Chapter 222: The Master Arrives

“It’s different,” Mei Qing exclaimed in surprise. “Master, what exactly do you mean by ‘different’?”

Ning Gu slowly shook his head and replied, “I can’t quite explain it either. But I know you are not like us. It seems… you are not from this world. Your life… seems to have come from somewhere else.”

Mei Qing was deeply startled, staring at Ning Gu, momentarily speechless. The others, hearing Ning Gu’s seemingly absurd words, also looked at Mei Qing with astonishment.

Ning Gu continued gently, “Young Master Mei, I’ve shared all my experiences with you. As for any insights you might have, there’s no rush to speak of them now. I shall wait here. When you remember something, come tell me. But I fear my time is limited, so I beg you, do not let an old man wait in vain for a lifetime.”

Having said this, Ning Gu quietly moved aside, gently planted the wooden staff he was holding in front of him, closed his eyes, sat cross-legged on the ground, and fell silent.

Na Bu, clearly displeased, glared at Mei Qing, glanced at the others, and then followed Ning Gu to the side, squatting behind his master.

“Hahaha…” Suddenly, laughter came from the side.

Everyone turned their gaze and saw Tao Zhongwen reappear before them.

“Different,” Tao Zhongwen nodded, looking at Mei Qing. “Yes, different indeed. This young man, Mei Qing, is truly someone not to be underestimated.”

Tao Zhongwen gazed at Mei Qing with a mixture of admiration, resentment, and helplessness, then turned to Lu Bing, Zhang Jingding, and others. “Originally, this was a matter concerning our sect, but it seems I’ve disturbed Minister Lu and all the esteemed Daoist friends. Better to meet by chance than to invite deliberately. Although it is an internal matter of our sect, unfortunately, my younger brother here has somehow been misled by evil men. Today, with your presence, you can all bear witness to this internal sect affair, which is indeed a fortunate occurrence.”

Liu Xing, hearing this, angrily said, “Second Senior Brother, you claim this is an internal sect matter, but what exactly do you mean? And what do you mean by saying I have been misled by evil men? Today you’ve gone to great lengths, inviting the two elders from Shangqing and Lingbao sects, and even the Mongolian Shaman priest. Are you here to accuse me of wrongdoing in front of outsiders because of an internal sect matter?”

Tao Zhongwen shook his head repeatedly and said, “Where did you get such an idea? Matters within the sect should naturally be handled according to the sect’s rules. As long as my younger brother is willing to heed my advice and abandon his stubbornness, where is the question of accusation?”

Liu Xing snorted and said, “Senior Brother, you keep saying this is an internal sect matter. But this young man, Mei Qing, although he has some connection with our sect, is not really related, right? Don’t tell me you’ve come here not because of Mei Qing!”

Tao Zhongwen laughed heartily and said, “Younger Brother, you’re still so confused! Don’t you really think Mei Qing has absolutely nothing to do with our sect?”

At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out like a hoarse cymbal, “You old Taoist priest! What nonsense are you spouting? My apprentice, how did he get involved with your sect?”

Following the sound, a patch of rosy clouds appeared in the eastern sky.

As the clouds drew closer, they radiated brilliant rays of auspicious light.

When they approached, everyone realized it was a magical artifact resembling a cluster of auspicious clouds. As it neared the crowd, Mei Qing faintly sensed that it was actually a formation composed of several magical arrays, within which spiritual energy continuously surged and spread outward, seemingly a traveling and protective device.

In the blink of an eye, the auspicious clouds arrived before Liu Mansion and suddenly vanished, revealing several figures standing there.

The leading figure wore tattered old Daoist robes and held a large gourd of wine. He pointed at Tao Zhongwen and shouted, “You old Taoist priest, you don’t have an apprentice, so you come to steal mine? My disciple, Mei Qing, became my official apprentice after performing the proper rites and offering the ceremonial wine. No one can deny that! How come now you come and claim my apprentice has some connection with your sect?”

Among the crowd, aside from Mei Qing, only Lu Bing knew of Zhang Shisan’s existence. Therefore, upon seeing his appearance and manner of speaking, he immediately recognized him. The others, however, were unaware of where this strange person had come from.

