The Daoist and the Pill

Jiang She read the words that had suddenly appeared.

He examined the handbook. The brushwork was lively, the ink spirited—good calligraphy. He had made the booklet himself, buying fine paper from a bookshop, binding it with care, and using the mulberry bark paper he had stored to make the cover.

And this morning, when he had returned from the Earth Deity's night banquet, he had indeed encountered two hunters. From their conversation, they were relatives.

This must be the Chen Village written in the book.

There was also a tiger's roar. That Fierce Tiger spirit, dead drunk, had let out a few low growls.

It had become sentient?

Jiang She, lost in thought, picked up the booklet and flipped through it front to back. There was only this one passage. He tucked it back into his robe.

Well, he would just carry it with him every day and see.

Across from him.

Yuan Danqiu carefully unwrapped the medicine packet he had just bought, scrutinizing the quality inside.

The Cinnabar had a pure color. The top-tier grade wasn't available at the local pharmacy in Xiangyang County, but mid-to-upper quality was no problem.

Zengqing was a type of metal and stone, its blue layers growing one upon another. It could turn copper into iron, and in seven days, into silver. The Baopuzi also said, "Taking Zengqing alone will split a man's gall and kill him."

It sounded quite dangerous.

Yuan Danqiu had already looked it up. If Realgar, Orpiment, Zengqing, Alum, Magnetite, Rong Salt, Cinnabar, Gold Paste, and Silver Liquid were blended together, they formed a divine elixir—a formula recorded in a Han dynasty text. Taking it would allow one to ascend to the heavens in broad daylight and command ghosts and spirits.

Jiang She observed for a moment.

"You're trying to make an elixir?"

Yuan Danqiu said, "Exactly. A few days ago, Priest Lian Yue from Pure Void Temple returned from a visit to Taihe Mountain in Jun Prefecture. He obtained some ancient alchemical formulas and found them quite intriguing."

"Just trying to refine one."

Jiang She glanced at the Cinnabar and Zengqing on the table.

These were actually two of the ingredients in the Five-Colored Stone, commonly used in many alchemical recipes. Taking them was highly toxic.

He said, "Tell me the formula."

There was no point in hoarding knowledge from an immortal like this. Yuan Danqiu listed Realgar, Orpiment, Zengqing, Alum, Magnetite, Rong Salt, Cinnabar, Gold Paste, Silver Liquid... and told them all to Jiang She.

Then he added:

"The timing for adding each ingredient is different, but the formula doesn't specify it. It will probably take a long time to test."

Jiang She asked, "Gold Paste and Silver Liquid must be hard to come by. Have you already found them?"

Yuan Danqiu stroked his beard. "I entered the Dao at fifteen, and I have some family wealth."

Yuan Danqiu was quite well-off.

It was said that Li Bai, Yuan Danqiu, and Meng Haoran had all cultivated together on Lumen Mountain, but Meng Haoran was the poorest of the three. Of the other two, one came from a merchant family, and the other was a manor owner.

"Zengqing and Cinnabar are both poisons. If you don't get the dosage and heat right, you might harm yourself."

"Young Master Jiang, rest assured. I know what I'm doing."

Yuan Danqiu said, "I'm just refining it to take a look. I won't take it myself."

"Taibai did take it once, though. He told me his body's yang fire was too strong, and he couldn't sleep for several nights, so he stopped."

Jiang She nodded. Knowing he wouldn't consume it himself, he didn't ask further.

Yuan Danqiu recalled the many miraculous things about the man before him and couldn't help asking, "Young Master Jiang, do you know how to refine medicine?"

"I've never tried."

Yuan Danqiu suddenly perked up and invited him, "Pure Void Temple isn't far from Xiangyang. It's on a nearby mountainside. The day after tomorrow is the first of the month—Heaven and Earth will be in harmony. They're holding a Dharma assembly, opening an altar for worship. It will be quite lively."

"Would you like to come with me and have a look?"

Pure Void Temple was considered a major temple in Xiangyang, with nearly a hundred priests and acolytes.

Jiang She had heard of it since arriving in Xiangyang. He just hadn't visited yet.

"Alright."

"Then I'll make an appointment with Young Master Jiang for the day after tomorrow."

Having received his agreement, Yuan Danqiu felt a strange, exhilarating thrill. That bastard Taibai was always telling him and Master Meng about wondrous sights and sounds, stirring their hearts with longing.

Now it was his turn to tell someone else.

Alas.

Thinking of Taibai, Yuan Danqiu still asked with concern, "Young Master Jiang, where did you go yesterday? Why hasn't Taibai woken up yet? Even if he was drinking, that..."

"I was invited to a night banquet."

Jiang She recalled how Li Bai had sung wildly and drunk heavily the night before and estimated the dosage of Three-Day Drunk.

