Chapter Fourteen: Matters of the City

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Jie Peiling asked, “Where shall we go next?”

Xu Yuanming replied, “We are practitioners of the Yingtian Taoist Temple. When we travel outside, we are what the mundane world calls immortals. Let’s find a place like an immortal’s dwelling.”

Jie Peiling agreed, “Alright.”

But Xu Yuanming changed his mind. “No, I’m here to teach you, like those immortals in supernatural tales who descend to undergo tribulations. It’s better to find an inn.”

Jie Peiling was about to say that was what he had suggested before, but Xu Yuanming interrupted, “I’m your senior brother and also your substitute instructor. You must listen to me.”

“Fine,” Jie Peiling conceded, unable to think of any argument.

The two made the decision unilaterally. Just as Xu Yuanming was about to lead him out, he suddenly paused, took out two bamboo hats from somewhere, and said, “Let’s wear these.”

Jie Peiling took a hat, puzzled, and asked, “Why?”

Xu Yuanming sighed, “It’s best not to show our faces in the streets and alleys. My appearance is very distinctive; it has been well-known for many years. If someone with ill intentions recognizes us, we might have to reconsider returning to the temple.”

Jie Peiling shrugged and put on the hat.

Xu Yuanming, familiar with the area, led him to the door of an inn.

Jie Peiling felt resigned—he knew this was because they had no money.

But it wasn’t as simple as just entering. Xu Yuanming reluctantly handed a broken spirit coin to the innkeeper, who naturally gave them only a small amount of silver in exchange. After all, they were depending on this person and didn’t haggle repeatedly.

That night, after lying in bed for about two hours, Jie Peiling walked to the window and gazed at the quiet night over Yu’an Prefecture.

It was already midnight. Xu’an City was very peaceful; every sound around was clear. Nearby, someone was playing the pipa, the melody touching the heart.

Xu Yuanming stepped out of his cultivation state, glanced at him, and asked, “If you can’t sleep, why not cultivate?”

Jie Peiling whispered, “I don’t know.”

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Logically, this was the best time for cultivation. A practitioner far stronger than him was here, ready to answer any question. Yet instead of sleeping or cultivating, Jie Peiling chose to admire the scenery—a choice Xu Yuanming found astonishing.

Xu Yuanming couldn’t understand. Those he had guided before never acted this way. Aside from eating, they were always cultivating. Those people were somewhat dull, lacking spirit, unlike Jie Peiling, who sometimes spoke boldly what others dared not say. Also, those previous disciples were rather uninteresting; if he hadn’t called them out, they would have preferred to stay in the inn cultivating. They might as well have stayed in the temple.

This behavior made Xu Yuanming thoughtful and helped him understand why Jie Peiling, as a registered disciple, was so well-known throughout the Yingtian Taoist Temple.

He noticed that Jie Peiling was a bit bored, which surprised him.

To him and all practitioners, boredom was an emotion that shouldn’t exist.

Xu Yuanming smiled. Since that was the case, all the carefully prepared plans in his mind were now discarded. A different kind of person requires a different teaching method. He had expected Jie Peiling to throw a flood of questions from scriptures at him, and he would respond word for word, just like with the others.

Xu Yuanming said, “Tomorrow I will take you somewhere.”

Jie Peiling nodded and asked, “Where?”

…

The next day, looking at the wooden building before him, Jie Peiling said, “So the place you mentioned is a brothel?”

Xu Yuanming looked at the brothel, nodded, and was equally curious—it was his first time coming here.

He certainly knew what brothels were for and had heard about them, but had never visited one.

Of course, the two of them were not here to do what is typically done in such places.

Xu Yuanming said, “Let’s go.”

Just as they turned to leave, a sudden scream came from nearby, followed by harsh curses and the sound of sticks hitting flesh.

Xu Yuanming smiled; this was exactly what he wanted. He glanced at Jie Peiling and asked, “You’re here now, and you can act. What will you do?”

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Jie Peiling said, “I have read many books, and they all say something like, ‘We are practitioners of the Way; we should stay away from the secular world.’ You’ve also said that we are called immortals by the common folk…”

Xu Yuanming interrupted, “Then what should you do? Should you just watch coldly, letting things take their course, as I and those books have said?”

Jie Peiling replied, “Punishing evil and promoting good—that’s what immortals should do, isn’t it?”

Xu Yuanming said, “Yes.”

After he spoke, Xu Yuanming’s flying sword suddenly sliced through the air. As he chanted an incantation, a torrent of scorching fresh blood splattered onto the ground from the nearby building.

The sounds of sticks and curses ceased abruptly. No one knew why, but after a flash of light, the ringleader was dead. They stopped their assault, and at the moment they realized an immortal had arrived, they all dropped to their knees, kowtowing and begging for forgiveness, trembling with fear and showing no disrespect, genuinely terrified.

“Do you think this is doing good?” Xu Yuanming asked. “This isn’t charity—it’s self-satisfaction. Doing good? Taking her away? Giving her money? Is living a peaceful life really doing good?”

Jie Peiling shook his head and answered evasively, “Everything in the world is interconnected. Doing good—how should it be done, and what is the right way? Maybe only heaven knows.”

Xu Yuanming smiled. “Since you know, why do you do it?”

Jie Peiling answered again, “I don’t know. But I do know that if I don’t help that girl now, even if she doesn’t die, she will be gravely wounded. As for your method, I don’t know what to say—I only know that this is simply eliminating evil. How things truly are, I don’t know.”

In the next moment, Xu Yuanming snapped his fingers and the surroundings shifted. The two were standing before the brothel again. It turned out everything before had been an illusion. Ahead, the madam’s calls echoed in their ears—perhaps she thought they were wealthy.

Afterward, Xu Yuanming asked, “There are countless incidents like this, as numerous as the stars. What can you do?”

Jie Peiling answered honestly, “I don’t know what to do. I only know that if it were within my power, I would do everything I could.”

Xu Yuanming patted his shoulder and laughed, “I knew you had something special about you!”