Mount Emei is located in southwestern Xichuan and is one of the "Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains." Its steep terrain and beautiful scenery have earned it the reputation of "Emei's unparalleled beauty." The highest peak, Wanfo Summit, reaches an elevation of 3099 meters, towering over 2700 meters above the Emei plain.
According to the "Emei County Annals," it states: "Its misty verdure, like elaborate coiffure and painted eyebrows, resembles the forehead of a cicada and the brows of a silkworm—slender, long, beautiful, and enchanting, hence its name, Mount Emei."
The primary reason Mount Emei is renowned as a sacred Buddhist mountain is the abundance of Buddhist temples on its slopes. Originally, there were over a hundred temples, large and small. After several cycles of construction and decline, the main surviving temples include Wannian Temple, Baoguo Temple, Fuhu Temple, Shanjue Temple, and Guangxiang Temple.
To trace its earliest temples, one must go back to the Wei and Jin dynasties.
In the third year of Long'an during the Jin Dynasty, the monk Huichi traveled from Mount Lu to Shu and built Puxian Temple here, enshrining Manjushri Bodhisattva. Legend has it that Mount Emei thus became the Bodhimandala of Manjushri Bodhisattva.
During the reign of Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty, the Yongming Huazang Temple was built by imperial decree. Six major temples—Zhongfeng, Zhongxin, Huayan, Wannian, Heishui, and Lingyan—were rebuilt. Due to frequent fires in the mountains, the temples were renamed with names incorporating "cloud" and "water" to ward off the elements, such as Jiyun, Woyun, Guiyun, Heishui, and Baishui. Later, Heishui Temple became known as the ancestral hall of Emei.
In the fifth year of Taiping Xingguo during the Northern Song Dynasty (980), the monk Maozhen of Baishui Temple was commissioned to rebuild the six major temples and cast a bronze statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva weighing sixty-two tons. This statue was enshrined in Baishui Temple, which is now known as Wannian Temple.
This was the information Long Feicheng found online.
In reality, the group consisted of five people and one ghost. Apart from Wen Yuxian, none of the others had ever been to Mount Emei.
However, based on the stories about Mount Emei that Yan Shouyi and Wen Yuxian had discussed, the Emei Sect, much like the Laoshan Sect, was a collective term for the factions established around Mount Emei.
The Laoshan Sect had its Sword Sect, Talisman Sect, and Alchemy Pavilion, but they all centered around the Laoshan lineage, sharing a sense of identity. Disciples referred to each other as fellow disciples and consulted collectively on important matters, outwardly identifying themselves as disciples of the Laoshan Sect.
The Emei Sect was similar. The Wannian Temple, Baoguo Temple, Fuhu Temple, Shanjue Temple, and Guangxiang Temple, which Long Feicheng had researched, were among the numerous temple factions on Mount Emei, all collectively referred to as the Emei Sect.
Abbess Guanyun is currently the sect leader of the Emei Sect and the abbot of Wannian Temple, holding the most prestige on Mount Emei.
The publicly accessible Wannian Temple, much like the Tianshi Mansion on Longhu Mountain, has a distinction between the front and the back.
Tourists only visit a partially real, partially fabricated Wannian Temple. The true Wannian Temple is hidden behind Da'e Mountain, a place with perilous terrain, rampant wild beasts, and climate changes too extreme for ordinary people to endure. Only those familiar with Mount Emei know the secret passage to Wannian Temple.
With this thought, Yan Shouyi couldn't help but reach into his satchel and pull out a token.
This was the "Tai'e Token." It was something Abbess Guanyun had asked Ling Xiaoxiao to deliver to him. It was said that with the Tai'e Token, one could travel unimpeded within Mount Emei.
After a five-hour flight, the private jet finally landed at Jin City Airport in Xichuan.
It was late, but thanks to the efforts of He Xiping and Weng Qianxiang, Jin City already had an intelligence outpost. A representative from the outpost had been waiting for a long time before their plane even landed.
Upon disembarking, Yan Shouyi spotted a young woman wearing a "Sha County Snacks" uniform standing at the arrival gate, craning her neck and looking around expectantly.
