Seventeenth: The Flourishing Sweet Pear Tree, Part Two
Meng Sheng brought out two cushions, and the two sat side by side by the water to enjoy the spring scenery. Ming Jin had some snacks on her person, which she shared with Meng Sheng.
"What happened?" Mingjin had originally planned to try the pastries that Miao Shengxin had made, and handed one to Mengsheng first, but seeing her expression, she could tell that Mengsheng was in a bad mood, so she quickly asked.
“Tian Guang, you, Elder Du, and Elder Jing Yun are all very close.” Meng Sheng held the pastries but had no appetite for them, staring blankly at the pastries and the waterscape in front of him.
Mingjin patted Mengsheng's hand. Although she was saying this, she had no idea why Mengsheng was troubled and dared not speak rashly, for fear of causing a disaster: "What are you thinking about?"
“Thinking back to how I became an apprentice,” Meng Sheng gripped Ming Jin’s hand tightly, “When I was a child, I lived with my mother in a village far from Huicheng. My mother was the only woman in the village who made a living by hunting. Although no one said it outright, they all expressed their incomprehension. My mother said she liked to eat meat, but she didn’t want to raise it herself and didn’t have the money to buy it, so she went hunting. She was an excellent hunter, and I was probably the child in the village who ate the most meat back then.”
“My mother is too,” Mingjin said. “My mother loves fishing, both small and big fish, which is why my father is an excellent fish cook.”
“Really? It seems my mother wasn’t the only eccentric,” Meng Sheng smiled after hearing Ming Jin’s words. “I played in the village until I was ten, and I didn’t know many words. It wasn’t until I was eleven that Master Hong suddenly appeared, and I learned that my mother was actually Master Hong’s disciple. She used to be a cultivator in Huicheng, but she had completely severed ties with the cultivation world and left. I only greeted Master Hong a couple of times and then forgot about him. A year later, my master suddenly came and had a fight with my mother. I was hiding in the room watching them argue when my master found me.” My master immediately grabbed me, intending to take me back to Huicheng. I struggled and resisted, but my mother stood in front of me, and my master left helplessly. That afternoon, however, my mother took out books from an old box and taught me to read, no longer allowing me to play outside. I was confined by my mother to study for two years, until I was thirteen, when my master took me back to Huicheng, and my mother didn't stop him. But when I returned a year later, she was no longer there. I asked the neighbors and learned that after I left, my mother also left, without telling anyone where she went.
"Where is your father?" Mingjin asked.
“No one knows who my father is. I’ve never heard my mother mention him. I asked Master Hong and my master, but they both said they didn’t know either. My mother’s old friend in the city said that my mother got married when she was twenty. After seven years of marriage without having children, she divorced her husband. When she left, she never mentioned marriage or children, so they were very surprised when they heard about me,” Meng Sheng said. “I haven’t seen my mother since then, but I always thought that Master Hong and my master must know where she was. So last year when I got married to Wen Zhi, I thought my mother would come, but she still didn’t. This March, my mother suddenly came back for Master Hong’s birthday, but she didn’t say anything to me. She just saw that I was pregnant, told me to take care of myself, and then left.”
"I see," Mingjin said after hearing Mengsheng's explanation, but felt that the matter was too heavy and could not be resolved with a few clever words. "What does your mother look like? What is her name? I travel all over the country now, and I might run into her sometime. If I do, I will definitely tell you, and maybe I can call you over in time."
Hearing Mingjin say this, Mengsheng perked up immediately: "My mother's name is Mengxi, courtesy name Baihe. She gave birth to me when she was forty-one years old, and she is now sixty-three. The last time I saw her, her hair was already gray, and she still tied it up with two wooden hairpins as before. She is about the same size as me, only more robust, with heavy calluses on her hands and a darker complexion. We look alike, except that my eyes are perhaps like my father, whom I have never met, and are larger than hers."
At this point, Meng Sheng realized that his description was rather weak, and then thought of something else: "Let's not talk about that for now. I've been thinking about a spell recently, but it hasn't been very successful, and only Wenzhi is willing to listen to my ramblings. But he's only good at wood and lightning spells, and he doesn't understand much about the water spells I'm researching."
“Water magic,” Mingjin urged her to continue, “I’m currently only skilled in wind and fire magic, but I can go back and ask Yuanbei. What do you intend to do with this spell?”
“Look.”
Ming Jin calmed down and watched as Meng Sheng chanted the incantation "On the other side of the water." Then, a sheet of water, as smooth as paper, appeared directly in front of the two of them, their faces reflected on the surface. A point of white light flashed on the water's surface, like sunlight, and at the same time, the figures on the water stopped changing, leaving only their fleeting images.
Water can reflect images, and I think if I could use this property to leave a water shadow on some important objects someday. But for now, it can only remain in mid-air like this; as soon as I stop casting the spell, the water shadow disappears in less than fifteen minutes. I'm now thinking about how to make these water shadows last, like a portrait. Or, to be less severe, so that whenever I use magic, all the previous water shadows can reappear and not disappear.”
