C2 Misty Clear Monastery

Upon waking, Wu Shanbao was greeted by the sight of small trinkets arrayed on his bedside table, which he examined with delight, one by one. The wooden puppet, in particular, caught his eye. Crafted from sandalwood, it still carried a hint of its delicate fragrance. The puppet was intricately detailed, with distinct facial features and a long sword in its grasp, exuding the aura of a noble warrior. The Yin Yang Robe it wore, embroidered with exquisite care, was clearly the handiwork of his mother. Even from a distance, it was more beautiful than the one Wu Shanbao wore for the New Year festivities.

Without a second thought for washing up, Wu Shanbao grabbed his beloved toys and dashed out to meet his playmates. As soon as his friends caught sight of Wu Shanbao's wooden puppet, their own toys paled in comparison, losing their luster.

"Big Brother Shanbao, your wooden puppet is so beautiful. Who made it for you? Could you give me one?" pleaded a little girl.

"It's a gift from my mom. If you really want one, I'll ask her to make you one too!" Wu Shanbao declared, thumping his chest confidently.

"That would be wonderful! Big Brother Shanbao, I'd love a female cultivator. I bet it would turn out gorgeous if your mom made it!"

"Deal!"

"I want one too!"

"I want one too!"

The children's excitement mirrored Wu Shanbao's expectations; his treasures made him the center of attention, shining like a star among his peers. He couldn't afford to lose this prestige or pass up the chance to impress. Yet, Wu Shanbao was aware that scarcity added to an item's allure. If everyone had a puppet, his would no longer be the coveted gem it was. Besides, he doubted his mother would agree to make so many.

"That's not possible. My mom would get overwhelmed. I'll do my best to ask her to make some for you all, okay? But I can't promise she'll be able to make that many..."

After Master Wu finished his morning prayers, his wife had breakfast ready.

"Shanbao is slacking off again. Why hasn't he gotten up yet?" Master Wu grumbled, preparing to send a maidservant to fetch Wu Shanbao.

"Let it be. Shanbao has probably run off to play with his friends."

"He's becoming more and more careless with each passing day..."

"Don't be too hard on Shanbao. He was just asking about his grandparents yesterday..."

"Oh? He didn't upset you, did he? Just wait until I handle this!" Wu Shanbao's father spoke with a hint of annoyance.

"No, please don't! That's not what I meant. Shanbao noticed other kids with toys from their grandparents, and it made him curious," Madam Wu explained with a sigh. "It took some effort, but I managed to distract him. After giving him a few toys, he ran off to play with his friends..."

"I understand. But Shanbao is already ten years old. I think it's time for him to join the Great Dao Mist Clear Monastery and begin his cultivation of the Great Dao..."

"That sounds like a good idea..."

After agreeing on their plan, Wu Duan took several precious items to the Mist Clear Monastery to discuss the possibility of Wu Shanbao becoming a disciple there.

Wu Duan was a devout Taoist practitioner with over twenty years of dedication, having reached the mid-stage of the Qi Refining Stage. He had achieved some recognition among the independent cultivators of Level One Heaven. In another decade or so, he was expected to break through to the Spirit Refining Stage. With a bit of luck, he might even reach the pinnacle of the Spirit Refining Stage in this lifetime. At that point, Wu Duan would truly distinguish himself. Those who reached the pinnacle of the Spirit Refining Stage not only prolonged their lives but were also revered figures in Level One Heaven.

In the limited expanse of Level One Heaven, those who had achieved the pinnacle of the Spirit Refining Stage were few and far between, usually limited to the Taoist priests and some elders of the Three Sects. Fewer than a hundred people had reached the mid-stage of the Spirit Refining Stage across the entire Level One Heaven. While there were many at the early stage of Spirit Refining, the majority would remain at the Qi Refining Stage for life.

Wu Duan intended for Wu Shanbao to apprentice under Taoist priest Ma Pinghai of the Mist Clear Monastery, who had reached the early stage of the Spirit Refining Realm and was slightly younger than Wu Duan. The Mist Clear Monastery was the preeminent institution within a ten-mile radius, and Wu Duan had given considerable thought to his decision for Wu Shanbao to train under Ma Pinghai. Additionally, he shared a personal connection with the Taoist priest Ma.

In Level One Heaven, cultivation is the primary focus, with the dominant forces being the Great Dao, Heavenly Dao, and True Dao. The Great Dao is the most powerful, boasting the largest following of disciples. While all three sects are dedicated to cultivation, their methods differ.

The Great Dao emphasizes doctrinal teachings, with a key focus on perceiving the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth, as well as discerning the good and evil in the world. The adage "Grasp the profound mysteries of the cosmos to achieve immortality" encapsulates their belief. Those who unravel the secrets of the universe can attain eternal life. The Great Dao controls extensive territories in the southern region of Level One Heaven, primarily because it has the highest number of cultivators at the Spirit Refining Stage.

The Heavenly Dao prioritizes pill refining and the practice of techniques. Its followers enhance their physical constitution with Pills and utilize talismanic spells to assist disciples in attaining the Dao.

The True Dao, on the other hand, focuses on body refinement. A strong, disease-free body is the key to everlasting life according to their philosophy.

Each sect has its unique strengths. The True Dao has the most novices and is the easiest to enter for body refinement. The Heavenly Dao has the most disciples at the Qi Refining Stage. However, the most advanced level of cultivation in Level One Heaven, the Spirit Refining Stage, is predominantly filled with Great Dao disciples. Consequently, the Taoist temple falls within the Great Dao's sphere of influence.

