Chapter 354: Maoshan Yin Master

Lu Xing's status was highly unusual. He wasn't just a fugitive wanted by the Public Security Bureau; he was a disciple of the Two-Faced Buddha. He had nearly destroyed the Lanjiang Dam and flooded Jiangcheng, which would have condemned a million people to death.

I didn't answer right away, carefully sizing up the Daoist priest in front of me. "We've never met. Why are you looking for me? You don't sound like you're here to pick a fight."

The priest standing at the entrance of the Adult Shop was about my age. He wore a light blue robe, and his shoes and accessories were completely ordinary.

"You might have the wrong guy," I said casually, opening the door and stepping inside. No matter how I looked at him, this man was trouble. I wanted to avoid provoking him if at all possible.

Blind Liu and I entered the shop. Just as I was about to shut the door, the blue-robed priest jammed a folding fan into the gap. "The wrong guy? Weren't you the one who jumped off the Lanjiang Dam with Lu Xing that day? Are you not Gao Jian?"

Knowing I couldn't brush him off, I frowned and stepped back into the room. "What do you want with me?"

Seeing my cautious demeanor, the priest looked a bit disdainful. "Relax, I bring good news."

He flicked his fan, pushing the door all the way open, and strode into the Adult Shop. "Lu Xing is a legacy disciple of a certain evil sect. This is well-known among the orthodox cultivation sects. Rumor has it that his master is a Fate Usurper, but no one can confirm it. To this day, no one has even seen his master."

"Fate Usurper..." A gleam flashed in my eyes before quickly fading away.

"Don't be nervous. Fate Usurpers defy the natural order, and anyone has the right to kill them. You killed Lu Xing. In a sense, we are the same kind of people." The priest spoke at a steady pace, exuding a chill, as if a block of ice were hidden inside him.

My expression shifted uncertainly, unable to guess his intentions. "Where did you get this information?"

"Reversing heaven and earth, ascending dragons in all eight directions. He used the Eight Characters Divine Fiends and the eight Buddhist treasures to lay down an array that defies the heavens. That Fate Usurper possesses transcendent methods and moves in secret. Even though no one noticed it beforehand, once the array was activated, it was bound to disturb the workings of heaven. Various Celestial Masters and Daoist priests deduced the details that very day." The man spoke with a faint arrogance that was incredibly obnoxious.

"You're just being wise after the fact. What's there to brag about?" I curled my lip. "And then? Now that you know I saved Jiangcheng and achieved a great deed by killing Lu Xing, are you going to give me some rare treasures as a reward?"

By now, I could confirm that this man had an extraordinary background. He was probably like Lu Jin, hailing from a prestigious orthodox sect. Unlike Blind Liu or Daoist Priest Xianqing, these people belonged to thousand-year-old Daoist traditions, representing the former glory of Huaxia's Daoist factions.

The priest was momentarily stumped by my retort. Only after a moment did he speak. "My master never mentioned any rewards. He only deduced that a million merits existed in Jiangcheng and specifically sent me to collect it."

"Sent you to collect the merit?" My expression didn't change, but I was already growing impatient. Setting aside the fact that the Underworld Live Show had long since swindled most of that million merits, leaving me with a negative number—even if the Underworld Live Show hadn't taken it, why on earth would I just give my merit to him?

"Exactly." The blue-robed priest's facial expression barely shifted, and his tone remained icy, as if he possessed an innate lack of emotion. "Merit is of little use to you. Hand it over to me, and my master promises to bestow a great karmic opportunity upon you in return."

I narrowed my eyes. This priest's cultivation realm was higher than Blind Liu's, and he seemed to have a formidable background. From his words, it was clear they had an urgent need for merit. 'The Underworld Live Show wants merit, and Daoist priests want merit too. Does this thing have some other hidden use?'

As I pondered this, I didn't show a hint of it on my face. Instead, my attitude softened a bit. "It's not impossible to give you this merit, but I don't know your esteemed name or which sect you belong to. And what do you need this merit for?"

"This humble Daoist's surname is Leng, with the single character Tian as my given name. My Daoist title is Qingxuan. I belong to the Maoshan Sect, the Upper Thirty-Six Mountains, and I am the inheritor of the Yin Master talisman arts." The priest spoke with a natural aura of authority. The moment he opened his mouth, the temperature in the room seemed to drop significantly.

Blind Liu nudged me from behind. "The Maoshan Sect is subdivided into one hundred and eight branches: the Upper Thirty-Six Mountains and the Lower Seventy-Two Mountains. There are also inheritances like the Twenty-Four Pure Halls and the Three Ghost Sect, which are never made public. He carries the Maoshan Three Treasures—the Demon-Subduing Fan, the Ghost-Interrogating Stick, and the Ruler of Tianpeng—and he calls himself a Yin Master. I'm afraid he really is someone from the Maoshan Dao."

