Chapter 14: Staying Overnight at a Temple

The bamboo forest rustled under the moon, and the footsteps of the crowd also rustled.

Lin Jue walked at the very front, which was truly a helpless move.

Ever since these people followed him, they refused to walk in front of him. Even if Lin Jue slowed his pace, they hurriedly slowed down to follow; even if they bumped into each other in the dark, they refused to walk in front.

At the same time, Lin Jue could feel that many people were quietly observing him.

Some, after observing him, would exchange glances with their companions.

Those who didn't quietly observe him were exactly those who often stumbled while walking; they should be people who didn't often face the situation of traveling at night, and thus didn't often drink herbal formulas like pine needle tea, suffering from night blindness.

"Little... Immortal Master..."

Finally, someone couldn't help but speak, breaking the silent atmosphere, and asked Lin Jue: "Was that a monster just now?"

"Hmm?" Lin Jue heard the voice and also breathed a sigh of relief, answering, "That was the monster that often comes out to scare people on this road."

"..."

The crowd immediately looked at each other.

Those who couldn't see held their breath and looked around in confusion.

"May I ask, Immortal Master... where did you study?" A man dressed as a merchant asked with a bow.

"I have no teacher." Lin Jue also looked left and right; even though there were many people now, he was afraid the monster was still there or that other monsters were watching from the shadows. Therefore, although he wanted to correct the title the merchants used for him and was ashamed to accept it, he held back and only said, "Everyone, stop talking and focus on the journey."

Hearing this, the crowd didn't dare to say anything more.

The atmosphere became solemn again.

Lin Jue had to say again: "Everyone, don't be afraid; with so many of us, even if a demon-ghost is sleeping on the road, it should get up and make way."

The atmosphere relaxed slightly.

Lin Jue quickened his pace and strode forward.

The crowd hurriedly followed.

As the speed increased appropriately, the crowd couldn't help but put more of their thoughts on their feet; coupled with occasional sounds of people about to fall and reminders to "be careful," the fear lessened again.

This stretch of road passed without incident.

Lin Jue also began to ponder while walking.

"Mount Yishan..."

At this moment, he finally remembered this mountain and knew why he felt it was familiar—

In the legends of Shu Village, the Third Aunt went out to play, stole immortal peaches on an immortal mountain, and after returning and eating them, she first turned into a fish and then into a mountain. That mountain where the Third Aunt went to pick the immortal peaches was called Mount Yishan.

Since there really was a Third Aunt, what about the legend?

If the legend of the Third Aunt was also true, then this Mount Yishan was truly a rare immortal mountain.

Thinking of this, Lin Jue couldn't help but ask: "Fellow gentlemen, have you ever heard of an immortal mountain nearby called Mount Yishan?"

"Yishan? Which 'Yi'?"

"Never heard of it."

"We are mere mortals..."

"Seems to have heard of it..."

"I haven't... have you heard of it?"

"Mount Yishan..."

A chaotic sound, with only two sentences that seemed useful mixed in, but because they were uncertain, the voices were extremely small.

Fortunately, the night was quiet with only the sound of footsteps, and Lin Jue heard even the smallest movement.

"Someone has heard of it?"

"Vaguely heard of it."

"Seems to have heard of it."

These two people spoke while walking.

The voices were one after another, one near and one far.

"Could you tell me about it?"

"I heard it's a famous mountain with Daoists and immortals; many of our immortal stories come from there," answered the person walking in front, closer to Lin Jue.

"Isn't Mount Yishan the mountain where the Red Emperor refined alchemy?" said the person walking further behind, stumbling, as he could be seen holding onto another person's shoulder, his eyes confused and unfocused.

"The Red Emperor refined alchemy? Are there any other legends?"

"Can't remember clearly."

"Nothing else."

"Does anyone know how to get to Mount Yishan?"

"That doesn't leave a deep impression; it shouldn't be too far," said the person walking in front.

"Mount Yishan is very remote, and the road is difficult to travel. Since ancient times, those who seek immortality and ask about the Dao, or burn incense and worship gods, all go to Mount Qiyun... *Ouch*... no one goes to Mount Yishan," said the person walking behind, nearly falling in the middle, and someone stepped into a puddle, splashing a lot of water. "I only know a general direction; if the Immortal Master wants to go, you might only be able to ask as you go."

"How do I get there?"

"After passing Dan'gu County, first go toward Mount Qiyun, walk two hundred miles, then go south. There is no government road there; only small paths walked by Daoists on the mountain and local people."

"Thank you."

Speaking of this, the road ahead became significantly wider, and by the moonlight, a temple could be vaguely seen in the distance.

Perhaps knowing that someone was traveling at night due to mountain rain, in order to welcome and guide them, the monks of the temple lit a lamp at the gate, which was the only point of light on this mountain road.

"We've arrived!"

"Arrived, arrived..."

"Immortal Master! We've arrived!"

The crowd immediately became excited.

