It all started with one person becoming a shaman, but the Stand user...

"Come sit on the kang (heated brick bed). What are you holding in your hand? You're wasting money again."

“For us shamans, our guild is our livelihood. People give you this capital, and they don’t like to cause trouble for no reason. It’s only right to show them some respect from the bottom of their hearts.”

Qinghe Miao, who had served as a beast of burden and worked for countless bosses in his previous life, said this as he took off his shoes, climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and sat cross-legged opposite his master:

"I bought these on my way to the market: some peanuts and melon seeds, and a bottle of wine. I wasn't originally planning to buy the latter for you, considering your health."

But then I thought about how old you are and how you probably don't have any new hobbies, so I bought it for you to cheer you up.

The chef then leaned back slightly and reached out to push open a small wooden window beside him, letting in some fresh air and sunlight.

"Nonsense, the Bai family is best at recuperation. I'm perfectly healthy. It's just that this old woman is worrying unnecessarily."

Without any hesitation, he grabbed the bag of sunflower seeds, tore open the seal, grabbed a handful and placed them on the heated brick bed. He also took a few seeds for himself, cracking them open as he asked:

"How's your practice of 'Helping Soldiers' going lately? Have you encountered any problems? Don't let it interfere with your studies; that's the important thing."

The master and apprentice sat facing each other, chatting over melon seeds and peanuts.

The master talked mostly about his old, trivial stories, many of which he had told countless times.

Qinghe Miao tried his best to explain some of the more novel things that happened during this period.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on the heated brick bed, while the air was filled with the aroma of melon seeds and a faint smell of smoke.

Every time Qinghe Miao comes, the master talks more than usual and is more energetic. He mostly talks nonsense and boasts, but he can't bear to stop.

Because this is perhaps the most impressive and boast-worthy thing he has ever done in his ordinary life.

Having such a "spiritually gifted" disciple certainly brings him pride as the master.

However, Qinghe Miao doesn't really like listening to things that are boring sometimes.

We share a common language, but not much; it feels like we have about the same interests as the topics of conversation we have with kids at school.

So even now, at an age when he has plenty of time, he only visits his master once every so often.

As he spoke, the chef seemed to become increasingly animated and emotional. He smacked his lips a few times, then suddenly reached for the bottle of wine on the table:

"Just talking isn't enough, let's have something!"

"Ugh! Drinking again in broad daylight!"

The nun, who was picking vegetables nearby, couldn't help but speak up to stop them when she saw this.

"What do you know! My apprentice is visiting his master, what's wrong with him having a couple of drinks! Go, get a cup!"

The master chef glared at him and started rambling on again.

The nun sighed helplessly, knowing she couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she got up and took out two small, clean glass cups from the cupboard.

It is the kind of old-fashioned wine cup with thick walls that is commonly seen outside the Great Wall.

Chapter 10 I was originally planning to become the God of War in the city, but then you told me...

The chef happily tore open the seal on the wine bottle and poured a full glass for himself and Qinghe Miao.

The liquor is a local grain liquor, with a high alcohol content and a pungent aroma.

The chef was equally eager, picking up his cup and downing half of it in one gulp, smacking his lips and saying, "Not bad."

After a couple of drinks, his eyes, etched with the marks of time and hardship, began to dart around, and he started talking more.

But the content gradually changed.

As he spoke, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped his thigh hard, complaining to his apprentice with a voice full of regret and bitterness:

"I'm just a useless old codger! I've just muddled through my whole life!"

His cultivation level is indeed not high.

In the world of shamanic practices, they run a small shrine, and the "spirits" they worship are not some powerful or famous deities, nor do they have any particularly strong backing or support.

When he took over this responsibility from his master, didn't he also have the arrogance of a young man, dreaming of bringing glory to the family and making the temple flourish?

But the reality is that he has lived an ordinary life through decades of ups and downs.

They make a living by treating minor illnesses and calamities, cleaning and tidying up homes, and offering guidance.

