Chapter 36: It's Your Good Luck to Meet Me

Refectory, breakfast.

A bowl of clear wild vegetable porridge, unlimited, one egg per person. Except for the fact that the wild vegetables were still a bit bitter, there were no other problems. However, there was also a plate of pickles in the middle, which was salty and choking, and even a bit tough to chew.

Only six people came to eat in total.

The rest had not yet woken up.

This place was also too leisurely.

It was just that Lin Jue had not yet started practicing Spirit Methods, had not started learning spells, and still needed to do morning classes. At the same time, he was not yet accustomed to such a leisurely life, and after finishing breakfast, he actually found himself with nothing to do.

"Junior brother and junior sister are free?"

"First senior brother."

"First senior brother!"

The two responded one after the other.

"You just arrived on the mountain and are not yet accustomed to life on the mountain, so I will find some things for you to do."

"First senior brother, please say the word."

"First senior brother, please speak!"

Both of their attitudes were naturally very good.

"There will be incense pilgrims coming today. One of you will stay behind and receive the incense pilgrims with me, just in time to learn how to receive them. The firewood in the temple is also running low, so the other one will go up the mountain to chop firewood."

The first senior brother looked at them with a smile.

The junior sister looked at Lin Jue for the first time.

"I will go chop firewood." Lin Jue naturally said so, "It just so happens that I brought a firewood knife up the mountain."

"Good!"

The first senior brother was not surprised, but just said to him: "However, we are at Mount Yishan here, which is somewhat different from other places. Since you are going up the mountain to chop firewood, I also have some words to tell you."

"About the spirits and monsters in the mountain?"

"The spirits and monsters in the mountain are just one aspect. When you encounter spirits and monsters in the mountain, remember to say that you are a disciple of the Fuqiu Temple, and once you wear the Daoist robe in the future, no spirits or monsters will make things difficult for you. At most, there will be those who tease you; remember to hold fast to your original heart and not be tempted, and you will not lose your composure. The nearby wild beasts have all been warned by the fourth junior brother and will not easily hurt people."

"I have noted it down."

"Another thing is, when chopping firewood in the mountain, you cannot chop any tree you see. If it is a living small tree, you must let it go. For a living large tree, you can only chop the lowest side branches. If there are no side branches below, you cannot chop it. It is best to find dry, dead trees; these are also easy to burn and don't need to be dried."

"Anything else?"

"The roads deep in Mount Yishan are treacherous, so walk with extreme caution. This mountain is very strange; it is mostly stone with little soil. It is extremely difficult for pine trees to grow on the mountain, and they are favored by the Mountain Lord, so do not go and chop them. If you encounter wooden stakes on the mountain halfway, do not easily sit down just because you are tired from walking; those might be the seats of the spirits and monsters in the mountain." When the first senior brother said this, he could not help but smile, and also revealed a look of recollection. "These were what Master warned me about back then."

"I have remembered."

"Go ahead. It doesn't matter if you don't chop enough firewood; picking up some pine cones is just as good for burning."

"Good!"

Lin Jue did not say anything and agreed.

In this era, where can you learn things without working? Moreover, looking at the state of this Daoist temple, most of it is self-sufficient. Chopping firewood is considered the simplest thing; it's nothing more than putting in some effort. If he doesn't do it himself, should he leave it for the seventy or eighty-year-old Master or senior brothers to do?

So he turned back to get the firewood knife, found a back basket, a carrying pole, and two lengths of rope, and then carried the little bit of flatbread he had left on his person, and walked toward the direction the first senior brother pointed, heading toward Fuqiu Peak.

There were many plants and trees along the way.

Wild grass was naturally not suitable, and thorns and shrubs were lush at this time of year, so it was not the time for firewood. As for some large trees, the lower side branches had already been chopped clean, and there was not a single dead piece of wood.

This was also normal.

The Fuqiu Temple had been here for so many years, so the firewood nearby must have been the first to be chopped every year.

So he had to go higher.

Go deeper.

Go further.

It was in the mountains and it was early morning, and the morning mist had not yet dispersed, so it was naturally extremely cool. Now that Lin Jue no longer had the worries of wandering the world, nor the bewilderment of not knowing where to seek a teacher and ask for the Dao, with his heart settled, his mood was naturally excellent. How could he fear a long journey?

Gradually entering the depths of the white clouds.

The Fuqiu Temple was below the peak on the mountain. He did not feel it when he was at the Daoist temple, but as he went higher, the scenery of this place gradually revealed itself.

Occasionally, exposed granite could be seen, and ancient pine trees rooted in the crevices of the stones could be seen. He did not know if the ancient pines happened to grow in the stone crevices, or if the tree roots had split the stones.

