Chapter Twenty: The Outer Disciples of Juntian Temple

That day, as Wang Ling was immersed in cultivation, he was suddenly startled by the sound of jade chimes. The shock was no small matter—he immediately suspected that someone had entered the hidden chamber without his notice.

Typically, jade chimes were an essential tool during seclusion. When someone cultivated, it was customary to have a guardian present. If the cultivator showed signs of deviation or became trapped in an illusion, the guardian would strike the chimes to awaken them.

But Wang Ling had no guardian with him, yet he distinctly heard the chime. For an instant, he truly thought he had encountered a ghost!

His soul nearly leapt out of his body in fright.

Soon, however, Wang Ling realized that the sound was coming from outside the temple. On closer thought, it was actually the ring of a telephone!

“How creative—someone actually set their phone ringtone to a jade chime. That takes some imagination,” Wang Ling muttered, glancing at the very old wired telephone hanging on the wall.

“This thing must be at least fifty, maybe even a hundred years old. Who’s still using such an ancient phone?”

And who could be calling at this hour? Only someone who knew the number.

Wang Ling wondered if someone from the Celestial Vault Temple had returned. Perhaps Truecloud was not the temple’s only disciple after all.

But upon further reflection, he realized this was impossible. All the temple’s important records were kept in this hidden chamber, and Wang Ling had read them thoroughly. According to the Celestial Vault’s jade records, Truecloud was indeed the only disciple of his generation.

So who could it be?

Rather than speculate, it was better to simply ask.

“Is the Immortal present? Is the Immortal here? Outer disciple Shi Quan requests an audience…”

“What is it…” Wang Ling replied indistinctly.

“I’ve brought what the Immortal requires. I went to great lengths and expense to acquire it…” came the voice from outside.

Wang Ling thought to himself that Truecloud must have sent this Shi Quan to find something for him. Yet Truecloud was already dead—how had this object only now been procured?

“Why did it take so long?” Wang Ling asked, still vague.

The man outside began to complain bitterly: “Immortal, this item was truly difficult to obtain. I paid a steep price and had to dig through several mountains to find it… My loyalty is unwavering—I would never dare to slack off in your service!”

Wang Ling grew more curious. Found in the mountains? Was it grave-robbing? Or some kind of antique?

What would Truecloud need with an antique?

He had thought the Celestial Vault Temple had long since fallen into decline, but it seemed Truecloud still commanded followers in the outside world…

As he considered this, Wang Ling’s eyes drifted to a pile of ritual implements in the corner. Suddenly, a realization dawned.

Could it be that these implements had been gathered in just such a fashion?

Even with the temple’s long history, acquiring so many artifacts at once was unusual.

With this in mind, Wang Ling responded with neither joy nor displeasure, “Just leave the item for now. I’m at a critical point in my cultivation.”

“Yes, Immortal. But about the agreed payment—I must request an additional twenty percent. This truly was an arduous task!”

Payment? Where would he find money?

He barely managed to procure food through trickery and cunning.

Hearing no response from Wang Ling, Shi Quan grew anxious. “Immortal, I swear it’s true! I even lost a subordinate over this. If I can’t compensate him, how will I explain it?”

Wang Ling worried that, in his agitation, Shi Quan might force his way in. So he chose to stall. “Very well, I understand. Once I inspect the goods, you’ll be duly rewarded if all is in order.”

Shi Quan was overjoyed. “Many thanks, Immortal! This is truly a rare treasure!”

About an hour later, Wang Ling slipped furtively out to stand beyond the temple gates.

He wore a strange expression as he entered the back door of a nearby building.

No matter how elegant a place appears on the surface, there are always squalid corners hidden from view. For example, this building’s back entrance was used for disposing of all kinds of garbage—naturally, few people passed through.

Wang Ling, still looking peculiar, followed a corridor down to the second basement level and entered a utility room.

Most buildings would house large equipment like generators in such lower levels, and this one was no exception. Few would ever come here.

Wang Ling, however, took out a key, unlocked a door, and stepped inside.

It was a small room, furnished with a table, chairs, and a bed, all thickly coated in dust.

The most striking object was a red telephone, its paint peeling.

It was the old single-line kind, without even a dial—picking it up would connect only to the Celestial Vault Temple’s basement.

Everything had an air of secrecy. If Wang Ling hadn’t specifically pored over Truecloud’s notebooks, he’d never have found this place.

The notebooks of the temple’s patriarchs were voluminous, each spanning hundreds of thousands of words and divided into many volumes—an immense trove of information. Wang Ling had only skimmed them.

It was only upon closer inspection that he realized the temple was far less destitute than he’d imagined. In fact, they commanded a sizable outer network, gathering artifacts, techniques, and all manner of useful items from around the world.

Otherwise, how could the hidden chamber contain so many mystical implements and techniques?

Even the spiritual liquid in the cave’s pool had been collected from the world’s remaining spiritual veins.

Wang Ling then noticed a box on the table, free of dust—clearly what Shi Quan had just delivered.

He carried the box into Truecloud’s room and opened it.

It wasn’t heavy, and inside, wrapped in layer after layer of packaging, was a jade bottle.

The bottle appeared to be carved from a single piece of fine mutton-fat jade. Something was sealed inside, the mouth stopped with a plug and sealed by a talisman.

Wang Ling shook it gently—there seemed to be liquid inside, though only about half full.

“What could be in here?”

Curiosity piqued, he carefully unsealed the bottle, and immediately wisps of cloud-like spiritual energy drifted out.

With just a single breath, Wang Ling felt his mind clear and his internal energy begin to circulate of its own accord.

“So it’s jade marrow…”

For a moment, Wang Ling’s expression was very strange indeed.

He had never imagined such fortune: just as he was in dire need, someone brought him a vial of jade marrow.

Since ancient times, it was said that jade condensed the essence of heaven and earth.

It was also said that fine jade nourishes the soul—and clearly, this was no exaggeration.