Chapter 35

Chapter 35

In Wei Tianyi's eyes, there was an expression that seemed to say, "What happened to our promise of building socialism together?"

Tan Fu truly dared not meet his betrayed gaze.

However, compared to his friend's accusations, he felt that the current crisis was even more perplexing. Thus, he could only sneakily pull up his pants and find solace in the reassurance of his newly upgraded Taicang Sect Gold Card, which he pressed against his skin—eventually, after so many years of friendship, he would surely forgive him.

The three-meter-tall stone tablet landed outside the Wei family's gate, immediately capturing the attention of countless passersby and members within the compound. Everyone came out to see what was happening. Ignorant of the Wei family's recent developments, some neighbors were simply curious, while many members, seeing how much importance Wei Xi placed on the stone tablet, congratulated him on the upgrade of his company's facilities. Nowadays, the Taicang Sect's regular health enthusiasts were not just wealthy ladies who were friends with Shu Wanrong; many retired elders from the same neighborhood also started frequenting the place. Initially, they had only heard about it from their younger relatives and came to check it out for fun. However, they discovered that the air in the Wei family's courtyard was genuinely excellent. Since Beijing's air quality had worsened during winter, they now enjoyed coming here to relax.

Upon hearing their congratulations, Wei Xi was in a good mood and praised Tan Fu, "We must thank the faithful for their devotion."

Faithful...

The elderly and the ladies couldn't help but break into a sweat at this term. They had previously treated the place as a leisure and entertainment spot, without much reverence. Wei Xi's response was probably the first time they realized that the Taicang Sect's business operations might involve something rather mystical.

However, not everyone was surprised. After all, the Taicang Sect did have some believers. Next door, Zhaoliang, who had relied on socialism to escape a ghostly maze, found enlightenment in Wei Xi's words. The ghostly maze incident had frightened him greatly, and ever since then, he always carried "An Outline of the Basic Principles of Marxism" with him. Surprisingly, since then, he had felt more confident and had not encountered any strange occurrences. Now, circling around the stone tablet, he couldn't think of anything else to do. Reflecting, he realized that Wei Xi's place was similar to a Taoist temple or shrine: "Little Xi, do you still need incense burners? I can donate one if you like."

An incense burner!

Wei Tianyi felt dizzy and almost passed out.

The rest of the Wei family stood by, equally stunned, except for Wei Chengshu. He watched as the wooden plaque, which had been meticulously cleaned that morning, was removed from the entrance gate. For a moment, he was in a daze, wondering if this was his liberation.

*****

Wei Xi accompanied the donors who wished to contribute privately. Tianyi felt that this was truly a catalyst, sparking more interest. Grinning, he took a photo of the stone monument with his phone and logged onto Weibo, ready to post it.

Maintaining popularity through daily engagement on social media platforms was crucial for the company's publicity efforts.

Wei Xi's Weibo followers have surged since Little Fish, a fan, won a big prize, and the sect's promotional Weibo post has been forwarded over ten thousand times. At first, the naysayers in the comments section sneered at this boom, but it's unclear if it was a coincidence, as some of the fans who forwarded the post actually encountered some good fortune afterwards. As a result, the comment section of the "Blessing Curse" Weibo post, which was originally filled with arguments, has long been overshadowed. Now, it's filled with many expressions of gratitude and wishes at the top.

"Goodness, after retweeting, I actually won a voucher worth five hundred dollars during my shopping mall's golden egg event!"

"Although I didn't win the prize, my idol initiated a conversation with me!"

"Thank you, Master, for the extra coaching. I passed the second and third driving tests, wuwuwuwu..."

"Ahhhh, Master saw me! Bless me, Master, for a successful interview this afternoon!"

Amidst these devout comments, Wei Xi was utterly perplexed by their addressing – what on earth were they talking about? Did anyone still recall that this was originally the microblog of a minor celebrity on the fringes of the entertainment industry?

