I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

After Zhou Yi entered, the bookshopkeeper had been observing him closely.

The dark cyan Taoist robe's material could not be discerned, with its stitches fine and even as if woven by a machine, yet it looked natural and comfortable, lacking the rigidity of mass production.

"Such exquisite craftsmanship, a foot of this would cost several taels of silver at least!"

The shopkeeper, being well-experienced, had accompanied his employer to Xianjing to purchase new printing machinery and knew that the scions of noble families and true Taoist practitioners clad themselves in crafts from a century ago.

Poor people are the ones who wear machine-woven fabrics!

Upon further observation of the jade hairpin on his head and cloud shoes on his feet, the traces of his profound background were evident.

The shopkeeper's eyes twinkled as he leaned over and bowed, "Taoist master, do you need any Taoist scriptures? A hand-copied version by the true person Zhang Huaiyun from a hundred years ago!"

"Bring them to me."

Zhou Yi's divine sense had swept through all the historical records, broadly understanding the changes of the past 160 years, but the general accounts in history books required personal experience to fully comprehend.

The shopkeeper took out an exquisitely crafted wooden box from under the counter, and after opening it, revealed a thread-bound book, "Zhang Huaiyun's Alchemy Annotations." Discover exclusive tales on empire

"Alchemy?"

Zhou Yi was quite surprised and began to flip through the book, his expression growing darker with each page turned.

The shopkeeper, unsure of the reason, tentatively asked, "Taoist master, could there be a problem with this book?"

"There's no problem with the book, its contents, though... Humph!"

Zhou Yi had ascertained upon handling it that the paper and ink indeed bore the age of a century, confirming it as a genuine antique.

The scripture detailed not the Taoist canons, nor techniques of alchemy or artifact refining, but instead expounded on the composition of all things in the world by the Yin and Yang and Five Elements, and their interaction that led to the creation of gunpowder, glass, lime, etc.

On the last page of the book, the true person Zhang Huaiyun indicated that most of the artifact refining and alchemy methods in Taoist scriptures were merely the vain hopes of ancient Taoist sages for eternal life.

He also admonished the future generations of disciples not to be obstinate and conservative but to prosper Taoism by recognizing errors and making changes!

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"Vile wretch, this man has thrown away all the dignity of our ancestors!"

With a dark face, Zhou Yi asked, "What is Zhang Huaiyun's status in the Taoist hierarchy?"

The shopkeeper explained, "True person Zhang is recognized as the only Taoist sage since the establishment of the Great Zhou dynasty, and after his ascension, the Imperial Court granted him the title Venerable Mysterious Taoist of Widespread Teaching and Civilization, receiving incense offerings from Taoist temples everywhere!"

Zhou Yi could only sigh helplessly, not having anticipated the profound impact the popularization of machinery would have.

"How much for this book?"

"This book is a treasured collection of my employer, and it should not be sold."

The shopkeeper said with a smile, "But since the Taoist master likes it, it's only fitting to return it to its rightful Taoist owner for 500 taels."

Zhou Yi fished into his sleeve and pulled out a fist-sized gold ingot for the payment.

The shopkeeper's eyes widened, taken aback by the handcrafted clothes, gold ingot, and the strength with which it was handled. He didn't dare to utter a word about testing its purity or weight.

This kind of person, adhering to ancient rites a century old, was completely out of place in today's times; a mild disapproval could lead to minor disputes, while serious disagreements might result in a brawl!

Zhou Yi pocketed the book and stepped out of the bookshop, looking up at the sky once again, who could have imagined that the mere mortal world would have changed so much in just a hundred years.

The black smoke was only superficial, the real essence was the change in people's hearts!

"Luckily, I have perfected the Kunlun Cave Heaven and can cultivate in the mortal world, otherwise, after a few hundred years of seclusion, I would truly become an ignorant ancient person!"

...

Xianjing.

Emperor Tai Shi named the capital after Kunlun Wonderland.

Zhu Kang, claiming to be the younger martial brother of Emperor Tai Shi and having cultivated on Kunlun Mountain, had retained the old name after establishing the nation.

Before Zhou Yi had even entered the city, he saw several large chimneys spouting black smoke continuously.

The mottled blue-gray city walls, built by Da Qian hundreds of years ago, had been cut from mountain stones and reinforced with spells by cultivators of that time, and to this day, they still served as the city's most critical protection.

Black, shiny iron cannons extended from the battlements, with soldiers on guard wearing iron armor, and carrying steel swords and fire guns at their waists.

Entering through the city gates.

The wide street stretched over thirty feet, with shops lined up neatly on both sides, and the flow of carriages and pedestrians was incessant.

Zhou Yi, with his exceptional vision, saw from afar the enormous pendulum standing at the end of the street, glistening with a steely luster under the sunlight.

"Taoist Master, please show your travel permit."

The speaking middle-aged man was wrapped in dark blue short-tunic attire, black trousers, and wore a soap-colored official's scarf on his head.

"Where do I purchase a house?"

Zhou Yi spread his hands open, nothing within them, yet a travel permit emerged in the man's vision as he recalled it.

Adjusting his glasses, the man looked closely at the seal of the True Person from White Cloud Monastery and became even more respectful, "The tooth office is at No. 12, Kunlun Street."

Zhou Yi declined the man's offer to lead the way and, after asking for directions, strolled leisurely down the street.

The capital was the center of transformation, far more advanced than cities in the Northern Border, as evidenced by those larger and more numerous chimneys, along with the ash-laden smoke drifting through the air like fog.

Chimneys, pendulums, clerks, tooth offices...

A strange yet harmonious amalgamation within one scene.

Zhou Yi entered a shop marked with a copper coin, encountering a counter half a person tall. Without any seats, he had to stoop as some exchanged Silver Yuan and gold for paper bills and vice versa.

After observing for a moment, he withdrew, took out a silver ingot, and tenderly kneaded it into a shiny, standard silver coin.

The face of the silver coin was engraved not with the Emperor but with a Taoist sitting in meditation. The reverse bore majestic mountains and swirling clouds: a design of exquisite craftsmanship.

Kunlun Street.

The main thoroughfare penetrating the capital all the way to the Imperial Palace, its width over sixty feet, perfectly embodying the belief that bigger is beautiful, more is better.

No. 13.

The tooth office had not changed much over the years, perhaps still adhering to some traditional practices passed down. But with the incessant ticking of the office clock, one wondered how long the industry's legacy could last.

As soon as Zhou Li entered, the middle-aged toothman noticed his attire and immediately handed off the client he was serving to an apprentice, respectfully coming over to inquire.

"May I ask what the Taoist Master needs to purchase?"

Zhou Li replied, "A shop."

"Taoist Master, please come to the private room to discuss in detail."

The toothman, bending his body, led the way. Since the Great Ancestor's time, Da Qian has revered Taoists, and given their often considerable wealth, they were deemed worthy of respect in the eyes of ordinary people.

The private room was decorated in an ancient and fragrant style, with rosewood tables and chairs, landscape paintings, and wisps of sandalwood incense smoke.

After both were seated, the toothman asked, "Taoist Master, may I ask what price range of property you are looking for?"

"In Ningde Fang, the price does not matter," Zhou Li said.

Zhou Li's storage bag was filled with an abundance of gold and jewels, any of which taken out would be ancient antiques worth hundreds to thousands of years. If one lived long enough, an object worth a few copper coins from the past could now be worth more than gold.

Taking the catalog the toothman passed over, he checked each property and chose one that was closer to his old residence, priced at twenty-five thousand taels.

An hour later.

The yamen had drawn up the documents; the name of the house owner was changed, and the transaction was completed.

Zhou Li discovered that his identity as a Taoist from White Cloud Monastery was quite convenient in Da Qian, avoiding nuisances like queuing up.

Thus, he forged a real-looking travel permit, taking on the identity of a disciple who had practiced in the mountains for a long time and had just entered the mortal world for some worldly experience.

He then cast an Illusion Technique and received the household registration from the yamen.

Ningde Fang.

The courtyard.

Zhou Li broke the lock, rusted and fused as one, pushed open the door, and saw dust and fallen leaves everywhere, peeling wall paint, the main house and eastern wing room already collapsed.

"This thousand-year-old abode of mine has endured through four dynasties, yet surprisingly, has not been claimed by others."

"It seems that some secular acquaintances still carry on the legacy!"