Chapter Forty-Two: Luo River

“Oh, it really is my uncle!” The young girl suddenly shouted after hearing Nan Luo’s words. Just moments ago, she had been so calm and quiet, but in an instant she became lively and energetic again.

Nan Luo had just been admiring her uniqueness, accepting her quiet intelligence in his heart, and now she was suddenly spirited and cheerful.

“Uncle, how are you still alive?”

Nan Luo: …

“Uncle, did you turn into a ghost?”

Nan Luo: …

“Uncle, why are you so young?”

Nan Luo replied, “Your uncle is immortal.”

“Really?”

Nan Luo smiled, “Yes, otherwise how could I still be so young?”

“Hehe, uncle, you’re such a liar.”

Nan Luo: …

It was early spring, and warm sunlight bathed the world. In the distance, clusters of nameless flowers bloomed radiantly. Threads of fragrance were carried by the wind, drifting to people’s noses and flowing into their hearts.

“What’s your name?” Nan Luo sat on a fallen log, holding the little girl in his arms, perched on his knee.

“Guess,” she said, turning her head away with her chin held high, refusing to look at Nan Luo.

With a smile at the corner of his lips, Nan Luo pretended to ponder, then said slowly, “You’re so light and thin. Your mother must have named you ‘Monkey’.”

The girl puffed her cheeks angrily and shot Nan Luo a glare, then turned away again. “No.”

“Leaf…”

The little girl: …

“Flower?”

The little girl: …

Meanwhile, on the broad clearing by the village gate where Nan Luo had entered, those who had been scattered under the sun now gathered around an old man.

…

…

“Old Mu, you say he was taken away twenty years ago. By now, he should be about as old as Little Stone’s father. But look at him—he’s still just a man in his twenties,” a woman in her thirties said.

The others sitting nearby agreed.

“No mistake, no mistake. I remember clearly how he stood on the altar when he was chosen as the next priest. There’s no mistaking him,” Old Mu, surrounded in the middle, leaned back in his chair and spoke slowly.

“Hearing you say that, Old Mu, I seem to recall something too. But I was only seven or eight at the time, so my memory is fuzzy,” murmured a young woman, lost in thought.

“Go find Hong Guo quickly. If her brother has returned, she’ll know better than any of us.”

“Someone’s already gone to fetch her.”

“Hey, where did Luoshui go?”

“I saw her just now, she followed that man over there,” a little girl pointed loudly in the direction Nan Luo had left.

“Ah, we’d better call her back quickly. If that man isn’t who we think, it could be dangerous.”

Old Mu, still seated, stopped them. “No need, no need. That’s Nan Luo, Luoshui should call him uncle… If he hadn’t been taken by the giant eagle all those years ago, he’d be our priest now, and we wouldn’t have gone so many years without a true priest in the Yangping clan.”

“But we have the Year Priest, Wind Priest, and Fire Priest. Aren’t they good enough? Why do you say Yangping has no real priest?” someone asked, puzzled.

“They… They don’t count. What clan ever had so many priests? They were merely those who weren’t chosen back then, and none of them inherited the true priestly tradition…” Old Mu spoke disdainfully.

“But if he was taken away twenty years ago, he was so young then. Surely he couldn’t have received the full priestly inheritance,” someone questioned.

“That’s what you don’t know. When the elder priest was alive, he told me Nan Luo was quiet on the outside, but sharper than anyone inside. Anything he learned, he mastered at once. He was truly clever,” Old Mu leaned back, basking in the sun, evidently proud to recall the old days of Nan Luo and the priest.

Suddenly, a man ran over and shouted, “All children under twelve, gather at the altar! Master Yuan is beginning to select disciples!”

At his words, the crowd dispersed, each pulling their children towards the tribe’s altar. Even Old Mu, who had been reminiscing so gleefully, was supported by others and followed. In his heart, the return of Nan Luo was no small matter, but it couldn’t compare to the chance to be chosen by a celestial master.

Master Yuan had arrived half a year ago. After touring the area, he approached the clan chief, declaring that wind and clouds converged here, water gathered, and spiritual veins arose beneath the earth. He said he would build a Daoist temple three miles from the tribe, establish a Daoist school, and demonstrated a few mystical arts. The chief naturally agreed eagerly.

How could the Yangping chief refuse such a thing? Having a man of supernatural power establish a temple nearby was a rare and precious boon. He summoned everyone in the tribe, and after nearly four or five months of labor, the temple was complete. The establishment of a Daoist school meant disciples would be chosen, and everyone in the Yangping clan had long awaited this day.

Every clan possessed a priest, but since the previous Yangping priest passed away, there had been no true successor. Though three now claimed the title, in the eyes of the elders, the tradition was broken. Yet they kept their concerns silent.

Having a celestial master’s temple nearby would be a beautiful hope for everyone. Letting the clan’s children become disciples, learn skills, and forge ties—when trouble arose, there would be someone to rely on.

Things had been calm until recently, but now two clans had moved to within ten miles of Yangping, making everyone uneasy. When the chief tried to contact them, he found them to be fiercely combative and aggressive.

Rumors even said their clan had shamans, which deeply worried the chief.

Suddenly, everyone in the tribe converged at the altar, and this commotion could not escape Nan Luo’s notice. Uncertain what was happening, he explained the situation to his clever niece Luoshui.

She tilted her head, thought briefly, and said happily, “I know! Master Yuan is taking disciples today!”

No sooner had Luoshui spoken than Nan Luo sensed the master she mentioned arriving on a cloud at the altar. He pinched her nose and laughed, “Your little head is smart. Let’s go over too. If your mother can’t find you later, you’ll miss your chance to become a disciple.”

But Luoshui pouted and replied, “She won’t care about me!”

Nan Luo was startled, then gently stroked her dry, yellow hair and said, “Let’s go. You’re so clever, you’ll surely be chosen as a pupil.”