Chapter 43: Summoning the Gods

Wang Feiyin glanced over it, nodded in satisfaction, and told them to set everything on the table. "Pick out some more good apricots and pastries. The patriarchs of our Sanqing Abbey are very loving — as long as we offer them sincerely, They'll be very pleased."

Pan Yun went off wordlessly to prepare, using the prettiest dishes in the abbey to arrange the finest platter, then quietly asked, "Senior Brother, who exactly are They?"

Wang Feiyin had already finished affixing the talismans, with another stack left on the table. At her words he glanced at Pan Yun, then said, "Fifth Junior Sister, Pan Gong is our master, but all our skills were learned from Ge Xianweng, so both of them are our patriarchs."

Pan Yun suddenly understood — no wonder the main hall enshrined Ge Hong's stone statue and memorial tablet with such weight. So Ge Hong was the one who truly transmitted the Dao?

Wang Feiyin had Pan Yun and the others step aside. Sword in hand, he paced the Gang and tread the Dou, softly chanting, summoning the two patriarchs to descend…

Pan Yun watched curiously. In her previous life, rites like zhaijiao were rarely performed, because after the resurgence of spiritual energy humanity had gained a different kind of power — everyone's goal was to cultivate oneself, to create gods.

The gods of old were rarely spoken of, as if they had vanished from human memory on their own.

Over thousands of years, no miracle had shown that the old gods still existed in the world, so humanity took it as given that there were no immortals left.

But the Heavenly Dao took pity on them, letting this generation begin to cultivate. Without gods, they could create gods.

This understanding and goal had been fed into her from the moment Pan Yun began to know the world, so she had never felt anything wrong with it.

Until now, watching the rhythm around Wang Feiyin stir the world's spiritual energy, as an unseen, untouchable, yet profoundly mysterious aura descended, did she begin to doubt everything from her previous life. If no immortals were seen, did that truly mean immortals did not exist?

Had divine power truly vanished?

Wang Feiyin turned, sheathed his sword, held it upright before his eyes, then suddenly opened them wide, glaring furiously ahead, before dropping onto the prayer mat and slowly closing his eyes.

A breeze swept past. The technique inside Pan Yun's body began to circulate of its own accord, Qi gathering in her eyes. Beneath the Heavenly Sight, everything around her seemed wrapped in cloud and mist. A phantom appeared at the horizon's edge, stepping out to the cliffside in a single stride. With a half-smile, It glanced at her, then took another step and vanished into Wang Feiyin, as if entering his body…

Pan Yun: …Oh my heavens, it's really Master!

Senior Brother can truly summon Master!

Ah, no — there really are immortals in this world!

Pan Yun quietly pinched her own thigh hard, the pain making her shiver — it was real!

She had always held to the principle of being superstitious rather than offending the gods in the face of anything strange she saw, never expecting to stumble onto the truth by accident.

Pan Yun carefully recalled her behavior over the past two days, confirmed she had not offended Master, and set her mind at ease.

Once relieved, she noticed there were still more figures at the horizon — oh, no, gods, hurrying this way.

The phantom drew closer — an old Daoist in wide-sleeved robes, with a kindly face.

He drifted leisurely to the cliff's edge, did not approach, and simply stood there smiling as he watched Senior Brother and the rest.

His gaze slid over these disciples and grand-disciples. When it met Pan Yun's curious scrutiny, he paused slightly, then looked back at her with equal curiosity.

This child could actually see him?

Just as he was about to drift over for a closer look, Wang Feiyin opened his eyes. The armored general holding the treasured sword drifted out from his body, and he glanced once more at Pan Yun before stopping to watch that phantom.

The phantom hurriedly bowed to him repeatedly, managed only a slight nod toward Wang Feiyin, then gathered a share of the food's essence from the table and departed; the remaining essence drifted toward the armored general.

Pan Yun watched the two phantoms vanish. The moment she looked away, she met Wang Feiyin's complicated gaze.

Their eyes met. His gaze was not only complicated — his expression was too, looking at Pan Yun as if he could not find the words.

Pan Yun's whole heart leapt into her throat. What did that mean?

Wang Feiyin rose, reverently lit fresh incense and candles for the two patriarchs, performed his rites, then said to Pan Yun, "Pack up. I'll take you down the mountain in a bit."

Pan Yun nodded blankly, her thoughts churning, but finally decided to obediently comply.

Wang Feiyin went back to his room, changed out of his ritual robes into a lighter Daoist robe, and packed some incense and candles into a basket.

Pan Yun was already waiting at the main hall's entrance, black cat in her arms.

Miao He was chattering enviously at her. "I haven't been down the mountain in almost half a year. If you see Wang Xiaojing down there, thank him for me — tell him his apricots are especially good…"

Miao Zhen waited for Miao He to finish before saying, "Don't worry."

Pan Yun looked up at her and smiled. "I'm not worried. Why does my junior niece say so?"

