Volume 3: Dao, Dao, Dao… Heaven’s Dao, Earth’s Dao, Human Dao, Ghost Dao— I seek only my own Dao! Chapter 153

Zhi… zhi… zhi…

Within the verdant forest, cicadas cried out in a ceaseless chorus. A bird flitted by, wings fluttering, and with a sharp motion snatched a summer cicada from a branch, clutching it in its beak. The tinkling of a bell rang out faintly in the distance, gradually drawing near. Beneath the shade of the trees, a figure in a rain cape and bamboo hat led a weary old donkey along at a leisurely pace.

Trailing behind was a woman in a black dress, her hands bound, yet her eyes darted curiously in all directions. Her face brimmed with excitement, and from time to time, she stuck out a long, thin tongue to mimic the donkey, curling it around blades of grass and chewing a few times before spitting them out with a ptoo.

The bell’s chiming came to a stop beside a riverbank. Lu Liangsheng fetched water from the river and kindled a fire by the shore to cook a meal. Not far away stood a stone bridge. He removed his bamboo hat and set it aside before sitting down.

“A stone bridge—there must be a village or township nearby. Perhaps we can find out where we are.”

On the grassy bank, the toad cradled a small bowl in its forelimbs, took a sip of tea, and exhaled a puff of steam.

“As your master predicted, we’ve likely entered Jinzhou. As for how far we are from Shangyong City, that’s hard to say. Ah, Liangsheng, when you have the chance, you should spend more time cultivating the [Heavens and Earth Righteous Path]. The sooner you form your Gold Core, the better.”

Lu Liangsheng plucked a few leaves from his rain cape. They’d been on the road for several days, and with no villages in sight, he hadn’t had the chance to change clothes. He was low on coin, and had only managed to buy this set of rain cape and bamboo hat from a family deep in the mountains.

He stirred the soup pot and smiled at his master’s words.

“Gold Core formation isn’t so simple. I’ve only just begun to sense the faint stirrings of that path. But speaking of it, Master, that day when I lost my rationality and was overwhelmed by demonic instincts—I did gain a new kind of insight from it.”

“Haha! Then you must ponder that insight well.” The toad replied, taking another sip from the bowl. A dragonfly buzzed past, and with a swift flick of his tongue, the toad caught it mid-air, swallowed it, and patted his plump white belly. He lay back on the ground, gazing at the sunlight pouring through the leaves.

“Demonic nature, human nature—you must comprehend them both. If you can still hold to your original heart amid such reflections, it means the path you seek is no longer far off.”

“Then what insights has Master gained?”

“Heh heh… As for me? I’ve gained none.”

The Toad Daoist glanced at the tree demoness nearby, who had also flicked out her tongue to snatch a bug from the riverbank…This old one has lived as a demon his whole life, eaten more than his share of humans. When would I have had time for insight?

He stretched out lazily and let out a long yawn.

“In truth, whether one is human or demon, it’s not as pleasant as living like this.”

Lu Liangsheng ladled some of the meat broth into bowls—one for his master, and another which he handed to the tree demoness in the black dress. Seeing her dazed expression, he smiled and said: “Thank you for your teachings, Master. I understand now.”

Slurp~

The toad took a sip of the hot broth and lifted his face…This old one hasn’t understood a thing, and yet he already has?

After some idle chatter between master and disciple, they finished their midday meal, tidied up their things, and with the sun past its zenith, Lu Liangsheng practiced the [Heavens and Earth Righteous Path] for a while before leading the old donkey across the stone bridge.

Waaa—!

After traveling several li, with the sun leaning westward, a crow alighted on a withered tree and let out a shrill caw. In the distance ahead, the faint outline of a small town gradually emerged.

“Stop right there!” “You in front—halt! Turn around!”

Suddenly, several angry shouts rang out. Four figures brandishing blades burst from the forest, chasing after a man. The clamor of steel rang chaotically as the pursuit tumbled into a patch of reeds in the blink of an eye.

One of the highwaymen, wearing an eyepatch, glanced back, eyeing Lu Liangsheng and the black-robed woman behind him. Hearing the pained screams of his companions, he gave a cold grunt and turned to rush back into the fray.

Lu Liangsheng simply led the donkey onward, glancing at the reeds swaying in the wind. He smiled and shook his head as he tugged on the reins and stepped over.

“Didn’t expect things here to be so unruly.”

From the carrying basket came the toad’s voice: “Why not intervene?”

“These are grudges of the martial world. What good would interfering do? They brought it upon themselves.”

As they neared the outskirts of the town, the clanging of hammer on metal rang out loud and clear. Within the town, many swordsmen and wandering warriors—some in groups, others alone—passed swiftly by, all armed. Several weapon shops bustled with business, their walls lined with all manner of blades and spears. Shirtless shop attendants haggled loudly with martial men; one such argument grew so heated that a brawny blacksmith raised a newly forged broadsword and cleaved it down onto the wooden table, causing surrounding passersby to turn their heads.

At the far end of the street, a funeral procession came through—burning spirit money, playing suona horns, and wailing mournfully. Merchants and travelers with carts respectfully gave way for the dead.

