"Hall Master."
Zhou Wuji was somewhat surprised to see Yizhen. For the Hall Master to travel all the way to Canglong Temple demonstrated just how much importance the Branch Abbey placed on this matter.
Yizhen looked Zhou Wuji up and down. The last time they had met, Zhou Wuji had been severely wounded; no matter how extraordinary his natural bearing, he had ultimately appeared haggard and frail.
Looking at him now, his features were defined and handsome, his eyes as bright as stars, and his frame tall and straight. Standing with easy grace in his green robes, a sword at his waist, he truly possessed a transcendent, lofty air.
Every expert inevitably possessed their own temperament and aura.
Yet Zhou Wuji’s demeanor was exceptionally pure, elegant, and noble, richly carrying the Daoist resonance of clear wind and the bright moon.
In terms of poise and presence alone, Zhou Wuji was indeed a talent of celestial caliber.
Such an individual possessed the charm to win people over on appearance and bearing alone.
If nothing else, simply going out to lecture on the scriptures and preach the Dharma would draw a vast following of believers.
The Yunlong Branch Abbey frequently held lectures and preaching assemblies, but for various reasons, its influence among the upper echelons of Yunyang Prefecture was rapidly declining.
Zhou Wuji, however, could start with the younger generation and reshape people’s perception of the Yunlong Branch Abbey.
Such a shift in people's hearts would inevitably project into reality, greatly bolstering the abbey's prestige.
The subtleties of this were something few people could understand.
Yizhen now also understood why his daughter was fond of Zhou Wuji.
Moreover, the young man was skilled at composing poetry, and his calligraphy in particular was bold and vigorous like iron strokes and silver hooks, upright as a standing crane, exuding an immortal grace.
Yizhen had never seen such calligraphy in his entire life; it already possessed the distinct grandeur of an established master.
For such an outstanding young man, let alone women being smitten, even Yizhen felt heartfelt admiration upon seeing him.
Facing Yizhen's appraising gaze, Zhou Wuji cast his eyes slightly downward with a tranquil expression, polite yet not stiff or constrained.
Zhou Wuji had nothing to be timid about. He was not Yizhen's disciple, nor was he Yizhen's son-in-law.
Furthermore, having dealt with him twice, he already understood Yizhen's disposition quite well.
Deep down, this Hall Master was rather haughty, and such people despised nothing more than groveling servility.
Yizhen nodded in praise. "Mingxiu often said your talent was exceptional and your bearing extraordinary. Truly, she spoke no idle words."
"Yiyuan took in a fine disciple!"
"The Hall Master flatters me. I am unworthy of such praise," Zhou Wuji replied. He did not act overly reserved, yet he showed no arrogance or disrespect.
"Seeing your true qi circulate so naturally, you must have already connected the seven apertures, correct?" Yizhen asked.
"Yes."
"According to our prior agreement, I shall oversee your transmission and ordination. Go pack your belongings now. We will board a boat tomorrow to return to the Branch Abbey."
Yizhen still had many matters to handle during this trip to Siming County, and the threat of the Five Dragons Gang was not something convenient to discuss at length with Zhou Wuji. Having explained what was needed, he turned to leave.
"Martial Uncle,"
Zhou Wuji called out to stop Yizhen. This time, he did not address him as Hall Master, choosing a more familiar title instead.
Yizhen looked back at Zhou Wuji with an inquiring expression. Zhou Wuji said, "I have a junior martial sister named Wuyi, who is quite gifted. Her Li family is also the most prominent clan in Siming County.
"I previously mentioned that I would recommend her to the Branch Abbey, and I would like to ask Martial Uncle to take a look at Wuyi..."
Yizhen understood at once: Zhou Wuji wanted him to take Wuyi as a disciple.
As a Hall Master of the Branch Abbey, he had numerous nominal disciples under his tutelage; accepting the daughter of a prominent Siming County family was no great matter.
Moreover, since Zhou Wuji had asked him for a favor, he ought to grant him this bit of face.
"Very well. Bring her over for me to see,"
Yizhen said. "If she truly shows some talent, I will take her back to the Branch Abbey to cultivate with me."
"Thank you, Hall Master." Zhou Wuji was delighted. He had simply braced himself to ask; whether Yizhen agreed or not, he had done his best.
He had not expected Yizhen to be so agreeable and give him so much face.
Having fulfilled his promise to Li Ruyi, Zhou Wuji felt quite pleased.
Once Yizhen departed, Zhou Wuji called Shangxin over and sent him to the Li family to fetch Li Ruyi.
Having this young errand boy saved him a great deal of time.
After so many incidents had unfolded, the Li family might not necessarily welcome a visit from him in person.
Shangxin was diligent and swift on his feet; a mountain path of a dozen li was nothing to him.
In less than an hour, Shangxin returned with Li Ruyi.
Not knowing why Zhou Wuji had summoned her, Li Ruyi bowed respectfully and greeted him upon arrival.
