Seeking an Expert in the Mountains

The people in the city were most shocked by the case of Master Guanghong.

Ordinary folk didn't have much contact with Master Guanghong. At most, they'd see him when offering incense at Taian Temple, knowing that the temple had such a high monk. But many of the nobles in the city who yearned for the path of immortals and Buddhas had quite a bit of interaction with this eminent monk. They would either often invite Master Guanghong to their residences for tea and scripture, or frequently visit him at Taian Temple, even confiding their troubles to him.

Who would have thought this eminent monk was such a person.

However, the most shocking thing was the death of this eminent monk.

They had witnessed Master Guanghong's abilities: turning paper into soldiers, appearing in dreams at midnight, having Yaksha as protectors, along with various other wondrous techniques. They would have believed him if he were said to be a living Bodhisattva. But now, they had witnessed firsthand the saying that there's always someone better.

The Prefect of Yizhou, Yu Jianbai, was the second-place scholar in Changyuan Year Two, and he also yearned for the path of gods, Buddhas, and eternal life. However, he had little contact with Master Guanghong.

It wasn't that he foresaw this day, nor did he know of Master Guanghong's ill intentions. It was simply that Prefect Yu was picky and had very high standards. Hearing about his interactions with other nobles in the city, including many financial dealings, made it difficult for him to reconcile Master Guanghong with the truly great person in his mind.

How could such a person, who couldn't achieve eternal life and Buddhahood himself, possibly lead him onto the path of eternal life?

Some time ago, after hearing the details of Master Guanghong's case from the Magistrate of Yidu, he became interested in the Mister from Tianshui Lane. He then summoned the constable in charge of the case and meticulously inquired about matters related to that Mister. He felt that although the Young Mister was somewhat different from the immortal image of someone completely detached from worldly affairs that he had imagined, he was still an exceptionally rare individual in this world.

At least, far superior to Master Guanghong.

Thus, he developed a desire to get acquainted and visit him.

But for someone he admired and yearned to meet, whether it was a cultivation master, a renowned musician, or a skilled painter, he naturally had to lower his stance and not use his position for convenience.

He also heard that the Young Mister preferred tranquility, which truly troubled him for a long time.

Finally, upon learning that the Mister often frequented the entertainment district in the north of the city to listen to stories, and recently often went to Lord Yang's residence to listen to music, Prefect Yu finally found an opportunity to get acquainted—

He rarely visited the entertainment district to listen to stories, but listening to music was a refined hobby. Even when busy with official duties, he would often invite friends to his residence to play music for enjoyment. Yang Jinsheng was a famous master of elegant music in Yizhou, and Prefect Yu had naturally visited him and had some acquaintance with him, so he could start from there.

Prefect Yu even thought that if, upon meeting, he found the Mister to be as Constable Luo described, he could then take the opportunity to invite the Mister to Yang Jinsheng's home as a guest, introducing them to each other, thus catering to the Mister's preferences.

"Prepare the horses."

"My lord, where are we going?"

"Pine Hut."

"Understood."

Prefect Yu went outside, looked at the sky, was very pleased, and happily set off by horse.

The weather today was cloudy.

"The crisp autumn air is perfect for venturing out to seek worthy individuals," Song You murmured, staring at the sky.

Outside, the sky was a clear blue with white clouds, but it didn't feel scorching. This was because a cloud was currently obscuring the sun, making the entire world feel neither gloomy nor overly bright, but cool and exceptionally refreshing.

The weather for the next few days should be like this.

It was the best weather for going out.

Coincidentally, the Three Flower Cat was playfully chasing insects in the yard. Hearing the sound but not clearly understanding it, she became curious.

"What are you talking about?"

"We should go out of the city for a stroll."

Upon hearing this, the Three Flower Cat immediately stopped what she was doing, turned around, and stared directly at him.

"Where are we going?"

"To seek out local eminent individuals and scholars."

"Where are we going?"

