Chapter 1: The Young Daoist
Not long after, perhaps in less than a cup of tea's time, the door slowly opened
The elderly Mr. Shen and the two uncles are willing to become monks to pray for blessings for the Shen family
Of course, the ex had renounced the world to pursue a monastic life, but he had not anticipated these matters. After all, he was still young at that time and simply unwilling to live under someone else's roof, driven by a sense of pride. Additionally, there was another reason: his father, whose origins were unknown, had left behind a manual of cultivation techniques, which he discovered while sorting through his mother's belongings. However, he did not understand why his mother had not given it to him.
This technique is also known as "The Supreme Clarity Spiritual Treasure Natural Locking of the Heart and Stabilizing the Spirit True Explanation". It consists of several thousand characters and primarily discusses how to sense the spirit and strengthen the soul's power, making the mind more acute and responsive. Once the spirit has grown strong to a certain extent, it can break through the "Baihui Acupoint" at the top of the head, leading to various incredible mysteries
Behind is a deep bamboo path, in the distance is a desolate pine slope, yet before me stands a somewhat dilapidated Taoist temple
Moreover, she insisted on giving birth to him
It was only two years ago that his mother passed away in the prime of her life
He grasped the iron ring on the door and first slammed it forcefully against the dilapidated door panel, producing a loud noise that startled him as well. After a moment of hesitation, he then applied a bit less force, not so urgent, which made it seem much more polite.
Each of the two uncles has children, and even if they treat their former partners well, they are ultimately outsiders. It is naturally excellent to be able to leave a little more for one's own children.
It is not uncommon for substitutes to enter monastic life in wealthy families, usually just to bear children. Regardless of the ambiguous origins of this body, it still carries half of the Shen family's bloodline, so there is no need for him to take such actions. However, the old master of the Shen family still agreed to the request of his predecessor
The three characters '青霞观' in the small seal script are simple and neat, with each stroke embodying a balance of strength and softness, depicting the transcendence and independence of the Daoist practitioner
On this day, while driving home, I unexpectedly had a car accident at an intersection. When I woke up, I had already changed into another body
If the former practitioner becomes addicted to the monastic life and no longer returns to secular existence, that would be the best outcome possible
The predecessor, in order to cultivate that technique, naturally preferred to find a private place
A life that is neither here nor there, when endured for too long, becomes quite tiresome
This body indeed has a history. His mother came from the wealthy merchant family, the Shen family, located a hundred miles away in Qingzhou Prefecture. When she was seventeen, she became pregnant out of wedlock with him, yet no one knows who his father is, and his mother would rather die than reveal it.
He paused for a moment, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the hem of his clothing. Looking ahead, he saw a dense forest, with branches thickly laden with leaves. In the gaps between them, a corner of a flying eave was faintly visible, its dark green tiles swaying gently with the branches, appearing and disappearing, exuding an ancient charm
After walking for approximately 15 minutes, the view suddenly opened up, and the ancient architecture hidden deep within the mountains finally unveiled its mysterious veil, revealing its complete form, no longer shrouded in secrecy
Although the Taoist temple is simple, it stands independently from the world, exuding a kind of ethereal Taoist aura. Upon arriving here, the middle-aged man felt a sense of clarity wash over him, and the fatigue from his earlier journey dissipated significantly
The unwed pregnancy indeed infuriated her grandfather, Mr. Shen, to the point of near death. However, since the Shen family had only this one daughter, no matter how angry Mr. Shen was, he could not bring himself to sever ties with her mother completely.
Inside the door stood a very young Taoist priest, approximately thirteen or fourteen years old. A faint, not entirely unpleasant scent of herbs emanated from him.
The middle-aged man had little literary talent, only feeling that this couplet had some flavor when read aloud, yet he could not articulate what was good about it, finding it difficult to grasp its subtlety and elegance
The Han man took a slight breath, fresh air filled his lungs, carrying a somewhat sweet taste. His weary legs regained considerable strength as he quickly walked to the entrance. The vermilion paint on the doorposts had worn off significantly, yet the plaque of the temple, made of an unknown material, had not faded.
Three months ago, he became the new master of this body named Shen Lian. It is quite a coincidence. Since he has taken over someone else's body, Li Feng simply accepted the identity of Shen Lian, as a way to somewhat compensate for the previous owner of the body.
A middle-aged man in his thirties, with beads of sweat the size of beans continuously dripping onto the stone steps beneath his feet, appeared utterly exhausted
After his mother's passing, it was only natural for the predecessor to inherit that portion of the estate. Given his young age, even though Old Master Shen and his two uncles treated him well, one could not guarantee that the two daughters-in-law of the Shen family would not harbor any ulterior motives. It is important to note that as long as he were to die, that portion of the estate would naturally revert to the Shen family's name.
After his mother passed away, he felt an acute sense of alienation in the Shen family. Many members of the Shen family often referred to him as a bastard behind his back, and he could not imagine how he would endure the days to come
On both sides is a couplet: "The heart is like white clouds, always at ease; the mind flows like water, going wherever it pleases"
Living alone on Qingxia Mountain, there are villagers who come to help with the cleaning on weekdays, and he can even hire someone to cook for him. After all, the Shen family is not short of this little money, allowing him the time to thoroughly study the martial arts techniques he has discovered
The Shen family is quite wealthy, and the Qingxia Temple along with the entire Qingxia Mountain belongs to the Shen family. By sending the predecessor here, the Shen family feels at ease
The young Taoist's facial features are quite well-defined, even somewhat exquisite, but his body appears somewhat frail. Even though his loose feathered robe conceals it, one can still faintly discern his slender figure. His complexion is slightly sallow, indicating that his physical condition is not very good, and he seems somewhat ailing
When his mother became pregnant out of wedlock, she was not driven out of the house. This was due both to the affection that Old Master Shen had for his daughter and to the fact that if Shen Lian's mother left home, a portion of the family assets would also be taken away. Even though the Shen family was large and prosperous, this portion of the assets was still quite considerable
On important days during the festive seasons, the Shen family would also send someone to deliver some gifts, signifying that they had not forgotten about him
This mountain is called Qingxia Mountain, and the path leading up the mountain is a winding and tortuous stone staircase, with some slightly damp green moss traces on the steps
The ink is still fresh, clearly added recently, with a brushwork that is both sparse and orderly, evoking a sense of flowing clouds and water.
However, once he truly traveled through time, he realized that not every time traveler is so fortunate
His name was originally Li Feng. To be precise, his soul did not originally belong to this world, but came from a small doctor on Earth who ran a clinic. His income was decent, he owned a house and a car, and while he could not be considered a winner in life, he was still getting by
The local dowry is generally given to the girl when she reaches maturity, and by the time she gets married, some land deeds and shops are already registered in her name
After all, the Shen family possesses a considerable amount of wealth, and this body carries half of the Shen bloodline. According to local customs, daughters also have the right to inherit a portion of the family assets, and this portion of the assets, even if included in the dowry at the time of marriage, is managed by her herself
During ordinary times, it is the villagers from the foothills who assist in the maintenance. After he arrived at Qingxia Temple, villagers from the foothills also brought him food and clothing