Chapter 2: Local Specialties from My Hometown

If Wang Lu's performance were placed in an ordinary setting, he would likely be criticized as insane; however, at the foot of the fairy mountain in Lingxi Town, that accommodation voucher takes on a particularly subtle significance

I have never given up!

When in the village, the young scholar used this trick to tease the big yellow dog in the neighbor's yard, and it was always effective; however, at that time, it was done with bones

In order for Wang Lu to successfully attain immortality, Lord Wang spared no expense, demonstrating a deep paternal affection that left the young scholar both envious and moved

The old scholar, upon parting, praised the young master as a prodigy, asserting that it was only a matter of time before he would hold a prominent position in the court. While Master Wang was delighted at the bright future of the Wang family's sole heir, which promised to bring glory to their ancestors, he also felt a pang of regret over the old scholar's salary, which had been advanced for ten years, yet he was unwilling to return the remaining eight years.

The proprietress was furious, slamming the counter: "Haven't you heard me tell you to be quiet?!"

Wang Lu also felt helpless: "I remember I told you all not to come."

The young servant quickly nodded and said, "Young master, please go ahead."

However, it is evident that some do not wish to give these princelings the opportunity to engage in conversation. The proprietress tapped on the counter: "Your young master is named Wang Lu, correct? He has already gone upstairs, to the third room on the left on the second floor. Also, remember not to make loud noises here"

Certainly, for Wang Lu, Lord Wang continued to provide full support. The young scholar hurriedly arrived at Lingjian Mountain a day after Wang Lu, with a large bundle of items behind him valued at no less than 200,000 silver taels. Given the Wang family's wealth, this amount was substantial enough to cause significant strain.

Wang Lu fell silent for a moment, touched, and nodded in agreement. However, the next day, he sold that pile of goods at a 50% markup to his eager neighbors, Wang Dafu and Wang Xiaohu, as a way to uphold his father's honor

The book boy was stunned for a long time, and once again, with a mournful expression, said: "Young master, since you wish to cultivate immortality, why are you unwilling to take these elixirs? For mortals, this is the only path to immortality..."

Young Master Wang, named Lu, is the son of the wealthiest man in Wangjia Village, Mr. Wang. Before the age of nine, he was known by the name Wang Tudi, which was rich in local and natural flavor. Later, a scholar simplified "Tudi" to "Lu," which barely gave it a touch of elegance.

It is not about fresh produce; it is the conference for recruiting disciples of the Spirit Sword Sect

Only those few who possess the fortune of heaven and earth, along with the blessings of the immortal families, are qualified to cultivate immortality. This qualification is known as the spiritual root

Then everyone in the lobby saw a jar of "Daughter's Red" fly out from behind the counter, crashing at the foot of the stairs where the young scholar stood. The young scholar was so frightened that he nearly lost his breath, and he no longer dared to make a loud noise, retreating upstairs in a dejected manner

... ...

Young Master, Young Master

Behind the counter, the proprietress observed coldly, and after a while, she let out a barely perceptible laugh, saying: "A bunch of fools"

Young master, young master...! I have arrived!

The young attendant burst into the room with a joyful shout, carrying a large bundle and several smaller packages.

There is indeed only one path for mortals to cultivate immortality, but when did I ever say that I am a mortal

The young attendant was momentarily taken aback, hurriedly bowing to express his gratitude to the proprietress, and then ascended the stairs with the swiftness of the wind, his steps filled with joy

Well, the court of the Ming Dynasty no longer holds him in regard, and when the master, filled with doubt, asks the young master what he intends to do

After a moment, he muttered to himself: "Why not just double the rent? It makes me so angry to see it..."

Ah, young brother, why not come over and elaborate? There are many people coming and going here, and I am not sure which one you are referring to

Father, you do not understand cultivation; these things are of no use.

Little did anyone know that Wang Lu did not care at all

But when his son spoke up, what else could a father do but muster all his strength to push him onto the path of immortality? For an entire month, Master Wang was consumed with worry, unable to eat or sleep, losing a full ten pounds, until he finally found a solution.

Carnivorous creatures disdain the scheming of the *illustrated* book

The young servant wore a苦 face: "The master sent me here. He said it is very unsafe for you to come alone to participate in this so-called Ascension Conference."

