Chapter Two: Scarlet Pines Shrouded in Mist

With the experience of living two lifetimes, Lin You could easily see through Qingyangzi’s insincerity, but he chose not to expose him. After all, he had already achieved his purpose in asking for directions; as long as he knew he hadn’t come to the wrong place, that was enough.

So, he clasped his hands in thanks toward Qingyangzi and said with a gentle smile, “Thank you for your guidance, senior brother. I’ll take my leave now!”

With that, he skirted around the two and continued straight up the mountain path.

Qingyangzi was startled and grew anxious upon seeing this. He hadn’t expected the youth before him to be so stubborn, and hurriedly blocked Lin You’s way, sincerely urging, “You must not go up the mountain at this moment, kind sir!”

Beside him, Qingsong also nodded emphatically in agreement, saying, “That’s right! You’d best come down the mountain with us!”

Lin You chuckled softly. “Since you both are unwilling to explain the reason, I won’t press further. However, my master left me an injunction, and I must make a visit to Chisong Temple.”

Upon hearing this, Qingyangzi finally realized that Lin You had been addressing them both as “senior brothers” all along—a form of address used only among fellow disciples or those within the same Daoist tradition.

Now, hearing Lin You mention a master’s last wish, Qingyangzi’s curiosity about Lin You’s background was piqued.

After a brief hesitation, he clasped his hands and asked, “May I know who your master is, junior brother? Is there some connection between you and the lineage of Chisong Temple?”

“My name is Lin You. My master went by the Daoist title ‘Songhe.’ Decades ago, he once cultivated here at Chisong Temple…”

“What? Grandmaster Songhe? You say you are his disciple?” Qingyangzi exclaimed, unable to hide his disbelief.

Qingsong wore the same expression, his delicate features etched with astonishment.

Their shock was understandable. In the hearts of Chisong Temple’s disciples, Daoist Songhe’s status was even loftier than that of the temple’s founding patriarch. Even though he spent most of his days traveling the world and had not returned to the temple in over a decade, his prestige remained undiminished.

This was because Grandmaster Songhe was not only one of the eight great masters under heaven, with martial prowess unmatched in the world, but also had lived over a hundred years, able to ride the wind itself—almost a living immortal.

Even the current Emperor Yu had once sent envoys to seek out Daoist Songhe, hoping to learn the secret of immortality.

Qingyangzi could never have imagined that, on the way down the mountain with his junior to fetch reinforcements, he would encounter a disciple of this venerable elder. For a moment, it all seemed unreal.

Yet, being of steady character, his brief shock passed quickly, and he regained his composure to ask Lin You, “Sir, you claim to be Grandmaster Songhe’s disciple. Did your master leave any proof of this? And you mentioned fulfilling his last wishes—does that mean he has…”

At this point, Qingyangzi dared not continue. If that grandmaster truly had passed away, it would be a catastrophe for Chisong Temple.

Chisong Temple’s ability to maintain its detached and untroubled standing among the martial world’s forces depended greatly on the deterrent power of Master Songhe.

“I carry with me my master’s seal,” Lin You replied calmly. “He passed away in Jiangzhou a month ago and commanded me to return his ancestral tablet to Chisong Temple.”

After this brief explanation, Lin You did not wish to delay further.

His purpose here was simply to sever the ties of his past life; afterward, he would follow the last few clues left by Daoist Songhe to continue seeking the traces of the immortal path. As for whatever might be happening within Chisong Temple, he had little interest.

So, after bidding the two farewell politely, he continued up the steps.

Qingyangzi and Qingsong remained transfixed by the shocking news until Lin You’s figure vanished at the end of the mountain path.

“Come, junior brother! This is momentous! Let’s hurry back!” Qingyangzi gripped Qingsong’s arm, his expression grave.

Qingsong was confused. “But senior brother, we haven’t finished the task the elders assigned us. Weren’t we supposed to go to Jinhua Prefecture to find Mr. Jiang, the man with the strange exorcism arts?”

“Ah, that’s right! Here’s what we’ll do: let’s split up. You take these medicinal herbs to Jinhua Prefecture, and I’ll go back to report to the elders.”

