Chapter 346: I Have Learned to Love

Pan Yun sat motionless on a rock, facing the cliff; a wind blew up from the ravine, and because there was an opening here, it curled along the rock face, rushed into the stone cave, and struck her face, brushing over her scalp…

Her hair, barely more than half an inch long, offered no protection to her round head—her scalp screamed in protest.

Pan Yun's mouth hung slightly open; suddenly, from bustling noise she plunged into absolute stillness, and for a moment she could not adjust.

She fell into thought, curious—why did she feel this agitation now? And even a touch of sadness.

In her past life, she had seen far more vibrant, far more lively worlds; but no matter how crowded the place, if she had a task, she could always quickly return to the institute and throw herself into research.

The world was so lively, yet it seemed to have little to do with her.

Her greatest wish was to break the seal on the Spirit Realm, understand the cultivation techniques trapped inside, and perfect the underdeveloped modern cultivation methods to benefit the people.

It sounded grand, but she was merely an assistant; she held this as her wish, yet had never felt anxious about it.

The teachers never imposed this pressure on their students.

As the teachers said, "This is something our generation must complete. They're still children—they'll have far more important things to do later; this is just practice for them."

So she had seen great bustle, touched the edges of great tasks—why then was her state of mind different this time?

Was it because she was organizing this temple fair? Or because… everyone in the temple was too kind?

Pan Yun gazed quietly ahead, watching a bird rise from the green depths of the ravine, land briefly on a narrow path beside the cliff, swiftly snatch up a tiny crumb of bread, then spread its wings and fly away—her gaze followed it as it soared over a towering stone peak, then dipped slightly, landing on a pine tree, taking a few steps to a nest, and spitting out the crumb to three nestlings…

The three chicks stretched their necks, chirping loudly; as soon as they caught the crumb, they fiercely fought over it. The mother bird watched until they finished, chirped twice at them, then flapped away to find more food.

Pan Yun thought: this crumb must have been stuck to Big Brother's clothes when he sneaked a bite—he's long since entered the Dao, capable of fasting, yet still loves to eat.

If Miao He found out a piece of bread had mysteriously disappeared from the mountain, he'd suspect Pan Xiaohei again…

Pan Yun thought of many scattered things; her mind was unsettled, yet no longer agitated.

She suddenly realized, dazed, "I… seem to have learned how to love."

Pan Xiaohei, who had been about to mock her for being abandoned, froze at her murmured words.

Pan Xiaohei's cat face wore a complex expression: "In your past life, you were red and dedicated; in this life, though your methods are a bit unorthodox, you've at least got a kind heart—how could you not know how to love?"

Pan Yun glanced down at it, pulled a hat from her Spirit Realm and put it on, tucked her hands into her sleeves, and stared blankly into the biting wind, "It can only be felt, not explained."

Pan Xiaohei meowed: "Putting on airs."

It turned and walked away, presenting its rear to her: "I'm leaving—I won't stay here to freeze with you."

The distance between this cave and the mountaintop was well within its range of movement—it could return to the Three Pure Ones Temple and nap.

Pan Yun made no effort to stop it, sitting silently, lost in thought.

Miao He and the other two soon came down, laden with bundles: quilts, thick clothes, stoves, firepans, and pots.

Of course, two bundles of firewood too.

Miao Zhen: "Grandmaster said, aside from not being allowed to climb up or go down, and not being allowed to see anyone, you may roam freely in this area—if you run out of firewood, just gather some yourself in the mountains."

Pan Yun: "I have to gather my own firewood? Wait—'not allowed to see anyone'—aren't you people?"

Miao Zhen: "We're only coming down once. We won't come again."

Pan Yun's eyes widened: "It's still months until the New Year—you're giving me all this food for one time?"

Miao He pulled out a sack of rice and unfastened the cloth: "This is rice."

Pan Yun: "What about vegetables?"

Tao Yanbai dragged over a burlap sack and opened it for her: "This is vegetables."

Inside were large cabbages—about a dozen, each enough for her to eat for three or four days.

Pan Yun: "... What about meat?"

All three shook their heads. Miao He lifted a basket and lifted the cloth covering it: "After our pleading, we only got this basket of eggs. Grandmaster said you're here for punishment, not luxury—you must reflect, so…"

Pan Yun waved her hand: "I get it—Big Brother wants me to learn fasting, right?"

"But I'm still so young—how can I fast?"

Tao Yanbai: "Grandmaster said Fourth Auntie learned fasting at nine, and could go seven days without food."

"How tragic," Pan Yun said. "No wonder Fourth Sister left Long Hushan. Please pass this exact message to Big Brother."

The three gave her a sympathetic look and agreed.

Miao Zhen glanced at the quilt laid on the rock and worried: "Though the stone bed avoids the cave entrance, there's still wind—especially at night, it's strong. Will two quilts be enough?"

Pan Yun: "I have another one in my Spirit Realm."

As she spoke, she paused—finally remembering what she could do. She'd been too busy lately, only inscribing space arrays onto Wang Cong's two jade pendants.

