An Exchange with You

Lin Jue withdrew his gaze and looked to the side.

The old Daoist sat cross-legged beneath a pine tree. The young woman sat beside him, quietly chewing on a flatbread. When she saw Lin Jue wake, she looked up and stared at him.

"Awake, young sir?"

The old Daoist opened his eyes too and said, "You drank a little too much of your Thousand Day Wine, after all. Mountain Lord and his guests left long ago. They tried to wake you this morning, but you wouldn't stir. Forcing you awake wouldn't have been good, and the sun was climbing higher by the moment. Any later, and it would've been hard to travel, so they could only bow to you before they all left. They said that if they met you again, they would be sure to thank you."

Hearing this, Lin Jue saw again in his mind the many Spirits and Monsters bidding him farewell as they departed.

It really had been like a dream...

He felt around beside him. The Thousand Day Wine was still there, set in the grass, as if to prove that everything from last night had been real. His book case lay on the ground beside him, too. The banquet last night had been a casual affair.

"Immortal Master, were you waiting for me?"

"How could I presume to be called an Immortal Master? Just call me Daoist." The old man corrected his choice of words, then said, "I only woke not long ago myself, and I've just had breakfast. Shall we head down the mountain together?"

"That would be best."

These two were the only ones who had attended last night's banquet and stayed by his side. Whatever other fate bound them, Lin Jue wanted to travel with them. It felt as though if he held on to them, he could hold on to what had happened last night. If they left too, perhaps as he walked down the mountain, he would begin to doubt whether the night before had been real at all.

"No rush, no rush. Have something to eat first, young sir."

"I can eat as we walk."

"Better to eat first."

"Very well."

Lin Jue took a piece of Takuo from his book case and asked if they wanted any. Then he picked up his water flask and tore and bit into the flatbread, alternating between bites and gulps. In just a few mouthfuls, he had polished off a whole piece of Takuo.

Then he shouldered his book case and headed down the mountain.

They had not walked far when a commotion came from below.

The waist-high grass swayed, a path clearly being pushed open, as though some animal were racing through it.

Suddenly the grass went still, and a man in gray-white clothes rose from within.

"Sniff, sniff..."

The man sized them up, constantly sniffing the air.

Then he awkwardly bowed and asked, "You two... fellow Daoists, are you here for Mountain Lord's banquet?"

Lin Jue knew he was no human, but also knew this was Mountain Lord's territory, where Spirits and Monsters would hardly dare cause trouble. Seeing that the old Daoist remained silent, he answered:

"That's right."

"Is Mountain Lord's banquet still going on?"

"You're too late. It ended last night. By this morning, all the guests had left. We're the last ones heading down."

"I see..."

The man froze, his eyes going round.

Then his face filled with bitter regret.

The Thousand Day Wine infused with Sun Moon Essence must have held an immense allure for all those Spirits and Monsters. Lin Jue could only feel sorry for him.

"May I ask if Mountain Lord is still here?"

The man pressed on, still unwilling to give up.

"At least, he's not on this mountaintop. When we woke, Mountain Lord was already gone."

"Do you know where he is?"

"I don't."

"Thank you! I have to go find Mountain Lord!"

"Why are you so set on it? The banquet is over, and the wine is gone. Even if you find Mountain Lord, there won't be any Thousand Day Wine infused with Sun Moon Essence left to drink." Lin Jue couldn't help offering a kind reminder.

"Fellow Daoist, don't worry about that! I need to ask Mountain Lord for spirit wine to save a life!"

"Hmm?"

Naturally, Lin Jue didn't understand. His mood happened to be strangely bright and good, so he asked, "What do you mean?"

"There's no time to explain! I'm going to find Mountain Lord!"

The man looked hurried. He dropped to all fours, and a puff of Black Smoke burst out. His body visibly changed shape, transforming into a Great Wolf.

Lin Jue couldn't help taking a step back, but still said, "Why not tell me about it?"

"Woof?"

The Great Wolf paused and looked at him in confusion. It sniffed the air, then its eyes suddenly lit up.

"You still have spirit wine on you?"

"Tell me what happened first."

"Poof..."

The Great Wolf transformed back into a man. His expression was agitated, but he forced himself to hold back and bowed to Lin Jue.

"Fellow Daoist, you don't know. Many years ago, I was just a wild wolf in the mountains, the leader of a pack. Later, I lost a fight with a younger wolf and was driven out. I could barely survive. Just when I'd fallen into despair, I was lucky enough to meet Brother Crow. With his guidance, I found prey. From then on, we worked together. He flew overhead to find prey while I chased it down. We depended on each other and gradually became old friends.

"Yet less than two years later, I happened to attain the Dao and become a Spirit. Brother Crow was cleverer than me, but for some reason he still couldn't attain the Dao. I searched for all kinds of rare treasures to extend his lifespan, hoping he'd attain the Dao and continue roaming the mountains with me, hunting and cultivating together. But it never came to pass. By chance, I heard that Mountain Lord was holding a banquet here, with spirit wine and immortal brew. They say ordinary animals can attain the Dao and become Spirits after drinking it.

"But guests at Mountain Lord's banquet had to bring a gift, and I lived a long way off. It took me a lot of time to find something worthy of bringing. I never expected that by the time I got here, I'd already missed it.