Earlier, hearing Zhang Shisan repeatedly call him a “Taoist priest,” many of the people present, who were cultivators and mostly dressed as Daoists, naturally felt displeased at such casual speech. But upon a closer look, they saw that he was also wearing Daoist robes, albeit tattered, so they could only remain silent. Though Zhang Shisan’s appearance was unremarkable, everyone could faintly sense his high cultivation level. Some of the top experts among them, like Tao Zhongwen and Zhuo Wanchun, even felt that this strange man’s cultivation was strangely familiar, suggesting he might be from a renowned sect. Observing the people behind him, many of whom were well-known figures or leaders from various sects, they dared not treat this strange man lightly.

“This esteemed Daoist friend…” Liu Xing, being the host, naturally had to step forward to greet the newcomer, whether friend or foe. He stepped forward, bowed to Zhang Shisan, and asked, “My name is Liu Xing, and I have the honor of being the host here. May I ask for your honorable name and title, which sect you come from, and what brings you here?”

“Me?” Zhang Shisan pointed at his own red nose and said, “My name is Zhang Shisan. As for why I’m here—” He glanced at Mei Qing and said, “Someone is trying to steal my apprentice, so naturally, I’m here to settle the matter!”

While speaking, he rolled up his sleeves, clearly ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Everyone present couldn’t help but laugh. Tao Zhongwen’s smile vanished, and he couldn’t hide his anger any longer, saying indignantly, “Who exactly are you? Coming here pretending to be mad and making trouble! I have important matters concerning my sect to discuss with fellow Daoists from all over the world. I won’t tolerate your nonsense!”

“Important matters?” Zhang Shisan blinked his eyes and said, “Fellow Daoists from all over the world? Are we not part of this world? Are we not considered Daoists?”

As he spoke, Zhang Shisan turned to Mei Qing and said, “Apprentice, come over quickly. Today, your master has brought all the uncles and elders of the Daoist world for you to meet. In the past, when I took an apprentice, they never had the chance to meet. Today, you can finally make their acquaintance. Hmm, if you want any welcome gifts, you’d better ask now.”

Hearing this, everyone could only smile bitterly. Mei Qing quickly approached as Zhang Shisan introduced the people behind him one by one. After the introductions, Mei Qing realized that his master’s words were indeed true—the people present were indeed of great prestige.

As previously mentioned, during the Yuan dynasty, Zhang Liusun unified all Daoist sects, and the Celestial Masters’ sect became the leader of the Daoist world. However, although various sects followed the guidance of the Celestial Masters, they did not dissolve their own sects. The people present today were all leaders from these sects.

Zhang Shisan introduced each person, and among them were representatives from the Tianxin, Qingwei, Donghua, Taiyi, and Jingming sects. Although these sects were not as prominent as the Three Mountains sects, they were all authentic sects that had been renowned in their regions for hundreds of years. The last two were none other than Master Wu Ding Li Daoding of the Louguan sect and Master Zhao Xin Deng of the Southern School of Internal Alchemy.

Mei Qing quickly stepped forward to greet them all. Although Zhang Shisan’s earlier mention of “welcome gifts” was clearly a joke, each of these people solemnly presented him with a gift. Fortunately, Mei Qing had a certain level of composure, and he accepted each gift calmly, showing no sign of embarrassment.

“Different,” Mei Qing was startled and asked, “Master, what do you mean by ‘different’?”

Ning Gu slowly shook his head and said, “I can’t quite explain it. But I know you are different from us, it seems… you are not from this world. Your life, it’s as if… it came from somewhere else.”

Mei Qing was shocked and stared at Ning Gu, momentarily speechless. The others, hearing Ning Gu’s seemingly absurd words, also looked at Mei Qing with surprise.

Ning Gu spoke gently, “Young Master Mei, I’ve shared my experiences with you. As for what you might think of, there’s no rush. I’ll wait here. Whenever you think of something, come and tell me. However, my time may not be much, so I hope you won’t let this old man wait in vain.”

After saying this, Ning Gu quietly walked to the side, gently placed the wooden branch in front of him, closed his eyes, and sat cross-legged on the ground, silent.

The one who didn’t answer glared at Mei Qing, looked at the others, and then followed to squat behind his master.

“Haha…” Suddenly, laughter came from the side.

Following the gaze of the crowd, Tao Zhongwen reappeared before everyone.

“Different,” Tao Zhongwen nodded, looking at Mei Qing, “Yes, different. This young man Mei Qing is truly someone not to be underestimated.”

Tao Zhongwen, with a mix of admiration, resentment, and helplessness in his eyes, looked at Mei Qing, then turned to Lu Bing, Zhang Jingding, and others, saying, “Originally, it was a matter within our sect, but unexpectedly, it has disturbed Lord Lu and fellow Daoists. An invitation is not as good as a chance encounter. Although it’s a sect matter, my junior brother here has somehow been misled by villains. Today, having you all as witnesses to our sect’s affairs is indeed a fortunate event.”