Seven years have passed, and the young master remains an enigma in the eyes of the book boy, always so incredible and beyond comprehension. More than two years ago, the master invited a gentleman from the Han Zong Academy in the capital of the Eastern Province at a high price to guide the young master in his studies. This old scholar, who sported a goatee, was said to have taught seven or eight successful candidates and was a prominent figure in the Ming Dynasty. Shortly after arriving in the village, he changed the young master's name. However, after only two years of teaching, he lamented that there truly are those who are born with knowledge, and feeling that he had nothing more to teach, he did not wish to mislead the youth, so he took his leave.

In the room, Wang Lu looked at the book boy's bundle with suspicion: "What is this?"

Wang Lu looked up in surprise from his desk and said, "Oh, what are you doing here!? Hurry back!"

This young brother ... ...

In the months that followed, Wang Lu no longer mentioned matters related to the Immortal Path. The whole family thought that the issue had come to a conclusion, believing that Wang Lu's interest in cultivation had waned. However, a month ago, news of the Lingjian Mountain Ascension Conference reached the village, stirring up waves once again

Cultivating immortality! Lord Wang was so shocked that he nearly became unable to take care of himself

"Just now when I threw it out to hit someone, what, do you want to throw another barrel?"

Have you seen my young master? He is about the same age as me

On the second floor, the young servant eagerly pushed open the master's door

Seeing that the boss's wife had already lifted a large wine jar over two feet high with one hand, Wen Bao's face turned pale: "I will settle this right away!"

Wang Lu sighed: "Enough, there's no need to take out that pile of wild chicken qigong and strength pills; just take them back the way they came."

The attendant was taken aback for a moment and nodded slightly

Are you thinking of cultivating immortality again

The book boy chuckled softly, unwrapped the package, and proudly presented a porcelain bottle and a book: "Young master, look, premium bacon spirit!"

A perceptive servant coughed, drawing the attention of the young scholar.

"Take it with you and you will be safe? You don't even have the surname Du... Sigh, father has always been confused, and he had long instructed you not to follow him into confusion."

Then, he continued to look at Wang Lu with great anticipation

Lord Wang lived a frugal life, reluctant to part with his silver, yet even more unwilling to disappoint his son. Thus, he spent money as if it were flowing water, investing in resources such as the Spirit of Bacon, Liuhe Dan, and the Seven Star Breathing Method. The old gentleman laid out all the resources he could gather before his son.

It is well known that cultivating immortality is difficult, but fortunately, heaven does not completely cut off the paths for people. Legends say that there are miraculous elixirs in the world, which, when consumed, allow even mortals to gain a trace of immortal affinity, that is, to awaken their spiritual roots. Nowadays, these elixirs can be purchased with silver. The second wealthiest man in Wangjia Village, Wang Dafu, spent a total of one hundred thousand silver ingots to send his son, Wang Xiaohu, to the Qixing Sect for cultivation.

The lobby of the Home Inn is not large, but there are at least dozens of young gentlemen seated inside. Everyone turned their heads in unison, only to see a delicate-looking boy of about ten years old rushing in amidst the shouts, stumbling and bumping along the way.

Contrary to the imagination of many members of the royal family, the scholar and the young master are neither nobles of the palace nor practitioners of the immortal way

Lord Wang puffed his beard and glared: "Having spent several tens of thousands of taels, how could it be of no use?"

Wang Lu himself appears somewhat formidable, but this attendant dressed as a scholar looks much more youthful. If one wishes to learn more about this eye-catching competitor, this is the opportunity.

This conjecture received partial acceptance from some individuals and quickly led to astonishing inferences, such as the claim that Wang Lu is the illegitimate son of an elder from the Heavenly Sword Hall

What is the Fresh Produce Conference

In the Jiuzhou continent, individuals possessing spiritual roots are one in ten thousand, and in the past century, they have become exceedingly rare, on the brink of extinction. It is said that one must accumulate merits over ten lifetimes to exchange for a low-grade spiritual root. Lord Wang has dedicated his life to virtuous deeds and charity, and he is now the wealthiest man in Wangjia Village and a prominent figure in the community, yet he is still approximately seven or eight lifetimes of merits away from the ethereal qualifications for the path of immortality

Wang Lu slammed the table and exclaimed: "Damn it, it's that pile of junk again? Hurry up and throw it out, just looking at it is annoying!"

