The next morning.
Zhang Rongfang packed his luggage, and once again put the herbs he had bought before into a large burlap sack, dragging it to the ground in his room.
Changing clothes, he opened the door and went outside.
Outside, Dong Dafang was hanging clothes on the line by the corridor. He saw Zhang Rongfang, opened his mouth to say something, but held back, not saying more.
Dragging his luggage along the corridor, Zhang Rongfang happened to encounter the duty team today.
Both Xu Mingyu and Li Fuhua were in the team, following a tall, thin Daoist as they patrolled.
Seeing him come out, Li Fuhua was slightly startled.
"Senior Brother Zhang, you are...?"
"Due to some issues, I've been expelled by the Master. I'm no longer considered a disciple in training." Zhang Rongfang had nothing to hide, speaking frankly.
"This..." Li Fuhua wanted to say something, but Xu Mingyu gently pinched her arm and shook her head.
"I'm leaving. We'll meet again if fate allows." Zhang Rongfang said no more. Carrying a large bag of belongings, he left the area under the watchful gaze of the two.
He didn't return to the residence area for the servant disciples but headed directly towards the mountain gate.
Qinghe Palace was not a place of confinement; one could go up or down the mountain freely, with no one stopping you.
However, if one left the mountain without permission, their Daoist registration would be canceled. And nowadays, if a Daoist returned home with no registration, their family might have to send sons for military service.
Therefore, going down the mountain to return home might not lead to a good life.
If they did not go home, Great Spirit had strict regulations for various trades. Most professions required becoming a family business passed down generations, and changing was not allowed easily.
For instance, if one was a craftsman, they must be a craftsman for generations. If one was a tailor, they must continue tailoring for generations.
One could not enter these trades randomly; applications needed to be submitted to the authorities.
So, the choices for ordinary people were very limited.
Most likely, they could only work clandestinely.
But no matter what, Zhang Rongfang had made up his mind. Carrying his herbal package, he moved through the disciple residence area, passing by two auxiliary halls.
The Spirit Official Hall and the Hall of Wealth still echoed with chanting, and visitors flowed, subtly revealing the peace and nonchalance of the Daoist sect.
Zhang Rongfang did not linger, following the path on the side of the auxiliary hall onward.
Then came the main hall of Master Xuanxin.
In front of the grand hall with red walls and yellow tiles was a wide open area.
A massive incense burner was placed in the open area, filled with thick incense sticks gently emitting smoke.
An elderly man in brocade was chatting quietly with the Hall Master by the incense burner taller than a person.
Zhang Rongfang continued onward, passing through the archway, which was Yingsong Hall, where dignitaries registered and were then separated and guided.
By now, many morning visitors had already arrived.
Against the flow of visitors, Zhang Rongfang made his way downward, soon reaching the Ascending Immortal Bridge.
Beyond the Ascending Immortal Bridge lies the mountain gate.
"Brother Rongfang?" Suddenly, a man's voice called from the side.
Zhang Rongfang turned towards the voice and saw Zhang Xintai looking at him in surprise.
Zhang Xintai seemed to be guiding a visitor. Seeing Zhang Rongfang carrying luggage down the mountain, he sensed something was amiss and called out.
He turned his head and said a few words softly to the visitor, who nodded understandingly and went up the mountain on their own.
After handling the situation, Zhang Xintai came over.
"Brother Rongfang, what's this?"
Zhang Rongfang sighed, "Hasn't Senior Brother already seen it? I'm preparing to go down the mountain."
"Down the mountain? What happened? Is there some task you need to handle?" Zhang Xintai thought he was going down for some assignment.
"This...I'm afraid you wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
"Just say it, I will judge for myself," Zhang Xintai replied seriously.
With that, Zhang Rongfang began recounting his recent experiences to Zhang Xintai.
He held back nothing except for his martial arts, explaining the rest without hesitation.
