bookandnovel Chapter 136 The Book of Ten Thousand People is a lie, the Daoist Manual is a lie, stop wasting your
Chapter 136 The Book of Ten Thousand People is a lie, the Daoist Manual is a lie, stop wasting your
A small square table made of rosewood, and three round-backed chairs.
On the table, a small red clay stove was simmering a pot of water, and steam was bubbling from the spout of the copper kettle, creating a warm mist in the room.
"Please have a seat, Uncle-Master."
Shen Shulan's voice, like her, carried a touch of coolness, yet was unconsciously warmed by the fire. Lu Yuan calmly took his seat.
Opposite him was Shen Jizhou, who was holding a magic sword and whose soul was almost being sucked in.
Shen Shulan walked to the table, picked up a cotton cloth, and slowly wiped the tea tray.
Every move she made exuded a composure and refinement ingrained in her very being.
She didn't rush to arrange the tea leaves. Her clear eyes first swept over her father's infatuated profile, then turned to Lu Yuan, her voice low. "Uncle-Master, did you come here specifically to deliver a gift?"
As she spoke, she scooped out a pinch of tea leaves from a small blue-and-white porcelain jar painted with bamboo in ink.
The tea leaves are tightly rolled, dark in color, and emit a unique smoky aroma.
Lu Yuan smiled, his gaze falling on the magic sword in Shen Jizhou's hand, his tone relaxed.
"I originally intended to give it to my senior sister."
"But then I thought, this thing is too aggressive and doesn't match Senior Sister's elegance, so I can only ask Uncle Master to give me some advice." Shen Shulan's fingers, which were holding the tea leaves, paused slightly.
She blinked in surprise, her gaze involuntarily turning to her father again.
She knew her father all too well.
The magic sword that could make him lose his composure like this must be a top-quality magic weapon.
Originally... it was meant to be given to myself?
For a moment, a strange emotion swept through Shen Shulan's mind.
Such a valuable item...
She composed herself, placed the tea leaves into the teapot, and while warming the cup, softly explained:
"This is a Lapsang Souchong sent from Wuyishan last year. It doesn't have a strong rocky flavor, but it's mellow and perfect for warming up in winter."
Her fingers were long and slender, and her wrist was incredibly steady as she poured water into the teapot, creating a straight line of water without spilling a drop. She rinsed the tea, awakened it, and then brewed it.
Every movement was fluid and graceful, a delight to behold.
The first brew of tea is poured into the fairness cup. The bright orange-yellow liquid ripples gently in the white porcelain, and wisps of white steam rise.
Shen Shulan first picked up a cup, held it with both hands, and placed it in front of Shen Jizhou.
"Father, have some tea."
Shen Jizhou didn't even look up, just mumbled a vague "hmm" in his throat.
His left hand instinctively reached for the teacup, but his eyes seemed glued to the sword, never leaving it for a moment.
Seeing his father's appearance, Shen Shulan didn't say anything more, but simply pushed the teacup a little closer to his hand.
Then, she picked up another cup and offered it to Lu Yuan with both hands.
"Uncle-Master, please have some tea."
Lu Yuan quickly took it; the teacup was warm, and the warmth spread from his fingertips.
He took a sip; the tea soup was mellow and smooth, with the unique aroma of dried longan and pine smoke melting on his tongue, and a warm current flowing straight to his internal organs.
"Good tea."
Lu Yuan sincerely praised it.
"Senior Sister Shulan's skills are truly admirable."
She poured herself a cup, sat down in the armchair next to Lu Yuan, held the teacup in both hands, lowered her eyes, and sipped the tea.
In the quiet room, only the crackling of the charcoal fire and the soft gurgling of water boiling in the copper kettle could be heard.
Of course, there were also the occasional, almost dreamlike exclamations of praise coming from Shen Jizhou's side.
Lu Yuan had no intention of staying long.
His main purpose was to deliver the items. Although he couldn't hand them to Shen Shulan in person, delivering them to Shen Jizhou was just as good.
Now, he should go to Uncle He Xun's place to discuss the important matters concerning the villagers outside the city.
Unexpectedly, Shen Shulan kept him there, so he could only wait until he finished his tea before setting off.
