Chapter 98

Chapter 98

After hanging up the phone, he saw the little gray snake crawl over, looking up at Wu Heng joyfully saying, "Godfather, can I go to the high-speed rail station with Brother Bai to pick up Dad and the others this afternoon?"

Xi Xi was originally very conflicted; going to Beijing to spend the Spring Festival with He Yunxiao would mean neglecting her godfather. But now it's great, Dad and the whole family is coming to Nanluo Village for the New Year, so they don't have to be apart.

The little white snake also chimed in, "I'll go too. Zhou Yi is on vacation, and we can transform into snakes and ride his electric scooter. It won't be overloaded."

It wanted to make a good impression in front of Uncle He.

Wu Heng picked up the little white snake, staring at the two fully formed horns on its head, and said, "Xi Xi can go, but you have other things to do."

"You will start from the well in the east of our Nanluo Village, pass through wells in other provinces and regions, directly take over and control the yin energy overflowing from the wells that have no owners, and try to stop the fierce ghosts attempting to come up through the groundwater."

The ghosts and demons of the underworld should enter the mortal world through the proper procedures from the ghost gate, but there are always some who try to sneak in.

The identity of the Dragon King of the Well was bestowed by the heavens, naturally blessed by the heavens. Maintaining the operation of the wells is a matter of course. As long as it is strong and righteous enough, the fierce ghosts will be afraid.

The little white snake looked up at Wu Heng, confused, "Huh? Me?"

The little white snake's first reaction was to refuse. The New Year is coming soon, why take risks? Why does it need to claim so many territories? Having two territories outside Nanluo Village and Jiaming No.1 Middle School is quite good. As a spirit snake, it should be content.

Wu Heng held the little white snake up to eye level and said, "In a world full of evil spirits, no living being can remain untouched. Among all the enlightened spirit snakes in existence, why did the heavens give you the identity of the Dragon King of the Well?"

Xi Xi thought for a moment and said, "It's a responsibility."

The little white snake looked conflicted. It understood the principle; as the Dragon King of the Well, it should be responsible for the wells, but...

Its thoughts were interrupted by Wu Heng: "Do you want to impress your Uncle He?"

The little white snake immediately shouted without thinking, "Yes!"

The little white snake felt scared and couldn't help but take a step back, saying, "Can Xi Xi or you come with me?"

Just like the last time it took over the well outside Jiaming No.1 Middle School, with Xi Xi accompanying it, it wasn't so scary.

Wu Heng shook his head decisively: "No, the heavens have their own tests for each spirit creature. This is your test."

The little white snake is good in every way, except for its lack of courage.

It is extremely difficult for a spirit creature to attain enlightenment. The more it fears something, the more crucial it is for its transcendence. Only by overcoming this step can it see the true world.

Some spirit creatures never overcome that hurdle in their lifetime. The situation could be a crisis or an opportunity, depending on how they grasp it.

The little white snake tilted its head, thinking. There is more than one Dragon King of the Well in the nation. As long as it develops, it will be fine.

That yin emissary Zero One Four once said something wise: if you can't lead a team, you'll have to do all the work yourself.

The little white snake suddenly climbed up Wu Heng's arm to his head and bit off a few strands of his hair.

Wu Heng was speechless and tried to pull the little white snake away: "Stop plucking; you'll make me bald! I usually teach you spells."

The little white snake wrapped around Wu Heng's neck and wouldn't let go, "Spells are one thing, but I could use some hair. Give me a few more strands to protect myself later."

"Hahahaha, it's better that I have more fur," Su Dayi laughed, rolling on the ground.

The little white snake, seeing Su Dayi laughing, hurriedly said, "Why are you so happy? You won't get to enjoy good food during the New Year!"

Su Dayi immediately stopped laughing and looked at Wu Heng somewhat gloomily. They say shamans are so powerful, and the weight-loss medicine he prescribed did have some effect, but it still didn't make her as thin as a lightning bolt; she remained plump.

She’s a clever and cunning little fox. Humans are such hypocrites; they find chubby pets adorable, but it’s a different story when it comes to human forms. So she never shapeshifts, worried it’d tarnish the fox spirit’s image in people’s eyes.

