[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-book-of-strange-tales":3,"chapter-the-book-of-strange-tales-the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-53":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Book of Strange Tales",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2317333,4532,"Chapter 53: Senior Brother, Look!","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-53",53,"\u003Cp>“Senior brother! Senior brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue was chopping firewood on the mountain, splitting a pile of broken branches, when suddenly he heard a girl’s voice behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crack…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His axe continued its downward swing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to see it was the young novice of the temple; like Lin Jue, she had already donned her new Daoist robe, but unlike Qiyun Mountain’s, it was made of pale gray cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was not short, with a fair, delicate face, a small pointed chin, and now stood below in the forest, looking up at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue wiped sweat from his face and looked at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little fox at his side, clutching a thin branch, also turned to look at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young novice raised both hands high; her pale, soft arms naturally slipped free from the wide sleeves of her robe, cradling several ugly pears, displaying them to him as if they were treasures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About the size of duck eggs, some even as small as chicken eggs, their surfaces irregular—wild pears grown on this mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I picked them on the way. There are so many in the hills. They don’t look good, and they’re not big, but they’re incredibly sweet—bite into one and water bursts out, the skin dissolves, and just smelling them is wonderfully fragrant!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue had seen them on his way here too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder the mountain’s spiritual energy is so rich—even an ordinary wild pear is sweet and fragrant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet nothing compared to the radiant, eager expression with which the girl offered them to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course! I’ll pick more when I get back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, junior sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, no need to be polite!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young novice mimicked the tone of the senior brothers, then set the pile of pears down, one hand holding the robe’s hem to catch them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again came the cry, crisp and echoing through the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, she raised only one hand, revealing only a sliver of her arm; in her palm lay several stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clenched her fist tightly; fine tendons at her wrist bulged, her brows and lips tightening with effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she opened her hand—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A puff of stone dust fell softly to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>⊙￠o\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve mastered it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue’s eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve entered the threshold! I’ve learned it! Master said I have great talent—excellent!” The young novice hesitated, corrected her wording, then bent to pick up a slightly larger stone and said to Lin Jue, “Senior brother, look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stone dust streamed down, sprinkling the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if to prove it wasn’t a trick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I saw it, I saw it,” Lin Jue nodded and smiled at her. “Impressive, impressive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She bent again, picked up another stone, and demonstrated for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I saw it, I saw it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue turned back and resumed chopping wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little fox glanced at the young novice, then at Lin Jue, then continued dragging the thin branch, stepping lightly to place it beside the growing pile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, I probably won’t be able to chop wood with you anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm? Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master says I have great talent, but this ‘Crush Stone’ technique is a rigid art—it requires constant practice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do you practice?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master says our temple has long-standing ties with Immortal Source Temple, but getting there requires crossing several steep mountains. The path we take now was built by past elders of Fuxiu Temple—those who once studied the Crush Stone art. Though it cuts through mountains and rocks, it was poorly constructed and hard to walk. Master says my talent surpasses theirs, and he wants me to rebuild the path into steps, using it to practice my technique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl walked over and placed the pears on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So he can still visit Immortal Source Temple when his legs grow weak in two years, and so future disciples of Fuxiu Temple can travel more easily to Immortal Source Temple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue swung his axe again, but paused, turning to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl had already come to stand behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A girl of about fifteen, delicate and tender, fair and soft, evoking pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her willow-like hair didn’t flutter—it was only because the breeze was too weak; her figure wasn’t visible because her robe was too loose. In truth, this young novice was quite beautiful, but her usual demeanor made people overlook it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t this just being made into a road laborer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard it again, unexpectedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him stood a large granite boulder; seeing him turn, the young novice immediately raised her palm and slapped it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thud…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A palm-sized patch of gray-white dust appeared on the rock; a gust of wind scattered it into powder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young novice stared at him, her eyes bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue thought carefully, then approved his master’s decision: “Junior sister, listen to Master. Rebuilding the path is a good thing—it benefits the present and endures for generations. And it lets you practice your technique. Why not embrace it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought so too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young novice left after a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue continued chopping wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, only the little fox remained beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This little fox was still growing and learning; it was unclear whether it saw humans as its own kind or itself as human—perhaps because it only ever saw humans, it imitated them constantly, copying whatever they did. But that was natural for a young animal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little creature had a strong sense of duty: seeing Lin Jue chop wood and the young novice gather