Chapter 115: Meeting the Medium

“The Buddha does not blame.” As the words fell, the sound of hurried footsteps reached my ears. Judging by the noise, it must have been Tsering, the fair-skinned and immaculate little monk who took care of me. Had he caught sight of the Jade Corpse’s dance and been moved by it?

I brought the porridge to Xu Jun and Liu Yunxin.

Seeing Xu Xiaokang happily eating rice, Liu Yunxin’s anger subsided. I handed them the porridge and adjusted the wick of the lamp to make it brighter.

I served Little Rascal some rice but couldn’t bring myself to eat. I missed Xie Lingyu too much—I never imagined the pain of losing her would feel like this.

If we had never met again after that separation in Jiangcheng, perhaps I wouldn’t be feeling this way now.

Every morning when I woke up, the water vat would be miraculously full, likely filled by Tsering. Apart from dried meat, there were also fresh green vegetables I didn’t recognize. Taking a bite, I found them sweet and crisp, so I stir-fried them into a dish.

After recovering from my injuries, I rummaged through my bag and found a crumpled booklet. Some of the writing was barely legible—it was a handwritten copy of the *Heart Sutra* given to me by Jiese when I left Jiangcheng. I glanced at it but didn’t dare read further, tangled as I was in worldly thoughts, utterly incapable of freeing myself from delusions.

Carefully tucking the booklet away, I decided to revisit it once my mind was calmer.

Confined to the courtyard with no freedom, Liu Yunxin started shouting as soon as she could walk. A few times, she even tried stacking tables and chairs to peek outside, but for some reason, she never managed to see beyond the walls.

“Enough, sister-in-law. Let’s wait until we’re fully healed before figuring out a way,” I said, irritated by her cries.

I wasn’t worried about being trapped—with the Jade Corpse by my side, jumping over these walls would be effortless.

Liu Yunxin limped back to her room, likely scolding Xu Jun again, blaming him for following me into this mess and getting them stuck here.

Xu Jun sighed, then sighed again.

After ten days of rest, we gradually recovered. I noticed the valley was perpetually bathed in sunlight, and the moonlight at night was exceptionally clear.

Xu Jun and Liu Yunxin’s bruises had also mostly healed. Besides rice, Tsering unexpectedly brought us a bottle of fine liquor.

“Do you think this place is a paradise on earth?” Xu Jun asked me.

“It is and it isn’t. Like the Peach Blossom Spring of Wuling or Shangri-La’s Blue Moon,” I replied. “The Chinese have always sought spiritual havens. But in truth, wherever there are people, there can never be a true paradise.”

Xu Jun agreed wholeheartedly. Under the moonlight, we finished the bottle—a smooth and mellow liquor. Both the Jade Corpse and Little Rascal loved alcohol, so I poured them a cup each. After taking a sip, Little Rascal rolled on the ground in pure delight.

Looking up at the moon, I saw it had nearly waned into a sickle.

From a full wheel to a sickle—time was passing swiftly.

“Ten days have already gone by. They must still be debating how to deal with us. After all, we disrupted their paradise and shattered the peace here,” Xu Jun voiced my thoughts. “It’s surreal—when I fell into the water, I thought I was done for. Yet here we are.”

“Since we’re here, we might as well make the best of it. Worrying won’t change our fate. That night, when the wrinkled old woman pushed us into the Jinsha River, did you see what saved us?” I poured Xu Jun another drink.

Xu Jun shook his head. He had no idea.

“Our injuries are mostly healed. Tonight, I’ll sneak out to take a look,” I whispered. “Truth be told, I’ve wanted to explore these past few days, but I always felt like someone was watching us, so I held back.”

Xu Jun let out an amused “Hah!” and raised his cup. “Come on, Brother Xiao, let’s drink! Enjoy today’s wine and let tomorrow’s worries come tomorrow!”

I laughed along, sipping under the moonlight, feeling utterly at ease. As the night grew colder, Liu Yunxin took Xu Xiaokang to bed. After ten days of rest, her complexion had improved noticeably.

Even I felt lighter, as if this place truly was the “Valley of Longevity” described in Jin Yong’s novels—a place countless scholars and poets had fantasized about but never seen. And here I was, sitting right in it.

The air was fresh, the water sweet, and the rice fragrant. Living here with such sustenance, how could one not live long? The only downside was the lack of electricity—no phone signals, no way to know what was happening outside.

