Chapter 38: Mount Sanqing Daoist Temple

Master Seeing Miao Zhen, whom Miaohé calls her fourth senior sister, is a disciple of her second uncle, Yin Song.

According to Miaohé, there are currently nine people in Mount Sanqing Daoist Temple, six of whom live in the temple now, "adding you makes seven."

Miaohé shuffled closer to Pan Yun, pressing her shoulder against Pan Yun's, saying, "Fourth senior sister is too studious—every day she does her lessons and cultivates; only Third Senior Brother occasionally plays with me, it's so boring."

Before Tao Ji and the others returned, the temple had only the eldest uncle caring for the three children—one obsessed with cultivation, one an elder, and another a busy senior brother—so Miaohé could never find anyone to play with.

Oh, Pan Yun also learned the full details of that formidable senior brother from Miaohé—of course, only the details Miaohé knew.

"Eldest uncle's surname is Wang; I dare not know his given name, and no one dares call him by name—but I know his honorific title: Feiyin."

Miaohé, utterly without guile, blurted out everything about her eldest uncle, second uncle, master, and aunt: "Eldest uncle lives right below the mountain; second uncle is now a high official in Jingcheng; Second Senior Brother follows second uncle; our temple has the most disciples under second uncle—all of Senior Brother One through Fourth Senior Sister are second uncle's disciples, only I am my master's."

Pan Yun's eyes lit up instantly. "What kind of high official?"

Miaohé: "I don't know. But he's definitely a high official."

A high official is good—she loved high officials most; overturning cases needed high officials most.

"Second Senior Brother follows second uncle, Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Sister are here—so where is Senior Brother One?"

"Senior Brother One went out to earn money," Miaohé said. "Cultivation costs money—everything we eat, drink, and wear depends on Senior Brother One's earnings."

Pan Yun's expression froze; it sounded pitiful.

"All you've told me about your uncles—they don't seem that old. What about the ancestral masters of your generation?"

"Right here," Miaohé softly tapped the ground with her toe.

Pan Yun looked down at her toe. "Where?"

Dead?

Miaohé lowered her voice: "It's the mountain spirit."

Pan Yun: …

Miaohé whispered softly: "The mountain spirit is everywhere—if we're on Mount Sanqing, the ancestral master is always beside us."

Pan Yun: "... The ancestral master is the mountain spirit?"

"Yes. Legend says eldest uncle met the ancestral master in a dream; the ancestral master taught him the cultivation method, and then eldest uncle came up the mountain to open the temple and take disciples."

Pan Yun humbly asked: "Then did second uncle, your master, and Master Xuanmiao also meet the ancestral master in dreams and receive teachings?"

"No," Miaohé said. "My master and the others were all taken as disciples by eldest uncle on behalf of the ancestral master."

Pan Yun immediately sensed something was wrong. "Forgive me for asking—how old is your eldest uncle?"

Miaohé: "Fifty-eight. Next year he'll celebrate his grand birthday."

Tao Ji and Master Xuanmiao looked to be in their twenties—she understood now. He'd turned his disciples into junior sisters and brothers.

But this Master Wang still looked quite young.

Miaohé gently nudged her shoulder. "Pan Yun, little sister, who will you take as your master?"

Pan Yun fell silent.

Miaohé enthusiastically recommended her own master: "Take my master! He's so kind—his medical skills are famous far and wide, his alchemy cultivation ranks second only to eldest uncle's, even second uncle can't match him."

Pan Yun: "I specialize in talismans and arrays."

"Ah," Miaohé sighed in disappointment. "Then you'll have to find Fourth Auntie. But Fourth Auntie doesn't like taking disciples—she teaches strictly, we're all a bit afraid of her, though Fourth Senior Sister adores her."

Miaohé sighed.

Pan Yun sighed too.

She had no reverence for Tao Ji or Master Xuanmiao as teachers; she didn't want to take them as masters.

She thought Master Wang was better—senior brother, head of the temple, older, experienced, kind-hearted. If she must take a master, she should take the eldest.

She asked Miaohé: "Must one take a master to stay in the temple? Can't one just join without taking a master?"

Miaohé looked bewildered. "I don't know. All the senior brothers and sisters took masters. If you don't take one, how do we address you?"

Mount Sanqing Daoist Temple is too small, too few people—all disciples are direct students, and the curriculum isn't uniform—each master teaches separate lessons.

For example, Miaohé, besides studying alchemy with her master, also learns cultivation, astronomy, talismans, arrays, and ghost-catching from other uncles and aunts.

The range of subjects she studies is no less diverse than the courses offered in 26th-century schools.

Pan Yun stared in astonishment, wanting to ask more details, when she heard a sound from the black cat—Master Wang had finished his meditation.

She immediately yawned, looking exhausted. "I wanted to hear more from you, but I'm too tired now. Miaohé, how about I find you tomorrow morning after waking up, and we continue talking?"

"Of course, of course," Miaohé jumped off the bed. "Rest now. I'll come find you tomorrow morning."

Pan Yun saw her to the door, blew out the lamp after closing it, sat cross-legged on the bed, sank her spirit into the spiritual realm, and through her link with Pan Xiaohei, saw Wang Feiyin through Pan Xiaohei's eyes. At this moment, Master Wang appeared much taller; he stroked his beard and said: "Good. The girl's cultivation method has flaws, but it's merely low efficiency in Qi cultivation—not deviating into dark paths."

