The Spring Water Has Spirit

"Junior disciples, you've been at the temple for two days, are you getting used to it?" Senior Brother asked them with concern.

"We're used to it."

"We're used to it!"

"There are some chores around the temple, did you find them too strenuous?"

"Not at all. I had to work in the village anyway, so being too idle would have been unsettling," Lin Jue replied truthfully.

"Me neither, it's not hard."

"I found some tasks for you junior disciples so you wouldn't be idle and could get accustomed to life on the mountain," Senior Brother said. "Life on the mountain is like this."

"We understand, Senior Brother. Just tell us what needs to be done."

"I understand too."

"Actually, there is something. We're running out of water at the temple. Junior disciple, after you finish your meal, please go to the mountain spring nearby and fetch a few buckets. Don't take too much at once, make more trips. Don't overexert yourself or get injured."

"Got it."

"I'll go too!"

"That's perfect. Junior disciple, I have some free time today, so I'll start helping you refine your Earth Wood Essence," said Second Senior Brother, who was sitting nearby, to Lin Jue. "Refining this kind of Heaven and Earth Five Elements Spiritual Charm requires Spiritual Water. There's a Sacred Water Spring in the mountains that gathers the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the sun and moon, making it most suitable for this. However, the journey is a bit far. Let the temple's Big Black lead the way. You go fetch a bucket first."

"Okay."

"The journey is long. I'll give you a Divine Speed Pill. Don't take it yet; consider this exercise. If you're too exhausted to walk, it's too late, or if you're chased by Monsters, then take it. After taking it, your legs will be full of energy, as if they have wind, and you'll move much faster whether you're walking or running," Second Senior Brother said. "Remember, the Sacred Spring is sentient. When you reach the spring, you must be sincere and not harbor any disrespect. State your purpose and say, 'Please, Sacred Spring, bestow your water,' and the water will naturally emerge."

"I've noted it down."

Lin Jue received a green pill from him, kept in a small porcelain bottle no bigger than his thumb.

In reality, there wasn't much to do at the temple.

This was especially true for the Senior Brothers. They didn't even attend morning or evening services, and their cultivation and spell practice were up to them. They only had a few minor chores each day.

These included receiving pilgrims, chopping wood, fetching water, and going down the mountain to purchase supplies. Furthermore, as the world grew more chaotic, there were more pilgrims coming up the mountain than before. Sometimes, pilgrims would come with requests, which often meant accompanying them down the mountain to deal with Monsters and drive away evil spirits. The rest of the time was mostly spent passing the time.

With the arrival of the two junior disciples, these chores were also shared considerably.

Perhaps they were even more idle now.

Lin Jue and the other junior disciple had slightly more to do, as they had to recite scriptures every morning and would later learn Spiritual Law and Spell cultivation. They also had chores to do.

Lin Jue didn't feel this was a problem.

The Junior Sister seemed to feel the same.

Like fetching water today, this kind of task had nothing to do with cultivation. Lin Jue simply knew that one couldn't rush Spiritual Law cultivation, and since he had free time, there was no harm in doing something. Moreover, as Senior Brother had said, they had just arrived and might feel uneasy or unaccustomed. Being too idle would only make them uncomfortable. Having some tasks to do was better, helping them gradually adapt to the mountain and the temple.

He hadn't expected that the Junior Sister, who wasn't assigned any tasks, would also proactively offer to join him.

Even when Lin Jue had to go to the Sacred Water Spring to fetch water to refine the Earth Wood Essence, a trip that would take half a day, she insisted on accompanying him with a bucket.

Lin Jue guessed that perhaps it was because he had yielded to her in learning spells and choosing a room, and had helped her interpret scriptures in the morning. It was natural for her to feel grateful and want to repay him.

At the same time, they were fellow disciples, had joined the temple together, were the lowest-ranked two in the temple, and were of similar age, so it was natural for them to be closer. He had taken care of her several times, so it was normal for her to develop a better impression of him.

Perhaps she was now regretting her previous wariness of her good Senior Brother.

Lin Jue felt a smile tugging at his lips at the thought.

In short, the two of them, each carrying a wooden bucket and led by a black terrier, were now weaving through the mountain paths and forest trails towards the Sacred Water Spring.

A small fox, no bigger than a palm, followed behind them.

This little creature was like an ordinary kitten or puppy. When no one was around, it was very restless and cried incessantly. But with someone around, it wouldn't make a sound. Its only drawback was that it insisted on following people. For every step Lin Jue took, it had to take at least ten to keep up. He truly feared it would be exhausted to death along the way.

The mountain path was overgrown with grass and trees, steep and difficult to navigate.

"Senior Brother..."

The young girl spoke softly, initiating conversation with him. "Do you know how our temple came to be?"

"How it came to be?"

"I heard that a long time ago, the Patriarch was a very virtuous and reputable person. He always wanted to become an Immortal and learn Immortal Arts. One day, he met an Immortal on the road and asked the Immortal to teach him cultivation and spells. The Immortal, unable to refuse because he had done many good deeds, told him, 'Ahead, no, pointing to a hillside ahead, he said...

'If you can move this mountain, I will teach you Immortal Arts.'

