Chapter 417: Three-Star Cave

"Where is that place?"

Tu Shan Zhi, perched on Yu Lin's head, looked at the endless mountains and fields before her, while a gentle breeze lightly brushed her fluffy tail.

She gently brushed Yu Lin's cheek with the tip of one of her tails and asked curiously.

Yu Lin's gaze turned to where the horizon met, and in an ordinary tone he said, "Just ahead. Let's go."

Having spoken, his figure shifted slightly, and he, with the white Tu Shan Zhi, stood upon the clouds.

Benevolent clouds formed beneath his feet, bearing a man and a fox, cutting through clouds and mist, flying straight westward.

At his speed, crossing mountains and rivers took only an instant.

Before long, they arrived at the border of Xiniu He Continent, more precisely at the junction of Xiniu He Continent and the Southern Zhanbu Continent.

In later eras this is the border region of Xia Guo and Tianzhu, the Himalaya Mountains. (Disclaimer: the author's personal setting, unrelated to the original work.)

Yu Lin pressed the cloud head before a stretch of rolling, mist‑wrapped immortal mountain sanctuary.

The towering mountains were majestic, the scenery myriad, spirit birds and exotic beasts hidden within, truly an excellent cultivation holy site.

But the exact locations of Ling Tai Fangcun Mountain and the Slant Moon Three-Star Cave seemed concealed by a layer of subtle Dao Rhythm, impossible to glimpse directly.

Tu Shan Zhi poked her little head and looked left and right:

"Which mountain? They all look the same."

"Don't rush." Yu Lin, unhurried, casually broke off a slender straight branch from an ancient tree beside him.

He tossed the branch into the air; it spun down with a light "Snap" sound, landing on the grass.

The finer end of the branch pointed, neither left nor right, directly at a particularly elegant, cloud‑wreathed peak among the many mountains.

Yu Lin nodded, stepped toward that mountain and said, "Alright, this is it."

Tu Shan Zhi: "............"

She pawed Yu Lin's hair with a claw, her tone full of doubt, "No way? Are you sure... this really works?"

Seeking a great Daoist arena, deciding with a tossed branch? That's a bit too childish.

Yu Lin walked calmly, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth:

"You only need to believe in the power of Miracle."

Tu Shan Zhi, though utterly unable to grasp any necessary link between Miracle and tossing a branch, swallowed her doubt as her master spoke so confidently, muttering:

"Fine, fine, you're the master, you decide. If we get lost, it's still you leading the way."

One person and one fox walked along the mountain path, the flora fragrant, the spiritual aura refreshing.

Just upon reaching the foot of the mountain "chosen by the branch," a clear, melodious song rose from the mountain:

"... Splitting the peaks to seek the fungus, bearing rosy clouds into the market, half‑shoulder red rain scattered; the cloud journey weary, smiling pointing at the old green mountain..."

The song was melodious.

Yu Lin looked up and saw a woodcutter in plain clothes, shouldering a bundle of firewood, strolling down a mountain trail.

Sensing his aura, Yu Lin realized the woodcutter's surrounding spiritual energy was restrained, his primordial spirit clear; he was a cultivator who had completed Qi refinement, his cultivation already at the Transcendent stage, and in a few more years would easily attain the Immortal Fruit Position.

He must be the one who, back then, pointed out the location of Ling Tai Fangcun Mountain to Sun Wukong; most likely Patriarch Bodhi deliberately placed him here to guide a destined disciple.

Yu Lin gathered his thoughts, stepped forward a few paces, and politely said, "Friend Daoist, please stay a moment."

The woodcutter heard the words, halted, turned his head toward Yu Lin, showing no surprise but a sudden and respectful expression. He set down the firewood bundle, straightened his clothes, and performed a solemn bow toward Yu Lin:

"Ah, senior, this overwhelms the junior."

The woodcutter, humbly, said, "My master this morning mentioned that a friend might visit today; however, the heavenly mechanism is Chaos, its origins indeterminate, and he only instructed the junior to wait here."

"Now it seems, senior, you are the esteemed guest my master spoke of."

He stepped aside, pointing to a secluded path half‑veiled by mist within the mountain:

"Senior, please proceed that way; my master has already prepared clear tea in the cave residence, awaiting your arrival."

