Chapter 37: Chapter Thirty-Six: Temporary Residence Permit

The two had not yet descended the mountain when someone came seeking them the next day.

When the visitor arrived to pay respects, Liu Xiaolou was hunting below the mountain; as he returned carrying a fat wild boar on his shoulder pole, the man blocked his path on the trail.

“You must be Liu Xiaolou, the one Star De Jun spoke of?” The man, around forty, sported a mustache split left and right above his lips, sizing Liu Xiaolou up with narrowed eyes.

“Who might you be?” Liu Xiaolou looked puzzled.

“I am Hou Sheng, Patrol Officer of the Azure Jade Sect,” the man said, one hand behind his back, the other stroking his mustache.

Liu Xiaolou quickly set down his pole and bowed respectfully: “Greetings, Officer Hou!”

The Azure Jade Sect resides on Junshan Island in the center of Dongtinghu, just two li to the east—a famed cultivation haven of the realm. Ranked among the great sects, it outshines the Zhanglong Sect of Xiangxi, the Dongyang Sect of Xiangnan, and the Lu clan of Tianmu Mountain; its Patrol Officers are typically inner-disciple cultivators assigned to investigate cases—their cultivation may not be high, but to Liu Xiaolou, they were utterly untouchable, backed as they were by the entire sect.

“You’re a lone cultivator from Wulong Mountain in Xiangxi?” Officer Hou asked.

“Yes,” Liu Xiaolou answered honestly, as honestly as he had with the Zhanglong Sect’s Patrol Officer. On such minor points, dishonesty was impossible—they could inspect at any moment; if caught lying, they might simply attach you to one of their pending cases, and that would be trouble indeed.

“Where on Wulong Mountain do you cultivate?”

“Respectful Officer Hou, I cultivate on Qianzhu Ridge.”

“Tell me, what mountain lies northwest of Qianzhu Ridge? What lies northeast? Who are your neighbors?”

Was this interrogation? Verifying whether he fabricated his background?

Liu Xiaolou’s journey had been open and aboveboard; he had no reason to lie, so he answered each question plainly.

Officer Hou made no comment on his answers—he likely didn’t know the mountains or inhabitants around Qianzhu Ridge anyway—but warned: “I will verify your claims. Better you’ve told the truth.”

Liu Xiaolou sighed helplessly: “Officer, feel free to investigate—ask anyone on Wulong Mountain, and you’ll know.”

Then Officer Hou asked about Liu Xiaolou’s purpose for coming to Xingde Mountain, how long he intended to stay, and added: “As lone cultivators, since you’ve come, behave properly. Don’t entertain any foolish ideas—if you do, the Azure Jade Sect won’t let you off easily!”

Unjustly stopped and interrogated, Liu Xiaolou could only swallow his anger and keep nodding: “Yes.”

Officer Hou asked further: “Have you seen any suspicious individuals lately?”

“When you say ‘suspicious,’ you mean...”

“Those of unknown origin, hiding their faces, skulking around... that sort of thing.”

“I haven’t seen any. If I do, I’ll report it to you immediately.”

Officer Hou nodded, mused: “The Azure Jade Sect is purging the Peach Source Mountains—anyone of unknown origin must be driven out to ensure regional peace. You’re fortunate Star De Jun vouched for you, but if you wish to reside here long-term, you must register and obtain a Temporary Residence Permit.”

He patted his waist.

Only then did Liu Xiaolou notice the string of small wooden plaques hanging from his belt—he instantly understood: “May I ask, Officer, what is the usual fee?”

The Azure Jade Sect’s move was no different from the Zhanglong Sect’s dominance over Xiangxi—every three or five years, the Zhanglong Sect sent officers to clear out “unknown origin” wandering cultivators; Liu Xiaolou knew the drill well.

Officer Hou nodded, as if impressed by his quick understanding, his tone softening into a smile: “Twenty taels of pure silver.”

This emptied Liu Xiaolou’s entire purse; after paying, he received the wooden plaque, inscribed with characters: “Permitted Temporary Residence in Peach Source Mountains.”

