Next day, early in the morning.
Chen Yun went up to the third floor to pay a visit to his mentor.
As usual, he knocked on the door three times, then entered, bowed three times, and also said some words of gratitude.
After completing all the formalities, Chen Yun stood up respectfully as soon as Zhong Liuxuan said, "Stand up, please."
Zhong Lixuan lay sideways on the bed, holding an fan in one hand, and asked: "You have been in my door for two or three months, and have also realized that you can master the technique of controlling energy. Have you ever complained that your master did not pass on the skills?"
Chen Yun hurriedly said, "Disciple knows that Master has every intention, and there has never been any complaint."
"Hahahaha." Zhong Lixuan smiled softly: "You are really patient, like when Wenxiu and Laozhi just cultivated true energy, they were eager to learn from me."
At this point, he was about to sit up, and Chen Yun quickly approached to help.
Zhong Lixuan continued to say, "The art is a minor path, but it is also a self-defense method for practitioners like us. Master indeed should pass it on to you."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yun's heart rejoiced, "Thank you, Master, for teaching me the art."
"Hey, don't rush," Zhong Lixuan waved his hand as he sat up, "Your cultivation level is still shallow. Even if you learn the art, you can't use it. So, I pondered, if you can cultivate to an inferior mage, I will pass you some quite decent art. What do you think?"
To have Master, a transcendent immortal who has long shattered the void, say 'quite good,' I imagine those few arts must be extremely powerful.
At least for an inferior mage, they must be very powerful.
Chen Yun said, "Disciple will diligently cultivate, and strive to reach the level of an inferior mage as soon as possible."
"Cultivation is a gradual process," Zhong Lixuan put down his fan, looking at him seriously, "These past few days, you've been using the 'Converging Qi Pearl' to refine essence into qi without a break. Have you not noticed that you've become much thinner?"
Chen Yun was taken aback, carefully recalling and realizing that he had indeed been using the White Jade Pearl to refine essence into qi every night these days, and his body had indeed become somewhat "weak."
Zhong Lixuan sighed and said: "Refining essence into qi, refining essence into qi, what we refine is essence. A person's body has its limits, how can your body bear the burden of practicing every night? I originally wanted to wait until you felt it yourself, but Old Zhi and Xia have already returned to the mountain. It's time for you to go down and accumulate good deeds. Therefore, I will remind you one or two things in advance. If possible, it would be better not to practice by relying on external things. Secondly, even if you rely on external things for cultivation, you should feel your own changes. As for you at present, every ten days you should practice once relying on external things. Your body should be able to bear it. If you don't rely on external things for cultivation, practicing every night is also fine."
Chen Yun firmly remembered these instructions, and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Master for your guidance."
Zhong Lixuan waved his hand and said, "Alright, go and pack your things up and find Old Zhi to get a hundred taels of silver. He will tell you what you should do."
......
Accumulating good deeds is something that every formal disciple at the Taoist Temple must do.
After receiving Master's instructions, Chen Yun went to ask Wang Laozhi for the silver, and asked him to clarify what tasks are required for accumulating good deeds.
Wang Laozhi did not directly give him one hundred taels of silver, but instead gave him ten copper ingots and ninety taels of silver. He also carefully explained to Chen Yun all the things that needed to be done.
Chen Yun then learned that accumulating good deeds is generally divided into two types.
The first is to help people who genuinely need help.
The second is to drive ghosts, eliminate evil spirits, slay demons and expel evil forces.
Furthermore, Wang Laozhi specially instructed that when giving alms to others, one must first give silver, and only after the silver is given out can copper coins be given. Additionally, it is imperative to leave the name of the sect and one's own name when doing good deeds, and to record the process of performing good deeds.
Leaving the name of the sect, Chen Yun can understand.
He didn't know why he had to leave his own name.
However, since Wang Laozhi had said so, Chen Yun would certainly follow the instructions.
The first month of accumulating good deeds is the initial period.
That is to say, he needs to stay outside for a month.
As for whether he actually accumulates good deeds outside or fabricates stories, no one will care.
In short, it is all self-awareness.
Chen Yun casually packed a few pieces of clothing, took the previously earned gold, and then used the Jiemaofu to travel down the mountain.
To say nothing of it, carrying ten strings of copper coins and ninety taels of silver is very heavy.
One string of copper coins is approximately 11 to 12 jin in weight.
Ten strings of copper coins would weigh over a hundred jin.
Including silver and other things, it would be about 150 jin in weight.
Although Chen Yun could put these items into the secret compartment of the small copper furnace, so that he wouldn't have to carry them around, he felt that the Taodao sect deliberately gave ten strings of copper coins for the disciples to carry in order to accumulate good deeds, and it was a requirement to wait until all the silver had been donated before allowing the heaviest copper coins to be donated. He thought it was probably a way of practicing, and there was no need for him to be deceitful.
