Chapter 477: Chapter 248: Working Under Others, Human Nature
Old Platform Mountain, high ridges and deep valleys, nestled between ancient villages and rural fields.
A long-armed monkey with a red tail was idly wandering around with a magic staff in Guan Flower Granny’s temple.
Guan Granny Temple is one of the subordinate halls of the Cat Immortal Hall, overseeing circle affairs, currently managing all sorts of matters on Old Platform Mountain. Any demon spirits with some level of cultivation come to the temple to offer incense and worship, as a form of report.
Firstly, to seek protection from the big brother, and secondly because the benefits of the Cat Immortal Hall are too enticing. A group of small animals desperately hopes to catch Guan Dazhuang’s eye so he can recommend them into the hall, even if it’s just a branch hall!
The red-tailed monkey had been out traveling for years and didn’t know about these internal affairs. He still maintained the old ways, thinking that apart from Moonlight Mountain in the Jin Sect, he could stride horizontally across all other mountains!
Are you kidding? He was a great demon who survived the disaster of thunder with six hundred years of cultivation. Never mind if there were no tigers in the mountain, even if there were, he’d dare to claim himself king.
As for the cat immortal that White Immortal mentioned...just a little kitten. He’ll wait to find trouble with the big cat first, then go speak with the little cat to discuss who’ll be the boss in the Jin Sect in the future!
Upon entering Guan Granny Temple, the red-tailed monkey immediately noticed the tiger statue lying beneath Guan Flower Granny’s idol in the center of the Incense Hall.
Heh! It’s been years, this big cat’s business is even more thriving!
But when the red-tailed monkey thought of his neglected Monkey Immortal Hall, he suddenly felt no interest.
In just a few short years, his monkey mountain had become the bottom of the pile among the immortal circles of Jin Sect.
Times change, the world evolves.
The monkey felt sad, but with a lack of cultural depth, he couldn’t recite poetry or say anything thought-provoking. All the emotions gathered at his mouth, and only three words sprang out.
"Damn it!"
"It makes no sense. I merely traveled to the Central Plains for a few years. Why is everything inferior when I return?"
It’s heard that the Central Plains is a flourishing land of Tao, with long-standing ancestral legacies of various families, even the immortals have old incense roots, ancestral halls bearing incense fire, and enduring inheritances...
Unlike the Jin Sect’s ragtag ensemble, where everyone dances around like demons, without any leadership.
The red-tailed monkey, who traveled as a refined monkey to the Central Plains, while criticizing the immortals of Jin Sect, was eyeing the incense in Guan Granny Temple with envy.
Even those grand temples in Central Plains don’t have incense as pure as here. How did this big cat deceive incense?
How did those picky people become willing to sincerely come here to offer incense?
The red-tailed monkey jumped onto the offering table, lounging gracelessly at the feet of Guan Flower Granny.
Picked up an offering fruit, casually wiped it against his chest, and took a bite, filling his mouth with saliva.
While eating the offering fruit, the red-tailed monkey rubbed the large head of the tiger statue with his other hand and grinned: "Big tabby cat, don’t hide, your monkey grandpa is back. From now on, there will be a backbone on Xijing Mountain!"
The red-tailed monkey, confident in his profound cultivation and having bullied small animals across various mountains in the Jin Sect before, now that he returned, naturally sought to establish his dominance as the mountain king.
Just as the monkey finished speaking, a burly man in yellow robes walked out from behind the Incense Hall.
"Daoist Hou, it’s been a while."
Guan Dazhuang clasped his fists, neither humble nor arrogant, no longer being overly tolerant and evasive as before.
He’s a well-mannered demon, taught by Guan Flower Granny to understand etiquette and know his bounds. Yet, even a well-mannered demon has some fire.
Now he was the immortal overseeing circle affairs, his words and actions represented the face of the Cat Immortal Hall. If he allowed the monkey to trample his dignity today, then what face would he have in front of the Sect Leader of the immortals later?
The branch halls of the Cat Immortal Hall, who knows how many immortals have their eyes on them? If he doesn’t do well, there are demons more than willing to step in.
