Chapter 31: The Ghost-Fearing Fairy

"Wealth" did not just refer to money.

Artifacts, the methods and materials to forge those artifacts, alchemical pills, recipes for refining those pills, alchemy furnaces, medicinal herbs, and talismans worth thousands—even tens of thousands—all resources related to cultivation fell under the category of "wealth."

Such things were the constant concern of cultivators, often driving them to conflict over their acquisition. For a Daoist priest to earn wealth without resorting to deception would be no easy task.

That night, Wang Sheng discussed with his master the matter of developing their sect's resources. However, Qing Yanzi reassured him that there was no need for concern and that he should just focus on cultivating in peace. After all, when it came to managing finances, no one was as truly proficient as Qing Yanzi.

The following morning, Wang Sheng noticed two small porcelain bottles on the table. Opening them, he found a few pills exuding a faint, refreshing fragrance.

Huh? Did Master rob a Daoist heritage last night?

Thoroughly astonished, Wang Sheng blinked blankly. Before he could inquire about it, Qing Yanzi entered the room with a smile.

"I refined those rejuvenation pills. Try them and see how they turned out," Qing Yanzi said.

"You know how to refine pills, Master?" Wang Sheng asked in shock.

"A Daoist elder from the Wudang Mountains taught me a long time ago. He also passed me a book on alchemy. When I was younger and had nothing better to do, I memorized it," Qing Yanzi replied. He smiled in satisfaction as he observed his disciple's reaction. "It's hard to gather medicinal herbs these days, so I couldn't refine that many pills. I'm saving some of them for the senior brother who lent me the alchemy furnace. These few pills are all I could spare for you."

Wang Sheng stopped himself before he could ask about alchemical pills that could cure infertility on behalf of his father.

I should look into alchemical texts and formulas myself. It's too embarrassing to just outright ask that question...

"Yesterday, I heard Junior Brother Shiwu mention that you've been associating quite closely with Liu Yunzhi from Mount Mao and Shi Qianzhang from the Longhu Mountains. Is that true?" Qing Yanzi asked as he sat down on a nearby chair.

Not giving it much thought, Wang Sheng replied, "Yes, Master. Do we have some sort of feud with those two Daoist heritages?"

Qing Yanzi smiled as he waved his hand dismissively. "Feud? Of course not. I just want to remind you that when interacting with others, you should value their character above their origins. I've heard from Junior Brother Shiwu that Shi Qianzhang seems unruly and arrogant. Don't let him affect your hard-earned clarity of the Dao Heart."

Wang Sheng nodded solemnly. "Understood, Master. I'll delete him from my contacts right away."

He had deleted Shi Qianzhang before, but Shi Qianzhang flooded him with relentless friend requests. That man probably had a histrionic personality. Wang Sheng had encountered similar individuals in his past life. Most of them weren't quite... normal.

"There's no need to go that far." Qing Yanzi chuckled. "Don't be too absolute in your actions. Leave some room for future encounters."

"Master, you don't understand. That guy..." With a helpless expression, Wang Sheng shook his head. "... isn't exactly a great person."

The look in Wang Sheng's eyes seemed to have conveyed to Qing Yanzi what he meant. Feeling reassured, he dropped the subject. His disciple could handle himself.

"Take those pills and focus on cultivating. It seems I'm worrying too much."

"Rest assured, Master. I will never bring disgrace to our sect."

That was the best Wang Sheng could promise. He wasn't sure if Shi Qianzhang would one day irritate him so much that he'd fail to resist resorting to force.

Blessed be the infinite gods above... Stay calm, stay calm.

The pills were meant to replenish true essence, accelerate primal qi absorption, stimulate potential, and even provide minor healing effects.

Since they were given by his master, Wang Sheng dared not refuse. He stored the pills carefully and carried his new sword to the courtyard.

He stood with his sword in hand as the Dao rose and flowed freely. Clarity filled his heart.

With the occasional mountain breeze brushing past, Wang Sheng swung his sword, letting the blade chase the wind. Maintaining a calm and steady pace, he practiced the Seven-Star Sword Formation from start to finish while carefully exploring the intricate changes within it.

When Wang Sheng first started practicing the sword formation, he made a dummy and used it as his "enemy" to further grasp it and comprehend its deeper mysteries. Now, he had long surpassed that stage and reached a point where he could delve into its deeper secrets. Though he couldn't claim his mastery of it rivaled that of his master, he was certainly not far behind.

After a while, Wang Sheng sheathed his sword and stood atop a boulder by the roadside, seemingly merging with the heavens and earth. Wisps of primal qi gathered and swirled around him before slowly spiraling away, cleansing his body in the process.

Under a tree in the nearby woods, Mu Wanxuan sat in silence. Though her eyes remained closed while cultivating, she appeared to have sensed Wang Sheng's presence. A faint smile graced her lips.

Meanwhile, Qing Yanzi had disappeared from the main house, likely to find a secluded spot for cultivation.

Their lives remained peaceful and tranquil, with only a few visitors disturbing the serenity.