Wen Bao was taken aback: "When did I ever order Daughter's Red?"

Cultivation of immortality

The book boy also bears the surname Wang, the son of a merchant from Wangjia Village. After a tragic accident, he lost both parents. Kind-hearted Lord Wang took him in, allowing him to accompany Young Master Wang Lu in his studies, and they studied together for seven years

In response to his son's persistence, Lord Wang's choice was to take a new concubine—there was no other option. Given that the vast family estate could not be relied upon Wang Lu, he could only hope to have a new heir.

Wang Lu sighed: "Yes, what do you think is the reason?"

"I don't want it to be that severe; drinking croton oil is also an option. In any case..." Wang Lu said this while looking at the book boy's innocent and pained expression, shaking his head helplessly. "Forget it, come in."

The path of immortality is not so easily cultivated! The distinction between the immortal and the mortal is an age-old saying. For ordinary people to seek the mysteries of the immortal way is no simple matter! Just the initial step of guiding energy into the body in the practice of immortality leaves the vast majority of people feeling disheartened and outside the door.

They are merely a pair of ordinary farmers from Wangjia Village, located in the northeastern corner of Dog Ear Mountain, Wuhou County, Eastern Road, Daming Kingdom, Cangxi Prefecture

Wang Lu's performance successfully made him the center of attention, leading to a flurry of discussions, with opinions divided and no consensus reached, yet without exception, everyone displayed a profound sense of apprehension towards him

However, the proprietress was clearly still angry. She scanned the hall and quickly singled out the son of a certain country's grand tutor from the crowd

You say, could it be that Wang Lu has connections in Lingjian Mountain

It is not that the young man possesses an extraordinarily stunning beauty, but rather that the long robe he is wearing is clearly of the same style as that of Wang Lu, albeit of slightly inferior quality, likely due to his status as a scholar's attendant

As the ill-gotten gains were tucked away, the boss's wife showed little sign of joy on her face. Her gaze swept across the hall once more, and she sighed in a voice audible to many.

... ...

Unfortunately, the heavens do not align with human wishes. Although the young master is exceptionally talented, he has no interest in poetry or classical texts, nor does he have any intention of pursuing an official career. Once the old scholar left, he buried all the books in the yard, claiming it was to provide energy for future generations millions of years later, making even more extravagant statements.

At that moment, a commotion was heard outside the inn

The young servant stood at the door, wanting to cry but with no tears, looking pitifully at the young master inside the room

The young attendant tilted his head and blinked, eager to say, "Could it be that the young master needs to take his medicine?" However, recognizing the distinction between master and servant, he ultimately refrained from voicing it. Instead, he busied himself with dissolving the bacon essence in warm water, filling the room with a fragrant aroma of medicine. The young attendant praised, "Truly a superior quality."

Oh, you, yes you, the one I kicked away earlier. You just ordered a jar of Daughter's Red, right? Come and settle the bill, it's one thousand taels per jar, thank you

Although foolish, having accompanied him for many years, he already knew that the young master was always tough on the outside but soft on the inside

Wang Lu sighed: "He asked you to come; you could break your own leg to take sick leave and not come."

Upon seeing the youth, everyone could not help but be taken aback.

The book boy emphasized: "It is the master who sent me."

The book boy exclaimed in shock: "How can you throw it away! This was bought at a high price by the master! It's different from the last time; this is a top-quality item, a top-quality item! Young master, you know that for a mortal to cultivate immortality, one must take the Ascension Powder, which takes forty-five days to nurture a spiritual root. However, if supplemented with the Spirit Nurturing Essence, the process can be significantly shortened, and the quality of the spiritual root will be more stable. Now, with only one week left until the Ascension Conference, only top-quality Spirit Nurturing Essence can ensure that you, young master, will possess a spiritual root! Ah, by the way, there is also the complete text of the Seven Stars Breathing Technique here, which the master obtained from the Seven Stars Sect... Ah, by the way, there is also the complete text of the Seven Stars Breathing Technique here, which the master obtained from the Seven Stars Sect..."

Father, I wish to attend the Immortal Ascension Conference; please lend me some travel expenses

Young master, I have arrived

The book boy: "I ... ... "

A group of good-for-nothings

Indeed, Wang Lu spoke up: "Wang Zhong..."

... ...