Mount Sanqing was pleasantly cool in July, far better than the sweltering Capital City.
The moment Pan Yun set foot on the mountain, she could not help taking a deep breath. Even the air of Mount Sanqing felt sweet.
It happened to be a bright, clear day. Green bamboo shaded the summit, and a gentle breeze drifted through, without a trace of oppressive heat.
The gates of Sanqing Temple were closed. Only the faint crowing of chickens could be heard, while the statues along both sides of the path stood quietly beneath the sunlight.
Pan Yun pushed open the gate and entered. Incense candles burned quietly within the hall, already more than halfway spent. Her fingers brushed over the incense table and the base of the statues. When she lifted them to look, there was not a speck of dust.
The corners of Pan Yun's lips could not help but curve upward.
"Your Senior Brother hasn't been slacking off, has he?" Wang Fei Yin appeared behind Pan Yun at some unknown moment, standing against the light. When Pan Yun turned back, he was so close, yet she could not make out the expression on his face.
Fortunately, as soon as Wang Fei Yin finished speaking, he stepped over the threshold and entered the hall. Only then did Pan Yun see the smile on his face.
"Senior Brother, I've always wondered about something. We all cultivate in the mountains, so what is the difference between cultivating at Sanqing Temple and elsewhere? Why don't you remain in the temple for secluded cultivation?"
"With no cares to weigh upon the heart," Wang Fei Yin said. "Though Sanqing Temple stands atop the peak, anyone may come here. If I cultivated in seclusion here, I would keep thinking that visitors might arrive at any time.