Chapter 90: First Encounter with Cultivation (Part 1) (Additional Chapter, Please Collect)

  After listening to Wen Yuan's account, the Taoist priest pondered for a moment before saying: "From what you've said, it's highly likely that person is a disciple of one of the six major sects. In that case... I can only mediate on your behalf. That person should give me some face and not take action against you."

  The secretary exclaimed in surprise: "Why is this? The six major sects are just ordinary martial arts schools, what does the immortal master have to fear, could it be..."

  "It's true that the six major sects have been standing for a thousand years, with the support of the Xian Dao Menpai behind them. These six major sects are the top six Xian Dao Menpai in the Western Liang country, stationed in the mortal world to collect some resources useful for cultivators. Therefore, if this person is indeed a disciple of the six major sects, I won't be able to take action against him," said the Taoist priest.

  The clerk was tongue-tied for half a day and finally could only let out a long sigh.

  This Taoist, surnamed Yu Zhen, was a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Temple, a sect of immortal cultivation in Jiangzhou. When Wen Weng was serving as the Surveillance Commissioner in Jiangzhou, this Taoist actively sought him out and revealed his Taoist methods, proposing that they collaborate.

  Below the gate of Xuanyuan Temple, there is a small spiritual stone mine and several mines of Xuantie, Yucheng, Liansilver and other minerals. The monks are high above, and it is impossible for them to dig personally; but the general immortal sects cannot plunder ordinary people like the evil sects to do hard labor; so these immortal sects either use agents among ordinary people to hire ordinary people or buy some dead prisoners or captives from the government to serve as laborers.

  This is what Zhen Dao Ren thought of buying some dead prisoners from the hands of Wen Yuan Wai, who was in charge of Jiangzhou's criminal names at that time, to fill the labor shortage in his own family's mine.

  This matter is not a big deal, and it can also be related to the legendary immortal master, so Wen Yuan naturally agreed without hesitation.

  Wen Yuan served as the Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangzhou for five years, sending a large number of prisoners to the Xuan Yuan Temple; he even risked his life by going into the mountains to rob mountain people and make them into prisoners.

  Xuanyuan Temple also rewarded Wen Yuanwai with peaches and pears; those spiritual iron ore, copper ore, and silver ore were mostly found in ordinary iron, copper, and silver mines. So Xuanyuan Temple gave Wen Yuanwai some of the ordinary iron and copper that was extracted as a reward, which allowed Wen Yuanwai to accumulate a large amount of silver over five years in Jiangzhou.

  The treasures in the Wenfu treasury that made Xiao Ziyang secretly astonished, worth over a million taels of white silver, had more than half brought back by Wen Yuan from Jiangzhou.

  When Wen Yuan left his post, Yu Zhen Dao Ren gave him a jade pendant and a transmission symbol. This jade pendant not only automatically triggered a layer of earth armor technique but also had a mark of Yu Zhen Dao Ren's remaining law power. No matter where the wearer was, Yu Zhen Dao Ren could find the wearer based on the mark. As for the transmission symbol, as long as the information was written on it and burned, even if it was thousands of miles away, Yu Zhen Dao Ren could receive the message immediately.

  It was said that Xiao Ziyang could not be killed, and Wen Yuanwai was extremely disappointed. However, he did not dare to show any disrespect to Yu Zhendao, so he respectfully invited him to stay in a quiet and elegant small courtyard.

  Moreover, the literary family was unaware that their own treasure trove had been looted, and they were all waiting for Xiao Ziyang to come to their door on the fifth day.

  Xiao Ziyang lay in wait on the rooftop for a whole night with great caution, but nothing happened.

  The next morning, he pretended to have gambled all night and knocked on the door of the inn. When he returned to his room, everything was exactly as it had been the previous night, including the cloth bag containing the treasure, which lay quietly in the bed. He let out a long sigh of relief.

  He didn't dare stay any longer, took his things and paid for the room, then hastily left Shuangping Town.

