Chapter 33

The tall-breasted girl is Jiang Shishi, and the long-legged girl is Xiao Ya.

Both are senior students in the Folk Music Department of Yanjing Music Academy; Jiang Shishi plays the pipa, Xiao Ya plays the guzheng, and currently both are interning with the Yanjing National Orchestra, touring nationwide with a team—last time in Yangcheng, now in Rongcheng.

“Impressive—you’re a musician!” Gu Zhao praised. “The Yanjing National Orchestra is amazing!”

Gu Zhao didn’t need to investigate—any name directly bearing “Yanjing” with no strange middle terms had to be a state-run institution, a guaranteed iron rice bowl.

“What musician? Just scraping by,” Jiang Shishi shook her head. “The competition in the Yanjing National Orchestra is too fierce—we might not even get to stay.”

As Gu Zhao explained to the two girls, he chatted casually with them.

“Xiao Ya’s grandfather is unwell, so whenever we reach a new city, she visits the local famous Daoist temple to pray for his health,” Jiang Shishi counted off on her fingers. “We’ve already been to Bai Yunguan in Yanjing, Bixia Yuan Temple in Quancheng, Baopu Academy in Lincheng, Yuanfa Palace in Yangcheng, and now Qingyang Palace.”

Gu Zhao couldn’t help asking, “Just Daoist temples?”

Jiang Shishi laughed. “Because Xiao Ya’s grandfather is a Daoist.”

“Not exactly a Daoist,” Xiao Ya interjected. “Grandfather says he never received formal initiation.”

“Still close enough—I visited your home last time and saw your grandfather in a Daoist robe chatting with another old Daoist,” Jiang Shishi hugged Xiao Ya.

Xiao Ya nodded, then released Jiang Shishi, knelt on the mat inside the Three Pure Ones Hall, formed the Zi-Wu gesture, and bowed reverently before the Three Pure Ones, her posture precise, her expression devout.

Gu Zhao watched from the side, then heard a chime nearby—the female Daoist priest who struck the bell looked at Xiao Ya with gentle eyes.

Then her gaze turned indifferent, as another middle-aged woman knelt beside Xiao Ya, hands clasped.

“Wow, the Twelve Golden Immortals—I know them! There’s Guangchengzi, and Taiyi True Person, Nezha’s master!” Jiang Shishi whispered in admiration.

The Three Pure Ones Hall was the largest in Qingyang Palace; flanking the central Three Pure Ones were six golden statues on each side—the Twelve Golden Immortals from Fengshen Yanyi.

Gu Zhao told the two girls stories about the Twelve Golden Immortals, introducing their disciples and magic treasures—like Guangchengzi’s Fantian Yin and Taiyi True Person’s Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover.

Honestly, compared to Journey to the West, where even Zhenyuanzi was tricked, the Daoist immortals in Fengshen Yanyi—both their titles and their treasures—sounded incredibly powerful.

After touring the Doumu Hall, Jade Emperor Hall, and Tang King Hall, Xiao Ya drew a divination slip in the Jade Emperor Hall, and the three then rested at the tea garden east of the Tang King Hall.

“With you as our guide, visiting Daoist temples is way more interesting than doing it ourselves,” Jiang Shishi ordered three vegetarian meals and a pot of tea.

Gu Zhao didn’t refuse. “Because I’m also a lay Daoist.”

Jiang Shishi remembered their previous encounter and teased, “Have you encountered any female ghosts again? Did the Five Thunder Talismans work?”

Gu Zhao sighed. “Not just female ghosts—I saw a child ghost and an old man ghost too. If my cultivation base hadn’t been decent, I might be dead by now.”

Both girls laughed. Jiang Shishi said seriously, “Next time you meet a ghost, take me along—I’ve never seen one in my life!”

Xiao Ya worried Jiang Shishi might keep teasing, so she changed the subject. “Just now in the Jade Emperor Hall, I felt you explained the divination slip better than the Daoist priest did.”

Earlier, Xiao Ya and Jiang Shishi had drawn and sought interpretation of their divination slips in the Jade Emperor Hall; the Daoist priest had been impatient, dismissing them with two sentences—later, Gu Zhao took the slips and explained them properly.

Gu Zhao looked at the slips in their hands. “Most temples use the Lüzu Divination Slips—I remember Yuanfa Palace uses them too. These are definitely the exclusive divination slips of the Quanzhen Sect; I know them well.”