Liu Xing, with a voice full of resentment, said, “Second brother, if it’s not a sect matter as you say, then what is it? What do you mean by saying I’ve been misled by villains? Today, you’ve gone to great lengths, inviting the seniors from Shangqing and Lingbao, and even the Mongolian shaman, to bring outsiders to accuse me?”

Tao Zhongwen shook his head repeatedly, “What are you talking about? Matters within the sect should naturally be handled according to the sect’s rules. As long as you, junior brother, are willing to listen to me and not persist in your own views, there’s no question of accusation.”

Liu Xing snorted, “Brother, you keep saying it’s a sect matter. But this young man Mei Qing, although he has some connection with our sect, is not directly involved, right? Don’t tell me you came here not for Mei Qing’s sake!”

Tao Zhongwen laughed heartily, “Junior brother, you’re still so confused! Do you really think Mei Qing has no relation to our sect?”

At this moment, a hoarse voice suddenly shouted, “You old Taoist! What nonsense are you spouting? How does my disciple have anything to do with your sect?”

Following the voice, a radiant glow appeared in the eastern sky.

As the glow approached, it became increasingly splendid, with thousands of auspicious rays and brilliant light.

When it got closer, everyone realized it was a magical artifact resembling a cloud of auspiciousness. Only when it neared did Mei Qing faintly sense that it seemed to be a formation, forming this artifact, with spiritual energy churning inside, expanding in all directions, likely a tool for travel and protection.

The auspicious cloud blinked and disappeared right in front of Liu’s residence, revealing several figures on the spot.

The first one, wearing a tattered old Taoist robe and holding a large gourd, pointed at Tao Zhongwen and scolded, “You old ox-nose, without any disciples of your own, you come to snatch others’ disciples? My disciple Mei Qing is my rightful disciple, having paid respects and offered wine, no one can deny it! How come you, upon arrival, make my disciple seem related to your sect?”

Among the crowd, only Mei Qing and Lu Bing knew of Zhang Shisan, so upon seeing his appearance and hearing his tone, they recognized him. The others were clueless about where this strange man came from.

Hearing Zhang Shisan repeatedly call Tao Zhongwen “ox-nose,” most of the crowd, being Taoists and mostly dressed as such, naturally felt displeased. But upon closer inspection, seeing him also dressed in a tattered Taoist robe, they could only remain silent. Zhang Shisan, though unremarkable in appearance, gave everyone a sense of high cultivation. Some top figures like Tao Zhongwen and Zhuo Wanchun even felt a familiar aura from this strange man, likely from a renowned sect. Seeing the familiar faces behind him, many of whom were top figures or leaders of various sects, they dared not take this strange man lightly.

“Fellow Daoist…” Liu Xing, as the host, stepped forward to greet Zhang Shisan, regardless of whether he was friend or foe, “I am Liu Xing, the host here. May I know your esteemed name, from which sect you come, and what brings you here?”

“Me?” Zhang Shisan pointed to his red nose, “I’m Zhang Shisan, here because—” he glanced at Mei Qing, “someone wants to snatch my disciple, so of course, I’m here to reclaim my ground!”

As he spoke, he pointed at Tao Zhongwen, “He didn’t even inquire on the road who Zhang Shisan is! Daring to snatch my disciple, I think he’s tired of living!”

With that, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight at the slightest disagreement.

The crowd laughed, and Tao Zhongwen’s smile faded, his face filled with anger, “Who are you, pretending to be mad and causing trouble here! I, a true man, have serious sect matters to discuss with fellow Daoists, and I won’t tolerate your nonsense!”

“Serious matters?” Zhang Shisan blinked, “Fellow Daoists? Aren’t we also part of this world, part of the Daoist community?”

As he spoke, he turned to Mei Qing, “Disciple, come here. Today, I’ve invited all the uncles and aunts from the Daoist community to meet you.

Before, when I took disciples, they never had the chance to meet. Today, consider it an introduction. Hmm, if you want any gifts, better hurry up.”

The crowd could only smile wryly. Mei Qing quickly came over, as Zhang Shisan introduced each person behind him. Through this introduction, Mei Qing realized his master was not exaggerating; these people indeed had significant backgrounds.

As mentioned earlier, during the Yuan dynasty, Zhang Liushun unified the Daoist sects, making the Celestial Master sect the leader. However, although various sects followed the Celestial Master’s directives, they were not abolished. Today’s visitors were the leaders of these sects.

