Twenty-six: The Cause of Famous Mountains, Part Four
"Senior brother, were you here last night?"
“Last night, besides me, there were Master, Elder Yan, Shihe, and Tianzuo. Master said we had enough manpower, so he let me go back after the first half of the night and come back this morning to take over,” Chen Du replied. “What’s wrong? Did you find anything else?”
Mingjin rubbed his temples with one hand: "What I saw was too messy, I'm worried I'll get confused, I need to go back and sort it out and write it down."
"Then you go back first. Anyway, the sect leader will be here to help as soon as he finishes talking with the guests," Chen Du tossed his water gourd to Ming Jin. "This is some herbal water I brewed this morning. Drink a couple of sips to calm your nerves. I guess you didn't eat much this morning, and it's so hot and humid today. How about Tian Qu goes back with you?"
Jie Yan, who had been watching from the sidelines because he couldn't learn the art of metalworking, immediately stood up excitedly when he heard his name called.
"It's only a few steps."
Then, feeling helpless, he sat down again.
"What kind of talk is it to leave only two people here?"
Mingjin took two big gulps of herbal water, wiped the gourd, and tossed it back to Chendu, but Chendu threw it back to him: "You keep it, I have more here."
Seeing that Chen Du said this, Ming Jin didn't stand on ceremony with him and took another sip: "If I have something to do, I'll go find my senior sister and Yuan Xi. Don't worry about me."
After the four people said goodbye, Mingjin returned to Changhe Town first.
The sound of reading could still be heard in the academy, but it wasn't from disciples who had come to formally become his students. It was simply a small school Rong Shao had set up for the town's children out of interest, with classes every few days, a way for both sides to find enjoyment. Because of Pang Ming's death, even those disciples who hadn't attended the funeral were disheartened, so Rong Shao didn't teach today, telling everyone to study on their own.
Not all the disciples who come to the academy are prepared to sacrifice themselves and take it upon themselves to eradicate evil spirits. Therefore, whenever a cultivator dies at the hands of evil spirits, it causes widespread panic, let alone for Pang Ming, who frequently lectures at the academy. When the academy was first established, the elders discussed what kind of cultivators should be allowed to lecture there. One of the issues was whether the lecturers should still be required to perform exorcisms outside the academy. After all, if they had witnessed the cruelty of the cultivation world beforehand, with even their own teachers suddenly dying, the young students would likely have been frightened away.
Ultimately, Jingyu decided not to set too many requirements. Although this would result in fewer disciples graduating and becoming apprentices, keeping incompetent individuals would only lead to internal and external troubles.
Ming Jin came here to find Gao Dai.
Upon learning from Ya Zai that Ming Jin was looking for him, Gao Dai was initially surprised, thinking that a ghost had come to rescue him, and immediately prepared to go out and hunt ghosts. However, he couldn't understand why Ming Jin only wanted his location, so he waited helplessly in the academy's library.
He had been wondering what was going on until he saw Mingjin push open the door and walk in with anger in his eyes, and he immediately felt that something was very wrong.
"Senior sister, what's wrong?"
Gao Dai quickly stood up.
“Last night,” Ming Jin stood in front of him and asked in a low voice, “what did you and Fu Shihe do before Senior Brother came?”
“We didn’t do anything,” Gao Dai shook his head, “we just waited.”
However, when Mingjin reached out and grabbed his neck, he could clearly feel a point throbbing rapidly.
"Didn't do anything..."
Thinking that he wouldn't easily reveal the truth, Ming Jin increased the pressure on his hand, making Gao Dai's breathing difficult, but he didn't dare to resist: "I really didn't do anything, otherwise, let's go and talk to Senior Brother Fu in person."
“I’ll go find him in a bit,” Mingjin released his grip, letting Gao Dai catch his breath. “Now I’m asking you, did you see that disciple last night who tipped off the evil spirit and was subsequently expelled from the academy?”
"No."
Gao Dai tried his best to imitate Fu Nai's way of dealing with people, but unfortunately he did not learn Fu Nai's true teachings. He only imitated Fu Nai from his own imagination. In the end, Ming Jin saw that his face suddenly turned pale, as if he was about to cry.
"Wasn't that person locked in the dungeon? Didn't you bring him food last night?"
“He’s dead,” Gao Dai said, trying to keep his voice steady despite his choked sobs and poor acting. “It was four or five days ago, I can’t really tell. He died in jail.”
What's the reason?
"Died of worry."
"Sudden death?"
“Worry, worry,” Gao Dai emphasized, “He’s been depressed ever since he was arrested, and in the end he didn’t even want to eat. Maybe he’ll starve himself to death.”
"Is that really true?" Mingjin questioned.
“Really,” Gao Dai said.
“Alright,” Mingjin took a deep breath. “I used magic on that evil spirit, and I saw you in his memories, as well as that person who should have died a few days ago.”
"How could this be?" Gao Dai's face instantly fell, but he still tried his best to remain calm. However, his efforts were too clumsy, and Ming Jin could see his trembling neck. "You must have seen wrong."
