From the beginning of this turbid world, the Taoist priest descended the mountain.

Lin Ye never expected that he had asked the wrong question.

However, that makes sense, since my master is a Taoist priest from the Shangqing Maoshan sect, and he learned the skill of drawing talismans to subdue demons.

This kind of spiritual practice, which uses the body as a vessel, is indeed unrelated to the orthodox path of talismanic cultivation.

A hint of disappointment flashed across his face.

Lin Zheng noticed these expressions, but he stroked his beard and chuckled, saying, "What's wrong? Disappointed?"

Lin Ye shook his head and gave an awkward laugh.

But the master took over the conversation and began to speak.

"People think that the Shangqing Dao only practices talismans and not the true methods. But don't forget that 'internal cultivation through visualization' is the foundation of the Shangqing Dao."

The Shangqing Maoshan tradition, dating back to Lady Wei, has been passed down for nearly a thousand years. Talismans are merely one aspect of Taoist practice.

Since Lady Wei, Shangqing Maoshan has been managed by more than a dozen Taoist leaders, and it possesses genuine teachings such as the "Jade Pendant and Golden Bell Scripture" and the "Shangqing Great Cave Record," which are admired even by the Celestial Masters sect and Longhu Mountain.

However, with the rise of the wild Maoshan sect in recent years, people now perceive Maoshan Taoists as merely people who know a little about talismans.

Hearing his master say this, Lin Ye quickly straightened his back and listened attentively.

"The image of the monkey in your mind that you just asked about is related to the cultivation of the body and mind. Doctors often use the five elements to diagnose illnesses and take pulses. The heart and lungs are fire and metal, and the metal and fire are used to forge the word 'emptiness'. You can think of it as a restless monkey living in your chest. This monkey is tempted by the water of the kidneys and also wants to open the orifice of the primordial spirit to attain the Dao. But you can't have both at the same time, so only after your mind and nature are tempered can you achieve the word 'emptiness'."

Lin Ye swallowed hard. He had originally thought that his master was just a Taoist priest who drew talismans and exorcised evil spirits.

When I was a child, what I saw most often when I followed my senior brother was that our master would draw talismans and perform rituals.

But after hearing this today, I realize that Master, you truly understand spiritual practice.

(You ask a disheartened Taoist priest about the Mind Monkey Technique, and under his shameless questioning, he patiently explains it to you. Your five turbid evil thoughts lessen slightly, and your spiritual awareness increases by 1.)

The forestry worker was even more shocked.

The master only needs to say something, and I can gain 1 point of spiritual consciousness. This is simply unbelievable!

[Yearly Ruler: Forestry]

[Qi and Blood: 7]

[Strength: 7] (Method: Life Fire Furnace)

[Agility: 5]

[Divine Sense: 4] (Method: Spiritual Vision)

[Ordination]: None

[Technique]: Five Animals - Walking Ape Technique (Minor Success)

[Evil Thoughts and Impurities in Life (Incubation Level): 10%]

As soon as I focused my consciousness, a cool sensation came over me, and it felt like I had a brain.

The sensory feedback is different each time you earn points.

When his Qi and blood are improved, he can clearly feel that the fascia in his chest is being strengthened, and his breathing becomes longer and more even.

The strength comes from the arms, including the muscles throughout the body, gaining in that instant what others have honed over several years.

He didn't feel much difference in Agility Forestry, but the five points in Agility did make him much faster when he was running the [Five Animals - Walking Ape Technique].

After being enlightened by his master about his restless mind, he gained something.

Lin Ye smiled and continued, "Master, please tell me more, I love to hear it."

Lin Zheng chuckled, waved his hand, and said, "I'm going to Boss Mei's place at noon. You guys take care of yourselves."

He already knew about Tan'er's teachings, and because he was still worried, he planned to go to Mei Cailu's place again to check on things.

At this moment, the eldest brother also got up and went into the courtyard.

He looked at Lin Ye practicing his martial arts outside and, for some reason, asked, "Junior brother, haven't you noticed? Master looked very worried when he came back this time?"

Lin Ye remained silent for a while, wondering why the Goose City Altar was making such a fuss.

Clearly, it was Master Huang behind the scenes who was about to make a drastic move, and this drastic move was in preparation for a showdown with the county magistrate's faction.

When powerful figures engage in a battle of wits, it's natural for each to display their unique abilities, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.

But if this fire were to burn an ordinary person, it could be fatal.

As for the stingy manager of the Mei family rice shop, if they hadn't helped him get rid of the afflicted guest and the evil spirit, the family would have surely been torn apart by separation over time.

After the two brothers had lunch, Lin Ye lay down for a while, then picked up the copy of "Baopuzi" that he had borrowed from Liu Xiucai and prepared to return it.

He has been reading this book every day during this period.

I read it as a pastime during my free time, and I also wanted to try my luck and see if I could earn another point.

But even after he had almost memorized the Baopuzi, the Qingjing Zizai Jing, and the Maoshan Caotang Lu, he still didn't add another Qi and Blood points.

I might as well return the book; after all, it's a unique copy that's been passed down through generations, and the old scholar treats it like a treasure.

The private school south of Qingshi Town is still open, but judging from the sounds of reading inside, there are not as many people as when I last came here.

Lin Ye returned the book and then went to the nearby woods to practice the "Five Animals - Walking Ape Technique" for a while.

To be honest, this stuff takes a lot of time and effort to prepare.

True skills are never acquired in a day; they require accumulation over time.

Lin Ye practiced for an hour, and when he was about to return to town, he bought a lot of food, and most importantly, wine, which the old scholar loved.

Then they bought some things for Liu Xiucai, carrying large and small bags to the private school.

Just after class, Liu Xiucai, who was watching the children leave, paused for a moment when he saw Lin Ye coming over with large and small bags of things.

His lips moved, and after a long while, he finally said, "I already told you, if you want to read, then come and read. What do you mean by this?"

"I have something to do tomorrow, and I probably won't be able to take care of you for the next few days. I'm just stopping by to see you before I leave."

A hint of sadness flashed in Liu Xiucai's eyes. During this period, when Lin Ye had nothing to do, he would always come over in the afternoon to drink with him.

Once they started drinking, they could talk about anything from astronomy to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Over time, they developed a deep friendship that transcended age.

He looked down on Lin Ye's master, thinking he was a worthless old man, but this young Lin Ye had some unique talents.

Hearing that Lin Ye was leaving and didn't know when he would return, he couldn't help but feel melancholy.

Lin Ye couldn't help but laugh when he saw the old scholar like this.

"I'm just going to Wopangou, not somewhere else. Alright, old man, have a drink."

Upon hearing this word, Liu Xiucai's expression immediately changed, and his drunkenness dissipated.

"What are you doing there, you little brat? Are you looking for death?"

"I'm going with my master to do some work; I work at the mortuary."

Hearing Lin Ye say this, Liu Xiucai's face relaxed a little, and then he got up and went into the house.

He took an object out of the house; it was made into a talisman with a rope attached to it. But it looked like the tooth of some creature whose name he didn't know.

He handed the item to Lin Ye and instructed him, "That place is haunted. Take this amulet with you; it will keep you safe in a pinch."

"Old man, you've taken too much. You keep it; I have a master here."

Lin Ye eventually gave in to the old scholar's insistence and accepted the gift.

Remembering what happened during the day, he said, "By the way, why are there so few children here today?"

"Sigh, recently several children have been going missing in the surrounding towns. The adults are worried, and I heard that even the police from Goose City came, but they haven't found anything."