Chapter 1

Wuzhou.

Ningzhou, Dongyang County, Langyu County to the north.

The green mountains are hazy, with misty clouds drifting, and from a distance, it seems as if dragons and fish weave through the undulating terrain, like a few light ink strokes that vividly come to life on paper.

Though not a fairy mountain or divine vein, it is rich in spiritual bamboo, and because of its nine peaks, it is known as Jiuzhu Mountain, which is somewhat famous within Ningzhou.

Following the moss-covered stone steps through the forest, one can find an inconspicuous Taoist temple on an unremarkable peak.

Weathered by wind and rain, the temple's outer walls are cracked, the plaque is missing, and the front courtyard is overgrown with weeds, with a lush green plant growing in the center...

Upon closer inspection, it is not a potted plant at all, but a tripod incense burner, long neglected and overtaken by greenery.

To retract the previous statement, the temple is not entirely inconspicuous; at least, the signs of age are evident everywhere.

"Disciple, my time is near, and I will soon depart this world. I have a few last words to leave you, so listen carefully..."

In the backyard, under an old tree, an elderly man and a young man sit on the ground. The old Taoist has a youthful appearance, clear-minded and refreshed, stroking his goatee: "Do not be sad; birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural course of life. Do not cry or wail."

The young man, opposite, touched his slightly dry eyes and nodded heavily: "Alright."

"You can rest assured. Although my time is limited, I have already sent a message to your senior sister Bai Jin. She will guide you in your cultivation. Thirty years ago, she was the top disciple of the Lingxiao Sword Sect, so I imagine she is now..."

"Speaking of the Lingxiao Sword Sect, I do miss it. Unfortunately, if I hadn't accidentally severely injured my senior brother, the sect leader, I would have definitely gone back to take a look before I die."

"Forget it, time has passed, and things have changed. There's no point in talking about these things..."

"..."

An hour later, the young man blinked in confusion, looking at the still talkative old man, and discreetly moved his stiff legs.

What the hell, he was supposed to leave a few last words, but how did he get more energetic the more he talked?

Is he really seeing ghosts?

"By the way, disciple."

Perhaps realizing he had been rambling, the old Taoist coughed lightly, his expression serious: "I know you did not wish to become my disciple and have some reservations about it, but I did not deceive you. With your talent, it would be a waste not to cultivate."

The young man's lips twitched. He had always been straightforward and intelligent, and it was clear that the old Taoist, with one foot in the grave, knew his time was short and had randomly chosen a lucky audience member.

And he just happened to be nearby.

"By the way, disciple, I..."

The old Taoist coughed several times, covering half his old face with his sleeve: "Time is short, and in my haste, I forgot to ask your name... Ah, what is your name?"

Lu Bei: "..."

Not short at all, just recalling the past took you two hours.

"Disciple?!"

"Lu Bei."

"Good name. I am Mo Buxiu, the patriarch of Yuhua Gate on the Three Clear Peaks of Jiuzhu Mountain. After I die, you will inherit the position of patriarch."

The old Taoist glossed over the awkwardness, pointing around, trying to regain his previous solemnity: "I'm sure you have noticed that this place is blessed with talented people and a fertile land. From today on, you will be in charge."

Lu Bei: "..."

So, the talented people refer to him, and the fertile land means lush vegetation?

If that's the case, he couldn't argue.

Clearly, Mo Buxiu's struggle was in vain. There was no serious atmosphere when the master and disciple exchanged names, and the "blessed" Yuhua Gate made the atmosphere even more awkward.

The two stared at each other for a while before Mo Buxiu began to explain. He was a man of action, often traveling outside for cultivation, so it was reasonable and logical that the place was overgrown with grass.

"Alright, disciple, let's not waste time. I really don't have much time left."

Seeing Lu Bei about to run away, Mo Buxiu pulled out a spatial bag from his robe, grabbed his hand, and quickly said: "The patriarch's seal and land deed are in here. There is also a book called 'Fetal Breath and Qi Cultivation Technique,' which I obtained in the far west of Kunlun. Although it is unconventional, it has a high concept and is a rare book in the world. I am at too high a level to practice it, but you are just starting, so..."

Halfway through his sentence, Mo Buxiu's eyes lost their luster, and his hand holding Lu Bei's dropped, becoming still.