Officer Hou departed satisfied. Liu Xiaolou spat fiercely onto the ground: “What a piece of trash!”

Back at Xingde Temple, Star De Jun warned Liu Xiaolou: “Don’t leave the mountain these two days—the Azure Jade Sect has run into trouble and is searching for suspicious wandering cultivators. Though I vouched for you, I can’t guarantee your safety—if you encounter a stranger from the Azure Jade Sect alone and I’m not around, you’ll suffer.”

Liu Xiaolou asked: “Do the Peach Source Mountains fall under the Azure Jade Sect’s protection?”

Star De Jun replied: “This land lies between two sects’ spheres—west lies the Lu clan of Tianmu Mountain, east lies the Azure Jade Sect of Dongtinghu. When trouble arises, both claim jurisdiction; when nothing happens, neither cares.”

Liu Xiaolou asked again: “What trouble has the Azure Jade Sect encountered?”

Star De Jun shook his head: “A wandering cultivator raided the Zhou family a few days ago. The Zhou family is a cultivation clan allied with the Azure Jade Sect, wealthy and well-established—they suffered heavy losses. Rumor says a certain Wang clan leader gathered these bandits... these scoundrels...”

Liu Xiaolou fell silent. Had Wang Laoda issued another Heroic Invitation?

He felt a pang of longing—too bad he hadn’t received Dai Sanren’s invitation; from Star De Jun’s tone, the Zhou family was clearly a fat target...

“Xiaolou? Xiaolou?” Star De Jun asked. “What are you daydreaming about? Do you know anything about these bandits?”

Liu Xiaolou quickly denied: “I have no information, Elder. You know I’ve stayed in this temple for over half a month. These villains rob the rich... plundering everywhere—they’re truly despicable! If I knew anything, I’d report it to the Azure Jade Sect immediately—I’d never let them roam free!”

Star De Jun stroked his beard: “Actually... you don’t need to.”

“Huh? What do you mean, Elder?”

“The men who run the Zhou family aren’t good people. They deserve to suffer a little.”

“The Zhou family aren’t good people? So that’s it...”

“The Zhou family has good people too—but the ones in charge aren’t.”

“I... understand...”

So Liu Xiaolou avoided the mountainside, skipping his hunting. One wild boar weighed a hundred jin—hard to spoil in winter—and would last Star De Jun well.

Several days passed. Star De Jun felt his injuries had healed seven or eight tenths, and finally called Liu Xiaolou to accompany him down the mountain.

On the way down, he led Liu Xiaolou off the path into the woods, arriving at a mountain hollow: “Have you ever seen rooster-blood stone?”

Liu Xiaolou nodded: “Its texture is like wax, its color like blood.”

Star De Jun nodded: “Then you know its use?”

Liu Xiaolou said: “It contains cinnabar. I’ve heard it’s used in elixir refining.”

Star De Jun said: “Cinnabar facilitates communication between heaven and humanity—not just for elixirs, but also for talismans and weapon forging. Through cinnabar, true qi flows unimpeded through objects. My Xingde Mountain holds high-quality rooster-blood stone, unknown to others.”

Liu Xiaolou stared at a small cave on the hollow’s slope: “Is this it? Looks like a bear’s den.”

Star De Jun pulled out a small crane-beak hoe, about a foot long, and handed it to him: “Dig up two pieces of rooster-blood stone. Remember—don’t damage them. Rooster-blood stone is the essence of heaven and earth, alive with vitality. Once damaged, its vitality leaks. Inexperienced masters mistake it for ordinary stone, dig carelessly, even crush or grind it into powder—their cinnabar turns mediocre, useless for crafting superior magic treasures.”

Though it sounded ordinary, the secret was often this simple. Star De Jun immediately imparted true method, surprising Liu Xiaolou and filling him with solemn respect. He took the hoe and entered the cave, squeezing sideways to dig carefully, slowly prying away soil and stone grain by grain.

After an hour of labor, he unearthed two flawless pieces of rooster-blood stone, their surface dirt untouched, and handed them to Star De Jun.

Star De Jun accepted them with satisfaction and waved: “Come, next location.”