True inheritors of the Maoshan Dao never referred to themselves as Maoshan Daoists to outsiders. The Upper Thirty-Six Mountains were called the Maoshan Sect, while the Lower Seventy-Two Mountains were called the Maoshan Dao. Among them was the most unique lineage of all: one that associated with ghosts, specialized in black and white witchcraft, and centered all their Daoist arts on yin souls. They were categorized separately and known as Maoshan Yin Masters.

My understanding of the Maoshan Dao was still superficial, so I didn't find the title of Maoshan Yin Master particularly intimidating. "Forgive my lack of manners. So it is a Maoshan Yin Master gracing us with your presence. This truly brings light to a humble door."

While I spoke words of welcome, I turned around and poured only two cups of tea—one for Blind Liu and one for myself. Then, I sat in the only chair in the room and lit a cigarette.

Daoist Priest Leng, standing at the door, maintained his funereal expression. Watching me puff out clouds of smoke, his displeasure deepened. With a flick of his sleeve, four Yin Talismans flew out and stuck to the four corners of the room. Even though it was broad daylight, yin energy swept through the small shop, preventing the smoke from drifting anywhere near him. "Gao Jian, I hope you consider the matter of the merit carefully. Under no circumstances should you make a mistake that ruins your future."

This stoic priest only ever showed that same icy expression over and over again. He spoke bluntly, his words carrying a domineering edge.

"You said it yourself—I have a million merits on me. This is a reward bestowed by the heavens for saving Jiangcheng. For something so precious, I wonder what you intend to exchange for it? Be specific. Don't speak in such vague terms; I want to see your sincerity." I eyed the priest sideways, wanting to pry for information about the uses of merit. Furthermore, speaking this way allowed me to test his bottom line; whatever conditions they offered would give me a rough idea of what a million merits was actually worth.

The priest surnamed Leng hadn't expected me to haggle like a merchant. His expression soured. "No one can steal the merit on your body. My master ordered me here because he wishes to accept you as a registered disciple and guide you on the path to immortality. And by joining my Maoshan Yin Master Lineage, that million merits can indirectly be counted as ours."

"Apprenticeship?" It wasn't that my brain was slow, but rather that this priest's logic leapt entirely too far. One second he was coldly demanding to collect merit, and the next he was clamoring for me to become a disciple.

Blind Liu tugged on my arm; he seemed to have anticipated this turn of events. "The Maoshan Yin Master Lineage is difficult to practice. They emphasize performing good deeds in the mortal world to accumulate Yin Merit. Modern society is harmonious and stable. Without widespread plagues or natural disasters, it is incredibly hard for them to accumulate merit. That's why they targeted you. A million merits is no small figure; if you added up all the merit of every priest in their Yin Master Lineage, it probably wouldn't even reach a hundred thousand."

"Merit is that hard to accumulate?" My heart skipped a beat. Back when I completed the mission, not only was the million merits taken by the Underworld Live Show, but my own merit had dropped to negative ninety-nine. What left me even more speechless was that during the ninth livestream, I had released the Ghost Mother, which deducted another five hundred merits. 'If I really join the Maoshan Yin Master Lineage, I'd just be scamming them. Besides, I've already practiced the Profound Truth Mental Method, so from now on, I have to call myself Layman Profound Truth.'

Thinking of this, I prepared to refuse.

Blind Liu blinked at me, and I instantly understood. Regardless of whether I agreed or not, I currently held the initiative. Now was the time to extort as many benefits as possible.

Giving a dry cough, I looked at Leng Qingxuan. "These past few days, several Daoist priests from other sects have also visited my shop. Their general purpose was the same as yours. However, the conditions they offered were far more generous than yours, and they even gifted me quite a few Celestial Master talismans and magical treasures."

"Do those wild temples and minor shrines deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Maoshan? Being able to join my Maoshan Yin Master Lineage is already a heaven-sent reward for you." The blue-robed priest waved his Daoist robe, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his tone.

I glanced up at him and noticed that, compared to earlier, there was a trace of hesitation in his speech. Sensing an opportunity, I shamelessly continued, "Just this morning, a Buddhist master came over and told me I possessed great wisdom and an affinity with Buddha. He not only gifted me a Buddhist array comparable to an Upper Vehicle Talisman, but he also gave me an extremely rare United Heart Jade, and even directly imparted three sutras to me. As expected of those who cultivate Buddhism! Their kind and benevolent hearts truly make one yearn to join them!"

I pulled out the United Heart Jade hanging around my neck and, right in front of Leng Qingxuan, began reciting the Ksitigarbha Sutra that Master Tianxin had taught me.