Chapter 72
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Qi Wuhuo did not return to Shuiyun Village immediately after leaving the Zhongzhou Prefecture City. Instead, he headed in the direction of Juyun Peak.
Along the way, he practiced the footwork principles from [The Hunyuan Sword Canon], allowing his Primordial Essence, Primordial Spirit, and Primordial Qi to circulate fluidly. Whether walking, sitting, or reclining, he maintained the state of “nurturing” the Three Talents. This Daoist ideal of natural harmony kept his body in its most balanced and harmonious state, though it made his progress rather slow. As he walked, he pondered, experimenting to see if he could incorporate the Earth Spirit’s Earth-Escape technique into his practice.
However, running both techniques simultaneously proved challenging.
The footwork of the Hunyuan Sword Canon focuses on [cultivation]—it is about [nurturing].
The Earth Spirit’s Earth-Escape technique, on the other hand, involves connecting to the Earth’s ley lines—it is about [utilization].
The two techniques have entirely different styles, with many aspects fundamentally at odds, making it difficult to seamlessly merge them. Yet Qi Wuhuo was unfazed, treating it as an intriguing endeavor. With keen interest, he continued his experiments. By the time the radiance of the evening glow gradually faded, Qi Wuhuo had finally arrived at Juyun Peak.
The mountain spirits Qi Wuhuo had seen during the previous rainfall initially hid themselves.
When they sensed the pure and clear aura of the young Daoist, however, one by one, they began to emerge.
Some cautiously poked their heads out from tree trunks.
Others held large leaves as makeshift umbrellas, shielding themselves as accumulated raindrops slid from the leaf stems, dampening their tiny hands.
“Ah, it’s the little Daoist from before!”
“You’ve come back!”
The mountain spirits crowded around him, greeting him with delight.
Then, a bit sheepishly, one of them said: “But we still haven’t found the person named Lu Chunyang!”
“We might need a bit more time.”
The young Daoist raised his eyes, smiling gently. “There’s no hurry.”
He understood that the task his teacher had left for him was not simply a fixed goal to pursue. Rather, it was a reminder not to lose himself aimlessly in the mundane world. Yet, the purpose wasn’t singular. The essence of the journey lay in everything he witnessed and experienced along the way. For the teachings of the Taishang Lineage, it is by observing the myriad beings in the mortal world and witnessing the wondrous methods of divine laws that one can achieve realization.
Whether it was Yuyang or Senior Sister Yumiao, this was the case.
They had made their choices and carved their unique roads and methods.
Qi Wuhuo lifted the items in his hand and said: “Last time, you mentioned liking osmanthus cakes, so I bought some in the prefecture city.”
“Would you like to have some?”
“Awesome!!”
The mountain spirits exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with joy. Then, as if a gust of wind had passed, they scattered in all directions.
Before long, they returned. The first was a mischievous spirit, no larger than the size of a boy’s palm. Straining with all its might, it carried a massive peach, floating shakily through the air. The peach was so large that it completely obscured the spirit’s view, causing it to wobble unsteadily as it flew. Nearly crashing into a tree trunk, it let out a startled cry before falling, only to be caught gently by the young Daoist.
The little spirit was still dazed, unable to stand upright. It wobbled a few steps before falling backward, landing squarely in the Daoist’s palm. Holding its head and swaying slightly, it didn’t forget to push the peach toward Qi Wuhuo, saying:
“This is one I picked during the summer and secretly hid away.”
“I know magic, you know.”
“That’s why this peach is still good to eat!”
“This one is the sweetest—absolutely the sweetest kind!”
The spirit placed the peach into Qi Wuhuo’s hand, then grabbed a piece of osmanthus cake and began nibbling on it happily.
“I’ll trade with you!”
The young Daoist blinked in slight surprise before smiling softly. “Thank you.”
In the mountain forest on this winter night, faint streaks of flowing light began to appear.
Strange insects flitting through the woods emitted a soft, luminous glow, weaving through the darkness. They gathered around the young Daoist as the mountain spirits brought out the treasures they had accumulated over the past year. Some offered peaches and other fruits, while others brought seemingly insignificant items: a single flower petal, the most beautiful raindrop from a stormy day, or the most perfectly shaped snowflake.
The young Daoist, in turn, handed out pieces of osmanthus cake.
Thus, Qi Wuhuo received the most endearing treasures the mountain had to offer from the past year.
One drink, one peck—giving and receiving—was a cycle of karma and reciprocity.
The old pine tree spirit coughed lightly and said: “Ah, little Daoist, I’m truly sorry. We still haven’t been able to find Lu Chunyang.”
“I had planned to consult the Mountain God of Juyun Peak about this matter.”
“But, for some reason, the Mountain God seems rather preoccupied these past couple of days. Earlier today, he returned briefly but left again shortly after. He still hasn’t come back, and he didn’t say what’s troubling him.”
“I’ll seek out Gatherer of Mystical Clouds, Lingmiao Gong, next time.”
“That venerable elder possesses vast divine powers and knows everything under the heavens. He will surely know the whereabouts of the person you’re looking for.”
When the old pine mentioned Lingmiao Gong, his confidence returned. He continued:
“Moreover, Lord Lingmiao is especially skilled in the mystical arts of divination and prophecy. When the time comes, I’ll humbly entreat him for help—it shouldn’t be a problem.” Recalling his earlier assurances that he couldn’t fulfill, the old pine spirit felt a twinge of embarrassment. Were it not for the thick bark he had grown over 500 years, even he might have turned red with shame.