He had not walked very far.
Chen Yun saw Zhuo Qian's silhouette carrying luggage in a small forest.
The other party seems to have not used the Jiemaofu.
Chen Yun caught up and stopped, "Brother Zhang."
Zhuo Qian seemed to be thinking about something, and was startled to jump up from the spot when he heard the voice.
Turning around, he slightly scornfully said, "Oh dear, Brother Chen, you suddenly appeared and scared the life out of me."
Chen Yun blinked his eyes and asked, "Did Master Cai give you the Jiemaofu or Shenxingfu?"
"Given." Zhuo Qian said with a smile: "I wanted to save it a bit. After all, once I leave the Taodao sect, there is no more opportunity to obtain the amulets."
At this point, he looked curiously at Chen Yun, "Why are you also carrying luggage?"
Chen Yun said: "Master asked me to go down the mountain to accumulate good deeds."
"Oh, I see." Zhuo Qian suddenly understood and laughed, "Have you thought about where you're going to accumulate good deeds?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Yun was taken aback.
Right, where should I accumulate good deeds?
Although no one is watching whether or not one really does good deeds and accumulates virtue after going down the mountain, Chen Yun knew that his master had a purpose for sending him down to accumulate good deeds, and he thought of completing it well.
At present, upon hearing Zhuo Qian's question about where he should go, Chen Yun really hasn't thought about it.
Suddenly, he remembered that he had been thinking about returning the Linchun symbol to Lin Chen before.
Zhuo Qian was also heading to Luoyang.
Chen Yun directly said: "Or we can be companions, and go to Luoyang together. You go on your way, and I'll accumulate my good deeds."
Zhuo Qian immediately opened his eyes and said with joy: "This is wonderful. Having someone to accompany me on the road, I won't be lonely."
Since it's about accumulating good deeds, it's also a good opportunity to cultivate one's character along the way.
Chen Yun decided to take off the Jiemaofu and walk side by side with Zhuo Qian.
Suddenly, he felt the weight of the copper coins and silver more bearable.
Chen Yun walked and said, "Brother Zhang, can you accompany me to Xigou City first? I have some things to do there."
Zhuo Qian said, "Okay, it's getting late as we walk to Xigou City, let's have a meal there and then find a inn to rest."
......
Fifty miles is a long distance.
Chen Yun and Zhuo Qian arrived in Xigou City at nearly dusk.
They took several breaks during the journey, and had some dried food. Otherwise, they would have arrived earlier.
Chen Yun thought about leaving this place temporarily and pondered the idea of having Master San send some money home for him.
Therefore, they headed straight to the market as soon as they entered the city.
Unexpectedly, he came up empty-handed.
By this time, Master San had already finished his work for the day.
In the end, Chen Yun found out where Master San lived by asking the door tooth shop.
It's not far from the market.
The two walked a mile.
They arrived at a larger courtyard.
After carrying over 150 jin of goods all day, Chen Yun was panting heavily when he arrived at the destination.
Although he has reached the stage of refining essence into qi and has also used the accumulation of essence to strengthen the body method to enhance his physical form, at the end of the day, he is still a mortal body. Carrying over 150 jin for a whole day, of course, would be very tiring.
Zhuo Qian looked around and said, "The shopkeeper of Cheng Ji Yayou mentioned that this is the place, let me go and knock on the door."
"Wait a moment!"
Chen Yun reached out to stop Zhuo Qian.
Zhuo Qian was puzzled and asked, "This is it, isn't it?"
Chen Yun frowned and said, "Brother Zhang, do you feel that it is very cold here?"
Zhuo Qian hesitated and said, "Cold? You mentioned it, and it does seem a bit chilly. It's evening now, isn't it normal for the weather to be cool?"
Chen Yun shook his head and said, "What I mean is not cold, but rather a cold, like the kind of cold we felt when we went to Wu's mansion to exorcise ghosts with Master Lin."
Since Chen Yun had narrowly escaped death in Wu's mansion, he was particularly sensitive to that feeling of cold. That's why he could sense it immediately as soon as he arrived at the courtyard gate of Master San's residence.
Zhuo Qian felt it carefully for a moment, and his expression also grew serious, "After you said that, it does seem incredibly cold here. Could it be... that there are ghosts here?"
"For the time being, we can't be sure." Chen Yun looked up towards the main courtyard and said, "Let me use the observation technique to find out."
After that, he started using the observation technique.
The next moment, Chen Yun saw a series of fierce and clawing black qi swirling within Master San's courtyard.
This scene is exactly the same as the description of haunted places in the book!
