"An internet celebrity?!"
Li Chengxuan's brows knitted even tighter as he took the mobile phone to look at it.
Sure enough, it was true.
Several videos of Hua Chunning were wildly popular, even racking up millions of likes.
Some videos showed Hua Chunning assigning tasks at the construction site.
They were likely secretly filmed by the construction workers.
A beauty in ancient garb contrasting with a noisy construction site made for a highly trending topic.
Looking at the comment section, most praised her looks, saying things like "a fairy descending to the mortal realm to earn a living at a construction site," with some even suspecting it was AI-generated.
However, other videos quickly corroborated it.
Some even revealed the location, pointing out that it was the subsidence area redevelopment project on the outskirts of Shiling County.
It could be said that Taixuan Villa had become viral before it was even completed.
Naturally, a small fraction suspected it was a publicity stunt.
The most viral video was of Hua Chunning making rounds in neighboring villages to treat the sick.
An ancient-garbed beauty practicing medicine in dilapidated countryside villages, possessing medical skills so profound that the conditions of many old coal miners were visibly alleviated on the spot.
This video generated even greater discussion and controversy.
Many influencer doctors joined in, questioning whether it was excessive hype or illegal practice of medicine.
Duanmu Ren hastily spoke up from the side, "Daoist, please rest assured. I've already instructed people to guide online opinion and will not allow anyone to defame or offend Fairy Hua."
"That isn't important."
Li Chengxuan shook his head and handed the phone back, saying, "Just one thing: do not leak her name."
Duanmu Ren was bewildered.
Wasn't becoming famous a good thing?!
Not only was it easy money, but it also provided free promotion for Taixuan Villa.
Li Chengxuan looked at Hua Chunning and said solemnly, "This is the turbidity of the mortal realm. It is most capable of washing away one's aura and defiling one's Dao practice."
"Fortunately, your true name hasn't spread; otherwise, your path to the Dao would be completely destroyed, beyond the salvation of even immortals."
Hua Chunning turned pale as she listened, feeling lingering fear. "Thank you for the guidance, Sect Master. This disciple was ignorant and nearly committed a grave error."
Li Chengxuan shook his head. After pondering for a moment and sensing the 【Two-World Bead】, he decided, "I had better take you back to Mount Taixuan to lie low for a while. Once the hype dies down, we will consider our next steps."
With that, he looked back at Duanmu Ren. "County Magistrate Duanmu, I must trouble you to delete those videos, especially any that reveal identity, location, or names."
Duanmu Ren was naturally unwilling to lose a publicity weapon and political achievement trump card like Hua Chunning, but he did not dare oppose directly. He reluctantly agreed, then pivoted his thoughts and said, "I recall Daoist still has a disciple surnamed Liu. Why not invite him back to oversee things?"
This Fairy Hua was of mysterious origin, cold and proud.
Despite several attempts to probe, he had been turned away by her cold demeanor each time.
That angler, Liu Zhijian, was of clear and traceable origin.
Through him, he could probe Li Chengxuan's background.
Li Chengxuan naturally understood Duanmu Ren's intentions and shook his head, saying, "He is at a critical stage in his cultivation and cannot be distracted."
Duanmu Ren's heart sank.
He says so, but who knows if he was taken to be refined into a pill and eaten, just like in those dark web novels!
This was precisely the reason why Duanmu Ren, despite knowing Li Chengxuan was mysterious and unfathomable, had never dared to agree to take him as master and cultivate.
He held high status and authority and was in his prime; there was truly no need to gamble his life for illusory immortal cultivation.
Duanmu Ren's thoughts spun rapidly, but after deliberating left and right, he could not come up with a good solution. He certainly couldn't forcefully detain the two, so he could only lower his posture and plead, "Daoist, your vision is bright. I will handle the matter online as soon as possible."
"It's just that the villa's construction truly cannot manage without Fairy Hua."
Li Chengxuan nodded.
He agreed to send Hua Chunning back after one month.
Watching Duanmu Ren's departing back, Hua Chunning spoke up, "This person is crafty and deceitful, fearing power rather than cherishing virtue. Does the Sect Master truly intend to accept him as a disciple?"
Li Chengxuan looked back at Hua Chunning, smiling without a word.
Hua Chunning was also exceptionally intelligent.
She would never have dared to utter such words in the past.
Now that she had become a registered disciple of Mount Taixuan and entered the grotto-heaven to manage general affairs, she could be considered quite trusted and relied upon, which was why she had grown much bolder.