The silence did not last long.
Shen Shulan put down her teacup, breaking the silence, and looked at Lu Yuan with her clear eyes.
"Uncle-Master, do you have something important to attend to later?"
Lu Yuan snapped out of his daze, met her gaze, and nodded with a smile.
"That's right, I was just about to pay a visit to Senior Uncle Hexun."
Shen Shulan understood.
"For the sake of those villagers outside the city?"
She had heard about the matter, which had been making headlines for the past few days, so it wasn't surprising.
Lu Yuan didn't hide anything, and his expression became more serious.
"Yes, we have to find a way to let the villagers finish throwing the jade beans and go back home as soon as possible."
"It's not good to have so many people stuck outside the city in this freezing weather."
"Besides, this is just the beginning, and more and more people will likely come later."
Shen Shulan nodded slightly, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the warm rim of the teacup.
"This is really rare. We've never seen so many people from rural towns and villages hold a large-scale vote before."
She raised her eyes, her gaze filled with a hint of inquiry and approval.
"Uncle-Master has only been practicing Taoism for a year, yet he has already gained such a reputation. He is truly remarkable."
"It must be because my uncle truly cares about the people and does his best for them that he has won their sincere affection even after a hundred miles of wind and snow. This is my uncle's good fortune."
Lu Yuan felt a little uneasy after hearing this compliment.
Why say such polite things when the two of them are in a relationship?
He could only manage a wry smile and sigh.
"That being said, if the current situation is not handled properly, it will firstly discourage the villagers."
"Secondly, I'm afraid Zhenlong Temple will lose a lot of jade beans for nothing at the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony."
At this point, his voice lowered.
"In the end, the foundation of our Zhenlong Temple over the years has only been in the mountains and villages. The only people who can support us are these simple and honest villagers..." Shen Shulan listened very carefully and nodded repeatedly.
Suddenly, she looked up, her sharp gaze sweeping over Shen Jizhou, who was still obsessed with the magic sword.
The gentleness on her face faded, and her brows furrowed.
Finally, Shen Shulan seemed to have reached her limit.
She put down her teacup, her knuckles tapping loudly on the rosewood table, her voice full of reproach!
"father!"
"I've been talking for ages, were you even listening?!"
Shen Jizhou was jolted awake, as if from a dream. He looked up blankly at his daughter, then at Lu Yuan.
"what?"
"What?"
His completely oblivious demeanor clearly dispelled the good mood Shen Shulan had just cultivated.
She pursed her lips in anger and decided not to repeat herself, instead directing her anger directly at the crux of the matter!
Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared at her father, her voice suddenly rising, clear and cold yet carrying an undeniable air of questioning:
"Father! So many villagers outside the city are freezing, just to throw a single jade bean at Zhenlong Temple. How long does the Daoist sect intend to wait?!" "Do they really want to wait until the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony begins, making all of Uncle-Master's followers come for nothing, and turning Zhenlong Temple into a laughingstock throughout the entire region?!" "With such an unprecedented event occurring, the Daoist sect not only doesn't make any changes, but instead stands idly by. What kind of logic is this?!"
A barrage of questions, like a machine gun, left Shen Jizhou feeling rather embarrassed.
He glanced awkwardly at his daughter, then subconsciously looked at Lu Yuan beside him.
Lu Yuan quickly lowered his head, holding his teacup, trying to minimize his presence.
Actually, Lu Yuan was thinking the same thing.
Shouldn't the Taoist sect immediately discuss and find a solution to this kind of problem?
The Zhenlong Temple doesn't seem like a Taoist sect outside the Great Wall!
At this moment, Shen Jizhou finally looked at his daughter, his face showing a helpless expression.
As the abbot of the foremost Taoist temple outside the Great Wall, and a respected figure of his time, he should naturally be the first to step forward and uphold justice.
only………
Wuqing Temple has already made too many moves for this year's Heavenly Venerable Ceremony.
They've done far too many things that are against the rules and regulations.
It's really not advisable to be the first to raise any issues about reform...
Shen Jizhou's idea was that the other two sects should make a suggestion, and Wuqing Temple should immediately agree to follow suit.
But oddly enough...