The young Daoist expressed his gratitude. Then, after some thought, realizing he had nothing else on hand, he offered a piece of osmanthus cake.
The old pine spirit waved his hands vigorously, saying: “Oh no, no, no! I’ve lived for five hundred years—five hundred years!”
“How could I possibly enjoy something so sweet and sugary?”
“A five-hundred-year-old tree like me…”
“This sort of food… Ahem… Well, little Daoist, since you’re being so kind, it’d be rude of me to refuse.”
The old pine tree spirit coughed a few times before finally accepting Qi Wuhuo’s pastry amidst the laughter of the mountain spirits. After some thought, it realized that all these little ones had given Qi Wuhuo something special—how could it fall short? Wouldn’t that tarnish the reputation of a [five-hundred-year-old pine tree]? So, with a flourish, it shed a single pine needle and handed it over, saying:
“This is a pine needle from my body. It carries a trace of the spiritual energy of plants and trees. While it’s not suited for combat or protecting the Dao.”
“It does hold some measure of mystery if used in acupuncture or healing.”
The old pine tree spirit was quite generous. After all, it had plenty of pine needles, and its five centuries of life had provided it with no shortage of treasures.
The young Daoist played and chatted with the mountain spirits for a while. When the moon hung high above the willow tops, he finally took his leave. Using the Earth Spirit’s Earth-Escape technique, he returned to Shuiyun Village. There, he unlocked a door secured with black iron chains and stepped inside. From the sword case, he retrieved the many items he had purchased, bringing a sense of life and activity to the place.
He then visited the mother of a certain young girl not far away.
After assisting her by channeling Qi to stabilize her foundation, he was approached by the elderly Mr. Zhou, who asked about her condition.
The young Daoist considered for a moment before replying: “I’ll go into the mountains to gather some herbs. With medicinal supplements to replenish her vital energy, her condition should improve significantly. With gradual care, she might recover to the state of an ordinary person.” After exchanging some pleasantries, Qi Wuhuo politely declined Mr. Zhou’s invitation to join them for dinner and returned to his temporary residence.
He stir-fried a few dishes, with the main course being steamed cornbread made from sorghum flour.
He also brought out some fish paste purchased earlier today at the market.
The sauce was made by taking one jin of fish, finely chopping and cleaning it, then stir-frying it with three liang of salt, one qian each of Sichuan peppercorns, fennel, and dried ginger, two qian of shenqu, five qian of red yeast rice, and mixing it all with wine before evenly coating the fish. The mixture was sealed in a porcelain jar, and it could be eaten after ten days. The flavor was quite good. Qi Wuhuo first tore off the softest part from the center of the steamed cornbread and ate it slowly. Then he picked up a few bites of the stir-fried dishes with his chopsticks and placed them inside the bread. Finally, he added just a small amount of the fish paste.
[TL_Note: 1 jin = 500 grams, 1 liang = 50 grams, shenqu is a traditional chinese fermentation starter, 1 qian = 3.125 grams.]
He ate slowly, savoring the combination of the steamed bun, the stir-fried vegetables, and the fish paste.
The flavors blended harmoniously, creating a delightful meal.
Yet, it was a pity that he was dining alone.
After finishing his meal, Qi Wuhuo turned his attention to the Mountain God’s cultivation notes. Around the third hour of the night, feeling calm and composed, he took out a mirror and began to perform the [Round Light Manifestation Technique]. The moonlight was clear, and gradually, the mirror began to emit a luminous glow. Qi Wuhuo’s assumption proved correct; with his cultivation having advanced to the level of completing the Three Talents, he could now barely sustain the spell’s energy demands.
The bronze mirror, covered in a green patina, shimmered with flowing light until an image began to form.
On the other side, a young girl rested her chin on her hands, seemingly having waited for quite a while. As the image solidified, her eyes lit up slightly. She leaned forward, placing her hands on the mirror and drawing her face closer, exclaiming:
“Qi Wuhuo!!!”
“Something’s happened! Something’s happened!”
The young Daoist was taken aback. “What’s the matter?”
Yun Qin leaned even closer, almost pressing her face against the mirror, and said: “The mirror!”
“And the spell you gave me!”
Qi Wuhuo, somewhat puzzled, responded calmly: “Take your time and explain…”
Yun Qin took a deep breath and began recounting the situation. She mentioned that the mirror’s origin was significant—though she couldn’t disclose exactly how or why, lest it be noticed. She also explained how her teacher mistakenly assumed the spell was her own creation. After finishing her explanation, she exhaled slowly and said: “I didn’t know how to explain it to my teacher. So I waited to discuss it with you.”
The young Daoist shook his head, unperturbed. “It’s just a spell,” he replied.
“Besides, didn’t you also teach me the Round Light Manifestation Technique?”
The young girl shook her head emphatically. “It’s different! That divine ability’s creator is a big deal!”
“How could I take credit for something like that?”
“I thought and thought, but all the excuses I came up with couldn’t fool my teacher. Finally, I asked Uncle Niu.”
Yun Qin paused briefly before declaring with conviction: “He said he has a solution!”
PS:
The recipe for fish paste is adapted from the Song dynasty culinary text, Wu’s Family Recipes for the Household (Wu Shi Zhong Kui Lu) by the Pujiang Wu clan.
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