The moment he stepped out, the dragon couldn't help but sneak a peek back into the hall. His sharp eyes caught the old Taoist priest, who was now back to his meal, but man, was he being careful about it! The old dude was practically scraping every last bit of food off the table with his chopsticks, like he hadn't had a decent meal in forever. The dragon just shook his head, half feeling sorry for him, half amused, and whispered to Lu Chen's mom like he was sharing some juicy gossip:
"Hey Auntie, ever thought about how much dough it takes to chase immortality? I mean, do you have any clue how much silver you gotta cough up just to get your foot in the door of an immortal sect and start learning their stuff?"
"Wait, it costs money?" Her eyebrows shot up, and she stopped what she was doing, totally caught off guard.
Canglong nodded seriously, holding out his hand like he was about to drop some serious knowledge. The sunlight hit his scales, making them sparkle all over the courtyard.
"Five taels? Well, that's doable. We're not exactly rolling in it, but we could probably scrape that together..." Her voice faded as she saw the Azure Dragon shaking his head harder and harder, his whiskers swaying like crazy.
"Could it be fifty taels?" Lu Chen's mom gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "If it's really fifty taels, we'd have to sell our little fishing boat and maybe even the animals we keep out back..."
The Blue Dragon's face went all sympathetic, like he felt bad for breaking the news. "I hate to say it, Auntie, but it's way more than that. You're looking at least five hundred taels just to get started."
Lu Chen's mom's eyes practically popped out of her head, her mouth forming a perfect 'O' of shock. "Five... five hundred taels? But why so much? That's more than our family's ever seen in our whole lives!"
The dragon leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I've heard this from other folks too. A buddy of mine has a distant relative who managed to become a disciple of the Xuanxin Sect. From what I gather, the total cost from start to finish could even go beyond that. Turns out, the road to immortality is paved with silver."
Back in the day when the old sect leader was in charge, the Xuanxin Sect came up with this super strict rule. Basically, if you wanna join the sect, you gotta buy all your own stuff - from clothes to basic meds. And let me tell you, the prices are through the roof! You're gonna end up spending a fortune.
At this point, Lu Chen's mom was totally shocked, her eyes getting bigger and bigger with every word.
Lately, a bunch of other sects have been copying this idea. Nowadays, even joining a small-time sect means shelling out at least a hundred taels of silver upfront. Otherwise, why do you think I'm so desperate to find those wandering immortals out there? I'd have already been knocking on their doors begging to join.
Lu Chen's mom's face immediately fell. Five hundred taels of silver? That's like decades of living expenses for a regular family! Where on earth are they supposed to get that kind of money?
The two of them went back to the main hall. By now, Lu Chen and the old guy were pretty chummy, calling each other master and apprentice.
The old man was sharp - he could totally tell something was up with Lu Chen's mom. First, he shot a mean look at the blue dragon, then quickly put on a friendly smile: "Something on your mind, Mrs. Zhou?"
But Lu Chen's mom was too nervous to speak up. I mean, the guy hadn't mentioned anything about money yet. But not asking was driving her crazy. She was stumbling over her words, not sure how to bring it up.
Seeing that his warning had worked, Canglong felt a bit better. This old dude seemed kinda shady, not someone you'd trust right off the bat. Canglong had grown kinda fond of Lu Chen's family over the past few days and really didn't want to see them get scammed. Little did he know, this old man was no ordinary Joe.
So, there's this old guy named Li Huanxi, who used to be part of the famous Xuanxin Sect. When he got in, it was a big deal in his hometown—people thought it was super impressive. But, let's be real, the dude was known for being a total foodie, super lazy, and, well, let's just say he had a thing for the ladies. It was pretty obvious he didn't have what it takes to be a serious cultivator. Rumor has it, his family's deep pockets might have greased the wheels a bit with some hefty donations.
Li Huanxi spent fifteen long years at the Xuanxin Sect, and guess what? He couldn't even nail the basics like drawing talismans. He actually set a record for taking the longest time to learn something so simple. His master, who was getting more and more fed up, finally threw in the towel. He gave Li Huanxi the boot, saying he needed to "cultivate in the real world," but really, it was just a polite way of saying, "You're not cut out for this."
