Chapter 1: Li Yuán
the transmission of scriptures and precepts, along with a dedicated presiding master for the ceremony, an instructor, and a recommender, among others.And what that book called 'Heavenly Mandate', is...In the year 1452 of the Dà Yùn era, Zhélóng Prefecture, Gāoliǔ County.
Zhih-niu~
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With a glance at the chaotic dormitory behind him, Li Yuan pushed open the door and didn't wait for the last person to leave the room.
In the early morning of late autumn, the mist had yet to dissipate entirely. Within Gailiu County town, wisps of smoke were already rising from hearths, and faintly, one could hear murmurs of voices.
What came into view was a small courtyard. Six or seven young men, about his age, dressed in hemp clothes and fifteen or sixteen years old, were busy at work.
Washing, chopping wood, fetching water, making fire, cooking...
“Whew!”
He tugged tight the thin grey linen shirt, Li Yu took a deep breath and joined in amidst the shouts of several apprentices.
As a blacksmith's apprentice, my day began with chopping wood and fetching water.
"Only one month and three days, how can I possibly endure twelve years This is too difficult... It's not easy to learn something in the previous life, and this life is even harder!"
Li Yuan, who was busy with his nimble hands and feet, couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
In his previous life, he had only spent two or three years learning from his mountain hermit master about things like setting up graves, performing rituals for the deceased, and assisting with difficult births.
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It takes twelve years for an apprentice at this armory!
Three years as an odd job worker, two years as a laborer, seven years of service!
Li Yuan's heart was filled with resentment, but his hands didn't dare to slow down. He could only sigh that he had "awakened" too late. When he woke up, he had already been "sold" to the "Blacksmith Shop".
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...because I was too weak to be assigned to the front yard...
"Bang!"
Suddenly, a muffled sound came from the kitchen.
A fat man wielding a large spoon kicked a gray-clad apprentice to the ground with one foot, his cheeks jiggling as he did so:
"You little bastard! I've spent countless hardships learning this skill of cooking, and you dare to steal it!"
"Sun Zhanger, I was wrong, I won't do it again, I won't!"
The apprentice clutched his head and wailed, but he didn't dare to dodge. He endured a beating.
In the small courtyard, all the apprentices fell silent. Li Yuan lowered his head, his face ashen.
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Apprentices who made mistakes, the masters could naturally scold and beat them at will. This is written in the 'selling contract'.
"Apprentice, apprentice, three years of servitude," these words are not just idle chatter.
That old geezer, Sun Fatty, was considered a half-decent master craftsman. He oversaw ten or so apprentices and managed the food and lodging for the over a hundred people working at the weapons forge. His temper was notoriously bad, and beating and scolding his apprentices was commonplace.
A month ago, when he first arrived, Li Yuan almost had his head cracked open by that rice spoon...
>
“Be quick about it! The master craftsmen in the front yard will be up soon. If we keep them waiting for their meal, they won't hesitate to give us a good beating!”
Then Sun Fatty weighed the spoon, muttering curses.
All the apprentices dared not raise their heads, but their hands and feet moved even faster.
Not until the fat man went back to the kitchen did the beaten apprentice silently get up, though his whole body ached, he didn't dare to delay work.
Li Yuan's expression was wooden.
The blacksmith's shop was one of the largest in Gaoliu County, employing guards, masters, assistants, and apprentices numbering over a hundred.
An apprentice, naturally holds the lowest status. Their pay is meager, and besides that, they are often beaten and scolded. To enjoy better treatment, one must at least become a helper, or even a master craftsman.
“Twelve years...”
When the four-wheeled sun rose over the clouds, the food was finally ready, and even the tired apprentices had smiles on their faces.
Apart from mealtimes, apprentices didn't really have much free time throughout the day.
Chopping wood, drawing water, preparing charcoal, transporting various iron ingots, wiping weapons, cleaning...
Even so, there were still plenty of people who came to the armory every time they recruited apprentices.
The reason is simple: the military training camp offered the best treatment among all the apprenticeship programs in Gaolou County.
Not only does he get thirty copper coins every month, but the food is also much better than what's found in a pharmacy or carpenter's shop.
Being a blacksmith is extremely hard work, you need to have grit and determination to do it.
Of course, apprentices didn't have such treatment. Every seven days, they could only see a little bit of oil and water. Even so, all the apprentices were already very satisfied.
Besides a few families, one might only see meat on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. Some people didn't even see any oil or grease all year round...
