Twenty-four: The Great Dream and the Great Awakening - Part One
Unexpectedly, Ming Jin ran into Mu Ning at the door.
"Greetings, Master Mu."
"Hmm. From He Geng Tang?"
"Yes, Uncle Miao cooked noodles tonight. Has Master Mu eaten?"
"Just got back from ghost hunting, ate at a restaurant outside."
After knocking, footsteps were heard soon afterward.
Having not seen Yu Qiao for a long time, Ming Jin and she chatted for several minutes from the doorway to Chen Duan's study. Mu Ning, unable to get a word in edgewise, could only follow behind. Zhu Zhenyun had already gone back. Chen Duan had allowed her to leave because she had attended class at the academy today and overheard Yan Junyou and Yu Hong talking about Zhang'er crying and looking for her mother. They said that if this continued, even the still unsteady-footed Fu Zhang would crawl to Chen Duan's place to find her.
"Take a look at this," Chen Duan said, handing each of them a piece of paper after they sat down. The two of them read it by the light of the magic spell. "This is what I took from Zuan'en Tower. It's the metal magic research of Tian Guang's mother and Shao Zhiwei back then. I put it back originally, but this is the core of it."
“I’ve heard a little about Elder Shao’s affairs,” Mu Ning said, knowing that the information was reserved for her. “When I was cultivating with Elder Lu, I was fortunate enough to meet Elder Shao a few times. However, the metal arts that she and Elder Lu researched were always kept secret from outsiders, so I was unable to get to know her well.”
Chen Duan nodded slightly and continued, "Back then, a vengeful ghost seeking death found Zhiwei, hoping to find release. Because it had no evil intentions, Zhiwei and Dinghui were able to learn from it that the ghost returned to the human world from the underworld via a dimly lit path illuminated by lightning. However, its research had not made much progress beyond that, which is why it was sealed away in the Zuan'en Tower. Now, I want to restart this research."
“I remember that my mother’s goal back then was to avoid the long cultivation process and find the secret passage through which evil spirits returned to the human world using metal magic, so that she could send them back directly,” Mingjin said. “But my mother tried many methods, but to no avail. And afterwards, no evil spirit was willing to cooperate with her, so she had to give up.”
Even so, after Shao gave up the Golden Technique, she acted like an ordinary cultivator, which gave Ming Jin more time to spend with her.
"So, it seems that you have made some new progress?" Mu Ning asked.
“The key is that secret passage; we found traces of it,” Yu Qiao continued, seeing Chen Duan’s gesture, “on the bracelet left by Elder Xiang.”
"A bracelet?" Reminded by Yu Qiao, Ming Jin remembered the keepsake left by Xiang Wan. "What's so special about this bracelet?"
Yu Qiao continued, "I read Elder Shao's notes and saw that she had guessed at the time. Although that secret passage looked like a road, it was actually formed by magic. And since it connected the underworld and the human world, the magic might have been formed by the fusion of these two magics by chance. However, this was just a guess, and there was no way to prove it. When Elder Xiang returned to the human world after becoming a ghost, he still carried some of the aura of that secret passage. The first thing he came into contact with was probably the bracelet on his wrist. And this magical artifact actually locked in that aura on its own, and it has remained until now."
Chen Duan said, "The birth of evil spirits has no fixed location. So we speculate that as long as this magic appears, it can connect the two worlds."
"So, if we can use magic to open this secret passage, we might be able to send the fugitives from the underworld back," Yu Qiao said excitedly.
"That's truly a stroke of genius," Mu Ning couldn't help but exclaim.
"But the evil spirits came from there. Even if we send them back, they might still come back, right?" Mingjin was slightly worried.
"Even so, this can still cause some trouble for the evil spirits, giving cultivators in crisis a chance to turn the tide and save themselves," Mu Ning pondered.
“That’s true,” Mingjin said. “This is a good opportunity to learn more about evil spirits.”