“I’m not the only one who knows this spell,” Mingjin said, trying to intimidate him. “Besides, the sect leader even sought help from an elder from Juxia to resolve this matter. That elder is even better at this spell than I am, and my senior brother knows it too…”
“Senior sister, you must have seen it wrong…” Gao Dai’s voice gradually weakened as she approached and sat down on the stool. “It was so dark that night, how could you have seen it by such a coincidence? And how could everyone have seen what happened last night? That evil spirit looked sickly and barely opened its eyes.”
Ming Jin knew what kind of person Gao Dai was, so he lowered his voice and slowly said, "What were you thinking when you were holding that person down last night and forcibly stuffing him into the mouth of the evil spirit?"
“I,” Gao Dai said, not daring to look up, “didn’t.”
"What exactly was the purpose of this whole charade?!"
Upon hearing this, Gao Dai stood up abruptly, looking at Ming Jin's face but gritting his teeth and daring not to speak. Ming Jin wasn't in a hurry; he was just watching to see how long Gao Dai could hold out.
“He… he shouldn’t have been kept alive,” Gao Dai said, tears welling up in his eyes as he couldn’t hold back his emotions. “If it weren’t for him, so many things wouldn’t have happened at the academy that year. Wei Shi and I were busy in town for so long, and Wei Shi even got injured on the mountain because of him. And then there was Senior Sister, you and Master, and Master Ji, who got injured while trying to find out what trouble he had gotten into, and then spent so long recuperating in Juxia. Anyway, you have no idea what I thought when I heard that someone was actually colluding with evil spirits after living for over twenty years. I was the first to know about this, and I had the most contact with that person. I’ve really had enough.”
“The key is not how many difficulties we have,” Mingjin said, grabbing Gao Dai’s collar, “but that you’ve gone astray.”
Gao Dai was already agitated, and upon hearing Ming Jin's words, she couldn't hold back any longer. She sat down on the stool, hugged Ming Jin, and began to cry softly: "I don't care, I did nothing wrong anyway. Besides, if it weren't for what happened last night, this evil spirit wouldn't have survived until now, and the effectiveness of capturing it would have been greatly reduced. Senior Sister, can you just watch things stagnate while the evil spirit is gone?"
“If you really believe this story, why are you crying so bitterly?” Mingjin took out a silk cloth from his pouch and handed it to Gao Dai to wipe the tears from his face. “That person is certainly hateful, which is why I didn’t go to my master, but you should also know that sending people into the mouths of evil spirits is no different from the evil spirits themselves.”
“I…I understand,” Gao Dai said hastily, wiping away his tears. “But…this won’t be known by anyone else, will it?”
“Probably not,” Mingjin took out the gourd Chen Du had given her and poured some water for Gao Dai. “I deduced this myself. Neither of you appeared in that ghost's memory, so others probably wouldn't notice. Did you remember what I told you?”
"I understand," Gao Dai's tears stopped, and he lowered his head, playing with the silk cloth in his hand. "I have never hated anyone so much. After what happened, consider it an atonement for his sins with his death, and I will not pursue the matter."
Mingjin looked at him and thought for a while.
"Senior Sister," Gao Dai hesitated as he watched Ming Jin turn and leave, but didn't dare to go up to her, "Where are you going?"
“I’m going up the mountain,” Mingjin said, feeling a bit dizzy after the argument. “You can go do whatever you need to do, I won’t tell anyone. Go wash your face.”
From the moment she got up this morning until now, Mingjin had been almost constantly busy, so as soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she felt lightheaded. She didn't lift her leg as usual, lowering it slightly, and ended up tripping on the threshold, falling forward to the ground with a thud that echoed through the corridor.
"Dawn."
Fu Nai, who was working in the room, heard a noise and, not knowing what it was, quickly came out. He turned around and saw Ming Jin lying on the ground, so he quickly went over to help her up.
"Fu Shihe," Ming Jin hadn't recovered yet, and took advantage of Fu Nai's strength to grab Fu Nai's chest, "If you continue to do things secretly with Tianzuo, I'll tell Uncle Tingran to expel you from the sect and make Senior Sister divorce you, do you hear me?"
After uttering those words, Mingjin felt dizzy and temporarily lost his strength.
"I heard you. Take a breath and calm down."
Seeing that Mingjin's face was pale, Fu Nai quickly checked her pulse and tested the temperature of her forehead with the back of his hand.
"What's going on?" Another cultivator from the sect leader's office finally caught up with Ming Jin. "Tian Guang."
"Quick, help me lift her up."
In a daze, when Mingjin regained consciousness, she was already lying in bed. She could see a table beside her by simply turning her eyes slightly. The curtains obscured a figure, but Mingjin could hear the sound of tea being brewed.
Where is this?
The place looked familiar, but his head still ached, and Mingjin couldn't quite process what was happening.
“In the backyard, Master often drinks tea outside,” Fu Nai said. “You were suddenly overcome with anger and fatigue, and the weather was hot, so you fainted. I brewed some tea for you to drink.”
"How long was I unconscious?" Mingjin asked, shaking his head and sitting up.
