I was selling peach wood swords on a live stream, how did I become a Taoist ancestor?

Chapter 37 Golden Horn! My path to becoming a true master depends on you! (Bonus 5K chapter, please read on!)

The train heading to Luxian County traveled smoothly on the tracks, making a rhythmic "clanging" sound.

In the sleeper compartment, Jin Hao leaned against his bunk, looking at the scenery rushing past the window, his eyes somewhat dazed.

He had just finished a call with the Taoist priest and was filled with mixed feelings.

The events in Ice City are too bizarre. Senior Lin Wei was harmed by a female ghost, and Lin Wei herself was almost drained of her yang energy. The Night Watchman, the Maoshan Taoist priest, and the Taoist brother's talisman...

This series of shocks shattered the worldview he had built up over the past twenty years.

He really wanted to tell the Taoist priest everything.

A perilous encounter in the Ice City, the existence of the Night Watch, the truth behind the resurgence of spiritual energy—

But Wu Shouzhen had specifically instructed him beforehand that the Taoist brother was experiencing trials in the mortal world, and he should cooperate with him in his act and not disturb his cultivation.

"If the Taoist priest is really pretending to be an ordinary person, and I directly expose him, how will he react?"

Countless possibilities flashed through Jin Hao's mind.

In the best-case scenario, the Taoist priest would laugh and admit that he was indeed a reclusive master, and from then on, he would take him flying.

Worst case scenario —

The Taoist priest glanced at him indifferently, said something like "I originally wanted to interact with you as an ordinary person," and then distanced himself from him.

After all, who can predict the actions of a master?

Jin Hao became increasingly conflicted as he thought about it, and couldn't help but sigh.

Hearing the sigh, the middle-aged man sitting opposite looked up.

The man was wearing an ordinary black jacket, had a buzz cut, and a square face.

He was an outside agent sent by the Ice City Night Watchmen branch to escort Jin Hao back to Lu County; his name was Lao Chen.

"What's wrong?" Old Chen asked. "Still thinking about Harbin?"

Jin Hao nodded: "Uncle Chen, what do you think—what will our world become in the future?"

Old Chen was silent for a moment, then took out a pack of cigarettes, thought for a moment, and put it back.

"It's hard to say."

He looked out the window: "But it's bound to get more and more chaotic."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Old Chen's phone rang.

He took out his phone, glanced at it, his expression changed slightly, and immediately answered the call.

"Hello, this is me."

After hearing what was said on the other end of the phone, Old Chen's expression grew increasingly serious.

Jin Hao watched from the side, feeling inexplicably nervous.

He could sense that something terrible had happened.

Two minutes later, Old Chen hung up the phone and let out a long sigh of relief.

He looked at Jin Hao with a complicated expression: "The second wave of spiritual energy has erupted."

"What?!" Jin Hao sat bolt upright. "Didn't Uncle Wu say ten years from now?"

"It's ahead of schedule," Old Chen said in a deep voice. "And its intensity far exceeds expectations, at least ten times that of the first wave of spiritual tide."

Jin Hao gasped.

Although he had just entered the world of the extraordinary, he had learned some basic knowledge from Wu Shouzhen.

He knew very well what the outbreak of the spiritual tide meant.

The monsters will become more active and powerful.

Abnormal events will increase explosively.

The dangers faced by ordinary people will increase dramatically.

"Now—" Jin Hao's voice was a little hoarse.

"Our branches across the country have entered a state of high alert." Old Chen rubbed his temples. "We'll be extremely busy for the foreseeable future."

Silence fell over the carriage.

Only the clanging sound of the train echoed in my ears.

Jin Hao looked out the window, a strong sense of powerlessness welling up inside him.

He almost died at the hands of a female ghost in Ice City, and the fear of being at her mercy is still unforgettable.

If this happens again in the future—

Can he still be that lucky?

The Taoist priest's talisman can save him once, but can it save him for a lifetime?

"Uncle Chen," Jin Hao suddenly spoke, his voice earnest, "Can I join the Night Watch?"

Old Chen was taken aback and looked at him: "You want to join the Night's Watch?"

"Yes." Jin Hao nodded emphatically. "I don't want to feel as powerless as I did in Ice City."

Old Chen stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly said, "Becoming a Night Watchman—is very dangerous."

"I know," Jin Hao gritted his teeth, "but I'm not afraid."

"I have a special constitution and strong yang energy. Uncle Wu said I am a good candidate for cultivation."

"Besides, I'm Taoist Brother's friend, who knows—"

He didn't finish speaking, but Old Chen understood.

Master Li's friend.

This identity carries immense weight within the Night's Watch.

Old Chen thought for a moment and said, "If you really want to join, I can help you get in touch with the South City branch."

"However, whether you pass the assessment in the end depends on yourself."

