bookbashuk Chapter 204 New Business at the Mountain Gate
Chapter 204 New Business at the Mountain Gate
The next morning.
As expected, Feng Xiaolu appeared on the back mountain right at Chenshi (7-9 AM). She had changed into a coarse cloth outfit, her hair was haphazardly tied back with strips of cloth, and she carried a carrying pole with huge wooden buckets hanging from both ends on her shoulder. With a mournful face, she walked towards the mountain stream.
Lin Xiaoman, still worried, followed along and, seeing the situation, couldn't help but say, "How about... I help you pick a few trips?"
"No!" Feng Xiaolu hurriedly waved her hand, her expression tragic. "Senior Sister said we can't use spiritual power, but she didn't say we can't choose ourselves. If you help me and we get caught, we're both doomed."
She took a deep breath and strode confidently toward the mountain stream, her departing figure carrying a touch of the desolate sorrow of a "hero going forth."
Lin Xiaoman watched her swaying figure, shook her head helplessly, turned around and went to the medicinal herb field, picked up a hoe and began to loosen the soil.
The resort at the foot of the mountain was exceptionally quiet in the early morning after a night of hustle and bustle. Only cleaners were sweeping the main street; most shops were still closed, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and dew.
The kitchen of Xian Shan Fang was already bustling with activity. Fatty Li, wearing an apron, was personally overseeing several chefs preparing today's ingredients.
Although the resort doesn't have many visitors now, Xian Shan Fang caters to the high-end market and offers mountain cuisine, so it doesn't rely on the resort's foot traffic.
"Be careful! Wash the spiritual vegetables gently, don't damage their spiritual energy! Be careful when scaling that silver-scaled fish, make sure the gallbladder isn't broken! First, prepare the portions for my sect leader and my master on the mountain, I want to personally deliver them!" Fatty Li's voice boomed as he patrolled the kitchen.
Half an hour later, Fatty Li hummed a little tune, picked up a food box, and headed towards Yunyin Mountain.
When he arrived at the foot of the mountain, he saw Zhao Mengmeng coming down the mountain with a stack of documents in her hand.
"Senior Sister Mengmeng!" Fatty Li called out hurriedly, "Coming down the mountain so early?"
When Zhao Mengmeng saw Li Pangzi, she stopped and smiled, "Good morning, junior brother. The resort has just opened for business, so I have to go down the mountain to keep an eye on things."
"Alright, I'll take breakfast up to the sect leader and master first."
After saying goodbye to Zhao Mengmeng, Li Pangzi, carrying a food box, walked up the steps one by one up the mountain.
Reaching the mountainside, nestled among ancient pines beside the stone steps, lies the small side hall of the Cloud Hidden Sect. The hall door is ajar, and the wind chimes on the eaves tinkle softly in the morning breeze, their sounds clear and melodious.
Fatty Li intended to go straight up the mountain, but upon hearing low chanting and voices coming from inside the hall, he paused, his curiosity piqued. He moved quietly to the half-open hall door and peered inside.
Before the statue of Emperor Wenchang, wisps of incense smoke curled from the altar.
The monk Huiming was not wearing the staff polo shirt he wore yesterday, but had changed back into his slightly worn gray monk's robe. He was holding a string of prayer beads, standing with his eyes downcast to one side of the incense table, his expression peaceful.
Two young men were kneeling on the prayer mats in front of the statue.
Fatty Li squinted and examined the two kneeling on the prayer mats. One was wearing a well-tailored black suit, his hair was neatly combed, and his back was broad; even while kneeling, his spine was ramrod straight. The other was slightly thinner, wearing a light gray casual suit, his head slightly bowed, his posture respectful.
"By the Emperor Wenchang," the man in the suit spoke, his voice deep but carrying an unmistakable Sichuan-Chongqing accent, "Disciple Jiang Yun, today Ah Sheng and I have come to kowtow to you, Your Majesty."
The visitors were Jiang Yun and his "sworn brother" Asheng, who had been invited.
Before kowtowing, Ah Sheng was still puzzled as to who exactly the "Wenchang Emperor" worshipped by the Yunyin Sect was...
Inside the hall, incense smoke curled around the statue of Wenchang Dijun, whose face, made of clay and gold, appeared even more solemn and benevolent amidst the incense smoke.
After Jiang Yun and Asheng respectfully kowtowed three times, Huiming, who had been standing to the side with his eyes lowered, slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze calmly falling on the two of them. He raised one hand to his chest and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "Amitabha. The Emperor is moved by the sincerity of the two benefactors."
Jiang Yun straightened up, turned to Huiming, clasped her hands together, and looked devout.
Ah Sheng, however, was speechless, unsure where to begin his rant.
The side hall houses a statue of the God of Literature, which exudes a Taoist aura, yet standing beside it is a bald monk in a monk's robe.
Ah Sheng stood up behind Jiang Yun, his gaze lingering on Huiming's bald head and dusty monk's robes before settling on the benevolent-looking clay statue of the God of Literature behind the incense table. His lips twitched involuntarily. He leaned closer to Jiang Yun, lowered his voice, and asked in a hushed tone, "Ah Yun, is it... appropriate to have a monk chant sutras beside us when we worship the God of Literature?"
