Chapter 4: Money Above All Else

A plump, meaty hand landed warmly on Li Qingyun's shoulder. The chubby, fair-skinned Daoist Qingfeng grinned with easy familiarity:

"Ah, so it's Junior Brother Li — come with me, Senior Brother will take you to see Uncle-Master Lu!"

"Now that you've passed through the mountain gate, we're all family here. No need to be so distant with your Senior Brother! Hmm, Junior Brother, I'm sure you won't be lonely at Lingbao Temple. Uncle-Master Lu, heh heh, has quite a few disciples under him..."

Even as he patted Li Qingyun's shoulder, Daoist Qingfeng's hand discreetly gauged the weight of his bundle. The smile on that round face grew a shade brighter.

Li Qingyun was at something of a loss for words.

The old saying went: wealth, companions, techniques, and land — but the "wealth" aspect of Lingbao Temple seemed particularly... pronounced.

"Junior Brother Qingyun, cultivation on the mountain isn't easy. If you ever run into trouble with daily life, just come find your Senior Brother. Call it fate — I took a liking to you the moment I saw you!"

Daoist Qingfeng enthusiastically took Li Qingyun by the arm and guided him through the layered courtyards and buildings beyond the mountain gate, all the while probing with roundabout questions about Li Qingyun's background and origins.

Li Qingyun felt a faint twinge of disappointment.

Even in a Daoist mountain sect, it was all about social maneuvering and worldly calculation?

It was far from what he had imagined.

But he showed nothing on his face, responding with a calm word or two from time to time.

As he walked, he took in his surroundings. He discovered that the rear mountain of Lingbao Temple was far more expansive than the front temple. Through drifting wisps of pale mist, pavilions and towers of indistinct outline appeared and vanished among red maples and white fog — like a Blessed Grotto-Heaven made manifest.

This rear mountain was where the true mountain gate of Lingbao Temple resided, utterly unlike the bustling crowds of incense-burning pilgrims at the front.

Li Qingyun gazed out, but could only make out vague silhouettes. The mist that blanketed every peak seemed to possess the ability to warp and obscure vision, preventing him from seeing the rear mountain's true appearance clearly.

At times, a building ahead would seem close — just a few steps away — yet after following Daoist Qingfeng for several minutes, it would simply vanish before his eyes.

He felt a quiet admiration for the methods of the Daoist cultivators.

He thought to himself: without a guide, anyone wandering the rear mountain alone would surely become hopelessly lost in the mist.

The entire rear mountain must have been covered by some kind of illusory Array Formation.

That gave him a measure of reassurance.

"At the very least, Lingbao Temple must have some genuine ability."

After winding through a maze of paths, Daoist Qingfeng finally led Li Qingyun to the entrance of an elegant, spacious courtyard.

By now, Daoist Qingfeng had imperceptibly shed his broad smile, composing himself into a look of solemn propriety. He bowed with lowered eyes to a middle-aged Daoist standing at the courtyard gate.

"Senior Brother Lin, I've brought Junior Brother Li Qingyun."

At the gate, the black-bearded middle-aged Daoist had a square face, thick brows, and large eyes — his features somewhat rugged, yet his skin carried a faint luminous sheen, and he exuded an aura of authority that spoke of genuine cultivation.

Senior Brother Lin, the black-bearded Daoist, gave a casual nod and said indifferently, "You've worked hard, Junior Brother Wang Qingfeng. You may go."

Daoist Qingfeng bowed respectfully once more, and as he withdrew, he caught Li Qingyun's eye and murmured quietly, "Junior Brother, once you're settled in, I'll buy you a drink."

Seeing how deferential Qingfeng was before the black-bearded Daoist, Li Qingyun found himself regarding Senior Brother Lin with considerably more respect.

Through the ornately carved and wide-open gate, Li Qingyun could see that the courtyard within was vast — courtyards nested within courtyards, with the figures of Daoists moving about, spring pools, pavilions, and exotic flowers and plants, every detail arranged with remarkable refinement and elegance.

"This Master Lu must hold quite a high position in the temple," he thought to himself.

Then the black-bearded Senior Brother Lin spoke in an even tone.

