Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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Celestial Master Forum
Topic: Envious of fellow Daoists with high combat power.
Content: The poster’s five senses are fairly sharp, but their limbs are too clumsy. They can even trip and fall on the altar while performing rituals, which is quite embarrassing.
Recently, Master went to Zhuyang for a wedding banquet and heard that the human talisman-printing machine from Baoyang Temple is with his senior brother. The poster has been thinking a lot…
Master once taught me that the talisman-printing machine’s skills used to be average, but later his senior brother taught him swordsmanship.
If I want to improve, should I also find a senior brother first…? Um…
1L: Senior brother: Meow meow meow?
2L: How did you come to that conclusion?!
3L: Senior brother is trembling.
….
On the day Xie Lingya graduated with his master’s degree, Shi Changxuan came to see him. They often visited each other, and their classmates all knew them, but most people genuinely thought they were just good friends.
Considering his already considerable public attention due to his status as a Taoist priest at Baoyang Temple, Xie Lingya didn’t want his campus life to be as dramatic as his career, so he didn’t announce their relationship to his classmates.
Shi Changxuan tacitly agreed.
Shi Changxuan overheard one of Xie Lingya’s classmates pulling him aside, enthusiastically promoting his cousin.
“You haven’t stopped being interested in women just because you live in a Taoist temple, have you? I heard some Taoist priests can get married. Let me tell you, I’m not exaggerating, my cousin is really beautiful, she’s just as pretty as you!”
Xie Lingya: “…”
Xie Lingya: “Find a different comparison…”
Classmate: “She’s just as beautiful as a female celebrity!”
Xie Lingya: “Oh, no, thank you.”
Although his classmate knew Xie Lingya was single, he hadn’t really thought much of it. Xie Lingya always seemed so busy, and there were many people at school like that who were focused on work and didn’t have time to find a partner.
Professor Zhu called Xie Lingya over and said, “These people don’t study properly; they’re always thinking about how to introduce people to each other. Just ignore them.”
Xie Lingya smiled shyly, “I can’t help it, I’m too popular.”
Professor Zhu: “…”
Professor Zhu: “Hey, Xiao Shi’s here.”
Xie Lingya turned around and, sure enough, walked over and called out, “Senior brother.”
As he walked over, he reached out to pull Shi Changxuan along.
Shi Changxuan readily grabbed him and pulled him into his arms.
Xie Lingya’s heart surged instantly. Senior brother, I wasn’t wrong about you! So reserved, yet you actually want to announce our relationship to the teachers and classmates on graduation day!
Since senior brother has shown such enthusiasm, Xie Lingya couldn’t let him down. He tilted his head back and kissed him on the corner of the lips.
There was a collective gasp behind him, and Professor Zhu even seemed to burp in surprise.
Oops, the kiss went astray. Xie Lingya was about to adjust himself when Shi Changxuan pinched his chin and moved it slightly, saying with a hint of surprise, “There are fruit peels on the ground, I wanted to help you step over them…”
Xie Lingya: “…………”
Xie Lingya turned around and said dryly, “Just joking with my senior brother, hehe.”
Everyone: “……”
Shi Changxuan’s eyes gradually changed, then he pinched Xie Lingya’s chin back and kissed him again.
The people present were silent for two seconds, then screams and whistles erupted.
Later, the classmate who wanted to introduce Xie Lingya to his cousin came over and said hesitantly, “This is awkward… Why didn’t you say so earlier? What era are we living in? We don’t discriminate against homosexuals. Besides, I actually have another male cousin who is quite good-looking…”
Xie Lingya: “……”
Although Shi Changxuan didn’t know what had happened before, he understood this sentence, and his face instantly turned ashen.
“I was just kidding!” The classmate raised his hand. “Senior Shi is so funny, he scared us! I’m teasing you guys too.”
….
Before they knew it, everyone around them knew about Xie Lingya and Shi Changxuan’s relationship. At first, some clueless people actually thought they were just fellow students and tried to sow discord between them when they went out together, only to be taught a lesson.
Now that Xie Lingya has graduated, Shi Changxuan has expressed that although they couldn’t get married, they could still have a banquet as a ceremony.
Xie Lingya thought it was fine. It didn’t have to be too grand, with things like wearing formal attire and setting off firecrackers, but inviting friends over for a meal to witness it would be nice.
Father Xie was still a little awkward. Although he had accepted that the two children were together, when Xie Lingya told him about having a banquet, he was still stunned for a moment and asked anxiously, “…Then who will be the bride? Will I hold your hand?”
Xie Lingya: “…”
Xie Lingya: “Dad, you’re overthinking it. It’s not that exaggerated.”
He didn’t want to be in the news.
After receiving repeated assurances that there wouldn’t be any strange ceremonies, Father Xie finally agreed.
On the day of the wedding banquet, countless Taoist priests gathered, along with monks, shamans, sorcerors, and other like-minded individuals connected to Xie Lingya.
This group of people coming and going from the hotel caused quite a stir, not only among passersby but also among the hotel staff themselves, who privately discussed it countless times: had some religious conference rented their hotel space? Seeing monks, Taoist priests, and shamans gathered together felt rather eerie…
Xie Lingya and Shi Changxuan stood outside the hall to greet the guests, wave after wave of Taoist priests coming to greet them with clasped hands.