Zhang Shisan introduced them one by one, including members from Tianxin, Qingwei, Donghua, Taiyi, Jingming, and other sects. Although these sects couldn’t compare to the three major mountains, they were all renowned and had been established for centuries. The last two were Wu Dingzhenren from the Louguan Dao and Zhao Xindeng, the leader of the Southern School of Alchemy.

Mei Qing quickly paid his respects to each. Although Zhang Shisan’s mention of “gifts” seemed like a joke, these people actually took it seriously and presented gifts. Fortunately, Mei Qing had a thick skin and accepted them all without showing any embarrassment.

“Alright, everyone has met my disciple. Now, let’s hear how this Taoist is framing my disciple?” After seeing his disciple receive the gifts, Zhang Shisan coughed and turned his gaze to Tao Zhongwen.

Tao Zhongwen forced a smile but cursed inwardly. Although he had heard that Mei Qing had a master, he didn’t know who it was and didn’t pay much attention. Today, seeing this strange old Taoist, besides being shocked by his profound cultivation, he was also alarmed by the forces represented by the people behind him.

Tao Zhongwen was from the Plum Blossom Sect, but for convenience in court affairs, he hadn’t revealed this identity. After all, many knew of the Plum Blossom Sect’s challenges to various sects. Moreover, the Plum Blossom Sect only emerged with the Plum Blossom Taoist, not considered a top sect. In the Daoist community, which values lineage, it wasn’t worth much attention.

Thus, although Tao Zhongwen was the national preceptor, the Daoist community didn’t hold him in high regard. Even after the court stripped the Celestial Master title and bestowed many titles on Tao Zhongwen a decade ago, most Daoists still didn’t take this Taoist seriously.

Today, this old Taoist brought a group of Daoist leaders to challenge him, clearly not respecting his position as the national preceptor, which infuriated Tao Zhongwen. But this old Taoist, though not famous, managed to gather so many sect leaders. The forces behind Mei Qing were indeed alarming.

“Disciple?” Tao Zhongwen, though alarmed, maintained his composure and turned to the various sects, “Fellow Daoists, I am Tao Zhongwen, the national preceptor of this dynasty, known as the True Man of the Canon. Today, I’m here for sect matters. Fellow Daoist Zhang Shisan keeps saying that Mei Qing is his disciple…”

“Amitabha, please wait…” Suddenly, a Buddhist chant came from afar. Everyone was startled and looked towards the west.

After a while, a red cloud slowly rose from the west. The cloud, seemingly slow but actually fast, soon arrived in front of Liu’s residence, dissipating to reveal several bald monks.

The first one was Master Ku. He angrily shouted at Zhang Shisan, “Old ox-nose, trying to monopolize the disciple in my absence? No way!”

With that, he raised a palm and bowed to everyone, “Please excuse me. I am Huayan Master Ku, here for my unworthy disciple Mei Qing.”

Tao Zhongwen forced a smile on his face but cursed inwardly. Although he had learned that Mei Qing seemed to have a master, he was unaware of the master’s identity and had not taken it seriously. Today, seeing this strange old Daoist priest, he was not only shocked by the man’s profound cultivation but also greatly alarmed by the power represented by the people behind him.

Tao Zhongwen was from the Plum Blossom Sect, but for the convenience of his affairs in the imperial court, he had not publicly revealed this identity. After all, many people knew about the Plum Blossom Sect’s past challenges against other sects. Moreover, the Plum Blossom Sect had only emerged since the time of the Plum Blossom Daoist, and it was not considered a top-tier sect. In the Daoist world, which valued lineage above all, it was not something worth boasting about.

“Different,” Mei Qing was startled and asked, “Master, what do you mean by ‘different’?”

Ning Gu slowly shook his head and said, “I can’t quite explain it. But I know you are different from us, as if… you are not from this world. Your life seems to have come from… somewhere else.”

Mei Qing was shocked, staring at Ning Gu, momentarily speechless. The others, hearing Ning Gu’s seemingly absurd words, also looked at Mei Qing with surprise.

Ning Gu spoke gently, “Young Master Mei, I’ve shared my experiences with you. As for what you might think of, there’s no rush. I’ll wait here. Whenever you have any thoughts, come and tell me. But I fear my time is limited, so please don’t let this old man wait in vain.”

With that, Ning Gu quietly walked to the side, gently placed the wooden branch in front of him, closed his eyes, and sat cross-legged on the ground, silent.