Those who couldn't see at night also hurriedly asked those around them where they were and how much further it was.

"Whew..."

Lin Jue breathed a sigh of relief again.

And it was only then that he said seriously: "I am no Immortal Master, and I have no Daoist cultivation. Just now on the road, I was just lucky to shock and scare away that monster. Along the way, I was afraid a monster was eavesdropping, which is why I didn't correct your title, and I am ashamed to accept it, but from now on, you must not call me Immortal Master again!"

"Ah?"

The crowd was surprised and puzzled.

Lin Jue urged them repeatedly before moving forward toward the temple.

Only then did these merchants and travelers become brave; someone took the initiative to step forward and lightly knock on the door, and soon a monk holding a lamp came to open it.

"Fellow benefactors, are you here to stay the night?"

"Exactly."

"Are there still people behind?"

"Perhaps there are."

"Please come in quickly." The monk said while welcoming them in, "There was a rain this afternoon, and there are exceptionally many people staying the night tonight, many more than usual; the rooms are far from enough."

"We'll just squeeze in! Traveling outside, why care so much? Little master, please go first!"

Even though Lin Jue had already said he was no Immortal Master and had no Daoist cultivation, these merchants still admired his actions greatly, and having been led by him for a stretch, they still treated him with extra respect.

"You are too kind."

Lin Jue moved forward, following the monk holding the lamp, and walked into the temple.

While walking, he observed the temple and the monk.

The monk was a very ordinary middle-aged monk, not tall or fat, and the fabric of his monk's robe was also very ordinary. This temple was also not a very large one, and the decorations and furnishings of the tiled walls were somewhat old. At this time, there were already many people staying the night inside, and it was already very late, yet these monks had actually gotten up to cook porridge for these people. At this time, many early-arriving travelers were sitting or standing in the courtyard, at the doors of rooms, or under the eaves, holding coarse pottery bowls and carefully slurping hot porridge.

This scene made one feel very at ease.

Lin Jue smelled the fragrance of the porridge.

The sound of slurping also made one's mouth water.

Asking these travelers on the way here, this temple seemed to be just an ordinary temple, and because it was built halfway and accepted travelers, it had more of a "copper coin" flavor than most temples; it was a bit like being both a monk and running a hostel. He hadn't heard of any "high-level monk with the Dao" in this temple, nor had he heard of any monk here knowing any magic.

*Gurgle gurgle... *

Lin Jue's stomach began to growl.

At this moment, he happened to be in the middle of the temple, and Lin Jue looked back at the mule he was leading, with a look of reluctance in his eyes.

A mule is truly a perfect inheritance of the advantages of both a horse and a donkey; it is as sturdy and durable as a donkey, and has a carrying capacity close to that of a horse. Walking with this book satchel on his back was truly slow; if he had such a mule to help, the journey would be much easier.

Perhaps he wouldn't have had to travel at night tonight.

It was very likely he would have arrived before the rain.

"Alas..."

Lin Jue sighed, then stopped his steps, no longer hesitating, and looked up and shouted loudly: "Who lost a mule on the road tonight?"

The night was already quiet, and the voice traveled far.

As the words fell, the whole temple became quiet.

What? Lost a mule halfway?

The price of a mule is not low.

Some good mules can even sell for more than a packhorse.

Many gazes swept over.

But while they were thinking and brewing, someone had already stumbled out of a room.

His foot tripped on the door frame, and he crawled out several steps away.

The monk leading the way was originally stunned, but after roughly figuring out what happened, he looked back at Lin Jue, then raised the lamp forward to light the way for that person.

The person who came over was a middle-aged man.

Not tall, with three strands of beard.

It was exactly that "Yao San."

At this moment, his expression was somewhat similar to the previous Yao San, at least in terms of the fear on his face, but besides the fear that hadn't left, his face was also mixed with regret, heartache, self-blame, and many other complex emotions; when he saw the mule, he became excited.

"Mine! I lost my mule!"

"..."

Lin Jue had originally intended to ask how it was lost, but seeing this face and his expression, he had nothing more to say, and simply handed over the rein:

"Met it on the road, returning it to you."

"This..."

That person didn't know how to speak for a moment.

"Congratulations, benefactor, for recovering what was lost; now you can eat. Hurry and lead the mule to the stable in the back." The monk smiled and urged while holding the lamp, then turned around again to look at Song You; unknowingly, his demeanor and behavior were even more respectful than before. "Benefactor, to have such character at such a young age is truly admirable."

"I dare not accept it; it is only what should be done."

"Benefactor should be an honored guest of our temple."

"I dare not, I dare not."

"Benefactor is too polite." The monk made a gesture of invitation, "Please continue to follow me, fellow benefactors; our temple knows that everyone has had a hard night journey, so we specially cooked white porridge to fill everyone's stomachs."

The crowd hurriedly walked inside, mostly in their thirties or forties, yet they were still like on the road, letting Lin Jue walk in front with one word after another. ===== CHAPTER 15 =====