The island suspended in the mist inside the body of the Sky-Devouring Beast is not small. It has beautiful mountains, rivers, pavilions, and towers. Its scope is just like a small sect. If the Weimei Sect had not always restricted the number of people entering, Xiao San, the Sky-Devouring Beast alone, could support a small city.
Zhou Xian took Ji Yuan's people to select scenic spots on the island and introduced them one by one. These places often had formations arranged, and through the surrounding fog, one could see the outside scenery, the mountains and land below, and the clouds and sunshine in the distance.
When they stepped into the island, Zhou Xian had been paying close attention to Ji Yuan who had his eyes slightly closed. Not only her, but Ju Yuanzi, Lian Baiping and others also always paid some attention to Ji Yuan.
Mr. Ji felt drowsy not long after he boarded the Sky-Devouring Beast. Although he could walk and hear, he gave people the feeling that he was in hiding.
"Seniors and fellow Taoists, there is a spiritual spring here, which is connected to Xiao San's spiritual vein. The spiritual energy in the spring water is extremely active. Whether it is used to make tea or to refine magic water, it is very outstanding. Outsiders cannot get close to it. If you want to use it, you can come and get it yourself."
When everyone's attention was briefly focused on the small pool of water at Zhou Xian's feet, Ji Yuan opened his eyes.
"Mr. Ji, are you back to your senses?"
Lian Baiping asked in a low voice from the side, Ji Yuan nodded, and smiled apologetically to the people around him and Zhou Xian.
"I took a nap. By the way, Brother Zhou, where is Ji's guesthouse? I have some insights that I need to sort out in seclusion."
Zhou Xian was shocked and did not dare to delay, so he spoke quickly.
"Sir, input spiritual energy into the jade pendant given to you, and you will feel something. The formation is also controlled by this jade pendant."
"Okay, then everyone please continue. I apologize for my rudeness and will take my leave first!"
Ji Yuan bowed to those around him, and they naturally responded by saying "I dare not". After Ji Yuan turned around and left very quickly, everyone looked at each other with a little surprise.
Everyone present had a relatively clear idea of what kind of person Mr. Ji was. It was definitely no joke that such a person suddenly had an epiphany and wanted to go into seclusion.
"Mr. Ji, have you realized some truth about the Way of Heaven?" "Perhaps your magical powers have improved."
Lian Baiping was curious but also worried. He glanced at Ju Yuanzi who was stroking his beard beside him and said with melancholy.
"It's good that you have attained enlightenment, sir... But I don't know when you will be able to come out of seclusion..."
Ju Yuanzi was also slightly stunned, and when he put himself in the shoes of the Tianji Pavilion, he also felt that it was very difficult to deal with. For an immortal master like Mr. Ji, his seclusion might just be a short nap for a few days, or it might be that he would be in seclusion for an unknown period of time. If it was only a year or two, it would be fine, but if it was ten or eight years, or even dozens or hundreds of years, then it would be difficult to deal with.
However, Ju Yuanzi knew Ji Yuan better and comforted Lian Baiping.
"Don't worry, fellow Daoist. Mr. Ji knows his limits and won't keep Tianji Pavilion waiting too long. Based on my understanding of Mr. Ji, he will definitely come out of retreat before the Heaven Devouring Beast reaches the outside of Tianji Cave. What I'm more curious about right now is..."
"Why is Mr. Ji in seclusion?"
"Yes, Lian is also curious!"
Zhou Xian also looked at the direction where Ji Yuan left. After coming back to his senses, he saw that the remaining people in front of him seemed to have lost interest.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou, there is no need for introduction. Let's go to the guest house on our own."
"Okay, I won't bother you any more. If you have any needs, please inform the nearest Weimei Sect monk!"
"Well, bye!" "Bye!"
As soon as Ji Yuan left, everyone was guessing the reason for his departure and had no intention of sightseeing. Zhou Xian, who was also a little absent-minded, was naturally happy to leave. The Weimei Sect never engaged in such formalistic courtesy. It was really because the Tianji Pavilion and Ji Yuan were too special that they showed more enthusiasm this time.
Lian Baiping and Ju Yuanzi's guest house was closest to Ji Yuan, almost on the left and right, with a distance of less than twenty steps. When they came back together, Ji Yuan's guest house had not activated the retreat formation, but just closed the gate in a very ordinary way. The two seemed to be able to smell a faint scent of ink, but could not see the inner hall of the courtyard.
After looking at each other, Lian Baiping and Ju Yuanzi did not go in to disturb Ji Yuan's plan. They bowed to each other and walked towards their own guest houses.
In an attic somewhere on the island, Jiang Xueling, who was taking a nap on the table, was listening to the report from his juniors.
"Mr. Ji is in seclusion?"
"Well, I don't know when I can come out of seclusion. I promised Master to exchange the art of refining weapons with me."
Jiang Xueling seemed to be thinking about something.
"It doesn't matter, there will always be a chance."
Ji Yuan's retreat was certainly not what many outsiders had guessed. He did not produce any major works nor was he quiet. He just spread out the four treasures of the study in his guest house, took out the scroll of deduction of the art of the universe in his sleeve that had been silent for a long time, and began to deduce carefully with his usual method of deducing books, refining what he had gained from his dream.
This time, Yanshu Ji Yuan wrote very quickly like flowing water, and as he kept writing, some of the key blank spaces before actually glowed with golden light, and began to combine with the surrounding text to evolve into golden characters. Ji Yuan showed no sign of weakness, and sometimes closed his eyes and sometimes squinted his eyes, but his hands never stopped.
