Please support the translation by reading the translation and commenting on otakutl official site.
Thank you.
Everyone from Otaku Translation
Chapter 29: Visiting Friends at the Temple of Blessed Clarity
The fog was heavy near the mountain foot, the rooms damp, and the bedclothes cold as iron after years of neglect. So Song You didn't sleep well last night.
He was originally accustomed to early nights and early mornings. If the bedding was comfortable, he could linger a while longer, but if the covers were cold, he had no desire to stay in bed and preferred to rise early and head up the mountain.
So he decisively got up.
As he stepped out, he coincidentally met the Temple Master leading a Dao Acolyte to begin morning prayers. The Dao Acolyte was diligent and had already heated water. After exchanging greetings, Song You quickly washed up and thanked them before departing. He had intended to offer some money for accommodation and meals, but the Temple Master refused, so Song You didn't insist.
That was the difference between Buddhism and Daoism in Dayan.
Staying overnight at a Buddhist temple was convenient, but it was customary to offer monetary contributions. It was harder to find accommodation at Daoist temples, but if the Temple Master approved of you, they usually wouldn't accept money, and you'd often be treated to good food and drink.
Song You actually preferred the former.
He also asked the Temple Master for directions to the Temple of Blessed Clarity. After receiving the answer, he set off up the mountain with Lady Calico.
The path was paved with green stone slabs, lightly dusted with white frost. With every step they took, they left behind footprints, shattering dewdrops and spiderwebs along the way. Before noon, they had already found the Temple of Blessed Clarity.
In an age without telephones, Song You didn't have the means to send messages by paper crane magical tricks, so he had to visit in person.
Ascending the steps, the Dao Spirituals could already be heard. He lightly knocked on the door ring, and before long, a young Dao Acolyte came to open the door. Seeing him in Daoist robes but unfamiliar, the young Dao Acolyte greeted him respectfully.
"Greetings, Senior, may I inquire about the purpose of your visit..."
"Greetings, I am Song You from Crouching Dragon Temple, the disciple of Daoist of Many Journeys. I have come to visit a friend here."
"May I ask which senior you're visiting so I can inform them."
"Dao Brother Guanghua Zi." Song You replied. "You can simply inform him that Song You from Crouching Dragon Temple is here to visit."
"Dao Brother?" The young Dao Acolyte blinked in confusion.
Guanghua Zi, the current Temple Master of the Temple of Blessed Clarity, was already in his sixties. He typically engaged with other temple masters from the mountains, all venerable elders with greying hair. However, the Daoist before the young Dao Acolyte seemed to be barely over twenty, yet he addressed the Temple Master as "Dao Brother." This was truly unexpected.
The young Dao Acolyte appeared quite immature, indicating that he had probably only joined the temple recently and hadn't heard of Crouching Dragon Temple. Nonetheless, he didn't dare to neglect his duty and quickly went inside to inform.
Before long, the Dao Spirituals within stopped, followed by the resounding sound of a welcoming bell.
"Dong..."
With each strike of the bell, Lady Calico trembled slightly.
Soon, there were hurried footsteps inside. When the door opened again, a group of Daoists stood before them.
Lady Calico lifted her head and stared blankly ahead.
Leading them was Guanghua Zi, with his white hair but rosy complexion, no wrinkles in sight. He greeted Song You with a smile as they approached, bowing respectfully before speaking: "Greetings, Dao Friend, it's been quite some time."
"Greetings, Dao Brother, you seem to be doing well."
"I'm afraid each passing year brings more challenges than the last..."
Guanghua Zi quickly ushered Song You inside the mountain gate. "Please come in, it's quite cold out here."
"Yes, it's a bit chilly."
"We have a fire inside."
"Perfect."
Song You tried not to be overly polite, maintaining the friendship that had lasted for generations as they walked towards the main hall.
Behind them were around ten middle-aged Daoists, with even more younger ones. There were also young Dao Acolytes trailing behind, but too many to count. Overall, it seemed that the Temple of Blessed Clarity was thriving. Except for the young Dao Acolytes, everyone was familiar with the name of Crouching Dragon Temple. Some showed respect, some friendliness, some stole glances at Song You, and some looked at Lady Calico.
The elders remained silent, and the younger ones didn't dare to speak up, so they all followed while Guanghua Zi and Song You exchanged pleasantries.