The one who didn’t answer glared at Mei Qing, then looked at the others, and followed to the side, squatting behind his master.

“Ha ha…” Suddenly, laughter came from the side.

Following the gaze of the crowd, Tao Zhongwen reappeared before everyone.

“Different,” Tao Zhongwen nodded, looking at Mei Qing, “Yes, different. This young man Mei Qing is truly someone not to be underestimated.”

Tao Zhongwen’s eyes, filled with a mix of admiration, resentment, and helplessness, turned from Mei Qing to Lu Bing, Zhang Jingding, and others, saying, “Originally, this was a matter within our sect, but it has unexpectedly disturbed Lord Lu and fellow Daoists. An invitation is not as good as a chance encounter. Although it’s a sect matter, my junior brother has somehow been misled by evil people. Today, having you all as witnesses to our sect’s affairs is indeed a good thing.”

Liu Xing, hearing this, said angrily, “Second Senior Brother, what do you mean by ‘sect matter’? What do you mean by saying I’ve been misled by evil people? Today, you’ve gone to great lengths, inviting the Shangqing and Lingbao seniors, and even the Mongolian Shaman, to accuse me in front of outsiders?”

Tao Zhongwen shook his head repeatedly, “What are you talking about? Sect disputes should be handled according to sect rules. As long as you, junior brother, are willing to listen to me and not persist in your own views, there’s no need for accusations.”

Liu Xing snorted, “Senior Brother, you keep saying it’s a sect matter. But Mei Qing, although he has some connection to our sect, is not directly involved, right? Don’t tell me you came here not for Mei Qing’s sake!”

Tao Zhongwen laughed heartily, “Junior Brother, you’re still so confused! Do you really think Mei Qing has no relation to our sect?”

At that moment, a hoarse voice suddenly shouted, “You old Taoist! What nonsense are you spouting? How is my disciple related to your sect?”

Following the voice, a rosy glow appeared in the eastern sky.

As the glow approached, it became more radiant, with thousands of auspicious rays and dazzling light.

When it got closer, everyone realized it was a magical artifact resembling a cloud of auspiciousness. Only when it neared the crowd did Mei Qing faintly sense that it seemed to be a formation, forming this artifact, with spiritual energy constantly churning and expanding, likely a tool for travel and protection.

The auspicious cloud blinked and disappeared in front of the Liu residence, revealing several figures standing there.

The first one, wearing tattered old Taoist robes and holding a large wine gourd, pointed at Tao Zhongwen and scolded, “You old ox-nosed, without a disciple of your own, you come to steal others’ disciples? My disciple Mei Qing is my rightful disciple, having performed the rituals and offered wine, no one can deny it! How come you show up and suddenly my disciple is related to your sect?”

Among the crowd, only Mei Qing and Lu Bing knew of Zhang Shisan, so they recognized him by his appearance and tone. The others had no idea where this strange man came from.

Hearing Zhang Shisan repeatedly call them “ox-nosed,” most of the crowd, being cultivators and mostly dressed as Taoists, naturally disliked such nonsense. But upon closer inspection, seeing he also wore tattered Taoist robes, they could only remain silent. Zhang Shisan, though unremarkable in appearance, gave everyone a sense of high cultivation. Some top figures like Tao Zhongwen and Zhuo Wanchun even felt a familiar aura from this strange man, likely from a renowned sect. Seeing the familiar faces behind him, many of whom were top figures or leaders of various sects, they dared not treat this strange man lightly.

“Fellow Daoist…” Liu Xing, as the host, stepped forward to greet Zhang Shisan, “I am Liu Xing, the host here. May I know your esteemed name, from which sect you come, and what brings you here?”

“Me?” Zhang Shisan pointed at his red nose, “I’m Zhang Shisan, and I’m here—” He glanced at Mei Qing, “Someone is trying to steal my disciple, so of course, I’m here to settle the score!”

As he spoke, he pointed at Tao Zhongwen, “He didn’t even bother to find out who Zhang Shisan is! Daring to steal my disciple, I think he’s tired of living!”

With that, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

The crowd laughed, and Tao Zhongwen’s smile faded, his face filled with anger, “Who are you, pretending to be mad and causing trouble here! I, the true master, have serious sect matters to discuss with fellow Daoists, and I won’t tolerate your nonsense!”

“Serious matters?” Zhang Shisan blinked, “Fellow Daoists? Aren’t we part of this world, not considered Daoists?”

