As the two were conversing, there suddenly came a report from outside the tent that a Taoist sought an audience with Wang Tao.
Wang Tao couldn't help frowning. Since the founding of Great Chu, although Taoist sects had been revered, a position for a State Preceptor had never been established. Over time, the Taoist sects had gradually retreated into obscurity. Now, although there were Taoists traveling in all directions, none possessed real skills; most were swindlers and deceivers.
"What Taoist would that be, do not let him in!" Wang Tao said, without any hint of politeness.
"But..." The kneeling person hesitated, stopping mid-sentence.
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"Reporting to my lord, the visitor claims to be a relative of the lord, so I dared not make a decision on my own." Actually, the Taoist had an extraordinary bearing, giving the impression he was no ordinary person just by standing there.
"A relative?" Wang Tao murmured to himself, his parents having died when he was very young, and almost all of his relatives had perished or been injured; how could there be a Taoist relative? He thought about refusing the visitor outright.
However, Mr. Wu spoke up and advised, "Since the visitor dares to make such a claim, my lord might as well invite him in to discern the truth, lest others accuse you of being cold-hearted and ungrateful."
Wang Tao immediately grasped the meaning. He had been labeled cold-hearted and ungrateful due to the conflict with the Liu Family. If he were to turn this relative-seeking Taoist away, who knows what people might say.
Thinking this, he then said, "If that's the case, let us meet this person who dares claim kinship with me."
The trusted aide obeyed and withdrew, and after a short while, he returned leading a Taoist into the room. The Taoist wore a Taoist robe, a feathered crown atop his head, and held a horsetail whisk in his hand. He was tall with somewhat gaunt cheeks and certainly looked the part of an Immortal with an air of someone from the Taoist sect.
Upon meeting him, Wang Tao put away his impatience, and with a very cordial demeanor, he said, "May I ask the Taoist priest for your esteemed name and surname? If we are related, please enlighten me. Most of my relatives have passed away, so I have not met many of them."
The Taoist observed Wang Tao for a while before slowly beginning, "I am known as Taoist Zi Yang of Qingfeng Mountain. Three hundred years ago, my mundane name was Wang Hu. Have you heard of me?"
Wang Tao was shocked upon hearing this. He had certainly heard of the name Wang Hu. It was said to be his great-grand uncle, a once-in-a-century genius of the Wang family. At a young age, he had topped the imperial examinations, and the family's property was originally bought by this great-grand uncle. However, for some reason, his whereabouts had become unknown—many said he fell victim to bandits on his way to his post.
"I have indeed heard of the name Wang Hu. He is my ancestor. You, a seeming Taoist of no more than sixty years, how dare you mock me by impersonating my ancestor?" Wang Tao expressed his displeasure.
Taoist Zi Yang just laughed, "When I topped the imperial examinations, I was assigned an official post. On my journey, I saved a beggar who was on the verge of dying of hunger. This led me to a fateful encounter, through which I gained insight into the Great Dao. I have spent these years reclusively practicing on Qingfeng Mountain, unconcerned with worldly matters. Recently on a whim, finding my practice hindered, I calculated that there was unfinished mundane karma, so I have come to see you."
Wang Tao became furious at those words. This Taoist was audaciously disrespectful. He had treated him kindly, but the man persisted in claiming to be his ancestor.
A malicious thought arose, and he was about to summon his guards to seize the man—when Mr. Wu gently held him back, smiling as he spoke, "If the Taoist priest has lived more than three hundred years, he must certainly be among the Immortals. We hope you won't be stingy with your teachings and allow us commoners to broaden our horizons."
The Taoist responded with a smile, "That shouldn't be difficult. What kind of Divine Skills would you like to see?"
"I have heard that Immortals can resurrect the dead and make flowers bloom in an instant. Resurrection is needless to say extraordinary, but could we have the fortune to see an instant blooming? That alone would satisfy us completely," one said.
Facing this request, the Taoist said, "That shouldn't be difficult."
No sooner had he spoken than he walked over to a wooden bench, calved a piece of wood from it with a simple breaking motion. He began chanting a spell, and the piece of wood in his hand started to emit a green hue. Soon, green shoots sprouted from it, and in no time, white pear blossoms opened upon the branches—the bench itself was made of pear wood.
"The flowers bloom in an instant!" Upon witnessing such a shocking scene, Wang Tao had already lost his poise and muttered to himself.
