“The Heaven Escape Sect hides in deep mountains. There is nothing fun there. Young friend, if you are interested, why not join my Pure Yang Palace instead? It is the direct transmission of Emperor Donghua of the Upper Realm. In a sense, it also counts as a branch of the Daoist sect. I imagine Baiyun Temple would not object to you changing sects.”
Lu Zheng, “…”
“It is nearly noon now. Why not everyone go to Peach Blossom Manor for a meal?” Lu Zheng could only change the subject.
Liu Zong and Lin Yi laughed heartily, then descended from the clouds and greeted the group.
“Tsk tsk, the younger generation is truly formidable!” Liu Zong nodded repeatedly.
Ao Qi being a heavenly prodigy of the dragon clan was expected. What Liu Zong had not anticipated was that, besides Lu Zheng, Yan Hongxia also possessed remarkable opportunities and profound cultivation.
“Dengyun Mountain has good fortune. An ancient sword immortal’s sword pellet is not so easily fused. This young lady has extraordinary talent.” Liu Zong saw through Yan Hongxia’s origins with a single glance.
Lin Yi advised, “Yet the fact that my senior brother could discern it at a glance means you have not fully assimilated the sword qi from the pellet. You must not skimp on the steady, patient work ahead. Otherwise your foundation will be unstable, and advancing further later will be far more difficult.”
Yan Hongxia bowed respectfully. “Many thanks, senior. Hongxia understands.”
Liu Zong nodded, then turned to Lu Zheng. “We’re going to Peach Blossom Manor for lunch, yes? Oh, and remember to prepare a roast chicken.”
Lu Zheng patted his chest. “Senior, rest assured. Roast chicken, wood-smoked duck, elbow pork, spicy boiled fish, radish-braised beef, roasted whole lamb. All of them will be there!”
At these words, Liu Zong beamed with delight. “Yes, yes, yes. All of those!”
Lin Yi was speechless. “Senior brother!”
Liu Zong rolled his eyes at him. “Stop pretending. Didn’t we deliberately detour here because I told you there was good wine?”
Lin Yi: Õ_Õ
Everyone: (ಡωಡ)
Lu Zheng and the others pretended not to hear, then rose on clouds, taking along Du Yueyao, Wang Xiaowan, and the eighteen celestial maidens who could not yet fly, and all flew back to Peach Blossom Manor together.
…
Five-spice roast chicken!
Fruit-wood smoked duck!
Dongpo braised pork elbow!
Spicy Sichuan boiled fish!
Radish and beef stew!
Cumin roasted whole lamb!
There were also cold dishes: smashed cucumber with garlic, spiced peanuts, celery salad, crisp bamboo shoots.
Finally, a jar of Wuliangye, a jar of huadiao wine, a jar of green plum wine, and a jar of peach blossom brew.
All set!
“Excellent, excellent, excellent!”
Liu Zong ate until oil glistened on his lips, utterly delighted. “This old beggar has no great ambitions, just the pleasures of the palate. I must say, young Lu, your culinary skill is truly unrivalled. It’s a pity you didn’t open a restaurant and instead took the path of cultivation.”
Lu Zheng smiled. “No pity at all. Only by living long can one eat widely.”
Liu Zong gave a thumbs up. “Well said!”
At this point, Liu Zong looked up and asked, “Young Lu, if you have nothing pressing these next few days, why not come along with us?”
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow. “Senior, is there some good opportunity you’re kindly offering me?”
Liu Zong scratched his head. “Nothing particularly good. It’s just that my junior brother may end up having a contest with a monk from Sunlight Temple. If it really comes to blows, you can watch from the side.”
Lu Zheng’s eyes lit up. Even Ao Qi and Yan Hongxia beside him perked up with interest.
Liu Zong spoke lightly, yet chances to observe a duel between great experts of their level were genuinely rare.