But Li Huanxi? He didn't care one bit. He never really wanted to be part of the sect anyway. The strict, disciplined life of a cultivator was nothing compared to the fun and freedom of the real world. Even though he had some tough times later on, he managed to live pretty comfortably. When he came back to his hometown with that Xuanxin Sect title, people were super impressed. He loved the attention and lived it up—eight concubines, throwing fancy parties, gambling, drinking—basically living his best life.
So, the Li family was loaded, right? Like, crazy rich. But their kid, Li Huanxi, totally blew it all in just ten years. This guy was a real wild card - married a bunch of women from, you know, the not-so-classy part of town. When the money ran out, guess what? Those ladies bailed with all the good stuff, leaving him high and dry. The only one who stuck around was his main wife, the one he'd been ignoring all along.
Li Huanxi wasn't exactly the picture of health, and running a household? Not his strong suit. Out of his eight side chicks and one wife, only the main squeeze gave him a kid - a daughter. His one talent? Smooth talking. But let's be real, that doesn't pay the bills when you're broke.
At first, some folks who remembered the good old days of the Li family were like, "Sure, we'll lend you some cash, no problem." But as the debts piled up and no payments came in, they got fed up. Every day, it was like a parade of angry creditors at the Li house, demanding their money and making threats.
Here's the kicker - despite being a lazy bum, Li Huanxi had picked up some basic talisman skills during his ten years in the Xuanxin Sect. So when the local thugs came knocking, he could at least keep them at bay. Not much, but hey, it was something in their otherwise messed-up situation.
Unexpectedly, one of the creditor's families had a relative who was a monk. Although he was not a powerful figure, he was much more capable than Li Huanxi. Seeing that he could no longer survive in his hometown, Li Huanxi abandoned his family and fled secretly. From that day on, he never returned home.
Li Huanxi failed to achieve enlightenment through Taoist cultivation, but during his decades in the Xuanxin Sect, he had memorized a considerable number of Taoist texts. When it came to discussing Taoism and reasoning, he could talk with great authority. Under the guise of a disciple of the Xuanxin Sect, he roamed around, cheating and swindling, and lived a carefree life.
His most proficient spell was the "White Crane and Purple Mushroom Evasion Technique". Whenever he truly encountered ghosts or spirits or when his deeds were exposed, he would immediately activate the technique and escape, and he was always safe.
With the reputation of being a disciple of the Xuanxin Sect, he was a hundred percent sure of it. Over the past dozen years, he would just run away after the con was done. Relying on the remaining influence of his sect, those who were deceived had no way to deal with him.
But as time went by, Li Huanxi's reputation became increasingly unsavory. Among the "Three Witches and Seven Cheats" in the martial arts world, Li Huanxi was ranked first among the Seven Cheats.
This person may not be the best at deception, but having been hard at work in this field for several decades, his experience is indeed extensive.
Once this guy hit it big, it kinda messed up his work life big time. Over the years, whenever folks who knew a bit about Taoist stuff ran into him, they'd usually point their finger at his nose, go "tsk," and walk off. Poor Li Huanxi hadn't scored a decent deal in months, all thanks to his newfound fame.
But hey, decades of experience ain't for nothing. Right now, just by looking at Lu Chen's mom's face, Li Huanxi already had the whole picture.
The key to Li Huanxi's game is his knack for sizing up the situation. Otherwise, it's like asking a beggar to scam a thousand taels of gold, or meeting a rich dude with a fortune but only wanting a penny. Not only would that be pointless, but it'd also be a total waste.
Li Huanxi could tell the Zhou family was loaded just by checking out their fancy digs, and he was quick to do the math.
"Well, Aunt Zhou must be in a bit of a pickle, right? I'm no genius, but I'll take a wild guess."
With that, Li Huanxi flicked his wrist, and a slim silver-gray felt pen popped up like magic. It floated in his palm and started writing super fast. Li Huanxi closed his eyes and nodded thoughtfully. Soon after, the pen turned into a puff of silver dust, disappearing in his hand. All that was left was a faint silver mark, showing just how mystical his craft was.
"Ha, so that's the deal. Aunt Zhou, you can chill. Sure, most newbies in our Xuanxin Sect gotta cough up some cash at first, but this kid's got a knack for immortality. I'm all about spotting talent, and if I take him under my wing, I'm cool with dipping into my own stash to cover some costs. But hey, us cultivators live simple lives, and our wallets ain't exactly bulging. So, it's cool if his fam chips in what they can. As for the exact amount..."
