Chapter 67 Xiao Fuzi

"puff."

Lu Yao was drinking water when she suddenly spat it out.

She didn't even bother to wipe her mouth as images from a thousand years ago instantly flashed through her mind:

Back then, when she was appointed as the Imperial Preceptor by the old emperor, there was always a little eunuch quietly standing in the corner of the hall while she was reviewing celestial phenomena at the Imperial Observatory, holding a cup of hot tea in his hands.

When she looked up, he immediately stepped forward and respectfully presented it.

He was meticulous in his work, never overstepping his bounds, and even walked as lightly as a cat, for fear of disturbing her divination of heavenly secrets.

One cold winter, she observed the stars at night and predicted that a severe drought was coming. She then wrote furiously at her desk until the third watch of the night.

The young eunuch stood guard outside the palace, his fingers turning blue from the cold. At three quarters past the hour of Yin, he served Yunwu tea to refresh the mind, and at the beginning of Chen hour, he changed to aged white tea with tangerine peel to warm the stomach. He also prepared longan and red date tea to calm the nerves. He was truly dedicated to his duties.

Later, when the young eunuch was organizing her ancient books on esoteric arts, he inadvertently flipped through a few pages and was instantly captivated by the wondrous mysteries of esoteric arts within, becoming completely engrossed in reading them.

When he suddenly realized that Lu Yao's gaze was on him, he turned pale with fright and collapsed to the ground with a thud, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Lu Yao smiled and asked, "Are you interested?"

Seeing that he was kind-hearted and had mixed spiritual roots that allowed him to enter the Dao, she casually gave him a few pointers on the essentials of the Xuanmen (Taoist) sect.

Later, when she left the palace, the little eunuch cried so hard he hiccuped.

"Grand Preceptor, don't go..."

Lu Yao ordered the sedan chair to be stopped.

She looked at the young eunuch who had served her for three years and took out a lustrous spirit-gathering pearl from her sleeve.

“You have served me diligently all these years.” She placed the bead in the young eunuch’s palm. “From now on, without my guidance, be careful on your own path of cultivation. Remember, other people’s paths are ultimately theirs. Your path must be found by yourself.”

The beads gleamed with a warm blue light in the sunlight, making the little eunuch's red and swollen eyes sparkle.

He wanted to say something more, but the sedan curtain had already fallen.

Even after the procession disappeared at the end of the palace road, he still clutched the bead, standing there as a tiny black dot.

Lu Yao's sharp gaze fell on You Xu's waist. "Let me see that Spirit Gathering Pearl."

Youxu suddenly clutched his waist, his muscles taut beneath his Taoist robe.

But the bead suddenly got hot, so hot that he had to let go.

This magical artifact, which had been treasured by successive sect leaders, now seemed to drift to Lu Yao like a bird returning to its nest, as if it wanted to squeeze into the screen.

The translucent blue pearl shimmered with a soft glow under the moonlight; it was the very same pearl she had casually given away years ago.

"Oh, it's you... Little Fuzi."

She suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

The little eunuch who didn't even dare to look her in the eye back then has now become the founder of a sect.

But she, the former imperial advisor, has been reduced to making a living by live-streaming fortune telling.

...She's doing much better than me, which is a bit disheartening.

After she was imprisoned at Broken Soul Ridge, what kind of extraordinary encounter did he have?

Lu Yao chuckled softly. A thousand years had transformed a timid little eunuch into a founding ancestor, while she, the former imperial advisor who once stood at the pinnacle of power, was about to start anew in this world, step by step reclaiming her former glory.

Youxu, standing to the side, was completely stunned.

"Little...little Fuzi?!"

Youxu's pupils suddenly contracted, causing even the silver threads on his whisk to tremble.

—How could anyone in this world dare to address the patriarch in such a way?!

The portrait of the patriarch of the Lingxiao Sect, passed down through generations, has turned yellow from the incense smoke. Sun Fuxi sits solemnly on a lotus platform, and all the disciples respectfully bow to him, addressing him as "Lingxiao Zhenren" (True Man of Lingxiao).

But at this moment, this woman, who looks to be no more than twenty years old, is using such an intimate, even "disrespectful" form of address?

"Who...who exactly are you?!" Daoist Youxu's voice tightened, and a layer of cold sweat seeped out from his back.

Lu Yao gently raised her eyes, her gaze as calm as an ancient well, yet seemingly containing a thousand years of history.

She didn't answer directly, but simply said:

"When I gave him the Spirit Gathering Pearl, he swore that if he used the pearl to do evil, he would be punished by heaven."

Daoist Youxu was struck as if by lightning, and staggered back a step.

How could she know about the patriarch's oath?!

The Spirit Gathering Pearl shone even brighter, as if echoing her words.

Youxu suddenly recalled an anecdote recorded in the sect's secret manual:

The founder, Sun Fuxi, once served a great figure who was all-knowing and all-powerful, who was none other than the Grand Preceptor of a thousand years ago.

Without the guidance of the Imperial Preceptor, the Lingxiao Sect would not have been born.

Their Lingxiao Sect possesses an ultimate secret command that has been passed down for thousands of years, almost forgotten in the long river of history.

"Life after life, I will guard the pearl and wait for its master."

This was a profound piece of advice given to Youxu by his master before he left the mountain.

A magical treasure like the Spirit Gathering Pearl was originally something that Youxu would never have been able to possess.

His fellow disciples looked at him with envy, jealousy, and resentment.

But the master calculated with his fingers and sighed softly, "It is fate and destiny that Youxu has this opportunity."

Could it be...?

Is this woman the legendary opportunity?

Youxu's throat went dry, and he dared not think any further.

Lu Yao shook her head at the Spirit Gathering Pearl, signaling it to return to Youxu.

The Spirit Gathering Pearl was reluctant to leave, but it obediently floated back.

Lu Yao said, "Since you are a descendant of an old friend, I'll let it go for today. I've saved your life on behalf of your ancestor. You dare to flaunt your meager skills? Go back and seclude yourself for ten years. Don't boast or deceive anyone anymore."

She spoke casually, her tone carrying a hint of an elder admonishing a younger person.

"yes!"

Youxu's knees reacted before his reason, slamming heavily onto the bluestone slab with a muffled thud that startled the crows under the eaves.

Lu Yao glanced at him.

"Get up."

The viewers in the live chat were completely stunned.

[Little Fuzi? Is that the childhood name of the founder of the Lingxiao Sect?? And the streamer just blurted it out so sweetly???]

Am I the only one who noticed the streamer saying "saving you on behalf of your ancestor"? This level of seniority... just how powerful is this streamer? (shuddering)

Metaphysics is declining now, but I have indeed heard of the Lingxiao Sect. I researched metaphysical information extensively when writing my novel. The Lingxiao Sect is a small sect now, but it has historical records and once held a prominent position.

[This Daoist Youxu knelt down far too readily! Why don't you just call yourself Little Youzi too?]

[When the streamer said "fraudulent and deceptive," the Taoist priest's face turned green, hahaha]