Chapter 19: A Day of Autumn Wind and Rain

The nine major acupoints along the Hand Faint Yin Meridian were clearly much harder to unblock than the ones on the previous four meridians. Not only did they require more effort, but they also demanded a significantly greater amount of true qi. On average, it only took one spirit stone to break through a single point on the earlier meridians. But now, just to get through the Tianchi acupoint on the Hand Faint Yin Meridian, it took two full spirit stones. The Tianquan acupoint he was currently working on seemed just as demanding; likely another two stones. As for how many would be needed for the remaining seven points—Quchi, Ximen, Jianshi, Neiguan, Dalin, Laogong, and Zhongchong; that was still completely unknown. The days of cultivation passed simply and quietly. It felt like all of Qianzhu Ridge had settled into silence. Every day followed the same routine: cultivation, meals, and kicking Big White. Then more cultivation, more meals, and more Big White. Whenever it was time to train, Big White would practically transform. Under Liu Xiaolou’s threatening fists and feet, it dutifully fulfilled its role as the steward and servant of Sanxuan Sect. It hunted bugs and pulled weeds in the courtyard, cleared vines off the rafters and beams, and sometimes even caught rats. Most of the meat supply for Sanxuan Sect came from Big White’s efforts. The fattest catches were fish from the Wunest River, but it also brought in wild snakes from the bamboo forest, pheasants, hares, mountain mice, and the like. Big White had a wide range. It didn’t just roam the mountain, it would sometimes follow the river out beyond the hills and come back with a few chunks of cured meat, snatched from who knows which household. Other times, it would return with shiny things that caught the eye: a couple of copper coins, a bit of broken silver, maybe even a gold bean. So in terms of daily expenses, Liu Xiaolou had more than enough to keep the sect running smoothly. And if he ever needed some extra cash, all he had to do was rummage through Big White’s grassy nest. There was always some kind of surprise hidden in there. Harvest season on the Ewe Ram Mountain’s spiritual farmland usually came in late autumn. Not long after Liu Xiaolou returned to the mountain, a fine drizzle began falling day after day. The rain was as thin as ox hair, and the mountain wind that came with it carried a noticeable chill. Liu Xiaolou often sat cross-legged on the terrace under the eaves, cultivating in silence. Every now and then, he would ease out of his breathing practice just to listen to the rain and feel the cool air brushing against his face, clearing his head a little. When it was time to eat, he would wander into the woods outside the courtyard and pick some bamboo fungi, wild greens, or tender bamboo shoots. He’d slice up some of the cured meat Big White had brought back, or make a pot of fish soup, or roast a hare or pheasant for a simple but satisfying meal. Sometimes, his thoughts would drift back to that female cultivator working the spiritual fields on Ewe Ram Mountain. He wondered if she’d taken his words seriously that day. If she did, and ended up coming to him with something to do;that’d be perfect. After all, a cultivator at the peak of the tenth layer of Qi Refinement was on a whole different level; her vision, her foundation, the resources at her disposal, none of that was something a low-tier cultivator like him could even dream of. Any task she handed down would be an opportunity. Even if it turned out to be a thankless job, it was still worth it. One chance could lead to another. It’s not like every job would be for nothing, right? The autumn rain had been falling nonstop for seven or eight days. Once again, Big White returned from the lower slopes, stashed away the spoils of its trip in its grassy nest, and then, as usual, headed to the very top of Qianzhu Ridge, perching on the flat rocks wedged between crags. It spread its wings and surveyed the entire ridge from above, proudly inspecting its domain. Fine rain gathered into droplets on its head and slowly slid off, the cool damp air of Wulong Mountain making it feel completely at ease. Here and there, clouds rose from the valleys, some drifting fast, others slow, weaving through the mountains like smoke. More than once, Big White had spread its wings, eager to fly into the mist, to soar through those curling tendrils of fog. But each time, it ended up tumbling head over tail, crashing down in