Liu Zhijian had already become the eldest disciple, which could not be changed.
Yet Duanmu Ren was clearly a mere mortal who spent his days immersed in intrigue and could not see past worldly fame and fortune.
If he became the Sect Master's disciple, his status and position would be higher than Hua Chunning's.
Hua Chunning naturally felt a sense of crisis, which was why she had spoken out to tactfully probe.
The complexity and volatility of the human heart were truly marvels to behold.
If he still viewed Hua Chunning as the cautious and obedient General Affairs Hall deacon, he would be underestimating her.
Seeing the smile on Li Chengxuan's face, Hua Chunning's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly fell to her knees. "This disciple has spoken out of line. I beg the Sect Master to forgive my offense."
Li Chengxuan paid it no mind, reaching out to tap Hua Chunning's shoulder.
The figures of the two suddenly faded and vanished without a trace.
...
Mount Taixuan
Li Chengxuan sent Hua Chunning off to the General Affairs Hall while he went to the Scripture Library to flip through ancient texts.
Thorough understanding of worldly affairs is itself learning.
Tempering the heart in the mortal realm was naturally unavoidable.
However, since he was cultivating 【Inherit Extinct Teachings】, reading extensively through various ancient texts and thoroughly understanding the Dao theories of every school was the true path.
As Duanmu Ren had said, it was about knowing the laws governing the operation of the world.
Most of the texts in the Scripture Library had been collected by past generations of Mount Taixuan's predecessors.
Later, the numerous texts of severed Dao lineages sent over by Qixia Mountain enriched the collection considerably.
Previously, Li Chengxuan had merely browsed them without seeking a deep understanding.
He only hoped to have an impression of them when the need arose.
"Found it."
"It is this bamboo slip."
Li Chengxuan located the bamboo slip from his memory and studied it carefully.
That it was recorded on a bamboo slip naturally meant it had an ancient origin.
Regrettably, more than half of it was missing.
Most of what Qixia Mountain had sent over was like this.
He knew not whether they were originally incomplete or deliberately damaged by someone.
"Method of Determining Nature by Name..."
"Characters are the secrets of heaven and earth; names are the shadows of the Great Dao."
"Nameless is the origin of heaven and earth; named is the mother of ten thousand things."
"The Dao is inherently nameless; forced to name it, we call it Dao, and thus the Great Dao arises of itself."
"Man is inherently nameless; forced to name him, we call him man, and thus spirituality arises of itself."
...
Li Chengxuan examined it carefully and knitted his brows.
He knew not which Dao lineage this text belonged to; though it appeared simple and ancient, its subtle words contained profound meaning and possessed a unique charm.
This was a method of 【Determining Nature by Name】.
Simply put, it meant giving a person a fixed name, then having their thoughts, words, and deeds align with that name, which could expand spirituality and accumulate fate.
Li Chengxuan shook his head secretly as he read it.
This 【Name-Nature Method】 must date back to before the rise of the 【Purple Palace Golden Core】 Dao.
Otherwise, in an era where 【Fruit Status】 was manifest and prominent, if you dared to give your descendants a name like 'So-and-So Perfected Lord,' far from gaining spirituality, you would instead draw the gaze of a 【Fruit Status】 and have your entire clan wiped out.
However, now that the Old Method was in decline and 【Fruit Statuses】 were hidden from the world,
it seemed this method could be practiced.
The Hua family... could they be harboring precisely this kind of intention?!
In the blink of an eye, several days passed.
Hua Chunning requested an audience.
In the Ancestral Hall, Hua Chunning first bowed to the patriarchs, then to the Sect Master, before speaking, "Reporting to the Sect Master, this disciple has thoroughly inquired into the matter."
"The change in generation names for the direct line of the Hua family was ordered by Supreme Venerable Zhuohua."
"He was the last Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Hua family, possessing immense authority. To this day, the clan honors his final order and dares not alter it."
"This disciple is the eldest of this generation and was born on the day of the Beginning of Spring, which is why I was named Chunning."
Indeed.
It was the work of a Hua family Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Li Chengxuan nodded slightly, having reached a conclusion in his mind, and asked further, "Do you also have three younger siblings who happened to be born on the days of the Beginning of Summer, the Beginning of Autumn, and the Beginning of Winter?"
Hua Chunning's expression froze, her mind going blank for a moment before she slowly replied, "The Sect Master's divine calculation is accurate; it is indeed so."
Pausing, she lowered her head and added, "However, all three of them died young, leaving only this disciple alive."
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