Chapter Seven: Three Repetitions of the White Sun
Zhou Wei continued, "After I stole the incense burner and returned to the princess's residence, I discovered that it couldn't be held like a bracelet to exert its effect. So I told the princess that it was an incense burner that had been consecrated at a Taoist temple, and that as long as the incense burned continuously, it could save Doctor Huai's life. However, it would be better if it were in an open space so that I could easily set up the array and ensure the incense burned continuously. The princess then gave me a nearby courtyard to use. So I set up the array. His condition did indeed improve. I was uneasy and couldn't sleep well. I went out into the street to clear my head and even ran into Yuan Bei. After several days of being in a daze, I couldn't hold back any longer and fell asleep." I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I found the room empty and the array broken. I told the people at the princess's residence that we had to leave, and hurriedly returned to the Xiang family's old residence. When I got back, I found Deng Lin still there, injured and unconscious. I was momentarily flustered, not knowing the truth, and in my panic, I couldn't use my healing spells. Remembering that Yuan Bei had mentioned the elders were attending the Grand Banquet in Juxia, I figured there were always cultivators from Juxia, so I carried Deng Lin there to find someone to treat him. Although I verbally asked the sect leader to go to the old residence to look for him yesterday, I didn't actually know where he had gone.”
It was noon the next day when Mingjin and Pangming brought Zhou Wei rice porridge to him after he woke up. Mei Chong was originally looking after Deng Lin, but after Deng Lin woke up, he insisted on seeing Zhou Wei. Seeing that Zhou Wei was also awake, Mei Chong helped Deng Lin to the next room.
“When the elders and I arrived at the Xiang residence yesterday and found Elder Xiang, he was sitting on the steps outside the study, neither moving nor speaking, and didn’t seem to care about us. The sect leader had seen Elder Xiang’s son, who died young, when he was young, and thought they looked alike. So, even though he discovered that Elder Xiang was a ghost, he didn’t allow us to make any rash moves and instead began searching the surrounding area. Elder Xiang just glanced at our actions and then remained sitting there motionless,” Pang Ming recounted his experience.
"I can't tell the difference between a human and a ghost. A few days ago, I can't remember which day it was, I met a man while sweeping the front door. He said he was an old friend of Mr. Xiang. I told him that I was the only one left in the house to sweep, and he didn't say anything, just smiled and turned away. That man had an air of nobility, looked to be in his thirties or forties, and his build was unlike the cultivators I'd ever seen; he was more like a high-ranking official, even bigger than the high-ranking officials I'd met when I was a child. His hair was also tied up, but the way it was tied was different from the cultivators', and he was wearing a jade crown. His black clothes didn't look particularly conspicuous, but they were embroidered with light-colored silk thread and the stitching was intricate, clearly indicating that he wasn't from an ordinary family. Yesterday, when I was being attacked while sweeping the backyard, before I passed out, I seemed to see that man's figure in the yard again, but I can't say for sure if I was seeing things or if my memory was playing tricks on me. This man is really the only suspect I can remember, since very few people come to the Xiang residence to visit Mr. Xiang."
“Last night I encountered a vengeful spirit skilled in archery. If Deng Lin remembers correctly, that means there might be at least two vengeful spirits wandering near the barrier of Juxia City. We need to tell Master and the others.” They already knew about Ming Jin’s encounter with the archer last night, so they were still shaken by the thought.
"I should have reacted sooner. I've caused so much trouble for the elders and ruined your chance to go on a trip."
Zhou Wei sat on the bed and sighed. Aside from Pang Ming, who had brought a stool and sat down beside him, the other three women sat around the round table in the room. Seeing Zhou Wei's furrowed brow, Deng Lin walked to the foot of the bed and sat down. The two women embraced and sobbed, mourning the shared pain and Xiang Wan's passing. The other three, though also immersed in grief, exchanged glances and realized the two women's relationship was unusual. Mei Chong then spoke up, "Not everyone was disturbed. Chi Hui drank until later last night than we did."
"Is he still not awake? It's already noon. If he doesn't sober up soon, will he go to the martial arts tournament this afternoon or not?" Pang Ming quietly got up, moved a stool, and sat down next to Ming Jin.
There was a knock at the door; it was the cultivators from Juxia City informing them that lunch was ready. Ming Jin responded, and the three of them quickly got up and went out, leaving the two of them inside. After closing the door, the three of them looked at the stairs on their right. Chi Hui, holding onto the railing with one hand and supporting her head with the other, descended the stairs with an uneven gait.