Still, staying here for half a year would probably shave a decade off my age.

By midnight, the moonlight was as bright as day.

I quietly slipped out of bed, tucked the jade ruler into my belt, and opened the door to a gust of cold wind—the nights were turning chilly. The Jade Corpse was meditating in the courtyard, absorbing the moonlight’s essence, much like photosynthesis in plants.

I nudged her, and she slowly opened her eyes, radiant and alluring.

“Let’s go take a look around,” I whispered. She stood up silently and nodded. Hearing the commotion, Xu Jun sneaked out of his room. “Brother, you’re not leaving us behind, are you?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back after scouting,” I reassured him before heading out with the Jade Corpse. A freezing wind made me shiver. Holding her hand, I leapt onto the wall—only to hear the jingling of copper bells the moment I landed.

Damn, they had alarms.

“Quick, let’s check that temple with the prayer flags!” I urged. The Jade Corpse carried me as we sprinted away. Glancing back, I saw Tsering leading a group of monks armed with wooden staffs.

Xu Jun was right—they were clearly wary of us outsiders. Without hesitation, I told the Jade Corpse to run faster. The temple, adorned with prayer flags, had a few oil lamps still burning, filling the air with the scent of butter.

Sticking to the shadows, we skirted the village and reached the temple. Its surroundings were pristine, with smooth stone paths and whitewashed walls.

The Jade Corpse found the right spot and jumped inside. I climbed down and, avoiding patrolling monks, was drawn to a flickering light.

Creeping closer, I found the window too high to peer inside. The frustration was unbearable—like staying up all night reading *The Last Feng Shui Master*, only for the story to cut off at the climax.

The glow from the window and faint murmurs inside lured me further. After sneaking around, I spotted a painter’s ladder leaning against a wall. Delighted, I dragged it beneath the window.

Just as I was about to climb, a monk rushed past. I ducked into the shadows, clapping a hand over the Jade Corpse’s mouth—only to realize I’d accidentally pressed my arm against her chest.

Blushing, I quickly withdrew once the monk was gone.

*Slap! Slap!* The Jade Corpse struck me twice across the face. It stung!

Rubbing my cheeks, I climbed the ladder to peek inside—but recoiled in shock, losing my balance and toppling backward. Luckily, the Jade Corpse caught me.

The ladder crashed to the ground, shattering the night’s silence and drawing attention.

“Run! I just saw a pair of pig ears inside!” I yelled. The Jade Corpse was about to flee when she suddenly dropped me, covering her ears. A red-robed lama, Deji, emerged, spinning a prayer wheel and chanting esoteric mantras.

The incantation paralyzed the Jade Corpse. My tailbone ached from the fall. Glancing fearfully at the window, I shielded her and glared at Deji.

“Old monk, stop chanting! She won’t harm anyone. I won’t run—do what you want with me!” I shouted.

Deji halted his chanting. Two monks behind him brandished ritual daggers, likely meant to subdue the Jade Corpse.

“Why did you escape?” Deji asked in fluent Mandarin.

“I’m a living person—I can’t just sit locked up in a broken courtyard,” I retorted, helping the Jade Corpse up. She cowered behind me, afraid of Deji.

Sometimes I wondered—how could such a beautiful creature be so strong yet so fragile?

“What is your purpose here?” Deji pressed.

“I worshiped the Twin-Headed Ghost Infant in Thailand. He told me to seek the spirit medium in Shangri-La’s Blue Moon Valley. In Hutiaoxia Town, I thought a wrinkled old woman could lead me to the medium, but she betrayed me, driving me into the river. When I woke up, I was here. The couple with me are searching for the medium to help their child. We mean no harm and aren’t after your treasures.” I spoke honestly—lying to someone who could subdue the Jade Corpse with a chant seemed unwise.

“Truly?” Deji seemed skeptical.

“Yes,” I nodded.

After a brief exchange in Tibetan with the other monks, Deji gestured for them to escort me back.

Defeated, I lowered my head.

“Actually, you’ve already seen the spirit medium,” Deji suddenly said. “But we don’t call it that—we call it the Pig-Eared Ghost.”

My throat tightened. Before I could respond, Deji turned and walked back into the temple. That creature with the ears I’d glimpsed through the window—was it the spirit medium the Twin-Headed Ghost Infant spoke of? It didn’t look like a ghost at all!