Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

By dusk, the plump Taoist priest finally slowly awoke, muttering incessantly, "A mistake, a mistake, Lao Gui has misled me. The aftereffects of 'Thousand-Day Drunkenness' are too strong, actually causing me to become drunk."

Looking around, he realized he was on a luxurious carriage and came to understand that someone must have picked him up. He let out a small sigh, "Now I owe the master of this house some karma. Huh! Such a strong Dragon Qi, this is a Hidden Dragon. Moreover, judging by the situation, it has already possessed the right climate."

Employing the Secret Technique of Qi Observation passed down in his sect, he discovered that above Lu Zhang's head, the Fortune and Destiny were red, with faint traces of purple appearing, shaping into a small Serpent dragon circulating overhead.

"This is truly strange. This person's manifested Fortune and Destiny has a foundation of purple, yet he remains unknown!" According to his learning, all who have manifested Fortune and Destiny with a foundational purple hue were individuals whose names shook the world, so how could this one be obscure and nameless?

"The only person nearby is Yuzhou's Lu Zhang. Could it be this man, but how could he possess such a foundation?" the plump Taoist muttered to himself.

What he didn't know was that Lu Yu was a Land Immortal, and his Fortune and Destiny were naturally exceptionally dense. Lu Zhang was his closest relative in this world. Their Fortunes and Destiny were linked, which caused Lu Zhang's to surge greatly. Were it not for Lu Yu suppressing the Dragon Qi with his own Mana, all cultivators would have noticed it by now.

The plump Taoist was also lucky; his close observation of Lu Zhang's Fortune and Destiny, combined with his sect's Fortune and Destiny Observation technique, which ranked among the top in the Cultivation Realm, allowed him to perceive the clues.

The Taoist thought to himself, "The Dragon Qi has begun taking shape; according to logic, his fame should have spread far and wide. How can he be so unnamed and obscure? I've heard that this Lu Zhang came from low beginnings, rising through his father-in-law. Unless some expert has concealed the Heaven's Secret for him."

With this thought, he took a sharp intake of cold breath. One should know that the Human Path's Dragon Qi is naturally domineering; many Hidden Dragons become selfish and overbearing under its influence.

To suppress Dragon Qi and prevent it from being discovered by Qi Observers is an extremely difficult task, requiring either an astonishing secret technique or a Cultivation that reaches the heavens.

He stealthily applied his sect's secret technique to spy on Lu Zhang's Fortune and Destiny, probing for the reason behind the concealment of the Dragon Qi.

Following the connection of Fortune and Destiny, he probed further and a vast ocean unfolded before him, stars twinkling. A young man dressed as a scholar gazed at him with a half-smiling expression. This person was surrounded by a luminous glow, shining brilliantly.

"Primordial Spirit True Man!" the plump Taoist exclaimed, and his consciousness instantly returned to his own body.

"No, this presence seems even more majestic and grand than a Primordial Spirit True Man. I have no idea who this divine figure is, nor what connection he has with this Lu Zhang, but such exalted individuals typically wouldn't easily intervene in the competitions for Dragon Qi in the Human Path."

Turning his head, he thought that this was an established powerful leg to hold onto. Regardless of the relationship between this high personage and Lu Zhang, from the looks of the situation, he was definitely there to support Lu Zhang. Given that the Fortune and Destiny were now concealed and undiscovered, this was the perfect opportunity to seek support. With this in mind, he resolved.

"This poor Taoist, Chang Chunzi, has seen General Lu and thanks the General for his life-saving grace!" With his mind made up to cling to this strong support, he quickly put on an air of an Immortal with an ethereal grace.

Unfortunately, his large belly and round chubby cheeks, matched with a comically-shaped mustache, were nowhere close to the ethereal grace of an Immortal.

Seeing the surprised gazes of the people around him, he felt extremely embarrassed.

Lu Zhang and his wife, however, watched with interest the Taoist Priest Chang Chunzi before them. In the past, seeing such cultivators, they would show great respect. But encounter after encounter with these charlatans, and now witnessing their own uncle of such an Immoral caliber, their awe for ordinary cultivators had long since dissipated.

Therefore, the two of them simply engaged in polite conversation with the portly Taoist, without revealing any intention of recruitment.

Chang Chunzi hinted in his words that he was a cultivator and was waiting for Lu Zhang to invite him to join. Little did he expect that after talking until his mouth was nearly dry, there was still no sign of an invitation from the other party.

Chang Chunzi gritted his teeth and said, "Honestly, I am keen to offer my services to General Lu and hope for his acceptance!"

This frank declaration surprised Lu Zhang and his wife. They did not think this Taoist seemed like a man of true path and had been somewhat dismissive, but did not expect him, known as Chang Chunzi, to be so direct in seeking to join them.

"To not hide from Taoist Priest, although we have a little foundation, compared to the entire world we are insignificant. Why would you set your heart on joining us so persistently?"

Chang Chunzi's plump face bore a festive smile as he said, "Others may not know, but I am aware that there are esteemed individuals behind you two. If it weren't for your reputation not yet being established, I'm afraid it wouldn't be my turn to seek allegiance."

Upon hearing this, both husband and wife realized that this seemingly unserious Taoist was someone with abilities, not just one of those deceivers they had encountered before.

Lu Zhang bowed to the Taoist and said, "I, Lu Zhang, always claim to value talents as I do my own life, yet I never thought I would also make the mistake of judging a book by its cover. I hope the Taoist Priest can forgive me. It's really because I've been deceived by too many fake cultivators!"

The Taoist was a person broad-minded and rotund in body and did not take Lu Zhang's previous suspicion to heart. Knowing he needed to foster a good relationship with his future boss, he naturally chose flattering words to speak, and thus the host and guest were both happy.

Chang Chunzi's wish was granted as he joined Lu Zhang's team. The moment he was accepted by Lu Zhang, he felt his fortune soar, as the difficulties he faced in cultivation seemed to dissolve effortlessly. He couldn't help but marvel at the mysterious ways of human fortune and destiny.

Afterward, he asked candidly about the high-ranking individual behind Lu Zhang, and upon learning it was Lu Zhang's uncle, his joy knew no bounds.

"You don't know, esteemed individuals like Mr. Lu would not lightly involve themselves in the Human Path's contest for Dragon Qi without proper reasons. However, if there's a blood relation, it's completely different. Your fortunes are connected; you share wealth and woe together. So even taking action has its rationale. That is the confidence, and even if the contest for Dragon Qi fails, at least one's life is safe!"

Seeing that the couple did not understand his joy, he then explained.

After listening to the Taoist's explanation, Lu Zhang and his wife were overjoyed. They knew little about matters of the Cultivation Realm, so they hadn't realized how formidable their uncle was. Now, hearing these words, they felt even more assured.

Yuzhou City, located in the southern part of Great Chen, has a warm climate with much miasma. In ancient times, it was known as a wilderness, but after years of continuous development, it has long since turned into a paradise on earth, even being called the land of plenty.

Today, Yuzhou City was especially lively, with lanterns and streamers everywhere, and travelers passing through curiously inquired about the reason.

"You're from out of town, aren't you? Today, General Lu, Lu Zhang, has recovered from his illness and is returning to his residence. All these preparations are to welcome him."

"General Lu is practically the real ruler of Yuzhou, and he is known for caring for the people. We all regard him as our second parents. When he fell ill with a strange disease previously, we felt as though the sky was collapsing. Now that we've heard the news of his recovery, naturally we celebrate with lanterns and streamers."

The merchant, hearing this, also felt the extent to which Lu Zhang had won people's hearts, no wonder he, despite his humble origins, could securely hold the position of master of Yuzhou.