest, you're so kind!"

Shen Yuan smiled faintly. He had dated girlfriends in his previous life, so how could he not understand the thoughts of these young girls?

But now that the future is uncertain, he has no interest in romantic relationships and doesn't want to hold anyone back, so he can only keep his distance and pretend not to know.

……

Because Zheng's father had taken good care of everything and had done all the preparatory work, the ritual proceeded very smoothly once the altar was set up.

It must be said that although the original owner had studied Taoism for three years and had not independently handled any funeral rites, her professional skills were outstanding.

Or perhaps it was a genuine talent, but Shen Yuan immediately felt an ease and familiarity with the task once he started.

He could perform all sorts of rituals with ease, such as opening the altar and sprinkling holy water, praying for the arrival of the Three Origins, summoning the deceased to their final resting place, and setting up a bridge for universal salvation.

Of course, Taoist rituals for the deceased don't involve many fancy procedures. After completing the necessary rites, Shen Yuan quietly began reciting the scriptures for the deceased.

"By the Supreme Decree, your lonely soul is liberated. All ghosts and demons, all living beings, shall receive this grace..."

The chanting of sutras echoed endlessly in the mourning hall. Suddenly, the sky darkened, a cold wind rose, causing the funeral banners to flutter and the candlelight to sway, as if ghostly figures were truly passing by.

The grieving relatives and friends were startled by the sudden gust of wind. When they came to their senses, they looked at the Taoist priest in front of them with some fear and uncertainty.

Seeing his robes fluttering, yet his face was serene, his eyes lowered, and his demeanor compassionate, he seemed like a true immortal descending to earth to deliver the dead from suffering.

Those who had initially looked down on him because of his age felt ashamed.

Just as everyone was about to immerse themselves in grief again, a thunderous roar suddenly rang out from the backyard.

"Foolish woman! Foolish woman!"

Then, a figure, looking disheveled and staggering, rushed out...