Chapter 1: Master of the Cave Heaven

Whether they were hosting a funeral or a wedding, doing it right at the entrance of their Xuanzhen Temple was a bit absurd, wasn't it?

...

A moment later, Li Yinsheng pushed open the pitted wooden door of Xuanzhen Temple.

Outside, there was indeed a group of mortals dressed in highly festive attire. They were not only beating gongs and drums but also scattering flower petals everywhere.

At the very center of the crowd rested an enormous sedan chair. It was painted with golden patterns and floral designs, and adorned with cascading strings of jade, agate, and pearls, looking exceptionally grand.

The porters carrying the sedan chair were all eight feet tall, their eyes flashing with a sharp light and their temples bulging. Li Yinsheng could sense that their Qi Blood was quite vigorous; they were likely Practitioners from a Mortal Dynasty.

Seeing someone come out, the porters set the sedan chair down. A middle-aged man and woman stepped out, leading a young girl who appeared to be fifteen or sixteen years old. The couple possessed an extraordinary bearing and wore luxurious clothes; at a single glance, it was obvious they held noble status in the mortal world.

The young girl looked delicate and lovely, dressed equally luxuriously. Dangling from her waist was an exquisite, lifelike Phoenix Jade Pendant, carved so finely that even the texture of the feathers was clearly visible.

Her fair and pretty face clearly bore the features of the couple, marking her as their daughter.

However, the little girl seemed exhausted from the long journey, looking listless, with some pastry crumbs still clinging to the corner of her mouth.

The middle-aged man walked with a commanding, martial stride. He had a weathered face and carried a battle-hardened aura, appearing to be someone of a General's caliber in the mortal realm. Yet, upon stepping before Li Yinsheng, he immediately bowed deeply.

"The Dayong dynasty's Prince Wuwei, Left General, Inspector of Yan Province, and Mu Family Head, Mu Hu, greets the Immortal Master! I respectfully wish the Immortal Master boundless fortune and longevity!"

As the middle-aged man bowed deeply, the woman behind him led their daughter in bowing as well. Meanwhile, the other porters, servants, and musicians beating the gongs and drums simply fell to their knees.

"Please rise, everyone. This is a place of peaceful cultivation in the mountains; we do not practice such mortal formalities here."

Having been born in modern China in his past life and raised cultivating on the mountain since childhood in this life, Li Yinsheng was being knelt to by so many people for the very first time. He felt somewhat uncomfortable inside, but on the surface, he maintained an appearance of breezy indifference.

"A chasm separates the Immortal and Mortal worlds. How did you manage to find your way to my mountain gate? And why are you beating gongs and drums here, disturbing my peaceful cultivation?"

"Please forgive us, Immortal Master!" Mu Hu, who had just stood up, hastily bowed again. "This Prince—no, no, no, this humble one did not know the Immortal favored peace and quiet. It is my fault, my fault!

"As for how this humble one found the way... A hundred years ago, an ancestor of the Mu Family shared a friendship with an Immortal Master of Xuanzhen Temple. The Immortal Master left behind a Geomancy Map and once said that if the Mu Family ever produced someone with the talent for Daoist cultivation, they could follow the map here to find a master and become a Beginner.

"This humble one's daughter has been exceptionally intelligent and quick-witted since childhood. I thought she might possess a bit of immortal destiny..."

Li Yinsheng fell silent.

He now truly understood what the netizens in his past life meant by "joining the Nationalist Army in 1949." Standing right in front of him was just such a massive sucker.

Xuanzhen Temple is about to disband, and you've come to seek the Dao! Are you here just to freeload on the farewell dinner?

"Xuanzhen Temple is no longer accepting disciples. Prince Mu can try other Daoist Temples under the Zhengyang Dharma Vein. If your daughter truly has the Root Device to cultivate immortality and study the Dao, there will naturally be a Daoist Temple willing to accept her."

While politely declining, Li Yinsheng subconsciously shook his head.

He knew that the listless-looking little girl would not be accepted by any Daoist Temple—

Because she lacked a Root Device.

The so-called "Root Device" referred to any trait in a person that was beneficial for cultivation.

For instance, a solid innate physique, wider meridians than ordinary people, a photographic memory and high comprehension, or perhaps a Soul innately much stronger than an ordinary person's, granting the ability to see ghosts and deities, and so on.

If one was even more exceptionally gifted, they might simply be born with a special constitution or even summon anomalies upon birth.

