Hermit in the Mountains

Kyoto, Zijin Pavilion.

In a conference room, Zhang Tianhu held a remote control and operated the projector, reporting on the impact of the spiritual energy revival.

The projector plays short videos or photos of changes in vegetation and animals in various mountains within the region, comparing them with previous photos.

After Zhang Tianhu finished his report, he turned to face the nine elders and gave a final summary: "Elders, the plants and animals in the mountains have changed drastically overnight. This change is related to the sudden surge in spiritual energy concentration last night."

"Furthermore, the online discussion about the resurgence of Reiki has gotten out of control and can no longer be concealed."

"Xiao Zhang, what good countermeasures does your National Spirit Bureau have?" The elder in charge of publicity threw the question to Zhang Tianhu.

"Reporting to the Eighth Elder, the best solution at present is to guide the public to accept the fact of Reiki's revival."

"At the same time, it was announced in advance that the cultivation academy would open its enrollment plan;"

"Health preservation courses are offered in primary, junior high, and senior high schools, and basic cultivation majors are offered in universities. Those who meet the requirements after one year can apply to the Immortal Cultivation Academy."

"We contacted various Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries to encourage them to start their own apprenticeship programs, but the number of apprentices they recruit is determined by us. At the same time, we will synchronize the information of the apprentices they recruit to the National Spirit Bureau for record-keeping."

"In this way, we can cool down the overwhelming public opinion and prevent large-scale unrest, thus ensuring social stability to the greatest extent possible. Only then will we have time to gradually guide the public to transition to a society focused on spiritual practice."

"To prevent foreign forces from taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble, the border may need to sound the alarm and enter a state of combat readiness."

"Finally, the National Spirit Bureau should be fully deployed and extended to townships and towns. The purposes are: first, to maintain stability; second, to control cultivators; third, to monitor the wild to prevent abnormal plants and animals from harming people; and fourth, to prevent demonic cultivators from carrying out major sacrificial incidents."

The Grand Elder closed the documents on the table and glanced at everyone. "The overall situation is of utmost importance. All departments should fully support the National Spirit Bureau's operation."

"Xiao Zhang, if you have any difficulties, ask Lao Er." After saying that, he raised his hand and gestured, "Go and get ready."

Zhang Tianhu put down the remote control, saluted, and left the meeting room. The rest of the meeting was no longer his responsibility.

At the same time, Yang Dashan helped his children get a long leave and took them back to Xiahe Village.

In the living room, Yang Dashan looked at his wife and children and instructed them, "Wife, Xiaoyu, Xiaoshan, you should stay at home for the next period of time and not leave Xiahe Village. It's not safe outside."

"Call me if anything happens. If you can't get through, go to Uncle Mancang. I'll be back in three days. Wait for me at home."

"I'm leaving now. Stay home and take care of yourself."

"Dashan, be careful. I'll take care of things at home." Yang Dashan's wife knew more or less about the revival of spiritual energy.

It was their family's good fortune that their man had caught Gu Changsheng's eye.

After Yang Dashan left, Yang Xiaoyu took her mother's arm, opened her pink phone, and posted a video on Douyin (TikTok) about the revival of spiritual energy. "Mom, is what Dad said related to this?"

"Sis, what did Dad say?" Yang Xiaoshan plopped down on the sofa next to her sister.

"Go away, what does a little brat know?" Yang Xiaoyu pressed the power button on her phone and pushed away her younger brother who was sitting next to her with disdain.

"Tch, I don't care to watch." Yang Xiaoshan pouted when he saw his sister's actions. "I'm going to find Brother Qingshan."

"Xiaoshan, don't run around outside the village," Yang's mother called out, watching her son, who was as restless as Sun Wukong.

"I understand, Mom." Yang Xiaoshan didn't even turn his head and ran out in a hurry.

Yang's mother patted her daughter's hand, "Xiaoyu, you're a young lady now, you're sensible, and there are some things you can understand."

Yang's mother briefly explained the revival of spiritual energy, the villagers' martial arts practice, and the Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries built at the entrance of the valley. "Xiaoyu, you only need to know these things. Don't tell anyone, understand?"

Yang Xiaoyu was shocked to hear her mother mention the revival of spiritual energy.

She was skeptical about the widespread rumors of spiritual revival online, but now, after hearing her mother's account, she was truly shocked.

Yang Xiaoyu was able to get into a top-tier university (985/211), so her IQ must be quite high. As a member of the post-2000 generation, she is familiar with the cultivation of immortality and has a strong ability to accept new things.

Suddenly remembering something, she quickly asked, "Mom, are there many people who want to come to our village to rent houses?"

"There are many, but they have all been rejected. Only if your grandfather or your father can act as guarantor will our village rent out the house."

"Xiaoyu, why are you asking this?"

"Mom, it's nothing, I was just asking casually. I'm going back to my room to pack my clothes." With that, Yang Xiaoyu got up and left.

Yang Xiaoyu returned to her room, locked the door, lay down on the soft bed, turned on her phone, logged into WeChat, and opened her dorm room friends' group chat.

She stared blankly at the group chat history, recalling the ticking of events that had occurred in the past month since the start of the semester, and the more she thought about it, the more something seemed off.

At the start of the new semester, she was told that she had been moved to a new dormitory. The new dormitory was very large and was an apartment that only professors could apply to live in. She heard that because there were not enough dormitories, she and three senior transfer students were assigned to live together in the apartment.

When she got home today, her mother mentioned the resurgence of spiritual energy and the fact that the village was refusing to let outsiders rent houses. Only then did she realize what was going on.

There was no question of insufficient dorm rooms. It was clearly a deliberate attempt to change her dorm and arrange three roommates for her. She sensed from their first meeting that the three roommates were not ordinary people, but she didn't pay much attention to it at the time.

The three women were a little too enthusiastic towards her, and they kept asking her what fun places there were in Xiahe Village, and if there were any hermits in Zhongnan Mountain like those in the internet stories, wanting to go back to Xiahe Village with her during the holidays.

Looking back now, it's highly likely she was after the village. She was just young, but that doesn't mean she was stupid.

Yang Xiaoyu looked at the chat messages in the group chat. Her three best friends were asking her why she had taken leave, whether something had happened, and if she needed any help.

She replied that her mother had fallen and asked to take leave to go home and take care of her mother for a while.

After sending the message, she pressed the power button, locked her phone, tossed it aside, turned over, lay on the bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

In a girls' dormitory at a prestigious university in Chang'an City, three beautiful, graceful, and elegant women looked at each other.

They all received calls from home informing them of the new changes in the outside world. They also learned that Yang Xiaoyu's father personally went to the school to apply for a leave of absence, and it was only after the school teachers persuaded him that he changed it to a temporary leave.

After reporting the situation to their families, they had only one task: to subtly inquire about the latest news from Xiahe Village from Yang Xiaoyu, and at the same time pack their bags, leave the school, and move into the house arranged by their families.

"Keep in touch." One of the girls left with those words, dragging a white suitcase away.