Jiang Yun's devout expression hadn't completely faded when she heard this, and she said in a low voice, "What do you know? Master Huiming is a highly accomplished monk. It's fate that he's helping to look after the incense here! Sincerity is key, who cares if he's a monk or a Taoist priest?"
Although their whispers were soft, Huiming heard them clearly in the tranquil hall. His expression remained unchanged; he simply chanted another Buddhist prayer, his voice calm: "Buddhism and Taoism share common ground, both guiding people towards goodness and enlightenment. The Wenchang Emperor governs literary fortune and official rank; people come here to pray, seeking nothing more than peace of mind and striving for progress. This humble monk is merely here to offer you all a moment of pure karmic connection."
These words were well-reasoned, explaining both the current situation and the essence of the matter. Jiang Yun nodded repeatedly, saying, "Master Huiming is right! That makes sense!"
Jiang Yun had met Huiming once before at the Feng family. Although he had many questions in his mind about why Brother Chen was accompanied by a monk, he still needed Chen Anran's help at the moment, so he naturally couldn't ask too many questions.
Ah Sheng still felt something was off, but seeing Jiang Yun's certainty, he didn't say anything more and just nodded slightly in response.
Li Pangzi, who was outside the door, was pondering this strange combination when Huiming, who was inside the hall, suddenly turned his head and his gaze fell precisely on him.
"Amitabha. Benefactor Li, now that you've arrived, why not come in?" Huiming's voice was gentle, but it sent a shiver down Li's spine.
He chuckled awkwardly, pushed open the door, and walked in carrying the food box. "Good morning, Master Huiming. I was just on my way to deliver breakfast to the Sect Leader and Master when I heard some noise... And who are these two?"
Upon seeing Fatty Li, Jiang Yun immediately smiled, stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "This brother must also be a master of the Yunyin Sect? I am Jiang Yun, and this is my brother, Asheng. We were invited by Brother Chen Anran to visit your esteemed place, as we plan to open a small shop in the resort at the foot of the mountain. We were just thinking of going up the mountain to pay our respects to Sect Leader Su Wan and Brother Chen when we happened to meet Master Huiming here, so we came to pay our respects to the Emperor first and ask for good fortune."
Huiming nodded slightly and said to Fatty Li, "Benefactor Li, you've come at the right time. These two benefactors are guests of Fellow Daoist Chen and wish to visit the mountain. Since you are going to deliver the meal, you might as well accompany me and lead the way."
Upon hearing that Chen Anran had invited him, Fatty Li's attitude immediately became even more enthusiastic, his round face beaming with smiles: "So you're Master's guests! My apologies! My name is Fatty Li, a disciple of Immortal Master Chen. I'm learning some skills on the mountain and managing the Immortal Cuisine Restaurant down below. Boss Jiang, Brother Asheng, come, come, I was just about to go up the mountain, let's go together! Master and Senior Uncle Master will be so happy to know you're here!"
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Li!" Jiang Yun said with a hearty smile.
Fatty Li picked up the food box and led the two towards the outside of the hall. He then turned back to Huiming and said, "Master Huiming, why don't you go up the mountain for a while?"
Huiming, holding his prayer beads, gently shook his head: "This humble monk still needs to stay here to tend to the incense. Please make yourselves at home, everyone."
The stone steps meander, still damp with morning dew.
Fatty Li walked ahead carrying a heavy food box, his steps light and quick. As he walked, he turned back to chat with Jiang Yun and Ah Sheng: "Boss Jiang, what kind of shop are you planning to open in our resort? Any ideas?"
Jiang Yun, walking in the middle, smiled and said, "Brother Chen mentioned before that the resort focuses on 'cultivation culture experience,' so I was thinking of opening a shop that specializes in selling cultivation-related trinkets and unique cultural and creative products."
Ah Sheng added from the side, his tone much more natural than when they were in the side hall: "Ah Yun is skillful; her designs have both an antique feel and appeal to modern aesthetics."
"Boss Jiang's idea is great! Our resort is lacking these kinds of unique cultural and creative shops. Chairman Zhao also said before that we can't just have food, lodging, and entertainment; we also need something to take away as a memento."
At this moment, Fatty Li had no idea that this wasn't a cultural and creative store at all, but a "cyber artifact store"...
The morning mist in the mountains hadn't completely dissipated, and the stone steps were still damp. Jiang Yun looked around curiously. "Brother Li, shouldn't Brother Chen and Sect Leader Su be up by now?"
The stone steps are flanked by lush trees, and the air is much fresher than down the mountain; a deep breath makes one feel relaxed and refreshed.
Jiang Yun and A Sheng, being cultivators, could better sense that the higher they went up the mountain, the richer the spiritual energy became.
"At this hour, our sect leader must already be doing his morning exercises," Fatty Li said with a smile as he turned around. "As for our master, he sometimes sleeps in a little longer, but we have guests today, so he's probably up by now."