Jin Hao's eyes lit up: "Thank you, Uncle Chen!"

"Don't thank me yet." Old Chen waved his hand. "I have to remind you that the job of a night watchman is more dangerous than you think, it's not a joke."

"I understand." Jin Hao's eyes were firm. "I've thought it through."

Old Chen nodded and said nothing more.

He looked out the window again, his eyes filled with deep worry.

The second wave of the spiritual tide erupted —

Chaos is truly on its way.

An hour later, the train arrived at Luxian Station.

Old Chen and Jin Hao got off the bus together.

People came and went on the platform, everything seemed normal.

"I'll leave you here." Old Chen patted Jin Hao on the shoulder. "I have to get back to Bingcheng immediately; it must be in complete chaos there right now."

"Uncle Chen, have a safe journey," Jin Hao said.

Old Chen nodded, turned and walked to the opposite platform, where a train returning to Harbin was about to depart.

Jin Hao stood there, watching Lao Chen leave.

Then he took a deep breath, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and strode out of the station.

Instead of going home, he hailed a taxi.

"Master, let's go to Qingfeng Temple."

"Qingfeng Temple?" The driver seemed surprised. "That place is quite remote. What are you going there for?"

"Looking for someone," Jin Hao said briefly.

The driver didn't ask any questions, stepped on the gas, and drove the car out of the city.

Twenty minutes later, the taxi stopped at the foot of the mountain.

Jin Hao paid the fare, got out of the car, and looked up at the dilapidated Taoist temple halfway up the mountain.

Sunlight shines on the mottled walls of the Taoist temple, gilding them with a warm gold.

Everything looked so peaceful and ordinary.

But Jin Hao knew what a terrifying being lived in this seemingly ordinary Taoist temple.

He composed himself and began to climb the mountain.

Qingfeng Temple.

Li Jun was sitting in the courtyard, staring blankly at the book "Complete Collection of Taoist Talismans".

He has decided to temporarily stop making and selling "crafts", and Zhou Wenyuan's orders have also been cancelled.

But the problem is, how do I explain this to my master?

And those netizens in the live stream—

"Ugh, what a hassle."

Li Jun rubbed his temples.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.

"Taoist priest! Taoist priest, are you there?"

It was Jin Hao's voice.

Li Jun was taken aback, then got up and went to open the door.

Jin Hao stood outside the courtyard gate, panting heavily.

"Golden Horn?" Li Jun asked in surprise, "How come you—"

"Taoist brother!" Jin Hao's eyes lit up when he saw him, but then became complicated.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but swallowed the words back down.

Wu Shouzhen's words of advice echoed in my ears.

"Master Li is gaining experience in the mortal world; we must cooperate with him in this charade—"

"We mustn't disturb his cultivation—"

Jin Hao gritted his teeth and finally forced a smile: "I—I'm back."

Seeing his expression, Li Jun felt even more uneasy.

He ushered Jin Hao into the courtyard and looked him up and down: "Are you alright? You look terrible."

"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired from the car ride," Jin Hao mumbled.

He looked around: "Where's Master Zhang?"

"He's meditating in the quiet room," Li Jun said. "You know that once the Daoist Master enters a meditative state, his mind is completely focused, and he can't even hear thunder. He won't come out until the allotted time is up."

"Oh————" Jin Hao nodded.

The two stood in the courtyard for a while, and the atmosphere became a little awkward.

Jin Hao had something on his mind, and hesitated to speak.

Seeing his expression, Li Jun's heart stirred.

"Come on, let's go inside."

The two entered the room.

After closing the door, Li Jun asked directly, "Golden Horn, tell me the truth, did you encounter anything strange in Ice City?"

Jin Hao was taken aback.

Why would the Taoist priest suddenly ask this?

And the tone—

He was already somewhat absent-minded, and upon hearing this, he instinctively said, "Brother Taoist, how did you know? You could even calculate this?"

He was stunned as soon as he said that.

Oh no, I let it slip!

Li Jun had already suspected that Jin Hao might have really encountered something in Bingcheng.

Now when I hear it—

"Of course." Li Jun's mind raced, and he pretended to be profound, saying, "You carry a faint aura of yin energy, but it can't escape my eyes."

"Tell me everything that happened to you."

Looking at Li Jun's "everything is under control" expression, Jin Hao's last bit of hesitation disappeared.

really!

The Taoist priest knows everything!

No wonder he's a reclusive master!

He took a deep breath and began to speak.

From the trip to Harbin with senior student Lin Wei, to her sudden strange behavior, to feeling "powerless," and then recovering after receiving the talisman—

Then came the terrifying experience that night.

The female ghost reveals her true form, Master Qingxu of Maoshan intervenes, and the Night Watchmen appear.

Finally, it was Wu Shouzhen who told him everything.

