After hearing the ins and outs of the incident, Ji Yuan couldn’t help but make a joke in spite of his fear.
“I guess I was the last unlucky one at Ju’an Pavilion.”
The elderly Shing Wong laughed, “Hahaha, Mr. Ji is joking. It was the monster that was unlucky to meet you!”
After saying this, the elderly Shing Wong looked at Ji Yuan, who was chewing on a sweet bean cake, hesitated before asking.
“I wonder where Mr. Ji comes from and what brings you to Ning’an County?”
A philosophical interrogation about life!
Ji Yuan had expected this question, but he had no idea how to answer it. He couldn’t reveal anything about his past life, and he didn’t even know much about his current situation as a beggar. As for why he came to Ning’an County, he had no other place to go for the time being.
Ji Yuan awkwardly smiled and didn’t know where to start. Besides, this matter was related to his biggest secret, so he decided not to talk about it.
Seeing that Ji Yuan didn’t answer the question, the elderly Shing Wong also knew that he didn’t want to talk about it.
“It’s okay, Mr. Ji doesn’t have to say if he doesn’t want to. Mr. Ji is generous, humble, and courteous, and has done a favor for our Ning’an County. That’s enough.”
In Ji Yuan’s opinion, the reason why Shing Wong invited him here was not only to thank him but also to test him.
“By the way, is Mr. Ji planning to stay in Ning’an County permanently?” The elderly Shing Wong asked.
Ji Yuan could answer this question, “If there are no other unforeseen circumstances, I will be staying in Ning’an County for the time being.”
After thinking for a moment, Ji Yuan felt that it was better to be honest. Although he believed that the elderly Shing Wong, as a deity, could see through everything, he still wanted to be cautious and added just in case.
“Actually, I am not a learned and virtuous master. I was just lucky enough to have injured that evil creature. There are many things that I would like to seek advice from Shing Wong on. ”
“Mr. Ji, feel free to speak your mind.”
Ji Yuan’s first sentence was ignored outright. His unremarkable appearance and lack of spiritual energy did not prove anything. Moreover, injuring an evil creature by sheer luck is quite rare. After all, that was not just an ordinary ghost or spirit, but a creature born from baleful energy.
“I wonder if Shing Wong knows anything about the cultivation methods? Especially the cultivation method of the body! ”
Ji Yuan asked nervously and added a sentence at the end. Ultimately, what fascinated him most in this world? It isn’t just these magical and magnificent things. Isn’t there also the ability to fly and live forever?
The elderly Shing Wong frowned and thought seriously for a moment.
“Song is just a small county Shing Wong. My way of cultivation uses incense and a golden body which could be regarded as relying on the sentient beings’ wills. I do not have any need for the practice of qi and immortal cultivation. Therefore, I do not possess any precious and authentic cultivation techniques. However, there are some martial arts in the nether world of my jurisdiction.”
Ji Yuan was immediately disappointed. There was nothing he could do.
“However there’s no such thing as the true method. Although I have some knowledge of the basic breathing and guiding of qi,these techniques are relatively superficial, they may not be of much use to Mr. Ji.”
How could they be of no use? They are still better than nothing!
“To be honest, I do not even have such superficial techniques. If it is convenient for Shing Wong, could I borrow some books to read? Oh, and those mortal martial arts, I would like to have a look too!”
‘I have done you a big favor. You old man wouldn’t refuse my small request, right?’
Although Ji Yuan was blind, he motionlessly stared at the elderly Shing Wong, making the latter feel a strange and eerie gaze.
“Well, if Mr. Ji wishes to see them, there is no difficulty. I will have someone prepare the books and deliver them to your residence.”
Ji Yuan was delighted.
“Alright, alright, thank you so much, Lord Shing Wong!”
The elderly Shing Wong was easy to talk to, and with his biggest worry partially resolved, Ji Yuan wanted to ask about other things, things that are hard for an ordinary person to know.
“Lord Shing Wong, as far as you know, what are the immortal sects and spiritual mountains uhh, what qualifications do the disciples need to join?”
Ji Yuan asked humbly, but the elderly Shing Wong felt a little strange. Why did Mr. Ji keep asking such basic questions?
‘Could it be that this person is not really a master, as he said?’
