Chapter 80: Good-for-Nothing

On the way, Chen Xiyi and Cheng Zhen conversed the whole time. During this, Cheng Zhen increasingly felt that Chen Xiyi was unusual.

He initially thought Chen Xiyi was just a green youth, but he did not expect Chen Xiyi to lack knowledge in many common matters. Yet, regarding the Book of Changes, Chen Xiyi had unique insights. It seemed as if Chen Xiyi had only read the Book of Changes.

The Book of Changes was indeed their fundamental text. It even included methods for Qi Refinement and Spirit Cultivation, as if everyone could become a Qi Refiner.

But this was similar to how the Supreme Pervasive Mysterious Numinous Treasure Infinite Salvation Supreme Wonderful Scripture was considered the foremost book in the Taoist canon, hailed as the chief of all scriptures, the ancestor of all methods, and the source of all dharma realms. It was even available for anyone to buy if they spent a little money, but could anyone truly master it?

The same logic applied to the Book of Changes. Everyone could read and practice it, and it even included the essential methods and formulas. Yet, only a handful of people could become Qi Refiners through it.

Before, perhaps some people still studied it. But after the foreigners’ cannons and firearms arrived, they also brought new ways of thinking. This led to these traditions gradually fading away.

No matter how skilled you were, could you withstand firearms or cannons?

Compounded by the turbulent situation, no one was willing to learn these things anymore.

Listening to Cheng Zhen’s complaints, Chen Xiyi gradually understood the plight of those beneath the Qi Refiners, such as Feng Shui Masters and corpse handlers.

It seemed the world was in decline, and people’s hearts were no longer as honest as in the past.

Of course, the situation was one thing, but the real reason there were so few in the Qi Refiner lineage was that the barrier was too high. Not everyone could become a Qi Refiner.

Without a Primordial Spirit, these lower-tier professions under the Qi Refiners, whether in spells, talismans, or Ritual Implements, had low effectiveness. They also could not achieve health cultivation or longevity, essentially making them no different from ordinary people.

Sometimes they were even worse off than ordinary people.

Regarding this, Chen Xiyi could only offer perfunctory responses in line with what the other said.

Chen Xiyi estimated that he was probably a rare fellow practitioner Cheng Zhen had encountered, otherwise Cheng Zhen would not have shared these things with him.

But he guessed that Cheng Zhen likely did not know he had already succeeded in Qi Refinement and Spirit Cultivation and had developed a Primordial Spirit. Otherwise, Cheng Zhen would probably have sought advice immediately.

Cheng Zhen’s manor was outside the town. Though called a manor, it actually housed only his household—just him and his apprentice. Because they took on various tasks, they gave it the lofty name of a manor.

From their conversation, Chen Xiyi learned that Cheng Zhen not only practiced Feng Shui but also helped with fortune-telling, physiognomy, weddings and funerals, healing the sick, and even dealt with hauntings and demonic disturbances.

The first few were relatively normal, while hauntings and demonic incidents were rare, hardly occurring once a year.

Because people possessed Human Qi, Yang Qi, and the like. One person might not have much, but gathered into villages or towns, these energies would prevent ghosts and monsters from approaching. If any dared to enter, they would be obliterated by these Qi Mechanisms, forcing them to remain in the mountains and forests.

So generally, those who encountered trouble were people like woodcutters or fishermen who left the villages.

But saying that, it wasn’t easy for ghosts and monsters to form either. They usually required unique geographical Feng Shui to emerge naturally, or were intentionally created by malicious individuals using Feng Shui. Otherwise, naturally occurring ghosts and monsters were scarce.

This was the first time Chen Xiyi had heard this, and he understood why the Fox Demon he encountered earlier did not dare to capture people in the villages—it didn’t dare to go, as it would surely die if it did.

The two walked for an hour before finally reaching Cheng Zhen’s manor. Cheng Zhen had gained much from the journey; whatever Chen Xiyi asked, Cheng Zhen answered.

To be honest, if Chen Xiyi hadn’t had a foundation, following Cheng Zhen’s teaching methods, an ordinary person might not have been able to learn.

“Lusheng, open the door, I’m back,” Cheng Zhen called out, slapping the manor’s gate. After shouting, he turned to Chen Xiyi and said, “My apprentice was picked up by the roadside back then, so I named him Lusheng. I took him in out of pity, and he shares my surname. Who knew he’d turn out so good-for-nothing? To this day, he still can’t recite a single chapter of the Book of Changes.”

“It must be fate. Without fate, how could you be master and apprentice for a lifetime?” Chen Xiyi could tell that although Cheng Zhen complained about his apprentice being good-for-nothing, in his heart, he treated him like a son.

The gate creaked open. The tall, lean Cheng Lusheng opened the door, his body covered in some mud, as if he had been working.

“Master, you’re back. How did it go today?” Cheng Lusheng asked excitedly. He knew that whenever his master succeeded in his tasks, their life would be better for the next ten days or half a month.

Cheng Zhen’s face hardened. “What kind of behavior is this, grinning like that? Go, take this to the kitchen and heat it up, then tidy up a clean room. Air out the bedding and pillows. Fellow Daoist Chen will be staying with us for some days.”

Though his tone and expression were stern, Cheng Zhen still handed the food container Chen Xiyi had packed to Cheng Lusheng.

Seeing Cheng Zhen’s manner, Cheng Lusheng obediently took the food container and said, “Yes, Master.”

But upon smelling the aroma from the container, his eyes lit up. The scent of the meat dishes wafted into his nostrils, and even though the food was cold, the container couldn’t mask it.

Holding the container, he hurried toward the kitchen, his steps almost skipping.

“Slow down! Be careful not to fall,” Cheng Zhen couldn’t help scolding, and only then did Cheng Lusheng slow down.

“Ah, this apprentice of mine is so good-for-nothing. He’s old enough to marry, yet he’s still so unreliable. What will become of him? Not like you, Fellow Daoist Chen, so young and already so capable.”

Cheng Zhen compared Chen Xiyi with his own apprentice—it was like comparing treasure to trash.

Chen Xiyi had the sense to see this was a case of frustrated affection, not a reason to boast. Instead, he said, “I’ve just taken a step earlier. Brother Lusheng’s cleverness is remarkable; he’s bound to achieve something sooner or later.”

He knew that with someone like Cheng Zhen, who combined frustrated hopes with doting, it was best not to touch his sore spot—which was Cheng Lusheng.

“Hmph, that brat only knows how to play around. His cleverness is wasted,” Cheng Zhen said, still somewhat pleased. Though his words were stubborn, hearing Chen Xiyi praise his apprentice made him secretly happy.

“Enough about that brat. Fellow Daoist, you mentioned earlier you wanted to see my book collection, right? Let me show you the way. Though only that brat and I live here, this manor has been passed down. It’s quite spacious, so you don’t get lost.”

Having received the compliment, Cheng Zhen felt good and proactively offered to take Chen Xiyi to his study.

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist,” Chen Xiyi naturally did not refuse and immediately expressed his gratitude.