"Lu Lang went out again today?"
The sun was slanting westward as the rented donkey cart clip-clopped back to Tongyi Lane, and just as Lu Zheng got off the cart, he saw Liu Qingyan heading out.
"Mm, I went to White Cloud Temple." Lu Zheng nodded, "Are you going out, Miss Liu? It's already late."
"Father is still busy at the clinic; Mother asked me to call him back for dinner."
"Has Uncle Liu already bought the clinic?"
"Mm, it's on East Street, not far from home actually."
"Then let me go with you; I can recognize where it is, so if I ever have a headache or fever, I'll know where to go for treatment."
Liu Qingyan's lips curved slightly, "Lu Lang, if you succeed in martial arts, you won't have these minor ailments like headaches or fevers."
"That's not certain." Lu Zheng replied.
The two quickly turned out of the alley, walked west down another street, and Lu Zheng saw a shop on the south side of the street where a few carpenters were hammering and banging inside.
Lu Zheng looked up, and the signboard was already hung.
Renxin Hall.
"Father, Mother is calling you back for dinner, let's finish here today."
Elder Liu came out and indeed saw that it was already late, then, going along with the flow, sent the hired carpenters home, and he himself closed the shop, joining Liu Qingyan and Lu Zheng back home.
"Lu Lang went out again today?"
Lu Zheng could only reply again, "I went to Shaotong Mountain in the east of the city, joined White Cloud Temple, and became a registered Lay Practitioner."
Elder Liu paused in surprise, "Young man, are you preparing to go into seclusion and cultivate?"
"Not seclusion!" Lu Zheng shook his hands repeatedly, "Just a registered disciple, only learning skills."
"Oh, oh, I see!"
"Does White Cloud Temple have real skills?" Liu Qingyan's breath lightened a bit.
Lu Zheng nodded, "Indeed real skills, or rather, the Temple Master of White Cloud Temple actually saved my life."
On the way home, Lu Zheng told the Liu family about the Corpse Ghost incident.
This world has demons and ghosts, it's not really a secret, so Lu Zheng didn't intend to hide it, speaking out so that the Liu family could also be more vigilant.
"So, those wearing human skin, might not necessarily be human, might well be ghosts!"
Elder Liu and Liu Qingyan exchanged glances.
Elder Liu said, "Unexpectedly, Lu Lang had such experiences."
"To think Lu Lang has encountered such an Evil Ghost before." Liu Qingyan looked pale, seemingly quite frightened.
"So you must also be careful usually. Right, the master taught me the 'Five Talisman Technique'; I'll draw a Peace Talisman for each of you, it can serve as a warning."
Elder Liu smiled and said, "Alright, then we'll wait for you to refine True Qi and draw us talismans."
"I've already refined True Qi." Lu Zheng said, "I think the 'Five Talisman Technique' doesn't seem difficult, I should be able to draw them soon."
Elder Liu stumbled, "You've already refined True Qi?"
Lu Zheng nodded.
"Lu Lang, you've encountered an Evil Ghost before, now you're successful in Qi Refining, might you go on to hunt ghosts and demons?" Liu Qingyan looked unwell.
Lu Zheng stroked his chin, seemingly in thought.
Hunting ghosts and subduing demons should be the fastest way to earn Light of Fortune.
Though it's quite dangerous...
Seeing Lu Zheng not answering, Liu Qingyan also kept her head down and stayed silent.
Elder Liu licked his lips, "Lu Lang, although you've encountered an Evil Ghost that wanted to eat hearts, frankly speaking, just as people can be good or evil, demons and ghosts also vary, we can't generalize."
"I know!" Lu Zheng said with a bewildered expression.
"Uh, you know?" Elder Liu blinked.
Liu Qingyan couldn't help but look at Lu Zheng.
"Uncle Liu, you don't think I'd meet a demon or ghost and attack indiscriminately, do you?" Lu Zheng laughed helplessly.
Elder Liu said, "Wouldn't you?"
"Of course, I wouldn't." Lu Zheng smiled, "I'm an adult, of course, I know that the wickedness in human hearts surpasses that of Evil Ghosts."
"Moreover, I often go to Qingsheng Building to listen to stories, where there are tales of benevolent demons and love stories between humans and ghosts.
To be honest, the ghost girls are charming, the fox girls full of affection, I'm not an old-fashioned person; I truly wish to meet them and see if they're like those described by the storyteller."
Elder Liu chuckled, "Lu Lang, you really are a youth full of spirit!"
Liu Qingyan couldn't help but blush and blurt out, "Ghost girls won't do, Yin and Yang are separated; you and... it will harm your Yang Qi!"
As the words fell, Liu Qingyan's delicate face turned visibly red, "I, I'm just speaking from a medicinal standpoint..."
Lu Zheng hurriedly waved his hands to explain, "Just wanted to meet, out of curiosity!"
In his moment of cheer, speaking too freely before a beauty, Lu Zheng felt a bit embarrassed.
The few awkwardly chatted as they returned to Tongyi Lane; Liu Qingyan headed home almost fleeing, while Elder Liu and Lu Zheng exchanged greetings and went back.
Lu Zheng returned home, and after dinner, immediately began practicing the White Cloud's Common Refining Qi Scripture.
With the Meridian Breathing Method foundation, Lu Zheng quickly learned the new Qi Refining Technique, the thread of True Qi within transforming into a new attribute Qi, improving in quality.
"Improve!"
Seven strands of Light of Fortune were consumed, and the White Cloud's Common Refining Qi Scripture instantly became proficient, converting all True Qi within, with some increase.
Next was the Cloud Transport Technique.
Hmm, this transportation technique requires quite a bit of True Qi as a foundation; if too weak, it can't be displayed.
So, when six strands of Light of Fortune from the Jade Seal were consumed, Lu Zheng not only learned the Cloud Transport Technique, but his True Qi grew stronger.
What's left is accumulating True Qi, with the distance and weight of transportation increasing accordingly.
"Done! Sleep!"
…
The next day, an energetic Lu Zheng went out early and bought ink brush and paper from Cong'an Square.
Drawing talismans!
Another day of arduous closed-door cultivation; Lu Zheng toiled, spent four whole hours and compromised his nap time, finally drawing five crooked talismans.
"It's really tough for me!"
Lu Zheng wiped the light sweat from his forehead.
"Improve!"
"Buzz!"
Five strands of Light of Fortune swiftly consumed, the Five Talisman Technique suddenly clear in his heart.
Seven plus six plus five, a short two days, eighteen strands of Light of Fortune consumed.
Lu Zheng added a strand of Light of Fortune to his Constitution, leaving a round integer in the Jade Seal, finally feeling comfortable.
Laid out yellow paper, ground vermillion, lifted the wolf hair brush, Lu Zheng's eyes were calm, peaceful.
Waiting several seconds, the brush tip lightly dipped in vermillion, True Qi concentrated at the tip, moving on the yellow paper with the brush like a dragon, completing it in one go.
The talisman took shape, flashed red light for a moment, then vanished from view.
But Lu Zheng could sense that his thread of True Qi had been locked by the yellow paper, then served as a medium for the talisman to exert its effect.
Peace Talisman, complete!