Seeking Immortals and the Dao

Inside the main hall of the Wang Family in Heng Village.

Lin Jue came calling again.

Though the matter of spending the night in the ancestral hall and driving away the Demonic Ghosts had already been settled, when he returned, he was still given a chair and a bowl of tea. The reddish brew was paired with golden chrysanthemums—clearly fine tea.

Lin Jue had brought a wild Chicken caught in a mountain trap. It was not especially precious in these hills, but it was still worth far more than ordinary bamboo shoots or rice and grain—a small token of his appreciation.

"Thanks to your help, Old Master, Uncle's illness has fully recovered. He is now quite well."

"The credit is yours, not mine. We owe each other nothing, so there was no need for you to come thank me in particular." Old Master Wang looked at him. "Still, now you can study in peace and earn yourself a scholarly title."

"To be honest, I have decided to leave."

"Travel abroad? Aren't you studying in the village?"

"The village lacks literary talent. In recent years, the people here have had little success in pursuing their studies. Besides, my parents are both gone, so I thought I might as well go out and see this vast world for myself."

It was more or less the same explanation Lin Jue had given before.

"Is that so..."

Old Master Wang was a respected local elder known far and wide. Naturally, he could tell that this supposed lack of literary talent was merely a courteous way of saying that the Old Master of Shu Village Academy next door did not possess enough learning. Yet in teaching and nurturing others, that Old Master's virtue was such that even the Demonic Ghosts in the ancestral hall admired him. Over all these years, no disciple of Shu Village had ever become wanton, rebellious, or unfilial, so naturally no one blamed him too harshly for it.

More than that, he could also guess that Lin Jue's haste to leave was likely due in part to his family's poverty.

Now, after studying Lin Jue closely, taking a breath, sipping his tea, and pondering for a while, Old Master Wang finally said, "If you truly wish to study but are constrained by poverty at home or other reasons, you may come audit classes at our academy in Heng Village. As for brushes, ink, and other expenses, my Wang Family can support you."

"You are too kind, Old Master. If that were truly possible, it would be a tremendous favor. I will remember your goodwill, but my heart has long ceased to be in studying." Lin Jue paused as he spoke, then took the chance to bow and make his request. "I only hope that you can help issue me a letter of passage."

"Ah..."

Old Master Wang was not as insistent as Uncle and Aunt that he should study, nor was he as close to Lin Jue as they were. Lin Jue did not need to spend days patiently persuading him and easing his concerns. He merely waved a hand.

"You can speak calmly even with Demonic Ghosts. I presume you know what you are doing. A person like you should be able to make something of himself in these troubled times, no matter what path he takes. If you return home in the future, whether you have succeeded or not, you should come have another cup of tea with this old man."

"Of course I should come pay my respects to you, Old Master."

"I have a book basket that one of the younger generation once used when traveling to study and take the examinations. It is not worth much, but you can take it."

"Then I will not stand on ceremony any longer." Lin Jue thanked him first, then added, "Old Master, you have seen much and know much. May I also ask how to get to Mount Qi Yun?"

"Mount Qi Yun? That is rather far away."

"I would like to take a look."

"Mm, it would be good for you to go pay your respects. It is no bad thing. I heard those Daoist priests had been very busy some time ago. They have likely finished by now." Old Master Wang recalled for a moment. "The last time I went to Mount Qi Yun seems to have been twenty or thirty years ago... Head toward the county seat first. About halfway there, when you cross a bridge, turn to your left and follow the main road. That will take you to the neighboring county. I will not tell you too much—you would not remember it all anyway. And who knows whether things have changed over these years? Ask again once you reach the neighboring county."

"Thank you..."

Lin Jue thanked him sincerely.

As for the letter of passage, countless local officials either came from the Wang Family or had received this Old Master Wang's support. To him, it was merely a trivial matter.

Mid-April, early morning.

Lin Jue had already set out on the road away from home.