Although there were thousands of different possibilities and manifestations of a "Root Device," even the lowest grade of it was extremely rare—easily one in ten thousand.

It wasn't that ordinary people without a Root Device couldn't cultivate at all; rather, it just wasn't worth the effort.

Even if those without a Root Device bitterly cultivated for a lifetime, they wouldn't achieve much. The greatest benefit would merely be a slight prolongation of their lifespan.

To an accomplished cultivator, a Root Device was like a glowing night-pearl. Whether a mortal possessed a Root Device or not could be seen at a single glance just by circulating Magical Power.

He had already checked just now. This girl did not have a Root Device.

"Immortal Master!" Hearing Li Yinsheng's unhesitating refusal, Mu Hu immediately grew frantic.

"Say no more. Immortal destiny is determined by Heaven. When this poor Daoist says I will not accept her, I mean I will not... Wait."

Li Yinsheng's heart stirred slightly. Clinging to a shred of hope, he asked, "Your surname is Mu, so what is your daughter's name?"

"My daughter is named Xiaoyu. It was determined by a divination from a passing wandering Daoist priest before she was born..." Prince Mu immediately replied with utmost respect.

Mu Xiaoyu!

Li Yinsheng's gaze fell into the void, staring at the Golden Character text that only he could see—written right there was "Mu Xiaoyu."

"AHEM, although Xuanzhen Temple is no longer taking disciples, I see that Prince Mu's love for his daughter is truly enough to move the heavens. Today, I will make an exception and accept you as a Beginner!"

Li Yinsheng continued sternly, "However, the rules must be stated in advance. A new disciple cannot begin to cultivate immediately upon becoming a Beginner!

"First, she must become a Beginner under the status of a Named Disciple to copy scriptures and study the Dao. Only after undergoing an observation period ranging from one to three years can she be taught a Cultivation Technique.

"Later, once her cultivation achieves minor success, she reveals her talent, and earns the regard of the senior experts in the temple, only then can she formally acknowledge a master, practice more profound Magic Techniques, and even obtain a Dharma title. Are you willing to abide by these rules?"

Prince Mu froze for a moment, unsure why Li Yinsheng's attitude had suddenly completely reversed. But in just a breath or two, he reacted and hurriedly bowed deeply.

"We are willing, we are willing! Thank you, Immortal Master! It is only perfectly natural for an immortal sect to observe a disciple for three years! Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu, hurry up and greet your senior brother!"

Faced with the exceedingly respectful Prince Mu, Li Yinsheng also felt somewhat unsure in his heart.

Although he had kept the girl here, his golden finger didn't seem to have reacted at all; he wondered if they merely happened to share the same name.

"Greetings, Senior Brother!" Mu Xiaoyu followed suit and bowed.

The moment Mu Xiaoyu bowed deeply, the resonant chiming of Huang Zhong and Da Lv suddenly echoed in Li Yinsheng's mind.

His golden finger, which had shown no reaction for over ten years since he transmigrated, suddenly materialized on its own within his mind.

A surreal, dreamlike scroll unfurled. In a boundless great lake, countless lotus flowers and leaves stood gracefully, while a full moon in the sky illuminated the dark night. The faint Golden Character text formed by the moonlight shifted and transformed.

[Master of the Cave Heaven: Mu Xiaoyu

Cultivation Aspiration: Of the four secrets of cultivation—"Method, Wealth, Companion, Environment"—"Method" is the utmost priority!

However, as the saying goes, secret teachings are not shared lightly. The passing down of a Cultivation Technique is of paramount importance and has never been bestowed casually since ancient times.

Since the Master of the Cave Heaven has joined an immortal cultivation Sect, she must do her utmost to display her talent and dedication to the Dao, earning the Sect's approval as soon as possible so that they may teach her an immortal Cultivation Technique, which she must master swiftly.

This is the foremost priority in cultivation!

Cultivation Rewards:

If the Cultivation Technique is learned in over a year: Rewards three months of Cultivation.

If the Cultivation Technique is learned within one year: Rewards half a year of Cultivation.

If the Cultivation Technique is learned within half a year: Rewards one year of Cultivation.

If the Cultivation Technique is learned within three months: Rewards three years of Cultivation.

If the Cultivation Technique is learned within one month: Rewards ten years of Cultivation.

If the Cultivation Technique is learned within ten days: Rewards twenty years of Cultivation.

If the Cultivation Technique is learned within one day: Rewards thirty years of Cultivation.]

Feeling the rush of information surging in his mind, Li Yinsheng was stunned.