"He should sleep for three to five days."

Yuan Danqiu remembered the strange, fragrant scent of wine he had smelled earlier—so crisp and pure, with the aroma of flowers and trees. His craving stirred, and he swallowed hard.

May is the month of poison, when venomous creatures breed and many taboos arise. Thus from the first day of the fifth month to the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth, warding off evil and averting calamity is especially important.

The emperor had issued an edict, ordering all temples under heaven to hold dharma assemblies. Many monks and priests began a month-long fast, abstaining from meat and fish, praying for a peaceful summer.

The countryside also grew lively, with people gathering to pick mugwort and calamus, taking the chance to climb hills and enjoy themselves.

On the streets, herb gatherers began hawking mugwort, peddling their wares from alley to alley.

"Fresh mugwort here—ward off evil with mugwort—"

"Nine-Joint Calamus from the banks of the Han River, roots like dragon whiskers, fragrant every inch—milady, would you like some calamus? You can steep it in wine at home to keep pestilence away, and bathe the children so they won't get sores."

"Buy it today, and by the Dragon Boat Festival, you can drink the wine."

As he spoke, his hands moved swiftly, deftly tying bundles with straw rope and placing them in his baskets.

He hawked: "Three coppers a bundle, five coppers for two. Hey, the fifth month is the month of poison, miasma rises—"

"Boil mugwort soup, bathe in fragrant herbs, buy early while you can—"

The herb gatherer's voice was loud and clear. He might be illiterate, unable even to write his own name, and could only press a thumbprint for important matters.

But after years of hawking through the streets and trading herbs, his cries were crisp and well-practiced.

Jiang She walked through the market.

It was the hour of the dragon, and the crowd was thick on both sides, as if the entire city of Xiangyang had turned out. Children perched on their parents' shoulders, clutching candy in one hand, tilting their little heads to stare curiously.

The temple Yuan Danqiu had mentioned was only a dozen or so li away—quite close by ancient standards.

With mountains hard to cross and the Han River difficult to ford, a dozen li was nothing in the eyes of the people of this time. A walk of one or two hours would see them there.

To witness such bustle, to bring the family along and see the sights, to stitch a sachet from scraps of cloth, to watch the dragon boats race with their own eyes—even walking a dozen li was worth it.

Jiang She was slowly getting used to it.

If he wished, he could appear before the temple gate in the next instant.

But only the road walked step by step was the scenery he truly saw.

He had all the time in the world to take it slow. Why rush with Daoist arts and miss the beauty of the journey?

Otherwise, he might not have heard this hawking cry.

He, Yuan Danqiu, and Meng Haoran walked together on the road.

Yuan Danqiu wore a Daoist robe, drawing curious glances. As they passed, many people stole looks at the novelty.

Yuan Danqiu was long used to it. He scanned the surroundings and said, "Let's go this way first. There's a market today, at its liveliest."

Meng Haoran walked beside them.

"What wine did Taibai drink to be so formidable? In ancient times, Du Kang brewed wine, and Liu Ling drank it, drunk for three years. Could it be that same wine?"

Jiang She smiled.

"This wine is called Three-Day Drunk. If one were drunk for three years, it should be called Thousand-Day Drunk."

"I wouldn't rule it out," Yuan Danqiu said casually.

They walked for a while, and after an hour and a half, they appeared before Pure Void Temple.

At the gate stood a priest in a narrow-sleeved Daoist robe, counting the bell tolls beneath a tree.

Hearing footsteps and laughter, he assumed it was visitors. The priest remained under the tree, unhurriedly gazing at the drifting clouds above, silently counting along with the ethereal, solemn bell, taking his time.

Suddenly, he heard a call.

"Priest Lian Yue?"

"How long have you been waiting?"

Lian Yue turned his head to look. It was Yuan Danqiu and his two companions. Yuan Danqiu stood on the right; on the left was Meng Haoran, whom he knew well; and in the middle was a stranger.

After walking so long on the mountain path, Yuan Danqiu and Meng Haoran's soles were caked with dust and mud.

This man's clothes were spotless, not a speck of dirt on them.

Priest Lian Yue withdrew his gaze, shifted his legs, and walked over slowly, smiling. "Not long."

He said, "Please, guests, follow me. And this is...?"

Yuan Danqiu had walked a long way and was tired, but his spirits were high and his heart light, showing no sign of fatigue. Led by Priest Lian Yue, they all stepped into the temple.

"Young Master Jiang, this is Priest Lian Yue."

Yuan Danqiu then turned to introduce Jiang She.

His tone carried respect.

"This is Master Jiang, the eminent person I mentioned to you last time."

Priest Lian Yue's eyes widened slightly.

For a moment, he was speechless.

I've received many monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you all.