Chapter Seven: Fishing Alone in Cold Creek

  The river flows east into the sea. Although it is midwinter, and the surface of the ice is momentarily still, the water beneath has never ceased its turbulent flow; even standing on the ice, one can feel the ceaseless power surging beneath one's feet.

  Cheng Jun's line of sight extended along the direction of the river, stretching far into the distance.

  Lù Shuǐ, the mother river of Shèng Tiān, winds its way for thousands of miles, traversing the entire northern plain. After Shèng Tiān, there are Fèng Tiān and Chéng Tiān countries. Further downstream, the water becomes even greater, irrigating thousands of miles of fertile farmland.

  Along the Xiang River downstream, it becomes more and more prosperous. One can reach Yunzhou, where Taoism is most flourishing, and further downstream lies Kyoto, the most important place in Shengtian. These two places are destinations that Cheng Jun will have to visit in the future. However, for now, he has to head upstream.

  Dabing County is located in Jizhou, at the dividing point of the middle and upper reaches of the Luan River. Further upstream lies the endless Ji Mountain. Although Ji Mountain is not as treacherous as the legendary Kunwu or Shiwandashan, it is still a high and dense forest, vast and boundless, with many flying birds and ferocious beasts roaming about. Coupled with the extreme cold of the northern country, where ice forms all year round, human footprints are rarely seen, making it a truly desolate place.

  However, Cheng Jun liked it there because there were few people, so it was quiet. Moreover, this Jishan is also a place where good things are produced. At least for now, there are many benefits that are not known to the world, and Cheng Jun happens to know a few places.

  It's just not the time to say these things now.

  Cheng Jun didn't plan to enter the mountain immediately, as Ji Shan wasn't a place he could currently access with his cultivation. As long as he was still around, those good things wouldn't belong to others, so he wasn't in a hurry for now.

  Cheng Jun's plan was to go upstream, build a cave mansion near Jishan now, quietly cultivate for several years, then go up Jishan, accumulate enough wealth and status, and then return.

  Within a decade, he will inevitably return, for the Northern Cultivation world is bound to have a major event occur, one that will sweep through the cultivation world and allow him to muddy the waters and catch a big fish.

  As for Dabing County, although it was nominally Cheng Jun's hometown, he didn't have any lingering feelings about it. The place had never left him with a good impression in his two lifetimes, nor did it give him any warmth of his hometown.

  But perhaps he will come back later, because...

  Looking up, there is also a mountain in the distance, with a white mountain top visible from afar. That is Wàn Mǎ Shān (Ten Thousand Horses Mountain). Not to mention Shèng Tiān, even within Jì Zhōu, it's not considered a famous mountain. However, deep within that mountain lies a temple, currently unknown and silent, but after more than a hundred years, due to one event, one person became renowned throughout the land.

  That person, Cheng Jun didn't care about, but that matter, he could get involved with it a bit. If luck was on his side, there would be great benefits inside. However, that was also something that would happen very far in the future. Now, what was most important to him was finding a quiet place, at least letting him cultivate without being disturbed by others.

  Then let's set off.

  Cheng Jun took out a stack of talismans, arranged them in the eight trigrams pattern on the ground, put the dragon's eye in his mouth, sat cross-legged in the middle of the talismans, pinched a finger seal, and shouted: "Explode!"

  "Boom——"

  Eight talismans exploded together, producing only a single deafening boom that was so powerful it blasted a hole in the icy surface of the river, revealing the rushing water below. Cheng Jun was right in the middle of the hole and fell straight down into the bone-chilling icy water.

  The icy river water made Cheng Jun's mind numb, the seven orifices were suddenly blocked by the cold water that rushed in, he hastily stopped breathing through his mouth and nose, a thread of fetal breath circulated, and he dove towards the dragon ball in his mouth.

  But in an instant, Cheng Jun's breath was completely gone, his body stiff and hard like a piece of rotten wood, floating up and down in the river water. However, this piece of rotten wood did not drift downstream with the current, but instead defied the laws of nature and floated upstream, drifting all the way to the upper reaches of the river.

  " Carp-shaped seal", can make objects like carp, against the current. The cold river water can dissipate the heat he emits, and the thick ice on his head seals him in a temporary enclosed space, just right for him to enter the Tao.

  When he breaks through the ice and emerges, he must have already turned over a new leaf and returned to the path of righteousness. At that time, it is truly his beginning of returning.

  The northern regions are cold, and the mountainous areas are even colder.

  Houwan Village in Dabie County is located behind Wanma Mountain. The mountain is high and the forest is dense, with only a small path connecting it to the outside world. Every year from August, snow starts to fall, making it difficult to climb up the mountain. By September, heavy snow blocks all paths, making it impossible for people from the foot of the mountain to ascend or for villagers on the mountain to descend. This situation lasts until March of the following year when the snow melts, and the world above and below the mountain becomes two separate worlds.

  It's the end of the year, and it's the coldest season in a year. The mountains and forests have accumulated several layers of heavy snow, and the mountain tops are covered with a thick layer of white snow, just like a pile of big white steamed buns. Even the small roads can't be recognized, and people in the mountains can only travel back and forth by sled or snowshoes.

