Chapter 41

The man who approached was about thirty years old, with a face as fair as jade, and a graceful demeanor. The two small mustaches on his upper lip, slightly curled upwards, gave him a rakish and unrestrained air. His figure was well-proportioned, and he wore a light blue Daoist robe that, though faded from frequent washing, remained very clean. A simple belt was tied around his waist, and a wine gourd hung from it. The Daoist robe added a touch of otherworldly charm to his rakish appearance, making his presence particularly captivating.

The man looked up at the plaque above the gate, his expression filled with excitement. "Qingyun Temple, Qingyun Temple. I never thought that after nearly two years, I would finally return today..."

"Sir!"

Just as the man was lost in his thoughts, his eyes brimming with tears, a voice interrupted his reverie. He turned around to see a young Daoist with clear features and narrow eyes approaching.

It was Lin Yuncang. Seeing someone ascending the mountain, but knowing it was not yet time to open the temple for worship, he habitually stepped forward to advise the visitor.

"Sir, it's still early. Qingyun Temple has not yet opened for worship. Please wait a moment... Oh!" Before he could finish, he received a sharp rap on the head. A familiar, teasing voice rang in his ears.

"Yuncang, it's been two years, and your eyesight hasn't improved at all?"

"Ah?"

Lin Yuncang was momentarily stunned. The voice was so familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He squinted to get a better look. Before he could react, he was kicked in the buttocks, and a fawning voice followed.

"Hehe, hehe, welcome back, Second Master Qingyan. Disciple Ma Yunyong greets Second Master."

Since the man ascended the mountain, Ma Yunyong, who appeared rough but was shrewd inside, had recognized him. It was Qingyan, the second disciple of Lingxu Zhenren, the small immortal who had converted his father.

It was this Daoist's words that had shattered Ma Yunyong's childhood dream of becoming a bandit, feasting on meat and drinking wine, and instead led him to become a vegetarian Daoist on the mountain.

Thinking of the past, Ma Yunyong felt a surge of anger and resentment. Faced with the destroyer of his once beautiful life, he could only...

Ma Yunyong, with his bearded face, forced a smile, his small eyes blinking rapidly, his expression full of flattery.

After all, when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.

In Qingyun Temple, when it came to reading people and adapting to situations, Ma Yunyong would be second to none. When he had offended Qingxuan in the past and was made to suffer, he had immediately knelt down and begged for mercy, displaying a shameless courage that was rare in the world.

The man was indeed Qingyan, the second disciple of Lingxu Zhenren.

Qingyan smiled gracefully. "It's you again, you shameless one. Despite your fierce appearance, you can be so flexible and adaptable—when I have time, I'll give you a good lesson." Though his words were stern, his tone was cheerful.

"Thank you, Second Master, for your guidance." The shameless Ma Yunyong, his beard hiding his cunning.

Qingyan laughed heartily and walked inside.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he stopped and turned to the two of them. "If a young man about your age comes up the mountain later, remember to keep him in the temple and treat him well..."

He was about to say more but hesitated, his face showing difficulty. He sighed and turned to enter the temple.

"Second Master, be careful of the steps..."

After fawning over Qingyan, Ma Yunyong turned around and was startled by Lin Yuncang's sullen face.

"What's wrong, Cong'er?"

The young Daoist Lin Yuncang, suppressing his anger, asked, "Brother Yunyong, did you see that it was Second Master from the start?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Otherwise, how could I have seen you make a fool of yourself? Hahaha..."

"Scoundrel, I'll kill you!" The usually good-tempered Lin Yuncang could no longer tolerate it and raised his broom to strike Ma Yunyong.

Ma Yunyong nimbly dodged, and the two began to chase and play on the temple square, forgetting all about their cleaning duties.

The laughter of the children echoed in the mountains.

An hour later, it was nine o'clock.

A small, thin figure appeared at the foot of the mountain.

A boy, about six or seven years old, dressed in tattered clothes, looked like a beggar, with a thin and yellow face, but his eyes shone with a fierce and determined light.

The boy dragged his tired legs, looking as if he could be blown over by a gust of wind, but his stubborn expression forced him to keep going.

Lin Yuncang kicked Ma Yunyong, who was sleeping under a tree.

"It seems someone is coming. Check if it's the person Second Master asked us to wait for."

Ma Yunyong, impatient, glanced at the figure and said, "No way, it's just a beggar. Why would Second Master ask us to wait for a beggar?"

"Go and ask."

Lin Yuncang, ignoring Ma Yunyong, walked forward.

"May you have boundless blessings, young Daoist Yuncang. May I ask, young sir, are you here to find someone?"

Lin Yuncang, who had studied the Four Books and Five Classics since childhood, was the most polite young Daoist in Qingyun Temple.

But the visitor coldly glanced at Lin Yuncang and continued walking.

Because he was so close, Lin Yuncang saw the beggar's eyes clearly. The eyes, filled with killing intent, instantly frightened Lin Yuncang, leaving him speechless.

The beggar walked slowly, then suddenly his right leg gave out, and he fell to the ground.

"Ah, young sir!" Lin Yuncang hurried forward to help the beggar.

But the beggar pushed him away forcefully, causing Lin Yuncang to stagger and almost fall. The beggar, gritting his teeth, stubbornly got up on his own.

Lin Yuncang, with a kind heart, felt no anger at being pushed. Seeing the beggar's difficulty, he shook his head and walked forward again to help.

But the beggar waved his hand, striking Lin Yuncang's cheek with a loud slap.

A flash of regret crossed the beggar's eyes, but he stubbornly refused help.

The person had said, I must rely on myself to catch up with him.

Lin Yuncang, surprised by the slap, was momentarily dazed. But seeing the struggling figure, his heart softened, and he wanted to help again.

"Blind man, get out of the way." Ma Yunyong, who had been watching, shouted, grabbed Lin Yuncang, and pulled him aside. "Damn it, these days, good intentions are taken for granted. Why bother with such a stubborn donkey? Let him live or die as he pleases."

Ma Yunyong, with a fiery temper, shouted at the beggar. If not for the task given by Second Master Qingyan, he would have already beaten the beggar.

The beggar, as if not hearing Ma Yunyong's insults, continued walking without looking back.

Ma Yunyong became even angrier and shouted, "In such a state, you still want to be strong. If you want to die, die far away, not at the gate of Qingyun Temple."

In a fit of rage, he pushed the beggar, who, already weak and exhausted, fell backward onto the ground.

"Hey—just a scrawny kid, pretending to be dead, huh?"

Ma Yunyong, not seeing clearly, thought that a light touch had made the beggar fall, assuming he was faking it to extort food and drink. Enraged, he was about to kick the beggar again but was pulled aside by the observant Lin Yuncang.

"Brother, brother, even if this person isn't the one Second Master asked us to wait for, he's still a pitiful soul. Why make things difficult for him?"

"Ah—Yuncang, why are you pushing me? I was standing up for you—sigh, why are you so spineless? You help him, and he slaps you. Aren't you angry? ... Fine, fine, fine, I won't bother. If you want to be a do-gooder, go ahead. I don't care."

Ma Yunyong, ignoring Lin Yuncang, walked to a large stone under a tree, intending to continue his nap. But his anger kept him from sleeping, so he turned his back, out of sight.