C9 Breeze Fan Technique

"You must safeguard the fan and swiftly perform enough good deeds. That way, you'll be able to see me again sooner..."

After Fan Spirit's words faded, he vanished without a trace. No matter how fervently Wu Shanbao called out, the enigmatic shadow never reappeared.

"This master is truly unreliable, leaving just like that..." Wu Shanbao muttered skeptically as he closed the fan.

"Doing good deeds, my father spent his whole life doing them, only to meet such a tragic end. And he still expects me to follow suit... Does true virtue even exist in this world?" Wu Shanbao pondered, "Aiding the poor, supporting the weak—these were the good deeds my father did. But they require funds, and now, without even clothes to wear or enough food to fill my belly, how can I possibly do good deeds?"

While Wu Shanbao was lost in thought, the teachings of the Nine Heavens Fan Technique once again flooded his mind:

"Wield the fan across the Nine Heavens, uphold justice, punish the strong and rescue the weak, establish moral order, seek the original spirit of the fan, assist the Fan Spirit in returning to its rightful place, and ultimately ascend as the most virtuous Heavenly Venerate..."

"Is this calling me to act with valor and righteousness? I see now that good deeds aren't limited to giving money; punishing evil is also an act of goodness!" Wu Shanbao had an epiphany.

"With this in mind, I shall embark on my journey as a warrior!" Resolute, Wu Shanbao knelt and offered a deep bow in the direction of his family home, vowing, "Spirits of my parents in heaven, watch over me! I now set forth to join the Taoist path and grow stronger. Should I achieve success, I will surely clear your names of this undeserved disgrace!"

With these words, Wu Shanbao rose to his feet, tightened his belt, feeling his hunger diminish slightly. He then determined his direction and set off for the Lan Qing Monastery.

In the southern region of Level One Heaven, the area was predominantly inhabited by practitioners of the Great Dao. The Cloudsoaring Cave Heaven was situated centrally, home to the Taoist Xuantong Hall. Nearby stood the renowned Great Dao Spirit Refining Mountain, presided over by none other than Liang Cheng.

Liang Cheng's mastery had long been at the pinnacle of the Spirit Refining realm, and he might have even broken through to the Ten Thousand Techniques realm. As a leading force in Level One Heaven, he stood as the guardian of the Cloudsoaring Cave Heaven and oversaw the affairs of the Xuantong Hall. Furthermore, he was a key figure in the Great Dao, holding the authority to make final decisions for the sect. He also served as the alliance leader for all the Taoist branches within Level One Heaven, playing a crucial role in their affairs.

Beyond Spirit Refining Mountain, the Great Dao was also known for its Three Views, One Mountain, and One Pavilion. The Three Views were the Yiqing View, Yunqing View, and Lanqing View; the One Mountain was the Xiu Ling Mountain; and the One Pavilion was the Qiong Ling Pavilion, which exclusively accepted female disciples.

The Lanqing View was nearest to Wu Shanbao, who had grown up hearing tales of the Three Views, One Mountain, and One Pavilion, filling his young mind with reverence and longing. His top choice was to begin his path at the Lanqing View.

Firstly, the Lanqing View was considered a significant power within Level One Heaven. Secondly, Wu Shanbao lacked funds and connections, leaving him little confidence in approaching other factions. Thirdly, if he could train at the Lanqing View, he would be able to join the Taoist sect sooner, even if just as a Taoist boy, sparing him the worry of going hungry.

Regarding the fee for accepting disciples, Wu Shanbao hoped that the Lanqing View would recognize his father's years of meritorious service and perhaps make an exception to accept him as a disciple in honor of his father's past contributions.

Dreams are often lush with hope, yet reality can be stark and unforgiving!

Upon arriving at the Lanqing View, Wu Shanbao witnessed Taoist Priest Ma Haiping leading a group of young acolytes in the practice of Taoist Fist at the entrance. Captivated, Wu Shanbao approached the most skilled priest in the midst and knelt before him in admiration.

As fate would have it, this very individual was Ma Haiping, the same man who had recently demanded a hefty sum from Wu Duan.

"Forgive the intrusion, but my name is Wu Shanbao. I humbly request that the Taoist Priest of Lan Qing Monastery consider taking me on as a disciple. I will certainly..."

"Hold on! Lan Qing Monastery has strict protocols for accepting disciples! Please refrain from such grand gestures. If others were to witness this, they might wrongly assume that we at Lan Qing Monastery disregard the teachings of the Great Dao and are desperately seeking novices to expand our ranks."

"The Taoist Priest is of high virtue. My family has recently fallen on hard times, and I have nothing of value to offer as a gift to my master. I beseech you for your compassion!" Wu Shanbao pleaded, kneeling anxiously on the ground.

"Are you the young master of the Wu Duan family?"

"Indeed I am! Do you know my father?" Hope flickered in Wu Shanbao's heart. He was surprised and somewhat comforted to learn that his father's reputation was so well-known that even the Taoist Priest of Lan Qing Monastery recognized it.