Yu Lin, hearing this, smiled faintly, flipped his hand to produce a dragon‑eye‑sized pill and handed it over:

"I see, thank you for the information. This pill is a small welcome gift, it may aid your cultivation a bit."

Having said so, without waiting for the woodcutter's refusal, he thrust the pill into his hand, then his form flickered and drifted along the direction the woodcutter indicated, vanishing in the blink of an eye among the verdant mountains and swirling mist.

The woodcutter held the warm, fragrant, spirit pill in his hand, his mind momentarily stunned.

Just as he wondered whether to chase after and return this overly precious gift, a calm, indifferent Transmission sounded in his ear from his own master:

"Accept it, and that's enough."

The woodcutter, hearing this, resolved in his heart, bowed again toward Yu Lin's vanished direction, respectfully saying:

"Disciple obeys."

Then he shouldered the firewood bundle again, humming that Daoist song, and continued with his duties.

Yu Lin advanced; the mountain path beneath his feet seemed ordinary, but when he took a certain step, the surrounding scenery changed abruptly!

A profoundly mysterious, exceedingly tranquil Dao Rhythm surged like liquid mercury flooding the ground, instantly cleansing body and mind.

Before him, the ordinary forest scenery vanished, replaced by swirling mist and fleeting spiritual light.

All around, ancient trees towered like dragons, distant waterfalls fell like silver ribbons into deep pools, water babbled, Immortal Crane skimmed the treetops, and a mysterious ape swung lightly among the forest.

In front of the cave residence, amid auspicious light and auspicious haze, the five rustic characters "Slant Moon Three-Star Cave" faintly glowed.

Clearly, the Slant Moon Three-Star Cave had been reached.

Two youthful attendants, lips crimson, teeth white, hair styled in twin buns, wearing pure Daoist robes, stood at the entrance, about fifteen or sixteen years old.

Seeing Yu Lin arrive, a spark of curiosity flashed in their eyes, yet their demeanor remained composed; they stepped forward together, bowed, and spoke in clear voices:

"We warmly welcome the esteemed guest. The Patriarch already knows the guest's arrival and has ordered us to await here. Please follow us, esteemed guest."

Their attitude was courteous and respectful.

Yu Lin clasped his hands in return, politely saying, "Thank you, young celestial attendants, for guiding the way."

"You are most kind, esteemed guest." The two Daoist youths stepped aside, one left, one right, leading Yu Lin into the cave.

One of the slightly older young Daoists walked and explained in a low voice: "The ancestral master is currently brewing tea in the quiet chamber."

"The esteemed guest arrives just in time; the ancestral master gathered some fresh dew from the rear mountain a few days ago and also obtained some mist sprouts from an overseas immortal island, perfect for brewing today."

Another young Daoist also chimed in: "The ancestral master usually spends time in quiet meditation or resolves doubts for disciples listening to lectures in the mountains; today he specially ordered tea prepared for guests, so the esteemed guest must be an old friend of the ancestral master."

Yu Lin merely smiled slightly upon hearing this and said nothing more.

Tu Shan Zhi atop his head curiously turned its little head, its nine tails swaying slightly, surveying the scenery inside this immortal's cave dwelling.

The interior of the cave was spacious and bright, not a dark stone cavern but rather like a carefully opened utopia.

Corridors wound about, with jade terrace chambers, a quiet chamber, and an alchemy room.

Along the way they occasionally encountered cultivators likewise dressed in Daoist robes, some sweeping, some reciting sutras, some discussing the Dao in low voices.

Upon seeing the young Daoist leading Yu Lin, they cast friendly or curious glances, then each went about their own business; the atmosphere was tranquil and harmonious, filled with Dao rhythm.

After passing through several courtyards, they arrived at a more secluded place.

They saw a simple quiet chamber built against the mountain cliff; outside the door stood a few stalks of green bamboo, a stone platform, on which simple tea utensils had been laid out, and the stove fire was warm.

And on the futon sat an old Daoist with white hair and beard, possessing the immortal wind and Daoist bones.

Upon seeing Yu Lin arrive, he rose and smiled, saying:

"Greetings, Daoist friend Yu."

Yu Lin stepped forward and returned the salute: "Greetings, Bodhi Daoist friend."

I've met you before, Bodhi Dao companion.