Duanmu Ren was in a very good mood.
He had inexplicably provoked a black-robed Daoist of unknown origin and shocking methods, and had exhausted his wits just to dissuade the man from forcing him to become a disciple.
What a joke.
He had strived for half his life to attain his current power and status; he would have to be out of his mind to listen to nonsensical talk about cultivating immortality.
To appease that black-robed Daoist, Duanmu Ren had gritted his teeth and forcibly pushed through the renovation plan for the Lijiawa subsidence area, drawing heavy attacks from his political rivals.
Fortunately, he had backing of his own, and after paying a considerable price, he barely managed to pass through the crisis.
"Once my father-in-law's pull succeeds and he takes up a post in the capital, I can pull myself out of this whirlpool."
Duanmu Ren felt refreshed and lightened. "If I can't afford to provoke him, can't I at least hide?!"
"Leader,"
Secretary Bai trotted over with a slightly strange expression and whispered, "Daoist Li has arrived."
"Mm."
Duanmu Ren stepped out of the car, glanced at the glaring sunlight, and casually asked, "What's wrong? Why the flustered look?"
"...Daoist Li brought someone along with him."
Secretary Bai seemed somewhat dazed, speaking in a complex tone, "...It's a woman."
Duanmu Ren found it baffling and shook his head in reprimand. "What about a woman? Haven't you ever seen a woman before?"
Secretary Bai hesitated, wanting to speak up in defense, but ultimately gave up.
Duanmu Ren picked up his pace, already planning in his mind to start laying the groundwork for his transfer today to avoid angering that Daoist. As he turned a corner, he saw the familiar black Daoist robe standing by the water with his back turned to him.
Beside him stood a woman in white.
The woman in white seemed to notice his gaze and turned around to look over.
"This is..."
Duanmu Ren was no stranger to beauty, yet in an instant, he was struck stock-still on the spot. In that moment, he understood Secretary Bai's odd behavior, with only one thought in his mind: Even a fairy descending to the mortal world couldn't be more than this.
...
"Sect Master..."
Hua Chunning pulled back her gaze and said softly, "They are here."
"Mm."
Li Chengxuan nodded and looked back.
Even with Duanmu Ren's deep shrewdness, shock still lingered on his face as he carefully sized up Hua Chunning out of the corner of his eye.
Ever since learning that Li Chengxuan hailed from Lijiawa, Duanmu Ren had scoffed at the so-called cultivation of immortality, treating him merely as a con artist who possessed some crooked, sinister means.
However, seeing Hua Chunning today felt entirely different.
Dressed in an ancient long dress, she possessed breathtaking beauty and an ethereal, otherworldly aura that truly carried a visible touch of immortal spirit.
A beauty like this belonged only in xianxia television dramas.
Appearing at the construction site right before his eyes was wildly out of place, as if she belonged to an entirely different layer than her surroundings.
"Daoist Li..."
Duanmu Ren suppressed the shock and confusion in his heart, carefully asking, "May I ask who this lady is..."
Hua Chunning took a step forward, her voice clear and cool: "My name is Hua Chunning, a registered disciple of Mount Taixuan. By order of the Sect Master, I am here to oversee this grotto-heaven."
Pearls large and small falling onto a jade plate...
The line of poetry unexpectedly surfaced in Duanmu Ren's mind. He nodded repeatedly and said, "So it is Fairy... Hua. I am Duanmu Ren, magistrate of Shiling County."
Nothing more than a native inhabitant of the grotto-heaven.
Hua Chunning nodded slightly without saying much.
Li Chengxuan spoke up, "From now on, you will manage general affairs and primarily supervise the construction of Mount Taixuan's lower academy. There is no need to make it elaborate; having a place to stay is enough."
Hua Chunning bowed and gave her assent: "Chunning obeys."
Duanmu Ren had complex feelings.
If this were truly a scam, all the elaborate buildup beforehand would be entirely unnecessary.
Just looking at this registered disciple's looks and temperament, even if he knew for a fact it was a scam or a honey trap, he would be willing!
