Starting as a Talisman Master

Chapter 277 Snowstorm at the Rich's Gate (5.4k)

Upon reaching the main street, Lu Chi saw a group of more than ten people gathered in front of a vermilion mansion. A steward in gray robes stood on the steps of the mansion gate, and a red paper notice was posted on the side of the wall.

He stepped into the crowd, and before he could even read the words on the notice carefully, he heard two passersby whispering to each other.

"Why are so many people gathered at the Shen residence today?"

"I heard that the great-grandfather of the Shen family has built a new private school in the south of the city and is currently recruiting teachers."

"But what about the wealthy Shen family, who monopolizes most of the rice and grain business in Yuanhua City?"

"That's right. Old Master Shen is sentimental and said that this private school not only teaches the children of the Shen clan, but also allows poor children from the neighborhood to receive their early education. Therefore, we need to find a teacher with solid knowledge."

Lu Chi stood quietly to the side, listening intently, pondering to himself.

Teaching young children to read requires no physical exertion, which suits his current old and frail body perfectly.

Moreover, the children in this private school come from diverse family backgrounds, including wealthy children and poor children. They can observe the various aspects of life up close, experience the world's affairs, and use this to deduce the transformation of their consciousness.

Having made his decision, he straightened his wrinkled, coarse cloth sleeves, stepped past the crowd, and walked toward the steward in front of the steps. He bowed slightly and said, "This old man wishes to take on the teaching job."

The steward turned around upon hearing the sound and sized Lu Chi up and down a few times.

The newcomer was dressed in coarse linen clothes, with a full head of gray hair, looking quite destitute. However, his posture was neither humble nor arrogant, and his eyes were clear and calm. When he stood in front of the steps, he truly had the demeanor of a learned old scholar.

The steward's expression softened slightly, and he began to inquire according to protocol: "What is your esteemed name, sir? How old are you? Where did you teach? Did you ever obtain any official rank or title?"

Lu Chi remained calm, his voice even and dry: "My surname is Zhou, my given name is Jinyan, and I am over fifty years old. I have spent half my life traveling around, but I have never passed the imperial examinations, nor have I ever taught in a school."

The steward frowned slightly upon hearing this. Although the Shen family did not demand renowned scholars, a wandering scholar with no experience and not even a single official title would ultimately be difficult to convince the public.

Seeing the old man's composed demeanor, the steward didn't try to drive him away. He picked up his pen and wrote down the name in the register on the desk, saying calmly, "Give me a place to stay. If my grandfather approves, he will send someone to find you."

Lu Chi nodded slightly, then gave the name of the old inn on the street corner, before turning and disappearing into the crowd on the long street.

For the next few days, Lu Chi stayed in a lower-class room at the inn. He listened to the hustle and bustle of the streets during the day and suffered from the hardness of the wooden bed at night. Four days passed without any news from the Shen residence.

His silver coins were dwindling, and if he didn't find work, he would be starving in less than half a month. Lu Chi knew that the steward must have removed his name from the list because he had no experience.

On the morning of the fifth day, Lu Chi packed his cloth bag, intending to check out of the inn and go to the south of the city to find another stall that wrote letters for others.

Suddenly, a young servant in blue from the Shen family appeared outside the inn. He stepped inside and called out, "Does Master Zhou Jinyan stay here? The Shen family's patriarch requests your presence."

Lu Chi stopped in his tracks. He pondered to himself, originally thinking he had failed the selection, but now that someone had come to invite him, it must be that the host family wanted to test his knowledge in person.

He followed the servant out of the inn, through the streets and alleys, and entered the Shen residence through a side gate. Inside, the ground was paved with blue bricks, and the plants were neatly trimmed.

Lu Chi kept his eyes straight ahead and walked steadily, following the servant into the side hall.

The hall was filled with the aroma of tea. In the center, an elderly man dressed in a dark-patterned silk robe sat in a grand chair, twirling two walnuts in his hands. The old man had white hair and beard, and a prosperous face; he was none other than the old patriarch of the Shen family.

Lu Chi stepped forward and bowed respectfully. Old Master Shen sat upright in his chair, nodding slightly, his expression serene.

Old Master Shen, well past seventy, highly valued the newly built private school in the south of the city. In recent days, he had examined several teachers, but found them all to be restless and unsuitable.

