A Stroke of Luck for You to Have Met Me (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The dining hall, at breakfast.

A bowl of thin porridge with wild greens, unlimited refills, and one egg per person. Other than the wild greens still tasting a little bitter, there was nothing wrong with it. But there was also a plate of pickles in the middle, which were so salty and briny they made your mouth pucker.

Only six people had come to eat in total.

Everyone else was still in bed.

This place was far too laid-back.

Lin Jue had yet to begin cultivating Spiritual Methods or learning spells, and he still had to do his morning lessons. He also wasn't used to such a leisurely life. After breakfast, he found himself with nothing to do.

"Junior Brother, Junior Sister, got some free time?"

"Senior Brother."

"Senior Brother!"

The two replied one after the other.

"You've only just arrived on the mountain and aren't used to life here yet. I'll find some things for you to do."

"Just tell us what to do, Senior Brother."

"Please, go ahead, Senior Brother!"

Both of them were naturally very polite.

"Some pilgrims will be coming today. One of you can stay here with me and help receive them. It'll be a good chance to learn how to host pilgrims. We're also running short on firewood, so the other can go up the mountain and chop some."

Senior Brother smiled as he looked at them.

Junior Sister immediately glanced at Lin Jue.

"I'll go chop wood," Lin Jue said without hesitation. "I just happen to have brought a Firewood Knife up the mountain."

"Good!"

Senior Brother wasn't surprised. He simply said, "But this is Mount Yi, and it's a little different from other places. If you're going up the mountain to chop wood, there are a few things I need to tell you."

"About the Spirits and Monsters in the mountains?"

"That's only part of it. If you encounter Spirits and Monsters, remember to tell them you're a disciple of Floating Hill Temple. Once you're wearing your Daoist robes, no spirits will make trouble for you. At most, one might play tricks on you. Just stay true to yourself and resist temptation, and you won't lose your composure. Fourth Junior Brother has also warned the nearby wild beasts not to hurt people without good reason."

"I'll remember."

"Also, when chopping wood in the mountains, you can't just cut down any tree you see. Leave young, living trees alone. For mature trees, you may only cut the lowest side branches. If there are no low branches, don't cut them at all. It's best to look for dead, dried-up trees. They burn well, too, and don't need to be left out to dry."

"Anything else?"

"The paths deep in Mount Yi are treacherous, so be very careful as you walk. This mountain is quite unusual. It's mostly stone, with very little soil. The pines have a hard time growing here, and the Mountain God favors them, so don't cut them down. If you come across a wooden stump on the mountain, don't sit on it just because you're tired. It might be a seat belonging to a Spirit or Monster." At this point, Senior Brother smiled, a look of reminiscence appearing on his face. "Those were the things Master warned me about back then."

"I'll remember."

"Go on. It doesn't matter if you don't gather enough firewood. Pinecones will burn just as well."

"Okay!"

Lin Jue didn't say anything more and agreed.

Where could you learn anything these days without having to work? Besides, judging by the state of this temple, they were mostly self-sufficient. Chopping wood was one of the simplest jobs—it just took a little effort. If he didn't do it, was he supposed to leave it to his master or senior brothers, all of them well past their prime?

So he turned back to fetch his Firewood Knife, then found a carrying basket, a Carrying Pole, and two lengths of rope. He took along the little Takuo he had left, then headed in the direction Senior Brother had pointed out, making his way up Floating Hill Peak.

There were plenty of plants along the way.

Wild grass was no good, and the thorny bushes were lush this time of year, so they weren't ready to be used as firewood. As for the larger trees, all their lower side branches had already been cut off. There wasn't a single dead tree to be found, either.

That was only natural.

Floating Hill Temple had been here for so many years. Every year, the firewood closest to the temple was bound to be the first to go.

So he had to climb higher.

Go deeper.

Travel farther.

It was a mountain, and it was early morning. The mist had yet to clear, so the air was refreshingly cool. Lin Jue no longer had to worry about wandering the world, nor was he at a loss over where to seek a master and pursue the Dao. His heart was settled, and his spirits were naturally high. Why would he fear a long journey?

He gradually ventured deep into the White Clouds.

Floating Hill Temple sat on the mountainside below the peak. You couldn't really appreciate the scenery from the temple, but as soon as you climbed higher, the landscape slowly revealed itself.

Every so often, he spotted exposed granite and ancient pines rooted in the cracks between the rocks. He couldn't tell whether the ancient pines had happened to grow in those crevices, or whether their roots had split the rocks apart.

