Elder Tao and the Little Eyes Daoist's master clearly had some history.
Du Youqian didn't know the details, but with his extensive political experience, he could imagine dozens of possible scenarios. Based on his understanding of the old Daoist, it was unlikely to be some cliché romantic drama, but rather a conflict of interests and power.
As for the verbal sparring between Elder Tao and the Little Eyes Daoist…
He wasn't stupid. Of course he wouldn't get involved.
'Just watch the show, that's all that matters.'
After the two exchanged a few more words, the Little Eyes Daoist turned to size up Du Youqian. After looking him up and down a few times, he sneered, "So this is the disciple you've taken, Martial Uncle? His bone age is over fifty, yet he's only at the first layer of Qi Cultivation. Is he some unparalleled genius, confident he can break through continuously and reach Qi Cultivation Perfection before he's sixty?"
Elder Tao said calmly, "Not at all. This child's aptitude is mediocre, but his heart, which yearns for the Dao, moved me. Enough idle talk. Just test him and get him registered."
The Little Eyes Daoist snorted, took out a palm-sized jade stone, and handed it to Du Youqian. "Hold this. Focus your mind and quiet your spirit."
Du Youqian did as he was told.
A few seconds later, a faint five-colored light appeared on the jade stone.
The mockery on the Little Eyes Daoist's face was palpable. "This is it? A Lowerest Grade Five Spirit Roots? Martial Uncle, it's not my place to criticize you, but in the Sect's several-thousand-year history, we've never accepted a disciple with such poor aptitude. Even thousands of years ago, when the Sect was first founded and little-known, you needed at least a Lower Grade Spirit Root to even be considered. For someone like him, given your standing, the most we can do is make him a Registered Disciple."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Elder Tao's face. He turned, gave Du Youqian a deep look, and nodded. "A Registered Disciple it is, then. As long as I consider him my Direct Disciple in my heart, that's all that matters. Nephew He, please process it quickly."
"Martial Uncle, if you're really that lonely and want a disciple to care for you in your old age," the Little Eyes Daoist's tone remained just as acidic, "wait until the Sect opens its gates for new recruits next year. I'll find you a disciple with an Upper Grade Spirit Root. How about that? We are a Second-class Sect, after all. We can't afford the shame of accepting someone with a Lowerest Grade Spirit Root, even as a Registered Disciple. If other sects find out, they'll just mock us for falling so far that we're accepting any riff-raff."
As he spoke, he shot Du Youqian a disgusted glare.
Even for Du Youqian, who had lived three lives totaling nearly two hundred years, those words sparked a bit of anger.
His Qi Cultivation Techniques were actually not bad, but he was no Saint, after all. He still had human emotions and desires.
'Forget it. I'd better not say anything and cause trouble for my master. From the looks of it, his rival is not someone to be trifled with. Even though they're from the same sect and probably won't just kill each other, he can still secretly cause problems for him.'
'As for me, there's no need to act on impulse. I'll just focus on learning some skills—Alchemy, Talisman Making, whatever I can pick up. I'll try to get a good evaluation so my Spirit Root can improve a bit more when I reincarnate.'
'I know the ropes now. In my next life, once I overcome the Mystery of the Womb, I'll come straight back and join the Chongzhen Sect. Little Eyes, I hope you live a long life and give me the chance to get my revenge. If you die too early, I'll just have to take it out on your disciples.'
After this internal pep talk, Du Youqian felt much calmer.
Elder Tao didn't want to argue with the Little Eyes Daoist either. He urged him to register Du Youqian as a Registered Disciple, and after the Disciple's Token was issued, he led Du Youqian to the Scripture Pavilion.
"As your master, I focused solely on my cultivation back then and didn't spend extra energy learning various skills. Since you're interested, I'll help you borrow a few Inheritances. However, you can't neglect your cultivation. Otherwise, at only the first layer of Qi Cultivation, you won't even have enough Magical Power to create a single Talisman."
"I understand, Master. I will work hard and try to balance both." Du Youqian was genuinely grateful.
Elder Tao shook his head. "Balance both? Sigh. If it weren't for you... Never mind. Our master-disciple relationship will only last for twenty or thirty years. You should make the most of it."
Du Youqian's heart skipped a beat.
'Does the old Daoist mean he only has twenty or thirty years left to live?'
'Or does he think that I, Lao Du, only have twenty or thirty years left?'
If it was the latter, Du Youqian found it hard to believe.
Although an Innate Grandmaster's vitality would begin to decline after sixty or seventy,
the process was much slower than for an ordinary person.