"Dao Friend, are you here because you are on a quest to explore the world?"
"Yes, my master finally kicked me out." Song You chuckled. "I happened to pass by Yidu and have been staying there for a while now. Before winter sets in, I thought I'd visit Dao Brother Guanghua Zi's abode."
"Haha..." Guanghua Zi laughed heartily, suddenly feeling somewhat sentimental. "Time flies. I remember the first time I met you, you were still a baby. The first time I followed my master to Mount Yin Yang, your temple only had Master Many Journeys and Master Black Feather. I remember that I was only in my twenties back then. In the blink of an eye, many years have passed."
"Time waits for no one."
"Who is this..." Guanghua Zi suddenly noticed the Lady Calico that had been following Song You. Although it was a cat, he didn’t take it lightly.
"This is Lady Calico, accompanying me on this journey."
"Ah, Lady Calico. Greetings."
"Meow~" Lady Calico stood up straight and returned the greeting with a bow.
There was also a couplet at the entrance of the palace:
Virtue, a treasure vast, beyond life's span;
The heart, a fertile field, where legacies began.
As usual, Song You stood at the entrance and silently read it once.
Once inside the main hall, they gathered around the fire to brew tea.
Guanghua Zi introduced Song You to the Daoists in their twenties and thirties, who would be the future leaders of the Temple of Blessed Clarity. Song You, on the other hand, was the sole successor of Crouching Dragon Temple. The continuation of this friendship depended on the interactions between these young people.
Immediately thereafter, he instructed someone to fetch meat, slaughter chickens, catch fish, buy sheep, pick vegetables, and purchase wine. He even called for several Dao Acolytes to pick the freshly ripened kiwifruits in the mountains.
Surprisingly, these Daoists were quite skilled in cooking. In their spare time, they must have put a lot of effort into this.
After lunch, they performed Daoist Spirituals.
The Daoist Spirituals of Mount Qingcheng were well-known, using dialects and forming a unique style. Song You sat quietly, appreciating it. However, Lady Calico couldn't care less and fell asleep on a cushion.
After enjoying the spirituals, they sat down to chat.
One should not assume that when monks gathered, it was solely for debating scriptures, or when Daoists came together, it was strictly about discussing the Dao. Just as when two students got together to discuss their subjects, it might have happened occasionally, but it wasn't a common occurrence. Most of the time, they would chat casually like regular people, discussing light topics.
"From Yidu, how long have you been traveling, Dao Friend?"
"I set out yesterday morning and arrived at the foot of the mountain when it got dark. The Tample Master of Temple of Prosperity and Purity was kind enough to let me stay for the night. I came up the mountain this morning."
Someone immediately praised, "You've got good stamina."
Song You looked up and saw a familiar Daoist, one of Guanghua Zi's disciples who had visited Crouching Dragon Temple in recent years. He was probably one of the candidates for the next Temple Master of the Temple of Blessed Clarity.
Then someone else said, "Dao Friend Song is the successor of Crouching Dragon Temple, traveling over a hundred miles a day is naturally not a problem for him."
He was another Daoist who had visited Crouching Dragon Temple before.
In the Daoist tradition, ranks were not strictly observed across different sects, and practitioners themselves often adopted a casual approach. As long as there wasn't a significant age or status gap, they would address each other simply as 'Dao Friends.' So even if they were disciples of a renowned master like Guanghua Zi, it sufficed to call them 'Dao Friends,' without the need for formal hierarchical titles.
"It's just a coincidence. I met a group of merchants on the road who gave me a lift." Song You replied truthfully.
"In any case, you must be tired from this journey. I've already instructed EmergingCloud to prepare the best room for you. Please rest here for a few days." said the Daoist who spoke first.
"Senior Brother is right. Dao Friend Song has never been to Mount Qingcheng before. We should extend our hospitality." Another Daoist added. "Please stay here, and tomorrow I will have WindResponse show you around the mountain. Since you are on the quest to explore the world, please enjoy the autumn scenery of Mount Qingcheng"
"..." Song You thought for a moment and looked at Guanghua Zi.
The old Daoist smiled and simply said, "The Temple Master of the Temple of Prosperity and Purity was kind enough to host our honored guest. It's only right that we return the favor."