Li Huanxi glanced around, then let out a deep sigh, his eyes showing a mix of pity and practicality: "…Well, Auntie's family ain't exactly rolling in dough. So, 100 taels of silver should do it, 100 taels. I'll cover the rest. No choice… It's tough, but your son's a real prodigy… Sigh…" Li Huanxi shook his head, looking both determined and worried, like he was about to shoulder a huge burden.
Lu Chen's mom was first over the moon, her heart swelling with pride at her son's potential. But when she heard "100 taels," her joy turned to panic. All their family's stuff combined might not even add up to 100 taels. She wanted to say no, her mind racing with thoughts of their financial struggles, but seeing her son's hopeful face, she couldn't bring herself to speak. She just mumbled "Master..." and then fell silent, her eyes filled with both hope and despair.
He hesitated for a long time, torn between the moral and financial weight of his decision. But then Lu Chen blurted out, his voice full of youthful determination and a hint of desperation, "Master, we don't have that much silver at home. How about we owe it for now? I'll work my butt off for you in the future to pay it back, deal?" Even though Lu Chen was usually a troublemaker, he was a good kid at heart. Right now, as much as he wanted to chase his spiritual dreams, seeing his mom in such a tough spot tore him up inside, his heart caught between his ambitions and his love for his family.
The Azure Dragon, with his sharp eyes, locked onto Lu Chen. His words, though calm, had a clear tone of disapproval: "Hey, Taoist priest, aren't cultivators supposed to rise above material stuff? Why are you making such a big deal about money? If you really think this kid's got potential, why put this mom and son through the wringer over a few hundred taels? Or were all those fancy words of yours just hot air?"
This dragon, usually the strong and silent type, surprised everyone with his smooth talk when he finally spoke up.
Li Huanxi's face turned sour in a flash, his voice full of anger. "Are you saying I'm greedy? Let me break it down for you—cultivation ain't cheap. Top-notch talisman paper? That's two taels a sheet, and when you cut it up, you get over ten sheets. For a newbie like your son, we're talking tens of thousands of sheets a year. That's over two hundred taels right there. And the Taoist robe? It's not just clothes—it's a badge of honor for our Xuanxin Sect. While old-timers like me can skip it, a newbie without one? He'll be the laughingstock of the group. And that robe? At least thirty taels..."
Then he kinda hung his head, all serious-like, brows all scrunched up like he was doing some heavy-duty thinking. He goes, "Well... The stuff we need for making the talisman—ink and brushes—gotta be custom-made by these big-shot artisans in Huizhou, and they ain't cheap. A single set's gonna set you back at least forty taels of silver. And then there's the alchemy cauldron, the duster, the tonic plasters... All told, you're looking at a cool thousand taels, easy. You cough up a hundred, and I'm stuck footing the rest, nine hundred plus. I can't borrow any more than that. So, this whole thing's gotta be a no-go."
With that, he shot a glare, eyes popping, beard all bristly with anger, and just up and left.
Lu Chen's mom jumped up, hands all clasped together like she was begging, and kept saying sorry: "Master, please, don't get mad. We didn't mean it like that. It's just... we're really broke, and coming up with a hundred taels is like climbing a mountain. But hold on, give us a sec. I promise, you won't lose out." She shot Lu Chen a desperate look and bolted out the door.
Lu Chen opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He knew how bad things were at home. If they had to scrape together that hundred taels, they might have to hock the fishpond, which was pretty much their only way to make a living.
That fishpond's a goldmine, always pulling in a ton of fish that a bunch of innkeepers have been drooling over for ages. Mom's always said no way, but now I'm scared she's gone to talk to those innkeepers. But if we sell the fishpond, how are Mom and my two sisters gonna get by in the future?
Even though he thought long and hard, the guy's crazy passion for cultivation was just too much to hold back. His big dreams kinda messed with his head, making him act a bit selfish without even realizing it. With a heavy heart, he let out a quiet sigh, promising himself that once he got the hang of some cultivation skills, he'd make sure his family never had to struggle again. That's why he decided to stay out of it.
Meanwhile, Li Huanxi, being the sly fox he is, played the situation like a pro, spinning a web of lies that totally fooled the family. But what he didn't know was that some weird and unexpected stuff was going down deep in Wu Feng Forest, where shadows were creeping around and whispers of old secrets filled the air.