But regardless of the specific background of the other party, the fact remains that they helped Ning’an County. No matter how strange or basic the question may be, what does it matter?
The elderly Shing Wong also relaxed his attitude, stroked his beard, and thought before slowly answering.
“My Ning’an County is located in a remote corner of De Sheng Prefecture, with few people and limited access to outside information. As far as I know, there is no immortal sect or mansion in De Sheng Prefecture. The only one in the entire Jizhou area is the Yuhuai Mountain, where it is rumored that there is a mountain and river edict that can confer the mountain god position. It’s unclear whether it’s true or not. Of course, there are also some small sects and cults in Jizhou, but how they recruit disciples, Song does not know. As for affairs outside the province and county, I’m afraid I’m not well-informed. As the saying goes, ‘Ignorant of the Immortal Red Cloud Island in the depths of clouds. The unyielding and matchless are on Changjian Mountain***…”
***The raws are 云深不知仙霞岛，锐意无双长剑山, I basically do not know how to translate it, but my interpretation of the phrase is that he doesn’t know matter outside of his scope, but he knows the stuffs in his area.
Ji Yuan was still stunned by the mention of Yuhuai Mountain just now. An edict that is able to confer a mountain god?
“What about the Heavenly Court?”
Ji Yuan blurted out the question almost immediately after the elderly Shing Wong paused.
“Heavenly Court? I don’t know which immortal sect you’re referring to, Mr. Ji.”
The elderly Shing Wong frowned. It sounded like a very distinguished place, to use these words “heaven” and “court”.
Ji Yuan suddenly realized that there was no Heavenly Court here?
He had thought that since there was a mountain god conferred by an edict, there must be a Heavenly Court. Now it seemed that there wasn’t, and the so-called immortals here were just what mortals regarded as immortals?
Ji Yuan had to brush off the matter of the Heavenly Court.
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just a powerful immortal sect that I heard about before, which can also confer positions to mountain and river gods. Please don’t mind, Lord Shing Wong…”
“I see, it must be remarkable!”
Indeed, it’s quite remarkable. If you say it out loud, it’ll scare you!
After ignoring the matter of the Heavenly Court, Ji Yuan asked many questions about the world of cultivation, also including demons and monsters. It was also indirectly hinted that there was no unified underworld except for the netherworld under the various Shing Wongs, and even the affiliation was seemingly weak.
Generally speaking, these pieces of information made Ji Yuan more curious about the cultivation world, but the elderly Shing Wong’s knowledge was limited.
Ji Yuan furrowed his brows and pondered for a long time, feeling a little overwhelmed. He decided to set these questions aside for the time being and focus on learning other things.
After calming down, Ji Yuan spoke up again.
“I still have some foolish questions to ask, I hope Lord Shing Wong won’t laugh at me.”
“Speak freely, Mr. Ji. Song will tell you everything I know.”
After so many questions, Shing Wong was somewhat used to it.
“Ji would like to know what country we are in, which dynasty and era it is, and what is the situation in other countries? How many times has there been a change of dynasty in history?”
Upon hearing this question, Shing Wong was momentarily stunned, then he became inexplicably serious.
Just now, Ji Yuan didn’t understand anything about the strange mountains and rivers, immortal mansions, and cultivation, which was understandable for an ordinary person. However, now he was asking about the mundane matters of the dynasty and the country.
Did Ji Yuan have no education or common sense? After their previous conversations, the elderly Shing Wong knew that this Mr. Ji was not someone ignorant. He spoke clearly, behaved politely, and had many insightful and profound insights in their conversations.
It was impossible for such a person to not have read any books. Although his way of speaking and manner was slightly old-fashioned.
Suddenly, Shing Wong thought of a possible explanation and his body trembled slightly.
Before he became Shing Wong, he was an official in the Song Dynasty and had read a book of strange and supernatural stories. Although it was just a work of fiction, the stories were fascinating and still fresh in his memory.
One of the stories began with the following sentence: “Woke up with a laugh and have some fun, unaware that a dream has lasted a thousand years!”
“Lord Shing Wong, are you there?”
Ji Yuan called out twice, wondering if his question was too foolish.
“Ahh? Oh, Mr. Ji. Please listen to me,”
Shing Wong unconsciously changed his tone.
A dried up mushroom currently addicted to translating novels. Totally not on caffeine!
