CHAPTER 34: 33 ZHIHONG GUAN

The car stopped in the town.

"HAAAH..."

Brother Nan let out a long yawn, stepping off the vehicle with feet that seemed to float, as if still in a dream. Her left and right feet fought for balance, and finally, she managed to steady herself by the roadside. Then, she raised her cell phone to wave at Zhou Li in greeting.

"Zhou Li, come find me for some fun on the way back!"

"There’s a really good spicy hot pot place in town, you’re treating me!"

"Eh?"

The phone suddenly slipped from her grip and fell to the ground.

She almost fell over trying to pick it up.

Zhou Li was a bit worried she’d end up in a ditch.

The car drove off again, and as it passed by Brother Nan, Zhou Li caught a glimpse of her expression—

Shocked!

Then Zhou Li’s phone went DING-DONG—

Li Daimao: Can you believe my phone screen shattered?

Zhou Li didn’t know how to respond at first. After a while, he typed back: Didn’t you have a screen protector?

Li Daimao: How was I supposed to know it would shatter when it fell?!

Li Daimao: It’s never shattered before!

Li Daimao: This is just my lousy luck!

Zhou Li: Is it badly shattered?

Li Daimao: Barely usable.

Zhou Li: Send me a screenshot so I can have a look.

Li Daimao: [Picture]

Your friend Li Daimao has retracted a message.

Li Daimao: Do you think I’m stupid!?

Zhou Li’s lips curved into a smile.

The car traveled a few more kilometers along the mountain road, finally stopping in a village. A little further up was Mingjiu Mountain.

This scenic area wasn’t very impressive. The entrance fee was a symbolic ten yuan. A concrete road led up the mountain, usable by cars, but there were no regular shuttle buses; you had to try flagging down passing vehicles. Motorcycle taxis were the primary mode of transport. Minivans were notorious rip-offs, and getting a ride from a private car was hit-or-miss. Regular taxis were unavailable. Reaching the back of the mountain required taking a trail, though it was an easy walk.

All this was explained by the ticket seller, who, seeing Zhou Li was young and good-looking, offered the advice, worried he might be taken advantage of being alone. After bidding farewell to the ticket seller, Zhou Li started climbing the mountain along the edge of the small road.

The weather was wonderfully cool. Yan City was the sort of place where even a dirt mound was called a mountain. Although not very tall, Mingjiu Mountain was still considered one of the ’big mountains’ in Yan City.

Zhou Li walked ahead with his backpack, while Huai Xu lazily followed, snacking on beef bits from Zhou Li’s open pack. The road was quiet and serene, with neither cars nor people in sight.

"What’s this beef called again?"

"Satay."

"It’s really good."

"Is there anything you don’t find tasty?"

"Hmm..." Huai Xu thought for a moment, recalling a recent unfortunate experience. "Star anise isn’t tasty."

"..."

They had been walking for only half an hour but, without realizing it, had already climbed quite high. The mountain mist gradually started to thicken around them.

Huai Xu ran off the road to a flat area jutting out from the mountainside. He looked down and then turned to Zhou Li. "Zhou Li, isn’t that the town we passed just now?"

Zhou Li joined him. After half an hour’s walk, he had broken into a light sweat. Standing there, the mountain breeze cooled him completely.

Visibility wasn’t great due to the weather. Distant green mountains, layered upon each other, had their outlines blurred by the fog. The small town looked surprisingly close, nestled in a valley between two green mountains. Rice paddies, square and neat, showed the early rice beginning to yellow.

The clouds overhead shifted unpredictably, signaling an approaching mountain rain.

Huai Xu spread his arms wide. "This feels amazing!"

Zhou Li also loved this kind of weather.

"Let’s keep going."

Halfway up, moss-covered stone steps appeared by the roadside. Zhou Li took this path, which led around to the back of the mountain.

A few scattered households dotted the back mountain, connected by a crisscrossing network of one-meter-wide concrete paths.

It was around noon. Cooking smoke rose from distant houses, mingling with the mountain fog until they were indistinguishable. Groups of two or three local dogs ambled leisurely along the field paths, creating a tranquil scene.

Huai Xu took a deep breath. "I can feel the presence of many demons."

Zhou Li voiced a long-held doubt, "Can all you demons sense each other’s presence?"

"No, it’s a special skill!"

"I see."

"I’m the best at it."

"Really?"

Zhou Li gave him an admiring look at just the right moment.

Huai Xu was thoroughly pleased.

The population was sparse, but everyone knew of Zhihong Guan. Zhou Li asked a middle-aged man for directions, then set off on an exceptionally narrow concrete path, pausing to eat some beef jerky and drink half a bottle of water.

「Half an hour later」

He actually ran into the old demon by the roadside.

