Chapter 15

As the穿越ers began to actively engage in their respective tasks, the days passed by quickly, and the weather grew increasingly hot. One day, on the first day of the fifth lunar month, Wang Xiaojun was leisurely sitting in Yu Xu Zi’s study, listening to him recount the stories and customs of the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival. The reason he could be so relaxed was quite embarrassing. While the team members were sweating profusely in the scorching summer, diligently writing down as much of their knowledge as possible, this master’s degree graduate from a prestigious university in his previous life was the most idle person in the team. The reason was simple: his expertise was in computer software development and design. Given the technological foundation of this era, even if the butterfly effect caused by the穿越ers might lead to some aspects of development, it would be difficult for his knowledge to be of any use for at least three to five hundred years. Therefore, on everyone’s suggestion, the great scholar Wang could only reluctantly become an idle person. Apart from occasionally participating in the compilation of some basic math and science knowledge, most of the time he spent chatting with Yu Xu Zi to pass the time.

With the Dragon Boat Festival just a few days away, Wang Xiaojun went to Yu Xu Zi to learn about the customs and activities of the festival in this era, so that he could organize the team members to celebrate their first festival after the穿越, alleviating their homesickness. Just as the two were enthusiastically discussing, a young Taoist ran into the room, bowed to Yu Xu Zi, and respectfully said, "Master, a Taoist priest has come to visit you."

"Who is it, and did they give their name?" Yu Xu Zi asked.

The young Taoist hesitated a bit and said, "He didn’t give his name, but he said you would know who he is if you come outside."

"Oh!" Yu Xu Zi stroked his beard and thought for a moment, but couldn’t figure out who it might be. He stood up and said to Wang Xiaojun, "Brother Wang, please wait a moment. I’ll go see who this old friend is." By now, Yu Xu Zi was quite familiar with everyone, and he basically called the older穿越ers brothers and sisters.

Wang Xiaojun, who was idle and found the visitor quite intriguing, also stood up and said, "Since I have nothing to do, I’ll go with Brother Daoist to see who it is."

Seeing his interest, Yu Xu Zi naturally agreed, and the two of them left the study and headed for the temple gate. As they passed the front hall, they saw a Taoist standing with his hands behind his back at the temple gate. Yu Xu Zi, the old Taoist, was initially stunned, then lifted his robe and started running. Wang Xiaojun, not understanding what was happening, followed closely behind. As they got closer, he could see the Taoist at the gate. He was of medium height, wearing a slightly worn Taoist robe, with a thin build and a gaunt face. His hair and beard were black, and he had a casual bun on his head, secured with a bamboo pin. His small eyes were half-open, as if he hadn’t woken up yet. He didn’t look much older than Wang Xiaojun, and if he were a bit fatter and his eyes more open, he might even look younger. Wang Xiaojun wondered what kind of relationship this person had with Yu Xu Zi to make him so excited.

When the two reached the Taoist, Yu Xu Zi steadied himself, knelt down solemnly, and said, "Grand-disciple greets Great Master. I didn’t know Great Master was coming, so I couldn’t welcome you from afar. Please forgive me, Great Master."

The Taoist merely nodded slightly and said, "Get up." Then he pointed to Wang Xiaojun, who was staring at Yu Xu Zi with wide eyes, and asked, "Who is this fellow Taoist?" Yu Xu Zi, hearing this, quickly stood up and introduced him, "This is a close friend of my grand-disciple, who has returned from overseas with his clan and is currently staying at my temple."

"Oh!" The Great Master of Yu Xu Zi looked Wang Xiaojun up and down. His half-open eyes suddenly brightened, shooting out two sharp beams of light, but they quickly disappeared. He thought to himself, "This person’s face is quite peculiar. Yu Xu Zi’s grand-disciple says he’s from overseas, so I’ll have to observe him carefully."

Yu Xu Zi, not noticing the change in his Great Master’s eyes, turned to introduce him to Wang Xiaojun, "Brother Wang, let me introduce you. This is my Great Master, Daoist Fuyao."

Wang Xiaojun, now back to his senses, hurriedly bowed and said, "Junior greets Daoist." He was extremely puzzled, not understanding why Yu Xu Zi would call this younger-looking Taoist his Great Master, which seemed quite strange.

Daoist Fuyao merely grunted and walked into the temple gate, with Yu Xu Zu and Wang Xiaojun following behind. Although Wang Xiaojun had many questions, he didn’t ask Yu Xu Zi at that moment. He decided to keep his questions in mind and ask Yu Xu Zi when the opportunity arose.