"Could it really be an immortal descended to the world?!"
Duanmu Ren found himself unable to tell for a moment. Relying on his bureaucratic instincts to navigate the interaction, he took his leave and returned to his car, immediately making a phone call: "Dad, don't rush the transfer to the capital yet. I still have some unfinished business to take care of."
By the edge of the pond.
Li Chengxuan asked, "What do you think of this realm?"
"In reply to the Sect Master,"
Hua Chunning pondered for a moment before answering, "This realm is vast in territory and abundant with mortals. Unfortunately, there is no spiritual qi, making cultivation impossible."
"Indeed,"
Li Chengxuan nodded and said, "This realm has hundreds of millions of inhabitants and a high status. Although it lacks spiritual qi, it can still condense aura."
"For instance, that man named Duanmu just now is someone with a dense aura."
Hua Chunning considered herself clever and highly talented, but her lack of aura alone had barred her from the immortal path. Hearing this, she was instantly overjoyed: "This grotto-heaven actually possesses such a wonderful use?! This disciple thanks the Sect Master for his compassion!"
Li Chengxuan chuckled softly. "The path has been shown to you. As for how to condense your aura and supplement your fate, you will have to find a way yourself."
With those words, his figure swayed and gradually faded away. "If you encounter any difficulties, you may call out to me in your heart."
"Take good care of yourself."
...
Hua Chunning became a beautiful sight at the construction site.
Even knowing they would be scolded or even docked pay by the foreman, many workers would go out of their way just to steal a glance, then return satisfied to brag to others.
Although it was just a small county town, cosplay was by no means an unfamiliar term.
However, seeing someone in ancient costume supervising a construction site was still quite a novelty.
Hu Shihao had heard about it as well.
At first, he didn't believe it, but when he came over to take a look in person, he was struck dumb. He didn't harbor any lustful thoughts; instead, he hurriedly left.
A stunning beauty like this was definitely not someone an ordinary person could covet.
Looking at her one extra time might even offend some prominent figure.
Upon hearing the news, the husband and wife Li Jiabao and Liu Lidan also paid a special visit.
Li Jiabao was calm enough.
Liu Lidan's eyes lit up, her mind racing: Isn't this the perfect opportunity to take the wife-diplomacy route?!
If she got close to this Miss Hua, she wouldn't have to constantly watch Li Jiabao's expression for everything in the future; she could handle many things directly herself!
Back in her early years at Spring Return Valley, Hua Chunning had been a holy-maiden-like figure. The courteous treatment she received among mortals was not much different from what she experienced now, so she felt no discomfort.
It was only upon hearing that the two before her were actually the Sect Master's mortal blood relatives that she barely forced herself to perk up.
Immortal and mortal belonged to different realms.
Moreover, the Sect Master was single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, so he might not necessarily care deeply about his mortal blood relatives in this grotto-heaven.
However, as a registered disciple of Mount Taixuan, she certainly had no right to look down on the Sect Master's family.
"Miss Hua, staying long-term at the construction site really isn't easy."
Eager to curry favor, Liu Lidan saw that Hua Chunning was gentle and approachable, so she emboldened herself to say, "Why don't we take you to the county town to buy some daily necessities and spare clothes?"
Was she to go travel through the mortal realm?!
Hua Chunning had long noticed the construction machinery not far away, regarding them merely as puppets of this realm. Yet she did not understand how they were driven without spiritual qi. Right now offered a good opportunity to inquire, so after a moment of hesitation, she nodded and said, "Then I shall trouble you two."
...
Mount Taixuan.
Li Chengxuan still had not given up on Duanmu Ren, remaining immersed in reading ancient texts regarding the [High Shaman] Dao lineage.
[Inherit Extinct Teachings] was an Immortal Foundation oriented toward edification.
To align with its conceptual intent, he also needed to thoroughly master the Dao theories of the [High Shaman].
"Huh?!"
Li Chengxuan's heart stirred. He set down the jade slip in his hand and looked toward the east. "Liu Zhijian is back."
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