Spiritual energy returns, the Night Watchmen, the end times are over —

Jin Hao became more and more excited as he spoke, spilling out everything he knew.

Especially Wu Shouzhen's evaluations of Li Jun.

Uncle Wu said, "You are a true master, unfathomable."

"Zhang Tianshi's junior brother from Longhu Mountain snagged a peach wood sword in your live stream, and the Tianshi Mansion immediately sent a statue of Zhenwu the Great as a return gift."

"The Night's Watch headquarters holds you in the highest esteem—"

As Jin Hao spoke, his voice gradually faded.

Because he noticed that the Taoist priest's expression was a bit blank.

Li Jun was indeed stunned.

Although he already knew that there were extraordinary powers in this world, and guessed that Zhou Wenyuan and his group might be unusual.

But what Jin Hao said—

Is there a global spiritual revival?

Night Watchman?

The sheer volume of information was overwhelming, leaving his mind reeling.

The most crucial thing is————

In the eyes of the Night Watch, he was actually a "reclusive master" who was "experiencing the mortal world"?

What on earth is all this?!

But then he thought about it again and realized he understood.

The Night's Watchmen must have witnessed the effects of what he made and then mistakenly thought he was a true master.

As for "worldly trials" —

It's probably a reason they came up with themselves to explain why a "master" like him would sell handicrafts online.

"Taoist brother?" Jin Hao asked cautiously when Li Jun remained silent, "Are you angry?"

"No." Li Jun came back to his senses and waved his hand. "I just—I didn't expect you to encounter something like this in Ice City."

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He paused, then asked, "What about the female ghost? Were they caught?"

"It ran away." Jin Hao shook his head. "Master Qingxu said it was very cunning and escaped."

"Brother Taoist, there's something else." Jin Hao hesitated for a moment, "The second wave of the spiritual tide has broken out, and there will be more and more monsters in the future. I'm thinking of joining the Night Watch."

"Join the Night's Watch?" Li Jun was taken aback.

"Yes." Jin Hao nodded emphatically. "I want to have power. I don't want to be like I was in Ice City, where I could only wait for others to save me."

He paused, then looked at Li Jun with fervent eyes: "Brother Taoist, could you—teach me?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jun inwardly groaned.

教？

What can he teach with?

He himself is a fraud!

But looking at Jin Hao's expectant eyes, he couldn't bring himself to tell the truth.

"Golden Horn, my method of cultivation—is not quite suitable for you." Li Jun carefully chose his words. "Everyone's path is different, and forcing it will only cause harm."

That's a very sophisticated way of speaking.

Jin Hao listened, and although he was somewhat disappointed, he also felt that it made sense.

"Then I'll join the Night Watch. They should have training methods, right?" Jin Hao asked.

"There should be." Li Jun nodded.

A thought suddenly popped into his mind.

If Jin Hao joins the Night Watch, wouldn't he be able to access real cultivation techniques?

When Jin Hao learns it, can he learn it too?

Although he has a jade pendant, it is now "out of power," and he has no idea how to use it or how to recharge it.

If we could learn proper methods of spiritual practice from the Night's Watch, perhaps we could solve this problem.

"How about this," Li Jun said, feigning profundity, "you should join the Night's Watch first and see what they teach."

"If you find a suitable cultivation method, bring it back and I'll help you—take a look."

He originally wanted to say "change it", but felt it was too exaggerated, so he changed it to "for reference".

But to Jin Hao, this meant that Li Jun wanted to help him optimize his cultivation technique!

"Really?" Jin Hao's eyes lit up. "Taoist brother, you're willing to help me?"

"Okay." Li Jun nodded. "But remember, don't make a fuss about this."

"I understand, I understand!" Jin Hao nodded repeatedly. "Keep it a secret! It must be kept a secret!"

He looked at Li Jun with eyes full of admiration.

The Taoist priest is indeed a master; he can even "reference" the Night Watchman's techniques!

Seeing his excited expression, Li Jun felt a little guilty.

This kid really thinks he's a master, trusting him so much.

But he won't change any of his techniques!

"Um—" Li Jun thought for a moment, then took out some amulets he had made before, as well as a peach wood sword, from the drawer.

The peach wood sword was one he made while practicing with real lightning-struck wood; the materials were much better than the ones he sold at the beginning.

"Take these for self-defense," Li Jun said, handing over the items. "They're not anything special, but they should be useful."

Jin Hao took the talisman and the peach wood sword, his hands trembling.

He had personally witnessed just how powerful the talismans drawn by the Taoist priest were!

That healing talisman not only cured his weakness but also protected him when the female ghost attacked!

As for this peach wood sword—

Jin Hao examined it carefully.

The sword has a warm, smooth surface and fine wood, with simple Taoist patterns engraved on the hilt.