A family in the county had been slain by demonic cultivators, and those cultivators had then been struck down by Zhou Wuji.
This incident had caused a massive uproar throughout the county seat, and everyone knew of it.
Soon, bailiffs had identified the two demonic cultivators as the Cold-Blooded Twin Fiends, two notorious villains on the Yunyang Prefecture wanted list.
The Cold-Blooded Twin Fiends possessed ferocious renown, having run rampant across Yunyang Prefecture for years without anyone able to suppress them.
That Zhou Wuji had actually slain the Cold-Blooded Twin Fiends spread his fame throughout the county town once more.
Everyone showered him with praise, marveling that at such a young age, Zhou Wuji had inherited Daoist Yiyuan's true transmission, showing the majestic prowess of one whose blade could bring peace to Siming!
Li Ruyi had constantly heard her family talking about Zhou Wuji. Her father had even warned that the matter involved the Five Dragons Gang and the situation was exceedingly complex, telling her to take care not to get entangled.
However, when Zhou Wuji took the initiative to seek her out, she could not refuse.
Let alone her, even her father would not dare refuse Zhou Wuji now.
In the span of just a few months, Zhou Wuji had killed an unknown number of people in Siming County.
Experts including Company Commander Wu Di and Zhang Xinhu had died under mysterious circumstances simply for crossing him.
Regardless of what the prominent families of Siming County thought of Zhou Wuji, absolutely none dared offend him.
Zhou Wuji noticed that Li Ruyi seemed slightly nervous. This eighteen-year-old girl appeared to be somewhat afraid of him now.
In the past, he had maintained a fairly good rapport with her. Even when he killed Zhang Wuding and the others, Li Ruyi had remained very calm, but her attitude toward him had genuinely shifted now.
He had always felt that Li Ruyi had decent aptitude, and her resilient nature and ability to endure solitude made her well-suited for Daoist cultivation.
Sending Li Ruyi into the Branch Abbey was an effortless deed for him and fulfilled his earlier promise.
If Li Ruyi truly managed to establish herself or even achieve success, she would become a valuable connection for him.
Yet who could predict the future?
Zhou Wuji spoke gently, "Junior Sister, I promised to recommend you to the Branch Abbey. Since Hall Master Yizhen is here today, I mentioned the matter to him.
"He is willing to grant you an opportunity. You must seize it."
Li Ruyi was somewhat surprised. Last time, she had already used up that favor to save the people of Laocang Village; she had not expected Zhou Wuji to still be willing to help her.
Though she had an aloof temperament, a look of delight could not help surfacing on her face. "Thank you, Senior Brother."
During this period, Wuzheng had been overseeing Canglong Temple, and with trouble continually stirring around the temple, Li Ruyi had not returned.
With Zhou Wuji's recommendation, Li Ruyi immediately went to change into Daoist robes, combed her hair into a Daoist bun, and made all the proper preparations.
When Yizhen returned, Zhou Wuji brought Li Ruyi over to pay her respects.
Seeing that Li Ruyi had refined features and an innate cool tranquility between her brows, Yizhen found her agreeable and immediately agreed to accept her as his disciple.
Overjoyed, Li Ruyi performed the formal grand disciple ceremony on the spot, bowing three times and prostrating nine.
Yizhen instructed Li Ruyi to go home and prepare, as they would depart together for the Branch Abbey the next day.
Li Ruyi hurried home and told her father about the matter.
Li Cheng'an was both astonished and delighted. His reluctance to be associated with Zhou Wuji had been due to Zhou Wuji's ruthless and lethal actions, which had invited a host of enemies.
The Branch Abbey, however, was a different story.
Even though its prestige had waned considerably over recent years, it remained one of the preeminent forces in Yunyang Prefecture.
Behind the Branch Abbey stood the Arctic Sect, one of the seven great Daoist sects renowned across the realm.
If Li Ruyi could attain success in her cultivation, it would be of immense help to their Li family.
Li Cheng'an immediately gathered a generous sum and returned with his daughter to Canglong Temple.
He first went to see Zhou Wuji, offering solemn thanks and presenting a hundred taels of gold with both hands.
Zhou Wuji exchanged a few polite words before accepting the gold.
The primary reason was the Li family's earnest sincerity; refusing would only chill Li Cheng'an's heart.
Besides, he had genuinely made an effort to recommend her, so taking this money did not weigh on his conscience at all.
Seeing Zhou Wuji accept the money without hesitation, Li Cheng'an was also very pleased.
There had been little personal acquaintance between them to begin with; if Zhou Wuji refused the money, Li Cheng'an would not have known how to repay such a favor.
Moreover, once money changed hands, the distance between them naturally narrowed, allowing certain questions to be broached.
Not knowing Yizhen's preferences, Li Cheng'an politely sought Zhou Wuji's advice.
Zhou Wuji said, "Hall Master Yizhen possesses an aloof and noble nature and dislikes worldly vulgarities. He is skilled in alchemy, so you might present some precious spirit herbs. If you have none, some antique calligraphy or paintings would also do..."