Initially, Zhang Xintai frowned, and as he listened, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
Upon hearing what happened last night, especially about Xiao Rong expelling him from the sect,
he suddenly swung his arm downwards with force, creating a burst of airflow.
"This is absurd! You've stood up to help numerous times, yet they doubt you here and there! That old man Xiao Rong truly doesn't recognize a good heart!"
"The situation is as it is. I'm tired of talking more, so I'll just leave." Zhang Rongfang sighed.
Even though leaving the mountain might be tough, it wouldn't drive anyone to desperation.
With the support of his attributes, as long as his luck wasn't awful, he could live freely even as a mountain bandit.
But...his sister had just found him, and once gone, it might be difficult to reunite.
"No! You can't leave!" Suddenly Zhang Xintai grabbed his arm.
"If you leave, wouldn't that further confirm to that old man Xiao Rong that there's something wrong with you?!"
His words made Zhang Rongfang pause.
He was well aware of this point, but Zhang Xintai's attitude surprised him.
"But staying here would only make me a servant. Others keep their Dao registrations for their families, but my family is long gone, and my only sister is missing. What's the point of having this registration?"
Zhang Rongfang shook his head.
"If you go down now, it will be very difficult to return to the mountain later." Zhang Xintai said earnestly, "If you go down now, they'll mark your registration as expelled, leaving a bad record. Later, with a record at the Jixian Institute, no Daoist sect will accept you anywhere you go."
"But..." Zhang Rongfang wanted to say something.
"Just follow me! That old man Xiao Rong is blind; the more he is this way, the more you need to stay and let him see the truth!"
Zhang Xintai held Zhang Rongfang's hand and led him back.
They didn't take the main path but entered a side alley on the right.
Speeding along, they quickly arrived near the Shangde Garden at a pavilion.
The pavilion had red walls and black tiles, three stories high, square-shaped, with a pair of characters hanging in front of the door.
'Beyond the mountains, all correspondence severed, surviving winter, now spring unfolds.'
'The closer to home, the more timid I feel, dare not inquire about new arrivals.'
"This is a poem my master wrote when he first arrived at Qinghe Palace. It is a remnant of the previous dynasty, not my master's creation," Zhang Xintai briefly introduced.
"...Great handwriting." Zhang Rongfang, though not very knowledgeable, could tell the flowing, neat and powerful strokes, standing firm with aesthetic appeal, even as a layperson.
"My master is fond of such styled poetry, yet shows little interest in the current popular songs and plays," Zhang Xintai said.
"Please wait here; I will go in and announce your presence."
"Please, Senior Brother."
Zhang Xintai nodded, quickly pushed the door open as if it were his own home, and entered the attic.
He didn't take long before coming out again, grabbing Zhang Rongfang and pulling him inside.
"My master and Old Xiao Rong have been rivals for many years. When you see him, criticize Xiao Rong; I guarantee it will work," he whispered.
"This...." Zhang Rongfang still unsure of what to do, was pulled through the door.
The layout inside was completely different from Xiao Rong's attic, with a distinct style.
Xiao Rong valued freedom in his living space, placing everything in the spots he liked best, for convenience.
So his place appeared rather scattered.
This attic, however, was different.
Desks and chairs, knives and swords, lamps and kettles—all were neatly arranged and orderly.
Upon entering, Zhang Rongfang felt slightly restrained.
In the hall on the first floor of the attic, an old Daoist with crane-white hair sat cross-legged on a mat.
The old Daoist, eyes slightly squinted, looked at Zhang Xintai and spoke coldly.
"You bring Xiao Rong's expelled disciple here, what's your intention?"
"Do you think Zhang Xuan will take in trash? Do you think I am lesser than Xiao Rong?"
At the mention of "trash," Zhang Rongfang furrowed his brow, feeling displeased and about to speak.
But Zhang Xintai spoke with a smile by his side.
"Master doesn't know the true situation. If Junior Brother Rongfang were truly such waste, why would I bring him here?"
