Jinyu

"Is there anything you need me to do?"

The little girl asked before she had even put down her schoolbag.

Chen Du knew Yunzhi was still outside hunting the demon. He was worried and concerned about how she was faring, but he also thought he could not be much help, so he stayed calm and first made arrangements for things at home:

"What can you do?"

"Clean, wash clothes, and cook."

"Do you really think Yunzhi's cooking tastes good?"

"Yes."

"How does it compare to yours?"

"Neck and neck."

"Then there's no need. For now, you'll be in charge of cleaning, including changing and washing the sheets and bedding in the guest rooms. There's a washing machine in the temple," Chen Du said. "But not today. You can start tomorrow."

"Should I bring the sheets in?" The girl had seen sheets hanging outside the temple. "When I was waiting just now, I think I saw a dark cloud in the sky, but it was moving very fast. It's gone now. I wonder if it'll rain later."

"You start work tomorrow. Today, stay in your room and don't come out unless you need to."

"Okay."

"What's your name?"

"Jiang Xi."

"Xi as in Jiangxi?"

"Xi as in stream."

"My surname is Chen. I'm the temple master here. You can call me Daoist Priest or Daoist Priest," Chen Du told her. "Remember, there are two places you can't enter: the study, that room over there, and the back courtyard. Also, don't go into Yunzhi's room without reason. That would be rude."

"Okay."

The girl's reply was brief and crisp.

Because her expression rarely changed, Chen Du could not tell what she was thinking for the moment.

As it happened, the little person was in the study, and the back courtyard was where the cat often played. If she went into either place without permission, he would know. This could also serve as one way to test her character.

Chen Du then headed for the study.

"Immortal Master."

The little person was writing out the Method of Concentrating Essence to Ignite Fire from memory. Seeing him enter, he greeted him.

"Hmm?" Chen Du was a little puzzled. "Why do you seem a little taller?"

"Really? That's possible. I'm not very old, after all, and my lifespan isn't particularly long. Besides, the books here are so very nourishing, and you've allowed me to eat as much as I like, Immortal Master. It's only natural that I'd grow taller."

"How long is 'not particularly long'?"

"I don't know either. I only became a spirit after eating an immortal's writing. The immortal didn't live long, so I can hardly expect to live long myself. Bookworms are too small to cultivate easily, either. My lifespan might be about the same as an ordinary bookworm's."

"You're my strategist. I'd rather you lived a little longer."

"Haha! The immortal didn't fear death, and neither do I!"

At that moment, the little person cast aside his timidity and seemed to have a measure of backbone.

"There's something I'd like to ask you."

Chen Du smiled faintly and asked directly, "Why can different stones and jade hold different amounts of spiritual energy?"

"You're asking about imprinting talismans, aren't you, Immortal Master?"

The little person stopped writing and answered. He was no fool. Chen Du had often spent time in the study lately, and the two had grown familiar. Knowing Chen Du's temperament, he had become increasingly casual in his manner:

"There's nothing strange about it. People differ greatly in their talent for sensing spiritual energy, too!"

"Explain."

"It's simple. Jade is a kind of stone to begin with, just a prettier one. Your seal, Immortal Master, seems to use some wondrous method to summon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, so its vessel must be sturdy, stable, and spiritual. Mountain rocks spend a long time between heaven and earth, so they easily acquire spirituality. They also happen to be sturdy and stable, and they're everywhere."

The little person paused.

"If a mountain rock is especially spiritual, it can store spiritual energy over many years. Rather than becoming rough and brittle, it will often grow fine and dense in texture, smooth, lustrous, and beautiful."

"Jade?"

"Yes and no."

The little person smiled faintly and went on, swaying his head as though reciting a book. "A stone rich in spiritual essence will grow to look like jade, but jade isn't necessarily rich in spiritual essence."

"Mm."

Chen Du nodded. He had a cheap zodiac jade pendant his master had bought him when he was little. He had tried it, and it was little different from an ordinary bluestone on the mountain.

Otherwise, he would have sent Yunzhi down the mountain to buy a cheap piece of jade long ago.

"In ancient times, before the Qin dynasty, there were many cultivators in the world. They picked out these stones rich in spiritual essence and gave them a name: jinyu!" the little person said. "Legend has it that, besides holding vast amounts of spiritual energy, this jade contains a special spiritual essence of its own. So back then, it was food for the gods, who ate the special spiritual essence inside it. It's also very helpful for cultivation."

"Jinyu..."

Chen Du had read about it in ancient books, which also said it was food offered to the gods. It generally referred to fine jade, and later came to represent noble character and outstanding talent.

He silently committed it to memory.

"What about the spiritual tree in the courtyard? I noticed its fruit has no pits. Can it be planted?"

Besides being concerned about the spiritual tree in the courtyard, he also wanted to use the opportunity to understand what the seed-like Heavenly Palace on a Leaf was, and whether it really was a seed.

But the little person said only:

"I don't know about that. I only guessed that it was a Three-Pearl Tree. Treasured trees and spiritual plants like these have always been rare. Apart from the legendary cave abodes of immortals, you rarely hear of them growing in groves anywhere. Even if they can be planted, I suppose only immortals can do it."

