Chapter 210: 194 Decision

“Anyway, those are matters that mother and the others need to consider. We just need to do our own tasks well,” Yan Shuang said indifferently.

“Didn’t your father give you other tasks before?” the man asked again.

“That person is staying inside the Celestial Treasure Palace and won’t come out. Just wait.” Yan Shuang mentioned this matter with irritation.

She waited outside the Ancestral Court of the Great Dao Teaching for almost half a month, ready to let that fellow experience the harshness of reality, but that guy stubbornly stayed put, not taking a single step outside.

Helpless, she had to go and attend to other matters first.

The current situation is actually the Imperial Tutor being powerless, with the Western Sect taking the opportunity to kill several Grandmasters of the Eastern Sect.

Without an Extreme Realm presence, Spiritual Veins are essentially insoluble for everyone else.

With tacit approval from the royal court, various forces are pursuing and besieging all the major forces and experts of the Eastern Sect throughout.

Seizing their wealth and resources.

Such a gluttonous feast is hardly seen once in a century. Former blood enemies and adversaries of the Eastern Sect are all showing up, gathering and launching attacks first.

Conversely, the Western Sect and other forces are merely following behind, enjoying the smooth sailing, and reaping huge benefits.

The two shifted the topic, chatting about recent movements of various forces.

Suddenly, the man’s eyes glanced, catching sight of a fleeting red shadow outside a window on the first floor.

“It’s here!” His eyes lit up, revealing a hint of a smile.

“Some really fearless person still dares to use the Red Sparrow for messaging.”

“Sending a message with it means death. It should be the Black Ten Sect using it as bait,” Yan Shuang chuckled.

“After cleaning up the small fry, five days later will be the gathering day at Yunwu Manor, are you coming?” the man withdrew his gaze.

“I don’t know yet.” Yan Shuang lazily leaned against the table, gazing at the clear blue sky outside.

“Looking at you, seems pretty dull?” the man asked again.

“Hmm, it is kind of dull. Running around every day, lots of small tasks, few big tasks, it’s a pity I was born beautiful, yet my fate is to toil at the end of the day…”

Suddenly, her right hand moved, avoiding the man’s extended hand.

“Brother Wu, what are you doing?”

“You’re boring anyway, isn’t your Sensing Sect pursuing ultimate joy? How about we pair up and see if we can find ultimate joy?” the man laughed.

Yan Shuang’s eyes flickered, revealing a hint of a smile.

“Of course, we can try. Brother Wu’s martial arts are top-level, even in the Celestial Lock Teaching. Perhaps it’ll last longer…”

“Good! I have a manor nearby, full of props, Shuangshuang quickly come with me.” The man quickly stood up, shaking off the earlier gloom.

But he had only taken a few steps.

He suddenly felt a little dizzy in his head.

His hand hurriedly grabbed a nearby wooden table for support.

“Brother Wu, Brother Wu, what’s wrong?” Yan Shuang’s worried voice came from beside, as if floating from afar. Vague and distant.

Then he felt all his medicine packets, money bags, various close items, gently extracted by a small hand.

The man shook his head hard, shocked and furious, but his body couldn’t move at all.

After a while, he suddenly felt a pain in his heart, completely losing consciousness and collapsing on the table.

Yan Shuang pushed the man.

“Brother Wu, how come you are drunk with just this little drink?” She sounded worried, casually putting the items she just took into her own purse.

Having done all this, she slightly smiled, got up, sighed, and left.

Walking out of Yunmeng Pavilion, the sun was shining brightly outside, with skies clear.

“What a pity… working well together would have been great, but now I have to change partners again.”

Yan Shuang chuckled softly, turned into an alley, her figure flashed, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

At this time inside Yunmeng Pavilion, the Wu-surnamed man lay prone, his mouth and nose slowly oozing strands of black blood.

*

*

*

Celestial Treasure Palace.

Zhang Rongfang sat cross-legged, seriously looking at the old Taoist opposite him.

“How is it?”

He felt a bit of anticipation; if this review could reveal his Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, even at thirty-five, he would be considered upper-level in the Celestial Treasure Palace.

Although not enjoying the top treatment of a Nascent Soul Stage genius under thirty, at least his treatment would be much better than before.

Listening to his inquiry, the old Taoist looked like a clock, motionless, with slightly squinting eyes.

From this angle, the fish tail lines at his eyes quivered, and his fingers constantly tapped his knee.

Obviously deep in thought.

After a while.

The old Taoist exhaled deeply, his eyelids twitched, and finally opened his eyes wide.

“You…”

He paused.

“You should be under twenty this year?”

“Just entered the Nascent Soul Stage last month.”

“Martial arts ranging from Eighth to Ninth Grade.”

“Overall, very good in small places, but here, it’s just so-so.”

The old Taoist’s expression was flat, pointing out one by one.

“Our Celestial Treasure Palace, as the Ancestral Court of the Great Dao Teaching, gathers elite talents nationwide. It is a place where geniuses abound; your cultivation is decent, but still far from truly top-notch.”

Zhang Rongfang nodded.

“Thank you, Master. Although I’m already thirty-five… huh?” He suddenly raised his head, his eyes showing shock.

“Master…”

He swallowed and felt unsure.

“You, just said how old exactly?”

“Under twenty, either eighteen or nineteen.” The old Taoist stroked his beard as he estimated, “At this age, it’s fine.”

He narrowed his eyes again and poured himself another cup of wine, drained it in one gulp.

“With your Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, hmm, quite good talent in the Cultivation of Literature. But you must avoid arrogance and impatience.