Perhaps due to the mention of long-term apprenticeship in that tweet, apart from those addressing him as Master in the comments and retweets, Wei Xi actually received personal introductions via direct messages. However, the few requests for apprenticeship seemed somewhat lighthearted. Apart from that, his inbox was filled with a myriad of messages. There were those sending photos for face reading and relationship advice, inquiries about whether they should divorce their husbands, adoring fans expressing affection, and even trolls accusing Wei Xi of deceit and hiring bots for publicity. This was because some of them had also retweeted the blessing charm but experienced no positive outcomes.

United Right, upon seeing this, was reminded of the fear he felt when his junior apprentice brother mocked his inadequate skills. Frustrated and embarrassed, he defended himself indignantly, "It's because you weren't sincere enough in your mind when you forwarded it!"

Disregarding the speechless black fan who had been rebutted, United Righteousness promptly uploaded a photo of the sect's stone tablet and tweeted the well-prepared lottery announcement. Considering the hundreds of Clear Mind Charms his junior brother had made him draw as punishment earlier that morning, he needed to dispose of these talismans quickly – it would be a waste to let them gather dust at home. He decided to use some of them as prizes for the retweet giveaway.

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When Wei Xi arrived with his disciples at Tan Fu's apartment building, they unexpectedly encountered Lu Wenqing. By Lu Wenqing's side were a young man and woman, both holding mystical artifacts.

Both parties paused upon seeing each other. The property manager, noticing Tan Fu's expression, hurriedly stepped in to explain, "Mr. Tan, after receiving your complaint, we immediately dispatched security to inspect the safety of the entire building. Although we didn't locate the floor you mentioned, the 38th floor, or the mentally unstable person who supposedly attacked you, we've decided to bring in professionals to investigate for the sake of the homeowners' peace of mind."

In reality, the situation was far more complicated than he let on. Initially, the property management believed that Tan Fu must have had some sort of mental issue. They had been working there for years and had never heard of a 38th floor in this building. Even if someone mistakenly went to the top floor, it was occupied by a couple in their sixties, not a young man.

Thus, at first, they dismissed Tan Fu's complaint. However, when they reviewed the surveillance footage as part of routine checks, they noticed something amiss. On the night in question, when Tan Fu took the elevator home, it indeed experienced an abnormal stop. Contrary to Tan Fu's claim of reaching the 38th floor, the elevator malfunctioned briefly before stopping between the 36th and 37th floors, and the doors still opened as usual.

The surveillance footage showed a dark elevator shaft, but Tan Fu seemed oblivious to the anomaly, as he stepped out as if nothing was wrong.

Despite his eventual halt, the act had still left the staff monitoring the cameras shaken, for he had almost stepped out.

It was over thirty floors high. Had he fallen, it wouldn't have just been his brains spilling out.

What followed was even more bizarre. After pausing, he began talking to someone outside the elevator as if conversing with an actual person. Before long, he sat on the floor, fear etched on his face, and was eventually delivered to the lobby by the now functioning elevator. It was as if he had truly been frightened by someone outside.

But how could there be anyone in the elevator shaft? Could they fly?

However, Tan Fu's actions were rational and composed, even attempting to seek help from the outside world. It didn't seem like a hallucination. Coupled with the inexplicable malfunction of the elevator, the property manager's headache intensified – could their neighborhood really be haunted? Whether or not it was true, internet users nowadays thrived on mysterious urban legends. If this incident got out, their community would never live it down, even if they jumped into the Yellow River.

Thus, after their meeting, they promptly visited a renowned Taoist temple in the capital, seeking assistance.

The manager intended to make introductions, but Lu Wenqing smiled and said, "No need, we all know each other."

He approached Wei Xi and greeted him, then introduced the couple beside him. "Wei Xi, this is Kuang Zhiming, and this is Xu Xiaofeng. They're the heads of Liandu Temple and old friends I met through my work. We've come together to assess the situation. Why are you here?"

Wei Xi replied, "Mr. Tan, who encountered the incident, recently became a member of our Taicang Sect. I'm here to resolve the issue with him."

