Chapter 194: Strange Encounter in the Barren Mountains

The autumn wind was bleak, the chaotic clouds were like ink, and between the wild forests of the barren mountains stood three Daoists who did not even know where they had wandered.

Before them was a cluster of silvergrass, long since withered and yellow, its flower spikes like tangled fluff, with a few sparrows perched upon it.

Then, one of the Daoists was seen bowing to the sparrows.

Sparrows, as a species of bird, though common and disliked by many, are actually quite cute.

Although they lack slender, elegant bodies and brilliant, flashy feathers, they are round and plump all over, with simple and plain colors, and a pair of small, dark, glistening eyes that stared straight at the bowing Daoist below, as well as the two others waiting a little further behind.

Some of the more vigilant ones focused their gaze on the white fox and the colored civet on the donkey's back.

Yet, out of trust for this Daoist, they remained.

"We are Daoists from Mount Yishan. We have no ill intent; we simply lost our way while walking here and do not know which way to go. Seeing that it is about to rain, and there is no place to lodge in these barren mountains..."

Lin Jue roughly knew that the sparrows did not understand where Mount Yishan was or what a Daoist was, but out of courtesy, he still explained in detail, which was also a way to express his own kindness and respect:

"So I would like to ask you fellow Daoists, is there any place nearby where people live, or a place where we could lodge?"

Although the few sparrows were not scared away by him, they all revealed looks of confusion and looked at each other.

"That is, a place where we can spend the night, sleep, and take shelter from the wind and rain." Lin Jue had no choice but to explain again, paused slightly, and added, "A place for three people as big as us to spend the night and sleep."

"It would be best if there were a meal to eat," the Third Shixiong added from behind.

Although Lin Jue was helpless, he still relayed it truthfully:

"It would be best if there were also a meal."

The few sparrows seemed to have understood only then, and turned their heads again, but they were chirping and whispering to each other.

"Chirp, chirp!"

Finally, one sparrow chirped twice and turned its head to look in a direction towards the southwest.

Lin Jue looked in the direction indicated by its beak.

There lay a stretch of barren mountains.

But upon closer inspection, between the wild grasses of the barren mountains, there seemed to be a faint, hard-to-detect thin line, like a small path covered by wild grass.

"Thank..."

Before Lin Jue could say anything, a gust of autumn wind blew, causing the silvergrass cluster to sway wildly. The sparrows naturally could not stand steady and hurriedly flapped their wings to fly up.

Once they flew, they did not land again, but flew higher and higher, soon turning into a few small dots on the horizon, no longer visible.

"Thank you, everyone."

Lin Jue had no choice but to raise his voice and shout.

He did not know how far this voice could travel in the wind.

Withdrawing his gaze, the Junior Xiao Shimei and Third Shixiong had already arrived by his side, and the fox and the colored civet also walked over, constantly looking back at the sparrows in the sky.

"They pointed out a direction for me, saying that it might be the place we are looking for." Lin Jue pointed to that mountain forest and said again, "There seems to be a small path trodden by people in that stretch of wild grass, but it is not often walked, and it is almost covered by wild grass."

The fox and the colored civet looked in the direction he pointed, took a glance, and then looked back at the direction the sparrows flew off to.

Lin Jue tapped Good Fuyao on the head:

"That is a kind-hearted bird that pointed the way for us; you must not have any crooked ideas."

Seeing this, the Junior Xiao Shimei also looked at the colored civet, stretched out her hand wanting to imitate her Shixiong, but could not bear to, so she had to hold the colored civet's head and rub it fiercely, imitating him and saying:

"That is a kind-hearted bird that pointed the way for us; you must not have any crooked ideas!"

"Hehe, Shidi's skill is really useful. If it weren't for the fact that I have no talent in this, I would have wanted to learn this 'Gathering Beasts and Controlling Birds' to the point of entry." Third Shixiong said with a smile, looking up at the direction Lin Jue pointed and the faint trace in the grassland, "Let's go, I see that is also a path; I reckon it leads to some abandoned village or a barren temple."

"Those few sparrows won't lie to us, will they?" the Junior Xiao Shimei asked.

"They won't. They are not that smart; at most, they just don't understand our words, or they made a mistake themselves, causing a misunderstanding." Lin Jue said, "Besides, the method of Gathering Beasts and Controlling Birds is inherently about friendly communication with birds and beasts. If they could lie to us, this spell would not work."

"So that's how it is."

The Junior Xiao Shimei nodded and muttered, and then told them:

"There used to be some sparrows on Mount Yishan, and they all became spirits. When I was repairing the road, they often flew to the side to watch me. Sometimes it was a few sparrows, and sometimes they turned into a few little people wearing gray-hemp yellow clothes, about the same size as the sparrows. When it rained, they would even use large tree leaves or lotus leaves as umbrellas."

The three of them followed that direction, and with the help of the fox, soon arrived before a stretch of withered yellow grassland.