The Patriarch began to move the mountain, digging from morning till night every day, rain or shine, without stopping. After thirty years, he finally moved the hillside to the other side.

'The Immortal then taught him these seven Immortal Arts.'

My master told me this yesterday!"

This Junior Sister was actively trying to get closer to him.

A teenage girl, every word and intonation revealed her emotions and personality.

"So, that's the story of moving the mountain."

"Yes! Later, that Immortal told the Patriarch that this place originally belonged to him, that he had cultivated here before..."

"Dojo."

"Right! Dojo! And then he told him to cultivate here, so he came here and built the temple, which is our Floating Hill Temple."

"So that's how it is."

No wonder Cloud Crane Taoist liked picking up disciples halfway; it turned out the Patriarch himself had received his inheritance on the road.

However, legends of the world always carried the biases and preferences of the people who told them, sometimes featuring untruths, flattery, or embellishments. Therefore, terms like 'Immortals' and 'Immortal Arts' in stories needed to be interpreted in conjunction with popular perception and the prevailing atmosphere of the time. Whether they were true or false was hard to say after so long.

"Then what kind of magic is 'Crushing Stone'?"

"Master said it's a very powerful Earth Element Magic, suitable for combat. It can pulverize stones into dust, or turn other things into mush. But it's best used on stones."

"Sounds very powerful."

"I haven't learned it yet..."

"Junior Sister, study hard. Perhaps I'll need your protection in the future."

"I will work hard!"

This statement was remarkably firm.

From his observations over the past few days, Lin Jue truly believed her words, seeing how diligent and serious the young girl was, seemingly unafraid of hardship or exhaustion.

As they chatted, they arrived at the Sacred Water Spring.

Looking back, the little fox cub was still following them. It leaped over branches and bounded over small pits on the ground, its four legs moving so fast it was almost pitiful.

"You little thing..."

Lin Jue looked down as it ran closer, slowing its pace as it approached.

"Did you hear today? Fourth Senior Brother couldn't find your parents on the mountain. If we still can't find them in a few days, you'll have to stay with me."

Naturally, there was no response.

When ordinary people talk to cats or dogs like this, they don't usually expect them to understand.

Lin Jue shook his head, unable to bear watching it run any longer. He picked it up and tucked it into his arms, then carried the two buckets and followed the black dog forward.

There was a spring ahead.

The spring was on a rock face, about three feet off the ground. Three seal-script characters, "Sacred Water Spring," were inscribed on the rock. Sparse green grass grew below, with scattered pebbles forming a washed-out trail.

No water was flowing at the moment.

Lin Jue walked up to the spring and, as instructed by Second Senior Brother, sincerely and truthfully reported:

"Sacred Spring above, I am Lin Jue, a newly accepted disciple of the twelfth generation of Floating Hill Temple. I encountered a Spirit and Monster on the road who craved spiritual wine. As I had spiritual wine, I exchanged it for an Earth Wood Essence. I now wish to refine its Spiritual Charm and require Spiritual Water."

Although he said this, he was actually very curious. Would the spring really produce water at someone's request?

Thinking this, his heart suddenly grew tense. He wondered if this thought was disrespectful to the Sacred Spring, a form of blasphemy. He dared not test it, fearing that even testing it might be an offense, so he hastily suppressed his thoughts.

"Please, Sacred..."

Before he could finish, he heard a plop.

The sound came from the spring itself.

Just as Lin Jue was surprised and felt guilty, thinking his previous thought had indeed offended the Spiritual Spring, he heard bubbling and gurgling sounds from within the spring. In just a moment, water began to trickle out.

First a thin stream, then, in a moment, it gushed out like a pillar.

Lin Jue reacted quickly and rushed to catch it with his bucket.

Behind him, his Junior Sister was also very surprised.

The little fox, with only its head peeking out from his embrace, widened its eyes.

One bucket was half-filled, the other a little less than half. Soon, Lin Jue had collected what he needed.

"That's enough, that's enough."

Lin Jue couldn't help but say.

Strangely, as soon as he spoke, the water flow lessened.

In a short while, it stopped completely.

Lin Jue stared, bewildered and confused.

"Thank you for your trouble, Junior Sister."

"No trouble at all!"

So, carrying the water, they walked back with his Junior Sister. They stopped and started along the way, eating eggs for sustenance and picking some wild fruits they recognized to satisfy their cravings. It took much longer than usual to return to the Taoist temple. Originally, Lin Jue would have needed two trips to collect enough water for one bucket, but with his Junior Sister's help, it only took one.

He handed the water over to Second Senior Brother.

As he came out, intending to fetch more water, he happened to meet the old Taoist priest and couldn't help but stop to ask.

The old priest looked up, stroked his beard, and smiled:

"This mountain has a spirit, the Sacred Spring has its own consciousness. How could the spring water not know your respect or disrespect? How could it not know your character? Since your heart is sincere, why need incantations to urge it on?"

"Since your heart is sincere, why need incantations to urge it on..."

Lin Jue murmured to himself, lost in thought.

The magic cultivation in this world was different from what he had originally imagined. Yet, through his journey, his experiences continued to update his understanding and refine his perception of this world.