She appeared to be around the same age as Tian Jue'er, sixteen or seventeen, with a small ponytail and a red hat on her head, exuding youthful energy.
Regrettably, she was flat-chested.
Long Feicheng lost interest after a single glance. This observation was noticed by Zhuge Ji, who thought to himself, "My sister was right. Little Long Bro's preferences are really consistent..."
Behind the girl stood a burly man in his forties, but he bore no resemblance to the girl, so no one assumed he was her father; they likely weren't even related.
The girl noticed Yan Shouyi and his companions, and a spark of excitement flashed in her eyes. Nervously and eagerly, she waved at them:
"President! Over here!"
As they met, the girl stomped her feet in excitement:
"Y-you're actually alive, President!"
Yan Shouyi chuckled, "Have you ever seen a dead president?"
"I-I didn't mean it like that..." The girl was momentarily speechless, her face flushing with anxiety.
"Are you the head of the Jin City intelligence outpost?" Yan Shouyi asked curiously.
"No, no, no, I'm not!" The girl quickly shook her head, stepped aside, and turned to introduce: "Uncle Qiu is!"
The burly man standing behind the girl extended his hand with a smile and politely shook Yan Shouyi's hand, but strangely, he remained silent.
The girl quickly explained, "Uncle Qiu is a night watchman. Ten years ago, he had a conflict with the Scarlet Flower Society, and they poisoned him, rendering him mute."
Yan Shouyi and the others were moved by this.
They recalled how sonorous the voices of the night watchmen had been in Qiantang, their shouts capable of scaring away ghosts and demons.
But this Uncle Qiu had suffered at the hands of the Scarlet Flower Society, being directly poisoned into muteness, making him unable to continue as a night watchman and significantly diminishing his strength.
Uncle Qiu made a series of gestures. After the girl interpreted, she said, "Uncle Qiu says he thanks you for eliminating the Scarlet Flower Society. He agreed to join the Folklore Research Association and become the head of the intelligence network in Xichuan to repay this favor."
Yan Shouyi bowed slightly to Uncle Qiu, "We should be the ones thanking you."
Seeing Yan Shouyi's humility, Uncle Qiu was very pleased and accepted his bow with peace of mind.
After introducing Uncle Qiu, the girl introduced herself:
"My name is Huang Que, they all call me Little Sparrow. I'm a storyteller. Um... Huang Ying from Qiantang is my older sister."
"You're Huang Ying's sister?" Yan Shouyi was greatly surprised, noticing for the first time that Little Sparrow did bear some resemblance to Huang Ying.
Little Sparrow smiled, "My sister and I both apprenticed under Teacher Yin Tang. Unfortunately, Master Yin Tang later found me too noisy, saying I chirped like a little sparrow. So, he sent me to Jin City to be taught by Master Yin Tang's senior brother."
"I see."
Little Sparrow's personality was indeed very different from Huang Ying's. Huang Ying was mature and reserved, knowing what to say and what not to say; Little Sparrow, perhaps due to her youth, spoke quickly, chattering incessantly and without much guile.
After introducing herself, Little Sparrow resumed her fan-girl demeanor, clasping her hands in front of her chin and pouting:
"Two months ago, I watched the video of President slaying the demon monk over and over. If my old man of a master hadn't said I was too young, I would have packed my bags and flown to Rongcheng to join the Folklore Research Association..."
"Wuwuwu, it's a shame I can only work at the intelligence outpost now to save up for a plane ticket. Master said he'll let me go when I earn enough. Hmph! It's all Master's fault, that old rascal. I'm not that young anymore. My sister was already traveling the world at my age, and her expenses were covered by Uncle Yin Tang. Why should I be treated differently..."
"Um... Uncle Qiu, why are you covering my mouth? I still have so much to say!"
Uncle Qiu helplessly gestured to Yan Shouyi and the others, who wore expressions of having "broadened their horizons."
This Little Sparrow was truly chattering endlessly, talking so much it was no wonder Yin Tang found her annoying...