"Yesterday, I heard Constable Luo say that there's a county called Siyuan County to the west of the city. In Xinzhuang, Siyuan County, there's a Laoying Mountain where a peculiar person lives. Why don't we go pay him a visit?"

"Where are we going?"

"West of the city."

"Oh."

The Three Flower Cat sat down properly and waited for him.

The Three Flower Cat knew that humans were more troublesome than cats when it came to going out.

But he was ready to go as soon as he decided.

Song You changed into the Daoist robe that made things convenient for him. He didn't bring much else, just a bundle. He went out, bought some dry rations, packed them, and headed straight out of the city to the west.

Only a cat accompanied him.

Fortunately, there was a main road to follow.

They followed the main road, crossing who knows how many mountains and at least two bridges. They walked from morning until afternoon, finally seeing Siyuan County. They found an inn in the county town to stay. Before it got dark, they asked around the small county town about how to get to Xinzhuang and how to find Laoying Mountain. They set off early the next morning.

The road was dozens of miles long, with a few pavilions and a dozen or so villages.

Xinzhuang was a very beautiful place.

Behind them rose towering mountains, shrouded in deep white clouds. A small river meandered through the village, its water gurgling. The houses were veiled in mist. As they came over the mountains, the scenery that met their eyes was like a painting.

This must be the place where a peculiar person lives.

After asking again in the village, they headed towards the end of the village.

"So far away."

Song You couldn't help but sigh.

It was truly difficult to visit friends or acquaintances in this era; no wonder so many excellent parting poems had been left behind.

Hearing Three Flower Lady behind him softly mimic his words, as if she also found the mountains and rivers too vast, Song You couldn't help but turn his head and ask, "Three Flower Lady, where is the farthest place you've been?"

"To the home of someone who came to offer incense."

"That's not far either."

"Not as far as here."

"If only we had a mule."

"If only we had a mule."

Three Flower Cat's eyes also held a hint of longing.

"We're here."

Song You stopped walking.

Three Flower Cat looked up, following his gaze.

Before them stood a bamboo courtyard, with bamboo planks for walls, thatched for a roof, and a fence enclosing the yard. Several chickens pecked at the ground within.

Song You gently knocked on the door, and a young attendant opened it.

"Who is Mister looking for?"

"My surname is Song, my given name is You, and my courtesy name is Menglai. I am a mountain dweller from Lingquan County, here to visit Master Kong. Is the Master at home?"

"Is Mister an old acquaintance of my master?" The attendant carefully examined Song You, frowning, finding him unfamiliar. "Or are you here to buy wood carvings out of admiration?"

"Out of admiration."

"You've missed him. My master is not at home."

"Oh?"

What bad timing.

Song You paused, then bowed respectfully, "May I ask where the Master has gone, and when he will return?"

"Master went to chop wood. I only know it's somewhere in this mountain, but I don't know the exact location." The attendant looked up past Song You's shoulder. "He'll be back before dark."

Song You couldn't help but turn around, following his gaze.

The clouds were deep; how could one know their destination?

"Thank you."

Song You cupped his hands in thanks to the attendant. Seeing him turn back into the house, Song You pondered for a moment, then, with Three Flower Lady in tow, headed towards the great mountain.

He wished to walk through the flowers, straight into the depths of the white clouds.

This mountain was majestic and imposing, yet it stretched out in continuous ridges. Its peak was hidden deep within the clouds and mist; only the mountainside was visible now. The clouds shifted endlessly with the wind, making it believable that immortals lived within. In the face of this colossal mountain, the two figures, one large and one small, quickly became insignificant specks.

The mountain path was difficult to traverse. Woodcutters sang loudly, their echoes resonating through the mountains, and exotic birds chirped with clear, ethereal calls that cleansed the soul.