As he spoke, Zhang Shisan turned to Mei Qing, “Disciple, come here. Today, I’ve invited all the uncles and aunts from the Daoist world to meet you.

Previously, when I took disciples, they never had the chance to meet them. Today, consider it an introduction. Hmm, if you want any gifts, better hurry up.”

The crowd could only smile wryly. Mei Qing quickly came over, and Zhang Shisan introduced the people behind him one by one. Through this introduction, Mei Qing realized his master was not exaggerating; these people were indeed of great significance.

As mentioned earlier, during the Yuan Dynasty, Zhang Liushun unified the Daoist world, and the Tian Shi sect became the leader. However, various sects, while following Tian Shi’s orders, did not disband. Today’s visitors were the leaders of these sects.

Zhang Shisan introduced them one by one, including members from the Tianxin, Qingwei, Donghua, Taiyi, and Jingming sects. Although these sects were not as grand as the Three Mountains, they were all renowned and had been established for centuries. The last two were Li Daoding from the Louguan Dao and Zhao Xindeng, the leader of the Southern School of Alchemy.

Mei Qing quickly greeted each one. Although Zhang Shisan’s mention of “gifts” seemed like a joke, these people actually presented gifts seriously. Fortunately, Mei Qing had developed a thick skin and accepted them all without any embarrassment.

“Alright, everyone has met my disciple. Now, let’s hear how this Taoist master is framing my disciple,” Zhang Shisan coughed, turning his gaze to Tao Zhongwen.

Tao Zhongwen forced a smile, cursing inwardly. Although he had heard Mei Qing had a master, he didn’t know who it was and hadn’t paid much attention. Seeing this strange old man today, besides being shocked by his profound cultivation, he was also alarmed by the forces represented by the people behind him.

Tao Zhongwen was from the Plum Blossom Sect, but for convenience in court affairs, he hadn’t revealed this identity. After all, the Plum Blossom Sect’s challenge to major sects was known by many. Moreover, the Plum Blossom Sect only emerged with the Plum Blossom Taoist and wasn’t considered a top sect. In the Daoist world, which valued lineage, it wasn’t worth much attention.

Thus, although Tao Zhongwen was the National Preceptor, he wasn’t highly respected by the Daoist community. Even when the court stripped the Tian Shi title and bestowed many honors on him over a decade ago, most Daoists still didn’t regard him highly.

Today, this old man brought a group of Daoist leaders to challenge him, clearly not respecting his position as National Preceptor, which infuriated Tao Zhongwen. But this old man, though not well-known, managed to gather so many sect leaders. The forces behind Mei Qing were indeed alarming.

“A disciple?” Tao Zhongwen, though alarmed, maintained his composure and turned to the sects, “Fellow Daoists, I am Tao Zhongwen, the National Preceptor of this dynasty, known as the True Master. Today, I’m here for sect matters. Fellow Daoist Zhang Shisan keeps saying Mei Qing is his disciple…”

“Amitabha, please wait…” Suddenly, a Buddhist chant came from afar. Everyone was startled, looking towards the west.

After a moment, a red cloud rose slowly from the west. The cloud seemed slow but was actually fast, soon arriving in front of the Liu residence, dissipating to reveal several bald monks.

The leader was Master Ku. He angrily said to Zhang Shisan, “Old ox-nosed, trying to monopolize the disciple in my absence? Not a chance!”

With that, he raised a palm and greeted everyone, “Please excuse me. I am Master Ku of the Huayan Sect, here for my unworthy disciple Mei Qing.”

Now this old Daoist priest had brought a group of Daoist figures to challenge him, clearly showing no respect for his status as National Master. How could Tao Zhongwen not be furious? However, this old Daoist priest, though unknown by reputation, had managed to gather so many influential figures from various sects at once. How could Tao Zhongwen not be alarmed by the power Mei Qing had behind him?

“Different,” Mei Qing was startled and asked, “Master, what do you mean by ‘different’?”

Ning Gu slowly shook his head and said, “I can’t quite explain it. But I know you are different from us, it seems… you are not from this world. Your life feels like… it came from somewhere else.”

Mei Qing was shocked, staring at Ning Gu, momentarily speechless. The others, hearing Ning Gu’s seemingly absurd words, also looked at Mei Qing with surprise.

Ning Gu spoke gently, “Young Master Mei, I’ve shared my experiences with you. As for what you might think of, there’s no rush. I’ll wait here. Whenever you think of something, come and tell me. But I fear my time is limited, so I hope you won’t keep this old man waiting in vain.”

