Chapter 79
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The sky gradually darkened, and the expressions of the Daoists in the mountains turned somewhat grim. A faint trace of unease even crept into their hearts. The Gatherer of Mystical Clouds, Lingmiao Gong, who was supposed to appear, had yet to arrive. They began to worry if their actions over the past years had offended this esteemed figure.
While the young Daoist was casually chatting with Yue Ji, they had already replayed every mistake they had made in the past decade in their minds.
Yue Ji, standing some distance away, looked at the dimming sky and sighed:
“It seems we won’t be seeing Lingmiao Gong today.”
As the evening deepened, Qi Wuhuo bid farewell to Yue Ji. The latter accompanied him to the mountainside and said with a smile: “Wuhuo, you’re planning to visit the Mingzhen Dao Alliance to exchange for divine abilities. When do you intend to go? Starting tomorrow, I’ll be heading to the Mingzhen Dao Alliance in Zhongzhou Prefecture every three to five days. Would you like to come along?”
Qi Wuhuo asked: “Tomorrow?”
Yue Ji chuckled: “Yes.”
“For those without a waist token, entering the Mingzhen Dao Alliance is quite difficult. But if you have one, you can go anytime.”
“It’s a place for [exchange], [Dao discussions], and [teachings].”
Qi Wuhuo felt a tinge of doubt in his heart.
This seemed different from what the fortune teller had told him.
The fortune teller had clearly said that to enter the Mingzhen Dao Alliance, one must wait for a full moon and find the path by reflecting the moon in a mirror.
Now, there were still about half a month left until the full moon.
The young Daoist did not show any signs of surprise and simply replied: “I only have these herbs. They’re not enough to exchange for what I want. I might wait a little longer before going.”
Yue Ji understood and smiled: “I see.”
“That does make sense.”
“Then I hope Wuhuo, you achieve your wishes. I should have escorted you down the mountain, but given the current situation, my sect’s elders are likely uneasy and worried. I’d rather not provoke their temper. If they become displeased, as a junior, I’d inevitably get dragged into it. So I can only send you this far.”
The young Daoist cupped his hands in gratitude, sincerely wishing: “I hope you are able to meet Lingmiao Gong.”
Yue Ji burst into laughter, returning the courtesy: “Thank you!”
He watched as the young Daoist turned and walked down the mountain, step by step, eventually vanishing into the forest below. Only then did Yue Ji turn back, ascending the mountain path. Upon reaching the gathering, he saw the elders’ faces filled with worry as they conversed in hushed tones. Some speculated whether the disciples’ actions over the years might have been inappropriate. Others, glancing at the gifts prepared, muttered quietly,
Could it be that the offerings today were too meager?
While the group fretted, a sudden mist swirled in the distance. Carriages, numbering in the dozens, emerged, drawn by eight magnificent steeds. It was none other than the true form of Lingmiao Gong arriving in person.
The gathered Daoists let out a collective sigh of relief, though their hearts were slightly taken aback by the solemnity of Lingmiao Gong’s arrival.
Only Yue Ji expressed regret, clapping his hands and sighing: “What a pity, what a pity.”
“It’s truly unfortunate.”
“If Wuhuo had stayed just a little longer, he could have witnessed the grand spectacle of the mountain god’s true form procession.
“Truly, it’s a matter of bad timing.”
Qi Wuhuo descended the mountain and bid farewell to the medicine spirit. The little spirit stood atop a tree, reluctantly waving at the young Daoist. It turned to look back every few steps before finally diving into the earth and vanishing from sight once Qi Wuhuo was no longer visible. The young Daoist, carrying his bamboo basket, made his way toward Shuiyun Village.
By the time he returned to the village, the sky had dimmed slightly. In the courtyard of his home, the elder Zhou Lingyi sat beneath an ancient tree, waiting.
When the elder saw Qi Wuhuo, his expression turned complex and hesitant. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhou Lingyi suddenly asked:
“Daoist Qi, is it alright for you to stay here?”
Qi Wuhuo replied: “It’s been wonderful staying here.”
“Ah, that’s good to hear, very good.”
“If there’s anything you need, please let us know in advance.”
After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Lingyi added: “Oh, by the way, an old gentleman came by to visit you earlier today.”
“But since you weren’t here, he left.”
“He called himself [Lingmiao].”
Qi Wuhuo echoed: “Lingmiao?”
These two characters were incredibly familiar to Qi Wuhuo. He had only just heard them earlier today—the Mountain God Yue Ji and the others were preparing to worship. But why would a Mountain Deity come looking for him? The young Daoist suddenly recalled the conversation atop the Zhongzhou city tower between the statues of [Chaofeng] and [Jiaotu]. They had mentioned that a local land deity seemed to be searching for him.
Come to think of it, as the mountain god of [Helian Mountain], he hadn’t yet paid a proper visit to the local land deity since arriving here.
Perhaps the local land deities had sensed the presence of an outsider deity and sought him out.
The young Daoist mused on this for a moment, then expressed his gratitude: “So that’s how it is.”
“Thank you, Elder Zhou.”
He invited Zhou Lingyi to come in and sit for a while, but the elder only chuckled and said there were still matters at home requiring his attention. Declining the invitation, he left. Qi Wuhuo watched the elder depart, then returned to his house. He unpacked the herbs from his basket and sorted them out carefully. Afterward, he went to the courtyard to clean the pork he had purchased on his way back.
After all, this was near Zhongzhou Prefecture City.
Pork costs eight wen per jin, slightly more expensive than at the foot of Helian Mountain.