This was different from routine guidance among fellow disciples or overwhelming weaker foes. It would be a fight between equals, displaying exquisite techniques. For younger experts like Lu Zheng, Ao Qi, and Yan Hongxia, whose cultivation was still somewhat lower, it would be highly beneficial.
Lu Zheng asked, “May end up?”
Lin Yi nodded. “The monk Jin Ye from Sunlight Temple and I both took a fancy to the same disciple. The nine-year period has now ended, yet the child’s progress in both Buddhist and Daoist arts remains perfectly balanced. To take him as a formal disciple, I may have to contest with Monk Jin Ye.”
Lu Zheng blinked, not quite understanding.
Lin Yi quickly explained the whole matter from beginning to end.
…
Nine years ago, while travelling in the eastern Haitiantao region, Lin Yi happened to be in Wei Prefecture when a woman gave birth.
As the child was born, spiritual qi swirled above the house. It was the newborn’s innate Daoist physique drawing spirit into the body. A natural seed for cultivation.
Yet since it was only a newborn, the phenomenon was subtle. Ordinary people would not notice, but Lin Yi was far from ordinary.
By rights, the child was fated for Pure Yang Palace. In a century, the palace would likely gain another top-tier expert. Unfortunately, at that very time another extraordinary person was in Wei Prefecture: Zen Master Jin Ye of Yanzhou’s Sunlight Temple in the Haitiantao region.
Thus, the moment the child was born, great masters from both Buddhism and Daoism arrived to take him as disciple.
Everyone, “…”
One was a zen master from Sunlight Temple, leader of Haitiantao Buddhism. The other was a true person from Pure Yang Palace, the face of northwestern Daoism. Though the family were officials, how could they dare choose lightly?
They had no choice but to let Zen Master Jin Ye and True Person Lin Yi decide between themselves.
Though neither master minded the child practising both Buddhist and Daoist methods, whether he trained Daoist arts as a Buddhist disciple or Buddhist arts as a Daoist disciple was a matter for discussion.
Thus, True Person Lin Yi left behind the Lesser Yang Spirit Resonance Scripture, while Zen Master Jin Ye left the Tathāgata Universal Wisdom Sutra. They agreed each would visit once a year to lecture the child for a month.
These nine years also allowed the child to enjoy family happiness. When he reached nine years of age, whichever tradition he felt closer to would be the one he formally entered.
This year was the ninth.
In three days, it would be the child’s ninth birthday.
From True Person Lin Yi’s observation last year, the child was equally close to both traditions’ arts, indistinguishable in affinity, and showed equal interest in both paths of cultivation, with no clear preference.
On the day of the child’s ninth birthday, the decision of which sect he would join would be made.
This posed a problem…
To persuade Zen Master Jin Ye to yield, True Person Lin Yi might have to contest him. He suspected the monk thought the same.
Since Haitiantao was Sunlight Temple’s home ground, if Jin Ye brought fellow monks, even if they did not fight, it would still pressure Lin Yi. Thus he invited his closest friend Liu Zong to support him and keep watch.
The Heaven Escape Sect and Pure Yang Palace were like one family, indistinguishable. Lin Yi had no fear Liu Zong would compete for the disciple. Adding the Heaven Escape Sect would also serve as a counterweight on the scales of the child’s choice.
…
“I see…”
Lu Zheng nodded in understanding. This was Heaven’s own favoured son, a child of destiny born.
If not for the jade seal in his mind, he would probably be green with envy.
“So the true person is going to attend the child’s birthday and formally accept him as disciple?” Lu Zheng asked.
Lin Yi stroked his beard and nodded. “Precisely!”
Ao Qi and Yan Hongxia exchanged a glance and spoke in unison. “We would also like to attend the ceremony. We beg the senior’s indulgence.”
Lin Yi raised a cup of huadiao wine, drained it in one go, and laughed heartily. “No trouble at all. All are welcome.”
Lu Zheng smiled too. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”