“Tian Guang’s words are not without reason, after all, this is still just a hypothesis. Nowadays, we are encountering stronger enemies, and if we do not have multiple ways to deal with them, we may be in danger in the future,” Chen Duan agreed. “After Elder Xiang passed away, A Qiao, Tian Hua, and I have been busy with this matter, and we finally made progress a few days ago.”
"This spell is currently just a brilliant idea; its actual use depends on your results," Chen Duan said seriously. "It's not advisable to publicize it now and let too many people know about it, lest it cause trouble. I've called you here because I hope to entrust this matter to the two of you for now. I wonder what your intentions are?"
“I think this is quite interesting; it could be a good opportunity for us cultivators to increase our strength,” Mu Ning said.
“Since it is Master Chen and my two senior sisters’ request, I will do my best,” Mingjin said.
Seeing that neither of them refused, Yu Qiao took two scrolls and handed them to Mu Ning and Ming Jin: "These are new spells we have come up with."
The scroll read: "What is the highest nobility? Heavenly rank brings no glory. A state of utter obscurity. A mingling of turbidity and clarity. Destroying forms and escaping illusions. Leaving behind the stubborn and upholding integrity. The true Way is hidden within its essence. Its form is revealed by its image."
"Now the heavy responsibility falls on your shoulders." Yu Qiao couldn't help but feel happy, and also glad that she could finally take a good rest.
"The effects of the spell are still unclear," Chen Duan said with concern, but still advised, "If there are any problems, don't dwell on them."
"We will follow Master Chen's instructions," Mu Ning and Ming Jin said one after the other.
And so, the evening's instructions came to an end. Yu Qiao was so hungry that she could no longer suppress the rumbling in her stomach, and she decided to drag Chen Duan out for dinner. Because she had been busy on the mountain for some time, leaving the shop outside to her elderly father to look after alone, Yu Qiao was worried and planned to return tomorrow afternoon, since Zhu Zhenyun had promised to give her a farewell dinner, and the two had agreed to chat for a while longer the next day.
One went up the mountain, the other down. After seeing Chen Duan and Yu Qiao off, Mu Ning and Ming Jin chatted for a while under the moonlight about their future plans. The complex characters on the scroll were challenging for Mu Ning, while Ming Jin felt even more pressured. They agreed to cultivate on their own first, and then discuss things further once they had some understanding, or perhaps none at all.
As darkness fell and dawn broke, after seeing Yu Qiao off at Zhu Zhenyun's place, Ming Jin, still preoccupied with some matters, went together to the rocky hill from that day because Fu Nai was going to relieve Chen Du.
The investigation in this area was in its final day. When the two of them arrived, only three cultivators were still there, seemingly discussing the removal of the previous warning signs.
"Master Fu, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Guo Hao and Guo Jingming from Juxia. I'm here today to wrap things up," Guo Hao, who was in the lead, stepped forward as the two approached. The other two unfamiliar Juxia-style men also greeted him, "Master Ming, we met briefly in the city before. How have you been? These two are my disciples."
"I have long admired Master Guo's great reputation, but unfortunately I have lived in the mountains for a long time and have not been able to meet him sooner, which is a great pity."
"If we are destined to meet, we will meet again," Guo Hao said with a smile.
Guo Hao was among Wan Xia's first disciples, and like Wei Jing from Huicheng, he was around thirty years old. Last time, while recuperating in Juxia, Mingjin and Xi Xiangfeng were strolling the streets when they happened to run into Wan Guan and Guo Hao's wife with their two children. Xi Xiangfeng was quite familiar with the family, so he took Mingjin and walked with them for a while.
"What's the situation now?" Fu Nai asked.
"The details were all taken back by Master Shen this morning," Guo Hao said, getting to the point after the small talk. "Although this matter has caused discussion among the elders of Juxia, no one can say for sure, and there are no obvious clues. No one from the capital city has shown up, and the elder in charge is unwilling to linger here, so he sent us back these past two days."