At the same time, they found that faint trace in the grassland.

The three of them distinguished it for a while and felt that this should be a path.

It was just not a path deliberately built, but a small path trodden solid by people stepping on the grass. The small path was narrow to begin with, and was eroded by wild grass, making it difficult to distinguish.

Where there is a path, there must be a household.

The three of them led the donkey and horse, pushing aside the grass to walk.

In spring and summer, the vegetation grew wildly, and it was expected that this place was also a stretch of green wilderness at that time. Now it had turned into a stretch of withered plains, and on both sides of the road were grasses like silk, hanging down to the height of a person's knees, and there were also some silvergrass scattered about.

At dusk, the light was dim, and when the wind blew, the carpet-like wild grass was suddenly lifted into waves, and the silvergrass also swayed constantly; the whole world was filled with the sound of wind.

Added to that was the Junior Xiao Shimei's voice, dispelling the loneliness and boredom on the road. If it weren't for the fact that it was going to rain at night, I'm afraid it wouldn't be bad to keep walking like this.

Not long after, the three of them encountered another fox.

It was a very ordinary red fox, with fur mainly gray-hemp and yellow, quite similar to Good Fuyao before it changed color.

As soon as Good Fuyao saw it, it stared straight at it.

The fox was also constantly sizing up Good Fuyao.

Lin Jue still bowed sincerely, reported his name, explained the situation, and asked it: "I wonder where there is a place where the three of us can lodge for the night? It would be best if it were a place that can accept us and is safe enough."

The fox was a bit smarter, so Lin Jue also asked more complexly.

Then this fox was seen tilting its head, its eyes flickering, clearly revealing a look of thought, and then it turned its head, also looking in the direction the sparrows had pointed earlier, and even raised a front paw, as if pointing the way for them.

"Many thanks."

Lin Jue still thanked it and continued to walk in that direction.

The Third Shixiong and Junior Xiao Shimei followed behind, while the fox hopped in the sea of wind-blown grass, its figure appearing and disappearing from time to time.

"In about a quarter of an hour, it will be dark, and in another two quarters of an hour, it will rain." Lin Jue said.

"So accurate?"

"Alchemy technique."

The sky indeed darkened not long after, and the wind at this time suddenly became even more clamorous.

The three Daoists, one horse, and two donkeys lined up in a long queue, carrying a small lantern, which was a small point of light in the dark world, constantly walking forward.

The world is vast, the rivers and lakes are wide, and at this moment, they also had a sense of freedom.

Except for the fact that they hadn't seen any sign of human habitation for a long time.

Until they climbed over the small slope before them—

With the help of the fading daylight, they could still see the undulating mountain ranges in the distance, all turned into silhouettes, but in the mountain hollow below, there were a few houses with lights on.

It looked like a small village.

"Hey! These people really know how to find a place. This spot not only avoids the wind but also avoids people. I'm afraid even the tax collectors can't find it, right?" Third Shixiong said with a smile.

Lin Jue had already stepped down the mountain. A chill hit his head; a raindrop had already fallen.

Gradually, they walked to those few households.

The three of them felt strange at this moment.

It wasn't that this place was particularly eerie or terrifying, or particularly dilapidated and scary, but that these houses were too exquisite and luxurious.

Normally, ordinary mountain villages rarely lit lamps at night, and even if they lit a reading lamp, placed it in a room, and closed the doors and windows, it wouldn't necessarily be visible from afar. But this village had lanterns lit in every household. Under the bright lights, it reflected houses like pavilions and palaces, with carved beams and painted rafters, very beautiful.

The three of them couldn't help but look at each other, both having doubts in their hearts.

It was just that there was no evil aura here, and Lin Jue thought that those few sparrows and that fox wouldn't deceive him and deliberately lead him into a dangerous situation, so his heart eased a little, and he walked into the village.

And at this time, the wind and rain were indeed a bit heavy. Everyone was under the eaves, and they could already hear the sound of increasingly dense raindrops.

"This place is built with care. Since they know the form of human houses, they must know human principles and etiquette. If it's not a case of a dove occupying a magpie's nest, then it can't be a wild monster." Third Shixiong said based on his own experience, "Perhaps it is the residence of a mountain deity."

"Whoosh..."

A gust of wind blew, causing them to move closer to a pavilion.

But unexpectedly, just at this moment, the door opened.

"Creak~~"

The room was brightly lit, and the light suddenly shone out, pulling the shadows of the few people into the pitch-black rain curtain outside.

The few people turned their heads to look at the same time.

They only saw that inside was a relatively spacious main hall, with candle stands all around, placed on the ground and inserted into the walls, all lit with candle flames, illuminating the hall brightly, and many red curtains were hung in the light.

In the innermost part was a table, on which were placed some fruits and a cup of wine, and a beautiful woman dressed in loose red clothes sat before the table, with two women serving beside her.