"I'll give it a try."
Meng Sheng had previously instructed Shen Bai and now had some experience, so he could quickly guide Ming Jin to find the key points of casting the spell. However, once Meng Sheng remained silent, Ming Jin could no longer succeed when he tried to cast the spell himself.
After three or four attempts, both of them were exhausted, as one could no longer teach and the other could no longer learn.
"This is really interesting."
An old man's voice came from behind. When the two turned around, they saw Hong Junyu leisurely approaching from about ten steps behind them, under a large tree that took up the space and required three people to encircle. Ming Jin and Meng Sheng were about to get up to greet him, but in the blink of an eye, Hong Junyu was behind them. He gently pressed their shoulders, indicating that they didn't need to get up. He then sat down cross-legged opposite them, straightened his clothes, and asked Meng Sheng to demonstrate the spell to him again.
Meng Sheng did as instructed, and Hong Junyu examined him carefully.
“It is indeed amazing,” Hong Junyu murmured. “One important reason why it is difficult to learn is that the spell’s movements are too trivial. Some gestures are unnecessary. For example,” Hong Junyu said, relying on his memory to learn Meng Sheng’s movements, “this behavior is too complicated, making it difficult for the caster to think about what to do next. If the movements are not coherent, the spell cannot be performed smoothly, and some thoughts cannot be achieved.”
Following Hong Junyu's movements, Meng Sheng also adopted a slightly slower stance, and with a slight understanding in his heart, he said, "I wonder if the advisor would be willing to revise this junior's clumsy work."
Hong Junyu smiled and said, "What I just said was merely parroting others' opinions. Yucheng, you are only beginning to study magic, so you may not be able to avoid some common mistakes. Don't be too concerned about them. Rather than blindly following the advice of elders, it would be more beneficial to your cultivation to study with those around you. This magic is interesting, but I have never studied water magic before. It was because I was arrogant in the past that I have no achievements in this area and cannot offer any insightful opinions. My life has been shallow; I have only studied wood magic."
"What the advisor said makes us, his juniors, feel ashamed," Meng Sheng said.
“Since Elder Hong is quite knowledgeable about woodcraft, if there is an opportunity in the future, please give us some pointers so that we can have the chance to carry on the elder’s legacy,” Ming Jin said jokingly.
“If that’s the case, then I do have something to say,” Hong Junyu straightened his sleeves, preparing to demonstrate his martial arts skills. “I do have a magic spell, and I’m worried that when I pass away, there will be no one to carry it on. Since you two young men have this intention, then I will make a fool of myself.”
Ming Jin was just joking, and Meng Sheng had no such intention. However, they did not expect that Hong Junyu would actually intend to pass on his unique skills to them because of a casual remark. The two of them immediately tensed up and listened carefully.
"As you two know, we cultivators begin with cultivation, learning the spells of various plant spirits and monsters. Everything else stems from this, hence wood magic is the foundation of all spells. The spell I'm about to discuss can summon nearby spirits, so in times of danger, we might find plants and trees willing to lend a hand. Although this spell doesn't require high cultivation levels, because it's close to the origin of magic, the more important thing is to comprehend its true meaning. The incantation is: 'Heaven gathers clouds, rain and snow fall in abundance. May it be blessed with fine rain, both plentiful and abundant. May it nourish and satisfy all our grains.' Recite it once and let me hear it."
Cultivators often rely on ancient texts and classical sayings, so they generally prefer to select phrases from them when designing spells. A few, however, are eccentric and dislike following old paths, choosing only phrases they like. Over time, most spells and incantations come from ancient texts. Therefore, cultivators with early training in magic often begin with reading. For example, Ming Jin, born into a cultivator's family, was forced to memorize several books by her parents, grandfather, and two tutors for over a decade. Thus, she could catch up with Hong Junyu after he read it only once. Although Meng Sheng started reading in his teens, which isn't too late, his mother and master crammed many words into his mind in a short time, leaving him with only a vague impression.
After reciting the incantation, Hong Junyu explained it in detail, and the three of them quickly forgot about their surroundings.
Hong Junyu's descent from the mountain was uncommon. He walked along the water's edge for a while before being spotted by cultivators passing by on the mountain. The news reached Wei Jing, who was currently in charge on the mountain. Wei Jing was thirty-three years old and had been Su Huan's right-hand man since he was twenty-five. He possessed both the ambition and ability to succeed as sect leader and was exceptionally attentive to all matters on the mountain. The elders on the mountain had high hopes for him, except for Hong Junyu, who disappeared from the mountain shortly after Wei Jing became his disciple at nineteen—yet he was Wei Jing's own master. Upon hearing this, Wei Jing put aside his work, postponed his lunch break, and rushed over.
However, when Wei Jing rushed to the water's edge, Hong Junyu had just left.
Meng Sheng was about to return to the clinic for a meal when he turned around and saw Wei Jing suddenly approaching: "Senior brother, what a coincidence to run into you here. What happened?"
