Ghost Pot - Chapter 94
“Okay, let’s go then,” said Boss Tang, holding a wireless tracker in his hand and adjusting the antenna direction from time to time as he tracked the trail along the country dirt road.
Chapter 143
The Yuxi Grand Canyon is located in Guandaokou Town, Lushi County, at the junction of Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi provinces. The canyon runs east-west, with a total length of over 30 kilometers and peaks on both sides reaching altitudes of over 1,000 meters. Currently, it is the flood season, and the canyon is characterized by numerous rapids, cascading waterfalls, spraying water like pearls and jade, rising mist, and flowing ribbons of water.
At dawn, a ray of sunlight pierced through the canyon, illuminating sheer cliffs on both sides. A stream cascaded down, its spray creating a faint rainbow. Below the waterfall lay a deep pool, its clear blue waters teeming with fish and shrimp. Wildflowers bloomed throughout the secluded valley, the stream murmured, and birds chirped—a scene reminiscent of a paradise. This place is called "Chaste Maiden Pool." Legend has it that when Liu Xiu was pursued here by Wang Mang, exhausted and parched, he bent down to drink. Just as he was about to drink, the water level in the pool suddenly dropped. He bent down again, and the water level dropped once more… At this moment, a local girl named Quanjiu, seeing Liu Xiu's difficulty in drinking, scooped up a handful of water and fed it to him. They fell in love at first sight and made vows of eternal love. However, after Liu Xiu went east, he never returned, and Quanjiu waited faithfully by the pool for the rest of her life.
At this moment, a dejected boy sat by the pool. He was Youliang. Since leaving that dilapidated ancestral hall early yesterday morning, he had been heading southeast, crossing the Yellow River, and arriving in Henan Province.
The old blind man said he would meet a benefactor in the southeast. He had heard from Master Yidu that the true "benefactors" in the world were not the wealthy or powerful, but rather reclusive scholars who were indifferent to fame and fortune and had seen through the vanities of the world. Since they were recluses, they must live in a beautiful, sparsely populated place. So, after passing Hangu Pass, he headed towards the dense forests and entered the deep and quiet Yuxi Grand Canyon.
He had no idea that not far behind him, Song Diweng and Fei Daozhang had been following him closely.
“Master, this little monk has entered this desolate Yuxi Grand Canyon all by himself. It seems he must be meeting up with Master Jia and the others. You are truly a prophet,” Master Fei said with sincere flattery.
Song Diweng smiled faintly and said, “Ziyun, all actions that go against common sense have their own internal roots. Every cause has its effect. This is the dialectic of materialism. In addition to those Taoist theories, you should also study Chairman Mao’s ‘On Contradiction’ and ‘On Practice’. Those are the essence of dialectics.”
"Master's words are absolutely right," Master Fei replied meekly.
Youliang hesitated as he walked along the rugged path at the bottom of the canyon, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He guessed that this important person must be a gaunt, white-bearded old man, with an air of otherworldly wisdom and powerful magic. He was determined to earnestly kowtow and become his disciple, moving him to learn his unparalleled divine skills; otherwise, he would be no match for that elusive and unpredictable Shen Caihua. Thinking this, he stubbornly continued onward, oblivious to the thorns tearing at his clothes and arms.
He walked until sunset, exhausted and hungry, but still hadn't seen the noble hermit he had been looking for.
A bright moon rose into the night sky, and the canyon was utterly silent. Youliang plopped down by the "Virgin's Pool," looked up at the starry sky, and began to sob uncontrollably. After a long while, overwhelmed with grief and indignation, he shouted at the cold moon, "Didn't they say I would meet a benefactor? But where is he...? They've all lied..."
Not far behind, in the shade of a tall camphor tree, stood Song Diweng and Fei Daoren, who looked at each other in bewilderment upon hearing this.
Song Diweng frowned and said, "Strange, judging from the little monk's tone, he didn't come to this canyon to meet Jia Shiming. It seems he wants to see some 'important person'?"