The Taoist Priest gently placed the pear blossoms into an empty vase nearby, only feeling an air of freshness and elegance, which instantly brightened the atmosphere in the room, leaving Wang Tao and his companion quite astonished.
"I am ignorant and blind. I hope the ancestor will forgive me," Wang Tao immediately stepped forward to give a formal bow and said, realizing the capabilities of the person before him, Wang Tao knew that even if this person was not a member of his ancestors, admiring him was not a humiliation. Such an Immortal must be recruited to his own camp.
"Rise, I have cultivated for many years, and I do not involve myself in the mundane world. It is only natural that you do not recognize me. Why would I fault you for this?" the Taoist Priest gently helped Wang Tao to his feet and spoke in an even tone.
"I will have my people prepare a grand feast at once, to celebrate the return of our ancestor," said an exhilarated Wang Tao, as he stood up.
"There's no need for that, I am but an outsider. I came down from the mountains precisely to resolve worldly ties. Do not make a fuss. Just prepare a quiet chamber for me, suitable for my cultivation," the Taoist Priest said.
Upon hearing this, Wang Tao immediately gave orders for a suitable room to be prepared.
"Come to my side!" the Taoist Priest beckoned Wang Tao over. With a light flick of the horsetail whisk in his hand, a gentle force touched Wang Tao, and a black smoke flew out from his body, seemingly accompanied by a bloodcurdling scream.
Neither Wang Tao nor Mr. Wu had witnessed such a spectacle before, which was nothing short of legendary. They hurriedly asked, "Ancestor, what is this?"
"This is a Shadow Souls Curse. I am fully aware of what you have done. You annihilated the Liu Family, and naturally, the spirits of the Liu Family in the Nether Springs hold a grudge against you. Even though separated by the realm of Yin and Yang where they cannot act directly, they can still inflict a Curse technique upon you by connecting through the Fortune and Destiny you share with the Liu Family," explained the Taoist Priest.
Wang Tao's face turned pale upon hearing this, and he was even more frightened; he had always considered such ghostly matters to be mere superstition, never expecting them to be real. If not for the intervention of his ancestor, he might have been doomed.
"Ancestor, is there any lingering threat from this curse?" Wang Tao asked anxiously.
"Fear not, you are protected by Fortune and Destiny; how could a regular curse harm you? Only a curse that relies on a connection through Fortune and Destiny could be effective, and its effects manifest very slowly. Perhaps only after a decade or more will the disaster reveal itself. By then, you may suffer a drastic change in temperament, become indecisive in your actions, or be plagued by a persistent illness that confines you to a sickbed. Nevertheless, since I have driven it out, there is no longer any concern," reassured the Taoist Priest.
Wang Tao finally felt at ease, secretly cursing those who would not let him live peacefully, even in their death.
"Since they have latched onto your Fortune and Destiny, the destruction of their family by your hand is a cycle of cause and effect. As they have attempted to harm you, it is only right that I seek justice on your behalf. Rest your mind at ease; in a few days, I shall take a trip to the Underworld."
Wang Tao was overjoyed upon hearing these words. His ancestor's strength seemed mightily terrifying, and he began to harbor ambitious dreams. With such an Immortal elder in his family, wouldn't he have the upper hand in the struggle for supremacy?
However, he was also a person of deep thought, and he naturally did not show such emotions on his face. After all, his ancestor had just arrived, and their emotional bond had not yet been established. It seemed improper to speak rashly at this time.
So, with many thanks, he sent Taoist Zi Yang to rest. After turning around, he saw Mr. Wu with a face full of smiles, giving a polite bow and saying, "Congratulations to my lord, hearty congratulations. With this Immortal ancestor, great things are achievable!"
"I never imagined that there would be such a distinguished figure remaining in our family. When our ancestor became the top scholar, he vanished without a trace. Everyone said he must have died on the road, but who could have expected that he had gone to cultivate to become an Immortal," lamented Wang Tao, full of emotions, as today's events completely overturned his understanding of the world.
The characters that existed only in legends had actually appeared before him, almost like a dream.
"I recall my father saying that the most terrifying thing about the Noble Families is their ability to influence both the realms of Yin and Yang, and that is why they can thrive continuously. We, with our shallow foundations, know very little of these matters concerning Ghost Deities. Now that we have our ancestor with us, we no longer have any worries. My lord, since you are concerned about your path ahead, why not ask him for advice? You might gain some insight," suggested Mr. Wu.
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