Chapter 359: Dao Tradition

From now on, you don't need to display your Grand-Grand-Master's memorial tablet anymore..." Qin Sang gently shook Yun Youzi's memorial tablet.

Li Yufu was initially perplexed, then suddenly realized something, his face filling with shock. "Could it be that Grand-Grand-Master..." He had held back from asking, but he distinctly remembered his master saying more than once that Martial Uncle Qin Sang was less than two years older than his master. Now, despite being over seventy, Qin Sang still looked as young as a teenager. There was only one possibility: his Martial Uncle had truly become an immortal. But what Li Yufu never expected was that his Grand-Grand-Master was also an immortal! Neither his master nor his grand-master had ever mentioned this; perhaps they didn't even know.

Qin Sang smiled and nodded, quipping, "I didn't expect Senior Yun Youzi to embark on the path of immortality even earlier than I did. A few years ago, we met by chance, and thankfully, I recognized him from his portrait. The old man is alive and well; aren't you essentially cursing him by displaying a memorial tablet?"

Li Yufu reverently put away the memorial tablet, still finding it hard to believe that the Qingyang Temple lineage, with only six people including Qin Sang, had produced two cultivators. "So, Grand-Grand-Master, like Martial Uncle, has also become an immortal..."

Qin Sang shook his head and explained further, "We dare not claim to be immortals; we are merely cultivators, individuals who have mastered powerful abilities... Senior Yun Youzi's journey has been far more arduous than mine. He only embarked on the path at seventy-eight and reached the Foundation Establishment stage at a hundred years old. Such an achievement is truly unique in the cultivation world, stemming from his unwavering belief. Although Taoist Master Jixin and Mingyue were mortals, the fact that they earned the devotion of countless families and the veneration of the common people was not unrelated to Senior Yun Youzi's teachings. I only hope that you, their descendants, will never forget..."

"Yes!" Li Yufu bowed deeply with a solemn expression. "Your disciple will respectfully follow Martial Uncle's teachings." Jing Tian quickly followed suit.

Qin Sang looked at the master and disciple before him, nodding inwardly. Li Yufu was not only very intelligent but also of good character. Although Qin Sang remained in the Ancestral Hall, his spiritual sense had been continuously covering the Qingyang Temple, silently observing the actions of Li Yufu and his disciple. Throughout the day, Qin Sang had a sense of déjà vu, as if the past was replaying itself.

The people who came to Qingyang Temple for medical treatment were all local villagers. Not a single person disrespected Li Yufu because of his young age; everyone showed him great reverence. Regardless of wealth or poverty, Li Yufu and his disciple treated everyone equally. If a patient genuinely couldn't afford the consultation fee and chose to pay later, Li Yufu showed no impatience whatsoever. Although his ledger wasn't as thick as Taoist Master Jixin's, it had accumulated a stack of entries. All their actions stemmed from genuine sincerity and came naturally.

This wouldn't be possible without the direct guidance and example of Taoist Master Jixin and Mingyue. If it were an act, it wouldn't escape Qin Sang's discerning eye. Even if Li Yufu were cunning, Jing Tian, being a child, couldn't possibly fake it so perfectly. Taoist Master Jixin and Mingyue truly had worthy successors! Qin Sang was very pleased.

At the same time, he also sensed that in the depths of Li Yufu's and Jing Tian's eyes, when they looked at him, there was a hidden mixture of anticipation and apprehension. He was very familiar with this kind of gaze. Before he had entered the cultivation world, he too would have had the same look in his eyes when encountering a cultivator.

"Hold out your hands; I want to check your spiritual aptitude..." Qin Sang said. Out of respect for Taoist Master Jixin and Mingyue, Qin Sang naturally wouldn't mind helping Li Yufu and his disciple if they possessed spiritual aptitude. However, Qin Sang knew very well that this possibility was extremely small. Even the descendants of the three major families in the imperial capital had no spiritual roots; that was the norm.

Li Yufu's face lit up with joy, and he quickly extended his arm. Jing Tian was still a bit bewildered but understood that it must be something good.

