My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

Chapter 246 Seizing the Initiative and Going with the Flow

Xuanzhen Temple.

Although the Dragon Boat Festival in May has passed, the incense in the temple is still burning brightly, with smoke rising straight into the sky.

Lin Jiuxiao was already the official abbot of this branch temple, so naturally he paid more attention to the affairs of the temple.

This white-haired Taoist priest, who is over fifty years old, is busy every day, handling both the daily affairs of the temple and receiving a constant stream of worshippers.

Even so, he remained energetic and radiant, as if he were still in his prime, with inexhaustible strength.

Such a scene naturally attracted attention and made the people who came to offer incense and pray for blessings even more convinced of the legendary story.

That celestial being who descended to earth once transformed into an orphan and landed at the entrance of Xuanzhen Temple.

This predestined connection imbued Xuanzhen Temple with a mystical aura, making it a sacred place in people's hearts.

Therefore, whether seeking immortality or praying for blessings and protection from disasters, people are willing to come here, hoping to receive the protection of the immortals.

Even in the sealed-off Zhenguo Duke's Mansion, some people tried to scale the wall and sneak into the backyard, hoping to absorb some of the immortal energy from the awakening of the immortal.

However, the government has been extremely vigilant, and so far no one has succeeded.

But this did not diminish people's worship and longing for immortals; on the contrary, this unknowable mystery attracted their attention even more.

As the weather grew hotter, Ji Lingchuan was busy and sweating profusely for half the morning. It wasn't until near noon that he finally had a moment to relax, go inside for a cup of cool tea, and take a short break.

As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw Lin Li at the table, tapping away on the abacus, her face full of the joy of making money.

Upon seeing Ji Lingchuan arrive, he said boastfully, "We made a fortune selling talismans, colorful ropes, and mugwort sachets this Dragon Boat Festival."

Ji Lingchuan thought to himself: With my junior sister as the main force, how could it not sell well?

But when he thought of the current prosperity of the temple and his master's energetic figure, he couldn't bring himself to criticize Lin Li's actions.

After all, the temple's daily expenses and maintenance require funds, and selling these items has indeed brought considerable revenue to the temple.

Moreover, the sachet bracelets were not expensive, and they did not take advantage of the people; otherwise, the master would not have agreed to this.

But Ji Lingchuan still frowned and said, "You did this too quickly, without getting your junior sister's consent. Won't that upset her?"

The temple was bustling with worshippers, which made the master and him feel both gratified and somewhat helpless.

Because they all know that although these rumors are appealing, they are ultimately just fabrications by people with ulterior motives.

Lin Li poured two cups of tea and invited him to sit down, saying, "Brother Ji, you're overthinking it. If others can do it, why can't we? Besides, rumors are bound to spread sooner or later, so I might as well prepare in advance and take the initiative."

He lowered his voice and continued, "Throughout history, which great achiever hasn't had some legends surrounding them?"

"Born with double pupils, slaying dragons in dreams, a fox demon reigning supreme, a phoenix singing in Qishan... there must be something different to demonstrate destiny."

"Whether it's their own propaganda, others' flattery, or embellishment in history books, the result is always the same."

Ji Lingchuan couldn't help but retort, "But Junior Sister doesn't claim to be a king or ancestor. She cultivates the Tao, prefers tranquility, and doesn't care for empty fame."

"But the special nature of the Chu State Preceptor means that people will inevitably have all sorts of speculations and imaginations about her," Lin Li said with absolute certainty. "It will be so now, and it will be so a hundred years from now, and even a thousand years from now!"

No one can stop this from happening, but he can provide guidance and make it a boost.

History is a little girl who can be dressed up however you like, and right now he is fabricating, no, creating history.

Thinking of this filled him with ambition, and he didn't care how much money the caravan spent.

Lin Li suddenly smiled and asked, "We're not exactly strangers anymore, so frankly, Brother Ji, don't you have any questions or concerns?"