"We thought we'd have to search all over Xia City Tavern for you," Pang Ming said. After Chi Hui entered, the four of them walked together towards the dining table.
"You can't even handle one drink and you still went to a restaurant to drink with others? Did you not expect a headache when you went, or did you not expect there to be a competition today?" Seeing Chi Hui groaning and complaining about her splitting headache, Ming Jin asked, "Did you drink the hangover soup?"
"I've had some. Master Rong found it for me last night. I drank it and threw up before I could fall asleep. Wow, I feel like I've entered a new realm. I'm sure I'll have divine assistance this afternoon. The brother I drank with yesterday isn't a good drinker either. We decided to order a pot of wine, and after two cups each, we both passed out and fell asleep in the tavern. Luckily, the staff recognized the brother's clothes and asked if anyone else dressed similarly knew him. Sure enough, two kind people brought us back."
After they entered the room, Rong Shao came in and told them that the sect leader and the others would not be eating together today, so they sat down. Zhou Wei and Deng Lin were still weak, so they would not eat the same food as them; they would be given a separate meal later. The cultivators of Juxia had already learned of Wan Xia's orders and prepared several meals separately for Ji Zhen, Mu Ning, and Du Gewen, who were still investigating the Xiang family. Du Gewen originally planned to accompany Chi Hui to the meeting until the end, while Ming Jin went to deliver meals to the elders to bring his master back, leaving Pang Ming and his senior brother and sister Mei Chong to take care of the injured Zhou Wei and Deng Lin.
The matter of Xiang Wan involves more than just Kongyun Mountain. The mere appearance of the evil spirit near Juxia City is enough to warrant serious attention from everyone in Juxia. Ming Jin and his group only returned to their residence late last night, and this morning Pei Xuanzhen went to the Juxia City government to discuss the evil spirit's appearance around the city with the sect leader, Wan Xia. The other three elders have already gone to the Xiang residence, hoping to find some clues about the evil spirit there, leaving Rong Shao here to watch over them.
After finishing his meal, Mingjin set off. The daytime sky was a clear, azure blue, without a single cloud. Juxia City was as beautiful as ever, its buildings radiating a glow from the high points, living up to its name. Having already passed through once, reaching the Xiang residence wouldn't take much time; at least when Mingjin arrived, the elders' food was still warm.
The three elders were dining around a stone table in the courtyard. Ming Jin stood under the eaves when he suddenly heard overlapping footsteps. Du Gewen had barely finished speaking when a man rushed out from a small door. The man who was a step behind him, unable to slow down, bumped into a flowerpot by the door, his limbs trembling as he carefully balanced the pot before slowly entering. The man in front was about forty years old, with uneven hair and beard, clearly not taking care of it. His hair was half-tied, with many white hairs hidden beneath his black, but fortunately, his hair was thick, making him look a few years younger. Following him was a young man, around twenty years old, slightly taller than the man in front, dressed like the Juxia cultivators on the street, probably his disciple. Strangely, the master was carrying a string of green eggs, while the disciple held a white cloth wrapping—the kind of wrapping used in Kongyun Mountain to wrap flatbread—meaning they hadn't eaten yet.
"This is Elder Ban Rui Ban Yanjia of Juxia City, and his disciple, Juxia cultivator Heng Buwei, courtesy name Jingyun. Elder Ban, this is my disciple Mingjin, courtesy name Tianguang." Du Gewen finished his meal first and stood up to introduce the group. Looking at the items in their hands, Du Gewen guessed they hadn't eaten yet, and Ji Zhen and Mu Ning invited them to join them if they didn't mind. Heng Buwei initially hesitated, declining a few times, but Ban Rui pressed him to sit down.
Seeing that it was almost time, Du Gewen prepared to return to find Chi Hui and head towards the arena. After hearing Ming Jin's relay of information about the man in black, he had no particular plans for the time being, gave Ming Jin a few instructions, and then went back. The morning's investigation had yielded little result; the house was empty except for the area around the study, which still retained some signs of life. Before leaving Kongyun Mountain, Xiang Wan had told Pei Xuanzhen that if she were to pass away one day, he could take everything in the study. Therefore, Ming Jin's task was to organize the items from the study, as investigated by the three elders, and bring them back to Kongyun Mountain.