The youth wore light clothes and looked like a Scholar. On his back was the book basket Old Master Wang had given him: a square bamboo-woven pack lined with coarse cloth, with a sunshade canopy on top. It was the sort of luggage commonly used by Scholars traveling to study or heading to the capital for examinations in this day and age. Inside were several books, a change of clothes, a small knife for protection, dry provisions, a water tube, and a few Copper Coins.

Anyone who saw him would think he was a Scholar.

Quite a few villagers had come to see Lin Jue off.

Besides Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin, there were several nearby neighbors, elderly members of the Shu Clan who often dealt with Lin Jue, a few childhood companions, and the Old Master from the academy. To Lin Jue's great surprise, there was even the Madam who served as temple keeper at the Three Aunt Temple in the village.

Some brought several boiled eggs, some brought a small bag of rice and flour, and some brought dry food. They escorted him all the way to the pavilion outside the village.

"Lin Jue, if no teacher outside is willing to take you in and you cannot get by, come back quickly. The two rooms in your home will be kept for you." Cousin gave him an earnest reminder.

"I know."

Lin Jue agreed.

He knew that if he accomplished something in his studies or gained wealth and status outside, he would most likely return. Even if not, he would find a way to send money back. But if things truly became as Cousin had said, and he could not survive out there, then with his temperament, he would instead have to think very carefully about it.

"We did not take good enough care of you..."

Aunt was a woman of the household, and she was already covering her face and weeping.

"That is not true."

"The world is not peaceful these days. You are still young. I am only afraid that you will end up like your father..."

"I know what I am doing."

"You must be careful. Do not go too far—just look around the neighboring county. If things do not work out, come back quickly!"

"I understand."

The last person to come before Lin Jue was the temple keeper of the Three Aunt Temple.

This entirely ordinary middle-aged Madam carried some newly ripened seasonal Fruit in a bamboo sieve. What she said to Lin Jue greatly surprised him.

"These are from Third Aunt for you."

"Hm?"

"This morning, I was taking a second nap in the temple when I suddenly had a dream. In the dream, Third Aunt came alive, and Eldest Aunt told me that someone in the village was going on a long journey. She told me to give you the Fruit from the offering table, so you could ease your hunger and thirst on the road."

"Third Aunt?"

Lin Jue froze for a moment.

"I do not know whether it was real or not, but it felt real. Only after I sent Third Aunt off did I suddenly wake up from the threshold. Before waking, I did not even know it was a dream."

"This..."

"Why are you not thanking Third Aunt?"

"Thank you, Third Aunt."

Lin Jue said it first, then turned around blankly. Facing the Three Aunt Temple and the distant Great Mountain, he said it again.

Yet he could not help thinking—

Third Aunt referred to the three Deities worshiped in the village. They had likely been worshiped for several dynasties, for over a thousand years.

Legend had it that there was once a family in the village with three daughters. During their leisure time, they went to play on a nearby Immortal Mountain, secretly picked and ate the Immortal Peaches there, then turned into carp. Later, they became three great mountains—the three peaks among the unbroken mountain range behind the village, like a heavenly wall and folding screen.

The tale was widely spread and had even been recorded in the county annals.

Thus, the three immortals were worshiped not only by Shu Village. Many local people believed in them as well, which was why there were temple fairs.

If the three immortals were real, then whenever he sat cross-legged near the mountains and streams, amid the woods and fields around Shu Village, breathing and cultivating, they likely could not have failed to notice him.

Perhaps it was precisely because they knew of his breathing cultivation that they had sent the temple keeper to bring him Fruit.

But Lin Jue became wary for a moment.

If that was so, then whenever he leafed through the Ancient Book in his room, would they also know? What did the Ancient Book look like to immortals such as them? And what sort of nature did the Deities of this world possess?

Yet his wariness lasted only an instant.