Seeing the people outside, the three people in the room all looked over, somewhat surprised.

Lin Jue and the other two also looked at each other.

Finally, Lin Jue stood out and bowed, saying:

"We are Daoists from Fuqiu Temple on Mount Yishan, disciples of Daoist Yunhe. We originally had no intention of disturbing you, but it is truly because we were rushing on a night journey to Qingyan County, were unfamiliar with the route, and upon arriving here, found that there were no village shops before or behind us, and the heavens were not kind, so we asked the birds and wild foxes by the roadside where we could lodge, and finally found our way here. If there is any presumption, please forgive us."

"Where is Mount Yishan?"

Although the woman was in this place and only had two maids beside her, she did not show much fear when facing three strangers; instead, she was more vigilant.

"In Huizhou."

"Huizhou? I heard it's not close."

"We are going to the capital."

"The capital..."

The woman's gaze sized them up one by one. Except for a quick glance at the colored civet and the horse, she even paused for a few breaths at Good Fuyao and the two paper donkeys. At the same time, she lazily picked up a few fruit grains like rubies from the plate, put them into her mouth, and thought slowly:

"It sounds like you are here to take shelter from the wind and rain?"

Lin Jue couldn't help but look back, exchanged glances with the Third Shixiong and the Junior Xiao Shimei, and then said: "We hope to seek a side room to allow the three of us to lodge here for one night, and we will leave early tomorrow morning."

"Forget it, forget it. In this place of mine, ordinary people can't find their way here, and even if they come here, they can't see it. You have come from afar and are guests, and walking here is fate. It just so happens that I have been here alone for more than ten years and am very bored, so I will entertain you for one night." The woman said, and instructed the maid beside her, "Go and prepare some wine and food."

"Yes."

That maid then left.

Another maid walked over with lotus steps to invite them into the room.

"Give the donkeys and horses to the servant."

"There's no need for the donkeys."

After Lin Jue finished speaking, he unloaded the donkeys' luggage, moved it to the doorway, called out "Donkeys, return," and the paper donkeys turned back into paper sheets and flew back into his hands.

The Junior Xiao Shimei also summoned back her paper donkey. As soon as it was in her hand, she immediately worriedly wiped the water stains on it.

The woman in the room had her eyes light up and sized up Lin Jue: "So you really are three fellow Daoists who know magic. No wonder you look extraordinary. Please sit, please sit."

The maid first brought over cushions, and then brought over a table.

The maid who had gone out earlier returned, carrying a tray in her hand, on which were a pot of wine, three cups, and a fruit plate, on which were placed a few pomegranates.

The maid stopped beside them and put down the items on the tray one by one. Lin Jue even lent a hand.

But after putting them down, she didn't leave, but took out a small knife from her bosom.

The three of them had all caught demons and eliminated ghosts, and had experienced sneak attacks, so their reactions were very fast, instantly staring at the maid's hand. But the maid only picked up a pomegranate, skillfully made a few cuts on it with the small knife, and then peeled open the pomegranate, revealing the bright red, jewel-like fruit flesh inside.

After breaking it open, she exerted force, and the fruit grains fell one after another.

The maid then filled their wine, and only then did she withdraw.

"Fellow Daoists, first eat some appetizers and drink a cup of water-wine to warm your bodies. The meal will be here soon."

The woman above had been sizing them up, as if she hadn't seen people for a long time, and was very curious and enthusiastic.

The Third Shixiong and Junior Xiao Shimei both looked at Lin Jue.

Lin Jue also immediately understood—

Although they had now learned the method of consumption and had a certain resistance to poison, they were ultimately not as accomplished as Lin Jue. And this kind of place and this woman were both extraordinary at first glance, so naturally, they had to be more cautious.

Therefore, Lin Jue was also very cautious, picked up a small grain, put it into his mouth, and savored it carefully.

The tip of his nose had a rich pomegranate fragrance, which was very pleasant to smell, and the pomegranate seeds were even more juicy with a light bite, filling his lips and teeth.

"Sweet!"

Lin Jue said with a smile.

Only then did the Third Shixiong and Junior Xiao Shimei move, picking up pomegranates and stuffing them into their mouths.

"It was originally a wild tree in another part of the mountains. After I came here, I transplanted it and took care of it carefully, and it didn't let me down." The woman said, as if she regarded Lin Jue as the leader of the three, so she kept looking at him. After finishing, she asked curiously, "Daoist just said, how did you find your way here?"

"We asked the birds and wild foxes in the mountains, and they pointed the way for us."

"Daoist is a human, how can you understand the words of birds and wild foxes?"

"I have my own magic."

"So that's how it is." The woman said, "I haven't asked the Daoists yet, how should I address you?"

"I am Lin Jue, courtesy name Wuzhi."

"This poor Daoist's surname is Li, secular name Miaolin."

"Liu Qingyao."

The three of them stood up one after another and reported their names. ===== CHAPTER 195 =====