The newly arrived Elder Banrui was different from the elders Mingjin was familiar with. He wasn't as murderous as Mu Ning, nor as deep and unfathomable as Ji Zhen, nor as strict and amiable as Pei Xuanzhen and Du Gewen, who, along with Chen Duan, were known by the disciples as the three most notorious elders in the land for their beatings. Banrui acted unpredictably, and the disciples following him often couldn't keep up with his thoughts. Heng Buwei, though young, had his hair tied up so that it was barely comparable to Banrui's half-tied bun.
The group investigated until evening before confirming that they had no leads and prepared to return. Ming Jin neatly packed her belongings into her pouch and walked into the courtyard. Suddenly, Ban Rui, who was about to leave, approached her and said, "Tian Guang cultivator has rarely visited Juxia City these past few years. I received some guidance from Elder Shao many years ago, which has been more than ten years. I suppose Tian Guang cultivator doesn't remember me."
Ban Rui's words were like a bolt from the blue for Ming Jin. He quickly said, "I never expected that the old comrade-in-arms was my mother's old acquaintance. It's a pity that I was young and ignorant and have forgotten our past friendship."
"Don't panic," Ban Rui waved his hand in front of his chest. "I was also a novice cultivator at the time. It was through reading Elder Shao's works that I found the cultivation methods that interested me most. Later, I went to Kongyun Mountain to seek guidance from the elders, but in reality, my exchanges with them lasted only a few hours. I usually studied magic in seclusion. When the elders and their spouses passed away young, I was in seclusion and never went to pay my respects. Although I did go to pay my respects later, I still felt guilty."
"Elder, please rest assured. For my mother, if someone could carry on the knowledge she researched, she would be at peace even in the afterlife. It's just that I no longer practice metal arts."
Ban Rui smiled and patted Ming Jin on the shoulder: "Good disciple! Today, I spoke inappropriately, causing the younger generation to recall painful memories. As for the study of metal arts, as the saying goes, 'everyone has their own expertise,' and not being proficient in one area is not a big deal. It's getting late, so I'll take my leave with my disciples." After saying this, Ban Rui left in the same hurry as he had come. Mu Ning had already left quietly ahead of time. Ji Zhen had originally planned to stay behind to set up a barrier near the Xiang residence to prevent evil spirits from defiling Xiang Wan's resting place, so he overheard Ban Rui and Ming Jin's conversation.
"Are you really completely ignorant of Zhiwei's magic?" Ji Zhen asked curiously.
“I am very interested in all kinds of magic and am happy to learn the magic my mother developed. However, she never intended to teach me while she was alive, and after her death, my grandfather Lu did not know much about it either, so it was left unresolved. Before I was seven or eight years old, my mother was engrossed in her research, so although we lived together, I didn’t see her very often. It wasn’t until she finished that book and the incantations that we became like a normal mother and daughter. Perhaps I disliked those studies because of this, which is why I didn’t ask my mother to teach me. Moreover, my father always supported my martial arts magic, and I am more proficient in this school, so I didn’t have extra time to study metal magic.”
“Studying metal arts can lead to loneliness,” Ji Zhen said. “Metal arts are difficult to understand, learn, and study, and were not known to the world before. Even Zhiwei completed his research under the protection of Master Lu, and claimed to be a disciple of the Martial Sect. I never expected that there would be a cultivator in Juxia City who specializes in studying metal arts, and even has disciples.”
Mingjin had been watching Jizhen perform the spell, but suddenly drifted off into thought halfway through. Because of her deep immersion in research, Shao had few friends; even her junior brother, Yan Junyou, didn't know much about her. After Lu Ying's death, no one spoke to Mingjin about the departed woman. Now, knowing that there was still someone in the world who understood her mother's most illustrious years, Mingjin felt somewhat relieved of her guilt for not inheriting her mother's knowledge.
With the major events settled, the grand banquet had entered its fourth day. Zhou Wei had originally thought he would be kicked out by Pei Xuanzhen, but unexpectedly, Pei Xuanzhen only told him to recover from his injuries first and punished him by making him work for Huang Jing for half a year before returning to work for the sect leader. Zhou Wei's anxiety subsided, but he was worried that he would not be able to see Deng Lin again after returning to Kongyun Mountain. Deng Lin also felt that the time for parting was approaching, and the two were troubled by a new problem, sitting in silence.