The suddenness of it all made Lu Bei hesitant to believe. Just a moment ago, Mo Buxiu was energetic, talking for two hours, and now he was gone. Lu Bei placed his fingers under Mo Buxiu's nose to check.

This test!

Slap!

Mo Buxiu slapped away Lu Bei's hand and took a deep breath: "Continue, where were we? Ah, right, although my time is limited, I have already sent a message to your senior sister Bai Jin. She will guide you in your cultivation... Hey, how did the spatial bag end up in your hand?"

Lu Bei: "..."

"Oh, I remember, we already covered that!"

Mo Buxiu suddenly realized, slapping his forehead: "Look at my mind, it's not working even before I die."

Hit harder, maybe it will really stop!

Lu Bei rolled his eyes. If he hadn't resisted on the way here and found out he couldn't fight, he would have punched Mo Buxiu in the face.

But never mind, respect the dead. Mo Buxiu was practically dead, and it would be foolish to argue with a dead man.

"Disciple, although I cannot teach you cultivation, cultivation is not just about practice. I have a saying for you to remember."

Mo Buxiu took out a wooden box from the spatial bag and placed it in Lu Bei's hand: "Do not have the heart to harm others, but do not lack the heart to guard against them. Keep this 'Fetal Breath and Qi Cultivation Technique' safe and do not tell anyone, not even your senior sister."

What does that mean, is the senior sister not good?

Lu Bei frowned, nodded without saying anything, and in front of Mo Buxiu, put the book in his robe.

"Thus, I have no regrets, except for one thing..."

Mo Buxiu stared at Lu Bei without blinking: "Disciple, have you noticed that you have never called me 'Master' since becoming my disciple?"

Under the affectionate gaze, Lu Bei shivered, and he thought he saw a greasy look in those eyes.

For a moment, he felt very uncomfortable.

Thinking about the forced apprenticeship, he was unwilling, but considering Mo Buxiu's limited time and the possibility of a last burst of energy, a slight delay would mean the old man would die with regrets.

How pitiful.

Finally, facing the hopeful gaze, Lu Bei took a deep breath and solemnly said:

"Master."

"Good! Good! Good..."

Mo Buxiu clapped his hands in approval, then smiled and lowered his head, becoming still.

Lu Bei: "..."

Learning from the past, he was unsure if history would repeat itself. After waiting for a moment, he reached out to check Mo Buxiu's breath.

Unexpectedly, when his fingertips were still a palm's width away, the old Taoist's body quickly turned to sand, scattering into a pile of white ash.

Lu Bei was stunned as the wooden box beside him created a vortex, drawing the ash into the box. In a few breaths, the entire process was completed, leaving only the need for a feast to conclude the funeral.

"This, is..."

Lu Bei was momentarily speechless: "This is... convenient."

He put away the spatial bag, picked up the wooden box, and wandered around the temple. After some searching, he finally found a wooden table for offerings in the dilapidated main hall.

The back wall seemed sturdy, and the roof didn't look like it would collapse, but he had come at the wrong time, and there were already residents under the table.

A den of foxes suddenly darted out, barking wildly, trying to scare away the intruder with their numbers.

However, it was useless. After Lu Bei stomped his foot, the four foxes immediately ran away, disappearing into the mountains through a hole in the wall.

"Foxes in this world can cultivate into demons. After driving away these residents, I wonder if a fox spirit will come to seduce me tonight?" Lu Bei put down the wooden box, thinking he had been too careless. Considering his weak and scholarly build, how to spend the night on the mountain was a real challenge.

Go down the mountain?

Going down the mountain was impossible. The path he had taken was steep and rocky, and it was not friendly to someone with acrophobia.

Most importantly, he was very hungry.

After failing to open the spatial bag, Lu Bei realized he was trapped on the mountain. The only hope now was the unknown senior sister Bai Jin or the vengeful fox spirit that might return tonight.

"Hope the senior sister comes soon..."

Lu Bei muttered, closed his eyes, and opened the panel information.

Name: Lu Bei

Race: Human

Template: NPC

Level: 3

Experience: 250/900

Cultivation: 30/30

Health: 22/30 (Hunger, Shock, Fatigue)

Primary Profession: None

Secondary Profession: Farmer Lv1

Attributes: Strength 2, Speed 3, Spirit 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Luck 3

Evaluation: Troublesome, what's the point of this evaluation!