Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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In Taicang Sect, Tuan Tuanyi was also very interested after hearing his master’s idea for the sect’s advertising, but considering the actual situation, he could only explain it to his master by counting on his fingers—
“No, Master. Advertising is different from online promotion. It needs to be approved by the TV station before it can be broadcast. Ours is a company supporting feudal superstition, so the content is not acceptable. The Cultural Bureau will never allow us to be on TV. If it were possible, I would have told you long ago. Why would I have gone through all this trouble with online marketing?”
Outside Taicang Sect, in the biting cold wind—
The tall, thin man, wrapped in clothes, stood far away in a corner of the residential area, peeking at the worshippers offering incense at the entrance of the Taicang Temple.
The smell of incense wafted towards him, making him sneeze. The chubby boy next to him, holding his phone and looking at the Baidu Encyclopedia page, said, “See? I told you it wasn’t some hidden sect. The address is written in the description.”
The pockmarked man looked shocked: “This isn’t just not secluded, it’s downright illegitimate! Look at Liandu Temple, it’s a famous historical site, and this Taicang Sect is located in a residential area! What’s going on?!”
The chubby boy was dejected: “I knew we were too weak. We couldn’t even beat someone like that. Senior brother, I don’t think you’re any better. Instead of fighting them, you should report them to the police for illegal operations!”
The pockmarked man quickly said, “Don’t mess around, you’ve forgotten about us…”
“Oh, right,” the chubby boy exclaimed, suddenly realizing, “We’re a cult too.”
“Shut up!” The tall, thin man’s eyes were red with anger as he snapped at his two junior brothers, silencing their conversation. He gritted his teeth and said, “It’s…it really is…how is this possible…”
Taicang Sect was actually a small Taoist temple that just opened recently?! And according to the information they gathered, the property owner of this building was actually the father of that Taoist Master Wei. Their family’s daily life showed absolutely no trace of religion; everyone was either busy with business, playing mahjong, racing cars, or going to bars. The only one responsible for the sect’s affairs, Wei Xi, actually studied acting in college and spent a considerable amount of time in the entertainment industry after graduation. What did this mean?
His proud Thousand-Mile Eye technique was broken by such a half-baked person; this was more than just a simple humiliation!
At this moment, even the tall, thin man couldn’t help but doubt whether his past skills were just an illusion, and whether the rituals he had performed were merely coincidences. Therefore, he no longer had the confidence to refute his junior brother’s words that he was incompetent, and only said resentfully, “If it weren’t for Master being severely injured by the backlash…”
“Hey!” the chubby boy comforted him, “Didn’t they break Master’s substitution technique? Maybe Master can’t beat them either, senior brother, don’t be sad.”
Tall and thin guy: “…”
The tall, thin man said in despair, “Shut up, we can’t just let this go. The most urgent thing is to get that Master Wei’s real birth date and time.”
He was still furious as he spoke, saying that all celebrities are liars, even faking their birthdays to tell fans. How can they live up to the support and trust of their fans? What is even real left in the entertainment industry?!
The chubby boy exclaimed, “Senior brother, are you going to cause trouble again? Why don’t we just leave? We’re not good enough, what if we still can’t win?”
The tall, thin man looked at him coldly: “Don’t forget, we still have the Underworld Messenger. At worst, we can just go into his temple, perform a ritual, and lock him up. If you don’t trust me, don’t you trust your master?”
The underworld officials were the most closely guarded secrets of the Cultivation Sect. The chubby boy remained silent upon hearing this. He had witnessed his master chatting and laughing with the sinister underworld officials. The officials wielded their chains, hooking souls with deadly accuracy. As civil servants of the underworld, their skills were undoubtedly exceptional. If it weren’t for the lightning strike that struck Master Kuang of Liandu Temple by the immortal in his own temple, they would have already succeeded in their scheme.