But… she really wants to indulge in banquets! Why won’t the heavens let her slim down faster?

Xi Xi, though, is pretty chill, her sweet, childlike voice bubbled with laughter as she said, “Then I’ll go pick up Dad alone.”

Wu Heng went upstairs and changed into a clean and tidy outfit. His black outer robe was embroidered with various animals, and the cuffs and hems were adorned with cloud patterns. As he came downstairs, he saw Wu Su parking his e-bike at the entrance, the bike loaded with fireworks and firecrackers.

“You have no idea how much money you can make selling these during the Spring Festival. The lines of people are practically snaking around, tsk tsk,” Wu Su said as he unloaded the items from the bike. He paused for a second when he noticed Wu Heng in his new clothes. “Xiao Heng, what do you want to eat for Lunar New Year’s Eve? I’ll cook it myself.”

Wu Heng rattled off a dozen dishes without missing a beat, and Wu Su’s face was full of smiles. “Good, good, we’ll make them. Just remember to come back on time with Shi Xuan to eat.”

Wu Heng watched his father’s retreating figure for a moment, then his eyes lingered on Chengde Medical Hall before he turned on his heel and headed towards the east well of the village.

-

The Xuanmen Sect is located on a mountain. It is said that Xuanmen was once a small sect, but after the founder expanded and developed it, they claimed the entire mountain. The second you set foot on the mountain, you are on the Xuanmen Sect’s territory.

At this moment, Chen Zhao, dressed in rags, knelt on a cushion in the main hall, almost pleading as he looked at the golden statue in front of him. He repeated in his mind hundreds of times, begging the founder to allow him to “leave his post.”

Chen Zhao took the fortune-telling stick tube handed to him by a senior disciple, held it with both hands, closed his eyes, and shook it three times to the left and three times to the right. Finally, a stick flew out of the tube.

Chen Zhao cautiously opened his eyes, and when he saw the stick on the ground, he was about to burst into tears.

The worst possible outcome.

Chen Zhao wasn’t having it and continued shaking the tube, but several times in a row, he drew the worst sticks, all indicating disapproval.

Chen Zhao couldn’t help but look inside the tube and found that, apart from the worst sticks, there were also the best, moderately good, and moderately bad sticks. There was no trickery involved.

So… did the founder really disapprove?

It seemed that what his master said about being rejected nine times in a row might not have been a lie.

Chen Zhao looked at his master like his world had ended. The old man rolled his eyes at him, having already told the kid but he didn’t believe it.

Chen Zhao nearly broke down crying right there in the main hall. Founder, oh founder, why? Not only won’t you let me leave, but you also take all our hard-earned money and turn it into offerings for the underworld.

A senior disciple beside him comforted, “Chen Zhao, life goes on, even if you’re just scraping by. You’re not the only one.”

Among them, there were those who applied to leave the Xuanmen Sect, and seeking the founder’s will was the same, though not as exaggerated as shaking the tube nine times.

The current sect leader of the Xuanmen Sect walked out, looking at Chen Zhao, who was kneeling in front of the founder, and scolded him in frustration, “Don’t be so ungrateful. Nowadays, even a Daoist Physician from the Xuanmen Sect is highly regarded outside. You, a disciple chasing short-term gains and not striving for progress, are a disgrace!”

“That Wu Heng is just a small intern Daoist Physician. You, born into a prestigious sect, want to go elsewhere? Have you forgotten the principles I taught you?”

Chen Zhao was indignant inside. Was Wu Heng just a small intern Daoist Physician? At least he didn’t care about getting a certificate.

What’s the use of principles? They can’t be eaten or drunk. What’s wrong with valuing benefits? Otherwise, why are civil servants so popular?

These words were only spoken in his heart. When facing the sect leader, Chen Zhao remained respectful and said, “Sect leader, you misunderstand me. I just couldn’t compete for the national Nuo ritual quota, so I wanted to try my luck outside.”

The sect leader’s expression grew even uglier. Did he not know? Chen Zhao was being snarky.

