Chapter 8

I had been kneeling for too long, from the scorching sun overhead to the setting sun in the west. The young me had unknowingly kowtowed several thousand times, and when I finally stood up, I felt dizzy, my vision went black, and I felt as if I were about to die. But just as I was about to fall backward, a large and warm hand supported my back, and a clear, cold voice sounded in my ear: "Press your tongue to the palate, form a bridge, take a long breath, let the two main meridians meet, and swallow the saliva that forms, as if it were a divine nectar flowing from a jade terrace..."

It seemed like a mnemonic. I heard it, not fully understanding its meaning, but I knew to press my tongue firmly against the palate. Then, as if I had just emerged from the water, I took a deep breath, saliva flowed, and air entered my nose. Suddenly, everything became bright, and the world seemed renewed. I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Master, is this the path of cultivation?"

The old Taoist in the blue robe grunted, unwilling to acknowledge me, but he still said, "What path of cultivation? It's just a method to help you walk on your own. Can you stand up and walk now?"

I nodded excitedly and said loudly, "Yes, Master, I can!"

The little monkey, Pangu, climbed onto my shoulder and giggled, while the injured little fox opened its eyes, its amber-like eyes curiously looking at me. The old Taoist agreed to let me follow him, and I was overjoyed. However, his next words sent me from the heavens to the depths of despair: "I'm taking you back, not to take you as a disciple. I just can't bear to see you die. As a reward, you can help me take care of this little fox in my arms. Do you agree?"

I felt very dejected, but then I thought, living as a Taoist in the mountains would be hard and lonely, and I didn't really want to do it anyway. Plus, he could treat my illness, so it was a good deal. I nodded eagerly, "Okay, I understand." After saying that, I looked at the little fox. Hmm, it seemed to be the one we saw by the stream earlier.

The old Taoist in the blue robe was very old, with white hair at his temples, but he looked handsome, like a god in a painting. However, he had a bad temper and didn't like to talk. He turned to leave, and I was afraid he would leave me behind, so I hurried to follow him, looking up and asking, "If I don't call you Master, what should I call you?" The old Taoist didn't hesitate and replied, "Calling me 'Daoist Master' is fine. Others call me that, so you can too." I was a bit unwilling. If others could call him 'Daoist Master,' why couldn't my brother Erdan? Did he have to be so distant?

Fine, I'll call you 'Daoist Master' to your face, but behind your back, I'll call you—dead scoundrel, stinky scoundrel, scoundrel old Taoist...

I secretly cursed the old Taoist in my heart while following him closely. After walking for a while, he put his hand on a shelter, looked up at the setting sun, and muttered to himself, "This is too slow. It won't do..." After saying that, he looked at me, and my face turned pale with fear. "Don't leave me behind. This deep in the mountains, there are wild beasts everywhere. If you leave, I'll be food for the wolves."

The old Taoist saw my fear and a hint of a smile appeared on his cold face. He didn't pay attention to me but instead felt in his pocket and took out two yellow talismans with chaotic strokes depicting a small foal. He tied them to my legs with red waxed string and sprinkled some green grass on them, muttering, "Little foal, run fast, when you get home, I'll give you the best grass, the tender shoots of spring..."

I watched the old Taoist fiddle with my feet and felt a strange aura spreading from my feet. I couldn't help but ask in a trembling voice, "Daoist Master, what are you doing?"

The old Taoist looked up at me, stood up, and while holding the basket my father left behind and pulling my arm, said, "Take a deep breath, and no matter what happens, don't shout, or you'll scare away the spirits, understand?" My heart was pounding, but I nodded my head vigorously. Before I could react, I heard a clear voice beside me, "Heaven and Earth are boundless, the mystic heart is the true path, travel a thousand miles in a moment, swift!"

Before he finished speaking, I felt as if I were flying. My feet moved rapidly, and the trees on both sides rushed backward. The wind whistled in my ears, and my eyes were blown shut. Occasionally, I could see myself about to crash into a tree—ah!

I was almost driven mad and wanted to shout, but I remembered the old Taoist's instructions. He wasn't my parents, and he wasn't easy to talk to. If I shouted, he might leave me here. So I gritted my teeth, my heart pounding like rain on banana leaves, without stopping. However, time passed quickly, and just as my feet were about to go numb, my body suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes and saw that we had reached the peak of Wuguniang Mountain. The rocks were rugged, and the wide, flat area was filled with tall pine trees. There was a half-open stone cave by the mountain wall, like a door, with inscriptions carved on both sides. I didn't read much, but after looking for a long time, I recognized the character "shi" (士).

The old Taoist saw me looking at the stone inscriptions and read them to me, "Yellow sprout and white snow are the abode of immortals, jade grass and fairy flowers are the home of Taoists!"

I didn't understand, but it sounded good, so I clapped my hands and said, "Good, it sounds nice..." Before I could finish, I was hit on the head. The old Taoist said, "At your young age, you're already so insincere and cunning. You might not be a good person in the future. Should I even save you?" I was about to cry again, but the old Taoist stopped talking and walked into the stone cave.

I followed him into the cave, and immediately a coolness spread over my body. It was called the abode of immortals, but it was no different from a mountain den. There were two rooms, and I couldn't see the inner room, but the outer room had a pile of straw on the left, which seemed to be a sleeping place. Next to it was a fire pit with a black iron pot and a pile of firewood. There were also some rice, flour, oil, and salt, but not much. Overall, it was very messy, like a homeless person's home. What surprised me was that there were no mosquitoes at all.

The mosquitoes in the mountains were fierce, swarming, but there wasn't even one here.

Back at the abode of immortals, the old Taoist's cold face showed a bit more life. He pulled out a black, oily fur from under the straw and laid it down, then placed the little white fox on it, checked its wound, and started chopping wood and making a fire. He scooped two scoops of water from a large earthen jar and boiled it. I knew my place, like the child who tended the fire in the immortal's home in "Journey to the West," a helper. So I went to help, picking up firewood and adding it to the fire. The old Taoist didn't stop me. After a while, he gave an order and went into the inner room.

I carefully tended the fire, watching it grow stronger. The iron pot bubbled, and the steam moistened my eyes, making it hard to tell if it was tears or steam.

At home, I was the youngest, pampered by my parents and indulged by my sister, Dafeng. I had never done such rough work. But this was someone else's home, and if I wanted to survive, I had to be as careful as a bonded laborer. Being away from home, I realized how dear my family was. But fortunately, I had Pangu, the little monkey, who eagerly brought me firewood and used a stick to stir the fire, proving to be more capable than me. This little creature was mischievous and entertaining, and with it around, I wasn't too lonely.

The sun slowly set, and the fire in the pit grew larger. The water in the pot boiled, but in the hot summer, I suddenly felt a chill on my neck.

I knew it was the evil thing I had encountered in the water causing trouble again. I couldn't help but move closer to the fire, but my whole body felt as if it had fallen into an ice hole. I looked at the dark passage to the inner room and shivered for a while before finally deciding to find the old Taoist. The stone cave was quite large, and I tiptoed over. Before I reached it, I saw a half-body copper mirror standing at the entrance. I instinctively looked at it and was instantly terrified.