Chapter 1

of sight did Zuo Zuo retract her gaze and turn to run, quickly making it all the way down to the foot of the mountain. She tiptoed and stretched her neck to look at the scenery outside, a smile invol...Nine Dragon Mountain, San Qing Guan.

The Taoist temple stood tall and majestic, but the paths on either side were covered in withered yellow leaves. There was an eerie silence all around, yet suddenly a baby's cry, plaintive and piercing, echoed from within.

"Sob sob, Master, please don't drive me down the mountain. I can't bear to leave you. Please, please!"

Inside the main hall, Zhouzhou sat on the ground, using both her hands and feet to tightly grip Li Yuanming's legs. The little girl's head was shiny bald, but she wore a patched-up, faded Taoist robe that looked like it belonged to a beggar.

At this moment, she looked up at Li Yuanming, her mouth gaping open in a dry howl as she struggled to squeeze out a few tears. Her chubby face was etched with sadness, and she stared at him pitifully with a downturned mouth.

“Don't cry, I just want you to go down the mountain and gain some experience, I’m not sending you away.” Seeing his little disciple crying so pitifully, Li Yuanming also felt a pang of sympathy. His gaze fell on her bald head, he touched it gently, and then looked remorseful, regretting what he had done.

If he had known this beforehand, he wouldn't have competed with the bald donkey next door for disciples!

No wonder they were so quick to give him the things he stole. The abbot even made him swear that he couldn't return them. He thought it was because their temple wasn't popular and they couldn't afford to raise children. At the time, he ridiculed them fiercely.

Only now did she realize that Zuo Zuo was a natural born money loser!

After the old monk brought back the little one from the rice porridge in swaddling clothes, three years later, the temple which had once been bustling with activity was now deserted.

And yet, their view was that holding her back for only a year would bring them to near bankruptcy.

On the contrary, this year, the temple next door, after she left, gradually regained its former prosperity.

Remembering the past, Li Yuanming shook his head with a heavy heart. His gaze fell on his younger brother's hand holding a bowl with a crack in it. There were only a few grains of rice in the rice porridge inside. This made him even more determined. He suppressed the urge to hold his little disciple in his arms and comfort him, putting on a stern face and saying: "No, you are already grown up, it's time to go down the mountain."

"I'm not that big, I'm only four years old." Zou Zou held up her chubby little hand, hiccuped in rebuttal, and then quickly pulled it back to hang tightly on his leg, shaking it gently. "Master, please don't drive me away, okay I promise I won't steal food anymore."

Li Yuanming was shaken by her, his feet stumbled, and he almost fell. He steadied himself and said with a resolute face: "No!"

"You've said this countless times, next time you'll cheat again."

Hearing this, Zhouzhou felt a little guilty. She touched her belly and pouted pitifully, "But I'm hungry."

"We're hungry too!" Li Yuanming said, his voice filled with despair. "You eat five meals a day, eight bowls per meal! You'll eat us all out of house and home!"

"That's fine, we can always earn more money if we run out. But you have a problem with being broke, no matter how much we make, it won't help, not even the incense at our ancestors' shrine is burning anymore!"

"Your older and younger brothers have all gone down the mountain to work, but they still can't afford you. If you don't come down the mountain, tomorrow we will go begging together!"

Hearing these words, Zhou Zhou felt even more guilty and whispered, "Master, is there no room for negotiation"

Li Yuanming shook his head.

Seeing this, Zuo Zuo pouted, her small head drooping down listlessly against his leg, her ears following suit. She looked just like a discarded puppy.

"Well, then let me go down the mountain. Whether I become a beggar begging for food or starve on the streets in the future, I won't implicate my master. Becoming a spirit would be even better; I could stay by my master's side forever and wouldn't need to eat."

Saying that, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, looking both sad and strong.

Hearing this, Li Yuanming felt a pang of sadness. He sighed softly and patted her head, "Don't be afraid, Master has already contacted your Uncle Mingtong, he's doing well now. Follow him, you won't go hungry."

"Besides, haven't you always wanted Master's Universe Mirror Here, take this as a parting gift."

Saying that, he took out a copper mirror from his bosom and handed it to her.

Zuo Zuo's ears twitched quietly, and her eyeballs rolled. She didn't raise her head and still looked heartbroken, her shoulders trembling as she cried even louder.

Li Yuanming gritted his teeth, "I'll give you the Little Medicine Cauldron as well."

"Okay!" Zuo Zuo's crying abruptly stopped, her hands and feet relaxed, and she sprang up from the ground with a radiant smile. There was not a trace of sadness left on her face. "Thank you, Master. I'll go pack my things now."

After finishing, she took off running to her room with her short little legs.

Li Yuanming watched her back, nowhere could he imagine that he had just been tricked by this little girl. He was so angry that his beard bristled and his eyes widened, roaring: "Disciple!"

The younger brother laughed beside him and said, "That's right. You were planning to give this to Zuo Zuo anyway. Besides, you're not as good at alchemy or fortune-telling as Zuo Zuo. Keeping it here won't do any good. It's better to use it properly."

Li Yuanming snorted and stubbornly said, "Who said I'm not as good as her I'm her master!"

The junior brother smiled and looked at him, without pointing it out, smiling but saying nothing.

Back then, all the capable brothers went down the mountain to make big money. He was just too unskilled, so he was left behind as the abbot.

Li Yuanming also thought of this, he sheepishly touched his nose, mumbled something, and walked backward.

At first, he wouldn't have fought for her if he hadn't seen that her bones were extraordinary and she was a rare gem in the world of metaphysics. He wouldn't have fallen to his current state.

Those monks didn't even tell him about this, bald heads are just full of tricks!

He muttered grumpily.

Soon, Zuo Zuo came out. Her shiny head was covered with fortune-telling talismans, and she had three copper coins hanging around her neck. On one side of her waist, she wore a gourd, and on the other, a large Pixiu, which she had carved herself. It was ugly beyond words, but the only thing special about it was its size.

All the items were meant to attract wealth, yet she was born with a poverty-stricken fate. Any gathered fortune would dissipate completely upon contact with her, utterly useless.

Seeing her outfit, Li Yuanming twitched the corner of his mouth, “Zuo Zuo, you’re destined to be poor, with no luck in money. Give up, don’t even think about it.”

Zhou Zhou shook her head, carrying a burden on her shoulders that was even bigger than her. "No way, Big Brother said that my fate is in my own hands, not the heavens. As long as I'm willing to work hard, I can definitely get rich. When I make money, I'll give it all to the Taoist temple!"

Hearing this, Li Yuanming felt touched in his heart. Sometimes, his apprentice would pit him against others, but the person was still caring.

He walked over and gave her a dusty statue, which looked exactly like the people in the main hall.

"My dear apprentice, since you are so eager, Master will now entrust the important task of restoring the Daoist Temple to you. Come on, Master believes in you!"

"Zuo Zuo lowered her head, curiously looking at the statue in her hand. She asked strangely, "Master, what did you make this ancestor for me And where is the golden light on the ancestor"

When she was little, she saw the ancestral tablet in her master's room, it was shining gold, so beautiful. How come it's now dusty and shabby

"What do you think" Li Yuanming gave her a resentful glance.

Zuo Zuo instantly reacted, it must be because she was destined to be poor.

The Taoist temple is declining, the ancestral masters have no incense offerings, isn't that what happens

She smiled wryly, quickly hugging the statue, "Master, don't worry, I will definitely make a lot of money and get Ancestor Master to shine brightly again!"

Li Yuanming glanced at her, knowing that she couldn't possibly afford the training. But he didn't discourage her either. "As for incense offerings, Master doesn't insist. You just need to be able to eat well. After you go down the mountain, if you encounter anyone who needs help, lend a hand. Do many good deeds, earn some merit for your ancestral master. This is enough. It's also good for yourself, it can improve your financial situation."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhou's eyes lit up, and she nodded solemnly. "Hmm hmm, Master, I remember!"

Looking at his young apprentice's tearful eyes, Li Yuanming felt a pang of reluctance. In the end, he patted her shoulder and said, "Go down the mountain. Remember to find your Master Mingtong, he will take care of you."

"Good." Zuo Zuo pulled his hand, looking at him with reluctance. "Master, you have to take care of yourself too. I'll come back to see you when I make enough money."

"Well, go on then, it'll be dark soon."

"Mmm." Zhou Zhou nodded, taking three steps back for every one she took forward. Li Yuanming watched her go, his heart aching.

If it weren't for the fact that the Taoist temple was really struggling to stay afloat, he wouldn't have been willing to let his younger apprentice leave.

I only hope she has a smooth journey.

Only after they were out of sight did Zuo Zuo retract her gaze and turn to run, quickly making it all the way down to the foot of the mountain. She tiptoed and stretched her neck to look at the scenery outside, a smile involuntarily spreading across her face, and two cute dimples appeared on her chubby cheeks, sweet as honey.

Great, I finally made it down the mountain.

I'd heard from my seventh senior brother long ago about how many delicious and interesting things there are in the mountains. I've been craving them for a long time.

She finally got a chance to experience it.

Thinking about it, she smiled even brighter and walked forward with light steps. Just a few steps in, she suddenly found a crowd of people gathered ahead, buzzing with noise.

Then someone shouted, "Doctor! Is there a doctor! Please save our grandmother!"echoed from within."Sob sob, Master, please don't drive me down the mountain. I can't bear to leave you. Please, please!"Inside the main hall, Zhouzhou sat on the ground, using both her hands and feet...