Taoist Master Zhenwei had been the abbot of the Yulin Temple for over forty years.
Some said the old abbot was in his eighties, others said nineties, and there were even rumors he had surpassed a hundred years.
The old abbot had white hair and long eyebrows, exuding an air of immortal grace.
Everyone knew he was approachable and wise, but no one knew he had once walked out of the Three Pure Immortal Mountains.
Eighty years ago, when the old abbot was just a teenager, he had passed the entrance examination of the Three Pure Immortal Sect, successfully absorbed spiritual energy, and cultivated on the Lesser Myriad Mountain.
However, he had been stuck at the "Opening the Mansion" stage his entire life.
Back then, he had been a disciple of the Sword Casting Mountain, aspiring to become a sword immortal, aiming to open the Golden Mansion first.
But he never grasped the essence of metal energy.
At the age of forty, the old abbot finally accepted his fate.
He bid farewell to the Three Pure Mountains, taking only his cherished sword, and returned to the mortal world.
He chose to stay at the Yulin Temple, dedicating himself to the Three Pure Ones.
After the previous abbot passed away, he naturally ascended to become the new abbot.
On this day, the old abbot stood alone in front of the Ge Immortal Hall, gazing devoutly at the statue of the immortal.
His eyes seemed to pierce through the statue, the hall walls, and the layers of clouds, landing on the Three Pure Immortal Mountains.
"Thud!"
The sound of something heavy hitting the ground caught the old abbot's attention, accompanied by a cry of pain.
For a moment, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, revealing a glimpse of the vigor he had in his youth.
But just as quickly, his expression softened, and a smile appeared on his face.
Who would dare cause trouble near the Three Pure Mountains? It must be someone from the sect, probably a newcomer who had fallen out of the water mirror.
They likely didn't know about the height difference in the teleportation array or that it landed inside a large cauldron.
The old abbot chuckled and walked into the Ge Immortal Hall, then turned into the rarely visited Alchemy Cauldron Hall.
Behind it, inside a massive cauldron, he found a young Taoist.
The young man was sprawled inside the cauldron, wearing a lake-blue robe with a mountain mist pattern on the chest and a Bagua diagram on the back.
Underneath, he had on a light peach-colored inner robe, a purple headband, a red crown with a fire cloud hairpin, and white cloud-patterned cloth shoes.
He carried a large, bulging bag.
The old abbot's eyes crinkled with amusement.
Indeed, Taoist robes looked best on the young.
Upon closer inspection, the old abbot was delighted.
He recognized the young man—he was the famous child prodigy from the Camphor Fragrance Town at the foot of the mountain.
Last year, he had entered the Three Pure Mountains from here.
The old abbot stepped forward, helping the young man up, and said with a smile, "Yun Qi, you're back."
Yun Qi, seeing the old abbot, immediately knew where he was.
The abbot's calm demeanor suggested that many people took this shortcut.
He climbed out of the cauldron, straightened his robe, and bowed with a smile, "Greetings, Abbot."
The abbot pointed at Yun Qi's bag and asked, "Why aren't you staying in the mountains? Where are you headed?"
"I'm planning to travel. Before I leave, I wanted to come back and visit."
The abbot nodded approvingly and led Yun Qi outside.
"You entered the mountains last year during the Grain Rain season. Today is the Summer Solstice—it's been over a year."
Yun Qi nodded, "Yes, over a year."
"Which area of the Lesser Myriad Mountain are you staying in? And which mountain are you registered under?"
Yun Qi was surprised and looked at the abbot in astonishment.
Then he remembered what Feng Jihu had told him: those who couldn't open their mansions after years in the sect either took up menial jobs like cleaning or cooking, returned to the mortal world to live comfortably with their skills, became wandering swordsmen, or stayed in temples to serve the Three Pure Ones.
The abbot must be the latter.
"I live in the Qian Third District, registered under the Mingzhi Mountain."
The old abbot stroked his beard, "Mingzhi Mountain, impressive! It's the smallest lineage in the sect, extremely selective about disciples' talent and fate. You being accepted there is a great opportunity."
Yun Qi nodded, "I've learned a lot."
"I was registered under the Sword Casting Mountain," the old abbot said, reminiscing.