“Master, since that’s the case, I’ll go and capture him and interrogate him thoroughly, so as not to waste our time and energy,” Master Fei said resentfully.
Song Diweng waved his hand and smiled slightly, saying, "Ziyun, 'Since you're here, make the best of it.' Can't I be his 'benefactor'?"
"Oh, a clever plan... Master is indeed brilliant!" Master Fei suddenly realized.
“Ziyun, the little monk is acquainted with you, and you even have a grudge against him, so you must not show yourself. I will go and try to get some clues out of him,” Song Diweng instructed.
"I will follow Master's instructions." Master Fei nodded.
Under the cool moonlight, a figure emerged from beneath a tall camphor tree, walking leisurely with his hands behind his back, reciting aloud: "The elixir of immortality transforms into a flock of cranes, the pine tree planted by hand becomes a dragon pattern. There is a different kind of immortal life in the pot, and many hermits still reside on the mountain."
Yu Liang was taken aback and hurriedly turned his head to look. In the moonlight, a short, unusually large-headed, fair-skinned, piercing-eyed, and dignified little dwarf, with an ethereal and otherworldly air, was smiling as he slowly walked towards him...
Youliang stared, speechless with astonishment, as he walked to the pool. The bright moon reflected in the water, and the little dwarf stood gracefully on the blue stone, reciting: "A thousand peaks reflect the green Xiang River, a true hermit dwells here. Cakes are not boiled in stone, eyebrows should be as long as hair. Wind-blown branches support wine jars, crane lice alight on the zither bed. Though one may forget worldly concerns, this man has not forgotten..."
"My esteemed sir..." Youliang murmured.
“Young brother, you enter the secluded valley late at night, sighing under the moon. What is the matter?” Song Diweng asked in a clear voice, his tone very ancient.
"Are you... a hermit?" Youliang stammered.
“Indeed, I am a hermit. Who are you?” Song Diweng chuckled.
Although this person's physique and appearance were far from the "noble person" he had in mind, late at night, a strangely shaped little dwarf suddenly appeared in this remote valley. Moreover, he spoke elegantly and was a hermit. Youliang concluded that he must be the "noble person" that the blind old man had mentioned.
Youliang immediately knelt down on both knees and said devoutly, "My name is Youliang, and I am from Aoli Village, Tongguan, Shaanxi. Please, old hermit, help me..."
“Hmm,” Song Diweng said solemnly, “Youliang, you came to the Yuxi Grand Canyon in the middle of the night just to find me, right?”
"Yes, yes, I'm here to find a 'benefactor'," Youliang quickly replied.
"As expected, when I woke up this morning, I had a slight feeling in my heart, so I did some calculations and determined that someone would come to the valley tonight seeking help. It turns out it was you..." Old Man Song sighed in a pretentious manner.
"Yes, yes, it's me." Upon hearing this, Youliang became even more convinced that this person was indeed his destined "benefactor."
At this moment, the moonlight was warm and the breeze was gentle. Youliang pinched his thigh hard to make sure he wasn't dreaming, and his anxious heart finally felt relieved.
"Thump, thump, thump..." Youliang kowtowed several times, saying, "Can you teach me the most powerful martial arts and magic?"
Song Diweng smiled faintly and said, "Youliang, what do you want to do with martial arts and magic?"
"Save Nizi," Youliang said bitterly.
Song Diweng nodded, then asked, "Who is Nizi to you? Why did you save her?"
“She’s my…sister,” Youliang replied shyly.
“Yes, she should be saved. Tell me, where is Nizi? Is she in any danger?” Song Diweng asked patiently.
Youliang nodded and told the truth: "She was initially kidnapped by a bad Taoist priest named Jia in Tongguan. Later, she fell off the cliff of Yuzhu Peak and miraculously survived, falling into the Guanzhong Plain. Somehow, she ended up in the 'Feng Hou Tomb' and then escaped through a secret passage from an ancient pagoda..."