He was mocking the Xuanmen Sect, which seemed to be flourishing now, but when it came to the large national Nuo ritual, the quotas given to the Xuanmen Sect were pitifully few, even less than those given to folk Daoist Physicians outside.

“Disgraceful disciple, how could the Xuanmen Sect produce such a traitor!” the sect leader roared. “Where is his master? Which department is he from?”

The old man immediately stepped forward, cupping his hands and saying, “Chen Zhao is from the Daoist Physician department. Sect leader, please don’t be angry. I’ll discipline this kid.”

For now, it’s best to lay low and just eat some pickles during the New Year to get by.

The old man chased Chen Zhao with a willow branch, but despite Chen Zhao's loud cries, the branch never actually landed on him, showing their perfect teamwork.

The old man may not be the best, but he was quite protective of his disciple within the Xuanmen.

The sect leader was furious. This master-disciple pair was so crafty that they might as well become celebrities in the entertainment industry, given how dramatic they both were.

Just as the sect leader was about to dismiss the gathering and tell the pair to go back and reflect, a young man in black robes came out from within the Xuanmen.

Everyone stared in astonishment at Wu Heng. Wait... how did he come from inside the Xuanmen?

"Isn't that Dr. Wu Heng from Chengde Medical Hall?" one of the Xuanmen's Daoist Physicians suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Wu Heng patted off the yin energy clinging to him and said, "I've dug so many wells, but the one on your mountain has such heavy yin energy that even the underworld could move here to set up shop."

When Chen Zhao saw Wu Heng, it was like seeing his own father. He rushed over, crying and shouting, "Dr. Wu, you really came to pick me up?"

The old man didn't say a word but quietly moved a few steps closer, remembering the 'buy one, get one free' offer.

Wu Heng ignored Chen Zhao and instead looked up at the imposing golden statue before him, chuckling a few times.

The Xuanmen members were well aware of Wu Heng's recent rise to prominence. His grandfather had worked with a research team to quickly develop a vaccine, and Chengde Medical Hall was now at the height of its fame.

The sect leader spoke with some courtesy, "Dr. Wu, as an outsider, you may not understand the rules of our Xuanmen. If a disciple wishes to leave, they must seek approval, and besides us, they must also consult the Ancestor. Please don't interfere with our sect's rules."

The sect leader couldn't help but scrutinize Chen Zhao, starting to doubt himself. Could he have misjudged this disciple?

Chen Zhao had been in the Xuanmen for over twenty years, and he had never shown any signs of being an exceptional talent in this field! The guy was just average, not particularly outstanding.

Did Wu Heng really travel all the way from the Southern Nuo Village just to take Chen Zhao away from the sect?

It didn't make sense.

Wu Heng looked at the aura emanating from the golden statue and sincerely advised the Xuanmen, "Sect Leader, rules are fixed, but people can change."

"Why not just kick him out of the sect?"

The Xuanmen members: "?"

What?

Kick him out of the sect?!

Not to mention that those who become Masters place great importance on their reputation, there's also a crucial point—

Modern teacher-student relationships are very different from ancient master-disciple bonds, which were like parent-child relationships. Thus, when a Master reads someone's face, they can see the master-disciple relationship in the parental palace, which is extremely important for those who have formally taken a master. It even matters in the underworld's reincarnation review.

A ghost who would choose money over the sect that raised him for over twenty years would certainly face scrutiny.

And being expelled from the sect—what kind of shame is that?!

Admittedly, expulsion doesn't require formal procedures; one could simply be kicked out. But this is for those who commit unforgivable crimes that even the heavens can't stand, right?

When Xuanmen disciples make mistakes, the sect handles it internally. In the sect's thousand-year history, only a handful of disciples have ever been expelled.

And now, in the age of the internet, many records are digitized, and the internet never forgets. A Master who's been kicked out of their sect would surely face gossip and slander.

Chen Zhao was also dumbfounded. Was this Dr. Wu's plan? To have the Xuanmen expel him?

This was...

Chen Zhao was deeply torn.

Couldn’t he just leave Xuanmen gracefully?

The old man leaned in and whispered, "How about changing your name after leaving? Call yourself Chen Zhao, the Zhao for attracting wealth."