"You must be Junior Brother Li Qingyun from Qinghe County. I am Lin Wanjin. Follow me inside — only after you've paid your respects to Master Lu will you be considered a formal disciple of the temple."

With that, Lin Wanjin gestured for Li Qingyun to follow and led him into the courtyard.

As they passed through pavilions and covered walkways, Lin Wanjin spoke at length in a tone that was neither warm nor cold.

Yet he was thorough enough, offering Li Qingyun no small amount of guidance.

"Master Lu is the Keeper of Records here in the temple — his standing is exceptional. That you can become a disciple under the Master's tutelage is itself a matter of fate..."

"I can see that your blood and qi are both depleted, your yang fire withered. Right now, even the weakest wandering ghost could take your life. You must have had a hard time of it. But before the Master, all are treated equally — as long as you are sincere and respectful, you can still learn something of worth. Keep that in mind."

"There are quite a few here like you, Junior Brother — unremarkable in aptitude, seeking only to live out their days in peace behind the mountain gate. But living within the temple is no small expense. You'll need to find some way to earn your keep soon enough, if you want to live comfortably..."

Through Lin Wanjin's guidance, Li Qingyun — a newcomer to Lingbao Temple — at last gained some understanding of how things worked here, so he wouldn't be stumbling about blind.

Yet between the lines, Lin Wanjin was clearly hinting that Lingbao Temple did not support those who came with empty pockets — unless, of course, you were someone of exceptional talent.

If anyone thought that entering the Daoist temple meant a life of ease and idle retirement, they were sorely mistaken.

"Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother. A small token of appreciation — I hope you won't find it beneath you."

As they arrived before a grand hall at the center of the courtyard, Li Qingyun produced two gold pearls and, with a smile, slipped them into the wide sleeve of Lin Wanjin's robe.

Lingbao Temple appeared to be a sect that was very much fixated on money — but Li Qingyun didn't mind. As long as the temple had genuine techniques, and there was a way to obtain them, his journey here would not have been in vain.

Once he had real ability, how could wealth ever be lacking?

"Not bad, Junior Brother."

Lin Wanjin's hand closed around the gold pearls inside his sleeve, and the smile on his face became genuinely warmer by two degrees.

He found himself looking more favorably upon this junior brother before him — who was clearly a man of excessive indulgence, his vital essence severely depleted.

After being "cast aside," Li Qingyun had not simply allowed Lady Cui and her son to do with him as they pleased.

He had surrendered most of his holdings, but had quietly kept some "reserves" for himself.

The large bundle he carried had a layer of spare clothing on the outside, but inside, wrapped layer upon layer, were gold ingots, pearls, and the like.

As for silver, he had only brought along a modest amount in banknotes.

He had long since made inquiries: Daoist cultivation was not something one could sustain on spiritual qi alone. Until one's cultivation reached a certain level, eating, drinking, sleeping, and all other bodily needs were little different from those of an ordinary person.

Gold and pearls in particular seemed to be necessities for cultivation — low-level cultivators required them in considerable quantities.

Stepping over the threshold, Li Qingyun followed Lin Wanjin into the grand hall.

The hall within was magnificent and immaculate, not a speck of dust to be seen, with lit agarwood incense curling in fragrant wisps that refreshed the senses.

Daoist paintings and spiritual talismans hung on both walls. On the floor stood exquisite jade elephants and golden toads. The tea sets, chairs, meditation cushions, and every other furnishing were all of the finest quality — far more lavish than even the manor of his own Marquis's household.

Li Qingyun clicked his tongue inwardly.

He thought to himself: when cultivators of this world decided to indulge in luxury, even the nobles and lords of the mortal realm couldn't hold a candle to them.

The sacred incense drifted through the air, making his vision faintly hazy. He could make out a middle-aged Daoist seated at the center of the hall, wearing a jade crown, with two young disciples standing behind him — both of them radiating an uncommon presence.

But what truly caught Li Qingyun's attention was the young woman seated behind a jade table to the right of the entrance, dressed in a white Daoist robe.

Set off by her exquisite moon-white Daoist robe, the young woman appeared all the more radiant — her skin like jade and snow, graceful and captivating.