I’m here…
Standing at the foot of Mount Longhu, just as Baoyu was in deep thought about his situation, a large, hairy hand abruptly pulled him back to reality…
“Where’s your ticket?”
A thick arm blocked Baoyu’s path…
“…”
“Ti…ticket?”
Baoyu stared at the bearded middle-aged man in front of him, his smile frozen.
His expression gradually turned blank…
“Yes! The ticket is 250 per person. If you want to visit the Taoist temple, it’s an extra ten yuan, so it’s 260 total. You can buy the ticket over there.”
The burly man pointed to the nearby ticket office.
At that moment, Baoyu realized that he might have been too optimistic.
Losing his bag was worse than he thought…
Though his old phone wasn’t stolen, and the world still had WeChat and Alipay, Baoyu had spent the last three years in the mountains and had never used these payment apps!
Simply put, he didn’t have any money in his account…
Should he call his master? His master didn’t know how to use WeChat Pay either!
Ask Brother Baowen. He’d never hear the end of it…
…
Was he going to be forced to set up a fortune-telling stall at this Taoist sacred mountain just to make enough for a ticket?
Thinking about this, he mumbled to himself, looking like he weighed the world on his shoulders…
“Ticket for 250, with the temple visit 260… I came here for the Grand Celestial Ceremony, not to tour Mount Longhu!”
“…”
Just then…
A bright, magnetic male voice called from behind.
“Haha, who’s to say that’s not true?”
Baoyu turned around and saw a figure walking up to him. It was a young Taoist wearing a navy blue robe, carrying a gray bundle over his shoulder, his steps light and easy.
The young Taoist had his hair tied up in a bun at the back, with a few strands of hair gently falling around his ears, swaying in the breeze.
His thick black eyebrows were bold, like two swift strokes from a master calligrapher, sharp and full of spirit.
Beneath his brows, his eyes were paradoxically deep, holding a hint of weariness and indifference, as though he was detached from the world.
Yet if you looked closer, there seemed to be profound truths about life and the universe hidden within, capable of drawing you in.
His near-perfect facial features combined to give him an extraordinary charm…
Standing next to Baoyu, the young Taoist turned slightly, crossing his arms and speaking slowly.
“Wudang Sect. Wang Ye. May I ask how I should address you, Master?”
…
Wang Ye!!!
Baoyu was shocked. He clearly remembered Wang Daozhang from the original anime The Outcast, even though he didn’t appear much in the first two seasons.
Despite his limited screen time, aside from the two main characters and the old master, Wang Ye left the deepest impression on Baoyu.
He was an incredibly distinctive character, and Baoyu liked him from the moment he appeared. He never expected to meet the real person here!!
Wang Ye possessed one of the Eight Strange Skills—the Wind Queen’s Qimen Dunjia—and was outstanding among his peers. In the original story, during his fight with Zhuge Qing, his line “I am the direction, I am the fortune!” was beyond cool.
But he wasn’t someone who sought competition or cared about wins and losses. He was humble, polite, and spoke with gentle wisdom. It seemed like he wasn’t interested in anything, yet he was always pursuing a higher realm.
Unlike the main character Zhang Chulan, who was strategic and calculating, Wang Ye could endure hardship, but the key difference was, Wang Ye genuinely didn’t care!
Faced with Zhuge Qing’s fangirls, he just ran away, never thinking of retaliating; when he was chased by Feng Baobao all night and nearly buried alive, he only left Zhang Chulan with the comment, “You rascal!”
And yet, he still became friends with Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao afterward.
If Baoyu had to describe Wang Daozhang in just a few words, he would say: “Transcendence” and “Worldly engagement.”
In transcendence, he cultivated himself, living a carefree, gentle, and detached life.
In worldly engagement, he helped others and cared for all beings.
Upon seeing Wang Ye in person, Baoyu’s first thought was: I have to befriend this man.
…
Despite his internal shock, Baoyu quickly composed himself. He brought his hands together in a respectful gesture and replied, “I don’t deserve the title of Master. My Dharma name is Baoyu.”
“Master Baoyu, where are you based?”
“Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou.”
“Lingyin Temple! So, you’re a disciple of Master Jie Kong!”
“I wouldn’t call myself a top disciple, but Wang Daozhang, you know my master?”
“I’ve heard my grandmaster mention him. Master Jie Kong is a highly respected Buddhist master.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Wang Daozhang! Your spiritual presence is refined, and your gaze is sharp. It’s clear you’re a highly skilled Taoist master.”
Wang Ye scratched the back of his head with a modest smile. “Master Baoyu, you’re flattering me. I’m far from being a master, and I still have a long way to go before reaching that level.”
“Please, don’t call me Wang Daozhang; it feels too formal. Our Wudang sect and Master Jie Kong from Lingyin Temple have always been good friends. Just call me Wang Ye.”
Baoyu smiled and rubbed his bald head. “Alright, then I won’t be overly polite. Just call me Baoyu.”
“…”
Wang Ye seemed to recall something. “Baoyu, from the look on your face earlier, it seems like something’s troubling you. Is there anything I can help with?”
“Uh… my bag was stolen, and all my cash was inside…” Baoyu replied awkwardly.
“Oh, I see. With so many people coming and going around Mount Longhu lately, you’ve got to be careful. There are all kinds of folks here.”
Wang Ye’s tone seemed to carry a deeper meaning. He continued, “No worries. I haven’t bought my ticket yet either. Let’s go together. We’ve met by fate, Baoyu, so don’t turn me down.”
“Thank you.” Baoyu smiled gratefully.
As the saying goes, “A penny can humble a hero.” Though Baoyu wasn’t exactly a hero, being without money was indeed a problem right now.
More importantly, he genuinely wanted to be friends with Wang Ye.
…
After buying their tickets, the two began their ascent up the mountain, walking side by side on the stone steps, enjoying the beautiful scenery and chatting along the way.
Baoyu admired Wang Ye’s extensive knowledge. It was clear that Wang Ye wasn’t a Taoist who spent all his time in secluded practice; he was well-versed in various subjects and could talk about anything with ease.
No matter the topic, Wang Ye handled it with grace.
Had it not been for Baoyu’s exposure to a wide range of knowledge and internet humor in his past life, he might have struggled to keep up with Wang Ye’s pace!
…
Mount Longhu, located in the western part of Hunan, was one of the top mountains in the region, and it was quite high. As the two of them climbed higher, the number of tourists around them dwindled.
Many ordinary visitors were already out of breath, drenched in sweat, occasionally bending over, hands on their knees, gasping for air.
But Baoyu and Wang Ye, as if taking a casual stroll through their backyard, remained calm and composed.
Just as they were about to reach the summit, they spotted four figures ahead of them.
Three men and two women, one young man and woman wearing matching brown tracksuits…
No, it looked more like some kind of corporate uniform because the outfit was downright ugly.
The two taller men, dressed in suits, strolled behind them with their hands in their pockets.
The group seemed to be having a conversation.
Suddenly, the young man in the brown tracksuit stopped and spoke with a sarcastic tone.
“Hah!
Is there any good place left in this world that the tourism bureau hasn’t claimed?”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152