"But if I can't get spirit wine from Mountain Lord, my old friend...

"Will die."

The man was devoted to his friend. His emotions shifted with every sentence, and by the end, he was overcome with grief.

Lin Jue made no comment, merely asking, "What gift did you prepare for Mountain Lord?"

"A piece of Earth Wood Essence."

The Wolf Demon reached behind himself and took out a green object.

"What is this?"

"The essence of heaven and earth, naturally nurtured in the mountains and forests. It looks lifeless, but it moves about on its own through the mountains. It took a lot of effort to 'catch' it."

"What is it used for?"

"Earth Wood Essence is a Five Element Spiritual Charm. It can help one grasp the spiritual charms of the Earth and Wood elements. I heard that although Mountain Lord absorbs Yin Yang Qi, his specialty is Earth Element Divine Abilities, so I brought this in the hope it would move him."

"Give it to me."

The Wolf Demon's eyes suddenly widened at those words.

"A gentleman takes joy in helping others achieve their wishes. I wouldn't dare call myself a gentleman, but Mountain Lord happened to give me an extra cup of Thousand Day Wine. The first time you drink it, it works best; the second time, it's much less effective. If you go looking for Mountain Lord now, you may not get what you want. Why don't we trade instead?"

"Really?"

"How could I deceive you?"

Lin Jue took off his book case and pulled out a small Porcelain Vase.

He reached out and took the piece of Earth Wood Essence, then handed over the vase. While the Wolf Demon was still stunned, the exchange was done.

"Hiss! What a wonderful aroma! That fellow Daoist really didn't lie to me! And thank you, fellow Daoist!"

"Don't mention it."

This worked out nicely.

Lin Jue said nothing more. He put the item away and told the Wolf Demon, "I've heard that though Spirits and Monsters follow the Great Way of Yin Yang, most absorb Yin Qi and can't easily go about during the day. You should hurry back."

"Good! I live on Mount Zhou. If you ever come there, you can look for me! Farewell!"

"Farewell..."

The demon was quite straightforward. He swallowed the Porcelain Vase, returned to his true form, and turned to leave. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the sea of wind-tossed grass.

Lin Jue relaxed his guard a little, shouldered his book case again, and turned to the old Daoist before continuing down the path.

"Young sir, you have a kind heart."

"It was just a fair trade."

The old Daoist continued walking behind him. He only smiled at that, then asked, "I see that your Qi Nourishing Method is quite orthodox, surpassing the tricks of many sorcerers and street performers across the land. May I ask where you learned it?"

"I came by it by chance."

"Then fate had a hand in it."

"May I ask which Immortal Mountain or cave abode you cultivate at, Daoist?"

"My temple is on Floating Hill Peak."

"Floating Hill Peak..."

"And you, young sir? Where will you go next?"

"I was planning to visit Mount Qi Yun, then Mount Yi." Lin Jue wasn't sure what to do, so he answered honestly.

"Mount Qi Yun is a famous Daoist mountain, while Mount Yi is very remote. You're a scholar; why head for places like these instead of seeking out a famous academy and a great Confucian scholar?"

"To tell the truth..."

This old Daoist was no ordinary man. He might well be the cultivator Lin Jue had been seeking. They had also attended Mountain Lord's banquet together and drunk Thousand Day Wine, so there was no need to hide anything from him. Lin Jue answered frankly. "I once encountered a demon in a shrine in a neighboring village and saw the wonders of the world and the miracles of magic. My heart was no longer set on fame and rank. I only wanted to seek immortality and learn magic. Besides, that Spirit told me my Heavenly Soul was somewhat unstable and that I needed to find a Soul-Calming Method. My uncle and aunt could no longer afford to support my studies, so I stopped hesitating, left home, and set out to seek immortality and the Dao."

"But why do you want to seek immortality and the Dao and learn magic?"

"Of course, for freedom and longevity."

That was what Lin Jue truly felt, and he had good reason for it. There was nothing to hide.

He said what he meant and meant what he said.

The old Daoist nodded but offered no judgment. He only said, "Most people in the world who seek immortality and the Dao can't escape those four words: freedom and longevity. Yet the vast majority have no Immortal Destiny, whether they're nobles and high officials, emperors and generals, or writers whose names are destined to be remembered for a thousand years. Even if they climb famous mountains in search of the Dao, all they do is climb a mountain and leave behind a few poems."

Wasn't that the truth?

Lin Jue fell into thought. It was something he had been pondering since the day before—

Though he had the Ancient Book and could learn magic, he couldn't master a technique just by glancing at it. By now, it seemed that either someone's magic had to be cast on him—in other words, he had to be subjected to a spell—or he had to see clearly how the other person's magic worked. Both options came with limitations.

At the same time, the Ancient Book contained only magic techniques. It had no cultivation system beyond them, no accompanying knowledge, and couldn't help him understand how cultivation worked in this world or truly enter it.

So he might still need a master.

At the very least, someone to help him through this first stretch of the road.

This wasn't a decision to make recklessly.

Should he stick to his original plan and visit Mount Qi Yun and Mount Yi first? Or should he ask this Daoist right here if he could become his apprentice? If he went to Mount Qi Yun and Mount Yi, would he find the Immortal Dao he sought? And if he didn't go, would this Daoist be willing to take him in?