"Immortals again..."

Chen Du frowned, unable to hold back his question:

"Do immortals actually exist in this world?"

"Well, I've only ever seen people who resembled immortals or were respectfully called immortals."

Before, he would probably have said that immortals did exist. He had even always called the ancient temple's founding master an immortal. But a few days ago, he had eaten Yang Xiong's Model Sayings, and the temple's immortal had specifically left behind the passage in which Yang Xiong said, "There are no immortals in the world."

Chen Du was even more perplexed than he was.

He had only just obtained a jade tablet that stated, as plainly and clearly as could be, that the temple's founding master had obtained a treasure called the Heavenly Palace on a Leaf from an immortal.

Do they exist or not?

Could the founding master have had a grudge against Yang Xiong and been so devious that, while cursing, "What nonsense is this Yang Xiong spouting? Have you ever seen an immortal, to say such a thing?" he highlighted and pinned Yang Xiong's words so that everyone who saw them afterward would curse Yang Xiong a few times?

He really could not think of any other explanation.

And he still had no answer about the Heavenly Palace on a Leaf.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from outside:

"This Door Is Impassable!"

Chen Du opened the door without hesitation and saw a cloud of black-and-white smoke fleeing into the distance above the back gate.

This demon really was fierce and cunning, with gall enough to cover the heavens! Most likely, it had already fought Yunzhi and knew she was not here and that the protective jade tablet was with her, so it had seized the chance to attack the temple!

It was also possible that it had been unable to defeat her and had resorted to a risky move.

There was also a Door God in the temple. Fortunately, after taking down the jade tablet that sealed the Door God, he had not hung it back on the door. Now the Door God's movements were no longer limited to the temple gate; the entire temple was under his protection!

Having failed in its attack, the cloud of smoke immediately fled into the distance.

Holding the jade talisman, Chen Du had only just stepped outside when the smoke vanished from sight.

At the same time, a bird flew straight toward him from the sky.

Chen Du was not afraid. He simply waited calmly.

If it was a demon, the Door God would stop it even if it flew in through the air. Besides, he had figured out the method of exhaling and had a stone talisman to protect him.

If it was an ordinary bird, he naturally had even less reason to fear it.

"Hmm?"

The bird had a large leaf in its beak. It flew straight into the courtyard and up to him.

Chen Du reached out and took it from the bird's beak.

At the same time, the door to the guest room beside him creaked open. Jiang Xi pushed it open just in time to see the scene.

The bird chirped and flew away.

"Temple Master."

Jiang Xi's expression did not change. Pretending she had seen nothing, she merely said, "I think I just heard someone shout something!"

"You don't need to worry about it."

"Okay!"

The little girl immediately closed the door again.

She's pretty good at keeping a straight face.

So Chen Du thought. He could not be bothered to explain and treated it as though she had seen nothing. Instead, he lowered his head to look at the leaf, on which a few words had been scratched:

The demon has not left the mountain. Immortal Master ["Immortal" crossed out], please be informed.

Mm, I know that now.

Still composed, Chen Du turned and walked back to the rear courtyard to study the Heavenly Palace on a Leaf.

The sky grew overcast and dark, and it really did begin to rain.

"That's a good thing!"

Ever since their last climb up the mountain, Liu Yun and her friend had been unable to forget the experience. They felt they had not only discovered a hidden realm of beautiful scenery, but also had a strange encounter like something out of an ancient tale of immortals. Even Liu Yun, who had always prided herself on liking only natural scenery and not man-made sights, wanted to come again.

After she posted a video online, in particular, people had been inspired to visit the temple one after another and had taken many pictures.

Apparently, the peach blossoms at the temple entrance were in bloom. It was a huge old peach tree, and paired with the ancient temple gate, it looked otherworldly and photographed beautifully. Somehow, they had failed to notice it last time.

Today happened to be Friday, so she had driven her little Seagull and brought her friend along again.

They did not have to worry about rain while driving, and traveling through the mountains in a light drizzle actually made them feel at ease.

"We'll only get rained on for the hour or so it takes to climb the mountain, and we've got rain jackets, so we won't have to worry. Once we get up there, we'll stay at the temple for two nights, admire the scenery, and listen to the rain. It's quiet, and it's an ancient building, too. Wouldn't that wash away every last trace of this week's work stench?"

"Wow! The temple's tiled eaves, the rain bells, and the little cat-an immortal paradise hidden from the world! The two of us lying in bed with a cup of tea... Just thinking about it feels amazing!"

"So awesome! This is going to feel incredible!"

Her friend immediately began swaying. "I'm not working today! This is freaking amazing!"

"Screech!!"

A sharp, sudden squeal of brakes rang out.

Her friend jolted violently.

Liu Yun slammed on the brakes and saw a sizable obstacle on the road ahead. It seemed to be an animal, and there was a large pool of blood on the ground.

When the car drew close enough for a better look, both of them cried out in alarm.