Perhaps because his jade was superior, or because Pan Yun's cultivation had advanced, her Yuan energy more abundant, the spiritual energy she drew more stable and plentiful—or perhaps both—she had created a jade pendant space ten times larger than before.

Roughly eight hundred cubic units—more than enough for Wang Cong to store countless items.

And he had a pair of such jade pendants.

The rest, she hadn't touched—after all, if her mind wasn't calm, the space array points might shatter, destabilizing the array and ruining the jade. Pan Yun glanced at the space and sighed: "Fine. Seclusion then—perfect. I'll inscribe space arrays on the remaining jade pieces."

Tao Yanbai's eyes lit up; he pushed forward, gazing hopefully at Pan Yun.

Pan Yun said to him: "Don't worry—you won't be left out."

Tao Yanbai relaxed.

Miao He yanked him back, then pulled Miao Zhen forward, shoving aside the piled items: "Little Master, what about us? Our jade pendants' spaces are too small."

Pan Yun generously said: "You'll get yours too!"

Miao He and Miao Zhen whispered cheers, eagerly and happily helping her organize everything.

As the horizon turned orange-red, they knew night was coming.

Wang Feiyin's voice rang down from above: "Tao Yanbai, Miao Zhen, Miao He—where have you been? Hurry back and cook—"

The three gave Pan Yun a sympathetic, reluctant farewell; once beyond the cave's boundary, they burst into quiet cheers.

!. Read

Miao He even hugged Miao Zhen, already looking forward to their new jade spaces.

"When you think about it, Senior Master letting Junior Uncle seal himself away isn't so bad."

Tao Yan Bai nodded, "Recently, Junior Uncle has been fixated on the Mountain God Temple; besides morning cultivation, all other training has been canceled. It's like I'm seeing another Senior Brother."

"It's unnatural to think that the diligent Junior Uncle has become as lax in cultivation as Senior Brother."

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He nodded together.

The three walked boldly back to the mountaintop; just as they had packed their bags, bathed, and changed clothes, Master Xuanmiao watched them in silence.

Seeing her, they immediately composed themselves, bowed respectfully, passed reverently before Master Xuanmiao, and ran off to the kitchen to light the fire and cook.

Master Xuanmiao remained silent.

Tao Ji had also washed and changed; he rushed over with a jar, "Sister, this is my skin cream—I made it for winter dryness. Use it."

Master Xuanmiao took it, "Don't you think the children have picked up bad habits from Junior Sister?"

Tao Ji turned to look at the three children—washing rice, cleaning vegetables, stoking the fire—and asked, "Really? I don't see any change in them."

Master Xuanmiao said without expression, "They've become arrogant."

Tao Ji scratched his head and said nothing.

Master Xuanmiao asked, "Where's Wang Cong? It's almost dark—why hasn't he returned?"

Tao Ji: "I'll ask Senior Brother."

There was no need to ask Wang Feiyin; passing by the kitchen, a single question drew responses from all three children, one after another: "Junior Uncle made Senior Brother two large jade pendant spaces."

"Senior Brother took the pendants and went out to trade."

Tao Ji: "It's almost the New Year—isn't it too late to go trading now?"

"Not at all," Seeing Miao Zhen said, "Senior Brother said precisely because the New Year is near, business is better. Even if he entered late and won't make much, every bit counts. Besides, he's mainly going to exchange silver and copper coins elsewhere."

Tao Ji widened his eyes, "He's speculating on silver?!"

All three nodded.

Tao Ji frowned tightly, "How rich is our Daoist temple that we dare speculate on silver?"

"If silver prices drop and stabilize, won't he be ruined?"

"Anyway, Senior Brother has the space now—even if he's trading, he can settle in copper coins. He won't lose much."

Tao Ji:... So the space has become a safety net.

Tao Ji rubbed his forehead, then saw Tao Yan Bai slicing meat, and remembered to ask, "Why are you still on the mountain? Didn't you go home? And it's almost the New Year..."

Tao Yan Bai instantly tensed, nearly cutting his hand; he lowered his head and whispered, "I'm spending the New Year on the mountain."

Miao He, who had run back to stoke the fire, couldn't hold back anymore; regardless of whether the stove fire was steady, he grabbed his fire poker and rushed out, "Master! The Tao family is bullying Third Senior Brother!"

Tao Ji's face darkened; he asked coldly, "How are they bullying him?"

Miao He poured out everything, vividly recounting what he had seen and heard when they went to Tao Village to fetch Tao Yan Bai.

He added indignantly, "They made Third Senior Brother sleep with the cows—the room reeked of cow urine!"

Tao Ji's face turned ashen.

Tao Yan Bai kept his head down, silent.

Tao Ji took away his knife, "Stop cutting—whose fault will it be if you cut your hand?"

He turned in place, knife in hand, fury trapped inside, and scolded Tao Yan Bai, "Since childhood, did I teach you to swallow your anger? You have reason and evidence—surely your father isn't made of copper and iron, invincible? Then why don't you reason with him?"

(End of Chapter)