I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

The story begins with two travelers.

One of them we will call Mr. Du, and the other is Mr. Meng, Mr. Du's close friend.

One day in the second year of the Yuanxi era, Du Sheng and Meng traveled together to a remote mountain area. As dusk approached, there was no sign of human habitation for miles around. After walking all day, both were starving and thirsty, and exhausted, with no will to go any further.

Just as the two were worrying about where to spend the night, a long, drawn-out bell suddenly rang out from the misty mountains ahead.

Du Sheng looked closely and saw an ancient mountain temple in the mountains, with wisps of smoke rising from it.

"When things reach a dead end, there's always a way out."

The two were overjoyed and helped each other walk toward the mountain temple, hoping to ask the monks there for lodging for the night.

For some reason, the mountain temple, which seemed not far away, was still not reached after about an hour of walking. As the sun was about to set, a sense of melancholy arose in their hearts.

But they had already gone halfway up the mountain path, and turning back now would be foolish. Left with no other choice, the two continued towards the mountain temple.

As the two continued on their journey, another miraculous event occurred.

What seemed like half a mountain path was actually covered by the two of them in just a quarter of an hour. Even after they stood at the entrance of the mountain temple, they were still somewhat dazed.

But exhausted, they had no energy to ponder the differences. Meng quickly knocked on the heavy paulownia wood door.

"Alas, it is two travelers knocking on the door. The mountain road must be rugged; you two must be exhausted."

A young novice monk opened the door. Seeing that Du and Meng were exhausted, he smiled and invited them into the temple.

"Gentlemen, the temple's mealtime has passed, and only some cold rice and pickled vegetables remain. Please have some if you don't mind."

"It's chilly tonight, and the abbot has already gone to bed. You two can stay in this guest room tonight, and the abbot will come to receive you when he wakes up tomorrow."

"Thank you very much, young master."

Having lodging and food was already a blessing, so the two of them didn't dare to ask for more. They simply ate their hot water, white rice, and pickled vegetables with gusto.

Suddenly, the young novice returned and, to their surprise, gave them a word of advice.

"Oh, by the way, gentlemen, tonight is a double moon, and it's cool in the mountains. Thick fog often rises from the temple, so please don't wander around the temple to avoid getting lost."

"Thank you, young master. Thank you, young master."

The two bowed in gratitude repeatedly, and the young novice chanted a Buddhist prayer before leaving with a smile.

After resting, the two finally had the energy to go out and observe the scenery of the mountain temple.

As the saying goes, "The flowers of April have all faded in the human world, but the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are just beginning to bloom."

Being on the mountain, with free time, one can truly appreciate the beauty of this tranquil forest under the moonlight.

"Why don't we find a better place and properly enjoy this beautiful scenery?"

Meng was impatient, especially after seeing such a beautiful view. He couldn't bear to waste time sleeping in his room, so he asked his friend for permission to sleep.

"Alright, but you need to come back in time."

Du Sheng was also tempted, but remembering the young monk's instructions, he made an appointment with Meng to go out for a stroll and then come back.

Du and Meng immediately tidied their clothes, noted down the room number, and left the guest room.

The temple's architecture is so ingenious that it leaves people in awe.

The two strolled along, enjoying the scenery, and gradually drifted further and further apart.

When they came to their senses, the two were astonished to find that a white wall had risen around them.

Upon closer inspection, it was not a wall at all, but a thick, dense fog.

"What should we do?"

If you can't even see the ground a meter away, how can you find your way back?

"Let's wait and see."

Left with no other choice, the two could only walk hand in hand to avoid accidentally getting separated in the fog.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, they vaguely heard knocking sounds and saw the hazy outline of a building in the distance. Overjoyed, the two hurried towards it.

Upon reaching the temple, the two realized that they had coincidentally arrived in front of the main hall of the mountain temple.

“Buddha, you two travelers, what brings you to this place?”

The young novice monk who had greeted them was sitting cross-legged at the door, striking a wooden fish.

“Ahem…Young Master, to be honest, we were so delighted by the beautiful scenery of your temple that we wanted to admire it for ourselves, forgetting your instructions. We are truly ashamed. However, since we have met you again, Young Master, I have some meager funds that I have no use for. I might as well donate them to your temple as offerings.”

Du Sheng apologized to the young novice monk with a look of shame and handed him two pieces of pure gold.

"It's alright. The night air is damp and cold. Why don't you two come inside with me to escape the chill? Once the fog has cleared, I'll take you back to your guest rooms, shall we?"

The young novice paid no attention to the two worldly objects. He stood up, shook his monk's robe, and turned to walk towards the main hall.

Du and Meng looked around, then followed the young novice monk into the main hall.

Its exterior is magnificent, but its interior holds profound secrets.

Upon entering the main hall, one finds candles and lamps placed all around, and unidentified stone statues enshrined.

But what surprised Du and Meng was the painting printed on the wall of the main hall.

The mural occupies both sides of the wall and depicts the daily life of a town.

The murals on the west side depict boatmen and merchants hauling goods, soldiers in golden armor patrolling and inspecting, and graceful women singing and dancing.

The painting on the east wall depicts a Buddhist assembly. A kind-faced old monk is preaching, surrounded by many celestial maidens scattering flowers. Among them is a smiling young girl with long hair, holding a fresh flower in her hand.

With her red lips and white teeth, and her curved eyebrows and eyes, she seemed almost alive. Du Sheng stared at her for a long time, and suddenly felt a surge of emotion, like a young man lost in deep thought of his beloved.

Suddenly, he felt his body floating, as if riding on clouds. When Du Sheng came to his senses, he was astonished to find himself inside the mural.

