A Leisurely Day in the Mountains

After having breakfast at the Sanyi Temple, Yan Chixia and Ning Caichen bid farewell and descended the mountain. Before leaving, Yan Chixia stood at the courtyard gate for a long time, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Liu Jin, and moved his lips, but in the end only said, "I will come to ask for your guidance another day."

Zhao Fengnian leaned against the door frame and watched the two walk away. He turned back to Liu Jin and sighed, "What a wonderful couple they were, it's just that they weren't very bright."

After descending the mountain, the two made a special trip to Jinhua City. In a teahouse, Yan Chixia recounted the entire story of the Sanyi Temple to several martial artists he knew, even gesturing to show the size of a dragon claw when he mentioned how Zhao Fengnian had grabbed his flying sword.

The martial artists' eyes widened upon hearing this, and they all said that they only knew that Lanruo Temple had been haunted for decades and no one dared to approach it. Now, not only are people living there, but they have also raised a real dragon. This north of the city might have to be renamed Dragon's Nest.

Ning Caichen went to the City God Temple to burn three incense sticks, and then went to Wang's Pen and Ink Shop to buy paper. The shop assistant asked him what he was going to do with so much paper, and he earnestly said that he was going to write a travelogue for the Sanyi Temple.

The news spread quickly, and within a few days everyone in Jinhua City knew that the Taoists of Sanyi Temple had dealt with the Black Mountain Demon and the Tree Demon Granny. It was also said that all kinds of monsters lived in the temple, crows could curse, deer could listen to scriptures, and the youngest disciple, who was only five years old, could push an adult over.

So the pilgrims came again. This time they weren't there to worship the gods, but to watch the spectacle. Some stood at the courtyard gate with incense, candles, and paper money, peering out to see what the swearing crow looked like. Others came all the way from the neighboring county to ask for a cup of the legendary holy water that could cure all diseases.

Liu Jin was so annoyed that he finally said to Zhao Fengnian one morning, "Go and invite the Three Pure Ones." Zhao Fengnian almost dropped his porridge bowl. He had wanted to invite the Three Pure Ones for a long time, but Liu Jin always said that he didn't worship gods and only worshiped heaven and earth. Today, he actually changed his mind.

Liu Jin didn't explain, he just turned around and went back to his meditation room.

Zhao Fengnian acted swiftly. Within three days, a new grand hall was erected in the courtyard, housing three statues of the Three Pure Ones carved from camphor wood: Yuanshi Tianzun in the center, Lingbao Tianzun on the left, and Daode Tianzun on the right.

On the day the statue was consecrated, the temple keeper of the City God Temple came in person, circled the Sanqing Hall three times, stroked his beard and nodded with satisfaction, saying that there was finally a proper place to worship in the north of Jinhua City.

Liu Jin did not interfere at all. He only went into the hall to take a look after the statue was seated, and then quietly withdrew.

From that day on, Liu Jin set a new rule for himself: go to the mountains to relax during the day and come back when it gets dark.

The task of entertaining pilgrims in the main hall was left to Zhao Fengnian and a few disciples. He himself would go deep into the mountains and spend the whole day there. At first, he just wanted to find peace and quiet. Later, after staying in the mountains for a long time, he figured out a new method of refining the pure energy of the mountains.

Unlike the gentle and clear moonlight, the mountain air is a very faint spiritual energy that naturally forms from vegetation, streams, and clouds under the evaporation of sunlight. It is neutral in nature, neither cold nor dry, and is most suitable for harmonizing yin and yang and condensing into dew.

He gathered, compressed, and condensed the pure energy, then gently passed it through with the fire of the moon, and the pure energy transformed into extremely fine water mist. The water mist was then moistened by the moonlight, and condensed into drops of crystal clear spiritual dew.

Taking money is a small matter; comforting the hearts of those who seek divine intervention is a big matter.

He broke down this refining process into two minor spells: the Qi Gathering Spell, which specifically gathers the pure Qi from the mountains; and the Water Refining Spell, which merges the pure Qi with moonlight to condense spiritual water. He then passed these spells on to several disciples as a test of their cultivation.

Zhao Fengnian stared wide-eyed as he watched him casually toss a gourd of spiritual dew back from the mountains, saying he was going to share it with the pilgrims. "You're not just taking a break, you're secretly making a living. You spend the whole day in the mountains and come back with a bag full of spiritual dew."