"So where is she now?" Song Diweng asked anxiously.
Youliang shook his head and said, "An old blind fortune teller told me that Nizi is currently in the southeast, but will soon turn south."
"Did an old blind man say that?" Song Diweng asked doubtfully.
"He was absolutely right! He told me that I would meet a benefactor in the southeast who could help me, and I really did meet you!" Youliang said excitedly, looking at the little dwarf hermit with hopeful eyes.
Song Diweng thought to himself, "It seems that this little monk Youliang doesn't know the whereabouts of Nizi and Master Jia. I and Ziyun have wasted a whole day following them. What bad luck..."
The conscientious little dwarf remained silent, his face solemn. He quickly kowtowed twice more, pleading, "Please, sir, have mercy and accept me as your disciple..."
Song Diweng chuckled and said, "Youliang, do you really want to become my disciple?"
"It's true, it's true," Youliang quickly said.
"I already have a disciple. Would you like to meet him first and acknowledge him as your senior brother?" Song Diweng said teasingly.
"Youliang is willing to pay respects to his senior brother," Youliang said politely, secretly delighted that the hermit was finally willing to accept him as a disciple.
Song Diweng called out loudly, "Ziyun, you can come out now."
Under the moonlight, a figure suddenly emerged from behind the camphor tree. He was slender, with a youthful face and white hair, and a slight smile on his face. However, one of his eyes was white and unseen, making him a one-eyed man...
"Master Fei!" Youliang exclaimed in astonishment.
"Little monk, how have you been?" Master Fei chuckled coldly.
Youliang looked at the little dwarf with a puzzled expression and stammered, "Are you his master?"
Song Diweng nodded, silently gazing at Youliang without replying.
Youliang's heart sank. This wicked old Taoist not only shot Master Yidu, but also bullied Nizi. Since the little dwarf was his master, he certainly couldn't be a good person either. His "benefactor" could never be him.
Youliang got up from the ground, tears of humiliation welling in his eyes, and without saying a word, turned and left...
"Youliang, don't you want to become an apprentice anymore?" Song Diweng laughed, his figure blurred, and he suddenly leaned in, grabbed Youliang, and casually struck his pressure points before throwing him to the edge of the pool.
"You're not my benefactor, I don't want to be with you!" Youliang shouted angrily.
“The little monk has quite a personality,” Song Diweng said, then instructed Fei Daozhang, “Ziyun, start a fire, I’ll go get some food.” With that, he disappeared into the woods in a flash.
Master Fei gathered some dry branches and lit a bonfire. The fire crackled and popped, reflecting in the pool, causing the small fish and shrimp to scatter in all directions.
Before long, Song Diweng came out of the woods carrying two pheasants. He left them by the pool, where Master Fei slaughtered, plucked, and cleaned them. Then, he put them on wooden sticks and roasted them over the campfire.
The sizzling sound of the pheasant fat melting filled the air, releasing a rich aroma that made one's mouth water.
Chapter 144
With his Sanjiao acupoints sealed, Youliang lay on the ground unable to move his hands and feet, but the aroma of roast chicken still kept wafting into his nostrils, making him even hungrier, and his stomach kept rumbling.
"Master, who is that old blind man the little monk mentioned?" Master Fei asked in confusion.
Song Diweng said, "There are many extraordinary people in the Central Plains. He said that you can look for the girl in the southeast direction, which is the Sanmenxia area in western Henan. I have always studied Qimen Dunjia, but most of my studies are just speculations. I am not sure that I can be completely accurate."
Master Fei held a wooden stick in both hands, turning the roasted chicken on the campfire, and said analytically, "Logically speaking, it would make sense for Master Jia and Nizi to go west to Tongguan to meet his subordinates. It is unlikely that they would go southeast. That old blind man is probably just fooling the young monk. For example, the idea that he could meet some 'benefactor' here is pure nonsense."