He often heard the calls of unknown birds and the roars of unknown beasts, echoing in the mountains and also echoing in the clouds.

Not hurting ancient pines, carefully chopping living trees, searching for more dead wood, chopping more withered branches, and if he encountered many pine cones on the ground, he would also pick up some. Lin Jue gradually chopped some firewood.

The mountain terrain became steeper and steeper. Without realizing it, he passed through the dense forest, and looking back, it was already a vast expanse.

He only saw the distant green mountains overlapping into shadows, he did not know if there were a thousand or ten thousand layers. The morning mist accumulated on the ground and in the mountain hollows, becoming a sea of clouds, which appeared even whiter in contrast with the ink-like green mountains, shocking the heart.

Looking back again, above his head was a stone peak.

"Is this Fuqiu Peak?"

Lin Jue looked carefully and somewhat found the shadow of 'Fuqiu Peak' that the old Daoist had pointed out to them when they were far away. Beside it were two other stone peaks, one of which had a scissor-like gap.

At this time, it was so cool, his physical strength and energy were abundant, and his mood was also good, so naturally, he had the idea of climbing up to take a look.

However, he had to chop firewood first.

There were quite a few dead trees and withered branches here, and the side branches below the large trees had not been chopped much. Some had grown back after being chopped.

"Kua..."

The sound of chopping trees echoed continuously in the mountain.

It was still echoing in the cloud mountain.

Chopping firewood did not require effort or brainpower; one just needed to do the same thing continuously, and there was no need to rush. Moreover, there was a harvest, and it was unexpectedly interesting to do.

Lin Jue was not in a hurry. Before long, he had chopped quite a few withered branches, tied them into two bundles with rope, and filled the back basket.

"Job done!"

Next, it was time to climb the mountain.

The firewood, carrying pole, and back basket were all placed to the side. Lin Jue only carried the flatbread, held the firewood knife, and climbed up the mountain.

Without realizing it, his clothes were wet.

It was not rain, but sweat and mist.

It was truly because the mountain was too high, and he had already entered the clouds. Even though it was clear and bright with no sign of rain, entering the depths of the clouds would still dampen his clothes.

At the same time, the closer he got to the peak, the steeper it became.

At the very top, he even had to use both hands and feet.

Fortunately, it was not far away, so it did not take much effort.

The youth soon climbed to the peak.

As soon as he stood up, he was instantly stunned.

Before his eyes was the core area of the entire Mount Yishan. He only saw stone walls connected together, it was hard to say if they were a thousand feet or ten thousand fathoms high, with strange peaks and grotesque rocks, he did not know how many shapes there were. Many mountain rocks clearly looked bare, yet many ancient pines grew on the mountain. The morning had not yet passed, and the morning mist still accumulated between these strange peaks, grotesque rocks, and tenacious ancient pines, like a light veil draped over them by heaven and earth. As the wind blew, it changed in a thousand ways, forming a strange scene.

What a beautiful landscape painting.

Lin Jue was deeply shocked by it and could not help but open his eyes wide, so as to take in this strange scene as much as possible.

When he was at the foot of the mountain, he really could not see at all that there was such scenery in this mountain. He thought that most people in the world were also blocked by the remote roads and rarely came here.

At this moment, there was only one thought in his heart—

In such a mountain, there are likely immortals.

Lin Jue looked for a long time and still did not have enough. He did not notice that he was chilled by the wind, but just listened to the mountain wind wailing endlessly, watching the clouds and mist changing infinitely. After the initial shock was gone, he finally divided a little bit of his heart.

It just so happened that he was hungry, so he took out the flatbread he had brought from his bosom and ate it right there.

This flatbread was much better than the food in the temple.

But at this moment, he heard a little bit of other sound in the mountain wind.

"Hm?"

Lin Jue tilted his head slightly and listened carefully.

Sure enough, there was a sound.

It was whimpering, not like a human.

It was like some kind of animal or the cub of an animal.

Listening to it, it was somewhat pitiful.

Lin Jue still remembered the first senior brother's words in his heart, that there might be monsters teasing him, and he had to hold fast to his original heart and not be tempted, so for a moment he did not pay attention and continued to gnaw on the flatbread in his hand.

Not paying attention would never go wrong.

"Hu..."

The mountain wind blew in gusts, and the white clouds in the distance were like waves.

Facing this scroll, using the landscape as a side dish, chewing slowly and swallowing carefully, this taste, this feeling, how could it not be the life of an immortal?

But the calling sound continued without stopping.

Not only that, it seemed to be clearer and more pitiful.