Even at over a hundred years old, an Innate Grandmaster could typically still overpower a top-tier young Postnatal Martial Artist.
Even without immortal cultivating, just relying on the physique of an Innate Martial Artist, he was confident he could live to be 110. With a bit of effort, 120 wasn't out of the question.
According to rumors in the Jianghu, some Innate Grandmasters in the past had even lived to be over 130.
'I don't look like someone destined for a short life, do I?'
Then there was only one other possibility.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The process of borrowing books and Jade Scrolls on various Immortal Cultivation Techniques from the Chongzhen Sect went smoothly.
After all, Du Youqian was only borrowing Tier One materials.
And it was Elder Tao who did the borrowing for him.
No one could find any fault with it.
After making copies of everything they had borrowed, Elder Tao took Du Youqian to the Marketplace for some shopping before returning to Soul-shaking Mountain.
Du Youqian dedicated himself to his cultivation. He spent a third of his time in seated meditation for Qi Cultivation, a third practicing Magic, and the rest studying Alchemy and Arrays.
After much deliberation, these were the two skills he decided to master in this life.
As for the other Immortal Cultivation Techniques, he understood the principle of not biting off more than he could chew. He simply memorized them without practicing or trying to comprehend them.
The powerful physique and pure Innate True Qi of an Innate Grandmaster provided a huge boost to cultivation in the Qi Cultivation Early and Middle Stage.
The difficulty of cultivating Magical Power from scratch versus converting Innate True Qi into Magical Power was like comparing hell mode to story mode.
On top of that, Du Youqian was cultivating the "Five Elements Spirit Absorption Technique," which was suitable for a Five Spirit Roots.
Even though his Spirit Root was of the Lowerest Grade, his current cultivation speed was slightly faster than that of a typical Lower Grade Spirit Root, approaching the speed of a Middle Grade Spirit Root.
Before long, he broke through to the second layer of Qi Cultivation.
Time flew by in a flash.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Du Youqian's cultivation was now not far from the third layer of Qi Cultivation.
Of course, once he entered the third layer of Qi Cultivation, all his Innate True Qi would be converted into Magical Power, and his subsequent cultivation speed would slow down considerably.
By the time he reached the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation, the physical bonus from being an Innate Grandmaster would become negligible.
Moreover, by that point, his vitality would begin to decline, and he would be fortunate just to prevent his cultivation from regressing.
Therefore, even if he lived to be 120 or 130, Du Youqian had no hope of reaching Qi Cultivation Perfection in this lifetime.
In this life, his limit was probably the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation.
However, while he felt a slight sense of regret, it wasn't enough to affect his state of mind.
One day, Du Youqian went to Elder Tao's room.
"Master, your disciple has something to report."
"Come in."
The old Daoist's eyes were half-closed, his breathing long and steady, as if he were dozing off on his meditation cushion.
But Du Youqian knew he was performing a Circulation.
Elder Tao had said that at his level, further cultivation could no longer raise his realm.
But he still meditated and cultivated daily to prevent his cultivation from regressing.
As for what his current cultivation realm actually was?
After returning from the Chongzhen Sect, Du Youqian had asked him directly and also tried to probe indirectly several times.
But Elder Tao was completely tight-lipped.
Du Youqian had given up trying to find out.
'I'll just pretend I don't know you're at Foundation Establishment.'
"What is it?" Elder Tao asked slowly.
"Master, before your disciple came to the mountain, my wife and I made an agreement..."
Du Youqian recounted the agreement he had made with Long Ruzhen.
He also briefly mentioned his promise to Cui Wei to raise Liao Leizhong, after which he would leave the secular world. Long Ruzhen was to continue protecting Liao Leizhong, while he himself would come to Soul-shaking Mountain to seek the Dao.
"The two-year period has now passed, but my wife has not come to Soul-shaking Mountain to meet me. I am feeling uneasy and would like to go out and inquire about the situation."
Elder Tao was not difficult about it. He smiled and said, "Then go. After you find your wife, bring her back to the mountain with you. Our Chongzhen Sect lineage does not forbid marrying and having children."
"Yes!" Du Youqian was overjoyed.
Just as he was about to leave, the old Daoist called him back.
"Your wife didn't come to find you as promised. It's possible she ran into some trouble. Take these for your protection."
Saying this, Elder Tao took out a handful of Talismans and gave them to him.
After a moment's thought, Elder Tao took out a small Turtle Shell Shield. "And this. I'll lend it to you for now."