Although it looks simple, holding it in your hand gives you a strange sense of security.

"Brother Taoist, this—this is too precious!" Jin Hao's voice trembled.

Li Jun waved his hand: "Take it. You call me brother, so I have to give you something to protect yourself."

Jin Hao was so moved he almost cried.

He clutched the peach wood sword tightly, then suddenly bowed deeply to Li Jun: "Godfather! From this day forward, you are my godfather!"

Li Jun: "————Uh, there's no need to be so polite."

Just then, Jin Hao's phone rang.

It was his parents calling, asking if he had arrived in Luxian County.

Jin Hao answered the phone, said a few words briefly, and then hung up excitedly, saying, "Brother Taoist, I'll go home now. I'll come over in a couple of days after I get the cultivation manual!"

"Okay, be careful on the road." Li Jun nodded.

Jin Hao hugged the peach wood sword like a precious treasure, tucked the amulet away, and left excitedly.

Li Jun saw him off at the courtyard gate, watching his retreating figure as he went down the mountain, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Hopefully, this kid can actually get his hands on some cultivation techniques from the Night's Watch.

That way, he can learn from him too.

After seeing Jin Hao off, Li Jun returned to the courtyard and saw his master coming out of the meditation room.

"Master, are you finished meditating?" Li Jun asked.

The old Taoist priest nodded: "Was that kid Jin Hao who just arrived?"

"Yes, he went back to Lu County and came to visit." Li Jun said, "He came without even going home. He'll come again in a couple of days."

The old Taoist priest hummed in agreement, then suddenly remembered something: "By the way, what was that package you picked up this morning?"

Li Jun's heart tightened.

We mustn't tell Master about that evil-suppressing sword.

"It's just an antique-style sword," Li Jun said casually.

The old Taoist priest didn't pay any attention to what he heard. He simply nodded, then put his hands behind his back and walked towards the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Li Jun stood there, watching his master's retreating figure, and suddenly thought of—

Master has been practicing at Qingfeng Temple for decades. Could he actually be a highly accomplished Taoist master?

Is he just keeping his true abilities hidden?

He hesitated for a moment, then followed and asked, "Master, after so many years of cultivation, have you—developed any special skills?"

The old Taoist priest turned around and glared at him: "Have you been dabbling in those things too much? Getting all mystical and superstitious?"

"Have faith in science!"

"If you really want to learn, I have a twenty-four-character mantra to teach you."

With that, the old Taoist cleared his throat and began to chant: "Prosperity, democracy—"

Li Jun was both amused and exasperated, and quickly begged for forgiveness: "Master, Master, I know I was wrong, please stop teasing me."

The old Taoist priest snorted and turned to go into the kitchen.

Li Jun stood in the courtyard and sighed.

It seems that Master truly doesn't understand.

The waters of this world run very deep.

at the same time.

Jin Hao, carrying the peach wood sword and the amulet, happily descended the mountain.

When he reached the foot of the mountain, he encountered two people.

An old Taoist priest and a young Taoist priest.

The old Taoist priest wore a faded gray robe, his hair was completely white, but his complexion was ruddy.

The young Taoist priest was wearing a brand-new Taoist robe and carrying a large backpack.

Jin Hao didn't recognize them, but he looked at them curiously a few more times.

The Qingwei Sect Leader also glanced at Jin Hao, his gaze lingering for a moment on the peach wood sword in Jin Hao's arms.

"Such abundant yang energy—" Master Qingwei was secretly shocked. "This child's yang energy is far beyond that of ordinary people. He is a promising talent for cultivation."

He glanced at the peach wood sword again.

"Is this what Master Li made?" Sect Leader Qingwei wondered to himself. "I wonder how it compares to the one obtained from Longhu Mountain."

Jin Hao felt a little uneasy under their gaze and quickened his pace.

The Qingwei Sect Leader withdrew his gaze and continued walking up the mountain.

"Master, who was that person just now?" Mingxin asked curiously.

"The Jin Hao your martial uncle mentioned," said Master Qingwei, "is a friend of Daoist Li."

"That sword—it must have been given to me by Master Li."

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"Master, is that sword very powerful?"

The Qingwei Sect Leader glanced at his disciple: "What do you think?"

"Everything Master Li makes by hand is amazing!"

Mingxin thought about it and agreed.

He looked at Jin Hao's departing figure, then at the gifts he was holding in his arms—a box of tea and several pieces of fine jade.

"Master, shall we go up the mountain now?"

"Hmm." Sect Leader Qingwei nodded.

The two began their ascent up the mountain.

Sunlight streamed down the mountain path, casting long shadows.

The Qingwei Sect Leader felt a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

After all, the one they were about to meet had summoned the Cleansing Thunder, suppressed the Fierce Sword, and devoured the spiritual energy within a radius of hundreds of miles—

presence.