“Not this one,” Xiao Ya said. “The slip I drew at Baopu Academy in Lincheng was the Baopu Divination Slip.”

Gu Zhao realized Xiao Ya had some understanding of Daoism, but like Qingyang Palace’s tone, it was limited.

So he explained: “Baopu Academy is a Lingbao Sect temple, part of the Zhengyi Sect. If they dared use Lüzu Divination Slips, it would be heresy—betraying their ancestors.”

“Huh?” Xiao Ya and Jiang Shishi didn’t understand. “Isn’t Lü Dongbin a famous Daoist?”

Gu Zhao explained: “But Lü Dongbin was a Tang Dynasty figure, one of the Northern Five Ancestors of Quanzhen. The Zhengyi Sect’s Three Mountains Talismans date back to the Jin Dynasty.”

“So Quanzhen appeared later than Zhengyi?” Jiang Shishi asked.

“Much later,” Gu Zhao said.

“But Quanzhen temples seem more numerous?” Xiao Ya asked.

“That’s the advantage of being late,” Gu Zhao smiled. “Zhengyi focuses on spirit invocation and talismans, sitting still for long periods. Quanzhen refines Qi into Golden Core, combining movement and stillness—probably healthier than Zhengyi.”

“Hahaha, you talk so interestingly!” Jiang Shishi burst into laughter, then asked curiously, “By the way, are you Quanzhen or Zhengyi?”

Xiao Ya knew a little. “Five Thunder Talismans—aren’t those Zhengyi?”

“The Southern School of Internal Alchemy also has Thunder Methods,” Gu Zhao explained, then clenched his fist. “Adults don’t pick options—I’m all of them.”

Jiang Shishi raised an eyebrow. “So your body must be in great shape?”

Suddenly hit with this, Gu Zhao was caught off guard—but before he could think of a reply, Jiang Shishi continued: “So tomorrow, come with us to Qingcheng Mountain, okay?”

“We’ll save on tour guide fees—we’ll treat you to a big meal,” Jiang Shishi gave him a heart gesture.

“You’re really devout!” Gu Zhao looked at the two girls and chuckled. “Don’t girls usually go shopping, get manicures, skincare?”

Jiang Shishi hugged Xiao Ya. “Do you think we need skincare right now? As for shopping…”

The two girls exchanged glances and said together: “No money!”

They were joking, of course—Gu Zhao could tell their clothes were high quality; clearly they weren’t poor, just well-bred and without any desire for comparison.

“Sure,” Gu Zhao had no objection. Though he intended to seek the Golden Vajra Talisman at Longhu Tian Shan, a visit to Qingcheng Mountain first was fine—especially with two beautiful girls.

“Then add each other on WeChat—meet tomorrow morning!” Jiang Shishi pulled out her phone.

Since the girls took the initiative, Gu Zhao naturally didn’t refuse. He added them as friends, then toured several side halls together, took photos with the ginseng tree from Journey to the West, and finally left Qingyang Palace, bidding farewell.

…

“That little guy’s kind of interesting. Even though his eyes keep glancing at our best features, his attitude’s still decent.”

“You’re such a female pervert—staring at where his eyes go!”

“I think he’s great. Too bad Yanjing and Yangcheng are so far apart—if not, I wouldn’t mind giving him a chance.”

“Let him fancy you first.”

“I’m gorgeous and have big boobs—why wouldn’t he want me?”

It was summer, and Jiang Shishi’s outfit was form-fitting; as she lifted her chest, it was quite a sight.

“Enough,” Xiao Ya quickly cut her off. “It’s always the unattainable that seems best. Several guys in the group chase you—why won’t you say yes?”

“You know what they’re like? All self-proclaimed artists, promiscuous,” Jiang Shishi sniffed, then leered. “But none of them are as good-looking as this little cutie—he looks like a warm little puppy.”

Xiao Ya sighed. “Maybe he’s a fierce wolf dog behind closed doors.”

“Oh yes yes, I like that too!” Jiang Shishi nodded eagerly.

Women’s private chats are even wilder than men’s—even shy Xiao Ya let slip a wolfish remark: “They say Daoists have bed techniques—watch out, he might drain your Yin to nourish his Yang.”

Jiang Shishi hugged Xiao Ya. “Then it’s up to you—we’ll team up, sisters, and suck him dry!”