I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 31 Don't Let Trouble Get to You
Master Lian Yue looked at Jiang She.

He spoke after a long pause, his tone unusually serious as he seemed to be deep in thought: "Hello, Mr. Jiang."

"Greetings, Daoist Master."

"Mr. Jiang, are you here at Qingxu Temple to attend a Dharma assembly?"

"Let's join in and see what's going on."

Master Lian Yue wanted to ask a few more questions, hoping to get some guidance on his cultivation. However, considering it was their first meeting, he felt that saying too much might be offensive and disruptive, so he refrained from asking further.

Master Lian Yue was very popular; as he walked, he was greeted by pilgrims and young Taoist priests from time to time.

"Master, the astragalus water you asked me to boil last time really worked. My mother has the strength to get out of bed again. It's just that astragalus in the pharmacy is too expensive."

“I’ll draw a picture for you another day. There’s plenty of astragalus in the mountains. If you look carefully, you’ll find it. The processing method is also simple. I’ll write down a prescription for you later.”

"Thank you, Taoist priest."

"You're too kind," said Master Lian Yue. "It's because you've been working too much that your legs are always sore. You should take a break. You know what mugwort is. Pick a few bunches, dry them, and use them to make a medicinal soup. Soaking your feet in it is the best way to warm your meridians and promote blood circulation."

"The Taoist priest is very learned."

Master Lian Yue smiled, not taking credit for it.

"I learned some skills from Luo Lang at the pharmacy, but they are only minor ones."

Jiang She walked from the entrance to the main hall, thinking that the people Yuan Danqiu associated with were all of good character. There were quite a few people in the Taoist temple, and he followed them in. Master Lian Yue originally intended to lead them to the front.

Jiang She said, "I won't go and join in the worship. It's fun to squeeze in with the crowd."

"Taoist priest, you can go ahead."

As he spoke, he found a spot to stand at the back, huddled with the people, listened to their conversation, and occasionally joined in the chat. Standing at the back, he could see the scientific instruments perfectly.

Jiang She noticed this mountain was familiar when he was walking along the mountain path; it was the mountain where the Earth God had held a banquet a few days ago.

I have no idea how the nearly one hundred Taoist priests on this mountain live, or how they sit, lie down, and behave.

Have you discovered the spirits and demons in the mountains, feasting and singing at night?

……

……

The incense at Qingxu Temple was burning brightly, and Jiang She sat alone to one side, enjoying the rare moment when no one was around him, feeling relaxed and at ease.

Not far away were three or four scholars, in their early twenties, wearing turbans with drooping hems, white or plain linen round-necked robes, and cloth shoes. They were chattering amongst themselves.

When these scholars saw Jiang She standing by, and found him to be of good character, they struck up a conversation.

One of them, dressed in a white robe and with a long face, asked:

"Are you here to offer incense?"

"I'm just here to see the Dharma assembly with my friends, so there's no need to offer incense."

"Haha, me too. However, the vegetarian food at Qingxu Temple is extremely delicious and the portions are generous. It costs eight coins a bowl. You can try it at noon!"

"Thank you for letting me know. I haven't had breakfast yet."

The long-faced scholar continued, "My name is Dai Xiu, courtesy name Ziwen. Your bearing is refined and elegant; may I ask your name?"

"My name is Jiang She."

Brother Jiang.

Dai Xiu then introduced the other three people beside him to Jiang She. They watched from afar as several Taoist priests used "ritual water" soaked in mugwort and calamus to purify the ritual site and cleanse the bad luck.

Dai Xiu said, "Brother Jiang, have you heard of the strange things that happened in Chenjia Village?"

"What's the matter?"

The scholars then began to chatter amongst themselves, saying, "Two hunters from Chenjia Village discovered immortals on this mountain."

"This is Black Stone Mountain."

