Chapter 36: Ascending the Mountain

Tao Ji muttered, "So many apricots. We must hide some; Miaohé doesn't know when to stop eating, and I don't want her to get a stomachache."

Xuanmiao walked at the end of the group, watching Pan Jun, who trudged silently between them with a basket on her back.

Come to think of it, she was even younger than Miaohé—just a child.

Xuanmiao’s heart softened. She reached out and plucked a cloth bag filled with medicinal herbs from Pan Jun's basket.

Pan Jun turned around.

"I'll carry this," Xuanmiao said, her face expressionless.

Pan Jun glanced at the bag she had taken and said nothing.

The loads carried by Tao Ji and Xuanmiao were not light, especially Tao Ji’s; he had placed almost all the heavy items in his own basket.

They wound their way up the mountain trail, moving in and out of the forest, following the contours of the terrain. At some point, the sun was obscured, the sky turned gray, and there was a faint hint of impending rain.

A wind rose in the mountains, making the trees rustle. Clouds and mist seemed to emerge from nowhere, swirling upward in the direction of the breeze.

As the moisture filled the air, Pan Jun felt refreshed, her internal energy circulation quickening of its own accord.

The black cat perched on her shoulder couldn't help but lift its head and meow toward the valley at their side. "The spiritual energy here is so dense."

Pan Jun agreed that this trip had been worth it.

The cat jumped into her basket, stretched its limbs comfortably, and muttered, "You should have found a place like this to cultivate long ago. With the memories of your past life, if you had started here from birth, you’d be incredibly powerful by now."

Pan Jun thought: [From birth? Should I have crawled from the capital to Mount Sanqing while naked? Did I have an indestructible body? Could I have survived just by opening my mouth to the northwest to catch the wind without needing food or water?]

The black cat fell silent.

After a while, having processed her retort, it resumed the topic. "What about when you were older? Your health was poor, but once you could talk, you could have told your parents you wanted to become a Taoist to get away and cultivate. It didn't have to be Mount Sanqing; since this place exists, there must be other blessed lands. Maybe there was even one in the capital. I think you’re just too lazy and too attached to your family."

Pan Jun sneered: [Why should I have worked so hard? You’ve eaten all the spiritual energy for the past eight years; I haven't gotten a drop. Should I have been an orphan? I was an orphan in my past life, and in this one, I have both parents. Why should I have actively sought to be an orphan again?]

The black cat dared not speak further.

Tao Ji suddenly looked back, shrinking his neck as he asked, "Why are you sneering?"

Xuanmiao, following behind them, stared thoughtfully at Pan Jun and the cat, then said to Tao Ji, "Let's hurry. It gets dark quickly in the mountains."

"Oh." Tao Ji glanced back at Pan Jun a few times, but seeing she had returned to normal, he stopped paying attention.

He walked with a light step; despite carrying a heavy load up the mountain, he seemed to exert no effort at all.

As the three of them climbed higher, the mist grew denser, and dew began to form on their hair and clothes. Pan Jun followed closely behind Tao Ji, but could only see his hazy silhouette, a testament to the thickness of the fog.

In the haze, Tao Ji suddenly gave a light cough and began to sing, "The traveler in the mountains—"

Pan Jun was startled by his sudden voice, then heard him continue: "The mountains are wreathed in clouds and mist..."

His voice struck the massive rocks beside them, rebounding and following the slope upward, passing through the moss, grass, and pines rooted in the stone, before echoing throughout the entire valley.

"Few cultivate in the land of clouds and mist; the hundred-year-old path is hard to traverse..."

The sound returned to Pan Jun, lingering around her. The spiritual energy within her body surged violently. Not only through her nose and mouth, but every pore on her hands, neck, and body opened, greedily absorbing the spiritual energy drifting around her.

Tao Ji sang in a soothing, clear tone: "When merit is full, the spirit returns to the true path—"

The spiritual power flowed gently through her Niwan Palace, leaving one-fiftieth of its essence behind before settling into her Dantian along the small heavenly circuit. The fatigue of the climb vanished, and her racing heart calmed. When she finally snapped out of it, she realized she was already on the mountainside near the summit.

She stopped in surprise and looked back.

Had she really covered that much distance in the time it took to sing one song?

Xuanmiao stopped to wait for her, not rushing her, but allowing her time to reflect.

Pan Jun had never seen such a technique—one that could unknowingly shorten distances and even assist in cultivation.

She asked Pan Xiaohei, who had lived much longer: [Is this 'shrinking the ground to an inch'?]

Pan Xiaohei replied: [More or less, it’s of the same type.]

Pan Jun was confused: [By singing?]

This was worlds apart from what she understood of magic.

Pan Xiaohei said, "Fool, it wasn't Tao Ji performing the magic for you; it was the god."

Pan Jun’s eyes widened, and she couldn't help but blurt out, "A god?"

"Are you coming or not?" Tao Ji, seeing them standing still, turned back to call out, "Hurry up, the Sanqing Temple is just ahead."

Pan Jun tightened her grip on the basket straps and trotted to catch up. "Senior Brother Tao, please sing that song again."

Tao Ji said proudly, "It’s good, isn't it? I sing this song the best."

"It's wonderful, truly. Teach me; I want to sing it too."

Xuanmiao followed silently.