"I heard that the advisor had arrived, so I rushed over to see."
"What a coincidence, you just arrived right after the advisor left," Meng Sheng said without much thought. Then he remembered that this was the first time Ming Jin and Wei Jing had met. "Senior brother, this is Ming Jin, a cultivator from Kongyun Mountain, whose courtesy name is Tian Guang. Tian Guang, this is my senior brother Wei Jing, whose courtesy name is Yu Shan."
"I'd heard people around me mention it before, but this is the first time I've seen it."
Wei Jing greeted Ming Jin politely, and Ming Jin quickly replied, "It was my sudden visit today that has brought me here. I am grateful for the hospitality shown to me by everyone in the city, and I should be the one to express my gratitude."
Wei Jing was unaware of the matter concerning Du Gewen and Ban Rui, and since it wasn't serious at the moment, Meng Sheng didn't say anything more, only mentioning that the two were preparing to go to lunch. Wei Jing explained that she had arranged to have lunch with an elder that day, so she wouldn't disturb them, and simply asked Meng Sheng to take care of her before heading off.
When the two returned, they smelled the fresh aroma of food at the entrance of the clinic. Apart from the two wounded soldiers who were still inside, everyone else in the clinic was gathered in the courtyard preparing to eat. Ji Zhen had just woken up and, after hearing Rong Shao talk about the magic that Ban Rui had just explained, was sitting with Rong Shao, trying to understand its wonders.
Not long after the meal, everyone sat in the courtyard chatting, and Du Gewen received a letter forwarded by Yu Qiao.
"Baicheng?"
According to Yu Qiao and Kang Jiu, a cultivator from Baicheng, the two disciples who infiltrated Kongyun Mountain were actually instructed by a disciple named Yu Dongmei, who in turn was instructed by a man named Yu Dayou. Yu Dayou was a merchant from Baicheng who sold wine to nobles and salt to commoners, making a considerable fortune. He did some good deeds, mostly giving money to poor scholars or providing travel expenses for scholars traveling long distances to take the imperial examinations. This seemed like a good deed, but Yu Qiao and Kang Jiu happened to be caught in the middle of this conflict… The two met by chance and chatted about various things. They quickly realized that nine out of ten scholars who had received help from Yu Dayou hadn't even reached the capital. While it was not uncommon for scholars to encounter danger on their journeys to the imperial examinations, the frequency was far too high and truly perplexing. The Kang family, who happened to be a wine seller, had been paying attention to Yu Dayou before. After learning of this matter, they investigated further and discovered that Yu Dayou was actually possessed by a ghostly aura. At the same time, Yu Qiao, who was investigating spies, also came to Baicheng. The two of them compared their findings and discovered that the disciple surnamed Yu came from a poor family and had received considerable favors from Yu Dayou.
"Is this disciple also a scholar?" Mingjin asked.
"No, and his family is fortunate that no ghostly incidents have occurred in the vicinity. The disciple was imprisoned and is being looked after by Tianzuo and Shihe. He denies collusion, only saying that his parents also studied at the academy, and the story of the gold pendant was already circulating when they were studying there. His parents stayed at the academy for over a year, but left early due to poor grades, and now they are struggling to make ends meet. When they complained, they mentioned this to their son, and he only came here for the money," Du Gewen said while reading the letter. "A Qiao forwarded Lao Jiu's letter, and Lao Jiu investigated the Yu family. The situation is roughly as the disciple described, and they did indeed receive care from Yu Dayou. However, when asked about any additional interactions, they all said they didn't know anything."
"Can we confirm now that this disciple received orders from Yu Dayou?" Rong Shao asked worriedly.
"Not yet, but we can't let any suspicion slip by." Du Gewen handed the letter to Ji Zhen. "If it's true, then someone entangled with evil spirits has broken into Kongyun Mountain."
“This really sends a chill down my spine,” Ji Zhen said in a low voice, making sure the four of them could hear him. “If the evil spirits find the location and then figure out a way to break the outer barrier, things will be very bad.”
As if they were about to witness the same fate that befell Huicheng in Kongyun Mountain, they dared not utter a sound.
Dugwin made up his mind: "We can't let this rift go unaddressed. We'll set off to investigate tomorrow."
“Isn’t the place mentioned in this letter near the place where you two encountered danger?” Ji Zhen said with some worry. “We don’t know how capable this Yu Dayou is. If we encounter the evil spirit that caused you to suffer a bitter battle, it will be very bad. I will tell Tingran that I will go with you tomorrow.”
“I’ll go too,” Mingjin hurriedly said. “Doesn’t he have another house? There might be evil spirits inside. It’s time to get manpower. My injuries have fully healed.”
Ji Zhen thought for a moment, nodded to Du Gewen, and then wrote a letter to Pei Xuanzhen.
Since the city wanted to keep Dugwen and Banrui until the next day, and there was no one else at the clinic at that time, the group stayed in the city for a day and set off the next day.
Before leaving, Meng Sheng, who was supposed to be resting, came early in the morning and said a few words to Ming Jin.
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