The Taoist couple had initially nodded politely, but upon hearing that he too was there to perform rituals, their expressions turned curious. Meeting their skeptical gaze, Unity Yi understood. Look at this couple, dressed in their ritual attire with compasses and magical tools, appearing so professional. In contrast, he carried only a small backpack filled with snacks and tissues.

Kuang Zhiming appeared scholarly, holding a compass in hand, giving off the air of a true Taoist priest. After hearing Lu Wenqing's introduction, he hesitated for a moment before curiously asking, "Is Taicang Sect a newly established temple here? I don't recall any previous interactions."

The religious community within the country wasn't very large, and his Liandu Temple had gained some local recognition, participating in numerous Buddhist and Taoist gatherings. However, he had never heard of a temple named Taicang Sect. Wei Xi's appearance didn't quite resemble that of a monk.

Wei Xi's senior disciple quickly stepped forward to present his business card to the industry leader. "Apologies for the embarrassment. Our company is indeed new, with a rather diverse scope of operations. We hope for your future support and guidance."

Company...

Kuang Zhiming glanced at the various business ventures listed on the card and was momentarily at a loss for words. The tall man who offered the card then eagerly pulled out his phone. "Master Daoist, do you have an official blog? Could we follow each other? It would be great for mutual promotion in the future."

Official blog... Promotion...

The couple fell silent, seemingly overwhelmed by the question.

Tuan Jieyi, having received no response, sulkily returned to his master's side. He thought to himself that industry leaders were indeed arrogant, regardless of their field. His fledgling company would find it challenging to gain recognition.

Kuang Zhiming, after a brief moment of stunned silence, managed to regain his composure and muttered, "Since you're here, Mr. Tan, please show us the site."

Tuan Jieyi held a grudge against him for not following on social media. He whispered to his master, "Master, isn't he a cultivator of Taoism? Why doesn't he adhere to the monastic rules? Since joining the sect, I've given up on romantic relationships, yet he openly married a wife."

Kuang Zhiming heard this and was about to explain when he heard a strikingly handsome young man standing behind Wei Xi answer coldly, "Shut up. Different sects have different teachings. Who told you that cultivation forbids marriage?"

"Ai?" Unity Right looked at Wei Xi in confusion. "Then what about our sect? Can we get married?"

Wei Xi was taken aback by the question, realizing that he had yet to establish any specific rules for his sect. However, major sects seemed to have stricter requirements... Before he could respond, his second disciple spoke up, "Who has time to bother with you?"

Wei Xi turned to look at his second disciple, meeting his unwavering gaze. After a moment of hesitation, he relented. "Forget it, do as you please."

With these two precious disciples who were like treasures in his palm, it was best not to impose too many restrictions.

Lu Wenqing, overhearing their conversation, chimed in, "Their sect indeed allows marriage and having children, and it doesn't hinder cultivation. They've even made greater progress since they got married."

Upon hearing this, Unity Right chuckled lecherously. "Really? Could it be because... you know, that thing?"

Wei Xi was puzzled. "What thing?"

Unity Right blushed. "Oh, come on, Master, what else could it be? Dual cultivation, of course."

Wei Xi still didn't understand. "What's dual cultivation?"

Kuang Zhiming: "..."

Kuang Zhiming's ears turned red instantly, and he hurriedly pulled his wife along, quickening their pace. United Righteousness looked at his master in disbelief. "No way, Master. You really don't know? You're already in your twenties, have you never been in a ro—"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly stumbled, plummeting straight towards the ground, landing in an undignified face-first sprawl.

United Right struggled to his feet, two streams of blood trickling from his nose. As he wiped at the blood, he turned around in confusion, searching for whatever had caused him to stumble, but found nothing.

Not receiving an answer, Wei Xi looked up at his second disciple and asked, "What is dual cultivation?"

The second disciple fell silent for a moment, then reached out a hand to cover his face, firmly blocking his inquisitive gaze—

"It's something unpleasant."