"Master!"
"Come, itâs just perfect that Master Shouyi is here for a little chat. You should meet him as well."
Lu Zheng bowed in salute, "Lu Zheng of the White Cloud Temple, Outer Disciple, greets Master Shouyi."
Master Shouyi was a rather thin and dry-looking Daoist, with yellowish hair and a rather sparse goatee. He obviously appeared older than Daoist Mingzhang.
Master Shouyi nodded, stroking his goatee with a smile on his face, "Truly gifted, excellent, our Daoist Sect has successors."
Lu Zheng, flattered, waved his hands repeatedly, "You are too kind."
Daoist Mingzhang picked up the conversation, and the three chatted for a bit. Then Daoist Mingzhang asked Lu Zheng, "I saw you brought two people up the mountain, for what reason?"
"Itâs like this, Miss Wang has commendable temperament and aptitude; she wishes to enter the White Cloud Temple. I brought her here for you, Master, to take a look."
Lu Zheng made a remark and then recounted the matter concerning the Wang Family.
He mainly spoke of Wang Xiaowanâs filial piety and her determination and talent in resisting corpse poison.
"Oh?"
Daoist Mingzhangâs eyes flashed, "Itâs rare to find such a girl among common folk, and it is her fortune to meet you."
Speaking to this point, Daoist Mingzhang moved his lips slightly, sending a message to Yuan Ning. After a moment, Yuan Ning brought Wang Xiaowan to the quiet room.
"Little woman Wang Xiaowan of Yizhou Tonglin, greets Master Mingzhang!"
"Good, not bad." Daoist Mingzhang looked at Wang Xiaowan and nodded. A thread of True Qi passed into her body and circulated once inside her.
Daoist Mingzhangâs eyes brightened, "Not bad, her aptitude is extraordinary. With just a basic Qi Refining Technique, she was able to develop Qi Sensitivity in a short time and resist corpse poison."
Wang Xiaowan slightly bowed, "Mainly, itâs because the zombie wasnât formidable. Later, I used Rooster Blood to assist, and ultimately, Brother Lu helped me."
Daoist Mingzhang nodded with a smile, "That also shows you have a good foundation, given that..."
"Cough, cough!"
Master Shouyi coughed twice, interrupting Daoist Mingzhang.
"Brother Mingzhang, the Innate Cloud Qi of the White Cloud Temple is renowned, but after all, it focuses on Qi Techniques, an ancient lineage."
Daoist Mingzhang raised an eyebrow, with a half-smile, "What does Brother Shouyi mean?"
Master Shouyi gently stroked his beard, looked at Wang Xiaowan, and quietly said, "This girlâs innate Divine Soul is strong. If she practices the White Cloud Qi Refining Technique and struggles to enter Dao, wouldnât it be a pity?
Instead, practicing our Qingwei Palaceâs "Qingwei Jade Celestial Yuan Descent Technique" would better harness her talents."
"Oh!" Mingzhang Daoistâs eyes widened, "Are you saying the White Cloud Temple is misleading the youth?"
"Not at all." Master Shouyi looked at Wang Xiaowan, eyes shining, "Itâs just that, as the saying goes, teaching according to oneâs talents, the techniques of White Cloud Temple cannot fully utilize her potential."
Even Lu Zheng could spot Wang Xiaowanâs talent in Divine Soul, so could Daoist Mingzhang and Master Shouyi.
"Nonsense, our White Cloud Temple inherits from the Taiqing Supreme Dao Ancestor, the leader of the Daoist Three Pristine Ones. Are you saying weâd fail to tap into her potential?"
"Taiqing Dao Ancestor left three thousand techniques; youâre just a branch of Inference Cloud Qi. Even the Xuandu Temple wouldnât claim their legacy is the core of Taiqing."
"Sounds like your Qingwei Palace claims to inherit the core Techniques of Primordial Celestial Venerable!"
"However, in our Qingwei Palace, we cultivate the Three Flowers and Five Qi, Three Flowers Gathering at the Top to refine spirit, Five Qi Chaoyuan to refine Qi. If she enters my sect, in just three years, sheâd achieve something."