"Oh?" Qin Sang's fingers rested on Li Yufu's wrist. He let out a soft exclamation of surprise and glanced at Li Yufu. He then placed them on Jing Tian's wrist, and after examining him, he fell into thought. The master and disciple didn't dare make a sound, watching Qin Sang anxiously.

It was indeed somewhat beyond Qin Sang's expectations. He hadn't imagined that Li Yufu actually possessed spiritual roots, and what's more, it was a rare aptitude for both Water and Wood spiritual roots! This was comparable to Senior Sister Shi Hong! Unfortunately, Jing Tian had no spiritual roots and could not cultivate.

While checking their aptitudes, Qin Sang also checked Li Yufu's bone age: twenty-five years old. Beginning the immortal path at this age seemed a bit late, but with his dual spiritual roots, if he cultivated diligently and avoided detours, he still had hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

Qin Sang had the authority to ensure Li Yufu's entry into Shaohua Mountain. However, first, Qin Sang himself was still struggling in the Foundation Establishment stage, constantly moving about, so his capacity was limited. He couldn't personally guide Li Yufu; at most, he could ensure he cultivated peacefully within the sect without being bullied. Second, tracing back the lineage, there was a clear master-disciple relationship between Li Yufu and Yun Youzi. For Qin Sang to directly introduce Li Yufu into Shaohua Mountain seemed a bit like overstepping his bounds.

Qin Sang then recalled that at Yinshan Pass, when Yun Youzi lamented the deep bond between the Tan brothers, his tone seemed to carry a different meaning. Qin Sang wondered if he had thought of Taoist Master Jixin and harbored the intention of taking on a disciple again. If Yun Youzi truly wished to take a disciple, Li Yufu would be the most suitable candidate!

With this thought, Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he made a decision. He had Li Yufu send Jing Tian out to rest, and then he informed Li Yufu of the truth.

Li Yufu was naturally overjoyed upon learning the truth, but a hint of worry clouded his eyes, and he couldn't help but ask, "Martial Uncle, can Jing Tian truly not cultivate alongside me?" Qin Sang affirmed with a hum, "Without spiritual roots, one cannot cultivate immortality. This is the cruel reality of the Heavenly Dao."

For a moment, Li Yufu was caught between joy and sorrow. He was even more disappointed to hear that Qin Sang would not take him as a disciple.

Qin Sang said, "I will leave you a cultivation technique and a few magical artifacts for self-defense. For now, you will stay here on Cuiming Mountain and cultivate on your own. After I speak with Senior Yun Youzi, if he is willing to personally guide you, he will come to lead you into the immortal sect. Senior Yun Youzi's sect, the Taiyi Pill Sect, is a powerful and righteous sect, renowned as one of the foremost in the cultivation world. To be able to join the Taiyi Pill Sect would be an immense stroke of good fortune for you..."

Before reaching the sixth level of the Qi Refining stage, the requirements for spiritual energy from heaven and earth are not so strict. Cuiming Mountain is also a place of spiritual beauty, gathering spiritual energy, sheltered from the wind, and with excellent feng shui. It can fully support Li Yufu's cultivation needs.

"However..." Qin Sang's tone changed, and he said solemnly, "Before that, I have one more condition that you must fulfill."

Li Yufu's expression tightened, and he said solemnly, "Please instruct me, Martial Uncle." Qin Sang was pleased with Li Yufu's attitude and nodded, saying, "To embark on the immortal path, one must sever ties with the mortal world. Before you begin your cultivation, you must ensure the continuation of the Qingyang Temple's legacy. This is your undeniable responsibility. Jing Tian has a good disposition; remember to teach him well so that the secular lineage is not broken."

The Qingyang Temple lineage began with Yun Youzi, but it was Taoist Master Jixin who truly brought honor and widespread recognition to the sect's principles. Over the years, it had accumulated the lifelong efforts of both Taoist Master Jixin and Mingyue. It would be a great pity if the lineage were to be broken!