Qingyangzi slapped his forehead as he remembered their original mission, quickly shoved his bundle into Qingsong’s hands, and reminded him, “Be careful on the road. Don’t reveal the precious herbs you’re carrying, and when you arrive, do not mention the temple’s current situation if you can help it. Do you understand?”

Seeing Qingsong nod, he turned and hurried off to catch up with Lin You.

...

Inside the Hall of Blessings at Chisong Temple, a Daoist priest in his fifties looked at the thirty-some disciples remaining in the temple and couldn’t help but sigh.

He was the current abbot of Chisong Temple, Daoist Yujing.

Although the temple had never involved itself in the conflicts of the martial world, with the reputation of Grandmaster Songhe, it had flourished in recent years. Yet recently, strange occurrences had plagued the temple: first, many disciples claimed to see ghosts in the halls; then, several elders inexplicably lost their wits and fought one another.

In just a matter of days, panic had spread throughout Chisong Temple, and many disciples had fled.

They had tried all means to expel demons and monsters, but to no avail. The so-called “ghosts” were formless and intangible—no one had even glimpsed their true visage.

Though the elders were all accomplished experts, each one having fully opened their meridians and being only a step away from becoming true masters, facing such an unseen foe left them helpless.

What’s more, Chisong Temple’s focus was on medicine and healing, not combat, and they were utterly unskilled in the arts of exorcism and demon-hunting.

All hope now rested on Qingyangzi and Qingsong successfully finding the Mr. Jiang rumored to possess unique exorcism techniques.

Otherwise, the grand Chisong Temple might soon fall into ruin.

Yujing Daoist sighed, turned to the ancestral tablets in the hall, lit three sticks of incense, and bowed deeply several times, praying, “If the spirits of the ancestors are watching, please bless Qingyangzi and Qingsong on their journey, so our temple may survive this calamity.”

After his prayer, his thoughts involuntarily turned to the elusive Songhe Master Uncle. If only he were still overseeing the temple, how could any evil spirit dare run amok here?

...

Now the morning sun had fully emerged from the clouds, a fiery red disc shining down upon the three-hundred-mile expanse of Yun Ridge.

The ancient pines atop Chisong Peak glowed ever redder in the sunlight, mist swirling around them as if a true immortal were cultivating in their midst.

The branches of the ancient pine spread wide, like countless dragons and serpents drooping to the ground, each taking root and together forming a sprawling pine forest that covered much of the mountaintop.

When the mountain wind swept through, innumerable pine needles rustled, carrying a cool, resinous fragrance throughout the woods.

Lin You strolled along the ancient path, the moist scent of earth mingling with pine and cypress filling his nostrils. All around him was lush greenery—utterly different from the withered mountainsides nearby, without the least hint of autumn’s usual desolation.

Moved by the scene, he turned to the following Qingyangzi and asked, “Senior brother Qingyangzi, why is it that the woods in the surrounding mountains are bleak, yet here on Chisong Peak, the trees and grasses remain so verdant?”

After some conversation during their climb, the two had grown more familiar. Qingyangzi, a bit embarrassed, first corrected him: “If you truly are our grandmaster’s disciple and have paid respects in the ancestral hall, then by seniority, I should address you as granduncle. Please, do not call me senior brother again!”

He then explained, “It is said that Chisong Peak was once a place where ancient immortals preached, so there is something supernatural about it. The flora here never withers, regardless of the season, which is why people call this mountain a blessed land of immortals.”

Lin You gazed thoughtfully at the towering, sky-shading pine.

In the course of their idle conversation, they arrived at the mountain gate of Chisong Temple. There, before a precipice on the ancient path, stood two pine trees so thick it would take several people to encircle them, arching toward each other, their canopies intertwined to form a natural gateway.

Surrounding them, countless drooping branches and ancient vines, most having taken root, stretched across both sides to form a living wooden palisade.

Looking up, one could see tens of thousands of thick pine boughs, tangled like dragons and serpents, forming a vast canopy that covered the entire cliff-top, allowing only the faintest rays of morning light to filter through and dimly illuminate the path ahead.

“The wonders of creation truly leave one in awe!” Lin You took a deep breath, unable to suppress his admiration.

Even after two lifetimes, he had never seen such a magnificent sight. His curiosity about the so-called “Pine Ancestor” grew all the stronger.