It

Pan Yun calmed her breathing and entered a meditative state, slowly guiding the spiritual energy entering her body to combine with her own primordial energy. Following the cultivation method of the Kun Yuan Gong, she focused on just a small portion. As expected, it didn't dissipate but instead formed a ring. After passing through the Mud Pill Palace, it slowly descended along her meridians and settled into her Dantian.

The combined spiritual and primordial energy formed a much more robust Qi. After settling in her Dantian, it formed a thin layer of Qi in her previously empty Dantian.

Pan Yun grew excited and continued to cultivate...

She finally emerged from her meditative state because she was too hungry.

She opened her eyes to darkness. After blinking and adjusting to the dimness, she saw the faint moonlight filtering through the window. Only then did she realize she had been cultivating for most of the day.

She tiptoed to the door and made her way to the kitchen.

There was a faint light in the kitchen.

She pushed the door open and discovered it was just sparks from the embers in the stove.

She lit a lamp, lifted the lid of the pot, and saw a stack of steamers inside. The top layer was neatly arranged with steamed buns and vegetables, with water below. Because the stove had been kept warm with charcoal, the food was still hot.

Beside the pot, Miao He had left her a note. The food was specifically saved for her.

Pan Yun was deeply touched that someone still remembered to leave food for her.

The night was too quiet, with only a solitary moon in the sky. As Pan Yun ate and walked out of the kitchen, she found herself unconsciously walking forward, drawn by the moonlight...

"Meow—" A sharp cat's cry rang out. Pan Yun snapped back to attention. She looked down and realized she was standing at the edge of a cliff. Beyond that was a dark, bottomless abyss.

Cold sweat beaded on Pan Yun's forehead. She took two steps back, reaching out to catch the black cat that had leaped up. Her gaze scanned the surroundings warily.

"What is this? A ghost, or some mountain spirit?"

A gentle breeze blew past, but nothing answered Pan Yun's question. She couldn't perceive anything unusual.

Pan Yun stood still for a moment, then decided not to bother with whatever it was. She turned around decisively and headed back inside.

She placed the black cat on her bedside table and said to it, "Well done. Tomorrow, I'll reward you with more spiritual energy to eat."

"Meow— I prefer merit."

"I'll get some for you when I have the chance to leave the mountain," she said. It was just about doing good deeds, wasn't it?

She was a good person and loved doing good deeds.

Because Pan Little Black had saved her life, Pan Yun was especially gentle with it that night. Pan Little Black puffed up with pride and strutted around the room, finally choosing the top of a cabinet as its resting place.

It had long wanted to sleep somewhere other than next to Pan Yun, but it hadn't dared to say so. Now, it finally could.

Pan Yun opened the cabinet. Inside were the fabrics she had just received that day.

She made a simple bed for it first, promising, "Tomorrow, I'll find some clean dry grass and make it smell nice. Then I'll add soft fabric. Lying on it will be like lying on clouds."

"Meow—"

Pan Little Black was already excited just thinking about it.

Pan Yun picked it up, stepped on a stool to place it on top of the cabinet, and stroked its head. "But the bed is hard tonight, so you'll have to endure one more night. Help me keep an eye on the door. If any wicked spirits dare to disturb me, scratch them to death."

Pan Little Black knew she wouldn't offer kindness for nothing, so it wasn't disappointed.

Pan Yun felt a lingering sense of unease. After thinking for a moment, she decided not to sleep. She took out her two boxes of cinnabar and began to mix and grind them.

But how could a child stay awake all night?

Even with her intense interest, as midnight approached, her eyelids grew heavy.

She patted her face, then closed the cinnabar, hugged it to her chest, and fell asleep.

She decided that after preparing the cinnabar tomorrow, she would first write ten or so talismans to ward off evil. What kind of ghost dared to scare her?!

Pan Yun gradually drifted into dreamland, and the black cat also fell asleep without a care.

Pan Yun opened her eyes, still holding the cinnabar, and saw the imposing, warrior-like figure looking at her with a half-smile.

Pan Yun was startled. She instantly realized she had fallen asleep, and this was a dream.

So this was... she knew she was dreaming, but she couldn't wake up?

Pan Yun fell silent for a moment but wasn't anxious. She finally began to carefully examine the imposing figure before her.

If she dreamed of someone once a night, it was just "daytime thoughts, nighttime dreams." If she dreamed of the same person two nights in a row, it was a bit more interesting...

If she were in a dream, knew it was a dream, and still couldn't wake up, that would be even more interesting.

Pan Yun stared at him cautiously. Seeing that he had no intention of speaking, she tentatively called out, "Master?"

The person opposite her raised an eyebrow.

Pan Yun was greatly surprised. "Are you truly my Master?"

Pan Yun wanted to bow, but she realized she was holding the cinnabar. She quickly put it down, then clasped her fists in a salute. "Disciple Pan Yun pays respects to Master."

The person opposite her remained silent, but the mocking curve of his lips lessened slightly.

Pan Yun, with a pounding heart, cautiously said, "Master, do you know that Senior Brother has taken a new disciple for you, and you've come to give your disciple a meeting gift?"

He: ...

Before he could answer, Pan Yun waved her hands repeatedly. "Master, there's no need to be so polite. I am already very content to be accepted as your disciple. You don't know, but everywhere I traveled, people said Mount Sanqing had beautiful scenery and abundant spiritual energy. It's clearly a place blessed with virtue. Especially the village at the foot of the mountain, which has been protected by the mountain god for many years. Their reverence for you, Master, is like a never-ending, rolling river, blah blah blah..."