He then asked hesitantly, “So, senior brother, what are you planning to do this time? If you go straight into their temple to perform the ritual, you’ll definitely be kicked out before you’re even finished.”
The tall, thin man said grimly, “Their family is so superstitious that they chose to open a Taoist temple in their own home… Just watch, I have my ways.”
….
The group of fellow apprentices all looked rather disheveled. For some reason, they had been subjected to ID checks at every hotel they checked in the past few days. Given their special status, they were naturally terrified, so they would always turn tail and run. Later, they dared not stay in regular hotels anymore, opting instead for run-down guesthouses that didn’t require registration. After several days, they were completely exhausted.
But in order to fool people, the tall, thin man patiently tidied himself up with his two junior brothers, changed into his most formal Taoist robes, and followed Wei Tianyi and the others who left the Wei family to the hospital.
The tall, thin man held a perfectly round Bagua plate in his hand. Standing at the hospital entrance, watching the couple get out of the car, he didn’t forget to teach his fellow disciples: “Do you know why our Xiusheng Sect was originally just a small, marginal sect, but now it has established itself in Xinnan? Why was Master chosen by the Grandmaster to inherit the mantle and carry forward the sect, gaining the respect of so many believers?”
The chubby boy chuckled: “Who doesn’t know that? Before Master joined the sect, wasn’t he involved in pyramid schemes somewhere?”
Tall and thin guy: “…”
The pockmarked man quickly replied, “No, Master is very talented. I heard that he learned the skill of controlling Yin soldiers from our ancestor not long after joining the sect. His magic is also very powerful, and he has helped many believers solve their problems.”
The chubby boy said, “Yes, but I think the key is to be good at socializing and know how to behave. Otherwise, how can you get along with the Underworld Messenger? Even our grandmaster didn’t have that ability.”
The tall, thin man, unable to bear it any longer, interrupted, “…Shut up, it’s because Master knows how to teach according to aptitude! Master himself told me that the methods of developing followers must never be simple and crude but must vary from person to person.”
The chubby boy and the pockmarked-face boy both stopped talking at the same time: “Huh?”
The tall, thin man straightened his back and coldly watched the approaching couple in the distance: “Take rural villagers, for example. They may be illiterate, but if you tell them that believing in our religion will bring them good fortune, wealth, and favorable weather, and then offer them small favors and teach them our methods and qigong, letting them see the benefits of strengthening their bodies, they will have unwavering faith in us. Or take elderly people, whose bodies are frail. If you can convince them that believing in our religion will bring them longevity and a better rebirth in the next life, they will cling to us like a lifeline. As for those who are in trouble, needless to say, whether they are seeking wealth or survival, as long as you can grasp their weaknesses, subduing them is a piece of cake.”
The pockmarked man seemed to understand something and looked at Wei Tianyi and his wife as well: “Then they belong to…”
The tall, thin man smiled, and his fine Taoist robe made him look even more like a hermit: “They have money, so of course they’re here to save their lives. Otherwise, why would they come to the hospital in a group? Whether it’s for treatment or a check-up, most people who come to the hospital are here to save their lives.”
Many patients and their families around them, who seemed to be suffering from diseases, were indeed secretly watching them. The pockmarked man was eager to try: “Should we go up and talk to them now?”
The tall, thin man glared at him: “Don’t lower yourself. Since they’ve chosen to worship gods and Buddhas at home and pray for their protection, they’ll naturally notice us when we appear here.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he instantly straightened his expression, adopting the demeanor of a reclusive master. The next second, he saw the couple who had come together—
They walked right past him without even glancing at him out of the corner of their eye.
Tall and thin guy: “…”
Pockmarked face: “…”
Fatty: “Senior brother, what should we do?”
The tall, thin man was silent for a moment: “Maybe there were too many people and they didn’t notice us… If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain!”
The chubby boy hesitated for a moment: “Wouldn’t that lower our status…”
The tall, thin man couldn’t take it anymore and turned to glare at him: “Then what else can we do!”
