Chapter 99: Experiment 1

This time, Pan Yun didn’t spend the twenty taels; she saved them, and on the journey she was extra careful.

And she, all the way, encountered not a single misfortune.

She pondered, [Last time, those herbs weren’t worth twenty taels—does that mean the more merit I accumulate, the more money I can hold onto?]

Black Cat: [You could try.]

Pan Yun stroked its head, [I sent another fifty taels to my father and the others. If they’re unharmed this time, I’ll send a hundred more—I must test whether my money affects them at all.]

[Once I’ve tested that, I’ll try lending money to others and see how it affects both me and the borrower. If it affects neither, hehehe…]

Pan Yun smiled with a sly edge.

Pan Xiaohei sighed, [You really can find a loophole in anything.]

[Nonsense, I’m not exploiting loopholes—I’m living well within reason and law, pursuing a better life. What’s wrong with that?]

Pan Yun visibly brightened, almost wanting to hug the cat and spin around three times in the cart.

Wang Cong couldn’t help turning to look at her again and again. “Little Master Aunt, what are you thinking about?”

“Money,” Pan Yun paused, then sharply turned her head. “I just remembered something—if I borrow money to use, is that a debt, not a deposit?”

Wang Cong: “Huh?”

Pan Yun asked him, “Nephew, do you have any money? Lend me a hundred—no, five hundred taels.”

Wang Cong frowned slightly but didn’t ask why; he reached for his money pouch. “Little Master Aunt, I don’t have that much on me…”

“Wait,” Pan Yun grabbed his hand. “Lend it to me when we get back to the monastery. Not now.”

Wang Cong put his pouch away. “Oh.”

Pan Yun was eager, her desire to conduct the experiment reaching its peak.

Indeed, though she had been reincarnated for many years, her past life as a researcher’s habits remained—conducting experiments gave her profound satisfaction, even if they failed.

After all, eliminating one wrong method brought her one step closer to success, didn’t it?

Pan Yun mentally listed several experiments she wanted to try: borrowing money from Wang Cong and sending it to her father, to see if either she or her father would be affected;

Borrowing money from Wang Cong and giving it away directly, comparing the effects on both her and the recipient.

The Dao was impartial—it operated by rules. So if she understood the rules, even if she couldn’t hold large sums herself, she could still control vast amounts of money.

As soon as they returned to the monastery, Pan Yun reached out to Wang Cong.

Wang Cong hadn’t even had time to organize the books he brought back before he went inside to fetch the money for her.

Wang Feiyin saw the stack of silver notes and leapt back ten paces, shouting, “What are you two doing?”

Pan Yun snatched the notes, counted them, then slapped them against her palm, glancing at Wang Feiyin with disdain. “Big Brother, what are you afraid of? It’s not for you—it’s mine.”

Wang Feiyin stepped forward two paces, staring incredulously at his son. “Wang Cong, have you lost your mind? Or did Little Master Sister slip you some new talisman that scrambled your wits?”

Wang Cong: “Father, it’s Little Master Aunt’s loan.”

Pan Yun: “Yes, I borrowed it. I’ll pay it back.”

Wang Feiyin touched his chest. “How much have you earned this year?”

Wang Cong grinned. “After paying the clerks and staff, about seven hundred and fifty taels.”

“How much is this stack?”

Wang Cong: “Five hundred taels.”

“Five hundred taels!” Wang Feiyin’s voice rose shrilly. “Half your earnings just given away? Wastrel! Don’t you know she can’t hold onto money? How are we supposed to survive at Sanqing Monastery now?”

“Big Brother, I think you’re wrong—why burden Big Nephew alone with the family’s livelihood? We…”

“Shut up. You’re a beneficiary too—everything you eat, use, and soak in medicinal baths comes from his earnings.”

Pan Yun: “So I never blame Big Nephew—he’s just lending out his own money. He can lend if he wants. What’s the problem?”

Wang Cong stayed silent.

Wang Feiyin began searching around for bamboo sticks. “Where’s my bamboo stick? Where is it?”

Xuanmiao immediately handed him one.

Wang Feiyin snatched the stick and swung at Pan Yun; she spun and ran.

Pan Yun darted like a snake, slipping out the corner, her toes tapping the air, rising higher and higher until she vanished into the forest.

Wang Feiyin chased after her, whipping the stick through the air with a crack, missing her each time, growing more frantic.

Wang Cong and the others rushed out of the main hall, standing at the monastery gate watching Wang Feiyin chase Pan Yun all over the mountain.

Wang Cong’s eyes gleamed in awe. “Little Master Aunt’s martial skill is incredible.”

Miaohuo cheered wildly beside her. “Little Master Aunt, run! Run faster—!”

Miaozhen clenched her fists.

Xuanmiao’s gaze never left Pan Yun. Seeing her circle the mountaintop twice, and only get two light swats on the rear from Wang Feiyin due to insufficient cultivation, she called out, “Big Brother, that’s enough.”