You won't go hungry, you won't get rich, let alone make a name for yourself.

When I was young, I was busy and hardworking, but I didn't feel anything. Now that I'm old and have some free time, the resentment and self-blame hidden deep in my heart are like old wine lees, fermenting repeatedly in my heart, and becoming more and more unpleasant.

Qinghe Miao has gotten used to it.

Over the past few years, when I drink with my master, this kind of thing often happens whenever we get to a certain point.

The master would scold himself for being useless, for failing his master's expectations, for living a mediocre life, and even, when he was emotional, he would raise his hand to slap himself, tears streaming down his face.

“Master, you can’t say that. All living beings suffer, each with their own difficulties and their own way of living. In my opinion, if a person can live a life that is true to their conscience, honest and straightforward, and not speak or act against their true nature, that is already a remarkable achievement.”

Seeing her master's expression, Qinghe Miao felt bad and could only push the plate of peeled peanuts in front of her towards her master.

He was implying that instead of just drinking alcohol, she should eat a couple more peanuts.

He paused, looked at his master's red eyes, and then began to offer advice:

“Look at me. With my personality, the reason I've been able to live peacefully until now and even willing to become your disciple to learn some skills to make a living is precisely because you are an honest person. You never spread rumors or exaggerate for the sake of making a few more money. You speak the truth and act according to your conscience. Otherwise, where would you find such a good disciple as me? Isn't this also a result of your efforts?”

His master's surname was Chai, and his name, Chai Ningshen, had a rather ethereal and otherworldly feel to it.

When Qinghe Miao was born, he had the soul of an adult inside him.

Therefore, it is inevitable that there will be many strange phenomena that are different from those of ordinary infants.

Even ordinary people can discover it.

Moreover, information is not readily available these days, and many of the older generation's ideas are still outdated.

As time goes on, it's inevitable to have doubts and feel uneasy.

The way people in the countryside deal with this feeling of unease is very practical: they ask someone to "take a look".

Given the conditions at the time, they naturally didn't find a professional pediatric expert.

So, not long after Qinghe Miao was born, his parents invited Mr. Chai, who was quite well-known in the surrounding area at the time.

Qinghe Miao had only been born into this world for a short time.

Although he possesses the system, he has not yet begun practicing Qi and is skeptical about the existence of extraordinary powers in this world.

In addition, there are fixed mindsets brought about by modern society.

Subconsciously, I thought the other person was probably just a common con artist.

Therefore, he didn't pay much attention when Master Chai came to his house to "see" him.

He made up his mind that as long as the other party didn't do anything too outrageous like forcing him to drink talisman water, he would just cooperate and grumble his way through.

Coincidentally, Master Chai Ningshen was just such a person—a man with principles who didn't cause trouble unless absolutely necessary.

Therefore, when Master Chai Ningshen used their lineage's methods to mobilize his own meager Qi to sense and observe this "abnormally quiet" child, he indeed couldn't "see" anything.

I just felt that the child's eyes were clear and bright, and he didn't seem to be entangled in anything "dirty," but I couldn't say that he had any "divine affinity" or "extraordinary phenomena."

Finally, Master Chai simply followed custom and said some polite things like, "It's a blessing that the child is so quiet," and "Please make sure the family stays warm so they don't catch a cold," and accepted a small red envelope. That was the end of it.

Until later, Qinghe Miao was unaware that he was in the world of "Under One Person".

They still cling to the clichéd fantasy of "urban rebirth novels".

With the help of adult learning abilities and system "proficiency," they strive to demonstrate their exceptional qualities.

He knew a thousand characters by the age of three, could recite Tang poems by the age of five, and by the age of seven, with the help of "general literature" skills, he was already able to understand the Four Books and Five Classics. By the age of eight, he had also learned poetry and prose quite well.

Through deliberate cultivation, he became known as a "genius prodigy" in the surrounding area, brimming with ambition.