The only notable exception was Mu Wanxuan's astounding insight. Three days after Wang Sheng had gifted her the jade flute, she could already play simple, continuous tunes. By the sixth or seventh day, she was performing complete melodies. Half a month later, a trace of calming spiritual consciousness had begun to seemingly weave into her music whenever she played. Each performance brought a subtle sense of enlightenment to the listeners.

Noticing her progress, Master Qing Yanzi came up with an idea. On the first full moon since his disciples' return to the mountain, he dragged them into another one of his schemes. He dressed Mu Wanxuan in an elegant, emerald-green, vintage-style gown and then draped two thin gauzy ribbons over her shoulders. A pure white waistband accentuated her graceful figure, and her long hair was styled with a flowing tassel pin.

As she began to play her jade flute under the moonlight, Wang Sheng, dressed in a Daoist robe made of cyan gauze, swung Abyss Listener. His movements scattered dazzling sword phantasms in the air like countless stars.

Nearby, a certain revered Daoist master squatted on the ground, disregarding his dignity. He recorded the scene using a smartphone with a high-end camera, adjusting the angles incessantly while muttering instructions.

"Yes, this angle is perfect...

"Little Sheng, you're too focused on your sword movements—interact more with your senior sister!

"Little Xuan, smile! No, not a forced grin—let your eyebrows show a hint of joy. Yes, like that!"

After a long evening of antics, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan sat wearily on the earthen bed, watching the short clips that their master had filmed.

In the videos, Qing Yanzi softly recited a few lines.

「Through the folds of a thousand sleeves, the jade flute whispers unheard tales. The sword journeys across the stars—whose ears will heed its cry? Whose jade beauty dances under the moonlight, only to ponder the meaning of this melody?」

Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan exchanged glances. They then burst into laughter.

Qing Yanzi cleared his throat lightly as he calmly put his phone away. "Get some rest. I'll polish the video tomorrow."

"Master," Wang Sheng called. "What are those videos even for?"

"I'll post them in my socials to make those Daoist elders without disciples green with envy," Qing Yanzi replied nonchalantly.

Wang Sheng felt his Dao Heart waver as he helplessly covered his face with his hand. His senior sister laughed so hard that she doubled over.

Since returning to the mountains, their lives had settled into a steady rhythm of cultivation. Wang Sheng only wanted to focus on his training and reach the Seed Formation Realm within a year, hoping to experience what it meant to live with a grainless diet.

However, one month after their return, Li Shiwu, the vice sect master, came to their small courtyard with a worried look on his face. The white-haired elderly Daoist stood awkwardly before the ever-youthful Qing Yanzi.

Noticing the slight annoyance in Qing Yanzi's expression, he carefully picked his words. "Senior Brother Qing Yanzi, I must trouble you again..."

Qing Yanzi frowned. "Another exchange meeting? My disciples need to cultivate too; they can't spend all their time running around."

Li Shiwu quickly explained, "It's not an exchange meeting, I promise! This will only take half a day at most. If you intervene, Senior Brother, we might not even need that long."

Qing Yanzi gave Li Shiwu a dumbfounded look, prompting the latter to smile bitterly and bow repeatedly.

"Come inside and explain. What's the issue?"

Though his decision still depended on the situation, the somewhat soft-hearted Qing Yanzi didn't outright refuse Li Shiwu's request. If it seemed tricky, he'd send Fei Yu and Bu Yu. If it were just a mundane affair with food and drinks involved, he would nobly sacrifice his own cultivation time to shoulder the burden for his disciples.

Li Shiwu sighed in relief and smiled wryly. "It's a personal matter, to be honest. It's about my hometown. I couldn't bring myself to ask the martial uncles for help, so I turned to you, Senior Brother. Among our peers, you're the most reliable one I know."

***

About ten minutes later, Li Shiwu descended with light and brisk steps. Before leaving, he made sure to greet Wang Sheng, who was training with his sword outside.

Just as Wang Sheng began to feel an ominous premonition, his master called out to him and his senior sister.

"Little Xuan, Little Sheng, come inside."

As instructed, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan entered and stood before him.

"Do you two believe in ghosts?" Qing Yanzi asked with a serious expression.

"G-ghosts?" Mu Wanxuan's small hand twitched as she pursed her lips. She glanced at her master, her pale face betraying a trace of fear. Soon, she shrank behind Wang Sheng.

"Ah, I almost forgot you're terrified of such things, Little Xuan." Qing Yanzi slapped his forehead and smiled helplessly. "Cultivate outside for a while. Little Sheng will handle this matter."

Senior Sister, a Seed Formation Realm cultivator, is afraid of ghosts?

Wang Sheng found it hard to believe. When Mu Wanxuan left the room, he cast his master an inquisitive look.

Qing Yanzi calmly explained, "When she was about seven or eight, I tried to get her to speak more, so I made her listen to late-night ghost-story radio programs. Unfortunately, she developed a fear of ghosts instead."

The urge to sarcastically verbally roast Qing Yanzi surged within Wang Sheng.

"Master, how effective was it?" he asked.

"No effect whatsoever. It actually made things worse. Your senior sister... Well, she almost became completely withdrawn."

Wang Sheng was rendered speechless.

That absolutely sounded like something his master would do!