Li Tiezhu looked at Xu Qing as if he were seeing a ghost.
Is this strength something a human can possess?
"A Grandmaster is nothing, keep practicing!"
Xu Qing released his hand and said, "During my travels over the years, I met many Celestial Persons. There are many formidable martial artists hidden in this world. If a Grandmaster left Jin Sect, they might not even have any bones left!"
"If you want to succeed in the future, you need to at least match the level of a five-hundred-year cultivator. Even beyond the Celestial, there are other realms. Don't let yourself be confined by the cages defined by ordinary people."
"You must understand, whether it's entering the Dao through martial arts or seeking immortality, it's all about breaking free from one cage after another to reach transcendence."
"The path of martial arts is endless!"
After setting a long-term path for Tiezhu, Xu Qing shared the martial cultivation techniques he had pre-prepared, such as "Dragon Seeking and Vein Severing," "Great Non-Phase Technique," and "Crimson Cloud Hand."
Finally, Xu Qing asked, "Have you learned the Heavenly Staff Technique of the Red-Tailed Monkey?"
Tiezhu scratched his head with a goofy smile and said, "I've practiced for years but can only execute thirty to forty percent. I feel like my power falls short, even if I learned more, I couldn't use it."
Xu Qing nodded and said, "That staff technique is extraordinary. If your power isn't sufficient, it means you haven't reached the right realm yet. Remember, our Hall is different from other martial schools. A Grandmaster is just the start. When you can fully execute the Heavenly Staff Technique, you'll have reached a new level."
Tiezhu agreed wholeheartedly. In front of the profound Sect Leader, he felt just like an apprentice who had just joined a martial school.
"The cultivation techniques the Sect Leader provided sound familiar. I remember the tales from the martial world, the Holy Master's vein-sealing divine skill was unmatched, and there's also the Crimson Cloud Hand, Non-Phase Technique..."
Xu Qing said hesitantly, "Since I dare to teach you these techniques, they are naturally ownerless, so feel free to practice them."
"..."
Li Tiezhu took a deep breath. Now, he was no longer the naive Tiezhu of the past and could understand Xu Qing's implied meaning naturally.
"I understand! Since my elder brother's death, the Sect Leader has been like a real brother to me. Tiezhu will never forget this! Once I achieve success in my cultivation, I will do everything I can to repay the Sect Leader!"
Xu Qing shook his head and sighed softly, "It's not about repayment. As long as you and Xiaoliu manage the Hall's affairs well, that would be better than anything. Also, if you ever cause trouble outside and reveal your skills, don't say I taught you."
Leaving the Paper Mache Shop, Xu Qing had barely taken a few steps when a graceful figure pulled him back into a funeral outfit store and, taking advantage of the situation, reached behind to close the door.
"Hey, hey, hey! In broad daylight, how can you forcefully take a man like this? Open the door, it's not good if someone sees!"
Liu Su'e bit her lip, her almond eyes glaring at Xu Qing as if she wanted to swallow him whole!
Realizing something wasn't right, Xu Qing quickly warned, "Don't act recklessly. I'm the Sect Leader of Cat Immortal Hall, and you're a Sweeping Hall disciple and Tao Sanmei's assistant. We have a serious superior-subordinate relationship, make sure you understand that!"
Liu Su'e let out a giggle, rolling her eyes at Xu Qing, saying, "Look how scared you are. Anyone who knows would think you're a shopkeeper. Anyone who doesn't might think that a heartless man who abandoned his family has returned."
Xu Qing sighed with relief; this was the trouble with actresses who had been opera singers and leading performers; you never knew when they were serious and when they were acting.
"Calm down! I just went out to learn some advanced experiences for a few years, all for the sake of the Hall's development. Did you think I was living it up these years as Sect Leader?"
Liu Su'e pouted, "What kind of leader abandons his troops and ventures out alone to explore the world? If something were to happen, we might never hear from you again..."
Despite her words of complaint, when she saw Xu Qing's less youthful appearance, Liu Su'e couldn't help but have tears in her eyes.
The former lead performer, whose hand Xu Qing once held, pursed her lips, moved closer, and said softly, "Look, you've even got lines under your eyes. Don't you know how to take care of yourself?"
"..."
Xu Qing couldn't handle gentleness; he quickly sidestepped to avoid the handkerchief heading for his face.
"Hands off! If there's business to discuss, then let's talk business. If not, I'm leaving!"