Every five years, a "Tongtian Dao Gathering" is held in Level Two Heaven. During this event, the Divine Palace opens, granting access to Level Two Heaven, Level Three Heaven, and even the Middle Heaven. However, to ascend beyond Level One Heaven, one must be at the Spirit Refining Stage and under the age of twenty.

Those over twenty are ineligible to advance to the higher Heavens, as each level above Level One Heaven offers more abundant cultivation resources, from Pills to Spiritual Energy. The talent found there is astonishingly formidable. Geniuses from Level One Heaven who ascend to higher realms often find themselves at the lower end of the spectrum.

The last "Path to Heaven Assembly" at Level One Heaven concluded just a year ago. Within the past five years, a mere six individuals ascended to the higher Heavens. Of these six, three were from the Great Dao, two from the Heavenly Dao, and only one from the True Dao.

As a result, numerous followers of the True Dao switched allegiances, and in a short span, the Great Dao gained a surge of disciples with exceptional talents. The other two sects had no choice but to bite their tongues in frustration. Yet, what concerned them more was the upcoming Great Dao Assembly. If trends continued, the Great Dao would likely see an even greater number of its disciples advancing to the higher Heavens.

With the Great Dao Sect's dominance, the criteria for selecting disciples became more stringent. Wu Duan, therefore, came bearing gold and silver to the Lan Qing Monastery, hoping to secure his son's entry into the Great Dao Sect.

Upon arriving at Lan Qing Monastery with his offering, Wu Duan observed numerous disciples diligently practicing Taoist Fist in front of the temple, under the watchful guidance of Ma Pinghai.

Taoist Fist is the foundational practice for disciples of the Great Dao, a crucial step before one can advance to Qi Refining. Without a solid base, it's all too easy to deviate and fall into the Devil Dao!

Seeing this, Wu Duan felt even more confident in his decision. The number of disciples had more than doubled since the previous year.

He approached and greeted Ma Pinghai with a respectful bow.

"You're truly dedicated, personally training these disciples!" Wu Duan remarked with a smile. "Indeed! These disciples are quite impressive," Ma Pinghai responded.

Upon hearing Wu Duan's laughter, Ma Pinghai turned, quickly returning the bow, "You flatter me, sir. It's thanks to your generous support that Misty Clear Monastery has flourished as it has!"

Pointing with pride at the practicing disciples, Ma Pinghai continued.

"It's your profound understanding of the Tao and effective teaching that deserve the credit!"

"Nonsense! Please, let's continue our conversation inside the monastery," Ma Pinghai said, graciously ushering Wu Duan into the temple.

The two settled into their seats in the hall, where a young attendant promptly served them fragrant tea. Wu Duan took a sip before broaching the main topic.

"I apologize for the intrusion, but I've come to seek a favor."

"Oh? Feel free to speak your mind."

"I wish for that good-for-nothing boy of mine to become your disciple. Please, take him under your wing and cultivate his potential!" Wu Duan implored, offering a sum of gold and silver.

"What is this, my friend?" Ma Pinghai asked, gauging the weight of the offering.

"Just a modest donation. I hope you'll accept it with kindness."

"If it's a charitable donation, I will gladly accept. But if this is meant as an apprenticeship fee for the young master, I must refuse."

"What do you mean by that?" Wu Duan's smile stiffened.

Taoist Ma gently slid the gold and silver back toward Wu Duan, explaining, "To be frank, although Misty Peak Monastery is modest in size, it has been favored by the True Dao Main Altar in recent years, leading us to raise our disciple selection standards. Hence, your son's acceptance will require a personal assessment."

While discussing this, Taoist Ma savored another sip of tea. "Hmm! Do you find the flavor of this Heaven Peak Maojian to be authentic?"

Caught off guard, Wu Duan hesitated, his mind preoccupied with his son's apprenticeship and having not fully appreciated the tea earlier. Prompted by Ma Pinghai, he now recognized the exceptional quality of the brew. Observing the tea, he noted its deep green hue and the fully expanded leaves settled at the bottom of the cup, radiating a tender and vibrant sheen. With another taste, he found the aroma refined and fresh, the flavor brisk and full-bodied, leaving a sweet and lingering aftertaste.

Looking up at Ma Pinghai, he found the Taoist watching him with an amused smile.

Wu Duan quickly understood the implication of Ma Pinghai's words—the true nature of the donation. Heaven Peak Maojian, a rare tea grown at the peak of the South Mountain, was scarce and harvested under perilous conditions.

Though Wu Duan was devoted to the Dao, he was still a businessman at heart. It dawned on him that with the rising power of the True Dao, the expectations of the Misty Peak Monastery had indeed grown.

"This tea is truly exceptional!" Wu Duan exclaimed with heartfelt appreciation.

"I must attend to some mundane matters now, but I'll bring my son to visit you another day! I do hope you'll go easy on us during the test!" Wu Duan managed a smile.

"Of course! Of course!" Ma Pinghai gestured towards the parcel on the table, "And what about this gold and silver?"

"Merits! All for merits! Haha!"

"Then I am grateful to you, layman!"

"Please, one moment before you go..."

After departing from the Misty Clear Monastery, Wu Duan felt a surge of anger within him. He had not expected Taoist Master Ma to be such a person. The significant sums he had donated as merit money in the past, and now to find the Taoist Master so callously indifferent...