Chapter 22

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Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I wish all my readers a happy reunion with your families, and may you all be safe and healthy!

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This is a small cave, about two to three meters in diameter, simply furnished yet not lacking in elegance.

In the corner, a bamboo rack holds animal skin scrolls, jade slips, and other items. On the stone table by the door, a bronze mirror and a crystal water clock are placed. The delicate, transparent water clock has water droplets slowly flowing with the passage of time. A pearl is embedded in the cave ceiling, emitting a faint, gentle light that illuminates the surroundings.

On the ground in the center of the cave, a soft deer skin is spread out. A woman in a white dress, as pure as snow, sits cross-legged on it. However, her slender shoulders and pale, delicate face, contrasted with her waterfall-like black hair, make her appear even more frail. She gently waves her long sleeves, lightly holds her hands, and her slender fingers intertwine. Then her eyelids flicker, and she seems puzzled, saying, "Uncle Xuanyu has returned, what for..."

This woman is the owner of the cave, Ziyun. Beside her sits another woman, Yezi.

Yezi reaches out to pick up the bronze mirror from the stone table, raises it to her face, and scrutinizes it for a moment. Slightly dissatisfied, she pouts and complains, "When will I have a beauty like my sister..."

Ziyun does not show any joy but instead sighs softly and asks, "Yezi, do you still envy your sister's age?"

Yezi puts down the mirror, smiles apologetically, and answers honestly, "You've heard it all, haven't you? The teacher came to Lingxia Mountain, insisting on joining the immortal sect, but he has no spiritual root. He took out the jade pendant given by your sister to force a meeting. He happened to meet Uncle Xuanyu, who was descending the mountain to recruit disciples. Not knowing the truth, he came to ask. When your sister learned of it, she did not want to get involved and sent me with a bottle of elixir as a return. Who would have thought that Uncle did not drive him away..."

Ziyun is puzzled, "He... he is a weak scholar, without a spiritual root, yet he wants to join the immortal sect, isn't that absurd?"

When she left the jade pendant, it was more out of politeness. Since she had received a favor, she could not remain indifferent. However, Ling Mountain was far away, and they would never meet again. Who would have thought that not long after they returned, he would come looking for them. Not only that, but he also wanted to join the immortal sect as a mortal.

Yezi says, "Sister, don't worry. Uncle has already assigned him to the Jade Well mine. Besides, there are mortals on the mountain, so he won't be lonely!"

As she said, there are indeed many mortals on Lingxia Mountain. Among the disciples recruited by the immortal sect, some have spiritual roots but are mediocre in talent or for other reasons, and their cultivation is slow, or they have no cultivation at all. These disciples are assigned to mine jade. In the eyes of the true disciples, these hard tasks are clearly despised.

Ziyun is slightly surprised, "The Jade Well mine? Uncle assigned him to a lowly task..."

Yezi says, "So what? If not for Uncle's kindness, he wouldn't even get a lowly task. Uncle is clearly trying to please your sister. Among the seniors, he is the most handsome and understanding..."

"Phew!"

Ziyun's face turns slightly red, and she spits, sighing softly, "I am still recovering from my injuries, and it is difficult to build a foundation. I have no heart to worry about other things, sigh..."

As she speaks, the worry on her face deepens.

...

On a hill, a young man stands with his chest out, hands behind his back. Although his clothes are tattered and his face is covered in dust, even his cloth shoes expose his toes, making him look extremely poor and destitute, he is smiling and his expression is radiant.

"Truly, when one reaches the mountain, there is always a path. When the willow is dark and the flowers bright, there is always a village. I, the young master, have finally climbed the mountain and become a disciple of the immortal sect. The twists and turns in between are truly dramatic. Thinking about it now, it seems like a dream, hehe!"

He is overwhelmed with emotion and can't help but laugh.

Someone is walking from a distance.

It is a burly middle-aged man with a beard, looking fierce. Before he reaches the young man, he impatiently shouts, "Are you Wujiao? I am the manager of the Jade Well, Ge Qi. Follow me!"

The young man on the hill, hearing the call, hurriedly bows and flatters, "It's Manager Ge, Brother Ge, ah... no, since I'm in the immortal sect, I should call you Senior Brother Ge!"

The young man is Wujiao. He was originally disheartened and lying in a pavilion at the foot of the mountain, feeling depressed, when Xuanyu, who had returned, brought him up the mountain. He said he was helping Ziyun repay a favor.

However, Xuanyu left him there and went to the valley, then left without a word. It seemed he didn't recognize Wujiao and hadn't brought anyone.

The man calling himself Ge Qi took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and glared, "I am not your senior brother or your big brother, humph!" He huffed and turned to leave, muttering, "No cultivation, yet you want to stay in the immortal sect..."

What a bad temper!

Shouldn't the immortal sect be free from desires and natural? How can there be a hierarchy and division of ranks? Is the position of manager so powerful, looking so impressive!

Wujiao repeatedly agrees, but then raises his eyes with a skeptical look.