From among the crowd, whispers could be heard:

“How many is that this month?” “The sixth, I think. Eight died last year too.”

“I told you—nothing good comes from running off into the woods.”

“Probably bewitched by some ghost… though I heard it’s a fox spirit.”

“A fox spirit? Is she beautiful?”

“Tch… you thinking of going? If you do, I’ll just follow you home for dinner.”

“Well, this town’s lively enough.”

Lu Liangsheng stepped aside to avoid a piece of paper money on the ground and warned the woman behind him not to stick out her tongue again. Then he walked toward a nearby inn. Inside, the inn was filled with the rough laughter and cursing of martial men. The air buzzed with noise as they teased singing girls and blew whistles.

By the entrance stood a counter, behind which a fat-eared innkeeper in a rooster-comb hat was scribbling in a ledger. Lu Liangsheng stepped forward, hands clasped in greeting, ready to ask a question.

“Shopkeeper, may I ask—”

Bang!

Before he could finish, a thick-backed cleaver slammed down onto the counter. The innkeeper raised his head and bellowed: “What debt?! I owe no man a single coin!”

The surrounding din—songs and laughter—suddenly ceased. Most of the drinkers lingering in the hall were of all walks of life, many bearing weapons. A few reached quietly for blades resting by the table corners, narrowing their eyes as they looked toward Lu Liangsheng with ill intent.

Lu Liangsheng merely cast them a glance, still smiling as he clasped his hands toward the innkeeper behind the counter.

“I’m not here to collect debts. Just looking for a place to lodge and a meal.”

Seeing Lu Liangsheng’s humble appearance, clothed in rain cape and bamboo hat, and his courteous manner of speaking, the innkeeper withdrew the cleaver, waved dismissively, and gestured toward the interior.

“Rooms are full. Not much food left either. Even if you want to eat, there’s barely a spot to sit. This place is full of men who live by the edge of the blade. Best not to stir up trouble.”

“Ah, understood. Shopkeeper—might I ask, is this Jinzhou, Shangyong?”

The innkeeper waved him off impatiently and returned to his ledger, brush in hand.

“Yes, yes. Head twenty li north from here and you’ll reach Shangyong.”

Lu Liangsheng gave a nod and clasped his hands in thanks, then led the old donkey outside. At a small roadside pastry stall, he bought a few white flour buns. Travelers and martial men passing by gave him the occasional glance, though most of their eyes were drawn toward the woman in the black dress behind him. Still, no one came to provoke him—likely, even here, the town had its rules.

Yellow paper money was scattered like leaves all over the town streets. As they left, dusk slowly deepened.

Heading north out of town, taking a shortcut toward Shangyong, the road led through a stretch of mountainous foothills. Mists coiled between the forest trees, and pale moonlight spilled through the canopy, casting a cold and eerie glow.

Now and then, the distant howl of wolves could be heard.

Lu Liangsheng held up a lantern in one hand, the other tugging along the old donkey. He paid no heed to the howls near or far. Rounding a few towering trees, the lantern’s dim glow swayed gently, revealing through the mist a faint silhouette of a dilapidated structure ahead.

“Seems we’ve found shelter for the night. Master, we’ll make do here.”

“Mm. But the yin energy here is rather heavy.” The toad muttered as he pushed open the small door and glanced around. From the painting, Honglian emerged, fluttering up to perch on a tree branch, swinging her embroidered shoes.

“We passed a market earlier—they were saying a lot of people died recently. Might it be connected to this place? Dumb tree spirit, don’t you think?”

The one seemingly least affected was the black-robed woman who had followed them this whole way. Her spirit appeared deeply wounded—dull and vacant. She had never once spoken throughout the journey, and everything she saw seemed to fascinate her.

“Do I not already have enough demons and ghosts on my side?”

Lu Liangsheng joked, taking the remark in stride as he led the donkey closer to the building. From afar, they could see an old stone stele standing out front, choked with withered vines and dead branches.

With a wave of his hand, the vines silently slid to either side, revealing the inscription:

“Lanruo Temple?”

As the name was softly spoken, startled birds burst into flight from the surrounding forest, wings flapping as they circled high above, too frightened to descend again.

In the stillness of the remote mountain depths—so it was called Lanruo. Lu Liangsheng turned the name over in his mind, then glanced around at the scattering birds before looking toward the ruined temple ahead. The wooden steps were weathered and broken, the eaves collapsed and slanted to one side. Upon entering, he found wild grass growing rampant through the cracks in the stone tiles. Several Buddha statues had long since toppled and now lay coated in dust.

“Lanruo, it comes from the Sanskrit word Aranya. This must once have been a monastic temple. What a pity, to see it left in such ruin.”

Setting his weapon aside against a wall, he kindled a campfire nearby and prepared to rest for the night. Removing his bamboo hat, Lu Liangsheng leaned back against the altar base. At last, with a rare moment of leisure, he opened a book in the firelight and began to read.

[TL_Note: Lanruo (Sanskrit: araṇya, transliterated as Aranya), a secluded monastery, temple, or hermitage—especially one deep in nature.]
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