It's understandable that the Sun and Moon Temple, one of the other two of the three upper gates, didn't speak up about this matter.
after all……
The current abbot of the Sun and Moon Temple was once the disciple of Lu Yuan's master, Li Xiuye…
But strangely, Tianlong Temple hasn't reacted much in the past two days.
That old man, He Xun, is extremely protective of his own.
Logically speaking, this kind of matter should naturally be initiated by Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable, who would gather the Taoist sects together to discuss the matter.
Then the villagers can put the jade beans in advance.
As long as the Heavenly Venerable Crane Patrol takes the lead and the Wuqing Temple agrees, the matter is basically settled.
But oddly enough...
There was no response from Tianlong Temple.
Of course, it's also possible that it hasn't had time yet.
After all, this happened two or three days ago. A couple of days ago, it wasn't too serious, and there weren't that many people involved.
As more and more people gathered, a conflict broke out.
It's possible that Tianlong Temple has already prepared the letter and is ready to send it out today.
"Let's wait and see. Tianlong Temple might have already sent people everywhere to send letters."
After Shen Jizhou finished speaking, he picked up the Xuan Yuan Demon-Slaying Decree again to examine it.
Just as Shen Jizhou finished speaking, a soft sound came from the doorway of the quiet room, and a person outside bowed and said:
"Master, Tianlong Temple has sent a letter requesting you to come to the site of the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony to discuss the matter of the villagers gathered outside the city."
On a luxurious celestial carriage.
Shen Jizhou sat upright in the center, holding a magic sword, his eyes still filled with fascination.
Lu Yuan and Shen Shulan sat on either side.
We are now on our way to the site of the Celestial Master Ceremony, which is actually the same place where the Luotian Grand Ritual was held before.
"Where did you get this thing?"
Shen Jizhou finally shifted his gaze from the magic sword, and with a burning scrutiny, it fell on Lu Yuan.
"Was it passed down by your master?"
Lu Yuan's heart stirred slightly.
If it were said that the old man gave it to me, it would make sense, but I had already made up an excuse that it was obtained by chance.
He pondered for a moment, then replied without changing his expression:
"It was not given to me by my master. I found it by chance when I was out doing odd jobs."
The lie was so casually crafted, yet Shen Jizhou's expression grew increasingly strange upon hearing it.
"Then...why are you so familiar with this sword?"
That is a problem.
Lu Yuan's thoughts raced, but a calm expression appeared on his face, even carrying a sense of entitlement.
"I have always had a special fondness for these kinds of ancient ritual implements with a clear lineage, and I have quite a bit of experience with them in private."
Lu Yuan hadn't intended to say this, but after some thought, it seemed like a good reason to get closer to Shen Jizhou.
After all, if Lu Yuan wants to visit again in the future, he can't bring something every time he comes, right?
Although the demon-slaying system is powerful and provides many rewards, it can't withstand this kind of abuse.
Lu Yuan didn't say those words for nothing.
With "The Craftsmanship of Heaven" in hand, Lu Yuan wasn't afraid of appearing clueless when Shen Jizhou actually asked him to research something later.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Lu Yuan finished speaking, Shen Jizhou raised an eyebrow, and a hint of undisguised mockery appeared on his strange face.
"Quite the boast."
"You seem to have quite a bit of experience with it?"
Lu Yuan knew that in front of such a shrewd and experienced elder, being humble and yielding would only earn him contempt.
The more submissive you are at this point, the more the other party will look down on you.
Lu Yuan did not back down; instead, he met Shen Jizhou's gaze and nodded solemnly.
"Yes, I have a lot of experience with it."
"If you have any questions in the future, please feel free to ask me."
Shen Jizhou: "????"
No!
You actually went all out!
Sitting opposite Lu Yuan, Shen Shulan looked at his confident demeanor, a hint of curiosity flickering in her cool eyes.
Her father thought Lu Yuan was bragging.
Shen Shulan, however, did not think so.
Throughout their time together, in her heart, this Uncle Lu never boasts, and is even excessively humble.
He said that if he is 100% certain about something, he can often achieve 200% success.
That is to say...
My Uncle-Master Lu Yuan really knows a lot.