Looking up, one sees layers upon layers of halls and pavilions, a scene no longer of this world. The old monk is preaching the Dharma, surrounded by many monks listening attentively.

Du Sheng also stood among them, listening to the lecture. He had some knowledge of these things in his daily life, and he was completely absorbed in the old monk's teachings.

A moment later, Du Sheng felt as if someone was secretly tugging at his clothes. He turned around and saw that it was the girl with long hair. When she saw him turn around, she just smiled and let go of his clothes before walking away.

A wonderful feeling, indescribable in its own right, welled up within Du Sheng, and he immediately followed behind her. After passing through the winding fence, the girl entered a small house, and Du Sheng stopped, not daring to go any further.

The girl turned around, raised the flowers in her hand, and waved to him from afar. Only then did Du Sheng dare to follow her inside.

The house was completely silent. To avoid an awkward silence, Du Sheng took the initiative to start a conversation about Buddhist principles, but to his surprise, the young woman had a profound understanding of these principles, and her words resonated with Du Sheng's. The two hit it off immediately, becoming close friends, and enjoyed tea and cakes together, having a wonderful time.

Suddenly, as if by some strange twist of fate, Du Sheng felt a slight heat rising in his abdomen, and the girl in front of him seemed even more beautiful. Du Sheng felt unbearably hot and wanted to hug the girl. Unexpectedly, the girl did not resist, so Du Sheng became intimate with her.

A moment later, the passion subsided, and the two returned to their calm and composed state.

After a while of intimacy, the young woman told Du Sheng not to make any noise, then closed the door and left. That night, she returned and they made love again.

Two days later, the girl's companion noticed her change and they arranged to search Du Sheng together.

Seeing the blushing girl, her companions joked with her, "How big is the baby in your belly? Do you still want to hang your hair and act like a virgin?" Then they brought out hairpins and earrings and urged the girl to change her hairstyle to that of a young married woman.

The girl was too embarrassed to speak. One of her companions said, "Sisters, let's not stay here any longer, lest we upset them."

The female companions then laughed and left.

Du Sheng looked at the girl; her hair was piled high like clouds, with phoenix hairpins hanging low, making her even more stunningly beautiful than when her hair was down.

Seeing that no one was around, he gradually became intimate with the girl. The fragrance of orchids and jasmine in the room was refreshing, and the two were immersed in joy.

At some point, a loud clanging sound of leather boots rang out, accompanied by the rattling of ropes.

Immediately following was a cacophony of noise and debate.

The girl was startled awake from under the covers and, together with Du Sheng, secretly looked outside. They saw a man dressed in golden armor, with a face as hard as charcoal, holding a rope lock as thick as a cart axle, and a large hammer at his waist. Many women were surrounding him, talking about something.

Jin Jia said, "Not at all?"

The women replied, "They've all arrived."

He added, "If anyone is hiding people from the lower realms, they should all come forward and report it, so as not to cause trouble for them!"

The women all said in unison, "No."

The golden-armored man did not leave. Instead, he turned around and stared fiercely at his surroundings like an osprey, as if he were about to conduct a search.

The girl, clearly having violated the local rules, was terrified. Seeing the golden-armored man begin searching, she turned ashen-faced and frantically told Du Sheng, "Quickly hide under the bed and don't make a sound!"

She hurriedly dressed, opened the small door in the wall, and fled in a panic.

Du Sheng lay prone under the bed, not daring to utter a sound.

Soon after, he heard the sound of leather boots coming into the room and then going out again.

After a while, the noise of the crowd gradually faded away, and Du Sheng's flustered mind calmed down a little.

However, there were always people coming and going outside, talking and gossiping, making it impossible for him to concentrate.

He lay there restlessly for a long time, his ears ringing like cicadas, his eyes blazing with fury, feeling he could no longer endure it. But for his own safety, he could only listen quietly, waiting for the girl to return.

In his moment of panic, Du Sheng even forgot where he came from.

Meng was in the main hall with the young monks, looking around and admiring the sights. When Du Sheng suddenly disappeared, Meng asked him curiously where his friend had gone.

The young novice monk glanced at the mural and said with a smile, "Donor Du has gone to listen to the sermon on Buddhism."

Meng was even more surprised and hurriedly asked, "Where did Brother Du go?"

The young novice replied, "It's not far. Don't be alarmed, Meng Tanyue. Du Tanyue is probably enjoying himself right now. Meng Tanyue, please wait here with me for a moment, and Du Tanyue will return."

Helpless, Meng could only stay where he was and wait with the young novice.

After a while, the young novice recited a Buddhist scripture once, then tapped the wall with his finger and called out, "Why has the benefactor Du been away for so long and not returned?"

Meng immediately saw Du Sheng's image appear on the mural in front of him, standing with his ear turned to the side, as if he had heard the little novice's words.

The young novice called out again, "Du Tanyue, your companions have been waiting for a long time."

Du Sheng floated down from the wall, standing there dejectedly, his eyes wide and his legs weak.

Seeing him like this, Meng was greatly surprised. He helped him up and slowly asked him what had happened.

After calming down, Du Sheng stammered as he recounted his experiences over the past few days.

It turned out that Du Sheng had been hiding under the bed when he heard a thunderous knocking sound on the wall, which gave him the courage to come out of his room to listen and see what was happening. He never expected to end up back inside the palace. Upon asking his friend, Du Sheng learned that he had only been gone for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

After hearing Du Sheng's story, as if they had thought of something, Du and Meng hurriedly looked at the girl picking flowers in the mural again, and were surprised to find that her hair was now high in the hair and no longer hanging down.

Du Sheng bowed to the young novice monk in surprise and asked him what was going on.