Even when he first investigated Chu Lengyu, he could sense something was wrong. Wouldn't the people around her notice?

When did she begin cultivating immortality, how did she enter the Dao, and did she have any teachers to guide her? Where did those magical treasures come from, and why was she able to master them naturally and control them at will?

His deep black eyes held a questioning look, and upon hearing the question, Ji Lingchuan tightened his grip on the teacup.

To conceal his unease, he picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp, then slowly said, "I believe in my junior sister."

This sentence was spoken not only to Lin Li in front of him, but also to himself.

Concern can cloud judgment, and Ji Lingchuan didn't want unfounded speculations to affect his relationship with his junior sister.

My junior sister doesn't have many close friends or family members.

Even if she said that she was actually a celestial being descended from heaven, a reincarnation of an immortal, he would still believe her.

After listening, Lin Li lowered his head and started fiddling with the abacus again, as if he had never asked the question before.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again: "The day before yesterday, the Daqian army launched another attack and captured another border town. Fortunately, the people had already received word and evacuated in advance, so the casualties were minimal."

Upon hearing this, Ji Lingchuan frowned.

Recalling what he had heard recently, he sighed and said with emotion, "This is the third town to fall into the hands of the Great Qian Dynasty."

Lin Li sneered, "Hmph, when the Great Qian declared war, how arrogant they were, as if they wanted to hold the whole world in their hands. I didn't expect that this time it would be all bark and no bite. Since the start of the war, the Great Qian army has only been harassing the periphery, and has never really made a move. The places they have occupied are all insignificant villages and towns."

His words revealed obvious disdain and sarcasm.

According to the intelligence gathered by Lin Li, the Great Qian Dynasty is currently rife with internal conflicts, and is even hesitant about whether to actually start a war. As a result, the army is stuck at the front line, wasting food and supplies, caught in a dilemma, and unable to accomplish anything.

If we fight, we will lack the strength to win; if we retreat, we will lose face.

Therefore, they could only conduct symbolic training exercises from time to time, accompanying the Great Xia army in their training. Ah, they were quite nice people.

"If we can avoid war, that would be the best outcome," Ji Lingchuan sighed.

The two chatted casually, mostly with Lin Li doing the talking.

"I heard that there was another spring drought this year. Yuzhou has gone without rain for a month, and the people are suffering terribly. Fortunately, the Four Heavenly Kings brought their magic weapons to bring rain, which alleviated the drought."

"The weather has indeed been bad in recent years, with droughts lasting for several years in a row. The imperial court is helpless in this regard and can only hope that the drought will not turn into floods."

"I remember some people used this to slander the emperor for his immorality, saying that the drought was a punishment from heaven, which did indeed cause some people to waver. Now, they have all obediently hidden their tracks, destroyed their weapons, and become loyal subjects of the Great Xia."

"And those door gods, protecting our homes, have led to a rapid decrease in thefts and other crimes, bringing a much-needed freshness to the capital. I've even commissioned a pair of door god paintings to send back to my hometown in Jiangnan."

After saying all this, Lin Li suddenly asked Ji Lingchuan, "The paths of immortality and divinity are extremely convenient. Brother Ji, don't you want to cultivate?"

As the saying goes, "being near the water tower, one gets the moon first." In Lin Li's opinion, Uncle Jiu is too old and probably won't be able to achieve anything significant, while Ji Lingchuan is young and has Chu Lengyu's trust, so he is likely to benefit from it.

In fact, Ji Lingchuan had already thought about this problem.

His eyes were as calm as still water as he replied, "My cultivation follows the natural course."

He had barely finished speaking when he heard what sounded like a commotion coming from outside.

Ji Lingchuan got up and left, saying before he left, "Brother Lin, why don't you stay here for a while longer and find peace and quiet to cultivate your mind?"

"Fine." Lin Li didn't mind his sarcastic remark.