failure. Eventually, it gave up on those wild ideas, clumsily crawling back to the mountaintop to stick with what it actually knew how to do. Then, through the hazy autumn rain, it suddenly spotted someone slowly making their way up the mountain, a figure flickering in and out of view through the clouds. Big White flapped its wings and hopped onto a small tree nearby. It yanked on a thin vine hanging from the branches. Ding dong, ding dong… The wind chimes hanging under the eaves let out a crisp, clear sound that made the whole ridge feel even more serene. Liu Xiaolou awoke from his cultivation and tilted his head, listening. With his progress over the past half-year, his hearing had sharpened considerably. After a moment, he picked out faint footsteps coming through the bamboo forest. He glanced at the concealed incense thread on his arm, then quietly placed the Sanxuan Sword behind him where it would be easy to grab. Taking a deep breath, he called out in a clear voice: “Who goes there, climbing my mountain?” The person approaching wore plain blue robes, but it wasn’t the female cultivator Liu Xiaolou had been hoping for. It was Dai Shenggao. Liu Xiaolou quickly stood and stepped forward to greet him. “Wanderer Dai.” Dai Shenggao pushed open the wooden gate and nodded. “Xiaolou, it’s been half a year. Looks like your cultivation has come a long way.” Liu Xiaolou bowed, slightly embarrassed. “It’s all thanks to your guidance... Please, come inside and get out of the rain.” They walked up to the terrace. Dai Shenggao glanced at the roof overhead that shielded them from the wind and rain, then took in the misty mountain view all around. Sitting down across from Liu Xiaolou, he smiled. “This rain on Qianzhu Ridge is something special. I picked a good day to visit.” As soon as he settled in, a fine mist of water vapor rose from his clothes. In moments, both his robe and shoes were completely dry. That skill  only came with higher levels of Qi Refinement—eighth or ninth layer at least. Liu Xiaolou couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. The path ahead still felt long and distant. He went inside to fetch a tea set and, using the rainwater dripping gently from the eaves, lit a small fire and began to boil water for tea. “With your level of cultivation and the respect you command,” he said, “finding a place like this to train must be second nature.” “I’m not the kind to sit around,” Dai Shenggao chuckled. “Always on the move. Maybe if I’m lucky enough to reach Foundation Establishment, I’ll finally take it easy in my old age.” “My teacher used to say that, among all his friends, if anyone had the potential to reach Foundation Establishment, it would be you.” “Hah! Then I’ll take that as a blessing from your teacher.” The water came to a boil. Liu Xiaolou dropped in a handful of wild tea leaves he’d picked up in Wuchao Town. In no time, the tea began to unfurl. He poured a cup and offered it with both hands. “Please, have some.” As he sipped the tea, Dai Shenggao said, “The whole business with the Heroes’ Gathering has mostly settled down. The Dongyang Sect has backed off. You don’t need to worry about it anymore.” That was good news. Liu Xiaolou nodded. “Alright.” Dai Shenggao continued, “So... there’s something you might want to consider.” Just as he was about to run out of spirit stones, and with the Tianquan acupoint still not ready to break through, a new opportunity showing up now... how could Liu Xiaolou possibly turn it down? “Please, go on, Senior.” “I’m just passing on a message, really. I don’t know the details myself.” “A message? From who?” Liu Xiaolou asked, puzzled. “Wei Hongqing.” “Ah... Brother Wei? You’ve heard from him?” “A few days ago," Dai Shenggao explained, "I took a trip to Tianmen Market. You’ve heard of it, right?” Liu Xiaolou nodded. “My teacher used to mention it. It’s the biggest market in western Xian. Bigger even than the one in Tanzhou. I’ve just never had the chance to visit.” “Tianmen Market is about two hundred li east of Wulong Mountain,” Dai Shenggao said. “Not just in western Xian, even across all of Jing Xiang region, it’s the largest one. That’s where I ran into Wei Hongqing. He asked about my travel plans, and when he heard I’d be passing through here, he asked me to bring you a message. He wants you to come to Tianmen as soon as you can.” As he spoke, he pulled out a slip of yellow paper. On it was a single line: “Important matter to discuss. Come at once.” It was unmistakably Wei Hongqing’s handwriting.