He continued, "It's Xiao Rong who misjudged, mistaking good jade for rubble."
"Then what do you want?" The old Daoist Zhang Xuan turned his eyes, glaring at Zhang Xintai.
"Master, if Xiao Rong later realizes that Junior Brother Rongfang was wronged, and was actually a contributor in helping his daughter, yet drove him out of the mountain gate..."
"Then we will bring Junior Brother Rongfang to his door, mock him in front of everyone, and let all Qinghe Palace know Xiao Rong is not as good as you! Isn't that enough to anger him to the point of vomiting blood?"
"That might..." The old Daoist rubbed his chin, obviously intrigued.
"Thank you, both masters, but if it's just for such a grudge, there is no need..." Zhang Rongfang cupped his fists and spoke.
He continued, "I have no intention of staying here. I can only thank you for your kindness."
He had decided to leave, feeling there was no future for him here and thought it better to venture down the mountain.
At once, he turned to leave.
"Wait!" The old Daoist Zhang Xuan suddenly spoke. His sunken eyes scrutinized Zhang Rongfang up and down.
"Ha, got some temper."
Then, he looked at Zhang Xintai beside him again.
"I'm starting to believe what you previously said. To just leave like this, one would surely lose his daoist registry. Everyone knows the current state of the Great Spirit. And as a scholar household barbarian, to say he dares to just walk away, it seems he indeed has some backbone."
"Given this, Xiao Rong truly failed to see clearly. I'll take this disciple!" The old Daoist stood up, raising his tone.
"???" Zhang Rongfang looked bewildered, turning to face him.
"Are you surprised?" The old Daoist chuckled, "I just love seeing people's jaws drop and become speechless. You want to leave, but I, Zhang Xuan, won't let you!"
"This.... Master, isn't this just...." Zhang Rongfang didn't know what to say.
"What? Do you look down on me? Think I'm inferior to Xiao Rong?" The old Daoist's face immediately changed.
"No.... It's just that accepting a disciple is a significant matter, and you just said it so casually...," Zhang Rongfang was speechless.
"Don't worry; Xiao Rong and I hold the same rank, both are transmission masters. His stupid actions don't represent me," the old Daoist Zhang Xuan laughed again.
"Rest assured, stay with me and let Xiao Rong see how blind he is in the future!"
"Hurry and call him Master," Zhang Xintai, standing behind Zhang Rongfang, gave him a hard push.
Helplessly, Zhang Rongfang could only kneel and kowtow three times, half-pushed into acknowledging the master.
"No worries, becoming my disciple won't be a loss," the old Daoist Zhang Xuan laughed. "Don't be fooled by Xiao Rong's eternal pretentious demeanor; if it came down to a fight, I'd let him have two hands!"
"His bunch of waste is nothing compared to my son; I'd let him have a hand and a leg!"
"Uh.... maybe let's skip the hand and leg thing...." Zhang Xintai felt a bit embarrassed on the side.
His master and father, quirky, stubborn, and boastful.
Though his only good trait was his sharp eye for people.
As he saw Zhang Rongfang, it seemed Xiao Rong truly had wronged him.
"Master.... you accepted me without knowing anything about me?" Zhang Rongfang rose, still finding it hard to accept.
Such a master-disciple bond isn't a trivial matter in this era.
Disciples are indeed to honor their master as parents, while the master must train and aid their disciple comprehensively.
"Afraid of what? Your mediocre skills? I could crush you with one finger; do you think I fear rebellion?" Zhang Xuan returned to the mat, resuming his half-squinting old cat posture.
"My master, in his youth, was indeed a genuine Grade Five expert!" Zhang Xintai whispered.
Grade Five expert?!
Zhang Rongfang slightly trembled, knowing that even the Palace Master of Qinghe Palace was merely Grade Six.
Grade Five, probably only the Supervisor and the Ministry head could reach that level....