Da Zaojun

Chapter 165 Weaver Girl
After leaving the Iron Pillar Palace, Song Wuji concluded that the Iron Pillar Palace was a place where he could cooperate to a limited extent, but it should not be regarded as something to rely on.

Song Wuji actually wanted to ask Lin Fajing about the Taoist temple's criteria for accepting disciples, but in the end he didn't, since he hadn't chosen to help clear the fire veins.

Rejecting his Samadhi True Fire Talisman Seed was already a loss of face.

However... a fifth-grade Daoist has cultivated a talisman golden core. This golden core realm represents the fifth grade realm... The master of the Iron Pillar Palace is so powerful. There must be countless sixth-grade and seventh-grade Daoists below him.

Entering the Dao Palace at least means a smooth path forward, unlike in Taichang City today, where there are no clear inheritance rituals. Song Wuji only learned how to cultivate to the next rank after reaching the first rank.

"Buddhism has monk's certificates, Taoism has Taoist registers..."

Fa Chan Daoist respectfully saw Song Wuji off at the mountain gate. Beside him was another Daoist carrying a wooden tray: "Lord of the Realm, these are some pills and talismans sent by our Abbot Zhenren to help Taichang Realm kill demons. Of course, we also hope to help each other."

Song Wuji did not refuse. He looked at them and saw that they were all Taoist elixirs and talismans, which were very practical.

Taking the opportunity, Song Wuji asked, "Please thank the Abbot for me."

Then, as they walked, they asked, "Does the Iron Pillar Palace still recruit disciples? And what's the situation there?"

The Taoist Master said, "Now that the mountain gate is reopening, it is to compete for the fortune. Naturally, we will recruit disciples. However, we require that the eight characters of the birth chart contain the Ten Spiritual Days, Taiji Nobleman, Tianyi Nobleman, Huagai, and Tongzi."

“Our temples and monasteries do not open their gates wide. We transmit the true Tao and the true Dharma. It is normal that the conditions are strict. Not only do masters need to select disciples, but disciples also need to select masters. In this way, one may receive one or two disciples to inherit the mantle in one’s lifetime.”

"Although we recruit more Taoist children nowadays, we still need to conduct assessments for several days to select qualified ones. Although they are given scriptures and inscriptions, they are not necessarily accepted as true disciples. They are just ordinary disciples of the temple, listening to lectures and reciting scriptures. What they learn depends on their own comprehension and talent. After all, there are profound principles in the scriptures."

Upon hearing this, Song Wuji understood. They belonged to the orthodox Taoist sect and were selective in accepting disciples, unlike the Beggar Clan's "Life-Gathering Sect," where anyone who was disabled could become a disciple simply by offering them a five-spice dog leg.

Even Song Wuji's position as the cook required a destiny chart containing the elements of fire, earth, and wood, as well as the Heavenly Kitchen and the God of Food.

Let it go.

Once outside the mountain gate, the gatekeeper announced to the disaster victims: "From today onwards, only the temple's young disciples will be allowed to perform tasks at the mountain gate. Everyone, this is the Lord of the Great Prosperity Realm of Humanity, who can ensure your safety. Please follow him down the mountain!"

Many people were reluctant to leave, filled with both curiosity and fear about the outside world. They were very unwilling to come down from the mountains.

However, since the Taoist Palace no longer offers mountain gate missions, they can no longer exchange for Bigu Pills and copper coins. If they continue to survive here, they will only gradually starve to death.

Therefore, quite a few people began packing their belongings, preparing to leave with Song Wuji.

Song Wuji instructed Wan Xiangping and a few others to maintain order, telling the people not to rush and to stay at the mountain gate for another day. He said that someone would be sent to register their household registration the next day. If they wanted to enter the city, they could; if they did not want to enter the city, they could build a village at the foot of Xiaoyao Mountain.

Building materials are not hard to obtain; after the chaos caused by demons, there are too many abandoned villages, so you can just demolish and move them at will.

Living in a deserted village is fine, but I'm afraid it might be haunted at night, so it's better to rebuild it.

Song Wuji said to Wan Xiangping, "Are you willing to be the village chief here? To be precise, is your Wan family willing to stay and guard this place?"

Song Wuji said, "I asked before, Xu Zhenjun's grandmother is from the Wan family. Your Wan family may have some influence, and perhaps someone can be admitted to the Dao Palace. The abbot of this Dao Palace is a fifth-rank expert." Wan Xiangping could not answer, but he also felt that this was an opportunity: "City Lord, I have to go home and ask."

Song Wuji nodded: "Just let me know when the time comes."

The Wan family, to which Wan Xiangping belonged, had an agreement with Magistrate Tian. They donated tens of thousands of catties of grain and fifty gold bars in exchange for Wan Xiangping becoming a ninth-rank official.

Although after Magistrate Tian's death, these aristocratic families, seeing the crisis gradually subside, began to vie for power and profit, Song Wuji did not want internal strife to consume them and wanted to distribute them all to different fiefdoms.

Wanjia can also be the first to receive a lot of preferential treatment and support.

For example, Song Wuji directly took out a set of these pills and talismans and handed it to Wan Xiangping: "Learning the art of making talismans is the foundation for your livelihood."

Afterwards, Song Wuji went to appease the people, the most important thing being to explain the situation outside the city, as well as the various professions and occupations in the city, especially the rituals that allow one to cultivate to the ninth rank.

Most people have come to terms with it; if Tiezhu Palace wanted to take on disciples, it would have done so long ago, instead of only taking on a few young disciples.

Therefore, they were very happy to hear that farmers, carpenters, and stonemasons in Taichang City could gain power.

One of the women, a woman in her thirties, raised her hand and said, "Your Honor, if that's the case, then I have also received blessings from all walks of life."

"Isn't this Luo family's daughter-in-law who weaves straw mats? The straw mats she weaves are so dense and comfortable."

Song Wuji was surprised to find another gain here and asked, "You don't need to call me 'Master,' just call me 'Lord of the Realm' or 'Lord of the City.' What is your blessing about?"

“It must be related to weaving,” Luo said softly. “It just works sometimes and doesn’t. For example, I have a basket that’s only the size of an ordinary basket, but it can hold the contents of two baskets.”

“Sometimes it’s like this when weaving straw mats. The straw mat is obviously very thin, but when you cover yourself with it, it feels like you’re covered with a blanket. But I keep such things to myself and dare not take them out.”

She was a decisive person; she named Song Wuji on the spot because she hoped to gain some status so that she could live a better life in the city.

Song Wuji guessed and said, "As the saying goes, men plow and women weave. Your blessing may be related to weaving. However, there is no cloth on the mountain, so you can only do straw weaving and bamboo weaving."

However, he asked Luo to bring the fabric for Song Wuji to examine and assess.

However, they discovered that the mats were nothing special; although they were very warm, they could not be considered magical artifacts. Only the basket, which contained space, was identified by the Kitchen God as a "brocade basket".

To be honest, there aren't many suitable jobs for women in the city these days, and many women choose to become farmers, since being a craftsman is more tiring.

As for the nine ranks of courtesans, most women still couldn't accept becoming part of a "lowly" profession.

If this ritual can be unearthed and the system of men farming and women weaving can be perfected, then at least the self-sufficient rural economy of Taichang City will be complete.

“When we get back, you can try weaving. I remember there should be some materials like demon hair, which you can reel into thread… or you can offer sacrifices to Leizu.” Song Wuji arranged, “I will definitely help you achieve the ninth rank as soon as possible.”

(End of this chapter)