Chapter Sixteen: Expulsion

With a stern face, Liuchen returned to the front courtyard and casually grabbed someone, instructing him to notify everyone to gather in the Three Purities Hall.

In no time, the hall was filled to the brim with people—forty or fifty in all—men and women, young and old. The Xuanguang Monastery no longer resembled a place of Daoist cultivation, but rather the bustling courtyard of a wealthy landowner. The crowd was noisy and disorderly, more like a marketplace than a temple.

Liuchen's expression was grave. He had thought only a dozen or so relatives had come, but the attendants had proved far bolder than expected. So many people eating, drinking, and taking without paying—he suspected that most of the imperial rewards and the money Yunhua had brought back were already gone.

He looked at the assembly without uttering a word, his face dark and forbidding. He ignored the din, and gradually, the chatter died down of its own accord.

Only after a long silence did Liuchen suddenly slam his hand on the table and shout, "You have some nerve! Do you know where you are? If any of you can read, look at the sign hanging at the gate. I am an official of the Dao. Bestowed with rank by imperial decree. This is a royal monastery. Who let all of you in? I, as the abbot, don't recall there being so many people here." His voice rang out, sharp and authoritative. The crowd, all common folk, were bold when it came to petty tricks, but in the face of authority, they cowered like chickens. At the sound of his reprimand, they were instantly terrified and dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.

Liuchen paid them no further attention, instead fixing his gaze on the handful of attendants at the front. These women, now pale and trembling, also knelt down in fear.

"Has any of you studied the Daoist scriptures?" he asked.

No one replied. Clearly, most of them were illiterate, much less acquainted with sacred texts.

"Does anyone have a clerical certificate?" he asked again.

Still no answer. Such documents were not easy to come by. The court strictly controlled the number of monks and priests in order to manage tax revenues—after all, the ordained were exempt from taxes. Not even Yunhua had such a certificate. According to the authorities, those without one were "wild priests" or "unauthorized monks," subject to imprisonment if caught.

"Since none of you have studied the scriptures, possess a certificate, or worshipped at the Three Purities, you are not of our Daoist community. This is a place of cultivation. I will overlook what you have eaten and used before, but there are imperial gifts here that you may not take. Even if you do, you won’t be able to use them, and if reported to the officials, you’ll lose your heads over it. Better to leave them behind and return to your homes," Liuchen said sternly.

"But, Master, how can you drive us away?" came the pitiful protest. Clearly, life in the monastery was far more comfortable than back home—good food, warm beds, and even a monthly stipend. No one wanted to leave.

Liuchen replied in a cold voice, "And why shouldn't I drive you away? Do you know what this place is?"

"I'm not leaving. If you want me gone, you can kill me! I was invited here—you can't just throw me out. I worked for this monastery, why should I go?" Some of the women, seeing that fear wouldn’t sway him, threw themselves on the ground and began to wail and make a scene, abandoning all pretense of dignity in the face of self-interest.

Liuchen's face darkened to the color of iron. He despised dealing with ignorant, unruly women, for reason was useless with them. He could only say in a low voice, "Fine, don’t leave. Tomorrow I will post a notice and have the authorities come and take you away. Disturbing a royal monastery and stealing imperial property—let’s see how you fare then. The executioner’s blade may be your only way out."

The cries ceased abruptly. The crowd turned their eyes to the attendants at the front, waiting for them to decide what to do.

"Master, have mercy—couldn’t you spare just a few of us? They say a true immortal is compassionate—why can’t you find room for some women and children?" One of the attendants was cornered against the wall and tried to appeal to his mercy, hoping to shame him into letting them stay.

Liuchen sneered, "Daoism does not speak of compassion, but transcendence. One must save oneself before saving others. As for your deeds, you know them better than anyone. You are not my attendants, and I have no business dealing with you. Leave what belongs to the monastery and be gone—I will ask nothing more. I believe your indentures are still with the county magistrate. If I write to him that you have betrayed your masters, you’d be lucky to escape with your lives." He stressed the words "escape with your lives" with deliberate severity.

The attendants dared not utter another word. Liuchen then shouted, "Now go pack your things. You are not to take anything from the monastery. If anything is missing when we check, the authorities will come for you. I don’t want to see any of you after sunset—now, get out!"

With that, Liuchen turned and left the hall, disregarding the crowd entirely. He walked straight to the rear courtyard in search of Yunhua.

"Come on, little one, eat a bit—just a little, give me some face," he said as he entered Yunhua’s room. Yunhua was chasing the little fox around with some plums, but the fox was thoroughly uninterested and paid her no heed. Hearing Liuchen’s footsteps, it began to whimper. Yunhua immediately grew dejected, her eyes reddening as she said, "Master, am I really that useless? I can’t manage the monastery, I can’t even care for a fox."

Liuchen smiled and comforted her, "You’re still growing up; that’s enough. Even the fox knows better—look, its eyes aren’t even open yet. It can’t eat solid food, only goat’s milk." As he spoke, he conjured a clay jar from thin air. "Here, Yunhua, why don’t you try feeding the little fox some milk?" Yunhua immediately took the jar, poured some into a cup, and watched intently as the fox drank.

Liuchen was about to leave when Yunhua turned and asked, "If everyone leaves, what will happen to the monastery? I can’t manage it all by myself."

He laughed and said, "Silly girl, when they’re gone, we’ll just recruit new people. Then you’ll be the senior disciple."

"Does that mean the senior disciple can order everyone around?" Yunhua asked. Liuchen grinned, "Of course. Aside from the master, you’ll be in charge of the monastery."

As the sun leaned westward, the crowd in the front courtyard finally departed, albeit reluctantly. A few, clearly disgruntled, spat on the gates as they left when they saw Liuchen was nowhere in sight. Liuchen just smiled, unruffled, and paid them no mind. That very night, he set up a simple illusion array along one side of the mountain path, naming it the "Path of Self-Reflection." Anyone wishing to become a formal disciple would have to pass through it on their own. The other side remained open for ordinary visitors. At the foot of the mountain, he placed a sign: "Seek the Way—Left; All Others—Right." He also posted a notice: "Xuanguang Monastery seeks five laborers and two fire-tenders. Half a tael of silver per month, food and lodging included."

With all preparations complete, he bought a milk goat from the village at the base of the mountain, not spending a single coin—he simply exchanged a safety amulet, and both parties felt they'd struck a good bargain.

Days passed. The positions for laborers and fire-tenders were filled by the next day, and they proved satisfactory enough. As for disciples, not a single one was accepted. Every day, many attempted the Path of Self-Reflection, but none succeeded. Liuchen was in no hurry. The immortal path is arduous; if one couldn’t even pass the simplest trial, how could they hope to tread the way of immortality? He passed his days reading Daoist texts, teaching Yunhua to read, and amusing the little fox, all the while awaiting the moment when the Dao would stir his heart and the time for his own alchemical transformation would arrive.