Chapter 82: The Plot Begins
Chapter 82: The Plot Begins
The next morning, Liam tidied up and went to town to buy incense and offerings. After breakfast, Uncle Kiu prepared the ancestral hall, set up the altars for the Three Pure Ones and the Patriarchs, and then began the initiation ceremony.
After offering incense and bowing to the Three Pure Ones and the ancestral masters, Liam bowed three times to Uncle Kiu and presented him with a cup of tea. Uncle Kiu accepted the tea, took a sip, and said, "From today onward, you are a registered disciple of the Mount Maoshan Sect."
He then handed Liam a thick book and continued, "This is the Maoshan Daoist Canon. It contains the Supreme Clarity Heart Method and the Talisman Technique. You can take it and study it on your own. While we do not focus on physical cultivation, we do have a basic evasive step technique. Since it seems you already have some External Martial Arts training, you can practice it on your own according to the book."
Liam quickly flipped through a few pages and asked Uncle Kiu with some hesitation, "Master, isn't it a bit too early to give me such precious heart methods? Before I came to Zhongtu, my elders at home told me that initiates would be tested repeatedly before being given the heart methods."
Uncle Kiu smiled bitterly and said in a low voice, "People who stayed overseas might not have visited Zhongtu for hundreds of years. In the past, that was indeed the case. But now that the Decline of the Dharma has arrived, the old ways of not easily passing on the teachings are no longer appropriate. When we take on disciples, we give them the teachings if we find them suitable. Both Wencai and Qiusheng have these things."
"Thank you, Master. Since that's the case, I have something I want to give you as a token of my gratitude for your trust and acceptance." Liam then took out the Lantern Plant, Sunlight Sunflower, Sun-shroom, and their cultivation manuals from his Spatial Bag and handed them to Uncle Kiu, explaining their effects.
Uncle Kiu's hands trembled as he took the items and sighed, "Is this the punishment for our isolation from the world? We didn't know such things existed. If we had sent people to explore other places earlier, how could Zhongtu have come to this, how could it have come to this..."
Liam had to comfort Uncle Kiu, and it took a while for Uncle Kiu to recover. Then he decided to try planting these items. Once he learned how to grow them successfully, he would take them to Mount Maoshan to meet the sect leader. Perhaps these plants held the hope for the Zhongtu Daoist community.
Over the next few days, Liam practiced the Maoshan Daoist Canon while helping Uncle Kiu open a plot of land behind the mortuary to plant these plants. During the planting process, they discovered an unexpected benefit: wherever these plants grew for a long time, the yin evil energy in the soil gradually dissipated, making it impossible for zombies, skeletons, or even ghosts to form.
Finally, after three days, Liam successfully cultivated the Qi Sensation through the Supreme Clarity Heart Method. (Uncle Kiu was surprised by Liam's speed, but Liam knew it was because the System had previously enhanced him, equivalent to Purify and Refine, and he had a large number of Merit Sunlight Crystals to use, which accelerated his cultivation. In the Era of Decline, Liam's aptitude would at best be considered above average.)
Uncle Kiu also mentioned that if it were before the Era of Decline, the entire cultivation community would have been eager to learn the Supreme Clarity Heart Method. Only the most core disciples of the Mount Maoshan Sect could study this heart method.
Unfortunately, with the arrival of the Era of Decline, such methods that require gradual and steady cultivation have become unpopular. Now, the most popular are those quick and unorthodox techniques that show immediate results. Even though Uncle Kiu himself practices this heart method, he has only broken through to the innate stage after many years. In the end, he still relies on exorcism, feng shui, and yin-yang layout techniques to make a living.
Just as Uncle Kiu was about to finish his rambling, a servant from a wealthy family delivered an invitation, inviting Uncle Kiu to have coffee at the town's café the next day. Upon seeing that it was from the Ren family, Uncle Kiu decided to see what it was all about.
Although Liam's generous gifts as a token of gratitude for his apprenticeship had temporarily alleviated the financial crisis at Mortuary, the Ren family was the most influential clan in town, and it wouldn't be wise to offend them.
Liam understood that the plot was about to unfold. Uncle Kiu, holding the invitation, said to Liam, "Tomorrow, Mr. Ren has invited me for Western Tea, but I've never had it before. Since you've just come from there, you'll come with me. After dinner, tell me how to drink Western Tea so I don't embarrass myself in front of Mr. Ren." Liam nodded in agreement.
That evening, Uncle Kiu's clients stayed at Mortuary. Liam spent the night discussing cultivation with Qiusheng and Wencai, so everything was peaceful. The next morning, as they were preparing to leave, Fourth Uncle, knowing that Liam was Uncle Kiu's new apprentice, gave Liam a small booklet about corpse escorting as a gift from an elder. However, Uncle Kiu warned Liam that the content was considered a side path and not to become too engrossed, as it could lead to spiritual turmoil.
Early the next morning, Liam accompanied Uncle Kiu to the town for the meeting. The townspeople greeted Uncle Kiu warmly, indicating that he had a good reputation in town.
At the café, Mr. Ren had already reserved a table. As expected, Mr. Ren wanted to discuss the matter of relocating a grave. Uncle Kiu repeatedly advised him that it was better to leave things as they were, but under Mr. Ren's insistence, Uncle Kiu finally agreed to help relocate his father's grave.
Soon, Mr. Ren's daughter arrived, looking even more beautiful than in the movies. As a well-educated young lady who had studied abroad, she exuded a sense of arrogance towards someone like Uncle Kiu.
Liam noticed this and engaged her in a conversation about his experiences in Europe and America, using his perfect London accent. This managed to salvage the situation.
Mr. Ren looked surprised, puzzled as to why a student who had studied abroad would learn such things from Uncle Kiu. After the food and coffee were served, Liam's presence prevented any awkward moments for Uncle Kiu.
Uncle Kiu once again urged Mr. Ren to be cautious about relocating the grave. Under pressure, Mr. Ren revealed the words of the Feng Shui Master from years ago, which Uncle Kiu deduced were a result of coercion and manipulation.
Seizing this opportunity, Liam put on a show, folding his hands in prayer to draw everyone's attention. He then said to Mr. Ren, "May I see your coffee cup? I've lived in the West for a long time and learned some Western Magic. Divination through coffee grounds can be quite accurate. I could give you some good advice."
Mr. Ren's daughter chimed in, "I've heard about divination using tea leaves and coffee grounds while studying abroad. It's supposed to be quite effective, though I've never seen it."
Uncle Kiu added, "My new apprentice is upright and steady. He wouldn't make things up."
Hearing this from both Uncle Kiu and his daughter, Mr. Ren gestured for Liam to examine his coffee cup, hoping that the Western magic might reveal something useful to help him make a decision.
(End of Chapter)
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