Moreover, Shen Shulan also recalled that Lu Yuan suddenly took out some extremely powerful top-tier magical artifacts that night.
Although some of the top-tier magical artifacts were not used, my uncle-master really had a lot.
For a moment, Shen Shulan looked at Shen Jizhou beside her and nodded seriously, saying:
"Dad, if there's anything you don't understand, don't try to figure it out yourself. You can ask Uncle Lu Yuan."
Shen Jizhou: "????"
no! !
What do you mean I'm messing around?!
What nonsense are you spouting?!
In this sect outside the Great Wall, when it comes to understanding top-tier magical artifacts, who can surpass Shen Jizhou?!
That elbow... how can it be bent so confidently!
Shen Jizhou felt a lump in his throat, but he couldn't let it out.
After all, it was his beloved daughter who said those words.
He could only let out a heavy snort, his face dark, ignoring the two who were "singing in unison," and refocused his attention on the magic sword in his hand. The carriage fell silent once more.
The carriage swayed and rattled along the snow-covered official road, its wheels creaking rhythmically over the frozen ruts. Inside, thick blankets covered the interior, and a charcoal brazier in the corner burned brightly, keeping out the winter chill.
The carriage was quiet for a moment, with only the sound of wheels, the faint crackling of charcoal fire, and Shen Jizhou's occasional murmurs.
Lu Yuan sat upright, his gaze turning to the right, where he saw Shen Jizhou's infatuated old face.
Lu Yuan watched for a while, then, finding it somewhat boring, lowered his eyes slightly, staring at the warm yellow fabric of his clothes above his knees, illuminated by the charcoal fire. But not long after, Lu Yuan's gaze involuntarily drifted upwards to look at it again.
Shen Shulan was looking down at her hands, which were folded over her knees.
The pale white Taoist robe, with its very faint cloud patterns embroidered on the cuffs, made his hands appear even whiter and more slender.
Her face looked exceptionally soft in the dim light of the charcoal fire.
The curve of the bridge of the nose and the lines of the jaw are as if they were drawn stroke by stroke with the finest brush.
The wheels rolled over a deep rut, and the carriage swayed slightly.
Shen Shulan slightly raised her eyelids, her gaze inadvertently sweeping across the opposite side.
Lu Yuan sat upright, looking at himself, but when their eyes met, Lu Yuan immediately lowered his head.
Look at your nose with your eyes, and you'll be concerned about your nose.
Shen Shulan was stunned for a moment, her lips curved almost imperceptibly, then she lowered her eyes and kept staring at her hands.
Lu Yuan lowered his head and pondered for a while, but it was unclear what he was thinking about.
When Lu Yuan looked up again, his eyes met Shen Shulan's.
At some point, Shen Shulan began to look at Lu Yuan again.
Lu Yuan was taken aback and instinctively wanted to look away.
But Shen Shulan did not dodge.
She just stared at Lu Yuan, her cool eyes holding something indescribable.
There was no questioning, no shyness, only a... quiet, serene gaze.
Lu Yuan was stunned by the gaze and for a moment forgot to look away.
The two of them just stared at each other like that.
Take a breath.
Two breaths.
Three breaths.
The crackling sound of the charcoal fire broke the stillness of the scene.
At that very moment, Shen Jizhou's cold and abrupt voice was like a boulder crashing into a calm lake.
"You want to help your master secure the title of Celestial Venerable of this year, right?"
Lu Yuan suddenly woke up and turned to Shen Jizhou beside him in astonishment.
Before he knew it, Shen Jizhou had placed the magic sword across his knees and was staring at him with an unprecedentedly serious look.
"I can tell you definitively, absolutely not!"
"Even if your 'Book of Ten Thousand People' collects all the jade beans in the world, it's still no use!"
Shen Jizhou's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a hammer blow.
"Jade beans are completely useless."
"That's a lie!"
Lu Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted, his face filled with disbelief.
Seeing his shocked expression, Shen Jizhou revealed the cruelest truth, word by word.
"The Book of Ten Thousand People is a lie... The Taoist Manual is also a lie."
"The one who truly decides who will become the 'Current Celestial Venerable' has always been the same person, and it was always just that closed-door meeting of twenty people."