Fatty: “…Then let’s lower it.”
Wei Tianyi walked into the hospital with a cold face, feeling like he was about to explode with anger at his eldest son. But then, as he was walking along, he was stopped again. Turning around, he saw three men dressed in Taoist robes. The sight of those robes, symbols of feudal superstition, infuriated him— having a son at home who was always causing trouble wasn’t enough, and now he had to run into this strange group at the hospital!
The leader of the swindlers even said to him, “Sir, I see a hint of bad luck swirling around your brow…”
Wei Tianyi angrily shoved him away: “Get out! Don’t try to play tricks on me!”
The tall, thin man who was swept away: “…”
He stared blankly at Wei Tianyi, who had swept him away and then strode away with his wife as if they were fleeing a ghost. He thought to himself, “This is impossible. We are, after all, fellow believers in Taoism. How could he treat me like this?”
The chubby boy behind him sighed at the pockmarked face: “Sigh, our senior brother’s methods are no good, and his attempts at preaching aren’t working either.”
The tall, thin man was practically grinding his teeth in anger. He lowered his voice and said furiously, “They don’t seem to be here for treatment; they look more like they’re here for a checkup. Follow them! We’ll find an opportunity!”
The chubby boy worriedly said, “If they won’t treat the illness anymore, when will we ever have another chance?”
The tall, thin man sneered: “I don’t believe that at their age, they don’t have any health problems. If they find something wrong during the checkup, then we’ll have an opportunity.”
As fate would have it, they secretly followed Wei Tianyi and his wife, only to witness a scene that shattered their worldview.
Wei Tianyi was no less shocked than they were. Holding the medical report, he repeatedly asked the doctor, “Really? My blood sugar and blood pressure have always been very high, how come these indicators are so normal?! I even went out for a business dinner and drank alcohol yesterday!”
The doctor was also extremely surprised: “Yes, I was surprised too. I still have the data from last time on file, but Mr. Wei, your current physical condition is excellent. Your blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids are all within the healthy range. Your wife is the same; her physical and mental condition is outstanding. During the last checkup, she had some symptoms of premature ovarian failure, as if she was about to enter menopause early. But this time, not only have her early menopausal symptoms disappeared, but even her previously thinning hair has become so black and thick. I’d like to ask you both how you maintain your health.”
Wei Tianyi was stunned and speechless. How could this be? As people reached middle age, their health naturally declined, and his bad temper and busy work schedule only exacerbated this. He didn’t have anything life-threatening like high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or impaired liver function, but he always had a host of minor ailments. How could they just disappear like that?
The doctor asked him how he maintained his health, and he racked his brains but couldn’t think of anything. However, something vaguely came to mind—
If there had been any recent change in their lives… well, the only thing was that his eldest son started a weird company at home and completely uprooted the lawn in his garden to plant other things. Among those things, there seemed to be a tea with a rather peculiar name that his guests bought frequently and often brewed and drank in the yard. Sometimes when he came home and ran into them, he was also invited to have a couple of cups; the taste was indeed very unique…
Yes, Shu Wanrong often also drank quite a bit when entertaining guests. But this was just a relatively rare type of tea… how could it possibly be good for health?
He thought of that thing in the garden that made him dizzy every day, and then strangely connected it to the fact that he hadn’t been able to faint lately no matter how angry he got with his eldest son. He wondered in a daze if this was proof that his body was getting healthier…
The tall, thin man who had been following the whole thing was now completely dumbfounded. This person’s physical condition was so healthy it was unscientific. How was he supposed to even begin?
The chubby boy’s eyes reddened with envy: “How can he be so healthy… That’s so good. Our master has a bad prostate, and his psoriasis and corns often flare up. If he weren’t already in poor health, he wouldn’t have collapsed from the backlash of being asked to take someone else’s place, sob sob sob…”
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