With that, Ning Gu quietly walked to the side, gently planted the wooden branch in front of him, closed his eyes, and sat cross-legged on the ground, silent.

The one who didn’t answer glared at Mei Qing, then looked at the others, and followed to the side, squatting behind his master.

“Ha ha…” Suddenly, laughter came from the side.

Following the gaze of the crowd, Tao Zhongwen reappeared before them.

“Different,” Tao Zhongwen nodded, looking at Mei Qing, “Yes, different. This young man, Mei Qing, is truly someone not to be underestimated.”

Tao Zhongwen, with a mix of admiration, resentment, and helplessness in his eyes, looked at Mei Qing, then turned to Lu Bing, Zhang Jingding, and others, “Originally, it was a matter within our sect, but unexpectedly, it has disturbed Lord Lu and fellow Taoists. An invitation is not as good as a chance encounter. Although it’s a sect matter, my junior brother here has somehow been misled by evil people. Today, having you all as witnesses to our sect’s affairs is indeed a good thing.”

Liu Xing said with resentment, “Second Senior Brother, if it’s not what you call a sect matter, then what is it? What do you mean by saying I’ve been misled by evil people? Today, you’ve gone to great lengths, inviting the elders of Shangqing and Lingbao, and even the Mongolian shaman, just to bring outsiders to accuse me of our sect’s affairs?”

Tao Zhongwen shook his head repeatedly, “What are you talking about? Matters within the sect should be handled according to the sect’s rules. As long as you, junior brother, are willing to listen to me and not persist in your own views, there’s no need for accusations.”

Liu Xing snorted, “Senior Brother, you keep saying it’s a sect matter. But this young man, Mei Qing, although he has some connection with our sect, it’s not directly related, is it? Don’t tell me you came here not for Mei Qing’s sake!”

Tao Zhongwen laughed heartily, “Junior Brother, you’re still so confused! Do you really think Mei Qing has no relation to our sect?”

At that moment, a hoarse voice suddenly shouted, “You old Taoist! What nonsense are you spouting? How is my disciple related to your sect?”

Following the voice, a patch of rosy clouds suddenly appeared in the eastern sky.

As the clouds approached, they became more radiant, with thousands of auspicious rays and dazzling light.

When they got closer, everyone realized it was a magical artifact resembling a cloud of good fortune. Only when it was near did Mei Qing faintly sense that it seemed to be a formation, forming this artifact, with spiritual energy churning inside and spreading out, likely a tool for travel and protection.

The cloud of good fortune blinked and disappeared right in front of Liu’s mansion, revealing several figures standing there.

The first one, wearing a tattered old Taoist robe and holding a large gourd, pointed at Tao Zhongwen and scolded, “You old ox-nosed, without a disciple of your own, you come to steal others’ disciples? My disciple Mei Qing is my rightful disciple, having performed the rites and offered wine, no one can say otherwise! How come as soon as you arrive, my disciple is somehow related to your sect?”

Among the crowd, only Mei Qing and Lu Bing knew of Zhang Shisan, so they recognized him by his appearance and manner of speaking. The others had no idea where this strange man came from.

Hearing Zhang Shisan repeatedly call someone “ox-nosed,” most of the crowd, being Taoists themselves, naturally disliked such nonsense. But upon closer inspection, seeing he was also dressed in a tattered Taoist robe, they could only remain silent. Zhang Shisan, though unremarkable in appearance, gave everyone a sense of high cultivation. Top figures like Tao Zhongwen and Zhuo Wanchun felt a familiar aura from this strange man, likely from a renowned sect. Seeing the familiar faces behind him, many of whom were top figures or leaders of various sects, they dared not treat this strange man lightly.

“Fellow Taoist…” Liu Xing, being the host, stepped forward to greet Zhang Shisan, “I am Liu Xing, the host here. May I know your esteemed name, your sect, and your purpose here?”

“Me?” Zhang Shisan pointed to his red nose, “I’m Zhang Shisan, here because—” he glanced at Mei Qing, “someone wants to steal my disciple, so I came to settle the score!”

As he spoke, he pointed at Tao Zhongwen and shouted, “He didn’t even bother to find out who Zhang Shisan is! Daring to steal my disciple, I think he’s tired of living!”

With that, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Everyone laughed, and Tao Zhongwen could no longer maintain his smile, his face filled with anger, “Who are you, pretending to be mad and causing trouble here! I, the true master, have important sect matters to discuss with fellow Taoists, and I won’t tolerate your nonsense!”