"Huicheng?" Upon hearing this, Mingjin couldn't help but feel confused.
“This is the border between the patrol areas of Juxia and Huicheng,” Fu Nai said, pointing to the woods next to him. “That woods has belonged to Huicheng since the division of jurisdiction.”
“Yes, because it’s a border area, the patrolling cultivators are somewhat lazy and shirking their responsibilities. I asked them, and they didn’t even know such a place existed,” Guo Hao’s smile faded as he spoke. “I think we should investigate more thoroughly. After all, in such a place, I always secretly feel that it might be the work of a ghost.”
“Since the city was attacked by evil spirits a few years ago, it has been severely weakened. With their current manpower, they probably can’t take care of this desolate place,” Fu Nai pondered. “Perhaps we should discuss re-measuring the patrol area.”
"But Sect Leader Su and Daoist Wei of Huicheng are both of average temperaments. If we bring it up rashly, they might feel uncomfortable," Guo Hao added.
"That's true," Fu Nai said helplessly.
“Master,” the two disciples who had been working behind the scenes caught up, “it’s all packed up.”
"In that case, I have some matters to attend to in the lower city and cannot stay any longer. Please forgive me."
After Mingjin and Fu Nai responded to their farewell, Guo Hao seemed to suddenly remember something. He told his two disciples to leave first and turned back to speak with Mingjin, who was still discussing things: "Master Ming, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Speaking."
Mingjin couldn't recall what else had happened between the two of them for the time being.
"My junior brother, Jing Wang, asked me a few days ago to ask if he could go to Elder Mu's sect to cultivate after completing his apprenticeship. We have arranged to meet Elder Mu at Kongyun Mountain in five days to see how he is treated. If we are on the mountain tomorrow, I would appreciate it if Daoist Ming would take good care of my junior brother."
"Of course. I also know Jingwang, and I will personally take him there on a certain day."
"In that case, I am relieved. I will take my leave now."
After listening to Guo Hao's explanation, Ming Jin's confusion gradually subsided, but worry returned. Mu Ning had once claimed to be an incompetent multitasking person, so when he felt his cultivation was insufficient, he refused to accept disciples no matter how Pei Xuanzhen tried to persuade him. Ming Jin only entered Mu Ning's tutelage because Mu Ning felt his cultivation had reached a certain level. Judging from Mu Ning's attitude yesterday, it seemed he would focus on learning metal arts for the foreseeable future; it was uncertain whether he would still be willing to accept disciples.
What a great time it was!
"When did this happen?" Fu Nai, who had listened to the whole thing but was in charge of inter-sect communication, asked, puzzled. "How come I knew nothing about it?"
"Did your senior brother forget to tell you?" Ming Jin hadn't thought of it for a moment. "He was nearby at the time. I remember the sect leader asked him to tell you."
“I’ll go back and check the files,” Fu Nai said, adding another official task to his list. “I can investigate around here. Don’t you have other things to do? Go ahead and do yours.”
"I'll be back as soon as possible."
After saying that, Mingjin started walking into the woods.
Her goal was to find the magnolia tree. Fu Nai said he encountered the spirit under the magnolia tree before the flowers bloomed, and when he returned, the flowers had bloomed, but the spirit was nowhere to be found.
However, once inside the forest, the ground was uneven; one step away from flat ground, another nearly caused a fall. Many old trees lay fallen, now buried under years of withered leaves, merely tripping over travelers. By the time Mingjin found the magnolia grove, she had already tripped five or six times and had to use wind magic to drift through the forest.
There was no sound nearby.
Mingjin thought of the magic that Hong Junyu had taught her in Huicheng.
However, there was still no sound.
There seemed to be a strange smell in the forest, coming from the plants. Mingjin felt dizzy and lightheaded after staying in the forest for a while, and almost fell off a tree. After searching around but still finding no trace of him, and not wanting to worsen his symptoms and get injured again, Mingjin had no choice but to retreat from the forest to meet up with Fu Nai.
