Chapter 339 - 220: Empress Descends from the Ninth Heaven
“Senior, do not jest. On such a matter concerning the path of cultivation, should it be treated as child’s play?”
As soon as the beggar approached Feng Qing’an, asked him with a big smile if he had decided to join the Qianyang Sect, Feng Qing’an rejected him solemnly. This startled the Taoist priest, causing him to choke on his words.
“Even your spiritual pet stated that you had been awaiting my arrival?”
Yonghe Zhenren was visibly upset. All his excitement was in vain. His slight knowledge in divination was rendered useless. He was not able to foresee anything related to this young master. Anything concerning him was similar to the mythical Guixu, a place no one could perceive the exit of.
Yonghe Zhenren was no stranger to such a situation. If it were not for these unusual circumstances, he would not be rushing to plead with someone. The Qianyang Sect was usually the one choosing others, not being selected by others. Such a scenario rarely happens, not even once in a thousand years.
“Well, that’s not bad either. I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
Yonghe Zhenren perked up, eager for Feng Qing’an to owe him a favor. As long as he was part of their sect, everything was manageable. Sometimes it’s not about fearing troubles from them, but fearing they need nothing from you.
“Even though I have the intention to cultivate now, I do not have any knowledge about the Immortal Cultivation. Thus, I wanted to borrow some Taoist scriptures from your sect to have a look. Do you have any to recommend?”
“You’ve come to the right person indeed!”
The beggar’s eyes were gleaming. Offering the Taoist scriptures was easy. He wouldn’t show the sect’s cultivation skills carelessly, but there was no need to worry about the end.
“Here are the nineteen volumes of ‘Qianyang Questions and Answers’. These are the Taoist classics formed by the thirty-nine real people of our sect over seventeen hundred years. Their wise words are worth their weight in gold. Young master, if you want to cultivate, you must read these books!”
“Is it so?”
Seeing the beggar pull out stacks of books from his bosom like a magician, Feng Qing’an could guess that the so-called gems of the Taoist scripture probably contained some hidden agenda.
But no matter how they disguised their intentions, since they dared to claim this as a Taoist text and even presented it to him, there must be some genuine materials in it. Hence he could take a look. Moreover, he was not limited to the Qianyang sect alone.
“Isn’t this too much!”
A moment later, upon seeing the beggar still pulling out stacks of books, Feng Qing’an couldn’t resist it any longer. These were far thicker than the so-called Martial Arts Manual given to him by the Military Judge. Comparatively, they were voluminous, enough to decorate his study.
“Not at all!”
The beggar looked at the book stack, which was over a person’s height, and nodded with satisfaction. Then he said to Feng Qing’an,
“This is what our Qianyang Sect normally expects a disciple to finish reading within three years. If one can finish these within three years, then they can start their cultivation!”
“Three years!”
Looking at the mountain of books in front of him, Feng Qing’an’s face twitched uncontrollably. At this moment, he heartily felt how difficult cultivation could be.
This was merely the first step to becoming an immortal. Even if one finished reading all these, there wouldn’t be any extraordinary power in them. They wouldn’t even be able to spark a flame, thus making no significant difference to ordinary people.
“Young master, you are still young. Three years is nothing. You have plenty of time to read patiently. Furthermore, considering your talents, compared to my disciples, they are like lame horses. Perhaps, you could finish reading within three months!”
The beggar gleefully said that these Taoist scriptures were indeed reputable. After reading them, one might even feel as if their spirit and qi were intertwined and might even naturally cultivate Qianyang’s True Qi.
Of course, anyone who could achieve this would certainly be blessed with exceptional talent, and once such an individual is discovered, they are taken as direct disciples by Zhenren.
However, even for such gifted individuals who are one in ten thousand, the beggar did not doubt for a moment that the person in front of him could accomplish it, and perhaps even do it better.
“Thank you, Zhenren!”
Feng Qing’an picked up a book intending to glance through it. However, after just briefly looking through it, he realized that he could truly comprehend the profound meanings within and unconsciously started flipping through it.
The beggar originally wanted to say something when he saw how easily Feng Qing’an started reading. A bright smile appeared on his face, and without uttering a word, he quietly retreated.
“Do not disturb him. Simply deliver his meals on time.”
Before leaving, the beggar instructed those on both sides not to forget this detail.
The well-experienced housekeeper Zhao saw right through it. The seemingly disheveled beggar was like a fairy in the flesh from the folktales. He respectfully accepted it straight away.
But the steward quickly realized he accepted too soon. Because just half a day after that, a woman with a dignified and magnificent aura, seeming like a Celestial woman descending from the skies, knocked on their mansion’s door.
“May I know if your young lord is in?”
“My young master is currently in the house reading scriptures. My lady, please wait a moment and I will inform him.”
The steward only took one look at the woman before respectfully lowering his head, not daring to look again.
With his discerning eye, he was unable to find a single flaw on the woman’s face. Ordinary people, living off the hundred grains, are usually impure. Perfect features without defects are not what ordinary people ought to possess.
“Invite her in!”
Having finished reading one Dao Sutra, Feng Qing’an was still not satisfied. But he didn’t forget his former plan and allowed the book “Qianyang Questions and Answers” given to him by the beggar to be placed to the side. Then he received the female cultivator from Taiyin Sky.