[{"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-75":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},2317355,4532,"Chapter 75: The Method of Acquiring Treasures (Requesting Monthly Tickets)","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-75",75,"\u003Cp>With the lunar new year approaching and snow falling in the twelfth month, Lin Jue cooked a pot of slaughtered-pig stew to entertain the constables who braved the snowstorm to deliver letters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was going to slaughter a pig himself anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone ate heartily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after breakfast the next morning did Lin Jue escort the constables down the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they left, he handed them a flask of wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This wine was brewed by my senior brother—he’s quite skilled at it. It’s too cold out; take a sip on your way down. It won’t get you drunk, but it’ll warm your bones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue had also dripped a single drop of spiritual essence into the wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his refined spiritual essence couldn’t compare to the Sun-Moon Essence once harvested by the Lord of Langtou Mountain, it was still excellent nourishment for ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, thank you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The constable bowed repeatedly, accepting the flask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there are demons or ghosts in the city, though we cultivate deep in the mountains, we’re willing to descend and bring the people even a little peace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Absolutely!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This needed to be said with solemnity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the constable descended, he couldn’t help turning back every few steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Daoist temple stood firm amid the snowy mountain, the young Daoist and the fox at his feet both watching him go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this the fabled Yishan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The constable murmured to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Daoists in this temple hadn’t shown any extraordinary feats when he arrived yesterday, true cultivators of high attainment reveal their stature in every gesture and word. Moreover, this morning he had happened to see a Daoist in the courtyard practicing spells—clear proof this was a true mountain of the Immortals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He uncorked the flask, caught a hint of rice fragrance, took a cautious sip—and like yesterday’s tea, every chill vanished from his body, leaving him utterly refreshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The donkey’s hooves clattered as the constable descended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid wind, snow, and mist, both soon lost sight of each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The constable wouldn’t reach the county until nightfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a busy time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue had his own duties back at the temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pig slaughtered last night still hadn’t been processed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two nearly free-range boars had been castrated; their meat was visibly superior, so he selected the three-layer belly, ribs, and crisp ribs to cure as salted pork, saving himself the trip down the mountain later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place had a tradition of making stinky mandarin fish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh senior brother loved to wander and fish; ever since Lin Jue took charge of the kitchen, a pond had been dug beside the temple to keep the fish he caught. Before Lin Jue came, the senior brothers rarely ate fish—and when they did, they roasted it over fire or wrapped it in leaves and buried it in the hearth; any other method tasted awful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he needed to catch a few to make stinky mandarin fish, to eat during the New Year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pickled cabbage was gone; he’d need to make more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d also have to go down the mountain to buy New Year goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, not all these tasks required Lin Jue’s hands—the senior brothers and sisters were eager to help, and all low-skill chores were gladly taken on by them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since everyone contributed together, prepared the New Year goods together, and would eat them together, even the busyness felt light and joyful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several days later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue, accompanied by the fox and his junior sister, entered the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountains were full of strange peaks and rocks—some connected, some isolated, some mere stone pillars. Only because Fuxiu Temple and Xianyuan Temple needed contact had a path been built through the middle; the valley floor had no path and no practical use. Even if future generations discovered the mountain’s breathtaking beauty and built wooden walkways, they’d never extend a road here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Junior sister, be careful—don’t fall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, don’t worry—I’ve climbed these mountains many times gathering spiritual herbs for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never fallen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve fallen a few times… but it didn’t hurt!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Be more careful next time. If you find a spiritual herb off the path, don’t risk it if you can’t reach it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister finally spoke seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick clouds and mist gathered in the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue and his junior sister moved through the rocky mist, searching for safe paths, climbing down carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a daze, he felt as if he’d become a mountain spirit himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d once followed his second senior brother to harvest herbs on cliffs, thinking he’d mastered rock-climbing—until he realized his junior sister was even more skilled. Sometimes where there was no handhold, she’d press her palm against the rock and a perfect grip would form, merely puffing out a little dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder she trained in Jishi—no wonder she worked in these mountains every day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, they reached the valley floor, both exhaling in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They looked up—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little fox, like a nimble antelope or mountain spirit, leapt effortlessly between the cliffs, step by step, descending to the valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, how did you find this treasure?” the junior sister asked, puzzled. “I’m always in the mountains, carving paths and gathering herbs for you, running everywhere—and you found it before me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t come as often as you, but I do train here often, and I always seek new places. I’ve tried climbing many steep peaks—and I stumbled upon it by chance,” Lin Jue replied, scanning for direction. “But it was Fuyao who spotted it first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuyao? That explains it,” the junior sister frowned. “Fuyao climbs mountains incredibly well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a cat-fox.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuyao led ahead, having just leapt onto a rock. Hearing their voices, it turned back to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, they rounded a corner and saw a massive column of rock—irregular, grotesque, covered in moss and weeds. Most strangely, a pine tree grew atop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the rock, a radiant glow shimmered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wind blew, mist drifted, clouds flowed through the valley—the rock and the glow flickered in and out of view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spotted deer sat quietly in meditation nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here we are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister halted too, turning to look at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fox, however, continued forward, leaping over rocks, then back down. Seeing Lin Jue hadn’t moved, it turned and returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t rush.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue sat on a stone near the cliff, observing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister naturally joined him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fox copied them exactly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a small tree growing among the rocks—its trunk thinner than a wrist, under half a person’s height—its radiance emanating from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only upon close inspection did one realize the tree itself didn’t glow; its surrounding spiritual energy was so dense that sunlight, refracted by the valley’s mist, produced a luminance identical to the aura emitted when cultivators draw in celestial qi and Sun-Moon Essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spotted deer sat beneath the tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, the sun rose slightly, thinning the valley’s mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the junior sister was about to turn and ask how long they’d wait, her senior brother spoke: “Junior sister, don’t harbor evil thoughts. Restrain your greed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why say that out of nowhere?