When I checked the roster yesterday, I found it strange that Zhou Jinyan was older and had no resume, so I decided to call him over to give it a try.

The old man stopped holding the walnuts in his hand, and the questioning he asked was exactly the same as that of the steward at the gate that day.

Lu Chi remained calm and answered truthfully, stating that he had never taught and had little experience.

Old Master Shen was secretly amazed. Usually, when a down-on-his-luck person entered the mansion, they would be obsequious and timid. But this man was dressed in shabby clothes, yet he was open and composed, and what he said did not seem to be false.

The old man then asked, "Sir, have you thoroughly studied the Four Books and Five Classics, and other Confucian texts?"

Lu Chi had cultivated immortality for a long time, and all he had read were Daoist scriptures and jade slips. Although he occasionally browsed through mortal classics and histories, he had never studied them in depth, let alone in the foreign land of Dali.

He remained calm and answered directly, "I haven't read it thoroughly."

Old Master Shen's expression darkened slightly.

With no experience as a tutor and no thorough knowledge of classical texts, what use is he?

He picked up his teacup, about to tell the guest to leave.

Seeing this, Lu Chi did not show any sign of unease, but simply said calmly, "Grandpa, please wait."

Old Master Shen paused slightly, holding his teacup in mid-air, and looked up at him, as if to see how he would explain himself.

Lu said slowly, "Did Grandfather open so many private schools to enlighten the young children of the clan and the poor children in the surrounding area?"

Old Master Shen said, "Of course. Since it is an introduction, we should invite learned scholars."

Lu Chi shook his head slightly: "Children are just beginning their studies, their minds are still developing. If we keep cramming them with obscure classics and histories, it will be like a heavy stone pressing down on them, only increasing their aversion to learning. Although I have not studied Confucian classics in depth, I have traveled thousands of miles and know the ways of the world well. Teaching young children to recognize characters and distinguish right from wrong is enough."

His gaze fell on the table beside him, where he saw that there was pen and ink. He stepped forward and said, "If you have any doubts, sir, I may leave a few words."

Seeing his calm demeanor, Old Master Shen became somewhat interested, put the teacup back in its place, and gestured, "Please."

Lu Chi walked to the desk, picked up the purple brush, dipped it in thick ink, and began to write with a suspended wrist.

Without using any magical power, he wrote the four characters "Quietness cultivates the self" on the Xuan paper using only his mortal body.

His mastery of brushstrokes and power, honed through years of drawing talismans and creating formations, was deeply ingrained. These four characters, written on paper, were executed with penetrating force, their structure square and stable, devoid of any superfluous sharpness, exuding only a dignified and tranquil air.

Old Master Shen rose and looked over, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. As the saying goes, one's handwriting reflects one's character. Such a calm and restrained style of writing was certainly not something those restless, pedantic scholars of the past few days could produce. Having someone like him teach children to calmly learn to read is most fitting.

He stared at the calligraphy for a moment, then finally nodded and said, "Old sir, your calligraphy is indeed quite skillful. In that case, you may stay and teach at my Shen family's private school. Your monthly tuition will be two taels of silver, and you will be provided with two meals. You can start working first thing tomorrow morning."

The next day, Lu Chi changed into a neat blue robe provided by the Shen family and officially took his seat at the academy.

A monthly stipend of two taels of silver, plus two hearty meals. Such an income is enough for an ordinary person to live a fairly comfortable life in the outer city of Yuanhua.

On the first day of class, there were more than ten children sitting in the classroom. Most of these children were relatives of the Shen family, and they were spoiled at home and had extremely unruly temperaments.

When Lu Chi stepped into the hall, the room was in an uproar. Two young boys were pushing and shoving each other between the desks, making a clattering noise with their writing brushes, inkstones, and inkstones, showing no manners whatsoever.

"What were your teachers like in your past life?"

Lu Chi thought for a moment, then refrained from reprimanding him. Instead, he walked to the front of the podium, put down the book in his hand, and calmly surveyed the audience below.

Although he had sealed his magic power and divine sense, just by looking over there without making a sound, an invisible sense of oppression immediately spread out.

The previously noisy children suddenly felt a chill down their spines, and they hurriedly returned to their seats, straightening their backs.

"It really works." Lu Chi smiled to himself.

