Chapter 30: Like an Immortal on Earth
Winter is the end of the year when all living things are stored away.
This is the beginning of winter. From this time, the vitality of heaven and earth here starts to retreat within, and all living things enter a state of rest.
Based on Song You's Four Seasons Rotation Method, the spiritual energy cultivated during this season had the functions of conserving vitality, halting processes, and hibernation. However, this was just the inherent characteristic of this spiritual energy and was not particularly powerful. If this spiritual energy was used to cast similar spells, it would have an amplifying effect. If used to cast ordinary spells, it will function like normal spiritual energy. However, if used to cast contrary spells, the effect will be poor.
This differs from the method of drawing upon the spiritual qi of heaven and earth.
When he got out of bed, it was early morning. Within his body, a wisp of spiritual energy as pure white as snow had been added. This wisp of spiritual energy was very extraordinary. It seems that cultivation indeed requires drawing upon the spirit of different mountains and rivers.
A thick layer of frost covered the floor indoors, which was also quite wondrous.
Lady Calico had disappeared somewhere again.
Song You was about to go out to look for her when he suddenly heard people chatting outside.
“Master, what immortal abode is that Hidden Dragon Temple? And who is that Daoist priest Master Song? I've never heard of him before, yet he didn't even address the temple owner as ‘Daoist Elder’.”
“Hidden Dragon Temple is a secluded temple, so it's normal that you haven't heard of it. However, our Fuqing Temple is fortunate to have a connection with it and knows it very well.”
“Why is it called Fulong (Hidden Dragon) Temple? Was there once an immortal who subdued a dragon there?[1]
“The name ‘Fulong’ does not refer to subduing a dragon but to lying low and living in seclusion. It is not that an immortal once subdued a dragon there, but rather it is a metaphor that the people in the temple are like a hidden dragon. When a hidden dragon lives in seclusion, it is unknown to the world. However, when it emerges from the mountain, none in the world can match them.” The gentle voice was full of patience.
“Hidden Dragon Temple has been passed down for countless generations, always with only one successor at a time. Not only has the succession never been interrupted, each generation's temple owner lives up to the name. They are all like dragons and phoenixes in the realm and few can match them. Daoist priest Song is the current heir.”
“Only one person?”
“Usually, there are two, the master and the disciple.”
“That's so few.”
"The current owner of Hidden Dragon Temple Daoist Duoxing is akin to an earthly immortal.”
“No wonder he addresses the temple owner as ‘Senior Daoist Brother’.” The young boy's voice sounded very surprised.
Song You merely smiled and stood at the door without stepping out.
In fact, he called Guanghuazi “Senior Daoist Brother” rather than “Daoist Elder” because on one hand, seniority was not strictly observed between Daoists from different temples and on the other hand, he was indeed of the same generation as Guanghuazi.
Back when the master of his master from the Hidden Dragon Temple and the owner of Fuqing Temple formed a connection, they were of the same generation. However, Hidden Dragon Temple's generational transition was much slower than that of regular temples. Fuqing Temple experienced a generational transition every twenty to thirty years, while Hidden Dragon Temple took at least forty to fifty years for each transition. As a result, when Hidden Dragon Temple had been handed on to its second generation owner, Fuqing Temple had already been passed on to its third generation owner.
Guanghuazi was slightly younger than Song You's master and admired her greatly in his youth. He had always addressed her as “Daoist Elder”, a term of respect for much older Daoists from other temples.
Thus, Song You naturally had to call him either “Senior Daoist Brother” or “Daoist Master”.
The people outside chatted for a while longer without moving, seemingly waiting for someone. Song You, not wanting to embarrass them, stayed inside until they left. Then he opened the door and went out.
Just then, Lady Calico returned with small, quick steps.
“Good morning, Lady Calico.”
“Good morning, Daoist priest.”
“Where did you go?”
“I went to have breakfast. I saw you sitting motionless, and thought you must be cultivating so I didn't call you.”
