In the refectory, Wan Yunting chatted warmly with the newly arrived disciples of the Taoist temple, inquiring about their lives on the mountain, whether they needed any help, or if there were any improvements to be made…
Wang Zhuyu, Tang Doudou, Zhao Xuewu, and Lin Dachun showed great enthusiasm, clearly viewing Wan Yunting as an idol. Among the new disciples, these five were the most skilled in martial arts.
Most of the other disciples were youths from nearby villages. Due to their family circumstances, they chose to become young Taoist priests on the mountain. The youngest among them was only ten years old, an age typically spent in school.
"Mistress, I see many young children. Why have they also come up the mountain? Is it due to family reasons?"
At this moment, Wan Yunting, accompanied by Gu Luotang, Qi Miaomiao, Lu Xiaodie, and Zheng Rong, as well as Yang Jingyi, Wu Weizi, Duan Yingying, Xu Lingwei, Qi Wu, and Li Zihang, emerged from the refectory and headed towards the main hall of the Taoist temple…
"Yes."
Yang Jingyi nodded and said, "In many regions around here, people live in poverty. The youngest child's parents rely on farming for a living. Although there is government assistance, many children still cannot attend school."
"When their parents learned that we accept disciples, they sent their children up the mountain. At least here, their lives are passable."
Wan Yunting listened and nodded. Indeed, many areas were impoverished, and the country was implementing poverty alleviation measures. However, some special families still faced hardships.
"Are there many places like this?" Wan Yunting asked.
"Many."
Wu Weizi nodded and said, "Although the country has poverty alleviation efforts, they cannot be perfectly precise. Therefore, many people in the mountainous regions live in poverty."
Wan Yunting pondered for a moment and said, "Uncle Wuwei, could you please research which poverty-stricken areas exist? I will arrange for people to provide assistance and resolve their poverty-related issues."
"Certainly, that is a virtuous deed. I will personally go down the mountain to investigate." Wu Weizi happily agreed.
Wan Yunting waved his hand and immediately took out his phone to call Han Shumei. After a moment, Han Shumei's voice answered, "Yunting, have you eaten?"
"I have, Sister Han. It's like this…"
After a brief greeting, Wan Yunting got straight to the point, "Are you free recently?"
Han Shumei, sitting in a small office at the Huadu Children's Welfare Institute, chuckled, "Yes, I'm free. What, are you still in Huadu City and want to ask me out?"
Chuckling at her teasing, Wan Yunting replied, "It's like this, Sister Han. I am now at the Wuliang Taoist Temple at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains, in Buxida County, on the border of Qinghai and Xinjiang. I'm looking for you because some mountainous areas here are quite harsh. I want to ask you to come and investigate if we can help the local people solve these problems!"
"Oh, so that's the matter…"
Hearing this, Han Shumei's happy smile was tinged with disappointment. She said, "Alright, then I'll contact Lin Xinlan and see if she can cooperate with me to take a look."
"Please do so as soon as possible. I will be entering the Kunlun Mountains in a couple of days. Please discuss it and come quickly. I will send you the address." Wan Yunting said.
"Okay, I'll reply to you tonight…"
They ended the call. Yang Jingyi, Wu Weizi, and everyone else had heard clearly. They were surprised by Wan Yunting's swift action. If the problems of the impoverished areas could truly be solved, it would undoubtedly be a great deed, even a tremendous boon for their Wuliang Taoist Temple!
"Mistress, does our temple have a system for educating the younger disciples?" Wan Yunting asked.
Yang Jingyi shook her head, "Not at present. Previously, Sima Boyong ran a school at the foot of the mountain that included cultural classes. However, our temple focuses on transmitting Taoist philosophy, as well as cultivating self-cultivation and martial arts knowledge."
Wan Yunting nodded and said, "Mistress, we are not yet capable of reopening the school at the foot of the mountain. However, if you have the energy to develop our temple's tourism industry, you can. If not, that's fine too. I can still cover the daily expenses of our temple."
"These younger disciples also need cultural education. Therefore, my decision is to establish a cultural classroom within the temple and hire a teacher to come up the mountain to teach specifically. What do you think, Mistress and Uncle Wuwei?"
"That would be wonderful."
Wu Weizi nodded in agreement, and Yang Jingyi also smiled and nodded, clearly seeing that Wan Yunting was thoughtful and considering the future of the younger disciples.
After all, disciples of each generation could not remain in the temple forever. As they grew up and perhaps developed their own aspirations, they might leave the sect to venture into the world outside.
If a child had not received modern education, what could they do after descending the mountain?
This was a significant issue. Since their parents had sent their children up the mountain, Wan Yunting and Yang Jingyi, as leaders of the temple, had a responsibility for their education.
Even if they couldn't become pillars of the nation, as long as they could become ordinary, useful members of society, that would suffice.
Upon reaching the main hall entrance, Wan Yunting said to Gu Luotang, Qi Miaomiao, and Lu Xiaodie, "Luotang, Sister Lu, please go back and rest. I have some matters to discuss with Mistress and the others."
"Okay…"
Gu Luotang and Lu Xiaodie nodded without further comment. Wan Yunting asked Li Zihang to escort them back to their quarters…
Knowing that Wan Yunting wanted to discuss that matter, Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi asked Duan Yingying, Xue Xinghe, Xu Lingwei, Qi Wu, and others to leave…
"No, I want to stay." Duan Yingying, holding Yang Jingyi's arm, coquettishly insisted on staying.
"Be good, go now…"
Wan Yunting saw Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao had already left. Seeing Duan Yingying's playful pout, he smiled and said, "Mistress, let her stay. She knows about this matter."
Duan Yingying, seeing he agreed, playfully nudged her nose and cast a resentful glance at Wan Yunting before turning to enter the main hall with Yang Jingyi.