“Brother Wang is quite right. I’ve inquired about that person. My brother-in-law is from Chenjia Village. The man who encountered the immortal was named Chen Erniu. He was an ordinary villager who went into the mountains just to hunt for wild food.” “He took his nephew into the mountains. They spent the night chasing a wild boar and happened to witness the wonders of the place. In his half-awake state, he heard the sounds of a banquet and drinking, and could smell the aromas wafting through the air. He also occasionally overheard some whispered conversations.”

He listened carefully for a while, as if it were spirits discussing the Dao in the dead of night.

Jiang She recalled the records he had seen in his journal; the two villagers should have been asleep all night. When he woke up, the feast was almost over.

How can one listen attentively to philosophical discussions late at night?
Several scholars vividly recounted Jiang She's teachings.

"At the banquet, a tiger said, 'He eats one person a month, and he has been doing so for three whole years.'"

The fox beside him said, "It once seduced a wealthy family in the village, tricking them out of their gold and silver. After exhausting its wealth, it ate the heart and liver of the family's youngest child to replenish its strength. It has already eaten five such children, hence its glossy fur."

"These tigers and foxes were talking, unaware that they were being overheard. No one at the banquet knew that a deity was sitting there. After these mountain spirits, ghosts, and monsters finished explaining what they had done and how profound their cultivation was,..."

The immortal then spoke, 'Gentlemen, what do you think of my cultivation?'

Dai Xiu spoke with great interest.

Several scholars also looked at Jiang She, their eyes filled with expectation.

Jiang She understood.

He smiled and asked, "What happened next? What did the immortal say?"

Dai Xiu, satisfied, squinted his eyes, hands tucked into his sleeves, and continued, "The tiger said, 'You seem extraordinary; have you eaten many more people?'"

"Even a fox spirit would ask the same question."

"All the spirits and demons present looked over, wanting to know what this person had done."

"Unexpectedly, the immortal drew a sword from his sleeve and chopped off the tiger's head in one swift motion. As the tiger's head fell to the ground, its eyes were still moving, the blade falling with incredible speed."

"The Immortal Path says, 'I have only one ability: to slay all these demons and evil spirits.'"

A tall, thin scholar named Wang, standing nearby, added, "I heard that the tiger only let out one last long roar that shook the mountains and forests before it died."

Jiang She thought for a moment.

"Is this what the two hunters actually heard?"

"It is absolutely true."

Jiang She then asked, "If it's a ferocious beast that eats people, one per month, and a fox spirit that cheats people out of their money, why haven't there been any shortage of people in Xiangyang? And why haven't we heard of any families going bankrupt because of this?"

Dai Xiu said, "Young Master Jiang, you really don't know. I don't know about other families, but right here in Xiangyang County, there is a Lu family that has fallen into ruin because of this!"

"I've heard it was a man-made disaster."

"No human could be so stupid; it must be the work of a demon."

Jiang She glanced at the speaker a few times; he was wearing a linen shirt, was rather plump, and had a large mouth. He remembered that the speaker's surname was Wang. He smiled, shook his head, and offered a word of advice.

"This is Black Stone Mountain. If the tiger, the fox, and the spirits from the banquet that night are really on the mountain, they will surely be displeased to hear such a statement."

"Don't invite trouble upon yourself."

The scholar surnamed Wang said, "We're just saying a few words. This is a Taoist temple. How could monsters enter the temple to capture me? Aren't we afraid the Taoists will come and subdue them?"

Jiang She said, "It's best to be cautious in your words and actions."

"I'm not the only one saying that."

Seeing that they didn't seem to care, Jiang She didn't bring it up again.

I raised my head and looked towards the Dharma assembly in the distance.

As they were talking, the petition written by the high priest on the altar inside the temple had already been burned to ashes. The worship with tablets and the chanting of hymns had also ended.

Several young Taoist boys, each carrying a small bamboo basket, went one by one to each believer, distributing New Year's Day talismans to each person. They spoke until their throats were dry, instructing them to wear them close to their bodies.

Yuan Danqiu was a regular customer and had a lot of influence, so he picked one up for Mr. Jiang first.

　Following the operations manager's advice, we will now release two chapters together from now on, at 9 PM.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)