Song You followed the woodcutter's path up the mountain, and before he knew it, he was enveloped in clouds. His vision was obstructed, unable to see more than a few yards ahead. The rustling of nearby wild beasts sounded like demons. As light and blue gradually filtered through the layers of white mist before him, Song You knew he was about to break through the cloud layer.

He quickened his steps, and indeed, the view opened up.

The sky was an incredibly pure blue, like a hemispherical dome. Behind him, a sea of clouds surged, rolling in waves. The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, blindingly bright, surrounded by a halo, utterly sacred.

Three Flower Cat's eyes widened, and Song You also stood still for a long time.

Alas, Song You asked the woodcutters and the wild beasts in the mountain, but he only gained a panorama of scenery; he did not encounter the Master Kong, who was skilled in wood carving.

Master Kong's family had been woodcarvers for generations; by his time, it was already an unknown number of generations. From childhood, he was obsessed with wood carving, as if born for it. By adulthood, his skills had reached the pinnacle. It was said that when he was forty, one of his works came to life after he stopped carving, running around the house and terrifying many people.

This story was widely circulated in Siyuan County.

As a result, outsiders often came from afar to purchase wood carvings from Master Kong. However, after that, there were no more reports of wood carvings coming to life.

The moment Song You heard about it from Constable Luo, he had made up his mind to visit Master Kong, even placing the renowned Taoist holy mountain Qingcheng Mountain, famous throughout Yidu and even the entire Great Yan, behind this plan.

He simply wanted to witness how wood carvings could come to life.

He had thought he might encounter him on the mountain, which would make conversation easier due to fate. Unfortunately, he didn't meet him going up the mountain, nor coming down.

Perhaps he was not in this mountain, but in another.

However, this mountain and that water, each step was cultivation.

Every step beneath your feet will not lead you astray.

It was dusk when he descended the mountain. Master Kong had already returned home.

This time, when he went to visit again, he met the man himself.

"My surname is Song, my given name is You, and my master's courtesy name is Menglai. I am a mountain dweller from Lingquan County, here to visit out of admiration." Song You still bowed respectfully. "This morning, I heard that Master went into the deep mountains to find and chop wood, so I ventured into the mountains on impulse to search for him, but alas, fate was not enough for us to meet."

"Haha, this mountain is so large, where did Mister find me?"

Master Kong was nearly sixty, his hair already streaked with silver, but his face was still ruddy, and his health was excellent.

He probably heard about it from the child.

Over the years, many people had visited him, including high officials and renowned scholars, but while he had seen people wait for him outside his house, he had never seen anyone come looking for him in the mountains.

How could anyone find someone in this sea of clouds?

"Mister, please come inside and have a seat!"

"I wouldn't dream of refusing."

The bamboo house was cool and clean, with wooden planks and shavings covering the floor.

The Three Flower Cat followed Song You inside, looking left and right. Only when Song You sat down on a long wooden bench did it retract its gaze, leap up onto the bench, and sit down right beside him.

Song You looked at Master Kong, and the cat looked at Master Kong too.

Song You looked at the child, and the cat looked at the child too.

Master Kong exchanged a few pleasantries with Song You before his attention was quickly drawn to the Three Flower Cat.

The cat was well-proportioned, and though its colors were varied, they were distributed without being messy. It was more pleasing to humans than most Three Flower Cats. Yet, as he looked again and again, Master Kong felt that the cat possessed an indescribable beauty in its form, as if every part was just right – any more would be too much, any less would be insufficient.

If it were only this, it would be fine.

But for some reason, Master Kong felt at a glance that this cat was unusual. Its demeanor was lively and intelligent, as if it possessed sentience. Every shift in its gaze was worth pondering, far beyond that of an ordinary animal.

"This cat..."

"I forgot to introduce her to you, Master."

Song You held a cup of tea, his tone calm, but his words were direct: "This is the Three Flower Lady from the Cat Temple in Nanhua County. I met her by chance after coming down the mountain, and we agreed to travel the mortal world together. Please treat her as you would a person, Master."