It is just as the clouds and mist are fading, and dusk is falling. The surroundings are vast and indistinct, the sky is dark. A bright moon rises, and the surroundings are vast and indistinct.

Ha ha! Lingxia Mountain is indeed the abode of immortals, with an extraordinary atmosphere!

From now on, the past pursuit should be far away. I wonder where Immortal Lady Ziyun is. I must visit her one day. Imagine, meeting again in a different place, looking into each other's eyes, feeling a mix of emotions, what a touching scene it would be!

"Every day, you go down the mine at dawn and finish at dusk. You will be searched when you come and go, and you must not carry anything..."

Wujiao is still lost in his thoughts when he suddenly realizes something is wrong. Why is Manager Ge talking about going down the mine and finishing work? I came to be a disciple of the immortal sect, not to do hard labor. He jumps down the hill and chases after the man, who continues, "There is a kitchen in the mountain, which opens at 3 AM, and you get one meal a day, no exceptions. There is a shack halfway up the mountain, and you can choose to live there or not. The rules of the Jade Well are based on the harvest, with rewards and punishments..."

Well, this is getting out of hand. One meal a day, getting up before dawn, or you'll go hungry. Even worse, there is no shelter from the wind and rain! Even a shack is mentioned. This is not an immortal sect, it's a poor and miserable hut!

Wujiao runs down the hill quickly, catching up with Ge Qi in a few steps, and blocks his way, asking, "Manager Ge, don't the disciples of the immortal sect need to cultivate? I came to meet Immortal Lady Ziyun, why do I have to do hard labor?"

Ge Qi suddenly stops, his eyes wide, "You have no cultivation, yet you dare to call yourself a disciple of the immortal sect? You are just a lowly laborer, and your job is to mine jade. Whether you cultivate or not is none of my business..." He pushes Wujiao away and spits, "Phew! Want to meet an immortal lady, dream on!"

Wujiao stumbles, almost falling, and is shocked, "What do you mean, can't I just go down the mountain..." He originally came to cultivate, but was treated as a lowly laborer; he came to find an immortal lady, but it's a dream? This is too much, I won't do it!

Ge Qi doesn't even turn around, "If you want to go down the mountain, no one will stop you. If you want to leave, go quickly, don't cause trouble!"

Wujiao is choked by the words, stomps his foot in anger, and is about to turn and leave.

At the same time, someone wobbles by from a distance, laughing, "All around here are thousand-foot cliffs, once you come, you can't leave!"

Through the dim night, it is a man in his twenties, wearing a blue robe, of medium height, with a yellowish and thin face, but his eyes are bright. He looks up and down at Wujiao and smiles, "New here? I'm Zong Bao..."

Ge Qi's face darkens, and he shouts, "Zong Bao, if you're not mining jade, what are you doing here?"

The man called Zong Bao shrugs, looking innocent, "It's past dusk, and the work is done. I'm hungry, so I'm wandering around..." He seems wary, gives Wujiao a look, and smiles helplessly, then wobbles away.

Wujiao stands there, stunned.

He thought being a lowly laborer was bad enough, but it turns out there are even worse things. Once you come, you can't leave, just like a prisoner! Immortal Lady Ziyun, you wouldn't do this to me, would you? Is this to test my sincerity?

Ge Qi continues forward, snorting, "If you don't leave, come with me obediently. If you keep complaining, you'll be punished according to the rules!"

Wujiao looks up at the night sky, involuntarily shivering.

It is still hot at the foot of the mountain, but it is already cool on the mountain. He was just excited, but now he feels the cold!

Sigh, coming all this way, what for! Fortunately, there is still a glimmer of hope, or I might be forced to jump off the cliff.

Well, I am now a person who will be punished according to the rules. From now on, I don't have to wander anymore. Those days were nerve-wracking, but at least I was free!

Wujiao sighs to himself, then moves his feet.

Ahead is a valley, with a row of houses built by the mountain. Torches are lit under the eaves, illuminating the area. The surrounding peaks are indistinct.

In a moment, the houses are in sight.

Ge Qi walks into one of the houses, not waiting for anyone to follow, and coldly says, "Wait here..."

Wujiao has no choice but to stop, looking around listlessly.

The house Ge Qi walked into has a sign, reading "Jade Well Peak." Nearby are a few other houses, including a warehouse, a scripture hall, and a kitchen.

A moment later, Ge Qi appears under the eaves, casually throws a bag, and pulls out a torch, saying, "Go south for four or five li, that's where you'll live. Come here early tomorrow morning to receive orders!"

Wujiao steps forward to take the torch, wanting to ask a few more questions, but Ge Qi has already turned back into the house, slamming the door. He bends down to pick up the bag, looking bewildered.

Four or five li is not far, but which direction is south?

Wujiao is confused, then smiles at himself.

When you are down and out, your mind doesn't work well. With the moon in the sky, how can you not know the direction?

Wujiao weighs the bag, feeling some weight. He doesn't know what's inside, but he can open it when he gets there. He puts the bag on his shoulder and walks into the night with the torch... Mobile users, please visit http://m.piaotia.net

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