Chapter 61: Pure Clarity

"I am, so what?" I quickly took two bites of instant noodles, set the cup down, and looked up at the Taoist priest, asking him.

He strode over to me and tossed his burlap sack onto the ground, raising a cloud of dust. "I've got a job running a boat," he said. "The client is offering six hundred thousand. I can't handle it alone, so I'm looking for a partner. You'll get half. Are you in or not?"

Thirty thousand for one trip—this was the biggest deal I'd encountered since arriving in River Crossing City. If I could get my hands on that thirty thousand, then borrow another twenty thousand from home, I’d have fifty thousand saved up before getting married.

I immediately asked his name and what cargo we’d be transporting. If it was illegal or contraband, I wouldn’t go; getting arrested as an accomplice wouldn’t be fun.

He told me his name was Lu Jiu, a disciple of the Pure Bright Dao. If I didn't know what Pure Bright Dao was, I could look it up online.

He went on to explain that a few days ago, he’d received a job at Yellow River Villa. A big boss from Springwater City needed to move his ancestral tomb, relocating it from Springwater to River Crossing City via water route. He was new to the Yellow River area and unfamiliar with the waters, so he hoped I could accompany him.

My grandfather once told me that Pure Bright Dao is a branch of Orthodox Daoism, founded by Master Xu Xun, one of the four great celestial masters. Pure Bright emphasizes loyalty and filial piety, blending Confucianism and Daoism, and is praised as the most upright among the immortals.

"One person's enlightenment lifts all those around him"—many people think this saying refers to the Jade Emperor, misled by TV dramas, but ancient texts confirm it actually refers to Master Xu Xun, the founder of Pure Bright Dao.

Pure Bright has been passed down for a thousand years, with its ancestral temple in Nanchang, Jiangxi. The incense at the ancestral temple still burns strong after centuries.

Hearing him claim to be a disciple of Pure Bright Dao, I couldn't help but size up Lu Jiu. The young man was fair-skinned, possessed that Southern elegance, and his blue Daoist robe was clean and tasteful.

"Are you coming or not? If not, I'll find someone else," Lu Jiu said, seeing my silence. He picked up the burlap sack and turned to leave.

I quickly blocked the doorway, smiling, "I'm in, I'm in! How could I pass up such easy money? When do we leave?"

Lu Jiu set the sack back on my table. "Here’s a deposit of two hundred thousand—half for you, half for me. Get ready if you’re going; we depart tomorrow morning, work starts at night."

Springwater City is about two hundred kilometers from River Crossing City; it's the provincial capital, much larger and more prosperous than River Crossing. By train, it’s a two or three hour ride, but by water, it takes five or six hours.

Five or six hours to earn fifty thousand—it’s a high price for a boat job.

The next morning, I packed my feng shui tools into a large burlap sack, slung it over my shoulder, and went to the hotel to find Lu Jiu.

He was still wearing his Daoist robe from yesterday, pushing a high-tech suitcase. When he saw me lugging my bags like a country bumpkin, his face betrayed some exasperation. "Pi Yangxi, do you know why you never get any business?"

I shook my head.

Lu Jiu said, "Buddhas rely on gold, people rely on clothes. Wearing a shirt is fine, but carrying all those bags doesn’t look anything like a feng shui master. Nowadays, a master’s clothes can be traditional, but their gear has to be high-tech. That’s how you look the part." With that, he put on a brand-new wireless Bluetooth headset and strode ahead.

Watching Lu Jiu—a Daoist robe, peachwood sword, Bluetooth headset, and suitcase—I had to admit, his dashing silhouette really did have the air of a modern master, while beside him, I looked more like his lackey.

After arriving in Springwater City, we got off the train and headed straight for the docks by taxi. In the cab, I surveyed the city’s feng shui and was quite astonished. Although its feng shui wasn’t exceptional, the city was thriving, even exceeding the limits imposed by its geomantic layout. In other words, its development had outpaced its feng shui.