Chen Zhao was speechless.

Clearly, his master was even more eager to escape than he was!

The Xuanmen leader sneered, "You think it's that simple? Those expelled from the sect will have their documents stamped."

Like a brand on meat, it will stick with you forever; changing your name and surname won’t help.

Dr. Wu Heng is still too young; his suggestion was downright terrible.

Wu Heng said again, "Maybe I wasn’t clear earlier, leading the leader to misunderstand."

Wu Heng raised his hand and pointed at the huge golden statue sitting quietly in the center of the main hall, smiling, "Just kick him out of the sect, problem solved."

Cutting straight to the root of the issue—brilliant.

The room fell into stunned silence, all the Xuanmen disciples stared at Wu Heng as if they had seen a madman.

What on earth is he saying?!

Expel their Xuanmen ancestor—the one who turned a small sect into the largest metaphysical sect of its time—from the sect?

Instantly, the entire Xuanmen erupted in fury, the leader was especially enraged: "Quick! Restrain this man who dares insult our sect."

Wu Heng noticed that some disciples had already taken out various cinnabar talismans and magical tools from their pockets.

The old man hurriedly stepped forward to stop them: "Everyone, calm down, Dr. Wu is young and just joking around. I’ll take him down the mountain first."

Chen Zhao didn’t even dare think about leaving Xuanmen anymore; he only hoped that Wu Heng could leave safely.

Chen Zhao took a few steps back, grabbed Wu Heng’s sleeve, and whispered, "Dr. Wu, on the count of three, run with me. I know a small path in the sect that can get you to the well quickly."

Wu Heng glanced at his new clothes, now wrinkled from Chen Zhao’s grip. He gently broke free and stood there, with no intention of running away with Chen Zhao.

In those brief moments of hesitation, his fellow disciples surrounded Wu Heng completely. Chen Zhao was so anxious that his forehead was covered in sweat.

"Absurd! Completely outrageous. A mere external intern Daoist Physician dares to speak so boldly." The Xuanmen leader pointed at Wu Heng, his hand trembling with anger.

Regardless of Wu Heng’s current standing, he only has an intern Daoist Physician certificate issued by Xuanmen! Even if he is a folk Master Daoist Physician, he must come to Xuanmen to take the relevant exams to make a living outside. These days, external certifications are just stepping stones.

Besides, as an outsider, how can he meddle in their sect’s affairs?

Wu Heng smiled and said, "There are countless Daoist sects, and your Xuanmen originates from the Wu Gui Dao. As it happens, I’m from the Wu Dao."

The leader was about to say that Wu Heng was absurd. Even if his words made sense, their Xuanmen ancestor had ascended a thousand years ago; he should be his senior. How could he say such arrogant words?

Just as the words reached his lips, Wu Heng lightly raised his left hand, and sunlight fell from the sky into his palm.

Wu Heng waved his left hand from right to left in the air. Under the sunlight, a shimmering gilded manuscript appeared; the ancient seal script could communicate with the gods. The brief text radiated an overwhelming sense of righteousness, overwhelming the entire Xuanmen from the manuscript in the air, leaving no room for doubt.

The Xuanmen records once mentioned that an ancient shaman with full merit would receive a shaman document personally issued by the heavens. And in all of Xuanmen, no one has ever received a certificate directly from the heavens.

Everyone in the Mystic Gate was dumbfounded, so it seemed... they had witnessed the real deal. How was this any different from a living fossil?

Wu Heng, a shaman from the ancient era.

This seemed to explain why, despite his young age, he had the means to easily cure difficult and evil diseases. Why would he need the Daoist Physician certificate issued by the Mystic Gate? He was already the only senior in the world of metaphysics.

Wu Heng lightly waved his sleeve to retract the shaman's manuscript and asked with a smile, "Now, who is the senior? Am I in charge or not?"

The crowd woke up as if from a dream, and the talismans and ritual instruments in the hands of the Taoist priests fell to the ground, clattering with crisp sounds.

The entire Mystic Gate collectively knelt down in unison, shouting, "All of the Mystic Gate respectfully welcomes the arrival of the Patriarch."