Pan Yun praised the mountain god comprehensively until his expression improved before she stopped.

She was a bit mentally exhausted, but she didn't dare to sigh. She could only maintain a look of worship and reverence as she looked at It and asked, "Master, are you here this time specifically to see me, or to teach me cultivation methods?"

It merely took a deep look at Pan Yun, then turned and left.

Pan Yun watched It transform back into a large crane and fly away. For a long time, she was speechless. Gods above, why don't you say anything!

The next day, Pan Yun, sporting a pair of dark circles under her eyes, very respectfully offered incense to the Three Pure Ones, Immortal Master Ge, and Minister Li. After placing the incense, she suddenly realized, where was their Master?

Their Master, the dignified mountain god of Mount Sanqing, how could he not have his own memorial tablet and stone statue?

Pan Yun was shocked and immediately went to find her Senior Brother, who was practicing swordplay outside the door.

"Senior Brother--"

Wang Fei Yin's sword movements were unhurried. He glanced at Pan Yun and continued practicing, saying in between movements, "Fifth Junior Sister, did you practice today? Go practice the basics with Miao Zhen and the others first. I'll teach you swordplay later."

"Cultivation isn't something that can be achieved overnight. This isn't urgent. What's urgent now is, Senior Brother, why doesn't our Sanqing Temple have a memorial tablet for Master?"

Wang Fei Yin's swordplay faltered, almost stabbing into the ground.

He stopped, inhaled, and exhaled, stabilizing his breath before asking, "Why did you suddenly think of this?"

Pan Yun looked serious. "I dreamed of Master last night. This morning, I discovered there's no memorial tablet for him. Do you think he's angry about this and appeared in my dream?"

Wang Fei Yin looked at her seriously.

Pan Yun tilted her small face up, her expression even more serious than his.

Wang Fei Yin explained, "Master's temple is at the foot of the mountain. He is worshipped by the people around Mount Sanqing, so there's no need to set up another memorial tablet on the mountain."

"That won't do. Besides the offerings from the common people, Master should also receive offerings from his disciples and their descendants," Pan Yun said with a serious expression. "Just because Master is capable and earns a lot, does that mean we shouldn't be filial to him?"

People don't dislike money, so why would gods dislike abundant incense offerings?

Wang Fei Yin couldn't find a reason to object. The key point was, he actually felt she made a lot of sense. Then why hadn't he set up a stone statue and memorial tablet for the mountain god back then?

Oh, right, because his appearance was similar to another legend among the common folk.

He said tactfully, "Master might not like to show his face."

"Impossible. Master is so handsome, why wouldn't he like to show his face?" Pan Yun paused, then said, "Alright, some very handsome men don't want to be seen. Master doesn't talk much, maybe he's a bit reserved.

Then we can carve a stone statue that resembles him, not necessarily an exact likeness. As long as everyone knows this statue represents Master, the incense offerings will reach him, right?"

Seeing Wang Fei Yin still deep in thought, Pan Yun directly pulled him towards the backyard and stood at the cliff edge, saying to him, "Senior Brother, last night Master almost took me down with him to be his companion, all because when I became his disciple, I only bowed to heaven and earth and didn't formally bow to his memorial tablet."

Wang Fei Yin's mouth widened. "Junior Sister, this is no joke. Perhaps it was too dark, and you couldn't tell north from south, mistaking it for the way back to your room..."

Pan Yun pointed at the red lantern by the side door. "Although that red lantern is useless, barely illuminating anything, it's still very conspicuous in the dark. You can see it as soon as you leave the kitchen. I wouldn't fail to recognize it.

Last night was real. I was just admiring the beautiful moonlight, and then suddenly I was at the cliff edge. If my dear cat hadn't meowed, Senior Brother would be seeing my soul today, not me."

Wang Fei Yin: ...

Pan Yun concluded, "This is all because I haven't paid respects at Master's memorial tablet."

Wang Fei Yin looked conflicted. "Is there a possibility that Master is not satisfied with you as a disciple..."

"Impossible," Pan Yun said without thinking. "I'm so talented, which master would be willing to not take me?"

Wang Fei Yin closed his mouth and waved at her. "Alright, you go on. I'll handle this matter."

Pan Yun: "How will you handle it? Won't you make a memorial tablet and stone statue for Master?"

Wang Fei Yin didn't answer, merely telling Pan Yun to go play.

Pan Yun could only leave, looking back three times.

Wang Fei Yin stood at the cliff edge, lost in thought for a moment, took a deep look at the cliff, and then turned to leave.

Before noon, Wang Fei Yin appeared dressed in a ceremonial robe, holding a precious sword and a stack of talismans.

Tao Ji, who had just returned from the alchemy room, saw him and was stunned. "Senior Brother, what are you doing?"

Wang Fei Yin saw him and beckoned. "You're here at the right time. I'm going to set up a ritual soon, come and assist me."

Tao Ji: "Why so sudden? Shouldn't we prepare carefully?"

"I've already asked Pan Yun and the others to prepare."

Pan Yun and the others, holding wildflowers (fresh flowers), newly fetched mountain spring water, vases, incense, and candles, silently watched Wang Fei Yin.

They didn't know these were for a ritual. Would it be too shabby?

The lucky number for this chapter is a number ending in 3. Screenshot as proof. The screenshot deadline is before the next chapter update.