The cries of unknown birds and roars of unknown beasts echoed through the mountains and the clouds.

Avoid harming ancient pines, be careful with living trees, seek out deadwood, gather dry branches, and pick up any pinecones lying around. Little by little, Lin Jue gathered some firewood.

The mountain grew steeper. Before he knew it, he had passed through a dense forest. When he looked back, he found himself in a wide-open expanse.

In the distance, layers upon layers of green mountains stretched out, an endless succession of peaks. Morning mist pooled over the ground and in the hollows between the mountains, forming a sea of clouds. Against the ink-dark green mountains, it looked all the whiter, a breathtaking sight.

Then he turned around. Above him rose a stone peak.

"Is this Floating Hill Peak?"

Lin Jue studied it closely and managed to make out something of the "Floating Hill Peak" the old Daoist had pointed out to them from far away. Two more stone peaks stood beside it, one with a notch like a pair of scissors.

The air was so cool, his body and mind were full of energy, and he was in such a good mood that he naturally felt like climbing up for a look.

But first, he had to chop wood.

There were plenty of dead trees and dry branches here. The lower side branches of the larger trees had barely been touched, and some had grown back after being cut.

"Chop..."

The sound of chopping wood rang out again and again in the mountains.

It continued to echo through the sea of clouds.

Chopping wood didn't take much thought. You only had to keep doing the same thing, and there was no need to rush. On top of that, you had something to show for your efforts, which made the job surprisingly enjoyable.

Lin Jue took his time. Before long, he had chopped plenty of dead branches, tied them into two bundles with rope, and filled his carrying basket as well.

"Done!"

Now it was time to climb the mountain.

He left the firewood, Carrying Pole, and basket to one side. Taking only the Takuo he had tucked away and his Firewood Knife, Lin Jue started climbing.

Before he knew it, his clothes were damp.

It wasn't rain, but sweat and mist.

The mountain was simply too high. He had already entered the clouds. Even when the sky was clear and there was no sign of rain, the clouds soaked through his clothes.

The closer he got to the peak, the steeper the slope became.

At the very top, he even had to use both hands and feet.

Fortunately, it wasn't far, so it didn't take much effort.

The young man soon reached the peak.

As soon as he stood up, he was stunned.

Before him lay the heart of Mount Yi. Cliffs linked together, soaring hundreds or even thousands of feet high. There were countless strange peaks and oddly shaped rocks. Many of the rocky slopes looked bare, yet ancient pines grew all over them. Morning had barely arrived, and mist still gathered among the peculiar peaks, the strange rocks, and the tenacious ancient pines, like a veil draped over them by Heaven and Earth. As the wind blew, it shifted and changed in a thousand ways, forming a wondrous scene.

What a breathtaking landscape painting.

Lin Jue was deeply shaken. His eyes widened as he tried to take in as much of the extraordinary sight as he could.

From below the mountain, he never would have guessed there was such a view here. Most people in the world were probably kept away by the remote, difficult paths, and few ever made it to this place.

At that moment, only one thought remained in his mind—

A mountain like this must surely be home to immortals.

Lin Jue gazed for a long time and still couldn't get his fill. He didn't even notice the wind chilling him. He simply listened to the mountain wind's mournful wail and watched the clouds shift without end. After the first shock of seeing the view had passed, he finally let his attention wander.

He happened to be hungry, so he took out the Takuo he had brought and started eating.

This Takuo was much tastier than the food at the temple.

But just then, he heard another sound amid the mountain wind.

"Hm?"

Lin Jue tilted his head slightly and listened closely.

Sure enough, there was a sound.

It was a soft, whimpering noise, unlike a person's voice.

It sounded like some kind of animal, or perhaps a young one.

There was something pitiful about it.

Lin Jue still remembered what Senior Brother had told him. A Monster might try to trick him, so he had to stay true to himself and resist temptation. For the moment, he ignored it and continued chewing his Takuo.

Ignoring it couldn't lead him astray.

"Whoosh..."

The mountain wind blew in gusts, and white clouds rolled in the distance.

To dine in front of this magnificent landscape, savoring each bite slowly—what could be more like the life of an immortal?

But the cries kept going.

Not only that, they seemed to be getting clearer and more pitiful.

"?"

Lin Jue frowned. At last, he couldn't bear it any longer. He set down his Takuo, picked up the Firewood Knife beside him, and headed toward the sound.

It was very close, only seven or eight zhang away.