Just then, a series of heavy breathing sounds came from above.
The three looked up and saw Feng Xiaolu carrying two large buckets of water, swaying as she walked towards the back of the mountain at a fork in the path halfway up the mountain.
"Uncle-Master Lu!" Fatty Li called out.
Feng Xiaolu stopped and turned around, her face filled with utter despair. When she saw Jiang Yun and Asheng behind Li Pangzi, her expression instantly turned awkward. She subconsciously tried to straighten her back, but the carrying pole tilted, and the water in the bucket almost spilled.
"Hey, watch out!" Fatty Li rushed forward to help.
"Don't move!" Feng Xiaolu gritted her teeth and steadied herself. "Senior Sister said I have to choose for myself..."
Seeing her like this, Jiang Yun couldn't help but laugh and ask, "Miss Feng, what's wrong...?"
"Labor reform," Feng Xiaolu said weakly. Then, she looked at the two of them and asked, "And what are you two doing at the Cloud Hidden Sect?"
Fatty Li quickly introduced, "These two are guests invited by Master, who plan to open a shop in our resort."
"Junior brother invited them? To open a shop? Oh, right, your cybernetic weapon-refining technique..." Feng Xiaolu's eyes lit up, but then dimmed again. "Then you guys hurry up the mountain, I have to continue fetching water..."
She picked up the carrying pole again and continued walking slowly towards the back of the mountain, her back view desolate.
…………
The stone platform in front of the main hall of the Yunyin Sect was washed clean by the morning light. The wind chimes on the eaves occasionally tinkled, making the mountainside even more tranquil.
Chen Anran had just finished practicing a set of boxing techniques, a thin layer of sweat glistening on his forehead, which he was wiping with a cloth. Hearing footsteps, he turned around and saw Fatty Li leading two people up the stone steps.
"Master!" Fatty Li quickened his pace. "I've brought breakfast, and there are two more guests—"
Chen Anran smiled when he saw Jiang Yun and Asheng: "Brother Jiang, you've arrived."
He took the food box from Fatty Li and said to him, "Thank you for your hard work. Put it in the side hall first. I'll eat with Senior Sister Xiaoling and the others later."
"Brother Chen!" Jiang Yun greeted Chen Anran with a beaming smile and clasped his hands in a respectful greeting. "I'm sorry to have bothered you!"
Ah Sheng followed behind, respectfully bowing and saying, "Fellow Daoist Chen."
"Looks like you've made up your minds," Chen Anran said with a smile, draping a cloth over his shoulder. "You're going to settle down here in 'Hidden Immortal Footprints'?"
Jiang Yun chuckled and scratched the back of his head: "Brother Chen invited me, how could I not come? Besides, your place has beautiful mountains and rivers, plenty of spiritual energy, and a ready-made lively venue. It's a good place to settle down. It's much better than Ah Sheng and me wandering around."
Ah Sheng nodded, a sincere look on his face: "Having a stable place to do what we're good at is exactly what we're looking for."
"That's good." Chen Anran stepped aside to lead the way. "Come on, let's go to the side hall to sit down and have some tea. Senior Sister should be finishing her morning exercise soon, so we can meet her together."
Upon entering the side hall, Chen Anran led Jiang Yun and Asheng to their seats and personally brewed a pot of cloud and mist tea made with mountain spring water. The tea was clear and bright, with a refreshing aroma, carrying the unique spiritual energy of the mountains.
"Brother Jiang, Brother Asheng, please try some tea from our mountain." Chen Anran pushed the teacup in front of the two of them.
Jiang Yun picked up her teacup, took a deep breath of the aroma, and exclaimed, "Excellent tea! This spiritual energy... is far more mellow than those so-called spiritual teas I've had in Chongqing!"
Ah Sheng also took a sip and nodded in agreement: "Indeed extraordinary. Yunyin Sect is truly a treasure trove."
As the three were talking, light footsteps came from outside the hall. Su Wan had finished her morning exercise, changed into an elegant blue long robe, her long hair loosely tied up, and her face radiant with the freshness of the morning sun.
"Senior Sister." Chen Anran stood up. "These two are Brother Jiang Yun and his brother Asheng, the two I mentioned to you before, who are skilled in... well, special weapon crafting."
Su Wan looked at the two of them with gentle eyes and nodded slightly: "Benefactor Jiang, Benefactor Asheng, welcome to Yunyin Sect."
Jiang Yun and Asheng quickly stood up and bowed. Jiang Yun said solemnly, "Sect Leader Su, we apologize for the intrusion. Brother Chen was so kind to invite us, so Asheng and I shamelessly came. We hope Sect Leader Su will not take offense."
"Since you are An Ran's friend, you are also a guest of the Cloud Hidden Sect." Su Wan sat down next to Chen An Ran. "I heard that you two are planning to open a shop at the foot of the mountain?"
"Yes," Ah Sheng replied earnestly, "we want to open a 'Spiritual Workshop' that specializes in making small cultivation gadgets that combine modern technology. Jiang Yun is skillful and good at design; I know a little about runes and formations, so I can assist you."