“You...” Song You shook his head and smiled.
He knew very well that the reason Lady Calico had agreed to stay the day before yesterday was because of the sumptuous feast at noon. She had greatly enjoyed eating the generous amounts of meat and fish. Yesterday, every meal also had fish and meat. The Daoist priests of Fuqing Temple seemed to understand that if they wanted Song You to stay longer, they needed to serve Lady Calico well too, so they kept trying to please her with varied dishes.
She was quite the little glutton.
Song You closed the door and went to have breakfast himself.
Before he had finished eating, the two young Daoist priests Chuyun and Yingfeng came again. They said to him, “Senior Daoist Brother, the weather is nice today. Why don’t we go to the mountain top to watch the clouds?”
“Sounds good.”
“Take your time eating, Senior Daoist Brother.”
“Alright.” Song You did indeed take his time.
Breakfast was steamed buns with filling, made of solid dough and stuffed generously. The taste was very down-to-earth and they came with thin porridge and pickled cabbage. Ordinary people could not afford such good food. Also, judging by the looks of the other Daoists in the dining hall, they did not eat like this every day at Fuqing Temple.
After breakfast, they climbed the mountain, and there were already footprints on the stone slabs.
Yingfeng and Chuyun were very nice people. One was gentle and talkative, and the other spoke considerately in a very caring way. They were also good-looking. If they had been born in later times and hadn't become Daoist priests, they would probably have been very popular.
Daoists lead leisurely lives and often find pleasure in hiking and climbing mountains. The two knew Qingcheng Mountain very well and introduced the various temples on the mountain as they walked.
It was said that there were fifty-six Daoist temples of various sizes on the mountain, and countless cottages built for cultivation. Most people only read Daoist classics. Only nine temples have true Daoist arts traditions, and there were some secluded masters in the cottages.
Actually, most temples in this world were like this.
Most have no Daoist arts traditions, and only read Daoist classics, worshiped Daoist deities, and contemplated Daoist philosophy.
Only a very few have Daoist arts traditions, and the content might not be what everyone imagines.
How to put it...
Among the few with traditions, most only pass on some knowledge and experience. For example, the preferences and weaknesses of certain ghosts and monsters, how to burn incense to communicate with gods, and the procedures for rituals etc. These things do not require spiritual energy and can be effective even for ordinary people with sincere hearts or those exorcists without any Daoist skills at all.
These things could be called Daoist arts, methods, or a kind of skill, but to call them magic would be somewhat inaccurate.
Other places with magic traditions mostly had some simple magic.
Such as communicating with spirits, exorcizing evil, and seeing gods.
These are not profound methods.
Many common folks also knew them.
Several decades ago, Fuqing Temple was like this, not common but unremarkable among the temples on Qingcheng Mountain. Later, they formed a connection with Hidden Dragon Temple. Only then did they become publicly recognized for having true traditions and true masters. Even though those few largest temples on Qingcheng Mountain were more famous, were larger in scale and had more people than Fuqing Palace, they would come out even when it came to debating Daoism. However, Fuqing Temple would always prevail when it came to magic battles.
From then on, Fuqing Temple began to gradually flourish.
Its scale and reputation still did not match those few ancient temples which were a few hundred or a thousand years old, and it was inferior when it came to debating Daoist classics and Daoist principles. However, it's Daoist arts had few rivals on Qingcheng Mountain.
Due to this, Yingfeng and Chuyun were afraid of not entertaining Song You appropriately. They knew that being scolded when they went back was a minor issue, but being discourteous was a major one.
Talking while walking, they didn’t feel tired and soon reached the mountain top.
The weather was indeed nice that day.
However, Qingcheng Mountain was not very high. Without fog at the foot of the mountain and mist amassing after rain, they would not see a sea of clouds. Chuyun's mention of cloud-watching referred to looking at the clouds in the sky.
Song You also loved watching clouds, especially while lying down.