The three of them arrived at the rear hall, where Daoist Fuyao saw Tang Chao on duty and was again stunned, thinking, "What kind of people has my grand-disciple taken in? Why do they all have such peculiar faces?" He didn’t say anything, but told Yu Xu Zi, "I have something to ask you. Let’s go to your study to talk." Yu Xu Zi nodded and called to Wang Xiaojun, then followed Daoist Fuyao.

Wang Xiaojun, having lost his conversation partner, returned to his room. His roommate, Wang Feng, was writing down all the materials related to banking and finance that he knew. Zhang Weixin was teaching Liang Ziyue about the etiquette of this era to avoid making low-level mistakes when accompanying him on official business.

Hearing him enter, Zhang Weixin looked up and teased, "Old Wang is back. Why isn’t Daoist Yu Xu Zi free to keep you company?"

Wang Xiaojun, not in the mood for jokes, was still thinking about the strange Daoist Fuyao and said, puzzled, "Old Daoist Yu Xu Zi has a guest today, his Great Master, named Daoist Fuyao. But, I don’t understand how someone who looks not much older than me could be Yu Xu Zi’s Great Master. It’s really strange." He looked at Zhang Weixin, who was staring at him with wide eyes, his lips trembling as he stammered, "You... you said what? The Great Master of Old Daoist Yu Xu Zi is... is Daoist Fuyao?"

"Yes! I said, what’s wrong with you? Did you see a ghost in broad daylight?" Wang Xiaojun, seeing Zhang Weixin’s strange expression, asked worriedly.

"I didn’t see a ghost, but I’m about to see a living immortal," Zhang Weixin said excitedly.

Wang Xiaojun was even more confused by this vague answer. Just as he was about to ask what he meant, Zhang Weixin continued, "It’s no wonder you don’t know who Daoist Fuyao is. People usually call this old Taoist by his secular name, and his Daoist name is rarely mentioned. But if I say his secular name, you two must have heard of it."

"Who is it? Tell us quickly!" Wang Xiaojun and Liang Ziyue, who were both annoyed by his teasing, urged him.

"Ha ha, the old Taoist’s secular name is Chen Tuan, and he is generally revered as Chen Tuan the Ancestor, a living immortal. According to records, he lived for over a hundred years. If I’m not mistaken, he should be around eighty years old now, and he’s definitely old enough to be Yu Xu Zi’s Great Master."

"Chen Tuan the Ancestor!" Wang Xiaojun, Liang Ziyue, and even Wang Feng, who had been writing non-stop, exclaimed in unison. It was truly unexpected to meet such a famous immortal from history. Wang Feng, about to run out, was stopped by Wang Xiaojun, who asked, "Where are you going?"

"To see the living immortal," Wang Feng replied eagerly.

"Stay put," Wang Xiaojun pushed him back into his chair and said, "If you rush out like that, you might get kicked out by the living immortal. There will be plenty of time to see him later, no need to rush."

Wang Feng, calmed by his elder brother, sat back down and resumed his writing.

In the study, Yu Xu Zi was detailing the origins of these peculiar people to Daoist Fuyao. When he mentioned that they had several powerful weapons enchanted with magic, Daoist Fuyao asked if it was the item carried by the person who seemed to be on guard in the rear courtyard. Yu Xu Zi quickly replied, "Yes, that’s it. Did Great Master see something unusual about it?"

Daoist Fuyao waved his hand and said, "No. I didn’t see anything special about that item. I just thought its appearance was peculiar and not something from the Central Plains, so I guessed it was the one you mentioned."

Yu Xu Zi, hearing this, was a bit puzzled and said, "Great Master didn’t see anything unusual? Could it be that the magic on this divine weapon is so profound that even Great Master can’t discern it? Or perhaps the magic from overseas is very different from ours, so you can’t see through it?"

Daoist Fuyao shook his head and said solemnly, "What you say has some truth, but I think this item is not as magical as they claim. While its appearance is indeed peculiar, and it might be able to kill from three hundred paces as they say, it’s probably not enchanted. It might just be a clever invention by a skilled craftsman from overseas, and because people in the Central Plains have never seen it, they can’t understand its secrets. They might claim it’s enchanted to keep others from investigating it and to make their enemies think twice before challenging them."

Yu Xu Zi, hearing this, was somewhat convinced. Although these people had exaggerated the power of their weapons, they had never actually used them, so perhaps they were just trying to make others fear them and not dare to oppose them.

If the穿越ers heard Daoist Fuyao’s words, they would certainly praise him, saying he was indeed a living immortal, as nothing could escape his notice. While they had fabricated the story to avoid explaining the principles of firearms, Daoist Fuyao’s analysis was also an important aspect. After all, in this unfamiliar ancient era, they needed something to make people fear them and add a bit of mystery to ensure their safety. It wasn’t easy to explain their origins and the items they brought, and if they couldn’t explain clearly, it could bring them trouble, even life-threatening danger. So, they had to create some mystery when necessary.