Master Xuanmiao: "She has great talent."

Master Wang nodded. "She is indeed the most talented person I've ever seen."

He turned his gaze to Master Xuanmiao and smiled. "More talented than you."

Master Xuanmiao nodded. "Then please, Elder Brother, nurture her well."

Elder Brother asked: "There are many ways to repay a debt. Take her out of Jingcheng, conceal her killing of the Brocade Guard—then the Xue family's debt is settled. Alternatively, you could entrust her to a trustworthy family. But you brought her back to Mount Sanqing Daoist Temple—clearly, you truly cherish her talent. If so, why not take her as your own disciple and teach her personally?"

Master Xuanmiao: "Elder Brother, I am Tian Sha Gu Xing. Everyone who draws near me meets a bad end. Why harm another?"

"All destinies can be broken. Precisely because you care too much and are too cautious, your fate grows stronger. I see her destiny is equally unyielding—you, Tian Sha Gu Xing, and she, as hard as mountain rock—perfectly matched."

Master Xuanmiao said bluntly: "I dislike trouble. I dislike worrying. I dislike being a master."

Elder Brother's beard twitched in irritation. "So you'll dump the trouble on me?"

!. Read

Master Xuanmiao frowned at him. "I never meant for you to take her as a disciple. Just keep her in the temple like Seeing Miao Zhen and Miaohé—two people or three, what's the difference?"

Elder Brother: "There must be a formal status."

Master Xuanmiao: "Put her under Second Senior Brother's name. He already has so many disciples—adding one more won't matter."

Elder Brother was speechless for a long while.

The two senior siblings stared at each other for a moment, then the eldest brother gave in, waving his hand: "Alright, go on. I'll think about it some more."

Master Xuanmiao turned and walked away, swift and decisive.

The eldest brother silently watched her silhouette vanish; the black cat, sensing the danger had passed, stood up to leave. Pan Yun was just about to withdraw her spiritual perception when she heard the eldest brother say: "Come here, let me take a look."

Pan Yun paused, then felt her entire body fall into Wang Feiyin's arms.

Oh, it was the black cat's body.

Pan Xiaohei stiffened completely, opening wide eyes alongside Pan Yun to stare at him.

The eldest brother stroked its head, eyes crinkling with a smile: "Truly a genius. Truly extraordinary."

Had she not walked into the Three Pure Ones Temple herself, passed before the stone statues of the Three Pure Ones, and entered the back courtyard, he would have suspected her of being possessed by a spirit.

Otherwise, how could a child so young already master so many techniques?

The eldest brother suspected she once had a teacher, but for some reason could not speak of it.

But no matter the reason, now that she had entered the Three Pure Ones Temple, she was one of them.

The eldest brother smiled warmly as he stroked the black cat: "When were you left here? I never noticed you all this time. Don't misunderstand Xuanmiao—she's hard on the outside but soft within. Don't fear her destiny. All of us in the Three Pure Ones Temple, except me, have some flaw. The Heavenly Malevolent Star won't touch you."

Pan Yun: … Is he complimenting himself—or scaring her?

"Xuanmiao once owed a favor to the Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Xue Xuan. Your… master's father was exiled partly due to Xue Xuan's influence. When Xue Xuan returned to his hometown, he happened to meet Xuanmiao repaying her debt and asked her to escort your… master's family to Datong."

Pan Hong refused, instead entrusting Xuanmiao to care for your master. He had only intended to secretly escort the second branch of the Pan family back to Changzhou, but before he could even reach your door, he witnessed your master committing murder."

The eldest brother sighed: "This is fate—thousands of miles apart, yet we meet. Your bond with this cat and the Three Pure Ones Temple is unbreakable."

Pan Yun and Pan Xiaohei: …

The eldest brother set it down on the ground, smiling as he patted its round head: "Alright, story's over. It's dark and cold now—even cats shouldn't catch a chill. Go on, off you go."

Pan Xiaohei shuddered, then bolted off, vanishing in a flash.

The eldest brother smiled, stroking his beard: "That's better. If there's something, speak openly. Hiding things only breeds worry. Look what it's done to this poor child—she's even taken to possessing a cat."

Whose eight-year-old child is this suspicious?

The eldest brother sighed. Children from poor families grow up too fast. With Pan Yun's family exiled, she'll have to bear the burden alone from now on.

The eldest brother shook his head, hands behind his back, muttering as he returned to his room: "Where on earth did I put that half-scroll of the technique?"

Back in his room, he began rummaging through drawers and chests. First the bookshelf—nothing. Then the clothing chest—nothing. Finally, he dragged out the money box hidden under his bed and meticulously searched it—still nothing.

"No, I definitely put it inside the room. Even though it's only half a scroll, I'd never throw it away. It must still be here. Look again."

The eldest brother went over everything again, then collapsed onto a pile of books and clutter, frowning deeply: "Should I go ask Fourth Sister to divine for me? I wonder if she'll get angry."

After some thought, he decided not to disturb Xuanmiao, but instead ran to the front to fetch a tortoise shell.

"My divination may be weak, but it's still got some power."

The eldest brother offered a sincere prayer, then tossed the tortoise shell…

The lucky number is any number ending in 0. Screenshot as proof. Screenshot deadline: before the next chapter is published.

(End of Chapter)