and carry wood, now that she was gone, it began imitating her, collecting and hauling wood, piling it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thin branches were easy to drag, but larger logs or branches were difficult to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Difficult as it was, it never gave up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It simply wanted to help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for this young novice—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue had asked his master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the only daughter in her family, with no sons; since the village always needed laborers, she was raised as a boy since childhood—perhaps explaining her lack of delicacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But girls are not sons; as she grew older, her family wanted to marry her off. Since she was pretty and endearing, they took some silver and betrothed her to the eldest son of a wealthy villager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In these times, that might not have been bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coincidentally, before she could marry, the man fell ill and died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, a demon plagued the village—a water demon calling itself River Lord. As imperial control weakened, demons grew bold, demanding human sacrifices. The villagers deemed her inauspicious and offered her to the water demon. This same water demon was the one Lin Jue had heard about in Danxun County—the one the old Daoist had slain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lin Jue first saw her, she wore fine clothes; he assumed her family was well-off, only later learning she wore them for the “River Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was somewhat ironic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this young novice was remarkably composed—she didn’t fall ill from fear or sink into melancholy; at such a young age, she had already grown somewhat detached from her past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue continued chopping wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When thirsty or tired, he ate the pears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next evening, Lin Jue swept the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountain was profoundly quiet; each sweep of the broom scraped a soft rustling sound, echoing far through the temple and woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yun Bao lay resting at the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several cats scattered across the yard, lounging or sitting; among them, a young fox twisted its head, imitating the cats, licking its paw incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a beggar walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hair was wild, his body, satchel, and face all covered in grime; faintly recognizable was his youthful face and Daoist robe. He strode into the courtyard as if no one were there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yun Bao turned its head to fix its gaze on her, following her movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cats in the yard all stared at her in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fox’s eyes showed clear confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beggar spotted Lin Jue and walked straight to him, stopping before him, rummaging in her satchel, then pulling out a handful of wild fruits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She held them out in her palm, offering them to Lin Jue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, his hands were covered in dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the fragrance emitted by the earth fruit was far more enticing than that of most fruits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue looked down at the earth fruit in her hand, then up at her: “Little sister, how did you come to look like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I’ve been repairing roads!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash coated her lips; when she opened her mouth, her teeth were full of dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is your mouth full of ash too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I used a spell to crush the rocks into powder—people breathe in the air, and when they breathe, they swallow all the dust.” The little sister spoke as if this were perfectly normal. “Brother, take these for now. Today while I was repairing the road, I saw many earth fruits clinging to the cliff face. When my spiritual power ran out, I picked them—gathered a lot—and brought them back specially for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you eat any?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I ate—I ate a lot, right as I picked them, without washing them. I don’t know if they’ll give me a stomachache.” The little sister paused. “I’ve even started thinking about learning the ingestion method you’re studying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue took the earth fruit from her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding the fruit, he turned and walked a few steps; before he could even place it in the kitchen, he heard a soft rustling sound behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to see the little sister had casually taken his broom and was already sweeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dust gathered into piles beneath the broom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She never seemed to tire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her, Lin Jue suddenly felt something—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight of the little sister he had seen yesterday morning would likely never return for a long time to come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the days that followed, it was much the same: cultivating spirit, practicing spells, chopping firewood, drawing water, and doing odd chores when idle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From behind paper windows lit by lamplight, amid bamboo groves, the sound of sutra recitation was often heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the Yin-Yang Spirit Method suited Lin Jue or not, his talent was certainly good; after more than a month of cultivation, according to the old Daoist, he had already gained a modest level of spiritual attainment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, because the Lesser Yin-Yang Method emphasized “caution and steadiness,” cultivation involved using weak qi to stir strong qi. But since his spiritual attainment was still shallow and his body weak, he could not endure too strong a Yin-Yang spiritual resonance. Thus, Lin Jue and the little sister mostly cultivated around midnight and noon—when the difference between Yin and Yang qi was greatest, the strong qi at its peak and the weak qi at its weakest, allowing them to endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noon was tolerable, but midnight was grueling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These days, few people stayed awake until midnight; most slept as soon as darkness fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now things had improved: beyond the hours of dawn and dusk, when cultivation was forbidden, he could practice at any time, stopping only when an inexplicable weariness set in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that once spiritual attainment grew high, one could cultivate at all times—but the Lesser Yin-Yang Method would always remain less efficient than the Greater Yin-Yang Method.\u003C\u002Fp>",1914,"2026-06-20T14:45:35.226Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","31ec17e50338edc41b6e7649345990dd0cf9983b4d206998bd143c553f82259a","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-54","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-52",608,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-book-of-strange-tales-cover.jpg"]