  On the top of Wanmar Mountain, the highest peak of Mashan, a mountain stream flows down, winding its way down to join the Lushui River. Along the way, at the foot of a cliff on the middle slope of the mountain, it forms a clear pool. Today, with the cold weather and frozen ground, the mountain stream has already frozen over, and the pool has also formed a thick layer of ice, as smooth as a mirror.

  On this clear morning, on the rocks beside the Shui Tang, sat a fluffy figure. From afar, it looked like a dog bear, but up close, it was a youth wearing thick fur clothes, with a tiger-like face and physique. Beside him lay a bamboo basket, leaning against a longbow, his hand holding a bamboo rod inserted into an ice hole on the surface of the pond, seemingly fishing.

  The young man was intently staring at his fishing rod when he suddenly perked up his ears, turned around and shouted: "Who's there?"

  A man emerged from behind the big rock he was sitting on, with a shiny bald head and not a single hair on it. He turned out to be a monk, who looked about the same age as the young man, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, looking dignified and smiling: "It's me, Little Stonehead, fishing?"

  The young man smiled and said, "Yeah, it's a pretty good harvest."

  The little monk heard this and came to the side of Xiaoshi, holding his bamboo basket to take a look inside, saying: "Great, there's my favorite fine-scaled fish. The willow root fish last time had too strong an earthy smell."

  "Go away, you six roots of impurity...!" Suddenly sniffing his nose, he changed color and said: "What a heavy smell. You've been to that disgusting place again, haven't you?"

  The little monk smiled and said, "Today is the 26th. I went again, no choice, I also need to eat, right? Don't ask how, but they paid quickly on that side. Five copper coins for one meal." He took down the divine beast's backpack, pulled out a money box, and indeed it was filled with five copper coins.

  The little stone glanced over and said with a pout: "The money from that place looks dirtier than others."

  The little monk smiled and put it away, suddenly hearing Xiaoshi say: "Little monk, what do you think about the things I told you?"

  The little monk patted his shiny forehead and asked: "What's up?"

  The little stone turned his head and said seriously: "It's about me wanting to leave home with you to become a monk."

  The little monk's face turned pale, and he said, "This matter...". He lowered his head, pretending to gather his basket, and muttered vaguely: "Although you told me, I'm just a small samanera, I haven't even mixed up my own dharma name yet, and my name isn't on the degree certificate either. I can't make decisions."

  "Stop joking, now your Wan Ma Temple only has you left, the abbot and the supervisor are all gone, who else can be in charge? In my opinion, the elders in your temple will not come back. Don't stare at the temple gate with a dead heart, after all, the plaque of that temple is in your hands, why not take the small temple where you live now as the new temple, you've already shaved your head, just light some incense, take a loud Dharma name, and be the abbot yourself. I'll be the supervisor for you, choose a good day, and we two brothers will establish our own sect in the mountains, isn't that wonderful?"

  "Hey, don't say that! Although the elder is not here now, it's just a temporary measure. Who knows when he'll return to the mountain gate? Wait until I..."

  "Wait until the master of your temple returns, with his great divine power, and chases away the evil-doers. The monks will come back and reclaim the temple gates, right? I've heard this phrase 70 or 80 times, but after all these days, where is the shadow of that high monk? I think most of you elders are just saying something to save face, like when someone loses a fight and shouts: 'You wait, I'll get someone to deal with you!' But in reality, they've already run away without a trace."

  The little monk made a bitter face and said, "It's not that bad... If one is sincere, even gold and stone can be opened. Maybe there will come a day like that? Besides, being a monk isn't fun at all. There's nothing in the temple, morning and night have to meditate and recite scriptures, cultivate diligently, can't eat meat, can't drink wine, can't speak nonsense, can't get angry...

  "Yesterday I was still roasting fish with you," said Xiaoshi with a sideways glance.

  Xiao He Shang couldn't help but smile wryly, saying: "You know that I'm not a real monk yet. During this special period, when the abbot and elders return, I will formally tonsure and naturally have to follow the rules of purity and discipline. Besides, if you truly wanted to become a Buddhist, it would be fine, but you're just like your sister..."

  Xiao Shi Tou stood up, angrily saying: "Why am I not sincere in my devotion to Buddhism? My decision to become a monk is my own business, what does it have to do with others? The Buddhist temple accepts even former butchers who have put down their knives, why won't they accept me, a hunter who has put down his hunting knife? You're also being so unreasonable, I won't talk to you anymore. When the snow melts next year, I'll leave the mountain and become a monk." As he spoke, he picked up his fishing rod, slung his bamboo basket over his shoulder, grabbed his longbow from the ground, and headed up the mountain.

  The little monk sighed, put away his basket, and said in a low voice: "Who knows when this ice will thaw? It's going to be a long time." Just as he was about to get up and leave, he heard Xiaoshi shout: "Hey, what's this?"

  The little monk was taken aback and asked in a loud voice: "What's wrong?"

  "Come and see, there's someone inside the ice!"