He opened the book and began to teach literacy.

When Lu Chi lectured, he was expressionless, his words were concise and to the point, and there was no nonsense. If anyone in the audience looked away or tried to whisper to each other, he would tap the wooden table in front of him with his ruler.

The sound wasn't loud, but it sent shivers down the spines of the children. By the end of the class, none of these usually unruly kids, who could lift roofs off the ground, dared to cause the slightest trouble.

Old Master Shen took this matter very seriously, and within half a day he sent his steward to inquire outside the school several times.

Upon learning that the unruly children had been brought to their knees, the old man felt relieved and began to value Mr. Zhou even more.

A few days later, Shen Taigong learned that Lu Chi still returned to the dilapidated inn at the corner of the city to rest every day after school, so he invited him to the back hall after class.

"Mr. Zhou's teachings are excellent, and I am deeply grateful," said Old Master Shen gently. "However, that inn is a mixed bag, and it is noisy at night, which is really inconvenient for you to study literature in peace."

"There happens to be an empty side courtyard on the east side of my residence. Although it is not spacious, it is quiet and secluded. If you don't mind, why don't you move in and live here? It would save you the trouble of commuting every day."

Lu Chi was currently in need of a permanent place to stay, so upon hearing this, he did not refuse and bowed slightly, saying, "In that case, thank you very much, sir."

Two days later, Lu Chi carried an old cloth bag and moved into a side courtyard of the Shen residence.

The courtyard was secluded and rarely disturbed. The ground was paved with blue bricks, and a few slender bamboos grew in the corner. The interior was simply furnished, with soft mattresses and thick quilts on the wooden couch.

After nightfall, no more cold winds blew through the windows. Compared to the cramped and chilly rooms in the inn, it was a world of difference.

Lu Chi lay on the couch, listening to the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind outside the window. This mortal body had finally found a safe place to settle down in Yuanhua City.

However, neither the illusory mirror of his consciousness nor his divine sense showed the slightest ripple, nor did he gain any enlightenment. Perhaps it was because his time was still short, and he could only continue to quietly lie dormant here.

Before we knew it, half a year had passed.

During the past six months, Lu Chi would ask Mrs. Shen for a day off every month, saying that he had private business to attend to and needed to leave the city.

Although the old man found it rather strange that Mr. Zhou left the city at a fixed time every month, he did not stop him because he always returned on time and his teaching was indeed methodical.

Lu Chi naturally returned to Luoxia Sect as agreed and secretly healed Xuan Chen Zhenren's injuries.

In his spare time, Lu Chi never completely neglected his cultivation. When the night was quiet, he would often set up isolation formations in his room and devote his attention to tending to the rare spiritual plants in his storage bag, or silently deduce spells and supernatural powers, and refine pills and weapons.

Recently, several new faces have appeared in the private school. They are all poor children from the streets and alleys of the outer city, which is exactly what Master Shen originally intended when he built the school.

These young children were dressed in tattered clothes, many of which were patched. When they first entered school, they were timid and reserved, but they listened attentively to the lectures and regarded the books and pens as precious treasures.

In contrast, the Shen family members, though intimidated by Lu Chi's usual authority and not daring to openly cause trouble, often looked around distractedly during the meal.

This is a midday break.

Lu Chi stood with his hands behind his back under the window when he suddenly saw several members of the Shen family cornering two poor children against the wall.

The Shen family members spoke arrogantly, mocking the two children for their tattered shoes and muddy clothes. Suddenly, one of the boys in brocade robes, who was leading the group,...

Then he raised his foot and kicked the half-eaten rice ball that the poor schoolchild was holding to the ground.

The rice balls rolled into the muddy water and became covered in filth.

Lu Chi's expression darkened slightly as he pushed open the door and went out.

He stepped into the courtyard with a ruler in hand, and without saying a word, he pulled over the leading member of the Shen family and struck his palm three times.

The force was solid, and the boy in brocade robes recoiled in pain, his eyes welling with tears.

"We're all in the same college, classmates," Lu Chi reprimanded coldly. "What's the use of studying the classics if you bully the weak?"

The beaten youth, resentful, rubbed his swollen hand and muttered, "Studying is useless! If I could become a cultivator in the inner city, commanding the wind and rain, who would want to suffer here?"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding schoolchildren all showed strange expressions.

The young man looked up at Lu Chi and boldly asked, "There are always immortal masters coming and going in this city. Sir, you've traveled all over the country, have you ever actually had any dealings with any of them?"

Upon hearing this question, even the two poor children with tears in their eyes couldn't help but show longing.

In this city where immortals and mortals coexist, mortals are accustomed to seeing all sorts of colorful lights in the sky, but they rarely have the opportunity to come into contact with the true faces of the immortals.

Lu Chi remained calm, tucked the ruler behind his back, and replied indifferently, "I've seen you from afar, but we've never met."

His gaze swept over the students in the courtyard, his tone calm and collected: "The paths of immortals and mortals are different. Immortal masters have their tribulations, and mortals have their duties. Since you were born with mortal bones, you should be down-to-earth. Put away your delusions and return to your studies."

Upon hearing this, the students immediately lost interest, dared not say another word, and dispersed with their heads down.

Lu Chi stood alone in the courtyard, looked up at the streaks of light that sped across the sky above Yuanhua City, then turned and walked back into the house.

As the year draws to a close, snow falls on the long street.

Yuanhua City was filled with red lanterns, and the sound of firecrackers echoed everywhere.

Lu Chi sat alone in the side courtyard when the gate was suddenly pushed open. A steward in blue robes came through the snow and announced, "Mr. Zhou, the old master requests your presence."

Lu Chi followed him to the main hall.

The charcoal fire is raging in the hall, making people feel warm.

Old Master Shen sat reclining on his couch, his face ashen, coughing softly from time to time. Several of Shen's descendants stood with their hands at their sides in front of the couch.

Upon seeing Lu Chi arrive, Old Master Shen mustered his spirits and ordered the steward to present the New Year's gifts.

A piece of warm fine cloth, two strings of fatty cured meat, and two ounces of loose silver.

For an ordinary schoolteacher, this is already a rather generous reward.

The old man pointed at Lu Chi and said to his nephews and nieces at his bedside, "Mr. Zhou is calm and steady, and rigorous in his scholarship. I am very pleased that the unruly children of the clan have been entrusted to him. You should treat him with courtesy in the future and never neglect him."

Several juniors bowed their heads in agreement, but their expressions were mostly indifferent.

The eldest son, who was in charge, bowed and said, "You are right, but you are not well, so you should worry less and rest more to take care of yourself."

His words were rather perfunctory, as if he only wanted to end this lecture as soon as possible.

Lu Chi remained calm, bowed his hands in thanks for the reward, and took his leave with the New Year's gifts.

Returning to the side courtyard, as soon as I pushed open the gate, I saw several rough bamboo baskets on the stone steps. They had been quietly brought by a few poor students from the private school.

There was nothing of value in the basket, just a dozen or so farm eggs covered in grass clippings, a few bundles of dried wild vegetables, and a small bag of brown rice mixed with husks.

On the edge of the most dilapidated bamboo basket, a piece of yellowed, rough-edged paper was weighed down with pebbles.

Lu Chi stepped forward and picked it up. The handwriting on the paper was crooked and childish, with varying shades of ink, clearly written stroke by stroke by a schoolchild using a discarded, worn-out pen from the classroom.

The letter reads: "To Mr. Zhou, my family is poor and has no money to offer as a gift. You, sir, are so kind and generous, not abandoning our poverty, teaching us to read and writing, and protecting us. My parents said we should repay your kindness. We have only coarse food at home; I hope you will not find it offensive. I will certainly study diligently and not let you down."

born."

The language was simple, but every word was written neatly.

Lu Chi stood quietly in the snow, looking at the slightly clumsy handwriting on the paper. He could hear the faint sounds of string and wind instruments and the noise of the Shen family's children coming from the front yard, and then he looked at the baskets of coarse grains in front of him.

He put away the letter, picked up the bamboo basket, went inside, and sat quietly at the table.

Outside the window, snow fell silently; inside, the charcoal fire glowed faintly.

Recalling the perfunctory attitude of Shen Taigong's nephews at his sickbed, and then looking at the sincere handwriting on the table, he gradually came to a realization.

Upon closer inspection, the long-dormant depths of the sea of ​​consciousness seemed to be stirred by this insignificant worldly smoke and fire, giving rise to a very subtle ripple.

Lu Chi slowly closed his eyes.

Refining one's spiritual foundation through the mortal world is not something that can be accomplished overnight. But the slight ripple in his heart today has already proven that his choice of this path of entering the mortal world was not wrong.

A moment later, Lu Chi stood by the window, gazing into the distance towards the main hall.

Judging from Shen Taigong's complexion just now, his internal organs are already showing signs of decay, and a deathly aura is gathering between his eyebrows. This old man's lifespan is coming to an end; he probably won't live for more than two years.

Mr. Shen ran a private school and took in poor children. He treated them kindly and was a rare kind person in the city.

Lu Chi lowered his eyes, his fingers lightly touching the cloth belt at his waist. Beneath the belt was his storage bag, which contained many miraculous elixirs.

Simply take one of the herbs, dissolve it in water, and let Grandpa drink it; he will be rejuvenated and his life will be extended by more than ten years.

Lu Chi paused slightly before slowly withdrawing his fingers.

Life and death are predetermined, and all mortals have their own destiny. He sealed his magical powers and descended into the mortal world to understand the attachments and delusions of all beings. If he were to use immortal methods to interfere with the life and death of mortals, the cage of worldly life that he had painstakingly built would immediately crumble.

He turned and blew out the candle, then sat quietly on the couch, listening to the howling wind and snow outside the window.

Spring came and autumn went, seasons changed, and two years passed uneventfully.

In early winter, mournful music suddenly filled the Shen residence, and white banners were hung high at the main gate.

Shen Taigong died of illness.

On the day of the funeral, many people stopped to watch along the long street outside the city. Poor neighbors who had benefited from the private school gathered at the alley entrance to secretly burn paper money, and the people of the city lamented that Yuanhua City had lost a kind-hearted elder.

After the death of the great-grandfather, the eldest son of the Shen family took over the family business.

This man was always greedy and disregarded morality. When he took over the family business and settled the accounts, he found that the private school in the south of the city was wasting money every month, and he was very unhappy about it. In less than half a month, he sent people to cut off the school's expenses and expel all the poor students from the school.

Lu Chi was naturally indifferent to fame and fortune and never offered any flattery, which naturally led to him being neglected by the new head of the Shen family. After winter arrived, the charcoal fire in the side courtyard was completely cut off, and his monthly tuition fees were often overdue.

On this day, the eldest son of the Shen family sent someone to summon Lu Chi to the main hall.

The charcoal brazier inside was burning brightly. The eldest son of the Shen family was fiddling with an abacus. Upon seeing Lu Chi enter, he didn't offer him a seat, but instead spoke slowly and deliberately: "Mr. Zhou, my father has passed away, and the household is now facing financial difficulties. The poor children have all left, and only a few of our own children remain in the hall. I've been thinking that since your job is much easier now, perhaps the monthly tuition should be recalculated according to the customs of the marketplace?"

Lu Chi lowered his head, pretending not to understand the restraint and expulsion implied in his words, and replied calmly, "This old man is dull-witted and only knows how to teach and read according to the rules set by my grandfather. As for the calculations of merchants in the marketplace, I really can't understand them."

The eldest son of the Shen family had a slightly cold expression, secretly disliking the old scholar for being out of touch with reality, and was about to speak out.

Lu Chi cupped his hands in greeting, his tone calm and composed: "Since the host is in a difficult position, I will resign from this teaching position today."

5"

The eldest son of the Shen family was delighted with the outcome and immediately sent his accountant to fetch the remaining few coins of silver.

Lu Chi took the money and turned to leave.

Returning to the side courtyard to pack his belongings, Lu Chi pondered to himself.

If he had been granted the elixir to prolong his life back then, the Shen family would not have suffered this misfortune, and even a poor student could sit peacefully in his hall. He silently questioned his conscience: did he regret his inaction this time?

"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all predetermined in the mortal world." Lu Chi suppressed the slight ripples in his heart, and his mind was clear.

To forcibly interfere with the world using magic would go against common sense. The rise and fall of the Shen family, the gathering and scattering of the students, are all part of the natural cycle of life.

Finally, Lu Chi changed into the coarse linen clothes he had worn when he first arrived in Yuanhua City, slung his old cloth bag over his shoulder, and calmly walked out of the vermilion gates of the Shen residence.