“It’s been less than a quarter of an hour,” Fu Nai said, “and I haven’t even finished brewing the tea yet.”
"Why did you do this?" Mingjin asked.
“Me?” Fu Nai’s tone remained unchanged and calm. “Firstly, that evil spirit has no days left to live, and I can’t watch him die like this; secondly, every extra day he lives means he can eat an extra grain of rice from the mountain.”
Ming Jin sighed helplessly, "That reason is very much in your style."
“I was the mastermind behind yesterday’s events. A few days ago, I told Tianzuo not to bring him food, and then I told Master that he had passed away. Master was busy, and since he couldn’t cause any trouble after that, Master probably forgot about him and didn’t take it to heart.”
Where are the others?
"The fire magic is gone, the river has flowed away," the crisp sound of clinking cups still echoed on the table. "How did you know that?"
Mingjin recounted the details of the matter.
“I had planned everything perfectly, and I thought it was flawless,” Fu Nai lamented that his plan wasn’t perfect. “Is there anyone else who knows?”
“It really depends on luck, I can’t say for sure, after all, the effects of magic vary from person to person,” Mingjin thought for a moment, “You’re not allowed to do these things secretly with Tianzuo. He’s not like you. He’ll give himself away as soon as someone asks him. He’s too straightforward to be good at any schemes.”
“This was originally an opportunity,” Fu Nai did not give a direct answer, and Ming Jin knew that this meant he did not approve. “It is not our destiny to live our lives without scheming.”
"Where is Uncle Tingran?"
"Elder Mu and the guests of Juxia are discussing matters. They've probably gone to the evil spirits' place by now," Fu Nai said, sniffing the aroma of tea and beckoning Ming Jin over for a drink. "I hope Elder Mu will not have any doubts. With that one shot, most of the evil spirits should be gone."
It was a tea made with a blend of flowers, herbs, and medicinal plants; the moment the hot water touched it, a delicate fragrance wafted from the spout. Mingjin felt his mind clear up considerably.
"You told Uncle Tingran that the man died suddenly, and who did you ask to perform the autopsy?"
"Can't I do it myself?"
Fu Nai was still busy with the cup in his hand, but he took a moment to answer.
Mingjin sat on the bed, without turning his head to look at Fu Nai's movements.
“Before I went to find you, I went through the files,” Mingjin smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes, “that’s why the monk in charge of guarding you chased after me.”
“I’ll go talk to her about it later.”
“After causing trouble, you still ask others for help,” Mingjin’s gaze was somewhat blank, as if he couldn’t see the outside world clearly. “On such a hot day, why don’t I lie in the coffin and cool off?”
During the rush, the ribbon on his forehead finally fell off when Mingjin tripped over the threshold. While Mingjin was unconscious, Fu Nai folded the ribbon and placed it on the table.
He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and a refreshing sensation instantly filled Mingjin's nostrils and forehead, even clearing his ears. Only then did he realize there were birds chirping outside the window. This taste was completely different from the gentle, mellow flavor that floated in the air. Completely unprepared, Mingjin exclaimed, "What is this?"
It took him several gulps to finish the small cup of water, and sweat beaded on his forehead. Mingjin wiped his eyes and was just about to pick up Fu Nai to refill his teacup when Yazi emerged amidst a bird's chirping.
Meng Sheng and Shen Bai came to town to find her; they are now at the academy.
"Why are you here now?" Mingjin asked, puzzled. "I have to go."
Because he had already taken a sip and was in a hurry to leave, Mingjin gulped it down in one go, and felt completely refreshed afterward.
Mingjin asked Fu Nai to put some water in the gourd for her.
Why didn't you go to the meeting with us?
“Someone has to watch the house,” Fu Nai said, staring at the kettle and gourd. “I still have to tidy up the house. I opened the door without telling my master, so I have to restore it to its original state. I’ll go to the Pang family’s house again later. I went there this morning when I came back, but the Pang family wasn’t very welcoming. I asked Shi Yi to keep an eye on things.”
“I saved two of their children before, but then took one away. His family was unhappy from the moment Yuanbei decided to study at the academy, and it became even more so after we got married,” Mingjin said, unfolding a white cloth and tying it around his head. “If it was pure kindness in the past, now it’s mixed with resentment.”
“Master Ji said that Pang’s parents will bury Yuan Bei in the cemetery at the foot of the mountain,” Fu Nai said, unsure if Ming Jin knew, since Ming Jin wasn’t there when he sent Pang Ming back yesterday. “What about you?”
“I will definitely be buried on the mountain,” Mingjin said frankly, unafraid to tell others. “While Uncle Tingran still has the final say, I want him to allocate a good spot for me. I’ll find a place with beautiful scenery, and a hundred years from now, when the evil spirits have completely disappeared, people will come to the mountain not to escape disaster, but just to enjoy the beautiful scenery. That will be enough to keep me company.”
“With such a good place, I have to reserve it for myself first,” Fu Nai said with a smile.
Ming Jin took the gourd from Fu Nai and went out amidst the sound of splashing water.
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