When the sun was high in the sky, and the sound of hammering 'clanging' could faintly be heard from the front yard, the apprentices finally got their breakfast and had a short break.
"It takes three years to become a helper..."
The apprentices huddled in groups of three or four, squatting against the walls. Li Yuan sat hunched over his bowl in a corner, his shoulders aching from fatigue as he ate the steamed buns. A bitter feeling welled up within him.
In his past life, although he was an unregistered and unacknowledged wandering Taoist priest, following his master around the countryside brought in a decent amount of income. Even during the worst of times, things had never been this bleak.
At this moment, he couldn't help but miss his past life.
Beer, drinks, small barbecue, air conditioning, TV, sofa, cell phone... even that master whom one misses even at the brink of death and wants to be inducted into their own sect.
"How did I get here! Can I go back!"
As he swallowed the congee, Li Yuan looked up at the sky where three suns and four smaller ones were blazing red. He almost cried.
How did I get transported here
Over the past month, Li Yuan had thought about this question more than once, repeatedly recalling his memories from before he crossed over.
As an out-of-favor wandering Taoist priest, after his master left, he couldn't even make a living from village weddings and funerals. He had no choice but to change careers and opened a small supermarket in his hometown county. Though he wasn't wealthy, at least it was peaceful.
“That day I was curled up on the couch playing on my phone, and then... wait a minute, a summoning ritual!”
As if a bolt of lightning had cleaved through the fog, Li Yuan shuddered violently, nearly spilling half his bowl of rice soup onto the floor!
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"Right, the ordination ceremony!"
Suppressing the tremor in his heart, Li Yuan crouched down again. He didn't attract any other gazes, but his mind couldn't help but wander.
In his past life, his master, who had never been able to get into the ranks of scribes until he died, left him with half a scroll of Taoist teachings.
That book, he had read several times, but was not very interested in it. He didn't care much for the "receiving an official mandate and becoming immortal" that his master had always been preoccupied with.
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Until the day he crossed over, he couldn't explain why he suddenly remembered the ceremony described in the book.
>
Then...
"Is it really because of that ceremony"
After swallowing half a bowl of congee and rice soup, Li Yuan's mind was still preoccupied.
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He didn't think that any kind of initiation ceremony could cause him to travel through time, but besides this, he couldn't really think of any other possibilities.
“Receive the mandate, Heaven receives the mandate...”
Li Yuan mumbled in his heart.
He was naturally no stranger to the ordination ceremony.
The Taoist school believes that talisman is formed naturally by heaven and earth, copied by immortals, and passed down to the world.
While Daoists only have access to Taoist magic after receiving talismans and having their names inscribed on the heavenly register (Tian Cao), obtaining a divine position, can they then control talismans. Through this, they possess supernatural abilities such as summoning and commanding ghosts and spirits, pacifying the five directions, subduing demons and exorcising evil spirits, curing diseases, and warding off calamities.
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“Could it be true that the old man has always longed for ‘becoming an immortal through ordination’”
Li Yuan murmured in his heart.
The old man's obsession, he originally didn't believe it. What year is it now, still believing in the practice of "receiving a talisman and ascending to immortality"
In his past life, he had also befriended several Taoist priests who had received their talismans. He hadn't seen any of them possess any divine abilities or magical powers.
Especially, the half scroll of the Daoist scriptures recorded is not the orthodox ordination of humans.
You see, a genuine initiation ceremony is not just about bestowing talismans. It also involves the transmission of scriptures and precepts, along with a dedicated presiding master for the ceremony, an instructor, and a recommender, among others.
And what that book called 'Heavenly Mandate', is indeed simple, even to the point of being rudimentary...
Now...
"I've already traveled through time, what else is impossible Although... just in case"
Li Yuan's thoughts were wandering.
Logic told him it was unlikely, yet he still held onto a glimmer of hope.
What if
“What if, no, Master Dao, I truly have the chance to ascend to immortality”
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The more Li Yuan thought about it, the more his heart fluttered with anticipation. If he didn't know that the timing was wrong now, he would have wanted to hold the ceremony immediately.
What the heck are apprentices, helpers, masters, and shopkeepers
The Daoist Master is going home!
The Daoist master is going to become an immortal!an thought about it, the more his heart fluttered with anticipation. If he didn't know that the timing was wrong now, he would have wanted to hold the ceremony immediately.What the heck are apprentice...