“Important matters?” Zhang Shisan blinked, “Fellow Taoists? Aren’t we also part of this world, part of the Taoist community?”

As he spoke, he turned to Mei Qing, “Disciple, come here. Today, I’ve invited all the uncles and aunts of the Taoist world to meet you.

Before, when I took disciples, they never had the chance to meet them. Today, consider it an introduction. Hmm, if you want any gifts, better hurry up.”

Everyone could only smile wryly. Mei Qing quickly came over, and Zhang Shisan introduced the people behind him one by one. Through this introduction, Mei Qing realized his master’s words were true; these people were indeed of great significance.

As mentioned earlier, during the Yuan Dynasty, Zhang Liushun unified the Taoist world, making the Celestial Master sect the leader. Although various sects followed the Celestial Master’s orders, their sects were not abolished. Today’s visitors were leaders of these sects.

Zhang Shisan introduced them one by one, including representatives from Tianxin, Qingwei, Donghua, Taiyi, Jingming, and other sects. Although these sects were not as prominent as the Three Mountains, they were all renowned and had been established for hundreds of years. The last two were Wu Ding Zhenren Li Daoding from the Louguan sect and Zhao Xindeng, the leader of the Southern School of Alchemy.

Mei Qing quickly greeted each one. Although Zhang Shisan’s mention of “gifts” seemed like a joke, each person seriously presented a gift. Fortunately, Mei Qing had developed a thick skin and accepted each one without a hint of embarrassment.

“Alright, everyone has met my disciple. Now, let’s hear how this Taoist master is framing my disciple?” After seeing his disciple receive the gifts, Zhang Shisan coughed and turned his gaze to Tao Zhongwen.

Tao Zhongwen forced a smile, but inside he was cursing. Although he had heard Mei Qing had a master, he didn’t know who it was and hadn’t paid much attention. Today, seeing this strange old Taoist, besides being shocked by his profound cultivation, he was also alarmed by the forces represented by the people behind him.

Tao Zhongwen was from the Plum Blossom sect, but for convenience in court affairs, he hadn’t revealed this identity. After all, the Plum Blossom sect’s challenge to major sects was known to many. Moreover, the Plum Blossom sect only emerged with Plum Blossom Taoist and wasn’t considered a top sect. In the Taoist world, which values lineage, it wasn’t worth much attention.

Thus, although Tao Zhongwen was the national preceptor, Taoists didn’t hold him in high regard. Even after the court stripped the Celestial Master title and bestowed many titles on Tao Zhongwen a decade ago, most Taoists still didn’t take him seriously.

Today, this old Taoist brought a group of Taoist leaders to challenge him, clearly disregarding his status as the national preceptor, which infuriated Tao Zhongwen. But this old Taoist, though not well-known, had managed to gather so many sect leaders. The forces behind Mei Qing were indeed formidable, which also alarmed him.

“Disciple?” Tao Zhongwen, though alarmed, maintained his composure and turned to the sect leaders, “Fellow Taoists, I am Tao Zhongwen, the national preceptor of this dynasty, titled the True Master. Today, I came for sect matters. Fellow Taoist Zhang Shisan keeps saying Mei Qing is his disciple…”

“Amitabha, please wait…” Suddenly, a Buddhist chant came from afar. Everyone was startled and looked towards the west.

After a moment, a red cloud slowly rose from the west. The cloud, seemingly slow but actually fast, soon arrived in front of Liu’s mansion, dissipating to reveal several bald monks.

The first one was Master Ku. He angrily shouted at Zhang Shisan, “Old ox-nosed, trying to monopolize the disciple in my absence? Not a chance!”

With that, he clasped his hands and bowed to the crowd, “Please excuse me. I am Hua Yan Ku Toutuo, here for my unworthy disciple Mei Qing.”

“Amitabha, excuse me for interrupting…” Suddenly, a distant Buddhist chant echoed from afar. Everyone was startled and turned their gazes toward the west.

After a while, a red cloud rose from the west, slowly drifting forward. In fact, it moved faster than it seemed and soon arrived before Liu Mansion, the clouds dispersing to reveal several bald-headed monks.

The leading figure was none other than Master Ku. Looking angrily at Zhang Shisan, he said, “Old goat-bearded Taoist priest, you want to monopolize the apprentice while I’m away? Not a chance!”

He then raised his palm in a Buddhist salute and bowed to everyone, saying, “I apologize for the disturbance, esteemed friends. I am Ku Toutu of Huayan Sect, and I have come for my unworthy disciple, Mei Qing.”