Two middle-aged Daoists immediately echoed in response.
Feeling a bit helpless, Song You turned to Lady Calico and asked, "What do you think, Lady Calico?"
"Lady Calico thinks it's good."
As soon as her voice fell, everyone's eyes lit up.
Those who practiced Daoism had already discerned the extraordinary nature of this calico cat, but their perceptions were only vague, discernible only through subtle details. It wasn't until the calico cat spoke that everyone could be completely sure that she was indeed a cat yaoguai. However, most of them had encountered monsters and yaoguai before, so they weren't overly surprised.
Only the younger Daoists were somewhat wide-eyed, lacking sufficient experience.
Hearing this, Song You said, "Since Lady Calico also wishes to stay longer, then we shall accept your hospitality."
"Excellent!"
Someone immediately instructed their disciples to catch more fish.
Thus, Song You and Lady Calico stayed here for the time being.
The guest rooms here were much better than those at the Temple of Prosperity and Purity. The rooms were spacious, clean, and brightly lit, with everything new. However, it wasn't that the Temple of Prosperity and Purity had neglected Song You; it was just a matter of limitations. In terms of scale and strength, the Temple of Blessed Clarity far surpassed the Temple of Prosperity and Purity. Today, Song You stayed in the best guest room of the Temple of Blessed Clarity, just as he had stayed in the best guest room of the Temple of Prosperity and Purity last night. In that sense, there was no difference.
In the evening, two young Daoists came to visit.
One was a male Daoist named WindResponse.
The other was a female Daoist named EmergingCloud.
WindResponse was tall and imposing, gentle and courteous. His smile radiated warmth, and his speech carried the essence of the Dao. Profound yet enigmatic, he appeared to be a prodigy in the practice of the Dao, likely to win the favor of Daoist masters easily.
Unfortunately, Song You was a fake Daoist.
EmergingCloud was a slender woman, fair and beautiful, with delicate features. Wearing Daoist robes made her appear even more elegant.
However, Song You didn't want to form this kind of connection.
Both were disciples of the two Daoists who had visited Crouching Dragon Temple in recent years.
Song You understood why they were sent to visit him.
Clearly, the two middle-aged Daoists were contenders for the succession of the thriving Temple of Blessed Clarity. They both wanted to establish a connection with Song You, a gentle way to enhance their competitiveness. Guanghua Zi knew what they were thinking and doing, but he didn't mind and didn't interfere.
Song You didn't mind either.
Looking at it from another perspective, Crouching Dragon Temple had been friendly with the Temple of Blessed Clarity for decades. If Song You preferred one person over another, he could openly show his preference. If this person eventually took over the Temple of Blessed Clarity, when they came to visit in the future, they would be friends, making his visits more comfortable.
If it wasn't this person, that would be fine too. Song You was just expressing his preferences according to his temperament and didn't interfere with the succession of the Temple Master position. He would continue to interact as usual in the future.
It was just that dealing with people made him feel troublesome.
"Dao Friend Song, tomorrow, it will be me and Senior Brother WindResponse who will accompany you to climb the mountain," said EmergingCloud, sizing up Song You as she spoke. "Both Senior Brother WindResponse and I are very familiar with the mountain. We'll surely guide you for a pleasant excursion."
"Dao Friend Song, what time would you like to set out tomorrow?" WindResponse asked warmly.
"Tomorrow's weather doesn't look good. It might be difficult to climb the mountain." Song You replied.
"Oh? Dao Friend can predict the weather?"
"Just guessing based on experience."
"Then let's see tomorrow. If the weather is good, we'll come early to fetch you."
"Thank you, both of you, for your trouble."
"Dao Friend, you're too polite. Our temple has been friends with Crouching Dragon Temple for generations. This friendship should continue." EmergingCloud added.
"Right."
Later, Song You saw them off.
The next day, the weather turned out to be bad as he predicted. It rained in the morning and was windy in the evening, with thick fog in between. Song You spent three good meals in the temple and happened to be here during the beginning of winter, making it a perfect time to practise his cultivation in the mountains.
Please vote for this novel at
If you would like to support this translation, you may choose any one of the options below.
How to find a list of chapters
Please find the chapter label next to your favorite translator's name, and click the label.
No comments:
Post a Comment