"?"

Lin Jue frowned, finally could not help it, put down the flatbread, picked up the firewood knife beside him, and walked toward the source of the sound.

This place was very close to him, only seven or eight *zhang* away.

Lin Jue slipped and fell, and then he saw—

It was actually the cub of an animal.

A little fellow whose fur had just grown out, gray and dull, looking somewhat like a dog, but not quite, and it was only the size of a palm at most.

The little thing was lying on the edge of the stone peak, looking like it had been separated from its mother, turning its head to look left and right, and calling constantly. Seeing Lin Jue come, it immediately closed its mouth and stared at him with eager eyes.

An animal's face was different from a human's, and he could not distinguish whether it was fear or bewilderment, but its eyes were round, just staring at Lin Jue like that, without saying a word, provoking pity.

"This is..."

Is it a cub lost by a wild beast in the mountain?

Or is it a trick played by a spirit or monster on the mountain seeing that he is new here?

Lin Jue thought as he looked around, but did not see any other cubs, nor did he see any animal that looked like its mother.

"Where is your mother?"

Lin Jue held the firewood knife and spoke to it casually, as if speaking to a person.

Naturally, there was no answer.

The little fellow still stared at him with a pair of round black eyes, looking weak, helpless, and honest.

He did not know what it was thinking in its heart at this moment.

Lin Jue frowned tightly.

Leaving was not an option.

Staying was not an option either.

"Forget it, if you are really a lost cub, it would be fine if you hadn't met me, but since you met me, it counts as having a connection with me, and it counts as your good luck."

Lin Jue said so, did not approach it casually, but found a slope not far or near and sat down, continued to eat the flatbread, hoping to wait for its mother to return and take it away.

"Hu..."

After stopping and not moving, the wind blew colder and colder.

That little thing still stared at him silently, its expression unchanged.

Lin Jue was afraid it was hungry, so he broke off a piece of flatbread, walked over and wanted to give it to eat, but only placed it in front of it, and then walked back to his original position.

Seeing it did not eat, he did not care and continued to sit.

Feeling that it might still be a bit close, he moved further away.

From this side, he could not see the strange scene of strange peaks and countless grotesque rocks, but he could see the mountain peaks on the left and right, all of which were granite with crevices and patterns, like scissors, like cloud gates, with ancient pines rooted in them, still beautiful, not like the mortal world, but like scenery that only exists in heaven.

Waiting in such a place, he did not mind how long it took.

Moreover, he came up to see the scenery in the first place.

Lin Jue was very patient, and even very leisurely.

Until time passed bit by bit.

The sun itself had already passed overhead, the clouds and mist in the distance gradually dispersed, replaced by smoke rising from who knows what burning in the far distance, and then the sun began to move slowly to the west.

Lin Jue almost took a nap here.

"..."

When he came back to his senses, the little thing was still lying honestly in the distance, looking like a very small dot from afar. And it neither moved nor called, he did not know if it was afraid that calling again would startle Lin Jue and he would eat it, or because it felt a bit more at ease having another animal beside it, it just opened a pair of round little eyes and stared at him from afar.

The small piece of flatbread Lin Jue had broken off just now had already been eaten by it.

The time was also getting later and later.

Without realizing it, the mountain wall in the distance had already been illuminated yellow by the sun, the ancient pines cast slanted shadows on the mountain wall, and this large mountain began to fog up again, showing a mysterious side.

"Little fellow, why haven't your parents come yet?"

Lin Jue held the firewood knife again and came in front of this little thing, still not sure if this was a trick played on him by a spirit or monster in the mountain.

For example, transforming into such a little thing, making him feel pity, unable to bear to leave, staying in this mountain for a day, and then mocking his stupidity? Or waiting until the sun sets, after it gets dark, and then harming his life?

Master said that Mount Yishan also has a Mountain Lord, and the rules are very strict, and the spirits and monsters in the mountain all know the Daoists of the Fuqiu Temple, at least on this Fuqiu Peak, the latter should be impossible.

The former was possible.

At least that yellow dog on the road could do such a thing.

But at this moment, lowering his head and looking at this little thing, seeing its bewildered, uneasy, and helpless eyes, isn't this himself from more than a year ago?

"Sigh..."

Lin Jue could not help but sigh.

Seeing that the sky was getting later and later, he reached out and picked it up, preparing to take it back to the Daoist temple.

As for whether it was a trick of a spirit or monster—

If it is not a heinous monster or ghost, why would it use a person's kindness as bait to hook someone into being fooled? If such a thing really happens, then so be it, and he would use the firewood knife to speak! ===== CHAPTER 37 =====