Pan Yun landed gracefully, spun lightly, and hid behind Xuanmiao. Wang Feiyin reluctantly lowered his stick.

He tossed the stick to Miaohuo. “I’ve tried this method—it works in emergencies, but if money stays in your hands too long, even borrowed money, misfortune begins.” Pan Yun stepped out from behind Xuanmiao. “Did you ever try lending money to others?”

“Lending?” Wang Feiyin snorted. “Do I look like someone who lends money?”

Pan Yun: “Earn it, then lend it right away—that’s how you test it.”

Wang Feiyin fell silent.

Xuanmiao said, “Big Brother never tried this experiment. You could.”

Pan Yun smiled sweetly. “Fourth Sister, I’ll lend you some money in a few days?”

Xuanmiao: “If you lend, I’ll take it.”

Wang Cong finally understood—Pan Yun was running experiments.

Pan Yun stored the five hundred taels in her spiritual realm, ensuring they couldn’t fall out even if they wanted to.

With the money secure, the rest would follow the Dao.

!

The monastery’s rice was nearly dried; Wang Feiyin led them down the mountain to carry the dried grain back up.

The Mountain God Temple was under construction; luckily, Wang Cong had returned and could assist with supervision, so Pan Yun and the others didn’t need to descend the mountain so often.

They attended lessons, cultivated, pounded rice, and planted and harvested vegetables.

Winter on Sanqing Mountain was bitterly cold, with snowfall, so the monastery had cellars to store winter vegetables.

Cabbage and radishes could be stored in cellars for a while, but not enough—so they dried vegetables and pickled them.

For the first time, Pan Yun learned that her seemingly ethereal Fourth Sister knew how to pickle vegetables.

From Miaohuo and Miaozhen’s descriptions, her pickles were quite tasty.

Xuanmiao taught them how to dry and pickle vegetables while giving lessons: “The essence in food is like the potency in herbs—it provides energy to the body, transforming into yuan qi.”

“Thus, in Dan cultivation, besides sitting meditation, eating is also a method.”

Xuanmiao said calmly, “Elixirs, vegetables, birds, beasts—anything edible can provide essence and yuan qi, and all can be used for cultivation.”

“Among them, plants grown naturally under heaven and earth are best, so herbs and vegetables always rank first—they are the finest and most delicious ingredients.”

“Next are herbivorous animals—they’re inferior, but still provide essence and blood, excellent for replenishing qi, though they also generate considerable turbid qi.”

“Worst of all are carnivorous animals—they provide little essence, yet produce heavy turbid qi, the lowest-grade food.”

Pan Yun: “Like tigers, wolves, leopards?”

Xuanmiao nodded. “Their meat and blood are unpalatable—you should know that…”

Pan Yun shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never eaten any.”

Xuanmiao glanced at her. “If you’re curious, next time I’ll take you to hunt a tiger.”

Pan Yun shook her head vigorously. “No, no, no—better not commit such a sin.”

Even in the 26th century, tigers had mutated into ferocious beasts, yet remained rare—still precious animals.

Miaohuo drooled but nodded. “Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun—killing a tiger just to find out if its meat tastes bad or good is too sinful. But if someone urgently needs tiger meat for medicine, I’d try a small piece.”

Xuanmiao shook her head. “The medicinal value of tigers isn’t nearly as great as their price suggests. Other herbs can fully replace their effects—it’s merely that the wealthy, drawn to their rarity, inflate their value.”

“The only justifiable reason to kill them is when they threaten human life. Since you don’t wish to commit sin, just keep your distance if you ever see one.”

Pan Yun rolled her eyes, curiously asking, “Fourth Sister, are there demons outside?”

Xuanmiao glanced at her. “The world holds all manner of wonders. Just because you haven’t seen them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”

So they did exist.

“Have you seen any?”

Xuanmiao: “Why ask?”

“I’m just curious—if we meet a demon outside, do we have to subdue it?”

Xuanmiao: “If it hasn’t harmed you or others, why subdue it?”

“Don’t learn from the Daoists of Long Hushan,” she said. “This world isn’t solely humanity’s. Under the Dao, countless species live—follow the natural way.”

Miaozhen: “What if a demon harms people?”

“Then, as a human, you should save your kin and subdue the demon,” Xuanmiao said. “At that point, you may join the Long Hushan Daoists.”

“Sister, how many demons have you subdued?” Pan Yun stared at Xuanmiao with bright eyes.

Xuanmiao: “Don’t ask about such things. You may never encounter one—and I hope you never do.”

“Well, whether we meet one or not aside, if you tell us, we’ll be prepared. We can’t learn only when it’s too late—what if we get devoured?”

Miaohuo and Miaozhen nodded eagerly, eyes shining.

Last digit is 1

(End of Chapter)