The unending rain that had hung over Langya City for who knew how many days had quietly stopped at some point.
Though the leaden clouds had yet to disperse, at least they no longer poured down icy rain, like an intermission in the middle of a grand performance.
The group didn't dare linger. They hurried along at full speed.
Chen Jin struggled to stay conscious on Wang Wu's back, keeping his eyes closed as he rested and recuperated.
Ji and Ju guarded him on either side, vigilantly watching their surroundings.
To their surprise, they encountered no serious resistance outside the city. The cold mechs didn't seem to have extended their range beyond the city walls—or perhaps their orders were still limited to the city.
As he hurried along, Ji quickly explained to Wang Wu, "Squad Leader, there's no point hiding it anymore. Ju and I aren't ordinary guards. We're from Jixia Academy."
"I'm an heir to the School of Names, and Ju is my bodyguard. She was also sent by the academy to protect me."
Wang Wu had already suspected that the two were no ordinary people, but when he heard the words "Jixia Academy," a flash of shock still crossed his eyes.
Before he could ask anything, a soft blue light suddenly fluttered up from the bushes beside the road ahead.
It was a butterfly, its entire body radiating a faint blue glow. Its wings were crystalline, and it flew along an inscrutable path, carrying an otherworldly serenity and spirit.
"My wife!" Joy appeared on Ji's face. "This is the Taoist secret art Butterfly Dream, guiding us. Hurry, follow it!"
[Taoist School]: An important school of thought from the pre-Qin period. It revered the Great Way and advocated following nature, quiet nonaction, and unity between Heaven and humanity. Its profound philosophy encompassed many fields, including politics, military affairs, and esoteric arts. Its followers often included reclusive sages.
[Butterfly Dream]: A secret art derived from the image of "Zhuang Zhou dreaming he was a butterfly." The practitioner can gather a trace of their divine sense and transform it into a spirit butterfly. Neither wholly real nor illusory, the butterfly is not limited by ordinary physical matter. It can be used to deliver messages, track auras, or guide the way through complex terrain.
The blue spirit butterfly danced lightly ahead of them, flitting from side to side, sometimes darting into the woods and sometimes skimming over a stream.
The group followed close behind. They felt as though they were winding through the mountains, circling and doubling back, even passing what appeared to be the same scenery several times. Yet somehow, they also sensed that each path was entirely different, as if they had stepped into an invisible maze.
At last, the spirit butterfly circled three times in front of a dense thicket, then dissolved into specks of blue light.
Without hesitation, Ji stepped forward and pushed aside the layers of vines and branches. Behind them, a hidden cave entrance came into view.
The group filed inside.
The cave was narrow and dim at first, but after only a dozen or so zhang, it opened up before them.
At the cave's end lay a hidden paradise tucked inside the mountain!
Sunlight filtered in through a cleverly concealed crack, gently illuminating the space.
A stream burbled through it, while strange flowers and plants gave off a soothing fragrance. The air was so fresh it hardly seemed of this world.
A simple thatched cottage stood beside the water. Two people waited in front of it, as if they had been there for some time.
One was a woman in a plain, elegant dress. She was lovely and serene, with an otherworldly air. When she saw Ji and the others enter, concern and relief showed in her eyes. She was Ji's wife.
The other was an old man with white hair and beard, his face lean and weathered. He wore a loose, simple hemp robe, and his eyes were warm yet profound as he quietly watched the newcomers.
[Jixia Academy]: An academy established near the Jixia Gate in Linzi, the capital of Qi, by Duke Huan of Qi during the Warring States period. It gathered worthy scholars from across the land and allowed them to "discuss without governing," making it the center and pinnacle of the contention of a hundred schools of thought. Scholars of Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, the School of Names, Mohism, Yin-Yang theory, agriculturalism, and military strategy all lectured, debated, and wrote there. Though the academy ceased to exist in any real sense after the Qin unification, its spirit and some of its traditions continued in secret.
The woman was the first to give a slight bow. Her voice was as gentle as water. "I am Yan Clan Member, Ji's wife. Thank you all for your efforts."
The old man stroked his beard and nodded. "I am Jiang Yan, and I hold the humble post of Libationer at Jixia Academy. This place is simple, but it will serve as shelter. I know roughly what happened to you. For now, make yourselves at home. You needn't worry about Qin law or the mechs here."
Suppressing the throbbing pain in his head, Chen Jin let black ripples silently spread through his eyes and used Glance of the Startled Swan to scan the woman and the old man.
Name: Yan Clan Member (Ji's wife) Specialty: Taoist arts 83% Status: Tranquil Skills: Follow Nature, Butterfly Dream, Highest Good is Like Water, Bending to be Whole Threat Level: Red (Friendly) Name: Jiang Yan (current Libationer of Jixia Academy) Status: ??? Specialty: ??? Skills: The Way is Invisible, ???, ??? Threat Level: Black (Friendly) Note: The Way is invisible; its workings are unknowable. —Han Feizi Information about those who possess this skill cannot be detected.
Jiang Yan's gaze settled on Chen Jin. After examining him for a moment, he said slowly, "Your body is exceptionally resilient, unlike that of an ordinary person. Minor flesh wounds have already healed on their own. But you forced your power too far and overtaxed your divine sense. The shock has thrown your three souls and seven spirits into disarray. This is an injury to the mind and spirit, not something ordinary medicines can cure."
As he spoke, Jiang Yan took an ancient-looking jade bottle from his wide sleeve. He poured out a pill the size of a longan, round and lustrous, with a faint, pleasant fragrance, and offered it to Chen Jin.
"This pill is called the Soul-Stabilizing and Spirit-Calming Pill," Jiang Yan explained. "It's made from spiritual ingredients such as Mind-Calming Grass, Soul-Condensing Flower, and Moonlight Dew, tempered with the fire of the mind and spirit. It's specifically meant to restore order to the soul and soothe the mind. It works wonders for repairing spiritual exhaustion and stabilizing the sea of consciousness."
[Soul-Stabilizing and Spirit-Calming Pill] Category: Consumable Quality: Fine A Taoist medicine for regulating the soul and spirit. It can effectively soothe spiritual shock, restore order to the three souls and seven spirits when they have been disrupted by overexertion or impact, and greatly accelerate the recovery of spiritual power. No obvious side effects.
With Ren Tu's information as corroboration, and seeing the other party's friendly attitude, Chen Jin's wariness eased somewhat.
His head was pounding, and the sensation of his spiritual power being drained was truly awful. He didn't hesitate any longer. After saying, "Thank you," he took the pill and swallowed it.
The pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth. A cool, gentle medicinal force spread through him, surging straight toward the sea of consciousness between his brows.
It was like a clear spring flowing over parched, cracked earth, gently calming the violent waves and mending the fissures in his spiritual world caused by overexertion.
The maddening headache quickly eased, and his jumbled thoughts began to settle back into place.
Chen Jin let out a long breath. The tension in his body visibly relaxed, and clarity returned to his eyes. He was still exhausted, but no longer in any serious danger.
He cupped his hands solemnly toward Jiang Yan. "Thank you for the medicine, Senior."
Seeing how readily Chen Jin had taken the pill and how quickly it had worked, Jiang Yan smiled with satisfaction. Stroking his beard, he nodded. "You are no ordinary person, young friend, and your recovery is remarkable as well. Good."