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t they come here to harvest the treasure? Why restrain greed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though puzzled, she immediately quieted her thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, movement came from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister turned instinctively—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cloud leopard, as large as a tiger, descended from above. Though the mountain was treacherous, its strange formations became pathways for the beast. It leapt across the cliffs, reaching the valley floor in mere bounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This leopard was far larger than the one owned by the fourth senior brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing something unusual, the leopard suddenly turned its head toward the two by the cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister tensed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue rose and bowed to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister froze, then instinctively copied him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leopard’s bright eyes fixed on them for a long while, as if puzzled by their presence. But seeing their bow, it showed no aggression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, it looked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then other mountain spirits arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fat, snow-dusted macaque, its face glowing red, shuffled forward holding a cup made of lotus leaf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black muntjac arrived through the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bird with a five-colored tail feather landed on a tree; a mountain antelope leapt down, landing steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spirits and monsters in the mountains were growing more numerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister widened her eyes, but as time passed, she gradually relaxed, for among these spirits she recognized some that often came curiously to watch her while she repaired the road—she knew well these spirits were not violent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet all these spirits were puzzled by their arrival, staring at them with curiosity and doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, they were waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow and wind blew through the mountains, yet the sun also shone; snowflakes settled on the spirits, who paid them no mind, accustomed as they were, but when sunlight touched them, every hair seemed to glow, making them appear like forest sprites—while ahead, a spiritual plant radiated its own light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this scene, the junior sister suddenly recalled the sight atop Langtou Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unconsciously, the sun reached its zenith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then some spirits began to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cloud leopard stepped forward first, moving leisurely, walking from a large rock to stand before the sapling, then lowering its head to exhale a pure stream of spiritual energy toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fat macaque also approached, lifting a lotus leaf to pour the spiritual water pooled in its center onto the sapling’s roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bird with a five-colored tail feather came over, dug a small pit at the sapling’s base, and buried something it carried in its beak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister understood—but grew even more puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sapling was not first discovered by her and her senior brother; these spirits had found it long ago, and seemed to have claimed it already, even reaching some unspoken agreement among themselves, now jointly nurturing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could they claim this treasure?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So many spirits, having cultivated in the mountains for countless years, showed no visible cultivation—how could two of them possibly seize it by force?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the treasure had not yet formed, why had they come here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was her senior brother merely bringing her to witness something strange?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she thought this, the spirits seemed to sense it—gradually, some turned their heads and looked toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister quickly stilled her thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to look at her senior brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her senior brother remained calm and unhurried, walking slowly as he pulled three small vials from his robe, handing one to her and another to the fox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One of these contains spiritual liquid refined from Lingshan flowers; the other two are from the spiritual plants you brought back from the mountains.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s our turn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the spirits fixed their gaze upon them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether from inner peace or prior knowledge of the rules, her senior brother showed no fear, walking calmly to the sapling, bending down, and pouring the spiritual liquid from the vial onto its roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many spirits widened their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was refined, pure spiritual energy and essence of spiritual plants—clearly more precious than what the spirits had offered before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spirits stared without blinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister hurried to follow suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fox also took the vial and approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spirits kept watching their every move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone from below the mountain had seen this scene, they might have written a whole tale of wonder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after the two and the fox finished watering the tree and returned to their original positions, the spirits lingered long, sometimes watching them, sometimes the sapling’s roots, sometimes glancing at each other, as if exchanging thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue said nothing, only bowed respectfully whenever they looked his way, answering with courtesy and sincerity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Courtesy resided on his person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sincerity lay beneath the tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why speak at all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until some spirits who had previously interacted with the junior sister and Fuqiu Monastery began to leave—then, like a chain reaction, the others rose one by one and all departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister looked up at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There!” Lin Jue finally smiled. “These spirits come here every seven days. We come with them. When the spiritual plant bears fruit, we’ll have our share.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s how it is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister understood—and yet didn’t understand, still staring blankly: “But senior brother, how did you know this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t know at first. I only heard from Second Senior Brother that things in the mountains are naturally born and nurtured by heaven and earth, and in Yishan, they’ve always belonged collectively to the mountain’s living beings. Seeing them jointly watering and nurturing this tree, I thought to try if we could join too.” Lin Jue paused. “Of course, we’re latecomers—so our offering must naturally be more precious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what kind of tree is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. But it’s definitely something valuable. I asked Second Senior Brother—he said it’s valuable. We’ll know when it bears fruit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how do you know it will bear fruit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if it doesn’t bear fruit, it might bloom, or perhaps the roots will change—whatever it is, with so many spirits feeding it, it must give something back.” Lin Jue said. “Many of them have cultivated in these mountains for years—they know the mountain’s ways better than we do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Walk properly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So we must come every seven days to water it, and bring a full vial each time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were still many spiritual plants in the Alchemy Pavilion—mostly gathered by the junior sister. Lin Jue didn’t know why, but he too went into the mountains, and the junior sister simply had better luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t matter—they were all theirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister silently resolved to gather more spiritual plants in the future, yet couldn’t help glancing back as she walked, staring at the sapling behind her, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that’s how it was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course—it was Yishan, where the Mountain God dwelled, governed by its own rules, rich with spiritual essence, where spirits were simple and pure; though treasures existed unclaimed, there was little of the brutal plundering found in wild lands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it still felt ethereal, dreamlike.\u003C\u002Fp>",2387,"2026-06-20T14:45:35.226Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8f0ce3c67853ff019dbfd5beaf3991708150529781f1dcbcbf1e17d3e295d772","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-76","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-74",608,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-book-of-strange-tales-cover.jpg"]