At the time, the old demon was frowning by the edge of a field but seemed quite happy to see them.

"You’ve come!"

"Yes," Zhou Li replied. "What are you doing...?"

"I’m trying to figure out how to increase this field’s yield." The old demon looked a bit troubled. "I’m running low on Spiritual Power now, and I’m getting old. Do you two have any ideas to make the crops grow better?"

"Fertilizer?" Zhou Li suggested tentatively.

"You planted this field?" Huai Xu asked, utterly shocked. "A demon can farm too?"

"No, it belongs to a human."

"If it’s not yours, why do you care?"

"Well... SIGH!"

The old demon was extremely troubled. Some days ago, someone had come to Zhihong Guan and even brought him an offering—a couple of apples and some Baozi. He had been starving when he returned from Yan City, so he couldn’t resist.

The person had made a lot of requests: good health, a happy and fulfilled family, their grandson getting into university. He couldn’t help with any of those. The only request left was for good crops, but even that was beyond his capability now, given his age.

The old demon waved his hand, dismissing his worries. "Anyway, I should take you to the temple first. It’s going to rain, and it’s quite a walk from here."

Zhou Li nodded. "Thank you, we appreciate it."

The old demon was quite small and walked very slowly, so after a short while, Huai Xu picked him up.

That sped things up considerably.

「Another half an hour later」

The old demon pointed to a spot halfway up the mountain. "That’s where I live. The Daoist temple is quite efficacious, so even though it’s remote, many people still come to worship every year. In recent years, some city folk have started coming too—they tend to be generous..."

Huai Xu interjected, "The temple’s efficacy is all your doing, right?"

The old demon smiled modestly.

Zhou Li looked up. The Daoist temple consisted of only a few small buildings, lacking any of the quaint, ancient charm often depicted on TV. Except for the central building, which had been recently repaired, the surrounding structures were rather dilapidated and formed a courtyard.

Adjacent to the courtyard was the old demon’s dwelling: a tiny shrine, less than a meter tall.

As Zhou Li climbed up to the Daoist temple, he saw an Old Daoist with a deeply lined, dark-skinned face sitting under the eaves, eating some kind of flatbread with plain hot water.

The old demon, having been set down by Huai Xu, said to Zhou Li and Huai Xu, "He’s having lunch. He’s the only one in the temple, and he’s a good person. When the time comes, just say what you need to, and I’ll prompt you."

Zhou Li nodded and looked toward the Old Daoist.

The Old Daoist wore a dark blue Daoist robe, cloth shoes with white socks, and a Zhuangzi turban, none of which were very clean. He had been observing the small shrine; he surely knew about the Jade bead that used to be on its roof. But that bead had been missing for several years and then suddenly reappeared—he must have been very perplexed.

Upon hearing footsteps, he turned his head towards Zhou Li with a puzzled look, not making a sound.

"Greetings, Master." Zhou Li got a clear look at what the Temple master was holding: it seemed to be some kind of small, filled pastry, only about two centimeters in diameter.

"Greetings, young friend. Have you eaten?" the Temple master replied.

"I have."

"Are you here to visit Mingjiu Mountain, young friend? How did you find your way here?"

"I came specifically to find you, Master."

"Ah, a young lay practitioner," the old Temple master remarked. He found it somewhat unusual; Zhou Li was very young, and he had rarely seen a lay practitioner of that age. Nevertheless, he quickly finished the last bite of his sesame biscuit and offered Zhou Li a traditional clasped-hand salute.

"Have you come to offer incense, young lay practitioner?" the old Temple master asked.

"Just say..." The old demon hesitated, then whispered, "Tell him you wish to borrow the books left by Master Chushan—specifically, that special chest of books that used to be kept in the temple’s cellar."

"It’s like this..." Zhou Li began, repeating the old demon’s words.

The old Temple master was quite surprised. "How do you know about the books left by our temple’s founding master?"

The old demon prompted again, "Tell him an old acquaintance told you, and that the books are of great importance to you."

Zhou Li relayed this as well.

The old Temple master nodded, studying him. After a moment, his wrinkles bunched together as he smiled. "To be honest with you, a few years ago, a young lady also asked for that chest of books, and I gave it to her. If you wish to borrow them, you can go find her."

The old demon was stunned.

Zhou Li also paused, then asked, "May I ask where she lives?"

Huai Xu whispered in his ear, "That must be the Heavenly Master we’ve heard about several times, right?"

The old Temple master thought for a moment and said, "That young lady lives in quite a remote place. It used to be called the Yin Yang Temple; you can look it up on your phone’s map. However, judging by the weather, it looks like it’s about to rain. Are you still planning to go?"

"Yes!" Zhou Li declared.