They're just waiting to follow the routine of studying hard, getting into a prestigious university, investing and making money using the prophet's information, navigating the city with the system, and reaching the pinnacle of life.

Perhaps then I can try to turn the content of this book into a formulaic version of Liu Bei.

It was during these years that the reputation of him as a "child prodigy" spread, reaching the ears of Chai Ningshen, who lived in the same area and had met him once before.

Master Chai heard others talking about this and felt it was quite a coincidence, so out of curiosity, he took some time to detour and come back to take a look.

After inquiring along the way, I learned that the rumors were true. Qinghe Miao's performance was so outstanding that it would have been almost like a literary star descended to earth in the past.

That's not something we pay attention to now.

Considering his advanced age, he decided to take him on as a disciple.

Therefore, during this encounter, with a touch of probing, he tried to teach the child some of the most basic Qi cultivation methods of his sect, wanting to see the child's reaction and aptitude.

What Master Chai didn't expect was that, just as he was teasing a child, he would find an opportunity to casually reveal the Dharma.

What Qing Hemiao heard, recognizing the eldest brother and thinking he was about to be scammed, was a clear and unambiguous prompt suddenly ringing in his mind from the system:

[Having been taught the basics of Qi cultivation by a shamanic expert, should I learn the introductory practice, "The Helper's Manual"?]

It was this prompt that shattered his preconceived notions like a thunderbolt.

Holy crap!

So, supernatural powers really do exist in this world?

Thus, filled with shock and immense curiosity, Qing Hemiao formally became Chai Ningshen's disciple and began to learn the Qi cultivation methods of the Chuma Xian lineage.

As his cultivation deepened and he pieced together the fragmented information about "the world of extraordinary people," "Na Du Tong Company," and "various sects" from Master Chai's descriptions, he belatedly realized and suddenly understood.

He actually traveled to the world of "Under One Person"!

Many of the original plans can be changed.

Looking back, Master Chai Ningshen was actually quite reliable.

He may not be highly skilled or have a large sect, but he is very principled in his actions.

Chapter 11 Connecting the Dots

Generally, if there is a genuine case of demonic possession, Master Chai will do his best to resolve it; there's not much else to say.

However, if after investigation it is confirmed that there is nothing wrong with the employer's house and that he is just being paranoid, he will not spread rumors or make up stories in order to get more money.

At most, they'll say a few nice things like, "The atmosphere at home is a bit stagnant, let me help you smooth it out," to give you some psychological comfort.

Occasionally, she would even use some basic medical skills and massage techniques she learned from Bai Xian to help people unblock their meridians, relieve fatigue, and make them feel at ease and comfortable.

If it were replaced by an unscrupulous one...

Back then at Qinghe Miao's house, even just noticing that the child was "too quiet" was unusual.

To show off their "expertise," they would casually make up things like "the child's fate is too weak and they are prone to attracting evil spirits" or "a ritual needs to be performed to ward off evil."

It's likely that Qinghe Miao's family life wouldn't have been as stable and peaceful as it is now.

It's inevitable that we'll suffer financial losses and setbacks.

This could even create distance or excessive worry for him when he is young.

Therefore, in this kind of industry, being able to uphold one's bottom line and refrain from making offensive remarks is itself an extremely valuable quality.

As expected, Qinghe Miao's words significantly calmed Master Chai's agitated emotions.

"That's right! What's this called? This is called 'good deeds bring good rewards'!"

The old man grinned, his tone already carrying a hint of smugness:

"A person should never betray their conscience in this life. Your master may not be very skilled, but Heaven has been kind to me, allowing me to take you as such a good disciple!"

He could brag about this for the rest of his life.

"That's right. Your disciple will be able to ascend to immortality sooner or later."

Qinghe Miao also had a smile on his face, beckoning to the person in charge.

"It's about this timeframe. I've estimated it, and it will probably take another seventy or eighty years. Master, you are my first disciple... no, my first master."