Another wedding was being held in a nearby hall, but the newlyweds arrived a little late.
This hall was a turn away from the main hall. Xie Lingya heard the commotion and went to take a look, only to see a woman dressed in white linen following behind the newlyweds. The couple stumbled into the main hall, asking the concierge to help them get rid of the woman.
The concierge looked bewildered, “This…”
She was just following them, she hadn’t done anything, although the linen clothes did look a bit somber.
But the bride sobbed, “This isn’t human!”
The Taoist priests, who had been chatting and laughing with their backs to the others, all turned around and peered out upon hearing this, only to see the woman in hemp clothing.
They recognized her immediately— it was the “Hemp-Clad Demon”!
A group of Taoist priests rushed out and surrounded her, cornering the previously unyielding demon against the wall.
From behind, only the overlapping backs of the Taoist priests and several hands raised, clutching talismans, could be seen.
The others: “…”
The bride, with a relieved expression, called out, “Thank you, masters!”
Xie Lingya also squeezed in, “How is it?”
After all, it was a demon, and he was worried about whether his fellow Taoists could handle it.
“Junior Brother Xie, please don’t come any closer!”
Xie Lingya asked, puzzled. “Why?”
In all his years in the profession, most people had only told him to hurry up and come over.
Someone said, “Fellow Daoist, you’re having a banquet today. The newlyweds are most susceptible to the ‘Pi Ma Sha’ (a type of evil spirit). You and Fellow Daoist Shi should hide quickly!”
Xie Lingya: “…”
He thought for a long time and actually felt it made sense. Although it wasn’t a wedding, the meaning was the same. Who knew if there was any influence in the unseen world?
Xie Lingya quickly turned around and pulled Shi Changxuan, who had just come out to see what was going on. “Quick, let’s avoid it. It’s ‘Pi Ma Sha’.”
Shi Changxuan immediately said, “Impossible. I calculated an auspicious day. It’s impossible to be affected by ‘Pi Ma Sha’.”
Xie Lingya: “…”
Because it was just a banquet, he hadn’t really calculated it. He didn’t expect his senior brother to be so… thoughtful.
“It’s that couple next door who’s been cursed by the ‘Peima Sha’,” Xie Lingya said. “The group of fellow Daoists who just arrived are ganging up on the evil spirit right now.”
Shi Changxuan: “…”
The newlyweds next door were really lucky; they ran into Daoists holding their wedding banquet here who were able to help them out. Leaving Xie Lingya aside, many Daoists there were needed to book a week to a month in advance to perform rituals.
When the people from the temple arrived, Xie Lingya discovered they had brought along the elderly Shan Ji. Shan Ji was already middle-aged for a chicken, and most chickens that age would have been slaughtered long ago. But it was etched with the vicissitudes of life, every feather telling a legend.
“I heard there’s a ‘Pi Ma Sha’? Even though there are many Daoists, it’s better to be safe than sorry!”
Even someone as ruthless as Xie Lingya couldn’t help but say, “Do you even want Shan Ji to enjoy his old age in peace?”
….
With relatives and friends present and fellow Daoists as witnesses, this day would henceforth be Xie Lingya and Shi Changxuan’s wedding anniversary.
Many old-school Taoist priests made an appearance, and given Xie Lingya’s low-key approach, he and Shi Changxuan simply thanked everyone for their support during the banquet. Zhang Daoting served as the emcee, and there was no commotion. In fact, everyone who came was a great encouragement to them, and they also wanted to thank Shi Changxuan’s parents for their role. Given the current level of conservatism in China, not every Taoist priest was so open-minded; without the Shi family and their partners in the Taoist community, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.
Of course, the senior members of the Taoist Association who had always cared for Xie Lingya and hoped he would become a monk soon were also very supportive, even secretly asking Shi Changxuan if the banquet meant Xie Lingya’s ordination was imminent.
During the event, Xie Lingsi, with the two children, ran around scattering rose petals, and even the little dragon had a bow tied around its neck, which was quite fitting for the occasion.
After dinner, Xie Lingya slumped onto the hotel sofa and said, “Are you busy tomorrow? Master Chen invited us to discuss alchemy, but honestly, I know absolutely nothing about it. I barely passed chemistry.”
Shi Changxuan remained silent for a moment, looking as if he had something he couldn’t bring himself to say.
Xie Lingya: “What, are you busy?”
Shi Changxuan said quietly, “I’ve cleared my schedule for the next seven days…”
Xie Lingya: “So you’re free… Ah!”
Xie Lingya suddenly realized.
He was speechless. His senior brother always used actions instead of words. Sometimes his thinking was quite straightforward, even overly so, so he didn’t realize it.
Now he understood. Shi Changxuan’s silence actually meant he took this matter very seriously.
Xie Lingya patted Shi Changxuan’s shoulder and said heavily, “Senior brother, I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll risk my life for you. I’ll clear my schedule for seven days, even if I die in bed!”
Shi Changxuan: “?!?!”
Xie Lingya: “Hey, what’s wrong? Did I misunderstand again?”
Shi Changxuan: “…No, no.”
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