"Tsk, a few years have passed, and Brother Guan is speaking human language too. What happened, you’ve also followed that little cat to become a servant for humans?"
Guan Dazhuang frowned, displeased: "I was raised by Guan Flower Granny since childhood; she is no different from a mother to me. Sect Leader Xu led me into the path, guiding my cultivation, saving me and my brothers during times of peril, and rebuilding my temple, giving me hope for the future. Sect Leader Xu to me is like a brother and more like a master. Daoist Hou may not understand, I won’t hold it against you, but please refrain from such disrespectful remarks in the future..."
What does it mean I can’t understand, so it’s excusable?
The monkey’s brain turned quickly, especially one that has become a spirit. The six-fingered monkey instantly realized that this implies it had no mother’s care, no brothers’ guidance, no teacher’s teachings...
Heh, in just a few years, how did this big tabby cat learn to insult monkeys?
This is intolerable!
The red-tailed monkey lifted his magic staff, jumped off the offering table, and reached out a hairy hand to grab Guan Dazhuang’s collar.
However, in the next moment, the Dharma Realm of Guan Flower Granny’s mountain lord temple unfolded, with tens of thousands of incense appearing directly in Guan Dazhuang’s hand.
"If you want to fight, I shall accompany! Though my cultivation doesn’t match yours, I have incense to protect me. Worst case, I’ll work hard for two years and throw all the merit incense I’ve accumulated at Daoist Hou; I won’t lose the dignity of my Cat Immortal Hall!"
"Two years? You accumulated ten thousand incense in two years?"
"This is my two-year performance, personally awarded by the Sect Leader as incense salary. Say no more! If you want to fight, let’s find a mountain outside. Worst case, I’ll offer up my tiger life. When the Sect Leader returns, she’ll speak to me on my behalf."
"....."
The red-tailed monkey shook his head like a rattle drum, saying: "I won’t fight your hall; put the incense away. We’ll see who’s stronger by hand. I won’t bully you—I’ll give you three moves first. I won’t harm your life, at most have you carry me around..."
"These days, what good is fighting? Can it dodge three disasters, or escape five calamities? Didn’t your thunder disaster pass because the monkeys of Monkey Immortal Hall gathered over a hundred years of incense by working for humans? Without those incense, could you stand here today?"
"Shut up! Don’t say it! If you say it out loud, I’ll really make a move!"
The red-tailed monkey’s old face flushed with embarrassment. How could his Monkey Immortal Hall work for humans? Bringing up such old tales, what’s the point?
I worked for humans, harvest crops, and fed cattle and horses. How does that affect you?
"Daoist Hou, don’t rush off yet."
"Speak up quickly!"
"The offering fruit cannot be eaten for free. Burn some incense before you leave."
"....."
You still want to profit from my incense offerings? The monkey touched his body, not having a single coin, and finally threw his tile cap to Guan Dazhuang.
"Just you wait! Once my Monkey Immortal Hall is rebuilt, who will still remember your Cat Immortal Hall and Tiger Immortal Hall?"
Watching the red-tailed monkey leave Guan Po Temple, Guan Dazhuang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Luckily, he didn’t embarrass the Sect Leader.
As for the threats left behind by the red-tailed monkey, Guan Dazhuang paid them no mind.
Jin Sect’s territory is too complicated; relying on sheer passion won’t do. You need techniques, a background, and a good backer and Sect Leader.
Sect Leader Xu has connections; he not only knows the County Magistrate, but even his neighbors are officials. His Guan Po Temple, the Cat Immortal Hall managed by the Sect Leader and Hall Master, now all have official authorization from the Imperial Court.
The monkey doesn’t even have a proper backer. How can he compete with their Cat Immortal Hall?
What a joke!
...
Qianzhou, Shang Residence.
Since dealing with the Yunmeng Mountain matter, Xu Qing visited Cizhao Temple once more, bringing some humanity and care to the monks there.
