The way of the world was such that after long division there must be unity, and after long unity there must be division. Twenty years after returning to the mountain, the human world had become a scene of chaos.
Meanwhile, Yin-Yang Mountain remained as green as ever.
At this moment on Yin-Yang Mountain, the new heir of Hidden Dragon Temple had packed her belongings, which consisted of just a small cloth bundle and a single pouch, and stood before the mountain gate. She had now grown into a tall, graceful young woman.
People were there to see her off.
“Over the past twenty years, you’ve mostly stayed on the mountain. Though you went down occasionally, even into the city, and once rode a crane to Changjing, the mountain is still too quiet, too small, and too sparsely populated. The vastness of the human world and the splendor of mundane life are beyond your imagination. The landscapes of this world cannot be seen from the mountain,” Song You said to her.
“You don’t have other issues, but you’ve spent too much time with Lady Calico. Sometimes I even feel you’re not entirely human. Learning and playing on the mountain isn’t true cultivation, you must descend to see the world. Your cultivation lies in this vast human realm.”
The young woman was silent for a moment before asking, “When can I come back?”
“When I descended the mountain, my master told me that the minimum time to stay in the world was twenty years. Likewise, you should spend at least twenty years wandering,” Song You said calmly. “You are perceptive; twenty years of worldly experience will naturally teach you what you are seeking and whether you’ve found it. Then you will know how long you need to walk among humans. If twenty years is enough, you’ll return to the mountain; if not, you will return when you feel it is time.”
“Will I be able to see you all again?”
Song You was momentarily lost in thought.
Before him were green hills, ancient pines, and wild grasses; under a pine stood a woman in a Daoist robe, yet in his mind, she appeared as a young man. The young man had asked the same question. But… he returned without seeing his master.
His master back then had not met her master either.
“Perhaps,” Song You replied with a faint smile.
“Now the world is in chaos. The land is divided into three, demons and spirits run rampant, and humans are rife with treachery. As you walk the world, you must be careful as well as attentive,” came another voice, which was calm yet gentle.
“Thank you, Senior Wanjiang,” she replied.
“Life at the foot of the mountain costs money. Sometimes meals and lodging must be paid for. I’ll give you a lump of gold, carry it with you and spend it gradually.” At her feet, the calico cat looked up at her. Seeing no movement, it flew a piece of gold, which was its own long-saved wealth, toward her.
“Thank you, Lady Calico,” Jiang Han said sincerely, pausing. “But why didn’t you take human form and hand me the gold yourself?”
“I mean no offense. I just thought it might make our parting feel more formal.”
“You must exchange gold for silver to use it. The exchange rate varies by location. Be smart, get a bit more and don’t be tricked by the villagers,” the cat advised. “People at the foot of the mountain are like Yan An, they know how to deceive.”
“Why did you change the subject?” Jiang Han asked earnestly. “Could it be that even now, you’re still petty about the fact that you’re not taller than me?”
“Stop comparing our heights!”
“Swish!” Jiang Han swiftly accepted the gold, lowered her head to secure it, then turned to her master. “Now that the world is in chaos and people suffer, what should I do?”
“That’s your choice,” the Daoist said. “Each generation of Hidden Dragon Temple heirs wanders freely after descending the mountain. Only by truly seeing the human world can you know what choices to make. Those choices will be yours alone.”
“But what if I say I can’t bear to leave you all, can I stay?”
“Every generation of Hidden Dragon Temple has done the same. We all came this way,” Song You’s voice softened as he reached out to smooth her hair. “Besides, you need this journey down the mountain. Your life should not be confined to this mountain, nor should it be only with us.”
The young woman stood still, silent for a while, hesitating several times before finally clasping her hands and bowing. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novel·fiɾe·net
Some silently watched, some urged her on, some hesitated, and some were reluctant. The woman in the Daoist robe finally turned and began walking down the mountain.
The mountain grass swayed like silk in the wind, revealing a narrow path that wound downward.
The descent was easy, and with the wind at her back, each step was small yet measured. The pack on her back made her gait bounce slightly, and her figure quickly became smaller along the winding path.
“You’ve turned her into a little cat,” Song You said, glancing at the calico cat at his feet.
“There’s nothing wrong with being a cat!” The calico cat stretched its neck, keeping a close watch below. This was someone she had watched grow up.
“Now your disciple has descended, Hidden Dragon Temple has a new generation, and there will be another after that. Will you stay here?” came the gentle, calm voice of Miss Wanjiang.
“Of course not. This is Hidden Dragon Temple’s place; and we should return this place to the temple,” he replied.
“When will you leave?”
“Ah…” The Daoist sighed, eyes still on the path ahead. “I’ll stay a few more years.”
Wanjiang also turned her gaze toward the foot of the mountain. The figure was now only a tiny speck, so small that the grass could almost hide her.
She rounded a bend, and then she was gone from sight.
Perhaps she would walk along Jinyang Road, pausing for a moment and casting a glance back at the now-vanished Yin-Yang Mountain, before continuing her stroll down the ancient path, bathed in shifting sunlight and shadow, brushing past porters and merchants on their journeys, and catching fragments of stories whispered by the ancient cypresses at night.
Perhaps she would rest under a tree when tired, waking to birds that seemed like spirits, with another mountain rain ahead. Perhaps she would take shelter in Virtuous Duke Temple, hearing tales of her master and calico cat from years past.
Further along lay Yidu.
Across tens of thousands of li of clouds and moonlight, countless mountains and rivers awaited her exploration. Countless spirits, demons, and extraordinary people waited for her chance encounters.
“Heh…” Dressed in splendid attire, Miss Wanjiang let out a soft laugh, as if speaking to herself, yet also to the Daoist beside her. “Another cycle, huh…”
The Daoist remained silent, standing in place and staring ahead, though in reality, his mind had wandered into memory.
How could he not let his disciple walk this path once more?
Those twenty years… were truly like a dream.