However, due to the proximity to the river, seafood was relatively cheap. In winter, when the water froze over, locals would drill a hole in the ice. Fish would surface for air, and a strong young lad with a club could often score a catch with a well-placed strike to the fish’s head as it emerged.
Qi Wuhuo steamed a fish.
He then diced the pork into small chunks, stir-frying the fat to extract oil. Afterward, he sliced green chili peppers into long strips and stir-fried them with the pork, preparing a hearty meal. The dishes were served over rice, and with his chopsticks, he mixed it all together in a crisscross pattern, eating slowly. Finally, he retrieved some leftover wowotou—cornmeal buns. The buns, having been reheated in the steamer, regained their softness, no longer resembling the rock-hard texture they once had, capable of knocking someone out.
He dipped the steamed bun in the gravy from the dishes.
With the last piece of bun thoroughly soaked in the flavorful sauce, he put it in his mouth, exhaling deeply with satisfaction. There was a warm, contented feeling that came from eating his fill.
Finding himself alone, he lightly patted his stomach.
He sprawled onto the chair, unwilling to move a muscle for a while.
After some time, the young Daoist finally stood, washed the dishes, and fetched himself a fruit. As he ate, he sat on the bed, propping a pillow behind him. Taking out [Record of Ascension to Immortality] and [Notes on Cultivation], he began comparing their contents. He was trying to identify the bird egg that the medicinal spirit had gifted him.
“It said it spent three hundred years painstakingly dragging this egg out using its earth-burrowing technique.”
“If it’s still brimming with vitality after three hundred years, there must still be hope for survival.”
“At the very least, it shouldn’t be an ordinary bird, it’s a spirit bird. Let me see what [Record of Ascension to Immortality] says.”
“Judging by its size, I can probably rule out the more common species, like sparrows.”
Qi Wuhuo pondered as he gently stroked the bird egg. Golden patterns shimmered faintly on its surface. Comparing it with the descriptions in the notes of Tantai Xuan, he scrutinized the egg’s shell patterns and size, trying to deduce its species. Turning another page, he said: “The section on wild geese… According to [Record of Ascension to Immortality], spirit geese usually have unique characteristics, and their eggshells bear distinctive markings.”
“This one doesn’t match either.”
“Next, the section on Luan and Phoenix. Hmm, those with even a trace of their bloodline often exhibit the power of fire.”
“Even within the egg, there should be a noticeable warmth emanating from it.”
Qi Wuhuo held the bird egg in his palm, but he felt no trace of heat. Shaking his head, he murmured:
“It doesn’t feel like holding a flame, so it’s probably not a fire-type Luan bird.
“I also can’t sense any traces of wind.
“That rules out bloodlines related to the Azure Bird.”
“When placed in water, it sinks to the bottom, so it’s not of the water element either.”
The young Daoist carefully compared them one by one. Among the categories of spiritually intelligent birds, many possibilities were initially considered, but only a few remained. Musing aloud, he said, “It could be a spiritual beast like an eagle or falcon, or perhaps a bird of prey resembling the legendary Peng. Of course, it might also be an ornamental bird like a peacock.”
“Is it an eagle?
“Or a Peng bird?”
“However, according to Tantai Xuan in [Record of Ascension to Immortality], the Peng bird and hawks don’t seem to possess particularly extraordinary bloodlines.”
“In the cultivation world, the Luan and Phoenix are considered more powerful. Even celestial cranes are better. Peng birds might reign among mortal birds, but that’s about it.”
“As for a peacock, it would only be aesthetically pleasing.”
“Completely useless in combat.”
“Moreover, if the egg hasn’t hatched for an extended period, spirit bird eggs often deplete their innate spirituality to maintain vitality. Eventually, once all spiritual essence is exhausted, it becomes a dead egg. The weaker the spiritual essence, the lower the chance of hatching. For such cases, Record of Ascension to Immortality suggests…”
Turning to the next page, he read Tantai Xuan’s assessment:
“Cook it into scrambled eggs—exquisite taste, divine delicacy.”
“Comparable to swallowing a spiritual pill, it enhances vital energy.”
“Should never be wasted.”
Qi Wuhuo instinctively glanced at the bird egg. Just then, his spiritual sense detected a faint trace of life within the egg, as if its dormant vitality stirred in response to its precarious fate. The young Daoist placed [Record of Ascension to Immortality] aside and reassured the egg gently: “Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”
After pondering for a moment, he decided to use the alchemical methods his teacher had taught him. Using the medicinal herbs he had collected, he refined them into a spiritual liquid rich in vital energy.
He carefully poured a portion of the liquid onto the bird egg.
This was pure vitality in its most unadulterated form.
The faint spiritual essence within the bird egg struggled to absorb the vitality.
It seemed that despite being unhatched for hundreds of years, it had not given up on its yearning for life.
Immortal Dao values life.
The young Daoist set aside the [Record of Ascension to Immortality], which he had already finished reading, intending to begin his cultivation practice. Just then, the ancient mirror began to emit a faint glow. Qi Wuhuo was slightly startled. Yun Qin had mentioned earlier that she would consult her teacher before looking into Xuantan techniques, so he assumed it would take several days before she contacted him.
Putting away the other items, he performed the [Round Light Manifestation Technique].
Ripples of light flowed across the ancient mirror, transforming into Yun Qin’s image. The young woman had her head lowered, her lips moving quickly as if murmuring something repeatedly. Upon seeing Qi Wuhuo, her eyes brightened, but she immediately raised her hand in a gesture to interrupt. In a hurried voice, she said: “Don’t speak yet! Listen to me first! I’ve learned a very powerful Supreme Scarlet Spirit Script, but I feel like I’m about to forget it.”
“Don’t say anything.”
“Listen to me recite it first!!!”