"I've heard of the great philanthropist Wu Duan, though we've never met. I truly sympathize with your family's plight. However, I regret to inform you that I cannot take you as my disciple. Please seek guidance elsewhere." Ma Haiping spoke these words and proceeded directly into the temple.

Wu Shanbao stood there, dumbfounded. The Taoist Priest's manner was all business, showing no sign of swaying from his original decision for any reason. Furthermore, several young acolytes were already eyeing him, clearly indicating that he should leave or risk being escorted off the premises.

Realizing he had no valuables to offer as an apprenticeship fee and that persisting in his plea would likely be futile...

With that thought, Wu Shanbao left Misty Mountain, his heart heavy with disappointment.

He wandered aimlessly eastward, paying his respects at every mountain and seeking help at every temple he encountered. He came across many modest Taoist temples where, despite the lack of powerful masters and scant offerings, he was provided with simple meals before being sent on his way.

With each step, Wu Shanbao's spirits sank further. The Great Dao Sect had indeed grown rapidly and was exceedingly selective about taking on new disciples. Many smaller temples lacked the authority to accept disciples, often manned by just one or two Taoist priests keeping the traditions alive. Those with the authority to accept disciples uniformly turned Wu Shanbao away. It became clear to him that within the Great Dao Sect, he lacked even the basic credentials to be considered for discipleship, solely because he had no influential connections or wealth, and no one to vouch for him, leaving him unable to meet the apprenticeship fees.

Wu Shanbao remained steadfast in his belief, "Perhaps the journey of cultivation is meant to be filled with innumerable trials and tribulations."

He comforted himself by considering all his misfortunes as personal tests. Fueled by a deep-seated resolve, he continued eastward, even resolving to kneel at Spirit Refining Mountain for three years if that's what it took to earn an opportunity to join the sect.

One day, as Wu Shanbao wandered through the woods, he overheard indistinct voices. Following the sound, he discovered a group of people embroiled in an argument deep in the forest.

Creeping closer, Wu Shanbao observed six individuals, all slightly older than himself, with the eldest appearing to be about fifteen.

"Yan Fei, you claimed there was a 'Seven Star Map' here. We've come behind our Master's back, and now we've suffered significant losses. There's no sign of the map you spoke of. How are we supposed to explain this to our revered Master?" one of them challenged.

"Exactly! Yan Fei, I've exhausted my family's supply of Demon Killing Needles for this 'Seven Star Map.' You need to make it right and compensate me for my losses!" another added.

"And my 'Moon Covering Umbrella' has just been taken by that demon," chimed in a third.

"..."

"Enough with the complaints! If we secure the 'Seven Star Map,' everything we return to the sect with will be worth it. What are your lost treasures compared to that? If our Master is pleased, he might even grant us access to the treasury. Your lost low-grade Yellow Rank treasures are trivial in comparison!" interjected a youth dressed in a brocade robe, addressing his grumbling companions. "If you're that attached to your treasures, you're free to leave now! I, Yan Fei, will personally compensate you with equivalent treasures!"

The first youth, considering the allure of the Seven Star Map but also the difficulty in obtaining it, finally resolved, "Are you serious? You'd better remember to compensate me! I'm out!"

"I'm leaving too!"

"And I'm out as well!"

...

Watching his four companions opt out one by one, Yan Fei shook his head in resignation. "Fine! When I return, I'll make sure you're compensated. But let's keep today's events to ourselves. If word about the Seven Star Map gets out, you can forget about any compensation. Plus, I will hold you accountable!"

"Rest easy, Brother Yan Fei! We'll certainly honor the agreement. Here's hoping you secure the Seven Stars Diagram soon. We'll take our leave now." The leader finished speaking and departed with the trio.

"Yan Fei! They're all gone. How can just the two of us hope to defeat that Demonic Beast? Shouldn't we head back and devise a more strategic plan?" the remaining individual inquired of Yan Fei.

"It's a shame about the Black Grade treasure; we've sustained heavy losses and ended up empty-handed."

"The Demonic Beast that guards the Seven Stars Diagram is no ordinary creature. Even with our combined strength, we're no match for it. If it hadn't been for that young man's Masked Moon Umbrella aiding our escape, we would have faced dire consequences!" The young man who had spoken earlier reflected on the perilous encounter, "I just can't fathom why you're so fixated on the Seven Stars Diagram when your family possesses so many Black Grade treasures."

"The Seven Stars Diagram is a treasure capable of breaking through formations. In its tier, it's nearly unparalleled. Possessing the Seven Stars Diagram would make competing in formation battles so much easier in the future..."

"Yan Fei, where are you off to?"

"I must find out more about this Demonic Beast!"

"But it's dangerous..."

Yan Fei paid no heed to his companion's warning and headed straight to the location where the Demonic Beast had been sighted.

In the shadows, Wu Shanbao had overheard the entire conversation. Realizing there was an unclaimed treasure, he knew he lacked the power to seize it, but saw no harm in just taking a look. With that thought, Wu Shanbao found himself involuntarily trailing behind.