Yun Qi continued, "I have a friend named Deng Wanchun, also registered under the Sword Casting Mountain."
Thinking of Deng Wanchun, Yun Qi couldn't help but smile.
This elder brother was honest and sincere, teaching Yun Qi most of his sword techniques.
Before leaving the sect, when Yun Qi mentioned he liked a shell Deng had found, Deng insisted on giving it to him.
Yun Qi had to trade it with a talisman, which still made Deng blush.
The old abbot seemed eager to talk about the mountains and asked, "Which master is Deng registered under?"
"Master Jianheng," Yun Qi replied, noticing the abbot's expression, he added, "Master Jianheng's secular name is Zeng Wenshan."
Yun Qi had spent more time at the Sword Casting Mountain than at Mingzhi Mountain, attending lectures there every month and becoming quite familiar with the people.
"It's Wenshan!" The old abbot's eyes lit up, "I knew he would succeed! If he's taking disciples, he must have opened the Crimson Palace and reached the second realm."
Yun Qi remained silent.
The old abbot reminisced for a moment, then turned his gaze to Yun Qi, "Do you practice sword techniques?"
Yun Qi nodded, "I do enjoy swordplay, but it's too demanding, both in energy and resources. I've only recently started absorbing spiritual energy and am short on funds, so I mainly focus on meditation and breathing exercises."
The old abbot suddenly stopped, staring at Yun Qi.
Yun Qi paused, puzzled.
Had he said something wrong?
After a moment, the old abbot regained his composure, his aged voice trembling slightly, "Yes, yes! Sword techniques are vast. In my youth, I was obsessed with them, practicing day and night, neglecting the fundamentals of energy absorption.
I always thought I'd practice swords today and absorb energy tomorrow. But as days passed, I watched my peers open their mansions while I remained engrossed in sword forms. One day, a fellow disciple used energy to control his sword, swift and powerful, easily breaking my techniques.
That's when I woke up and turned to energy cultivation. But by then, I was too anxious, rushing and failing to grasp the essence. One wrong step led to many.
It's good you understand this. You're a wise child."
Yun Qi remained silent, unsure of what to say.
The Three Pure Mountains were like that—before opening your mansion, you were largely left to your own devices.
The general direction was given, and the principles were written in books.
If you didn't strive or got distracted, no one could help you.
"Haha!" The old abbot suddenly laughed, "You said swordplay is expensive, and it's true. Back then, I did all sorts of odd jobs—drying herbs, helping in the kitchen, carrying water, quarrying stones—earning money to buy gold and whetstones to feed my sword."
Yun Qi also laughed, "Everyone knows sword cultivators are poor."
The abbot laughed heartily.
Fortunately, the heavy rain kept visitors away, or they would have been shocked to see the venerable Master Zhenwei laughing so freely.
Even so, some passing Taoists and novices wondered what had happened to the abbot and who the elegantly dressed young Taoist was.
"You've always been smart, talented beyond your years. I remember when you were young, your father would bring you along when he came to play chess with me. At first, you just watched, but after a few games, you learned. Within a year, you surpassed us all."
Your father often wondered who could teach you as you grew older.
He was a scholar, well-versed in many fields, yet you quickly outgrew his teachings.
Now that you've reached this point, he would be the happiest.
The Three Pure Mountains, with their six thousand years of history, should be enough to teach you.
"Yun Qi nodded softly. Yes, if his father were here, he would be the happiest."
Are you in a hurry to start your journey?
"the old abbot asked. Yun Qi shook his head. He wasn't in a rush; staying in town for a few more days wouldn't hurt."
Then come visit the temple when you have time,"the abbot said warmly. Yun Qi agreed, thinking the abbot probably wanted to reminisce about his days in the mountains. His own journey wasn't urgent; staying home a bit longer would be nice.
The abbot was pleased and asked if Yun Qi wanted to stay until the rain stopped. Yun Qi declined. During the rainy season, once it started, it wouldn't stop.
He borrowed an umbrella from the abbot. After all, using water-repelling spells in public would be too conspicuous. --- After bidding farewell to the abbot, Yun Qi walked out of the Yulin Temple with the umbrella, stepping onto the familiar southern mountain path. He crossed the stone bridge over the Golden Sand Stream and soon arrived at Camphor Fragrance Town.