In truth, he did not know Yizhen well either, having only heard a bit from Wuming.
As the dignified Hall Master of the Branch Abbey and possessing such a temperament, Yizhen would certainly dislike someone directly presenting him with money.
The most important aspect of gift-giving was catering to the recipient's tastes.
Li Cheng'an naturally understood this principle, which was why he had sought Zhou Wuji's counsel.
He cupped his hands in gratitude. "So that is how it is. I understand. Many thanks for the guidance, Daoist."
Zhou Wuji asked no further questions. The Li family was a prominent clan after all, and they were bound to have some fine treasures.
Li Cheng'an was a clever man and would naturally know what to present.
With their departure set for the next day, Zhou Wuji summoned Shangxin and gave him five Golden Splendor Pills and five Purple Qi Pills.
The Golden Splendor Pills strengthened the body, while the Purple Qi Pills augmented qi. Furthermore, what he had concocted were second-revolution returned elixirs, making the ten pills worth a fair amount of silver.
Shangxin had looked after him throughout this period; even if there was no great merit, there was hard work. Gifting pills he had refined himself cost little while meeting the boy's exact needs.
For Shangxin, having these ten pills would save him from taking many wrong turns. With a bit of talent, he could even use them to step into the stage of qi ingestion.
As Wuzheng's disciple, Shangxin understood alchemy to an extent and naturally recognized the preciousness of these pills. Overcome with emotion, he knelt and kowtowed in gratitude on the spot.
Zhou Wuji was quite fond of this honest boy and offered him a few warm words of encouragement.
The next day, Zhou Wuji brought Yang Tieying aboard the boat and accompanied Yizhen's group downriver.
With Yizhen presiding aboard, the swift vessel sailed through the night, reaching Yunyang Prefecture by noon the following day.
Upon arriving at the Yunlong Branch Abbey, with Yizhen leading the way, the guest receptionist naturally dared not bar their path.
Zhou Wuji cast a sideways glance at the middle-aged receptionist. He still remembered the man's cold demeanor toward him back then, but unfortunately, there was no reason to settle scores with him at this moment.
The middle-aged receptionist had already forgotten Zhou Wuji, only thinking that this handsome young Daoist possessed an arrogant air, though he did not know who the youth might be.
Li Ruyi followed Yizhen away, while Zhou Wuji took Yang Tieying toward Feixuan Hall.
He had a close relationship with Martial Uncle Yiping, so upon arriving at the Branch Abbey, he naturally went to seek him out.
Feixuan Hall was tranquil, allowing him to stay there without restraint.
Shangxing was sweeping the courtyard. Seeing Zhou Wuji step through the gate, he was both startled and overjoyed. Tossing aside his broom, he bounced over to greet him. "Martial Uncle, I've missed you to death!"
Zhou Wuji patted Shangxing's little head. The boy was not yet fifteen and still had the temperament of a child, yet he was very clever and sensible.
Having not seen him for two months, Zhou Wuji noticed he had grown considerably taller.
Hearing the commotion, Yiping came out from the side hall. Seeing Zhou Wuji, he was also somewhat surprised. "Wuji, how did you come to be here?"
Zhou Wuji stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting. Having matters to discuss, he had Yang Tieying accompany Shangxing to tidy up a room.
Once they were seated in the side hall, Zhou Wuji gave a brief account of recent events.
Hearing that Zhou Wuji had already connected his seven apertures and was preparing for transmission and ordination, Yiping's face lit up with pleasant surprise.
He could not help standing up and pacing back and forth. "A seventh-rank ordination and registration is of utmost importance. I must make proper preparations!"
Zhou Wuji felt a touch of warmth. Though Martial Uncle Yiping was indolent, he truly cared about Zhou Wuji's affairs.
He quickly said, "Hall Master Yizhen has agreed to oversee my transmission and ordination, so there is no need to trouble Martial Uncle."
Yiping was utterly astonished. "Yizhen?!"
A rather strange expression crossed his plump face. Deep down, Yizhen was extremely haughty, and apart from the Abbot, he held almost no one in regard.
For such a person to willingly conduct Zhou Wuji's transmission and ordination was truly bizarre.
Zhou Wuji and Yiping had exchanged letters, but due to inconvenient transit, it had been improper to disclose too much in writing.
Yiping had not even known that he had been severely injured.
Zhou Wuji immediately summarized the events of the past few months. Yiping listened with endless amazement, slapping his thigh in wonder from time to time.
Once Zhou Wuji finished recounting everything, Yiping sighed with emotion. "You truly resemble your master!
"And yet, your edge is even sharper than your master's, your actions even more decisive and lethal."
Yiping's expression then shifted to one of concern. "For the Abbot to treat you with such favor, he must intend to wield you as a blade... You must carefully weigh your own limits and balance what is light and heavy..."
Chapter 85