Song Diweng chuckled and said, "Am I not the little monk's 'benefactor'?"
“You’re not!” Youliang struggled and shouted.
“Youliang, I can help you find Nizi if you are willing to cooperate…” Song Diweng said, looking at Youliang.
"You have good intentions?" Youliang said indignantly.
“Nizi is an ignorant little girl, and I even think she’s a burden. So, once we find Master Jia and the others, you can take Nizi with you, how about that?” Old Man Song said, seemingly sincerely.
"What do you want me to do?" Youliang asked, puzzled.
Song Diweng chuckled and replied, "You don't know yet, do you? After Nizi escaped from 'Feng Hou Tomb,' Jia Shiming also broke out of Yongji County Detention Center overnight. The two met up on Yuzhu Peak, then burned down the cabin and slipped down Wulao Peak in the middle of the night..."
"How did you know?" Youliang asked in surprise.
Song Diweng continued directly, "Nizi took something from the 'Wind After Tomb,' about the size of a fist, with six holes, resembling an ancient xun (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument). Jia Shiming is cunning and treacherous; he probably won't keep it for himself but will hide it on Nizi, who won't attract attention. If that's the case, when we find them, although my martial arts are no match for Master Jia, I can distract him. Then you can go find Nizi, ask for the item, and give it to Ziyun. Given your relationship, she won't refuse. Then you can take Nizi and elope. So, are you willing to cooperate with me?"
"What if that thing isn't in Nizi's hands?" Youliang asked after thinking for a moment.
“Then you can take her and leave directly,” Song Diweng replied confidently.
"What's that thing called?" Youliang was clearly persuaded.
“The Ghost Pot,” Song Diweng replied.
Youliang nodded and said, "I'm willing to do that."
With a "snap," Song Diweng's small hand slapped Youliang's Fengmen acupoints on the back of his neck, releasing the acupoints that had been sealed.
"Alright, we'll head west to Tongguan tomorrow to find Jia Shiming. Now we can enjoy the pheasant," Song Diweng chuckled.
Inside the Yuxi Grand Canyon, the moonlight was sparse. After the three of them wolfed down the fragrant pheasant, they lay down fully clothed by the pool, waiting for dawn the next day before setting off westward.
The Grand Canyon is characterized by towering cliffs and dense forests. By the time the warm morning sun shines on the valley floor, it is already quite late.
Song Diweng yawned, got up, scooped up some water from the pool to wash his face, and then called to Master Fei and Youliang to get ready to set off.
"I need to poop..." Youliang said, clutching his stomach and grimacing. He was probably having some indigestion from the roasted pheasant he ate last night.
"You spoil the fun, go take your poop somewhere else," Master Fei said with a disgusted wave of his hand.
Youliang pulled up his pants and ran into the dense bushes. Then he faintly heard a "plop..." sound, as if someone was having diarrhea.
The birds in the forest chirped and twittered, and suddenly several crows took flight from the east side of the canyon, cawing incessantly.
"The cawing of crows is a bad omen, a sign of impending doom." Master Fei muttered softly as he washed his face by the pool.
"Hmm, someone really has entered the valley..." Song Diweng squinted his eyes and muttered to himself.
A moment later, an old man came walking along the path on the east side of the valley. He was in a hurry, carrying a canvas travel bag and a black briefcase in his hand, and a little girl on his back.
Song Diweng's expression suddenly changed. He quickly gestured to Fei Daoshi and hurriedly said, "Ziyun, you really were right." He then took two steps forward and stood in the middle of the road.
"Master Jia, how have you been?" Old Man Song asked with a beaming smile.
The newcomers were Jia Shiming and Nizi. After they had subdued the Tang family's third young master, who was sent by the director of the Yuxi Hotel, they hurriedly headed west, taking desolate and inaccessible roads, and accidentally stumbled into the Yuxi Grand Canyon.
Master Jia stared in surprise at Master Song and Master Fei, thinking to himself, "What a small world! How did I end up running into them here?"