The town looked just as it had before; nothing had changed. When he left, it was the gentle spring rain. Now, it was the continuous summer rain.
The rain was heavy, and the streets were empty. The townsfolk made their living by making incense and renting out houses. Few farmed, so on rainy days, everyone stayed indoors.
No one noticed the young Taoist walking through town. Near the Yulin Temple, Taoists were a common sight. Yun Qi arrived at Green Tile Lane.
The rain had washed the tiles clean, adding a touch of brightness to the gray rain. At the entrance of the lane, he glanced at the door plaques he had left on each house. The ground was wet, and though his shoes repelled dust, they didn't repel water.
His soles were soaked. He wasn't in a hurry to visit anyone and decided to return to his own courtyard first. He reached his door.
The plaque outside his eaves was also washed clean, the characters still clear:"Clouds Begin, Joy and Fortune Arrive.
"Yun Qi smiled and pushed the door open. The courtyard was tidy. Despite the passing seasons, there were no fallen leaves or weeds.
The few leaves on the ground were still green, likely knocked down by today's rain. The neighbors must have been cleaning regularly. He pushed open the house door.
The interior was exactly as he had left it, as if he had never been away. The young man entered the main hall, set down his bag, and checked the bedroom, kitchen, and incense room. His gaze swept over the floor, the tables, the chairs, the mirror, the cabinets, and the windows.
The hall and furniture were clean, thanks to the neighbors' frequent cleaning. They didn't enter the rooms, so dust had accumulated inside. To keep out the dust, the windows had been closed, making the house dark and gloomy.
Yun Qi opened the windows, letting in light and air. He then cast a dust-repelling spell, a minor technique that consumed little energy. He planned to draw a few dust-repelling talismans to keep the house clean.
As he was about to tidy the bed, he heard shouts from outside the courtyard."
Thief!
This is the house of the Cheng family immortal! How dare you steal here!
""We've got you now!
We'll break your legs!
""Catch the thief!
Someone's stealing!
"A dozen men and women, armed with kitchen knives, laundry beaters, chisels, and shoulder poles, rushed in. Hearing the commotion, Yun Qi hurried out of the room and met them at the hall entrance."
Uncles, aunties, what's going on?
"Yun Qi asked with a smile, already guessing the situation. The group froze upon seeing him, not immediately recognizing him. One woman, seeing the well-dressed young Taoist, dropped her knife and hugged Yun Qi,"Yun'er, you're back!
"With a clatter, everyone dropped their weapons. Three or four women surrounded Yun Qi, pinching and patting him, exclaiming how thin he had gotten. In truth, Yun Qi had been well-fed in the Three Pure Mountains, eating proper meals and medicinal foods.
Except for a few days of plain bread when he first joined the sect, he had never gone hungry. His lack of savings was partly due to his appetite for supplements. Combined with daily exercises, occasional sword practice, and martial arts, he was lean and muscular—hardly thin.
The men stood awkwardly, rubbing their hands and repeating,"It's good you're back!
"One man whispered to his wife,"Take it easy.
Little Master is now an immortal." At this, the lively scene quieted. The woman who had been pinching Yun Qi's cheeks quickly withdrew her hand.
Yun Qi laughed heartily,"Auntie, you only see I'm thin, but haven't you noticed I've grown taller? Uncle Wang, let's compare." The man called Uncle Wang was the one who had spoken earlier.
Yun Qi stood back-to-back with him, straightening his posture, and asked,"Uncles, aunties, who's taller—me or Uncle Wang?" Auntie Wang glared at her hesitant husband and slapped his chest,"Stand straight!" The man scratched his head, grinned, and straightened up.
He was a burly man, over six feet tall, while Yun Qi was just under six feet, slightly shorter. Auntie Wang stood on tiptoe, pressing down her husband's hat and including the red bead on Yun Qi's crown in her measurement. Satisfied, she announced,"Yun Qi is taller!"
The crowd nodded in agreement, and the burly man smiled,"Little Master is taller." No one mentioned the"immortal" title again.
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(End of Chapter)