"Oh my, you're like a block of elm wood, so stiff-headed..."
Liu Su'e's fist seemed to land on cotton, leaving no effect. Helplessly, she took out several thick booklets and handed them to Xu Qing.
"What's this?"
"These are all the business transactions the Immortal Hall handled over the years, every detail recorded. Also includes the mistakes and merits made by the subordinate Immortal families of the sub-halls... Since I am the Sweeping Hall Immortal, I must bear the responsibility. I can't let the Hall you painstakingly built fall apart in my hands."
Xu Qing casually opened one of the booklets. Inside, details were meticulously recorded with neat handwriting about the Immortal Hall's happenings over the past ten years.
There were two full boxes of such booklets.
"How did the Protective Hall commit so many wrongdoings?"
Liu Su'e pondered, "Back when the Hou Immortal Family left Hou'er Mountain to travel and seek the Dao for over a decade, the monkeys suffered greatly. Thus, even if some monkeys misbehave now and cause trouble, the Hou Immortal Family always penalizes itself with incense offerings for them."
Xu Qing's expression darkened; just as he was thinking of setting an example, he heard Liu Su'e continue, "However, Brother Xu needn't worry. This booklet is an old record from three years ago. Please check the new records for the past two years. The Immortals of Protective Hall have already recognized their mistakes and amended their ways."
Xu Qing flipped through the booklet, quickly scanning it. When he saw that not only were the Hou'er Mountain monkeys no longer causing trouble, but they had also accumulated many points and won the Immortal Hall's floating banner for two consecutive years, he wondered:
"They say monkeys are inherently mischievous. How did they suddenly reform?"
Liu Su'e smiled sweetly, "Brother Xu, don't forget, our Sweeping Hall is responsible for removing undesirable affiliates from the Hall and clearing out external spirits and ghosts that linger after events. Managing these monkeys is naturally within the duties of me and the Tao Immortal Family."
"An agreement was made between the Tao Immortal Family and the Hou Immortal Family, dividing the Hou'er Mountain into two groups. One group is placed on Old Platform Mountain, overseen by Guan Dazhuang. The other group is placed on Medicine Emperor Mountain adjacent to Moonlight Mountain, under the supervision of the White Immortal Lady."
"As the saying goes, swapping children for teaching works best. The Hou Immortal Family couldn't manage the Hall because they were too close to their descendants, not strict enough in discipline. Placed under different Immortal families, the nature of the oversight changed completely."
"During that period, monkeys that broke the Hall's rules or lacked moral conduct were disciplined by affiliated Immortal families. Some were assigned to manage the medicine fields of Medicine Emperor Mountain, while others were sent to help elderly families that had lost their young to war, working by night to farm and harvest..."
"Immortal families that took on the role of disciplinarians received incense offerings deducted from the Hou Immortal Family."
Liu Su'e added softly, "Though there were deductions, those reformed monkeys earned back the lost incense offerings through their farming activities."
"So, the Protective Hall's demeanor was improved, and there was no decline in the Hall's prosperity."
Listening to Liu Su'e describe the rectification process of the Hou'er Mountain, Xu Qing remained silent for a long time.
This lead performer indeed had some tricks up her sleeve. Had it been him, he would not have resolved the situation so gently.
"Perhaps we could find a private school teacher for those monkeys, to give them proper education..."
However, that private school teacher must be both learned and skilled in martial arts!
Xu Qing pondered for a moment, recalling the image of a County Magistrate who practiced the "On Literary Mind and Carving of Dragons" technique.
It seems, once the matter at White Cloud Cave is settled, it might be necessary to use thaumaturgy to find this former Scholar.
After leaving the funeral outfit store, Xu Qing checked the time of day.
Gosh! It's already mid-morning!
He had initially planned to visit his old friends from Jin Sect, but now, it seems uncertain if he could even make it out of Underground Street in one day!
As he approached the coffin shop, Xu Qing looked at the smiling female Daoist and sighed deeply.
They say deep in the earthly world lies true essence, shedding embellishments reveals one's core, but he couldn't even get through this one street.
Perhaps that afternoon at the temple fair, he shouldn't have brought back that cat.
"Second Lord, Fourth Lord, Brother Ruinian... It's not that I'm unwilling to visit you in these two days. Rather, with so much to manage, I can't spare the time."
Such were Xu Qing's reflections.