"Haha, you probably donât know what progress Lu Zheng made in a year of cultivation!"
Master Shouyi, "..."
Daoist Mingzhang didnât care about his face and could only take a breath.
Elsewhere, not only Wang Xiaowan was surprised to be noticed by such a distinguished expert, but even Lu Zheng didnât expect it.
He hadnât mentioned the Jinhua Sect on purpose, yet coincidentally encountered a Qingwei Palace expert visiting Daoist Mingzhang.
Although Wang Xiaowanâs talent and aptitude are remarkable, theyâre not so dazzling as to cause two prominent figures to vie for her, but her strong innate Divine Soul holds significant value. At least it suggests a potential greater than Yuan Jingâs, with the hope of extending longevity, transcending the ordinary, which enticed Master Shouyi to step in.
After hearing Lu Zhengâs introduction, and knowing Wang Xiaowan had commendable traits and aptitude, Master Shouyi was moved and said to her, "The White Cloud Templeâs establishment is vast with many rules, while if you enter our Qingwei Palace, Iâll personally instruct you in the Fundamental Skill âQingwei Jade Celestial Yuan Descent Techniqueâ."
Seeing the burning gazes of both Daoist Mingzhang and Master Shouyi on her, Wang Xiaowan looked toward Lu Zheng for help.
Lu Zheng signaled to her with a glance and then slightly pointed to himself.
Wang Xiaowanâs eyes flickered, understanding Lu Zhengâs intention.
"Esteemed Masters, this young lady is my fatherâs youngest daughter. He is now elderly, and the time for family joy is not long. Hence, I do not wish to roam far from home. Even coming to Shaotong Mountain, I originally just hoped to become an Outer Disciple like Brother Lu."
Firmly choosing neither side at first, but stating oneâs needs upfront.
Daoist Mingzhang and Master Shouyi exchanged glances and laughed heartily.
"This young lady is not bad," Master Shouyi said with a smile.
Daoist Mingzhang nodded, "Lu Zheng has a good relationship with the Jinhua Sect. Even he didnât introduce her to them, so you canât just take this young lady into your sect based on mere words."
"Oh?" Master Shouyi couldnât help but glance at Lu Zheng again with esteem.
Then he focused on Wang Xiaowan, his eyes sparkling, and smiled as he said, "No problem, Outer Disciple it is. But the âQingwei Jade Celestial Yuan Descent Techniqueâ cannot be passed on outside."
Wang Xiaowanâs eyes brightened but she turned back to look at Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng shrugged; Wang Xiaowan indeed is best suited for cultivating Primordial Spirit Techniques. Even Daoist Mingzhang didnât object, and Master Shouyi was willing to teach a sectâs core Technique to an Outer Disciple. How could he have any opposition?
"Why not quickly pledge your allegiance?"
"Wang Xiaowan greets Master!"
Master Shouyi gently waved, helping Wang Xiaowan up, looking her over with satisfaction, then turned to Daoist Mingzhang, "I still need to borrow Brotherâs mountain gate to complete the ceremony of Xiaowan entering the sect."
Daoist Mingzhang nodded, "That can be easily arranged."
Then instructed Yuan Ning outside the door to go and prepare the initiation ceremony in the main hall.
In the quiet room, as Daoist Mingzhang had finished speaking, Master Shouyi turned to Lu Zheng, "I originally came to visit a friend but ended up taking a disciple, for which Yuan Zheng deserves great credit.
You now combine the strengths of both the White Cloud Temple and the Jinhua Sect, but thereâs no need to cultivate Qingwei Palace techniques. Still, the method of Qingwei Palace using Divine Qi to activate the Jade Heaven Thunder Technique is not inferior to the âGolden Palace Secret Technique,â so you might study it and gain insights."
As he finished speaking, Master Shouyi pointed lightly at Lu Zheng, a thought entered Lu Zhengâs Sea of Consciousness, and after Lu Zhengâs Divine Thought filtered it, it unfolded in his Divine Soul.
"Qingwei Jade Celestial Thunder Technique"!