Being a zombie, a zombie is a dead person, so it’s naturally fitting to send paperman, coffins, wreaths, and such.
Amongst the monks’ revolving lanterns, Xu Qing paid special attention to the past of Monk Xinyuan.
Monk Xinyuan said his immortal fate is in the bright moon, and coincidentally, the Yuan Elder once had a monk disciple. Xu Qing couldn’t help but suspect a connection between the two.
Perhaps they might even be the same person.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t find any answers to confirm it all.
Since no clues were found at Cizhao Temple, Xu Qing then traveled to Qianzhou Prefecture City, intending to visit Ning County to meet the County Magistrate who gifted the White Cloud Cave map and bridged connections for the Holy Lady.
Passing through the Prefecture City, Xu Qing then made a stop at the Shang Residence, where Shang Shaoyang and the Gu family lady were intimately inseparable, temporarily losing thoughts of opposing the world and drastically reforming.
Indeed, gentle places are the tombs of heroes.
After visiting Shang Shaoyang, Xu Qing asked before leaving, "Is the gift I sent working well?"
"Gift?"
Xu Qing inquired: "I sent a secret manual to Brother Shang, isn’t Brother Shang aware of it?"
"Secret manual?" Shang Shaoyang asked confusedly, "What secret manual?"
Xu Qing glanced at the girl beside him, obediently meditating, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on their conversation.
"It’s the Holy Sage Scripture!"
Shang Shaoyang took note of this matter, and after Xu Qing departed, he sought out the account book gentleman who initially received the gifts. After discussing the Holy Sage Scripture, they both headed to the storage room.
"Young Master might not know, there are thousands of gifts from corners of the earth. Aside from the gifts from people of note, other gifts weren’t shown to the master and madam, so Young Master being unaware is indeed normal."
"You can’t put it that way." Shang Shaoyang shook his head, "Brother Xu is different from others. I thought his arrival would be the greatest gift, but didn’t expect he also sent a present."
"Just regret not mentioning it to you at the time."
Amidst their conversation, the account book gentleman flipped through the gift list and found Xu Qing’s name.
"Hmm? This gift..." The account book gentleman glanced at his own handwriting on the list and couldn’t resist making a sound.
"What’s wrong?"
"Uh, it’s nothing. If it were another gift, it might indeed be hard to find, but this one, I know where it’s placed."
The account book gentleman fetched a ladder, climbed up to the storage room loft, and soon returned with a gift wrapped in red silk!
"What kind of Holy Sage Scripture is inside? Why do you remember it so distinctly?"
Managing the Shang household’s finances, the account gentleman is no ordinary person; he’s read nearly as many books as a scholar, which truly surprised Shang Shaoyang.
"Ahem, it indeed is a book. As to whether it’s the Holy Sage Scripture, the young master ought to judge for himself."
Could the account book gentleman admit he copied a part secretly? Certainly not!
Shang Shaoyang, full of curiosity, unravelled the red silk, revealing words in gold: Bedroom Technique on the book cover adorned with strange symbols.
Opening the first page, he saw vivid illustrations and specialized translated annotations that would make anyone blush.
It turned out to be a serious beyond serious guide to dual cultivation harmony!
"I wondered what kind of Holy Sage Scripture it was, only to find it taught indecent, disgustingly offensive matters. Such unethical books should be burned!"
Shang Shaoyang was furious, declaring he wouldn’t coexist with such a book.
"I ask you, is this book truly gifted by Xu Qing?" Shang Shaoyang’s face showed lingering anger.
"It’s from Shopkeeper Xu of Jinmen Prefecture’s Funeral Shop." The account book gentleman felt anxious and dared not delay, quickly verifying against the gift list.
"Alright, alright! You may leave; I will handle this matter properly."
Shang Shaoyang repeatedly said "good" thrice with a cold expression, and after the gentleman left, leaving him alone, he suddenly burst into laughter.
"Xu brother understands me the best!"
Xu Qing was unaware of this situation; even if he learned, he wouldn’t mind.
He always understood not Shang Shaoyang, but human nature itself.