Lin Jue slipped down the slope, and there he saw—

It really was a baby animal.

A little creature with a full coat of fur, gray and scruffy. It looked a bit like a dog, but not quite. It was no bigger than a palm.

The little thing was lying beside the stone peak. It seemed to have been separated from its mother. It looked around from side to side, calling out over and over. But when Lin Jue approached, it immediately fell silent and stared at him with wide, pleading eyes.

An animal's face was different from a person's, and there was no way to tell whether it was afraid or confused. Its eyes were simply round as it stared silently at Lin Jue, looking pitiful and helpless.

"This is..."

Was it a young wild animal that had somehow gotten separated from its mother?

Or was it a trick by some mountain Spirit or Monster, trying to toy with him?

As he wondered, Lin Jue looked around, but he saw no other young animals, nor any creature that looked like its mother.

"Where's your mother?"

Holding the Firewood Knife, Lin Jue spoke to it casually, as if he were talking to a person.

Naturally, it didn't answer.

The little thing kept staring at him with round, black eyes, looking weak, helpless, and honest.

Who knew what was going through its mind?

Lin Jue furrowed his brows.

He couldn't leave.

But he couldn't stay, either.

"Fine. If you're really a lost little cub, so be it if we didn't meet. But since you've met me, it means we were fated to cross paths. You're lucky I found you."

As he spoke, Lin Jue didn't go near it. Instead, he found a spot on a slope at a moderate distance and sat down, continuing to eat his Takuo. He hoped its mother would return and take it away.

"Whoosh..."

Once he stopped moving, the wind grew colder and colder.

The little thing kept staring silently at him, its expression unchanged.

Afraid it might be hungry, Lin Jue broke off a piece of Takuo and went over to offer it. But he only set it down in front of the creature, then returned to his original spot.

When it didn't eat, he left it alone and continued sitting.

Thinking he might still be too close, he moved farther away.

From here, he could no longer see the extraordinary sight of countless strange peaks and oddly shaped rocks, but he could see the mountains on either side. Their granite surfaces were covered in cracks and ridges, shaped like scissors or a gate in the clouds. Ancient pines took root among them. They were still so beautiful they seemed otherworldly, like scenery found only in Heaven.

You could wait in a place like this for as long as you wanted.

Besides, he had come up here to enjoy the view in the first place.

Lin Jue was patient, and perfectly at ease.

Time passed, bit by bit.

The sun had already passed its zenith. The distant mist gradually dispersed, replaced by smoke rising from some unknown fire far away. Then the sun began to inch westward.

Lin Jue nearly fell asleep there.

"..."

When he came to, the little thing was still lying obediently in the distance, a tiny speck from where he sat. It neither moved nor called out. Perhaps it was afraid that if it made another sound, Lin Jue would hear and eat it. Or perhaps it felt a little safer now that there was another animal nearby. It simply stared at him from afar with its pair of round little eyes.

The small piece of Takuo Lin Jue had broken off for it was already gone.

It was getting later and later, too.

Before he knew it, the distant cliffs had turned yellow in the sunlight. Ancient pines cast slanting shadows across the rock faces. Mist was rising over the mountains again, giving them an air of mystery.

"Little guy, why haven't your parents come yet?"

Lin Jue once again approached the little creature with his Firewood Knife in hand. He still couldn't tell whether it was a trick by some Spirit or Monster in the mountains.

Perhaps one had transformed into this little creature to make him feel sorry for it, so he wouldn't have the heart to leave and would waste a whole day in the mountains, only for the creature to laugh at his foolishness. Or perhaps it was waiting for the sun to set and night to fall before taking his life.

Master had said Mount Yi had a Mountain God, and the rules were strict. The Spirits and Monsters in the mountains all knew of the Daoists from Floating Hill Temple. At least on Floating Hill Peak, the latter sort of trick shouldn't be possible.

The former, though, was possible.

That Yellow Dog along the way was certainly capable of something like that.

But now, as Lin Jue looked down and met the little creature's gaze, he saw its bewildered, uneasy, helpless eyes. Wasn't this just like him a year ago?

"Ah..."

Lin Jue couldn't help sighing.

Seeing that it was getting later and later, he reached out, picked the little creature up, and prepared to take it back to the temple.

As for whether it was a trick by a Spirit or Monster—

Unless it was a truly wicked Demonic Ghost, what kind of creature would use someone's kindness as bait to lure them in? If that really was the case, so be it. He'd let his Firewood Knife do the talking!