  After leaving Shuangping Town, Xiao Ziyang rode his horse at full gallop. The hundred-mile journey took only a little over two hours, and he soon arrived outside the city of Shangyuan.

  Xiao Ziyang found a secluded spot, circulated the purple jade true energy, and shrunk his body by three inches; then he took out a mask and put it on; changed into a Confucian robe, transformed himself, and disguised himself as a middle-sized, fair-skinned and handsome young scholar.

  After disguising himself, Xiao Ziyang slowly rode his horse into Shangyuan City.

  He entered the city and did not go to buy medicine or stay in a hotel, but rode his horse straight to the Confucius Temple in the middle of the city.

  Arriving at the entrance of the county school, Xiao Ziyang approached a gentle-looking scholar and asked with his hands clasped together: "May I ask your honorable surname and given name? My humble self is Su Li, a student from Yun Cheng County, newly arrived at the county school to study. I wish to rent a quiet courtyard; would you be so kind as to offer some guidance? I would be eternally grateful."

  That scholar also nodded his hand and said: "Alright, alright. I am Wang Chen, a student from Pan Garden County. As fellow students, we should naturally take care of each other since it's not easy to venture out for studies. If Brother Su wants to rent a house, he can go to the Chongwen Inn up front and look for Manager Li."

  "Thank you, Brother Wang, for your guidance. I will come to visit you again after I have settled down, and please do not hesitate to offer me more advice at that time." Xiao Ziyang bowed his hands in gratitude.

  "I will definitely wait for Brother Su at the bottom of the mountain. When he arrives, I will introduce him to a few brothers who are well-versed in learning." Wang Chen bowed his hands and returned the courtesy.

  Xiao Ziyang bid farewell to Wang Chen and easily found the Chongwen Inn according to his directions.

  He handed over the sorrel horse to Xiao Er and instructed him to take good care of it. Following Xiao Er's pointing, he came before Li Zhuanggui.

  "Mr. Li, I'm looking to rent a quiet house, do you know of any? If you can find me a satisfactory one today, this two-cash silver ingot is yours."

  Li Zhuanggui took over the corner with a surprised face and asked: "I wonder if this scholar has any other requirements besides being quiet."

  Xiao Ziyang thought for a moment and said: "First, it should be quiet, the yard shouldn't be too big, but it should be clean. It's okay if it's far from the county school."

  Li Zhuanggui happily said: "How fortunate! I happen to know of a courtyard that meets the requirements of Master Xiucan. Would Master Xiucan like to go and take a look now?"

  Xiaoziyang nodded, and Li Zhuang let Xiao'er call over a horse carriage.

  He ordered the little servant to take good care of the guests and then got into the carriage with Xiao Ziyang.

  About half an hour later, the horse carriage stopped. Li Zhuangui kept glancing at Xiao Ziyang's face from time to time, probably afraid that Xiao Ziyang would complain about the long distance. Seeing that Xiao Ziyang didn't show any expression, he felt relieved.

  This house is located in a secluded alley in the eastern part of the city. The yard is not large, with three main rooms and four side rooms. In the middle, there is a four-zhang square courtyard, behind which is a kitchen, a servant's quarters, and a stable on the left side of the wing room; the furniture in the main house is complete and tidy.

  This house belongs to a relative of Li Zhuang. His relative had bought a new house and wanted to sell this one, but didn't want to sell it cheaply, so it hadn't been sold yet. He asked Li Zhuang to see if he could rent it out to students from the county school, but since it's really too far away from the county school, no one has rented it yet.

  The house was very much to Xiao Ziyang's liking, and although he didn't mind the few taels of silver, he still haggled with Li Zhu over the price for half a day.

  Finally, Xiao Ziyang rented the house for three or four silver coins per month. Li Zhuang called the landlord to draw up a lease and sign it. After paying half a year's rent in advance, it was already dinner time.