[ILivestreamDivination] Chapter 1.2 — Cloud Rise Temple

When An Rugu heard this, a trace of melancholy and nostalgia flashed in her eyes. “Master didn’t agree.”

Ever since she was picked up by an old Daoist priest and brought to Cloud Rise Temple when she was young, she has been studying the tenets of Daoism for more than ten years. She believed that she would not lose to others, but for some reason, her master refused to let her formally enter the sect’s doors.

Whenever she asked about this matter, the old Daoist would always stroke his beard, his clothes fluttering, and say in a calm tone, “The time has not yet come.”

Therefore, between her and her master, there was only the reality of being master and disciple, but none of the formalities.

After the initial excitement subsided, Yang Yang thought of what An Rugu had said before and quickly comforted her, “My condolences.”

The two other roommates also hurriedly comforted An Rugu, telling her not to be sad.

An Rugu said calmly, “It’s okay.”

When everyone heard this, they thought she was pretending to be strong, but to be honest, An Rugu was not too surprised. She and her master knew the secrets of heaven—and the lifespan of people was one of them.

She originally wanted to go back early to see him for the last time, but the old Daoist insisted on not letting her come back, insisting that she wait for him to leave before coming back to take care of his funeral.

An Rugu thought of the old Daoist’s character, always focusing on his image, and thought that when a person dies, it was inevitable that he would lose his image. He probably didn’t want his disciple to see him like that.

In short order, An Rugu finished packing her suitcase, cleaned her desk, returned the key to the auntie in charge, said goodbye to her roommates, and headed back to Tangchi Village in the western suburbs of Nancheng.

The urban transportation in Nancheng was well developed, and even the western suburbs on the edge of the city have gradually developed over the years. While Tangchi Village was not yet connected to the subway, there were quite a few buses available for the villagers to travel.

… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

Although the old Daoist priest asked her to handle the funeral, when An Rugu arrived, she found out that the old Daoist priest had asked his old friend—the village head—to arrange it.

An Rugu only needed to follow the village head through the process.

The old Daoist did not join the secular world much, and the only people who were close to him in life were the villagers at the foot of the mountain.

Due to this neighbourly relationship, he sometimes helped them alleviate their disasters and solve difficulties.

So when the old Daoist priest passed away, all the people in the village who had been favoured by him were truly sad, and they cried with sincerity.

After the banquet, the village head walked up to An Rugu with a cigarette in his mouth, looked at his friend’s apprentice, and sighed. “He’s gone, and there is no one in this Daoist temple. What are you going to do?”

The old Daoist priest was an army of one. Apart from him, there were no other Daoist priests in the entire Cloud Rise Temple. The transportation to Cloud Rise Temple was quite convenient, so it wasn’t that there were no wandering Daoist priests who wanted to stay and register, but the old Daoist priest refused them all for some reason.

The village head thought of the desolate and dilapidated Cloud Rise Temple and exhaled a smoke ring, feeling how different things were these days.

He heard from the old people in the village that Cloud Rise Temple once used to be the most fragrant¹ and renowned temple in the area, but it gradually declined over the years, until finally, only the old Daoist priest remained.

Before his death, the old Daoist priest especially handed over the Daoist temple to An Rugu for management.

But when the village head heard the old Daoist’s decision, he felt that he was being unrealistic.

In the eyes of the village head, An Rugu, a top student at Nancheng University, should find a comfortable job in an office. How could she stay and run a dilapidated Daoist temple?

An Rugu heard the village head’s question, turned her head to look in the direction of Cloud Rise Mountain, and did not answer for a long time.

Seeing her like this, the village head felt that, as expected, An Rugu did not want to run a Daoist temple

The old Daoist priest hadn’t known how to raise children. When An Rugu first came to Tangchi Village, the little girl was entrusted by the old Daoist to the village head’s daughter-in-law. Thus, the village head’s family had a special affection for An Rugu having watched her grow up.

When An Rugu was admitted to Nancheng University, the village head hung a banner at the gate of the village for three days and three nights.

The village head took a deep puff of his cigarette and thought to himself, addressing his old friend—Daoist Chen, a college student who is still young and newly graduated should have a bright future. If my family’s granddaughter could be half as successful as An Rugu, I will burn incense high. In any case, just don’t tie her down anymore.

The village head secretly wanted to relieve An Rugu of her burden, so that she would not feel guilty for her choice.

Just when he was about to speak, An Rugu suddenly opened her mouth and said, “… Naturally, we must continue to operate well.”

The village head: “???”

The lit cigarette almost burned his hand, and the village head hurriedly shook it off, saying in a surprised tone, “You— Are you really okay with this? Do you really want to run this Daoist temple?”

An Rugu raised the corners of her mouth and smiled at the kind elder in front of her. “Yes, I came back directly after graduation to inherit this Daoist temple.”

The village head: “!!!”

The village head was very puzzled and couldn’t help worrying about it. Learning of An Rugu’s decision, a turbulent storm arose in his heart. “But why? Isn’t it good to find a job outside?”

Tangchi Village was backed by Nancheng City, and a science and technology park and even a university town had been built nearby. It was much more prosperous than before, but it still could not retain the young locals.

Why did An Rugu want stay in the village?

An Rugu said sincerely, “Village Head, don’t you want to see Cloud Rise Temple flourishing in incense?”

The village head shook his hand holding the cigarette, his gaze wandering. He had a good relationship with the old Daoist priest. He respected the old Daoist priest very much and, for his part, regarded him as a confidant, so he empathized with the experience of the old Daoist priest. Naturally, he hoped that the only Daoist temple in a hundred miles could prosper.

An Rugu’s words directly hit the heart of the village head, leaving him speechless for a long time.

After recovering his senses, the village head stared at An Rugu. He saw that her expression was serious and not fake, but he was still a little uncertain. “But, after all, this is difficult to do. Even someone as powerful as your master couldn’t do it.”

“My master did not enter the secular world,” An Rugu said calmly. “I’m different from him.”

I Livestream Divination to the World translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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