"The so-called method of swallowing up the universe is naturally unavoidable. When the sleeves are spread, the sky becomes dark, and when the method is revealed, the earth becomes dark. It is not that the sun and the moon have lost their light, but that their brilliance is completely covered..."
At this moment, Ji Yuan was writing as if possessed by a god. This god was not a Shinto god, but his own primordial spirit and the interaction between the spirits in his body.
Jin Jia was still standing in the yard. The little paper cranes and a group of small characters were quietly surrounding the table, watching very seriously.
…
More than two months passed. Lian Baiping opened the door of his own courtyard and looked at the courtyard where Ji Yuan was. The faint scent of ink became more and more obvious. He was longing for it but would not disturb him. Instead, he started counting with his fingers. However, he was not counting Ji Yuan, but Yun Zhou who had already left.
Heavy snow had already fallen in many places in the southern part of Yunzhou, and in the distant ancient land of Zuyue, in a town on the shore of the East China Sea, a man in his early twenties with a slicked-back hair and powdered face and elegant clothes was carrying a shoulder pole to the market.
The market seemed very lively. Not only ordinary people came and went, but also some Dazhen soldiers. Moreover, the people around were not afraid of them. Instead, they all wanted to sell things to them.
The man put down the basket and immediately started shouting loudly.
"Come, come, all the military officers of Dazhen, come and have a look. I have a lot of interesting things from home, which are perfect for taking back to Dazhen. The price is absolutely fair!"
"Come on, come and have a look, they are all good stuff!"
The man shouted, but the people around him just looked at him and not many came over. He thought about it and decided to pour out everything in the basket.
After a series of clanging sounds, the man turned the empty basket upside down. He first simply sorted out the things on the ground, then took out a scroll from another box, carefully unfolded it, and placed it on the upside-down basket.
"Come and take a look at the jade carvings, jade hairpins, fine calligraphy and paintings, and the blessed Chinese character 'Fu'."
After it was adjusted to a normal state, someone finally came to take a look. The word "Fu" on the basket was very pleasing and comfortable no matter how you looked at it. The first person to ask the price was an old farmer carrying vegetables.
"How much are your things here?"
"Hey, the price is fair!"
"This character '福' is nice, well written. How much is it?"
Someone asked about the price, and the man scared the person by asking the price as soon as he opened his mouth to ask.
"My father said this calligraphy was given to me by a master. There is a family motto in our family that this calligraphy must be passed down. If I hadn't been tempted to try it... well, anyway, here's the price: ten taels of gold!"
"What? Ten taels of gold for a broken character? You might as well go and rob!"
"Yeah, that's too much."
"What costs ten ounces of gold?" "A broken word."
"Let me see." "Where?" "There!"
The words "ten taels of gold" obviously worked, and attracted many people to come over and watch. The man selling the things was slightly delighted. He didn't expect anyone to pay ten taels of gold to buy the calligraphy, otherwise the buyer would be really stupid. This was the effect he wanted.
"Then you guys bargain. Isn't bargaining the whole point of business? I'm telling you, this calligraphy was blessed by a master. It was originally posted on our front door. I often saw it when I was a child. It has been brand new for more than ten years, and the ink has not faded at all. Later, when we moved to this big house, our elders preserved the calligraphy and put it away. After so many years, you see, the ink is as good as new!"
"Hey, young man, this is just new!"
"That's right, don't think we're easy to fool!" "Yeah, you said a word that's been around for more than 20 years, how can it be so new!"
While the people around were laughing, a Dazhen officer named Chen heard the noise in the distance and felt something move in his heart. He subconsciously touched his chest and found a letter from home.
'Is there really someone selling 'Fu'? '
"Let's go over there and take a look." "Okay, let's go join in the fun!"
Following the officer's suggestion, several soldiers nearby also walked over there, while the man selling things was arguing with them.
"Don't disbelieve me, this word is really so magical. Besides, the New Year is coming soon, so I'd like to have a 'Fu' character at home to bring in wealth and ward off evil..."
When the man saw the soldiers coming, his voice became louder.
"Everyone, our lives are much more peaceful now, and there will be no less changes in the future. This is a blessing, and this word is also very appropriate!"
"Then we can find a gentleman to write it." "That's right."
"That's different! My handwriting is a treasure. It's older than I am!"
Officer Chen also got close at this time. When he saw the word "Fu" on the basket for the first time, he actually felt that the word was emitting a faint light. He closed his eyes and opened them again, and the light was gone again. However, the feeling just now was extremely real.
“How do you sell this calligraphy?”
"Hahahaha, General, this guy is crazy about money. Sell it for ten taels of gold!" "Yes, it's gold, not silver!"
"Ten taels? That's so expensive?"
Officer Chen said in surprise, and the man smiled embarrassedly.
"Sir, business is all about bargaining, but this calligraphy is really good. If you want it, uh, eight taels of gold will do. Just for this calligraphy, even though there is no signature, it is definitely the work of a master!"
Officer Chen almost subconsciously wanted to agree, but when he thought of the contents of the letter, he suppressed the impulse and spoke to the man sincerely.
"You should take this character back home. Do your family members know that you are selling this character? If you say it is a treasure, why are you selling it?"
"Military Master... uh, you... I'm just doing a small business... If you don't like this word, then buy something else."
The man hesitated for a while and started selling other things on his stall. Anyway, he attracted quite a few customers.
It’s no wonder that many of the things that were casually packed into the two small baskets and placed on the ground were actually very exquisite and not ordinary goods. In addition, the prices of other items were also reasonable, and the stall’s sales were also booming.