Spirit Deer left Floating Cloud County, and Xuanming extended his spiritual awareness, taking in the scenery as they traveled, looking not only with his eyes but also with his heart.
He saw trees lining the official road, watched ants moving their homes through the soil, listened to birds chirping, and saw wild geese flying south.
Common folk traveled in groups, their straw sandals nearly worn through, developing remarkable endurance in their legs; wealthy people rode past in carriages, pampered lives nurturing tender skin.
Xuanming remembered every little detail, content to glance at the flowers from horseback without demanding anything. An insight would be welcome, but none was fine too. I came, I passed through, and a glimpse of scenery was reflected in my heart. That is enough.
When she grew tired of running, she rested; when she no longer wanted to run, she walked. Xuanming let Spirit Deer do as she pleased, never urging her onward, so long as they did not miss the appointed time.
Half an hour later, a great city came into view. Its walls rose sixty feet high, majestic gate towers stood tall, and weathered bricks and stones bore the marks of time. The entire ancient city carried the weight of ages, with hidden runes linking its four districts around the city's center to form a vast formation.
From afar, lavish buildings rising above the walls stood everywhere, packed like scales on a fish or teeth in a comb, their eaves jutting outward, offering a glimpse of the prosperity within.
Carrying the white-haired Daoist, Spirit Deer slowly appeared, merging seamlessly onto the official road. The tracks along their route served as proof, arousing no suspicion among passing travelers. To avoid trouble, however, Spirit Deer became a donkey in outsiders' eyes. Black Bird also descended from the