With overripe Chinese gooseberries the size of pigeon eggs from the mountain, and steamed buns with pickled vegetable fillings, it was truly delightful.
“Senior Daoist Brother, have you heard this line of poetry saying ‘In the mountains, there is no time, and a year is a cycle of sixty years.’ before?”
“I have.”
“Do such immortal mountains truly exist in the world?”
“I haven't seen them.”
“Daoist Elder Duoxing has traveled widely. Has she seen them?”
“I don't think so.”
“If that's the case, then it's just a legend.” The girl in the Daoist robe seemed a bit disappointed, as if her notions about immortals in her heart and dreams had diminished somewhat.
Song You neither confirmed nor denied.
Time cannot be reversed, and reclaiming youth is difficult. However, if it was slowing down time, even in his previous world there were sufficient theories to support it, not to mention in this world.
From what he had learned and seen, it was also profoundly mysterious and it’s hard to say.
He just nibbled his steamed bun and enjoyed watching the clouds.
The clouds at that moment looked like light feathers spread across the blue sky.
“Senior Daoist Brother indeed seems content.”
“I am a bit tired.”
“Junior Sister and I will go find some fruit. We'll stay here until dusk and watch the sunset before going back. Since you are tired, you can just wait here.”
“Alright.”
The two laughed and went to look for fruit.
They hadn't found any fruit when they saw a red glow on a distant mountain. Thick billowing smoke rose, rushing up the sky like a dragon.
“There's a fire!” Daoist priest Yingfeng cried out in alarm.
Apparently, yesterday's light rain had only fallen halfway up the mountain.
However, the fire was fanned by the wind and spread rapidly in a twinkling of an eye, leaving behind a large black scar. Seeing this, the consequences were unimaginable if it continued like this. However, it was a natural disaster. Their cultivation levels were low. Moreover, Daoist cultivators were not immortals. How could they extinguish the mountain fire with mere mortal powers?
The two of them were immediately anxious but helpless.
Just then, a voice came from behind. “Daoist friends, don't worry.”
They turned their heads to see that Senior Daoist Brother Song had already stood up. He brushed off the grass bits and mud from his body and gazed at the mountain fire like them, but without any panic.
The mountain fire wreaked havoc and caused great destruction to living things, so it naturally needed to be extinguished.
“End!” He waved his hand and pointed out a white star.
The white star crossed the sky and fell into the fire. The fire's energy was contained, and the mountain fire instantly contracted as if affected and disappeared in the twinkling of an eye. Not even a spark or smoke remained. If it weren't for the large area of withered grass and ashes left behind, one might think it had never happened.
The two of them looked at each other, momentarily breathless.
They immediately understood why Fuqing Temple had developed to its current scale, but still treated visitors from Hidden Dragon Temple with utmost respect.
They even went to seek advice every year.
It turned out it wasn't just about courtesy and gratitude.
For the rest of the afternoon, the two of them were reverent and respectful, even more well-behaved than when they were in front of their masters or the temple owner.
It wasn't until after dusk that the three of them descended the mountain.
However, when they returned to the Daoist temple, their respective masters asked how they had gotten along and if they had made any connections. They didn't know how to respond. They felt that this Daoist friend Song had even more profound cultivation skills than the previous owner of Hidden Dragon Temple who had first descended the mountain decades ago and whom they had heard about from their masters.
From Song You’s day of interaction with the two, he found them to be good people, at least for now. Unfortunately, Song You was unwilling to make friends. He couldn't choose whom to be close to or whom to distance himself from. He was destined to be unable to provide a choice for the future successor of Fuqing Temple.
After dinner in the evening, Song You took out the letter he had prepared and said to Guanghuazi. “Brother, I have one more request.”
“Hmm?”
“A season has passed since I left. I've written a letter and would like to ask you to deliver it next spring.”
“I see.” Guanghuazi took the letter and carefully put it away.
1. The character “Fu” in “Fulong” can mean either “hidden” or “subdue”. ☜
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