Wan Yunting smiled, knowing the girl was upset with him…
"Xiao Wan, what is it exactly?" Wu Weizi asked eagerly as they sat down.
Duan Yingying sat beside Wan Yunting and said to Wu Weizi, "Uncle, he discovered the inheritance of the Xiaoyao Sect in the Kunlun Mountains!"
"What? The Xiaoyao Sect's inheritance?"
Wu Weizi's old eyes widened, and Yang Jingyi also looked astonished, turning to Wan Yunting. He nodded and said, "When Senior Sister Zhou from the Emei Sect and I were being pursued, we fell into that valley. We did indeed discover the martial arts manuals and inheritance left by the last Sect Leader of the Xiaoyao Sect, Senior Kang Guangling!"
Yang Jingyi reacted, "So the story you told when you were rescued was a lie?"
Wan Yunting knew she was referring to how he had deceived the police, claiming they only found sword techniques for Junzi Sword and Shunu Sword below, without revealing the cave.
"Yes, and not only that, there was also an ice bed in the cave beneath the valley!" Wan Yunting said.
"An ice bed?"
This time, Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi could no longer sit still. They stood up in shock, staring at Wan Yunting in disbelief, and exclaimed excitedly, "Is it the legendary ice bed that allows you to practice martial arts twice as effectively?"
"That's right."
Wan Yunting looked at them and nodded solemnly, saying, "Senior Sister Zhou and I used the ice bed to break through rapidly back then. I've returned now to enter the Kunlun Mountains again, go to the valley below, and use the ice bed for secluded cultivation."
"Incredible, truly incredible, that the Xiaoyao Sect's inheritance was hidden within the Kunlun Mountains."
Wu Weizi's old face was filled with excitement. "It was rumored that the Xiaoyao Sect was annihilated near the Kunlun Mountains. It turns out to be true."
Yang Jingyi couldn't hide her joy either. She then raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yunting, besides you and the Emei Sect Leader, does anyone else know about this?"
Wan Yunting replied, "Uncle Chang also knows!"
Yang Jingyi breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, "That's good. After all, the ice bed is an unparalleled treasure for us martial artists. If the martial world were to find out, it could bring devastating consequences to our Wuliang Taoist Temple!"
Wu Weizi's old face stiffened, and he realized Yang Jingyi was right. He said, "Xiao Wan, the ice bed must absolutely not be revealed!"
Wan Yunting's expression turned serious. "This time, I will take Luotang, Sister Lu, and the others into the mountains for a month of secluded cultivation!"
Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi exchanged a glance, their hearts tightening. Wan Yunting, sensing their concern, waved his hand and smiled, "Luotang, Miaomiao, Sister Lu, and Senior Sister Zheng are all part of our group. I trust them, and they will not reveal this even if they know."
"Furthermore, Sister Lu and Senior Sister Zheng are the ones I have chosen to inherit the Xiaoyao Sect's skills. I am taking them along this time to perform the ceremony of inheritance and apprenticeship!"
Yang Jingyi, understanding his implication, asked, "So, are you intending to bring the Xiaoyao Sect back into existence?"
Wan Yunting slightly shook his head and smiled, "Recreating the Xiaoyao Sect is not possible at the moment. We can discuss that in the future. For now, it's just about them inheriting the skills."
Wu Weizi inquired, "So you have also learned the skills of the Xiaoyao Sect?"
Wan Yunting nodded, not concealing it, "Yes, I have indeed inherited the skills of the Xiaoyao Sect."
This made Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi exchange glances, unsure whether to be happy or worried. After all, they were the Wuliang Taoist Temple, and Wan Yunting, as its master, had also learned the skills of the Xiaoyao Sect!
One must remember that the Xiaoyao Sect was once a sect that operated in both righteous and unrighteous ways. Due to their improper conduct at the time, they were suppressed by the righteous sects and eventually wiped out and declined…
If the martial world were to learn now that Wan Yunting had inherited the Xiaoyao Sect's skills, some people would surely come forward to denounce him!
"Mistress, Uncle Wuwei, please rest assured. I rarely use the Xiaoyao Sect's skills publicly."
Wan Yunting, seeing their worry, said, "Besides, the Xiaoyao Sect has long been buried in the river of history. Even if I were to use it now, few people would probably recognize it."
Yang Jingyi nodded and said, "However, try not to use it in front of righteous martial artists to avoid trouble."
"Understood." Wan Yunting nodded.
"Hey, I want to go to the Kunlun Mountains with you for secluded cultivation too!" Duan Yingying pouted coquettishly.
Wan Yunting's expression froze. The girl said this in front of Yang Jingyi, which made him feel awkward.
After all, Yang Jingyi did not yet know about his relationship with Duan Yingying, and he wasn't sure if this little vixen had told her mother. If Yang Jingyi found out, wouldn't he feel extremely embarrassed?
"Then let Xiao Wan take you along."
Wu Weizi, unaware of the situation, simply thought Duan Yingying was unusually motivated. "She should be taught some martial arts to improve herself."
Yang Jingyi had already seen through everything and nodded without saying anything, tacitly agreeing.
Wan Yunting cleared his throat and stood up, saying, "Then, after my friends arrive and we finalize the poverty alleviation matters, we will proceed into the Kunlun Mountains. But this matter absolutely must not be disclosed to anyone else!"
"Mmm…"
Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi nodded. Duan Yingying was overjoyed and cast a charming glance at Wan Yunting, her eyes full of allure, hinting at something that made his expression unnatural and made him afraid to look at Yang Jingyi. He said, "Then I'll be going back now…"
"Xiao Wan, I'll go with you…"
Wu Weizi also stood up, said goodbye to Yang Jingyi, and then followed Wan Yunting as they left…