Miao Zhen said, "But you are worried right now. I don't know what you're worried about, but with Great Uncle-Bachelor here, don't worry."

Pan Yun paused, then nodded.

Wang Feiyin soon came out carrying the basket and beckoned Pan Yun. "Let's go."

Pan Yun hurried after him with the cat in her arms. Wang Feiyin only glanced at the cat in her arms and did not stop her from bringing the little thing along.

Tao Ji and the three young disciples stood by the gate watching the two walk off into the distance. All four sighed in unison. Seeing the three little ones sighing in sync with him, Tao Ji swatted their heads. "What are you youngsters sighing about? Get back to practice."

None of the three feared Tao Ji, and Miao He asked directly, "Master, can Little Xiao Shishu stay?"

Tao Ji: "I thought you only cared about food and drink — when did you start thinking about this?"

Miao He: "Our abbey has never asked the gods when taking in other disciples. Only Little Xiao Shishu — she's been here one day and Great Uncle-Bachelor already consulted the gods."

Though Tao Ji was also concerned, he was not worried about this point. "Relax. If the patriarchs didn't want to take your Little Xiao Shishu, your Great Uncle-Bachelor would be leading her down the mountain with her luggage, not with incense and candles."

Pan Yun silently followed behind Wang Feiyin, quiet the whole way.

Wang Feiyin glanced at her several times, then finally could not hold back. "You certainly can keep your composure. What — don't you want to know what decree Master passed down?"

Pan Yun caught the warmth in his tone and immediately grinned. "Is Master very pleased with this disciple of his? Has he sent a meeting gift through you, Brother?"

Wang Feiyin was silent.

Pan Yun's smile froze for a beat, then she caught on sharply. "Don't tell me there really is a meeting gift for me?"

! 。Read

Wang Feiyin studied Pan Yun, then said after a moment, "Correct. Master does indeed have a meeting gift for you."

He paused, then said with some concern, "Fifth Junior Sister, earning Master's affection and favor is a good thing. With the patriarchs' protection, whether in cultivation or in walking this world, you'll have an easier time than most. But — I observe that your blessed roots are shallow. Such a chance was not meant for you. Since you receive it, you must pay a price."

Fearing she was too young to understand and would lose herself in the good fortune alone, he explained carefully, "We cultivators of the Dao cultivate this life — this body's health, this life's virtue and reputation, this life's consciousness and soul. Yet in all the world, in a thousand years not one person has attained the Dao, so we still dare to hope for the next life.

Why is it that some people are born rich and noble, yet end in poverty and ruin, while others are born ordinary yet enjoy great luck all their lives, smooth sailing in everything?"

Wang Feiyin said, "That is fortune, it is feng shui, and it is fate. These three are tied to this life, to ancestral merit, and to one's own past life.

Those who accumulate virtue always have better luck than others. But you — judging by your face, your luck is only a little better than an ordinary person's. You should not have had such a chance today."

Pan Yun grinned. "I know. Because in my past life I was just a very ordinary person. I died young too, before I could accumulate any fame or merit."

Wang Feiyin: "…You even know your own past life?"

Pan Yun said, half in jest: "Senior Brother, I don't know if you'll believe this, but I was born with knowledge."

Wang Feiyin said: "It's not a matter of believing or not. You can see the Mountain God without performing any ritual, and you've dreamed of the Founding Master two nights in a row — what else is impossible?"

Wang Feiyin was taking it well now; even if she claimed at this point to be an immortal reincarnated, descending to the mortal world to undergo her tribulation, he would believe her at least in part.

Being born with knowledge was nothing new — it wasn't as if the world had never seen it before. His junior sister was already so miraculous; what was one more?

"Since you know your past life's merits were unremarkable, you should know all the more that the blessings of this life are too good for you, and will only do you harm. So you must hold fast to yourself," Wang Feiyin sighed. "Never forget your original aspiration."

"Mm, mm, I won't forget. So, Brother — what meeting gift did Master send me?"

Wang Feiyin said: "You'll know in a moment."

"Aiya, just tell me now. From here to the foot of the mountain is still quite a long stretch of road to walk."

Wang Feiyin took her hand, took one step forward, and the trees on both sides flew backward; the two of them had already covered a long stretch of mountain path. One more step, and they were halfway down the mountain…

Wang Feiyin, carrying her across as they went, said: "It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you, but I don't know how to put it either. Once you see it, you'll know without my saying more."

After a few more steps, the two of them reached the fastest route down the mountain. Wang Feiyin let go of her hand — the village lay just ahead, and it wouldn't do for them to move so quickly anymore.

The two of them walked slowly out of the forest, and at a glance saw Wang Xiaojing's family's tea shed.

Not a single person was in the tea shed. Wang Feiyin merely glanced once, then led Pan Yun around the bend, following the path along the foot of the mountain, walking and walking, until at last they arrived before a small temple built of piled stones.

Today's lucky number is any number ending in 3 — screenshot as proof; the deadline for screenshots is before the next chapter updates.

(End of this chapter)