Fu Nai's job was to conduct an on-site investigation to confirm that the case file was accurate.
This matter wasn't normally his responsibility, but the cultivator who was originally in charge had recently lost his mother, and several cultivators who were on good terms with him had gone to help with the funeral arrangements. Shen Du had also gone after returning today, so Fu Nai had to take on the task. Fu Nai felt like a complete outsider, and apart from showing his face on the first day, he hadn't inquired about the matter. Worried that Pei Xuanzhen would find out and scold him for being ignorant, he only had Shen Du take some things over for him.
"Has it been found?"
Inside the cave, Fu Nai meticulously compared the traces. Although somewhat tedious, it was a novel experience compared to his usual work.
“No,” Mingjin said as he looked down at the grass as soon as he came in. “I don’t know where it went. I’ll just have to wait for fate to bring it back.”
“I don’t think we can leave this to fate. You still need to think of a way to find it,” Fu Nai said.
"What do you mean by that?" Mingjin asked curiously.
“Those spirits may have human form, but they don’t understand human nature. I think they are not as good as Sister Jing’s two tabby cats.”
"Do you know any spirits or monsters?"
“No,” Fu Nai shook his head seriously, “but I raised my son, and to this day he doesn’t listen to or ask about anything except what he wants to think. I don’t think those monsters really become human after they grow arms and legs. Even if they do, with their long growth process, how old would they be in our lives now? Maybe they’d still be in the womb.”
"They are just people who are a little different from us."
Mingjin, who had been bent over looking for something, immediately became alert upon hearing Fu Nai's words.
“I used to think that way too,” Fu Nai said, putting away the dossier after the mission was over. “For things to succeed, both sides have to consider each other. Tian Guang, those two monsters never thought about you at all, otherwise they wouldn’t have abandoned you and haven’t made a move until now.”
"When we got into trouble as kids, we didn't abandon each other, did we?"
“Isn’t it because Grandfather Lu is keeping an eye on us? He’s so involved that we never imagined we could abandon each other,” Fu Nai said. “Is this not something we should learn? Do spirits know this?”
Fu Nai's words left Ming Jin speechless, unsure how to respond: "No wonder people like you."
“You shouldn’t have treated them like human beings in the first place. It’s not about being wary of them, it’s about completely treating them as a non-human race.” Fu Nai didn’t take Ming Jin’s words to heart. “I know you’re upset, so I hope you can find them quickly and get some answers, instead of waiting for fate to bring you together.”
Why is that?
"My childhood memories are hazy, but I remember that we could run really fast when we got into trouble."
Looking into Fu Nai's eyes, Ming Jin felt uneasy and uncertain, half believing and half doubting. This was, of course, Fu Nai's true feeling, and it also filled in a gap that Ming Jin had never thought of before. Just then, Ming Jin was at a loss as to how to handle the situation, so he conjured up the token that allowed him to join the Qunlin Society.
The two lotus flowers that once bloomed have completely lost their luster. The petals have all fallen, and the flower stems, as thick as a little finger, have withered into a dead branch.
Looking at what Mingjin was holding, Fu Nai felt that he had made some of his points, but he still couldn't feel happy.
“I still need to get to the bottom of this,” Mingjin thought to himself, “There was another spirit that came in with me that day, but it has been turned back into its original form and is still lying in my medicine bottle.”
"Can it change back in a short time?" Fu Nai asked.
"I don't think it'll work," Mingjin said helplessly. "Yuanxi can't figure anything out either."
"I'm finished here and need to head back. I need to use an array to surround this place in a bit. Are you still planning to search?"
“No, that’s just a minor detail,” Mingjin sighed, then rallied his spirits. “I have to go somewhere.”
"Take care on your journey, leave this to me," Fu Nai said generously.
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