Lin Yi reached into his pocket and realized he had no money on him.
In the world of the Ming Dynasty, Master Qingxuan was supported by the entire imperial court, so he had no need for those material possessions.
So, things are a bit awkward now.
Out of professional ethics, the waiter maintained a smile, but the previous enthusiasm was gone.
"This person is dressed quite well, could he be a conman...?"
The waiter was making plans in his mind.
Lin Yi gave an awkward smile and said, "I left in a hurry today and forgot to bring any money. How do I get to the Hundred Schools Academy in the city?"
Upon hearing this, the waiter immediately realized that he had been overthinking things and replied, "The academy is in the west of the city; you can see it by heading west. The academy is in the east of the city, and the Lingzhou Academy is on Phoenix Mountain to the south of the city."
Lin Yi said "thank you" and turned to leave the restaurant.
"This really shows how even a hero can be brought down by a penny."
We arrived at the Hundred Schools Academy in the west of the city, which also occupied a mountain.
The mountain is not very high, but it has forests, streams, springs, clear mist, and strange rocks, giving it a fairy-like atmosphere.
There were many cultivators coming and going on the mountain. In terms of popularity alone, it was much better than the remote Yuechun County.
Lin Yi walked along the mountain path, enjoying the pleasant scenery on all sides. He moved quickly and soon passed the halfway point of the mountain.
From afar, one can see the flying eaves and brackets on the mountain, occasionally obscured by the trees, appearing and disappearing from view at different times.
When Lin Yi arrived at the mountain gate, a middle-aged Taoist priest came up to him, bowed, and said, "May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings. This fellow Taoist looks unfamiliar; it must be your first time visiting this place."
Lin Yi nodded and said, "This is my first time here."
"Please come with me to see the head of the association so I can register," the middle-aged Taoist said.
“Okay,” Lin Yi said.
"Fellow Daoist, please follow me."
The middle-aged Taoist priest led Lin Yi around the hall and across the bridge, and soon they arrived at the garden on the side.
Deep in the forest, there was a pavilion, a bridge, and a stream. An old Taoist priest sat upright in the pavilion, his hair and beard as white as snow, but his face was ruddy and showed no signs of old age. There was no one serving him. When he saw Lin Yi and his companion arrive, he stood up.
After the middle-aged Taoist priest walked over, he said "President Li" and immediately reported in a low voice.
The old Taoist priest nodded slightly after hearing this, and the middle-aged Taoist priest then withdrew.
"Young friend, please come over and talk to me," the old Taoist priest said.
Lin Yi walked over and said, "Greetings, President Li."
After the two sat down, the old Taoist priest said, "Young friend, please let me see your identity jade talisman."
Lin Yi took out his identity jade talisman and handed it over.
The old Taoist priest took it in his hand, examined it briefly, then stretched out his left hand, joined his index and middle fingers together, and drew a line in the air.
A burst of spiritual light instantly formed a talisman.
The talisman landed on Lin Yi's identity jade talisman, and the two resonated with each other, causing a white light to immediately appear on the jade talisman.
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Chapter Thirty-One: In Tongde Hall, Nine Schools and Ten Families
“Alright.” The old Taoist priest nodded and said, “Please, young friend, channel your true energy into the jade talisman.”
Lin Yi stretched out his hand, and the Star River True Qi transformed into the Three Lights Divine Water, which he then channeled into the jade talisman.
On the jade talisman, a teardrop-shaped mark lit up.
The old Taoist priest handed the jade talisman to Lin Yi, chuckling as he said, "Identity verified. Now, young friend, you are free to move about within the academy."
Lin Yi put away his identity jade talisman and said, "Thank you, President Li."
After leaving the side garden, we arrived at the main hall without taking too long.
There were significantly more people here than in other places, with many people coming and going, making it quite lively.
Lin Yi looked up and saw three large characters on the plaque above the hall: "Tongde Hall".
Upon entering the hall, one finds its layout quite peculiar. There are no statues of deities, only a long banner with the four characters "Boundless Merit" hanging in the center, behind which is a screen wall. The walls on both sides are painted snow-white, yet covered with densely packed characters and pictures.
Upon closer inspection, one discovers that these images and texts are not written on, but rather a layer of constantly changing light shining on the wall, making each character appear hazy and crystal clear.
Upon closer inspection, one can see that the walls on both sides are divided into four columns. The first column on the left has the character "天" (heaven) written on it, and the second column has the character "地" (earth). The first column on the right has the character "玄" (mysterious) and the second column has the character "黄" (yellow).
A middle-aged man of ordinary appearance, dressed in a scholar's robe, walked over and said, "I am Gongsun Chenghua, and I am quite well-known in Dingyang City. I am known as 'The All-Knowing Scholar'. If you have any questions, please feel free to consult me."
Lin Yi sized up the man before him. "The All-Knowing Scholar"—that was a very familiar nickname. He smiled and said, "Then please, Fellow Daoist Gongsun, introduce me to Tongde Hall."
Gongsun Chenghua was overjoyed; today he could finally open for business.
Then, he led Lin Yi to the long banner that read "Boundless Merit," and solemnly said in a deep voice: "The Great Dao is vast and difficult for those who walk alone. We who pursue the Great Dao face the calamities of heaven and earth, and those who can achieve great success are as rare as phoenix feathers."
"On the path to immortality, in addition to self-cultivation and strengthening one's mind, one must also strive for all resources to increase the chances of success. The so-called wealth, companions, methods, and land are nothing more than this."
"However, the world is vast, and it is difficult for one person to obtain enough resources in a lifetime. Therefore, sects and various organizations came into being. Later, the Great Xia Dynasty rose to power, established its rule over the Eastern Divine Land, and all schools of thought originated from this."