Zhou Wei remembered Xiang Wan's teaching that one should not suddenly disappear from the lives of relatives and friends, causing them worry and confusion. Therefore, he wrote a letter and asked Ming Jin and Pang Ming to deliver it to the princess. Pang Ming, still shaken by the search, was unwilling to go to the capital again anytime soon, so Mei Chong and Ming Jin went with him. The servants, ladies-in-waiting, and even the princess herself at the gate of the princess's residence were startled by the two men dressed as Taoist priests, but upon hearing that they were delivering a letter for Doctor Chang Qi, they still invited them into the residence. The princess received the letter from Mingjin and read: "Respectfully addressed to Princess of Qi. Physician Huaiyan suffered from an old ailment, which had been cured years ago by a Taoist priest in the mountains. However, he unexpectedly relapsed, and the priest had already passed away. No one could save him, and he has passed away. Physician Huaiyan said that he had spent his life learning to save people and had no regrets. He passed away with a smile on his face, as if he were still alive. I, Changqi, am preoccupied with trivial matters and unable to go in person, so I have entrusted this letter to an old friend to deliver to the princess. I fear I will not be able to meet the princess in the capital again in the future. I hope the princess will not be troubled by the broken branches in the spring scenery, but will take good care of herself and eat well, so as to receive Heaven's blessing. Written by Changqi."
The princess began to sob as she read the letter, but remembering that there were outsiders present, she sent someone to take the letter away. Then she had two wooden trays brought up, each with a full brocade pouch: "Here is a total of five hundred taels of gold, which is the consultation fee for Doctor Huai and Doctor Chang. I would like to ask the two Taoist priests to pass it on. Steward, please bring another one hundred taels of gold for the two Taoist priests."
Ming Jin and Mei Chong declined the princess's offer, explaining that their trip was solely to help an old friend who was concerned about them. Zhou Wei received the gold brought back by Ming Jin and Mei Chong, intending to give it all to Pei Xuanzhen and the two elders as a token of gratitude for their help in extricating him from a difficult situation. Pei Xuanzhen kept only a small portion to treat the elders to tea, and told Zhou Wei to take the rest back.
The fourth day of the martial arts tournament concluded successfully. Although Chi Hui had some regrets, she still managed to secure third place. Recalling the competition, she said, "I didn't expect that cultivator surnamed Meng from Huicheng to be so skilled. I noticed she lacked any sharpness, and her defeat was due to both inferior skill and underestimating her opponent." Duan Shuxuan, who had just learned of Chi Hui's result, came to her residence to congratulate her, saying, "I happened to pass by the entrance of Huicheng's residence and saw that young lady. She was indeed unassuming. She won first place in the afternoon, but only an hour later, her face showed no joy. Perhaps she was busy packing up. I heard that the first batch of people from Huicheng will be returning tonight."
Mingjin only learned of the news then, and hurried towards the city. From afar, she saw several people going in and out of the gate. Mengsheng was standing in the courtyard talking to her senior brother. Seeing Mingjin arrive, she invited her in. Mingjin naturally congratulated her first. Although Mengsheng was happy, she didn't show it. Then they talked about another matter: "Tianguang, do you remember the soldier we rescued in the forest that day?" Seeing Mingjin respond, Mengsheng continued, "I received news this morning that he has woken up. Well, not exactly woken up, but the person taking care of him noticed that his eyes opened briefly when they were feeding him medicine, and then he fell asleep again. But this also means he is improving. I will send you a message if there is any further news in the future."
"That's good, but why are you leaving in such a hurry? Aren't you going to participate in tomorrow's closing ceremony?"
"I came here only to participate in the martial arts tournament. Now that the tournament is over, there is no need to stay here any longer. Besides, my senior brother is in charge of everything here, so it doesn't matter whether I am here or not."
Mingjin had intended to give Mengsheng a separate congratulatory gift, but she had nothing of value in her pouch, so she had to give up the idea. After their conversation, the cultivators from the city reminded her that it was time to depart, so Mengsheng saw Mingjin to the door. It was already sunset, and the evening glow could be seen burning brightly outside the door. Although the round, red sun was hidden behind long, spreading clouds, its shape was not blurred. The two agreed to meet again another day, but both were busy with their own affairs, and they both felt that this conversation was more of a wish than a promise.
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