Chapter 3

In the southwest of China, in Guizhou Province, Xingyi City.

Yun Yi, with a weary look on his face, stood on the street of this small southwestern town, gazing at the distant green mountains with a slightly melancholic expression. He was a 25-year-old man from the post-80s generation. Like most people of his age, he had once been full of enthusiasm for the future, only to have his ideals extinguished by reality. He had been beaten down by high housing prices and materialistic women, leaving him feeling utterly defeated and disheartened.

Day after day, living in a cramped rental apartment, enduring the congested traffic and the deafening noise, eating boxed meals filled with various chemical additives, putting on a false smile, being bossed around by his superiors, and engaging in office politics... Yun Yi had had enough of this life. He felt that if he continued, he would go mad.

So, one day, when he was scolded by his temperamental boss, he fought back, packed his things, and left without a second thought.

After losing his job, Yun Yi stayed in his rental apartment for three days, feeling depressed. Finally, he decided to go to a scenic place to clear his mind.

That's why he found himself standing on the street of this small mountain town in Guizhou.

Under the shade of a tree by the roadside, an old Taoist priest carefully observed Yun Yi, who looked melancholic. After a moment, the old man brushed his sleeves, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked toward Yun Yi.

"May the Great Deity of Heaven be praised, young man, this old Taoist greets you!" The old Taoist said, his voice ethereal, as he approached Yun Yi and swung his long拂尘 (duster).

The old Taoist, who appeared to be around sixty, had a long beard and a profound look on his face. He closed his eyes slightly and held out a dull ring to Yun Yi, saying in a calm tone, "May the Great Deity of Heaven be praised, young man, I have a special connection with you. This ring, the Heavenly Destiny Ring, has finally found its rightful owner. Please accept it..."

Yun Yi frowned slightly, looking at the old Taoist and asked curiously, "Master, what is the use of this ring? Why do you say I have a special connection with it?"

"This ring is called the Heavenly Destiny Ring, a famous and extraordinary object. It is said that only those with a special connection can obtain it when it appears in the world." Seeing the skepticism in Yun Yi's eyes but also his interest, the old Taoist opened his eyes slightly to observe Yun Yi's expression, then quickly closed them again before Yun Yi noticed. He continued in a calm voice, "I have traveled across rivers and mountains, through the Five Great Mountains and the Nine Great Waters, and finally found you, the one with a special connection. Today, I will entrust this object to you, completing my mission."

"Hmm, the Heavenly Destiny Ring?" Yun Yi was taken aback by the old man's words and the simple yet crude ring. He took the ring, examined it carefully, and then looked at the old Taoist, saying coolly, "Master, if you have put so much effort into giving me this ring, how much do you want for it?"

"May the Great Deity of Heaven be praised, young man, I have lived in this world without seeking wealth or honor. Why would I ask for money from you?" The old Taoist, hearing the slight mockery in Yun Yi's voice, did not get angry. He simply closed his eyes and shook his head, maintaining the appearance of a transcendent sage who was not swayed by material things.

"However, if you feel that my journey has been arduous and wish to show your gratitude, I would not refuse it." The old Taoist then changed his tone, adding, "After all, even the Buddha Shakyamuni allowed his disciples to accept money when they went to the West to fetch the scriptures. If even the leader of Buddhism could accept payment, I, an old Taoist, would not claim to be above such things. If you wish to show your gratitude, I will gladly accept it."

"Ha, so you're not completely detached from worldly affairs, Master. Your spiritual path is not yet complete," Yun Yi said with a slight smile, having initially thought the old Taoist was a true practitioner who did not care for money.

"May the Great Deity of Heaven be praised, even the Buddha Shakyamuni's disciple, Jin Chanzi, accepted money when he went to the West to fetch the scriptures. If even the Buddha could accept payment, I, an old Taoist, would not claim to be above such things. If you wish to show your gratitude, I will gladly accept it." The old Taoist, hearing Yun Yi's teasing, used the example of the two monks under the Buddha to justify his actions, both proving his point and indirectly criticizing Buddhism.

"Alright, I'll take the ring..." Yun Yi, either convinced by the old Taoist's explanation or simply liking the ring, did not continue the argument. He casually dropped a banknote and put the ring on his finger, then walked away down the unfamiliar street.

From a distance, the old Taoist's calm voice echoed, "May the Great Deity of Heaven be praised, the Heavenly Destiny Ring has finally found its rightful owner."

Hearing this, Yun Yi smiled again, his expression carrying a hint of mystery.

After Yun Yi had walked far away, the old Taoist, who had been maintaining the appearance of a transcendent sage, suddenly dropped his act. He joyfully held the hundred-yuan note Yun Yi had given him, feeling triumphant. "Indeed, a fool with plenty of money, so easy to get a hundred yuan... Wait, something's not right!"

As he felt the note, the old Taoist's face tightened. He slowly unfolded the note and held it up to the afternoon sunlight...

"It's a counterfeit!!" From a distance, Yun Yi faintly heard the old Taoist's final cry of despair.

"You little brat, I won't let you off!" The old Taoist jumped up to chase after Yun Yi, but the delay had allowed Yun Yi to disappear into the crowd of the unfamiliar city. How could he find him now?