The path ahead grew wider, enough for two people to walk side-by-side with room to spare. Pan Jun squeezed in to walk next to Tao Ji, but he guided her to the inner side while he walked along the mountain edge. "So you like singing? I'll teach you when we get back to the temple."

"Can't you teach me while we walk?" Pan Jun asked. "Walking only uses your legs, not your mouth."

Tao Ji replied, "I’m afraid you won't remember it."

"I have a very good memory."

This was the first time Pan Jun had been so friendly toward him, and Tao Ji didn't want to keep refusing her, so he nodded. "Fine, I’ll teach you from the first line."

Xuanmiao trailed behind them, listening to Tao Ji teach Pan Jun over and over. She turned her head to look at the silent valley.

Pan Jun practiced twice and sang it once herself, but nothing changed, and there was no increase in her internal energy. She felt as frustrated as if a cat were clawing at her heart. "Senior Brother Tao, why do I feel a sense of profound mystery and doubled cultivation efficiency when you sing this song?"

Tao Ji laughed, stopped, and bowed to the four directions before saying, "Because the Mountain God likes it."

"The Mountain God?"

"Yes, the Mountain God. Come on, we've arrived."

Pan Jun looked up and saw a flat expanse on slightly higher ground. Behind the thick fog, a building faintly appeared. As they drew closer, she saw it was a Taoist temple made of stone.

The temple had two stories, and the incense burner in front still held incense that had only burned halfway. She wanted to ask more about the Mountain God, but a person came rushing out of the temple, charging at Tao Ji like a small cannonball.

Tao Ji reached out a finger to press against her forehead, stopping her in her tracks as he scolded, "What are you running for?"

Pan Jun recognized her instantly; this had to be Miaohé. She was round and chubby, with baby fat on her face and a sturdy build. Her large eyes were fixed on them, bright and full of longing. "Master, did you bring me something good to eat?"

Tao Ji responded helplessly, "I did, but first, greet your Junior Uncle."

Miaohé immediately stood straight, composed her little face, and bowed to Xuanmiao. "Junior Uncle."

Xuanmiao nodded and asked, "Where is your Senior Uncle?"

"In the back!" Miaohé noticed Pan Jun standing to the side, her eyes full of curiosity. "Master, who is this?"

Tao Ji didn't know how to introduce Pan Jun. Although he had told her to call him "Uncle" along the way, becoming a disciple was a matter of mutual consent.

Neither the Junior Sister nor Pan Jun seemed particularly eager.

So... "This is a new little sister at the temple. She is even younger than you; you must take good care of her."

Miaohé nodded repeatedly. "Okay, okay!"

She rushed over and took Pan Jun’s hand. "Junior Sister, stay with me! Come, let me help you with your basket."

She reached out to remove the basket and immediately made eye contact with the black cat inside.

She fell silent, her mouth slightly agape. After a long moment, she let out a slow, soft "Wow," released the basket, and reached out cautiously to hold the cat.

"Meow!" Pan Xiaohei leaped out, landed on the ground, stretched its body, and strutted toward the temple.

Miaohé gave chase. "The cat—!"

Tao Ji moved to stop her; that was Pan Jun’s treasure. All the way here, she hadn't let anyone touch it except for him and Xuanmiao.

Pan Jun, however, didn't mind. She grabbed Tao Ji and asked, "Senior Brother Tao, is the Mountain God you mentioned a real god?"

"Of course it's a real god," Tao Ji said, looking bewildered. "We are in the mountains; who would dare impersonate the Mountain God?"

"No..." Pan Jun flushed, hesitating before asking, "Is there really a god in this world?"

Tao Ji replied, "...You are a practitioner of the Tao, yet you ask if there are gods? If there were no gods, how would you draw and use your talismans?"

"That is done by concentrating spiritual power..."

"No," Tao Ji said sternly. "That is done by invoking divine power. Whether it is a talisman or a register, its effectiveness comes from invoking that power. *Qi* alone has form but no spirit; what use is your so-called spiritual power if it’s just concentrated on paper?"

He looked at Xuanmiao, who was standing nearby. "Junior Sister, you are the most skilled in the art of talismans. This child has gone astray; you must teach her."

Xuanmiao had already noticed this, which was why she had advised Pan Jun not to cultivate while at the Prince of Zhou's mansion, telling her to wait until they returned to Mount Sanqing.

She couldn't understand the child's cultivation method either, and she hoped the Senior Brother could resolve the issue.

"There is plenty of time. Let's go find the Senior Brother first."

Their Senior Brother was sitting on a rock in the backyard, holding a basin while eating and admiring the sea of clouds.

Seeing Tao Ji and Xuanmiao arrive with a child, he waved happily. "You’re both back? Is this the child from the Pan family?"

He looked Pan Jun up and down, his smile gradually fading. He let out an "Oh," his expression becoming much more serious. "How does such a young child possess such cultivation?"

Tao Ji said, "Senior Brother, she is quite something. She knows the technique of hiding in plum trees and understands formations, but I don't know who taught her the cultivation method—it feels strange, as if she’s been practicing the wrong path."

He laughed, stroking his beard. "I think her temperament is quite good. Even if the method has flaws, practicing it won't lead her too far astray."

Pan Jun immediately felt a fondness for him and bowed. "Daoist."