Yu Xu Zi, thinking about this, wondered when he could find an opportunity to witness the power of these peculiar weapons. Just then, Daoist Fuyao said, "According to what you said, the person named Wang Xiaojun who was with you earlier is one of their leaders."

Yu Xu Zi quickly refocused and replied, "Yes. Besides him, there are three other leaders. However, from their daily actions, it seems that Wang Xiaojun is the highest leader and has the most influence among them. Does Great Master think he has any outstanding qualities?"

Daoist Fuyao shook his head and said, "No. I also observed him closely, but the more I looked, the more puzzled I became. His face is extremely peculiar, and in my years of observing people, I have never seen anyone like him."

Yu Xu Zi, surprised that his Great Master, who was known for his skill in physiognomy, couldn’t understand Wang Xiaojun, asked, "What is peculiar about Wang Xiaojun’s face?"

Daoist Fuyao thought for a moment and said, "His face is very different from ordinary people. Let me put it this way. For ordinary people, whether they are commoners or officials, or even emperors, their fates are fixed and can be determined by careful observation. But Wang Xiaojun is different. When I observed his face today, I saw two completely different conclusions."

"Really! How can one person have two different fates? No matter their background or experiences, a person’s ultimate destiny should be one and the same," Yu Xu Zi was truly puzzled and couldn’t understand his Great Master’s words.

"You are right, and that is what I find strange," Daoist Fuyao nodded and said, "But I am confident that I didn’t make a mistake. When I observed Wang Xiaojun’s face, I saw two completely different destinies, and they are very different. One is nothing special, just the face of a successful merchant, at most a wealthy man. The other is a rare face of great wealth and nobility, but it is slightly dimmer compared to the first. However, it seems to have the potential to surpass the first, but it hasn’t yet taken over or replaced it. The final outcome will only be clear with time."

Yu Xu Zi, hearing that Wang Xiaojun had the face of great wealth and nobility, was somewhat moved. His friend Zhong Yuanwai had taken in these peculiar people because he thought they might help his business. If Wang Xiaojun really had such a face, he should inform Zhong Yuanwai to ease his mind. So, Yu Xu Zi asked tentatively, "His face is indeed different. What kind of great wealth and nobility does Wang Xiaojun have, and has Great Master figured it out?"

Daoist Fuyao shook his head and stroked his beard, smiling, "I can’t say, I can’t say. Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed. I need to observe him more. Just remember, he is in trouble now, and if you help him through this, it will greatly benefit the development of our Daoist sect in the future."

Yu Xu Zi, though he didn’t get a clear answer, knew that following his Great Master’s advice would be the right thing to do. So, he bowed and said, "Grand-disciple will follow Great Master’s teachings."

After he straightened up and sat down, Daoist Fuyao said, "I observed that Wang Xiaojun seems to have abundant true qi. Has he practiced any martial arts?"

Yu Xu Zi replied, "Grand-disciple also noticed this. I asked Wang Xiaojun, and he said that most of them have not practiced martial arts. This true qi is the result of years of practicing the breathing techniques of the islanders according to their clan’s rules. A few have learned some external martial arts, but they haven’t integrated it with their internal true qi."

"Oh, I see. It’s a pity they have such a strong foundation in true qi but don’t practice internal martial arts," Daoist Fuyao said regretfully.

Yu Xu Zi said, "However, they are not uninterested in martial arts from the Central Plains. Wang Feng, Wang Xiaojun’s cousin, has asked me to teach him martial arts, but I haven’t agreed yet."

"In that case, you should observe him more. If he is sincere, you might consider taking him as a disciple. Having a disciple with such excellent potential will help our martial arts flourish," Daoist Fuyao suggested.

"Yes, grand-disciple will follow Great Master’s advice," Yu Xu Zi agreed and then asked, "Is Great Master just passing through, or do you plan to stay for a while? I’ll make the necessary arrangements."

Daoist Fuyao said, "I originally planned to visit a friend in Youzhou City, but he went to the capital and won’t be back for a few months. Since I have nothing to do, I decided to stay here for a few days. After the Dragon Boat Festival, I’ll leave. Now that I’ve met these peculiar people from overseas, I might stay longer to ensure they don’t cause any trouble for you."

Yu Xu Zi, hearing this, bowed in gratitude and called a young Taoist to prepare a room and arrange dinner for Daoist Fuyao. Daoist Fuyao didn’t refuse and followed the young Taoist.