After searching in vain, the old Taoist angrily tugged at his long beard and said, "Boy, we will meet again!"

...

When the sunset's glow illuminated Yun Yi's face, he had already left the small mountain town and entered the vast mountains. He was looking for a quiet little village to stay in for a while.

This mountain range stretched over twenty kilometers east to west and fifteen kilometers north to south, known locally as Qingyun Mountain.

Qingyun Mountain had a unique terrain, with a mountain ridge tightly enclosing the valley on all sides, like a plastic basin.

The only prominent peaks were the main peak to the north and the eastern and western peaks. The main peak was several thousand meters high, while the eastern and western peaks were over a thousand meters high.

These three peaks were close together, surrounding Qingyun Village. The main peak acted as a massive barrier, protecting the village from northern cold winds and storms, while the eastern and western peaks ensured that the village did not become too hot in the summer.

From a distance, a tall peak could be seen, covered in green. Yun Yi decided to find a small village in Qingyun Mountain. On his way, he heard that there was only one small village called Qingyun Village at the foot of the mountain, known for its beautiful scenery but with poor road conditions, almost isolated from the outside world.

Yun Yi was initially happy about the idea of living in a secluded place, but after walking from 2 PM, he began to regret his decision.

He had crossed two deep canyons and climbed four peaks, covering only about three kilometers in a straight line, and was exhausted.

Unable to bear it any longer, Yun Yi decided to set up camp for the night. He put down his backpack, opened the zipper, and prepared to take out his tent.

Suddenly, he heard a 'rustling' sound behind him and became alert. He turned around to see a wolf running straight toward him!

"Whoosh!" Yun Yi was startled. He quickly pulled out a multi-functional knife from his leg, holding it with both hands, ready to defend himself.

The wolf, upon seeing Yun Yi's knife, seemed startled and hesitated, circling around him curiously, looking for a suitable attack route.

"It looks like I'm going to end up in the wolf's belly," Yun Yi thought, feeling a sense of despair. Although he wanted to shout for help, he knew it was futile in this desolate mountain.

"Da Hui, come back here!"

Just as Yun Yi was feeling exhausted from his long journey, he faintly heard a girl's voice. Thinking it was a hallucination, he was surprised when the wolf suddenly ran off in the direction of the voice.

Yun Yi had a terrible thought: Could the voice belong to a little girl, and the wolf was going to eat her?

"There's a wolf, run!"

Without hesitation, Yun Yi shouted and chased after the wolf, ignoring the possibility of an ambush.

Because he was going downhill and moving quickly, Yun Yi stumbled several times, scraping his arms and bleeding, but he paid no attention. He just ran as fast as he could, hoping to save the girl.

Suddenly, he heard the girl's voice again from behind a large rock. Yun Yi was alarmed, thinking the wolf was attacking her. He shouted, "Little girl, run to me, Uncle will help you fight the wolf!"

After shouting, Yun Yi rushed past the rock and saw the wolf pouncing on a teenage girl!

He shouted again and charged at the wolf, yelling, "Little girl, be careful..."

When Yun Yi reached the wolf, he swung his knife, but the wolf was too agile, dodging the attack and jumping away, barking at Yun Yi.

"Hey, why did you hurt my dog?" The girl, dressed in a traditional Chinese girl's outfit, exclaimed, her pretty face showing surprise and anger.

"What? Your dog?" Yun Yi, who thought he had saved the girl, was stunned by her words.

"Uh, this is clearly a wolf..." After a moment, Yun Yi looked at the "wolf" in disbelief. Despite the girl's claim, it still looked like a wolf to him, with its fur and thick tail.

"This is a famous gray mountain dog in our area, it just looks a bit like a wolf." The girl, who looked like a blooming azalea, explained with a hint of helplessness.

"Uh, it does look like a dog." Although it looked like a wolf, Yun Yi noticed the "wolf" wagging its tail around the girl and barking like a dog at him. He finally convinced himself it was a dog.

"Uncle, it's getting dark, what are you doing in the mountains?" The girl, seeing her dog was fine, looked at Yun Yi with concern, her eyebrows furrowed. "Uncle, there are no other villages within ten miles of here. Why don't you come to our village for the night?"

"Uh, thank you, little girl." Yun Yi was touched by the girl's kindness, especially since she didn't blame him for hurting her dog. He thought, "The people in these mountain villages are so pure, unlike the people in the outside world who are so materialistic and hypocritical."

"Uncle, you're welcome." The girl, understanding why Yun Yi had rushed over, softened her tone. Seeing his sweat and the cuts on his arm, she said, "Uncle, let's go to the village quickly and bandage your arm."

"Thanks, I have my own medical supplies." Yun Yi took the opportunity to look at the girl more closely. He admired her beauty: her delicate face, long eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and a small, delicate mouth.

With a kind and beautiful girl as his companion, Yun Yi's pace quickened, and he felt less tired. The girl, in turn, enjoyed the conversation with Yun Yi, finding his witty remarks and stories about the world refreshing compared to the villagers.

In this way, they quickly reached the girl's home, Qingyun Village.

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