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After returning home, Wei Ning had several conflicts with Wang Tuozi. However, Wei Ning understood that Wang Tuozi's actions were also a result of his own requests, so he couldn't blame him too harshly. After all, Wei Ning was still a child at heart, and it didn't take long for them to reconcile. Yet, the underlying tension remained; it wasn't something that could be easily resolved. The profound impact this incident had on Wei Ning was likely something even Wang Tuozi hadn't anticipated. Consequently, Wei Ning began to feel some resistance towards the teachings of Wang Tuozi and became less invested in them. On the other hand, Wang Tuozi was open and forthcoming with Wei Ning, sharing everything without reservation.
As for Lin Lingsu, Wei Ning had visited the hotel where she was staying, but the staff informed him that she had left early in the morning. This news left Wei Ning with a sense of loss, yet knowing that Lin Lingsu was safe brought him some comfort.
Weeks passed, and with just a week left before school started, Wei Ning returned from selling charms only to find Wang Tuozi unexpectedly back at home. He sat at the table with a furrowed brow, silent and unlike his usual self. Wei Ning felt puzzled and approached him gently, asking, "Master, what's wrong?"
Wang Tuozi picked up an embroidered shoe from the table and fiddled with it silently for a long time before finally letting out a deep sigh. "Disciple, we have a bit of trouble."
"What happened?"
Wang Tuozi continued to toy with the shoe and said, "Sending shoes is like sending evil spirits my way. I've finally managed to have some peace for a while, and now I’m about to face danger again. Oh, what a hard life this is."
Wei Ning was baffled and asked, "Master, what exactly is going on?"
Wang Tuozi remained silent for a moment before pulling out three copper coins from his pocket. He tossed them into the air six times and exclaimed, "Fortune favors the Southwest; do not deceive me like those ancient people."
Seeing Wang Tuozi acting strangely made Wei Ning anxious, prompting him to ask again.
Wang Tuozi waved his hand dismissively. "What I'm doing is an ancient method known as 'Fire Pearl Spirit.' With just three copper coins, you can predict future events—how convenient! Let me tell you: if all three coins land with their tails up, it's called 'heavy,' which means 'old yang.' This corresponds to what we now call 'nine.' The lesser yang corresponds to the first line, while the lesser yin corresponds to the second line… It can correspond to the eight hexagrams of sixty-four; it's infallible! This is true science! Unlike those blind old men who claim to tell fortunes; they are just deceiving people and will face retribution."
Wei Ning smirked slightly and asked, "Then Master, what were you doing in front of Pure Yang Temple?"
Wang Tuozi was furious after being outsmarted by Wei Ning. "You little rascal, you better get your act together and come with me tomorrow."
"What for?" Wei Ning asked.
"Someone has asked for my help," Wang Tuozi replied.
Upon hearing that they were going to help someone, Wei Ning's interest was piqued. This would be his second time assisting; the last time, his grandfather had taken him along. Thinking of his grandfather brought a wave of melancholy over him.
Thus, Wang Tuozi and Wei Ning set off on their journey. Instead of taking a vehicle, Wang Tuozi chose to travel by water, insisting that this year was favorable for such a route. However, this decision made things difficult for Wei Ning, who felt nauseous throughout the trip and staggered off the boat, still feeling as if he were swaying.
The wilderness of Yongzhou was known for its strange snakes, and Liu Zongyuan's essay about snake catchers had made this once desolate area famous. Additionally, Yongzhou had historically been a place where the emperor sent disobedient officials. Many scholars had been exiled here, finding solace in the mountains and rivers, leaving behind numerous well-known poems. The melancholic Liu Zongyuan, the aloof Zhou Dunyi, and the mysterious Nüshu all added layers of intrigue to this place.
After two days of travel and discomfort on the boat, Wei Ning finally arrived at the hometown of Shun Emperor.
Due to efforts to preserve the forests and prevent destruction, the government had built many houses in the mountains for those who guarded them. However, many of these houses were uninhabited. Wang Tuozi would not let such resources go to waste; he seemed to have an instinct for finding them. After just a short walk in the mountains, he discovered one of these empty houses.
"Aren't we supposed to be helping someone? Why are we in such a remote area?" Wei Ning wondered but kept his thoughts to himself. He knew Wang Tuozi had a penchant for being mysterious and would reveal information when he deemed it necessary. If he was being cryptic, it meant there was something significant at stake.
Soon after, Wang Tuozi led Wei Ning out again. They walked for half a morning until they finally reached the foot of Jiuyushan. Although Jiuyushan had become a tourist attraction, deep within the mountains remained untouched by human presence. From a distance, the vast mountains rolled like waves, with towering pines and cypresses reaching into the clouds and fragrant firs and bamboos flourishing densely around them. Yet Wang Tuozi seemed uninterested in the scenery; he hurried along until he stopped at a thicket about a meter high and said to himself, "This should be it."
Pointing at the thicket, he explained to Wei Ning, "The geographical conditions here should not support such shrubs growing naturally. Their presence indicates two possibilities: either they were planted by humans or there was significant underground construction that altered the soil structure, allowing these incongruous shrubs to thrive—it's surprising that no Earth Master has discovered such an obvious burial site. The current Earth Masters are truly becoming less knowledgeable." He sighed dramatically before leading Wei Ning along the thicket.
After walking for about ten minutes, they reached a cliff where the thicket ended. Wei Ning said, "Master, there's no path here; did you make a mistake?"
"Wang Tuozi" smiled and said, "It's good that there's no path. The people here have a custom of hanging coffins. To prevent grave robbers, they often suspend their tombs in these sheer cliff caves. If we go down here, we will surely find the friend we are looking for."
At this point, "Wei Ning" could no longer hold back and asked, "Master, weren't you going to take me on foot? How come..."
"My method of traveling on foot is not wrong, but do you think I need to step in for those ordinary 'God of Joy'? This time, someone has entrusted us with a thousand-year-old grudge spirit. Just follow me; the next few moments will be quite an experience for you."
After finishing his words, he found a large tree at the mountain top and tied a rope around it before descending along the rope. After a while, "Wang Tuozi's" voice came from below the cliff, calling for "Wei Ning" to come down as well.
When "Wei Ning" descended, he noticed that the thorns that had originally grown on the cliff had been cleared away by "Wang Tuozi." He felt warmth in his heart, knowing that "Wang Tuozi" had done this to prevent him from getting hurt.
"Wang Tuozi" caught "Wei Ning" at the cave entrance. The entrance was about a meter square, surrounded by lush green moss that looked quite disgusting. Inside the cave was pitch black; nothing could be seen. "Wang Tuozi" took out a talisman from his bag, lit it against the wind, and surprisingly illuminated the entire cave. He reminded "Wei Ning" to be careful as he crouched down and entered first, with "Wei Ning" following closely behind.
The cave was very damp, giving an uncomfortable feeling, yet nothing strange emerged. As they walked further in, the entrance widened until they unexpectedly came across a massive cavern about ten meters wide.
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