Lin Jue soon felt there was no need for it—

Such an oversight had been difficult to avoid, and there was no way to remedy it now. Though he had learned the Qi Nourishing Method, how could a single Performance Art allow him to resist Deities? He knew far too little about this world. At present, all he knew was the weighty goodwill that the three Deities had slipped into his pocket through the temple keeper. Since that was so, any further wild suspicion would only make him seem petty.

It was better to be more open about it. At least his heart would feel easier.

He only needed to pay closer attention to such matters in the future.

With that thought, his heart felt unburdened.

"Thank you, Third Aunt!"

Lin Jue said it once more and stepped forward.

Fewer and fewer people remained at his side.

By the end, even Cousin had been persuaded by him to return, walking back with a lonely, desolate figure. Like him, Lin Jue looked back several times. Only after the path bent through the bamboo grove was he left alone on the road.

He could not help stopping and looking around in every direction.

Dense bamboo forests lined the road. The bamboo here was far greener than he remembered, and that rich green spread all the way up the high mountains on both sides, turning every mountain the same hue.

Walking alone among them, he felt the mountains were vast and people small. Then, thinking of this boundless world, he suddenly felt himself even smaller.

For a moment, even he, who had long made up his mind, could not help feeling lost.

Heaven and earth were vast; the immortal path was hard to find.

After standing there for quite some time, Lin Jue finally steadied his heart and resumed walking.

More or less toward Mount Qi Yun.

It was April, and the weather was not yet hot. The bamboo forest was even cooler. Clear Wind often brushed past him, stirring the bamboo leaves with a soft rustle, while birds chirped all around. The whole mountain was filled with the same sounds.

Carrying the book basket naturally made him slower than walking empty-handed. Lin Jue's destination for the day was only a temple between the two counties, so he was not in a hurry and often stopped to rest.

When hungry, he took out one of the tart cakes Aunt had made. One was more or less enough. When thirsty, he could not be bothered to take the bamboo water tube from his book basket, instead finding somewhere with the sound of flowing water and drinking a mouthful of mountain spring. When neither hungry nor thirsty, he took out the Fruit Third Aunt had given him and casually bit into one or two, since they would not keep for many days anyway.

And truly, though the Fruit had sat on the offering table for a day or two, it was surprisingly sweet.

"Third Aunt..."

Lin Jue murmured the name.

So there truly were Deities in this world, not merely Demonic Ghosts.

It really was interesting.

There was much rain in the mountains, and the weather changed unpredictably.

On the afternoon of Lin Jue's second day, he encountered rain.

Fortunately, it had not come without warning. The gloomy sky had long foretold it, and Lin Jue had found a tea shelter in advance to wait out the rain. Many merchants and travelers were also inside, and he could listen to their idle chatter.

The wind and rain, the mountain scenery and road scenery, together with the expressions and conversation of those present, painted this plain yet real world.

But the rain lasted rather long.

It began near the end of the hour of Wei and continued through the hour of Shen, showing no sign of stopping even by the hour of You.

If he did not hurry, he would have to travel in the dark.

Lin Jue often caught fragments of conversation drifting into his ears.

"The world is unsettled these days..."

"There may be Demonic Ghosts on the road..."

"I heard just two days ago..."

Such words added a thread of anxiety and unease.

Fortunately, Lin Jue had prepared in advance—

Today's journey was not long. Even walking at a leisurely pace, he could have arrived within a day. Yet he had walked quickly earlier precisely to guard against unforeseen events. He was now not far from where he would rest that night.

Even so, travelers often refused to wait. Seeing that the sky was growing late, they wiped a hand through their hair and ventured out into the rain.

Some were anxious; some were broad-minded.

The anxious ones looked bedraggled.

The broad-minded ones looked carefree.

As the hour of You neared and dusk approached, the rain weakened.

Quite a few merchants and travelers went out to inspect the rain, and Lin Jue did the same. The raindrops striking his face had become so fine and sparse that they could almost be ignored, while the sky had brightened again. Seeing many merchants and travelers set off, Lin Jue also shouldered his book basket and hurried onward.