(Earlier, Liu Ji obtained the Absolute Barrier green shield of the Ancient Gods and Demons)
Zhang Chen was puzzled, not knowing what role the old village chief Liu Ji played in this. The layout of the Yellow Heaven Dao was becoming more and more incomprehensible.
As Zhang Chen’s mind was in a whirl, the Observatory Master Liu Feng came out and began to gather the disciples for morning class. Once the class was over, Liu Feng did not dismiss everyone, but instead bowed to the void: "I respectfully invite the uncle-master to visit."
With his bowing motion, a divine light shimmered in the void, and Gu Mingyue appeared in the main hall. She said to Liu Feng, "Rise."
Liu Feng bowed again before finally standing up.
At this moment, Gu Mingyue stood with her hands behind her back, sweeping her eyes over the crowd. Her gaze fell upon Liu Ji: "Liu Ji."
"Disciple is here." Liu Ji hurriedly squeezed through the crowd, somewhat clumsy in his movement, and directly knelt before Gu Mingyue.
"Today, in the presence of all the disciples, I accept you as a closed-door disciple. Let’s hold the discipleship ceremony today so everyone can witness," Gu Mingyue’s voice echoed through the hall.
Below, Zhang Chen’s eyes revealed a trace of surprise and envy, filled with shock: "What the hell is going on here? Am I dreaming? How does Liu Ji have such fortune?"
Zhang Chen’s eyes were full of disbelief. How could Liu Ji, this old man, have such luck?
Zhang Chen opened his Dharma Eye, directing his gaze towards Liu Ji, and his heart skipped a beat. He saw that Liu Ji was actually surrounded by a vast aura of destiny, as grand and majestic as the Walking Flood Dragon.
"Could it be that Liu Ji is reincarnated from some Yang God elder?" Zhang Chen was shocked, his eyes filled with incredulity.
"This old guy has such great luck, why hasn’t anyone noticed it before?"
Zhang Chen’s eyes were full of incredulity, and while he was puzzled, the discipleship ceremony lasted three full hours before the crowd gradually dispersed.
At this moment, the sun rose in the sky, a strand of morning light rising, shining onto the square, seemingly casting a layer of Golden Light onto Liu Ji.
"Liu Ji just entered, and was directly accepted by Gu Mingyue as a disciple, while my cheap master Wu Changming vanished without a trace. Even when my contest-winning rank was taken from me, he never showed up. This useless master might as well not exist," Zhang Chen stood amongst the crowd with bitterness, his eyes turning red with envy like he’d bitten into a lemon.
After the ceremony ended and the crowd dispersed, Chengyu dragged Zhang Chen by the sleeve toward the cafeteria. Since they allied with Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, Yellow Heaven Dao’s meals had improved significantly, and today’s breakfast was actually meat buns and meat porridge.
While Zhang Chen and Chengyu were carrying their breakfast back, they happened to encounter the crowd surrounding Liu Ji. Liu Ji was being flocked by disciples, looking quite imposing.
Zhang Chen saw Liu Ji, and Liu Ji saw Zhang Chen. The two exchanged a glance and were mutually surprised.
As they were about to pass by, Liu Ji tentatively called out to Zhang Chen, "Zhang Family boy?"
"Uncle Liu." Facing Liu Ji, Zhang Chen had to stop and greet him.
Even when his father was alive, he called Liu Ji ’Mr. Liu’. How could Zhang Chen ignore him?
Liu Ji waved his hand to disperse the followers, then quickly stepped forward to Zhang Chen, surveying him before finally settling his gaze on Zhang Chen’s full head of white hair, "You look so different now. If you didn’t resemble your father more and more, I wouldn’t have dared to recognize you."
Saying this, Liu Ji took Zhang Chen to a secluded pavilion. After looking around to ensure no one was nearby, he lowered his voice and asked, "Why did you come to Huangli Temple?"
"To survive," Zhang Chen replied with a bitter smile.
He truly was here to survive, knowing that he’d accidentally learned Yellow Heaven Dao’s rebellion secret. If he didn’t stay, he might’ve been killed.
Hearing Zhang Chen’s words, Liu Ji mistakenly thought Zhang Chen couldn’t survive down the mountain and had come to Huangli Temple to seek a better life.
"I thought you’d go to Kyoto to trace your lineage. Who’d have thought you’d be here? Where are your brother and little sister? Is your stepmother still alive?" Liu Ji asked.
Zhang Chen’s heart stirred at the word ’Kyoto’. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard it; somehow, his background seemed mysteriously linked to Kyoto. Unfortunately, he hadn’t solved the Mystery of the Womb, and memories of Kyoto were too vague, almost forgotten.
"My little sister and brother are both living down the mountain," Zhang Chen responded nonchalantly, concealing the truth, before counter-questioning, "Uncle Liu, can you tell me about my father? The memories from those days are quite blurry to me."
Liu Ji looked deeply at Zhang Chen. This kid survived the pursuit from Prince Pingbian’s Mansion and coexisted with Zhang Xiaohua in the same temple without being killed—clearly not someone simple.
Liu Ji didn’t hide the truth and instead shared what he knew: "What could a rural farmer like me know? All I know is that your father came from Kyoto, was exiled here, and acquired the status of a convict slave. Later, he somehow freed himself from servitude, bringing you to settle in the village."
"I remember when he arrived; his eyes were bright, carrying an indescribable noble air, so I didn’t trouble him much. When you came, you could barely walk, and you’ve grown so much since then..." Liu Ji gestured while speaking.
Zhang Chen remained silent upon hearing this, the information was sparse, yet it triggered faint memories.
"By the way, there’s something you should know: your slave status is a major problem. You’d better find a way to revoke it soon. At worst, feign death and escape; otherwise, it will be your fatal flaw," Liu Ji warned Zhang Chen seriously.
Zhang Chen nodded. The slave status weighed heavily on his heart. His father was exiled here by a court decree; even Prince Pingbian’s Mansion couldn’t change it.
Hearing Liu Ji’s words, Zhang Chen chuckled, "Uncle Liu, in this unfamiliar place, we’re fellow villagers now. We should be close and help each other. You’ve become a disciple of Great Mage Gu Mingyue; I hope you can shield me."
Liu Ji patted Zhang Chen’s shoulder, speaking frankly, "Don’t say such things. I dare not help you. You committed such crimes; Prince Pingbian’s Mansion has untold people wanting you dead. Who would dare help you? However, if you encounter a real crisis, I might push a hand in secret. But for open matters, you’d better stay away from me. I don’t want to be implicated."
After exchanging pleasantries, Liu Ji turned and left, leaving Zhang Chen watching his receding figure with a full heart: "Really doesn’t make sense! How did Liu Ji get such dumb luck?"
Zhang Chen turned back to his small abode, thinking of Liu Ji, who apprenticed under Gu Mingyue, growing more annoyed.
It’s utterly unjust. What he worked so hard to earn is just a hand’s reach for those like Liu Ji. Where’s the justice in the world?
Thinking about this, Zhang Chen’s hatred for Yellow Heaven Dao deepened further, transforming into a flow seeping underground, continuing his Incense Faith, resolving the frustration he felt via the Power of Incense.
Time flew by, life returned to normal, but finally, after seven days, the Pool of Faith under Huangli Temple was brim-full of water flow.
The pool was full!
Divine Enthronement was finally about to begin!