He had thought cultivation would be simple.
Lu Zheng read through the *Tao Te Ching* and *Diamond Sutra*, then used a wisp of luck light, only to find he could now recite both texts backwards.
Cultivating immortality? A pipe dream!
Undeterred, Lu Zheng crossed back to the Great Jing Dynasty, but the jade seal still showed no reaction.
Web novels were misleading! Curse those authors!
“Several possibilities!”
“First, the Buddhist and Taoist systems in Great Jing differ from modern ones, so these texts are useless.”
“Second, these texts aren’t cultivation manuals, just high-level theoretical guides. The same theory in different settings could yield different results.”
“Third, these texts can be used for cultivation, but I need guidance to start. I’m basically at zero.”
“Fourth, these texts are too profound, requiring vast amounts of luck light to progress. My bit of luck light only let me memorise them.”
The first scenario was the worst: all the Buddhist and Taoist texts easily found in the modern world would be useless.
The second was better, at least offering support. With theoretical guidance, understanding real cultivation manuals would be easier.
This seemed the most likely.
The third and fourth? Fine for web novels or daydreams, but taking them seriously could drive you mad.
…
With the *Tao Te Ching* and *Diamond Sutra* proving ineffective, Lu Zheng lost interest in other theoretical Taoist or Buddhist texts, or dubious cultivation manuals.
Great Jing had ready-made ones. Once he got started there, he could search for usable ones in the modern world, far more efficient.
Decision made, Lu Zheng set cultivation aside and pondered the luck light.
“I spent over ten days in Great Jing without triggering any luck light.”
“Then I met the old beggar, gave him a chicken leg and a meal, and got five strands.”
“Catching a thief and sending him to the county office, altering his fate, gave me one strand.”
“Hiss!”
“That old beggar’s no ordinary man! A meal leading to such a huge shift in luck?”
“Or did my meal spark some epiphany, boosting his luck?”
“But if that’s the case, to gain more luck light, wouldn’t I need to massively change people’s fates?”
“How do I develop discreetly then? In this era, laying low is the way!”
“Or maybe focus on those with great luck?”
“Quietly take out a destined protagonist, and I ascend to sainthood on the spot?”
“Villain arc?”
“Or… play the mysterious old sage, gifting the *Tao Te Ching* to promising talents or super villains to boost their luck?”
“Puppet master arc?”
“So tough, too many starting genres to choose from!”
Muttering, Lu Zheng drifted off to sleep.
…
The next morning.
First thing, check the jade seal in his mind. Second, check his phone balance.
“Ding-a-ling!”
“Hello.”
“Hello, is this Mr. Lu Zheng?” A sweet voice, clearly not a robot, came through.
“Yes.”
“I’m your dedicated customer service from the bank. We noticed you have eight million in idle funds. Our bank recently launched…”
“Beep, beep, beep…”
Hmph! Targeting my eight million? No matter how sweet the voice, no way!
Hanging up, Lu Zheng pocketed his phone and, with a thought, crossed back to Great Jing.
“Uncle Li!”
“Young Master!”
“Is the house stocked with supplies?”
“Plenty! Vegetables, rice, and flour are all sufficient, and the shopping money you gave is enough for next month. My wife’s keeping the accounts!”
“Good!” Lu Zheng nodded, ready for his usual stroll.
“Young Master, the clothing shop on East Street sent the custom clothes you ordered yesterday. Since you weren’t here, I had them placed in the west wing.”
Uncle Li was used to Lu Zheng’s occasional disappearances by now.
As a servant, as long as the master wasn’t in trouble, he asked no questions. His own life was getting better, and that was what mattered.
“Oh? The clothes arrived? Got it.”
When Lu Zheng first arrived, he wore modern imitation ancient clothing.
Though marketed as authentic, they differed slightly from Great Jing’s in details, and the fabric was far superior.
It wasn’t noticeable unless scrutinised, but it could be distinguished.
So, after buying the house, Lu Zheng promptly got some ready-made clothes from a shop and, swayed by the owner, ordered custom ones too.
“Not bad, I’m now a rich man with custom-made clothes.”
Lu Zheng checked the clothes in the west wing.
Two sapphire-blue silk tunics, two moon-white cotton round-collar robes, three black cloud-cotton trousers, two embroidered crimson silk belts, and a black brocade cloak.
Tch, classy!
Trying on a custom-fitted outfit, Lu Zheng felt every movement perfectly comfortable. Checking himself in a modern mirror, he looked every bit the refined young gentleman.
“Whose cosplay can top this? Pure ancient weaving techniques, tailored by ancient craftsmen, hand-stitched, one-of-a-kind in the 21st century!”
Admiring himself for a bit, Lu Zheng crossed back to Great Jing.
Too excited last night, trying clothes this morning, it was nearly noon. Qing Sheng Tower’s morning storytelling was over, and the afternoon was opera.
Lu Zheng couldn’t understand modern plays, let alone Great Jing’s.
So, Qing Sheng Tower was a pass.
That left preparing a gift for visiting White Cloud Temple and figuring out how to boost his luck light.
Six strands of luck light: one for strength, one for computer skills, one for memorising scriptures, leaving just three.
Not much, must use sparingly.
“Should I return to the modern world to prepare a treasure for White Cloud Temple?”
“If the temple has real power, it could shift luck, letting me gain some.”
“No rush, play it safe. Send a few guan of money first, see if the temple has real skills. Modern gifts would draw too much attention.”
With a plan, Lu Zheng returned to the modern world, grabbed a few guan worth of banknotes from a folder, called Uncle Li, and headed to the city’s cart rental to hire a donkey cart for White Cloud Temple.
Though it was only morning, Shaotong Mountain in the east was less than twenty li from the city, but the rough roads meant walking could take until nightfall to return.
