He relied on his self-created "Nine Heaven Buddha Art" to cultivate a strong and robust body, wielding a Mo Saber a yard long, roaming through Fulong Mountain.

Until later, he met Qiu Changtian.

Lao Dao's reputation was gone, his weapon was gone too.

Since then, he thoroughly became the Doorman Uncle of Tongwen Hall.

"Uh, last time at Celestial Water Prefecture, I used it to ward off disasters."

Qiu Changtian looked embarrassed.

Bad luck clung to him, with minor disasters annually, medium crises every three years, and major ones every nine years.

It was as though Heaven was changing its methods to torment him, using all sorts of means from floods, fires, landslides, to lightning strikes.

To cling to life, Qiu Changtian racked his brains, researching various ways to avoid disasters and calamities.

To get through the numerous Science and Ceremony Arrays in Observatory Tower, dissipate his bad luck, and resist the backlash of the heavenly mechanism.

My precious saber!

My beloved saber that's been with me through countless life-and-death situations!

As the saying goes, even a clay figure has a temper, let alone the Red Eyebrow Leader who dominates a region.

Lao Dao, who never got close to women in his life but loved training with his brothers, almost never parted with that Mo Saber.

Now hearing it was used by Qiu Changtian to ward off disasters, his temples bulged with veins, just waiting for an order from the young master to beat that guy black and blue.

"Lao Dao, calm down, Lao Qiu is rich as a tycoon now, just let him compensate you with another one."

Unexpectedly, Ninghai Zen played the peacemaker, which sent a sharp sense of danger through Qiu Changtian's spine.

"Just passing through Black River County today, decided to visit some old friends. I won't bother you much longer, farewell."

He quickly got up, planning to slip away quietly.

Whenever Ninghai Zen acted generously, someone was bound to suffer misfortune.

And right now at Tongwen Hall, there was no one else but himself!

"Hey, Lao Qiu, what's the rush? We haven't seen each other in years, let's chat more."

Ninghai Zen cordially tried to keep him there, completely forgetting how he previously only allowed Qiu Changtian to stay for half an hour, showing disdain.

"I'm as poor as a church mouse now, Ninghai Zen, don't even think of targeting my stuff!"

Qiu Changtian suddenly recalled the painful lesson when Ninghai Zen almost emptied out his secret repository of Celestial Materials and Earthly Treasures, a chill running down his back.

"Lao Qiu, you shouldn't be so petty. You're aware that I recently took on a new disciple, right?

As sworn brothers, my disciple is your disciple too, right? It's proper to give a meeting gift, otherwise it would be unbecoming.

How about a hundred bushels of Spiritual Sand, seven or eight treasured weapons, and some top-tier elixirs, consider it a worthwhile visit."

Ninghai Zen rubbed his hands together, pondering where next to mooch.

Around Black River County, he had already taken what he could.

The Demon King and Demon Monarch in Fulong Mountain had already become wise to his antics.

A hundred miles away, they would catch wind of his presence and flee in terror.

A big demon like the Black Belly Monarch, who hadn't heard of Ninghai Zen's fearsome reputation, was truly rare.

"Don't force me! Be careful or I'll bring bad luck on top of Tongwen Hall!"

Qiu Changtian felt like he had entered a den of thieves, seeing Ninghai Zen and Lao Dao pressing him, as if intending to strip him bare.

"Lao Qiu, thanks to your fortune, every time I broke through, I got struck by lightning — normal calamities are nothing to me now!"

Ninghai Zen imitated his own disciple, letting out a strange "heh heh heh heh" laugh.

Along with the wolfish Lao Dao, they lunged forward.

...

...

About Half a Stick of Incense's time later, Qiu Changtian's clothes were in disarray, utterly bedraggled:

"Ninghai Zen, you cursed thief, you even knew I sewed the Qiankun Bag into my sleeve!"

"Brother Lv told me, in exchange for a jar of the finest spirits."

Ninghai Zen weighed in his hand a heavy purse woven with gold threads, styled like a money pouch.

This was the coveted adornment of cultivators, known as the "Qiankun Bag."

The idea came from "the big world in the sleeve, the long sun and moon in a gourd."

Inside, the principles intertwined, creating a small internal world for storing rare treasures that are inconvenient to carry.

Even the Daoist Officials in Prefecture City probably couldn't afford one.

"Oaf! I never should've saved you in the first place!"

Qiu Changtian grumbled, but didn't really mind.

Back when he was a true disciple of Observatory Tower, he made quite a fortune setting up feng shui and Science and Ceremony Arrays for people.

If it weren't for the heavenly mechanism's backlash, riddled with bad luck, forcing him to use treasures to ward off disasters, he wouldn't have lost so much.

Even all the trading guilds in Yihai Prefecture combined might not have as much wealth as Qiu Changtian.

"Is this Qiankun Bag all you have?"

Ninghai Zen gave him a sidelong glance, seemingly not satisfied.

"I have a few pounds of flesh on me, you can chop me up and see if it sells for anything!"

Qiu Changtian straightened his disheveled robe and sat back down in the chair.

He casually picked up the tea cup and took another sip, then spat and said:

"Bring better tea! The finest quality!"

After raking in some gains, Lao Dao became agreeable and turned to leave the main hall to brew better tea.

After some ruckus, Ninghai Zen looked up at the sky, seeing heavy dark clouds hanging low as if ready to collapse onto the county town at any moment.

He remained calm and softly said: 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"I rarely see you being so generous. What's the matter, can't get through the once-in-nine-years major calamity?"

Qiu Changtian mumbled, trying to change the topic, but Ninghai Zen interrupted:

"If you ever really die, at least let me know, I'll see you off."

Qiu Changtian's smile was complex:

"Good people don't live long, but pests like us are bound to linger for a millennium."

Ninghai Zen corrected:

"You're the pest, not me. I, Ning Mou, am flawless, elegant and affable, unlike you."

Qiu Changtian's lips twitched:

"Where's that disciple of yours? Let me see him, and then I'll leave.

By the way, Daoist Official Master Xuanji from Zhi Xin Temple, he's investigating the mysterious disappearance of the former Master Qingxuan."