Upon hearing that he intended to teach this to his disciples as a test of their spiritual cultivation, he was both amused and exasperated: "Isn't this just slacking off?"

Liu Jin took a sip of tea and replied unhurriedly, "The assessment content is the foundation of cultivation. How can it be considered laziness for me to have my disciples practice their skills?"

Zhao Fengnian counted on his fingers for him: "The three little ones practice standing meditation at dawn, gathering qi at noon, practicing fire at noon, and guarding the main hall at 1-3 pm every day. Old Chen is always on night duty by himself. Even the deer and crows have to take turns patrolling the mountain. Is this what you call a cultivation assessment? This is called using child labor."

Liu Jin took another sip of tea: "Cultivation cannot be considered a form of work."

Zhao Fengnian stuffed the spirit dew gourd into his robes: "Then why don't you do the work of refining the spirit water yourself?"

However, after the Qi Gathering Technique and Water Refining Technique were passed down, the performances of the disciples were quite interesting.

The Qi Gathering Technique is most effective against crows and deer.

Xin Lu was born sensitive to the scent of plants and trees. When it stood deep in the mountains and forests, it could naturally attract pure energy to gather. Its energy gathering capacity was the greatest among its disciples. However, it could not refine water, and its hooves could not form fire seals. All the pure energy it gathered benefited the crows.

While crows fly among the mountains and forests, their energy gathering capacity is not as great as that of cinnamon dew, but they can be carefully selected and their quality is best preserved.

He squatted on a branch, swallowed the pure energy gathered by Xinlu in one gulp, then used the fire seed from the Yunhuo Scripture to refine it into water, and then flew back to Sanyi Temple with the gourd in his mouth to report.

The two beasts, one gathering qi and the other refining water, worked together seamlessly. Even Zhao Fengnian said that the two of them were the real assembly line workers.

But fire tempering is a great skill of humankind.

Of the three children, Li Zhitui had the most solid water refining technique and the highest purity of spiritual dew. Even Liu Jin rarely praised him, saying "acceptable."

Li Zhiruo's method of gathering qi is better than her method of refining water. She is meticulous and can sense the slightest flow of pure qi in the mountains and forests. However, she does not compete or fight for anything and always gives the refined spiritual dew to the pilgrims first, keeping the least for herself.

Old Chen has always been steady and methodical in his training, mastering both spells to an above-average level, neither outstanding nor lagging behind.

Days passed by. Old Chen was the first to ignite his essence fire. His decades of breathing exercises had laid a foundation far beyond that of ordinary people. The moment the essence fire ignited, a warm feeling, like fire and charcoal, filled his dantian. It was not scorching hot, but rather burning gently, gathering and purifying the scattered energy he had accumulated over the decades.

The two beasts followed closely behind. The demon race's physique was inherently more suited to absorbing the essence of the sun and moon than humans. Once the essence fire ignited, the impurities in their bodies were burned away. Xinlu's fur became even smoother and shinier, and Wujian's voice became even clearer.

Of the three children, Li Zhitui and Li Zhiruo successfully ignited their essence fire. Only Li Zhiwei's essence fire was sealed by Liu Jin himself. He was only five years old. Essence fire tempering burns from the depths of the bone marrow outwards, causing even adults to grit their teeth in pain. A five-year-old child simply could not withstand it.

He would have to wait until he was at least nine years old, the same age as his older sister Li Zhiruo, before the essence fire would affect his normal physical development. Liu Jin placed the seal in his dantian. The seal itself did not hinder his cultivation of the Fire Condensation Scripture; it only temporarily froze the possibility of igniting the essence fire.

Li Zhiwei was overjoyed that his essence fire was sealed, preventing him from practicing the water refining technique. But he didn't stay idle; he followed Xinlu all over the mountains every day, searching together for the mountain valleys with the densest pure energy.

Xinlu couldn't speak, so Li Zhiwei gestured to it. He would point east, and Xinlu would run two steps east and look back at him. He would then shake his head and draw a circle with his finger, and Xinlu would run two steps back and look back at him. The man and the deer communicated in this way in the mountains, and they cooperated quite well.