Feng Shui Chapter 137: Qualification

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

The four of them saluted with the etiquette of juniors meeting a senior cultivator and spoke in unison.

“There's no need to be so formal, young friends." Shen Yonghe replied with a smile. “You not only eliminated Zhao Jiao and his group of demon cultivators for my Jin City, but also helped elevate the prestige of the Shen family. I won’t forget this deed, and neither will the Jin City let your efforts go unrewarded. Here is the reward you have earned.”

As he spoke, he signaled the attendants to bring forth four trays, each carrying a small box. Judging by the size, Chen Xiao guessed that the contents weren’t spirit stones, it had to be spirit pearls instead. The attendants stepped forward to present the boxes for inspection, then retreated to the back.

“And that’s not all." Shen Yonghe continued with a smile. “Your achievements will also be publicly posted in every city and prefecture across Jin City. Your names are now widely known, and the people are eager to learn more about you. I imagine from today onward, you’ll be flooded with banquet invitations, so busy you won’t know what to do with yourselves, haha.”

If they had been newly initiated cultivators out to make a name for themselves, they would’ve been thrilled, after all, fame would do wonders for one’s prospects in the local cultivation world. But none of the four had any plans to stay in the Jin City long-term. Only for Chen Xiao, as a feng shui master, did fame offer some practical benefits. Though he didn’t care for social events, it wasn’t appropriate to be discourteous at such a formal occasion, so he smiled and said, “It’s all thanks to the capital’s support.”

At this, Shen Yonghe spoke up again. “I’ve heard from my son, Yanxing, that he’s currently studying feng shui under you. For you to be willing to teach my son these arts, I’m truly grateful. I wonder if you would consider taking an official post in the palace, solely responsible for instructing feng shui?”

Chen Xiao was momentarily taken aback before politely declining. “This junior’s knowledge is shallow and likely unworthy of such a responsibility. Yanxing and I merely exchange ideas and learn from one another.”

But Shen Yonghe took Chen Xiao’s modesty as an honest admission of his limitations. After all, Chen Xiao’s cultivation was still only at the Body Refining stage, far from impressive. Shen Yanxing was, after all, a prince, even without formally becoming an apprentice, his teachers should at least be at the Foundation Establishment level. Shen Yonghe nodded slightly. “I see. Still, even if it’s just informal instruction, proper etiquette must be upheld. You will still receive the corresponding honorarium.”

From his perspective, given Chen Xiao’s status and cultivation level, he was clearly unqualified to formally teach Shen Yanxing. Offering him compensation under the pretense of informal instruction already showed significant respect for talent despite humble origins.

Xi Yunqing, who knew Chen Xiao’s true abilities, felt frustrated on his friend’s behalf. To see Chen Xiao’s humble words taken at face value, it was like casting pearls before swine. But since Chen Xiao and Shen Yanxing had agreed to keep their master-disciple relationship unofficial for now, and only formalize it in the future, Xi Yunqing had no choice but to keep silent.

Shen Yanxing, however, truly regarded Chen Xiao as his master. He was quietly angered by his father’s slight and said stiffly, “Father, I would like to invite my teacher and his companions to my residence.”

Shen Yonghe had always been lenient with this son of his, who was born without spiritual roots and destined for a short life, so long as he didn’t bring harm to the Shen family.

He replied gently, “Then go ahead and be a gracious host. Take your friends on a tour of the palace grounds. Just remember, there’s a banquet this evening. Don’t lose track of time while you’re having fun.”

Once they left Shen Yonghe’s presence, Shen Yanxing fumed as he apologized to Chen Xiao, “My father doesn’t know the truth. He treated you unfairly, Teacher. Please don’t take offense.”

In the world of cultivation, there’s a vast difference between being a master and merely a teacher. A master formally accepts disciples into the sect, and their status could even surpass that of a parent. A teacher, on the other hand, simply instructs in a single subject. Though still respected, the level of reverence is much lower. Most importantly, a master supports the disciple, while a teacher receives fees from the student.

But Chen Xiao wasn’t angry. Instead, he reassured Shen Yanxing, “Your father didn’t treat me unfairly. I meant what I said, my current knowledge truly isn’t sufficient to guide you.”

Shen Yanxing was intelligent. Compared to Chen Xiao’s own early days studying under Fang Gu, Shen Yanxing had a much stronger foundation. He absorbed knowledge like a sponge, quickly mastering the material in An Introduction to Modern Feng Shui. If Chen Xiao hadn’t been a feng shui master in his previous life, equipped with a golden finger like his compass, Shen Yanxing might’ve already drained his entire repertoire by now.

But Shen Yanxing wasn’t comforted by those words. The more time he spent with Chen Xiao, the more he realized just how profound his master’s knowledge truly was. Feng shui was vast and abstruse, and no matter how long he studied, he knew he could never reach the same depths of understanding. He said solemnly, “No matter what others say, in my heart, you are my master.”

In the royal palace, one’s status was largely determined by how close their residence was to the central hall. Shen Yanxing’s palace was fairly sizable and located neither too far nor too close to Shen Yonghe’s, an appropriately middling position. Even though following Shen Yanxing didn’t promise much of a future, the servants still did their best to serve him with care.

Shen Yanxing had been reading and studying alone for some time, and had accumulated a lot of questions. Now, he seized the chance to ask them. Chen Xiao was very patient with his first student, explaining everything clearly and in great detail, always supporting theory with real-world examples. Having read countless ancient feng shui texts in his past life, he was familiar with virtually every kind of case. Though he couldn’t openly cite his sources, he passed them off as hypothetical examples.

Shen Yanxing listened with rapt attention, completely absorbed. Many of the problems he had struggled with were suddenly clarified, and the illustrative cases Chen Xiao gave made his understanding all the more profound.

Shen Yanxing’s admiration for Chen Xiao reached new heights. One was eager to teach, the other thrilled to learn, and the two of them enjoyed themselves immensely. The rest of the group, however, quickly became overwhelmed. Even Xi Yunqing struggled to keep up with the content.

By evening, the group arrived at the banquet. Compared to the grand celebration in Hanshan City, this one was far more modest. After all, the new dynasty had only just been established, and Shen Yonghe had prohibited any extravagance. The banquet was simple and restrained, its primary purpose being to provide a space for aristocratic families to connect with the royal household. As long as that goal was met, nothing else mattered.

At the banquet, Shen Yanxing’s princely brothers were surrounded by various groups, some from newly risen families, others from long-established noble lineages.

Chen Xiao and his companions were practically invisible this time around. Were it not for Shen Yanxing’s company, no one would have paid them any attention. They were more than happy to enjoy the peace, indulging in a variety of Jin City’s specialty dishes, and even sampling fruits specially preserved from the summer and autumn seasons.

From time to time, one of Shen Yanxing’s princely brothers would approach, followed by their entourages. They would greet Shen Yanxing politely and attempt to make the acquaintance of Chen Xiao and the others. Each time, Chen Xiao had to stand and respond with the rest of the group, and he quickly grew irritated. It was clear that these princes were curious about them. But once they realized there was no value in recruiting them, they gave up just as quickly.

Only then did Chen Xiao truly understand what Shen Yanxing had meant when he said that without cultivation, one had no status or standing. These men offered Shen Yanxing only surface-level concern. None of them truly understood his intentions, and it was no wonder he had once felt disheartened and lost.

After the celebration banquet, the royal family hosted several smaller, private gatherings. These were tailored toward either newly prominent families or the older, established clans. Some of the most historically powerful families were even invited separately. Shen Yonghe didn’t exclude Shen Yanxing, and brought him along to accompany the others.

After staying at the official residence for just two or three days, Chen Xiao and the others moved out. They found a large, well-appointed inn. Though it lacked the elegance of the royal accommodations, it offered a greater sense of freedom.

Xi Yunqing kept his promise and took Chen Xiao on a tour of the capital. Tang Ru, still recovering from her injuries, chose to stay behind. Tong Nuonuo, ever restless, firmly stuck to Chen Xiao’s side. Xi Yunqing had no choice but to bring her along.

Chen Xiao’s goals were simple: he wanted to see the exotic architecture and customs of the capital, and sample the local specialties and goods. Xi Yunqing was happy to indulge him, and their outing became a leisurely trip full of browsing, shopping, and eating.

Tong Nuonuo didn’t have quite the same appetite. Once her cravings were satisfied, her enthusiasm began to wane. After walking down another street lined with identical stalls and shops, she finally said, “Let’s go somewhere else? Everything’s starting to look the same.”

Chen Xiao was always open to his friends’ suggestions. “Where do you want to go?” he asked.

Tong Nuonuo thought for a moment before replying, “Back at the residence, I overheard some officials say there’s a shop in the capital that specializes in cultivation goods. They’re hosting a string of auctions these days. The items are actually collections seized from noble families, so there’s bound to be some rare treasures. Why don’t we go take a look?”

Chen Xiao thought that sounded like a great idea. He’d never been to a cultivation goods auction before, and he was eager to see what it was like.

The three of them asked for directions at the residence, then headed straight for the shop. It was hidden in plain sight on one of the busiest streets in the capital. On either side were lavish establishments, one a gold and jewelry store, the other a high-end silk shop. The store itself bore a humble name: Treasure Gathering Pavilion. To passersby, it seemed ordinary, but there was more to it than met the eye.

The moment Chen Xiao stepped inside, a familiar and welcoming feeling washed over him. The first floor was filled with beautifully displayed antiques. This floor wasn’t just for show, it was a legitimate business catering to the general public of the capital. The second floor served officials and wealthy patrons, offering access to rare and valuable antiques, and generating a staggering daily turnover. But their real destination was the third floor, which catered exclusively to cultivators.

Getting to the third floor wasn’t easy, entry required a cultivator’s identification token, which immediately filtered out ordinary folk.

Fortunately, not everyone needed to present a token, one person with credentials could bring others along. Since Chen Xiao’s cultivation level was too low and Xi Yunqing’s identity too conspicuous, they ended up using Tong Nuonuo’s token to gain entry.

A female attendant led them upstairs and into a private booth. After they sat down, she served tea and snacks, then handed them three catalogs before quietly leaving.

Chen Xiao opened one and found it detailed all the items to be auctioned that day. He couldn’t help but sigh with admiration. “I didn’t expect the capital to have a place like this. There’s so much to see, materials for artifact forging, pill refining, and even ready-made magical tools and pills.”

He’d only mentioned forging and alchemy, which irked Tong Nuonuo a bit, as a mechanical artificer herself. “Why didn’t you ever visit a place like this back in Daiguo?” she asked.

Chen Xiao shook his head. “I didn’t. I imagine the royal capital of Daiguo must have similar specialized shops, but back then, I was just an ordinary person. I didn’t have the qualifications to even step inside.”