Bear in mind, within our Celestial Treasure Palace, Nascent Soul high cultivators are as common as dogs, and Refining God, Returning to Void are everywhere.

Just that many are diligent in cultivation, disliking to appear, focused on deep practice, so you usually don’t see them.”

He paused, speaking calmly: “So don’t think you’re all that excellent; to truly be formidable, only by achieving Returning to Void can you be a true high cultivator of our Great Dao Teaching.”

He revealed a look of leisurely longing.

But at this time, Zhang Rongfang paid no attention to the latter content.

He felt a jolt like an electric current instantly spread across his entire body.

His scalp tingled, his hands clenched unconsciously, and his legs nearly started trembling.

Finally….

Finally, someone recognized that he was nineteen!!!

Zhang Rongfang felt indescribably moved deep in his heart.

For how long….

Since he left Qinghe Palace, no one had recognized him as nineteen.

No!

Back then, he was only eighteen!

As a result, he was first mistaken for twenty-five in Tan Yang.

Then it changed to thirty-something….

By the time he reached Celestial Treasure Palace, he was almost seen as forty….

“Master…..” Zhang Rongfang took a deep breath, his eyes sincere.

“Your knowledge of alchemy is simply unparalleled in the world!”

Even the Celestial Maiden of the Golden Wing Pavilion couldn’t see his real age, yet this old Taoist did—could this not prove his incredible skill?

“Not bad, not bad.” The old Taoist smiled slightly, “Speaking of medicine, it’s actually far behind my martial arts. But it’s just a casual hobby for me. Hehehe….”

“Master is too modest!” Zhang Rongfang said sincerely. “To be honest, many people couldn’t see that I’m nineteen. I, Zhang, may look mature, but I’m truly just old in appearance….”

“That’s true.” The old Taoist nodded, “You, kid, honestly, I quite like you.”

He stroked his beard and thought for a moment.

“Seeing how you’ve traveled all the way from afar to seek the Dao, your qualifications are barely enough for me to take you as a disciple….”

“Master, please accept my bow as your disciple!”

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Rongfang bowed his head.

Thump thump thump, he knocked his head on the floor thrice.

“Hmm, not bad, not bad. You have understanding!” The old Taoist smirked, looking satisfied.

He casually took out a piece of purple jade token from his sleeve.

The jade token was carved with a silver mythical beast, resembling but not quite a dragon, with four wings.

“Since you’re becoming my student, this will be your ceremonial gift. Take it, and remember to keep it close and don’t damage it.”

Zhang Rongfang received the jade token.

“Thank you, Master, for this treasure!” he said earnestly.

“Alright, alright, go ahead and cultivate diligently. I’ll arrange your identity and residence in the coming days.” The old Taoist waved his hand.

“Yes, uh…. might I ask, what is Master’s Daoist name?” Zhang Rongfang suddenly remembered that he still didn’t know the Daoist name of the person in front of him.

“My Daoist name is Chongxuan.” The old Taoist smiled.

“Chongxuan….” Zhang Rongfang savored this Daoist name, as if there was some hidden meaning within it.

“Alright, alright, go down and rest. I still need to verify the others.” The old Taoist waved his hand dismissively.

“Yes…. disciple takes leave.” Zhang Rongfang said cheerfully.

Being able to discern his true cultivation at a glance, the person before him was undoubtedly one of the top true cultivators in the Great Dao Teaching!

“Go, go.” The old Taoist nodded.

Zhang Rongfang obeyed, stood up, saluted, and exited the terrace, heading down the stairs.

With the sound of thumping footsteps.

The old Taoist watched Zhang Rongfang descend. Only after he saluted once more from below did he leave far away.

The sunlight slanted until Zhang Rongfang was completely out of sight.

The old Taoist then picked up a wine pot and gently poured himself a cup.

Staring at the rippling wine in the cup.

He took a deep breath.

And then…..

Clap clap clap!

He slapped his thighs vigorously, covering his mouth with one hand to suppress his laughter.

But his heavy breathing made it almost impossible to contain.

“Hahahahaha!!!”

“Heaven helps me!! It’s truly heaven’s help, hahaha!!!”

The old Taoist burst into wild laughter. His chubby face turned red from laughing.

He tossed this way and that, collapsing at the edge of the prayer mat, laughing uncontrollably.

“A bunch of fools!! A nineteen-year-old Nascent Soul!! And Ninth Grade martial arts!! My heavens….!!”

“Old Taoist…. old Taoist….” Suddenly, he started breathing rapidly, unable to catch his breath, trembling all over.

With shaking hands, he retrieved a small porcelain bottle from his pouch, opened it, and poured it into his mouth.

After calming his breath, Yue Dewen managed to recover.

“No…. no, too excited, not good!” He dared not laugh anymore. But his lips couldn’t help but curl up on their own.

“This is….” He poured another cup of wine, taking a deep breath.

“Heaven prospers my Daoist sect!”

Nineteen-year-old Nascent Soul, nineteen-year-old Ninth Grade.

A genius proficient in the entire Great Dao Teaching’s Talismanic Skill.

Yue Dewen felt as if he were dreaming.

He thought he might have gone mad yearning for a genius disciple.

But….

In a daze, he recalled the recent events, realizing that it was all true.

“Heaven bless…..”

“Heaven bless…”

Swish!

Amidst the wild laughter, he vanished from the terrace in an instant.

Leaving only an empty white jade wine cup and a blue-and-white porcelain gilt pine-patterned wine pot completely drained.

A drop of pale red wine slowly trickled down from the spout of the wine pot.

Splat.

Dripped onto the wool felt.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep