Wizards begin with Occlumency.

Chapter 341 Visiting Relatives

Link is not the type to wait passively.

Earlier, through his own intelligence network, he had confirmed that the single mother was in the Jiang family mansion.

He rarely goes out on weekdays, and even when he does, it's to visit various Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries to offer incense and worship gods and Buddhas.

Link had doubts about Taoist temples, Buddhist temples, gods, and Buddhas, but he never voiced them.

Let's wait and see if it will produce something strange, like ancient witchcraft/evil witchcraft.

No hurry, no hurry.

What needs to be done immediately is to visit relatives.

After visiting his family, Link will be able to sever one of the few remaining ties in this world, allowing him to travel more light and focus on completing this trial.

It was the morning of the second day after arriving in Tianshui County.

Link left the hotel early, hailed a carriage, and headed to Qingyun Temple in the northern suburbs.

Since taking office, Governor Hu has vigorously promoted and supported the development of the machinery industry, including electricity, automobiles, trains, and construction machinery. He encouraged those with the necessary conditions to develop the industry, and even those without.

The provincial capital is closest to Governor Hu, so the machinery industry naturally develops faster there.

Tianshui County is the stronghold of the most hardline conservative forces.

The Jiang family and other large clans joined forces to resist Governor Hu's policies.

These clans controlled the entire Tianshui County, with their profits based on real estate, minerals, aquatic products, agricultural output, and lending to various handicraft industries.

Let alone just Governor Hu, even if the current emperor himself came, unless he brought a large army, he couldn't do anything outrageous in Tianshui County.

Mechanical martial arts, which is supported by most owners of the machinery industry, is considered the most outrageous heresy in Tianshui County.

Link hadn't ridden in a carriage in years and was very unaccustomed to the swaying motion.

Fortunately, after ten years of cultivating the martial arts of the Immortals in this life, he has reached the point where his mind and body can move at will. He can control his body to sway slightly with the rhythm of the carriage to eliminate discomfort.

The incense offerings at Qingyun Temple were not thriving.

Ordinary people generally like to go to temples to burn incense.

Taoist temples and priests who don't care whether you believe or not are indeed a bit too aloof.

However, Qingyun Temple was extremely famous among the upper class of Tianshui County.

The abbot of the Taoist temple was skilled in medicine, possessed a book on health preservation, and was also adept at interpreting divination slips and praying for good fortune, which won him the hearts of many distinguished people.

The Taoist temple that single mothers visit most often is Qingyun Temple.

Today is the 15th, the day when single mothers go to Qingyun Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings every month.

"My lord, we've arrived."

The coachman brought the carriage to a steady stop and said respectfully.

In the provincial capital, people call each other "Mr."; in the county seat, they call each other "Young Master." It's quite interesting.

Link paid the fare, got off the carriage, and walked towards Qingyun Temple with measured steps.

He was dressed in fine clothes today, with a handsome face and noble demeanor. Although he was alone, without any attendants, and riding in a rented carriage, he looked like a noble among nobles.

Upon entering the mountain gate, a Taoist priest greeted us.

Qingyun Temple is a quiet place. The Taoist priest greeted him and then quietly stayed by Link's side without offering any explanation.

If Link has any questions, he can ask, and he will definitely get an answer.

After paying his respects at the Lingguan Hall, Link arrived at the Sanqing Hall, the main hall of Qingyun Temple.

Looking at the three celestial deity statues enshrined in the hall, Link's thoughts were deep and unsettling.

As Link unlocks more and more knowledge-based memories, he feels increasingly uncomfortable and strange about this world.

It may be fake, but everyone Link comes into contact with is real.

Although his wizarding level wasn't very high, having only just advanced to level three, Link couldn't be judged by conventional standards.

With various blessings and opportunities, Link began to comprehend the rules early on, and could be said to have one foot in the door of becoming a sage.

In the wizarding world, a sage refers to a wizard of level four or above who is worthy of everyone's respect, and also to a wizard of level four or above who has begun to understand the true meaning of the world and the truth of the universe.

If we say that in the seventeen years before his knowledge memories were unlocked, Link couldn't distinguish whether the people he encountered were real or fake.

So, as Link unlocks more and more knowledge-based memories, if he can no longer distinguish between truth and falsehood, then he would be letting down the blessing and opportunity that helped him comprehend the rules ahead of time.

It is true, yet it is also strange and eerie in every way.

The extreme divide between human and mechanical martial arts, and the mechanical martial arts that Link finds more like a warrior than a martial artist, will not be discussed in detail.

We will not go into detail about the ancient witchcraft that may have originated from the worship of heaven and earth and the natural "methods" or the evil witchcraft that may have originated from extraterrestrial objects.

It is difficult to explain the Taoist belief represented by these three celestial deity statues alone.

When Link was in the Wizarding World, he had never heard of a world of immortals and heroes among the myriad realms!

Searching through the history books and records of major wars in the wizarding world, not a single word or phrase related to immortals could be found.

In this world, there are numerous Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries, and most of the immortals and gods they worship are well-known.

The only issue is the scripture, which Link doesn't understand, so he doesn't know if it's the same.

Even so, it is still quite strange.

"Greetings, layman. I am Jingxu, a humble Taoist priest. I greet you."

Just as Link was staring intently at the statues of the three Celestial Venerables, lost in thought, the Taoist priest quietly withdrew and summoned Abbot Jingxu of Qingyun Temple to receive this distinguished guest whose aura made him dare not speak.

Link's thoughts were interrupted, but he was not annoyed. He smiled and returned the greeting: "Ke Lin greets Master Jingxu."

"Master Ke Lin, I have prepared some tea in my quiet room. Would you be so kind as to invite me to join you for a chat?"

Master Jingxu waved his whisk and pointed in a direction.

"It is my honor to be able to discuss profound mysteries with the True Man Jingxu."

Link immediately agreed.

"Layman, please."

"Please, the real person, go first."

After exchanging pleasantries, Master Jingxu led the way, with Link following behind.

Before long, they arrived at a quiet room in a side hall.

The room was small, only about ten feet square, and contained nothing but a tea table and two cushions on a low couch.

It was cleaned extremely well, the windows were spotless, no incense was burned, and the air was fresh.

The two sat facing each other on a low couch, and Master Jingxu picked up the teapot and poured two cups of tea.

It's called "pure tea," and it truly is pure tea.

The tea is clear and bright, without any other colors, and has a subtle aroma.

Even a quick sniff can cleanse the soul and sweep away worries.

Link was deeply impressed by this simple and unpretentious tea-making skill.

Some of the blocked memories resurfaced, reminding Link of the tea leaves he had concocted in the Wizarding World.

"It's veering off course! It's veering off course!"

He sighed inwardly that he had lost the true essence of the tea ceremony, but remained outwardly calm. After thanking Master Jingxu, he picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

"Excellent tea!"

The tea lingered briefly in his mouth before flowing straight into his stomach, and Lin Ke praised it highly.

"What's so good about it?"

Master Jingxu asked with a smile.

Fortunately, I have a pure and simple mind.

Link smiled and answered honestly.

"I wonder if the layperson has already purified their mind?"

Master Jingxu himself picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and casually asked a question.

Link didn't answer, but instead asked, "I wonder if the real person has already renounced all desires?"

"I'm ashamed!"

After careful consideration, Master Jingxu replied with a look of shame but without any attempt to hide it, "My cultivation is insufficient, and I am not yet able to abstain from desires."

"Thus, Ke was unable to find peace of mind, and instead had many worries in his heart."

Lin Ke continued speaking, then changed the subject, asking, "I've heard that you are skilled at interpreting divination sticks. I wonder if I might have the honor of drawing one?"

Master Jingxu shook his head slightly and said solemnly, "Seeking divination is not as good as seeking help from oneself. They're just a few broken pieces of wood; why bother shaking them?"

"Then why would a fortune teller still be willing to interpret divination slips for people?"

Link asked curiously.

Those who seek divination slips seek peace of mind. I, a humble Taoist priest, do not interpret the slips, but rather the knots in their hearts.

Master Jingxu did not hide anything and directly revealed his true thoughts and actions.

"I see."

Link nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

At that moment, there was a knock on the open door of the meditation room, and a middle-aged Taoist priest stood outside: "Abbot, Miss Jiang has arrived."

"Please wait a moment, layman. I'll be right back."

Master Jingxu first gestured for the middle-aged Taoist to leave, then spoke apologetically to Link.

"Please make yourself at home, I am perfectly at ease here."

Link was very magnanimous and showed no sign of being harsh.

"Thank you for your understanding, layperson."

Master Jingxu bowed and rose to leave the quiet room.

Lin Ke sat quietly in the room, leisurely sipping tea, with no immediate intention of meeting the single mother.

When Master Jingxu left the meditation room, his expression turned solemn.

The middle-aged Taoist and the guest Taoist who had initially received Lin Ke were waiting in the side hall on the way to the Sanqing Hall. Upon seeing the True Man Jingxu, they immediately bowed and paid their respects.

Master Jingxu lightly waved his whisk, indicating that there was no need for further formalities, and then asked, "Miss Jiang, did you come alone? Are you accompanied by someone from the Jiang family?"

"Reporting to the Abbot, the Third Young Master of the Jiang family will accompany you."

The middle-aged Taoist priest spoke up in response.

"Um."

Master Jingxu nodded, feeling much more relaxed. He then looked at the guest master and asked, "Are you sure you haven't made a mistake?"

The Taoist priest cautiously replied, "Abbot, I cannot be entirely certain, but after accompanying that layman into the Sanqing Hall, I saw his face change slightly. The changed face bore a striking resemblance, more than nine-tenths, to Lin Ke, the young master of the Bajiquan Martial Arts School whom Miss Jiang is so interested in."

"This is troublesome."

Upon hearing this, Master Jingxu couldn't help but sigh.

If this matter is not handled properly, it could cause a lot of trouble for Qingyun Temple.

I just hope that Young Master Lin didn't come to Tianshui County with a heart full of revenge.

"Let's go see Miss Jiang first."

Unable to think of a way to break the deadlock, Master Jingxu could only remain calm and observe how the situation would develop.

Before entering the Sanqing Hall, Master Jingxu was still wondering why Young Master Lin had chosen Qingyun Temple instead of Jinshan Temple, since Miss Jiang had also gone to Jinshan Temple to worship Buddha.

"I've met the real person."

Miss Jiang had already offered incense to the three Celestial Venerables in this life and was sitting in meditation on the futon when she saw Master Jingxu approaching. She greeted him, saying, "I'm sorry to disturb your meditation again."

"Mr. Jiang, you're too kind."

Master Jingxu bowed respectfully and smiled, saying, "Layman Jiang is destined for the Dao. How can his visit to Qingyun Temple be considered an intrusion?"

Miss Jiang smiled slightly and did not respond.

"This way, layperson."

Seeing this, Master Jingxu reluctantly led Miss Jiang to the quiet room in the side hall.

This is Miss Jiang's habit.

After offering incense to the three celestial deities each time, one would request a divination slip to be interpreted by the True Man Jingxu.

The bamboo slips that were obtained this time are now in Miss Jiang's hands.

There are certainly more than one quiet room in the Qingyun Temple Guest Hall, but there are only three.

Master Jingxu specially arranged the quiet room for receiving Link to be the westernmost room, separate from the easternmost room that Miss Jiang usually went to.

This is the limit that Master Jingxu can achieve.

"Huh? There are still worshippers at the temple today?"

When they reached the vicinity of the three quiet rooms lined up in the guest hall, before Master Jingxu, the middle-aged Taoist, and the guest master had discovered anything, Miss Jiang exclaimed in surprise.

Following Miss Jiang's gaze, the three Taoist priests were astonished to find that Layman Ke, who strongly resembled Young Master Lin, was standing under the apricot tree in front of the meditation room, quietly enjoying the scenery.

"This is Layman Ke Linke."

Master Jingxu sighed inwardly and gave a brief introduction.

Things took the last thing he wanted to see.

If Master Ke is indeed Young Master Lin, why would he change his appearance and hide his identity in this way? What is he seeking?

Of course, the first step is to secretly meet with his mother to determine how to deal with the Jiang family of Tianshui County who only took Miss Jiang away but abandoned Young Master Lin.

Over the years, every time Miss Jiang draws a fortune stick, it's for her abandoned son.

Master Jingxu knew very well what had happened back then.

Hopefully, the third young master of the Jiang family, who has never liked Taoist temples or Buddhist temples, will stay outside the mountain gate as usual and not enter the Taoist temple.

To avoid meeting "enemies" and becoming extremely hostile.

"Ke Lin?"

Upon hearing the name, Miss Jiang felt a strange stirring in her heart.

After carefully examining the other person's appearance, one can't help but feel somewhat disappointed.

"I'm a little tired, Master."

With a sigh, Miss Jiang said with a dejected expression.

"This way, Mr. Jiang."

Master Jingxu understood the implied meaning and led Miss Jiang to the easternmost quiet room.

As the three Taoists passed by Link, who was standing under the apricot tree admiring the scenery, their hearts clenched, fearing that Link would immediately claim kinship.

Fortunately, Link didn't make any unusual moves. He just glanced at the four of them calmly and then continued to enjoy the scenery.

This made the three Taoists breathe a sigh of relief.

Behind the four, Link frowned slightly.

With his keen eyesight, how could he not see that the single mother's body was still weak and her martial arts cultivation had not yet recovered?

The Jiang family of Tianshui County took the single mother back for ten years. Did they never consider treatment, or did the single mother refuse?

This is a very important issue.

In the easternmost quiet room, Miss Jiang was restless, feeling as if she had just missed something.

He forgot to hand the bamboo stick he was holding to Master Jingxu and remained silent for a long time.

Master Jingxu dismissed the middle-aged Taoist and the guest master, and personally poured tea for Miss Jiang.

The tea took a sip and took effect, calming Miss Jiang down and stopping her from frowning and deep in thought.

"Please have a real person interpret the divination slip."

Miss Jiang, preoccupied with her thoughts, placed the bamboo skewers on the coffee table.

"Is it fate?"

Master Jingxu picked up the bamboo stick and sighed inwardly.

The divination slip suggests that something lost will be regained, but the process will be fraught with difficulties, and ultimately it will be lost again.

After setting down the bamboo stick, Master Jingxu seemed to foresee a bloody storm, and thus remained silent for a long time.

"A real person?"

Upon seeing this, Miss Jiang couldn't help but ask, "Is this a bad omen?"

Master Jingxu sighed heavily, made a decision, and loudly proclaimed:

"Master Lin, please come in for a chat."

(End of this chapter)