The reason this place was called the Immortal Crane Divine Palace — that name had originally been given by Master Li himself, long ago, because he had seen cranes here, the kind that float with immortal air.

He had explained the meaning of those four characters to the young girl at the time, though she hadn’t quite understood.

The girl had asked Master Li: why these four characters — Immortal Crane Divine Palace?

Master Li had said: you’re too young, and there are too many things you haven’t heard of — naturally you wouldn’t know the story of the Immortal Crane Divine Needles.

The girl asked: is that story very beautiful?

Master Li had thought about it at the time, and wasn’t sure whether *beautiful* was the right word — but it was undeniably formidable: a technique capable of being expelled by channeling inner power.

Though the girl didn’t quite understand what he meant, she found the four characters charming, and so the name took hold.

Li Chi and Tang Pidi sat beside a decorative rock garden and pond, talking. Madam Xiahou was inside being received by the current sect leader of the Immortal Crane Divine Palace.

Gao Xining and Xiahou Yili had gone inside as well — the large group of men felt themselves rather out of place intruding on the women’s space.

So to avoid disturbing them needlessly, Li Chi ordered the convoy to make camp outside Hundred Herb Valley, with the suggestion that everyone was welcome to keep the pigs company in the meantime.

Though young in years, Li Chi and Tang Pidi were no longer boyish in build — both were broad-shouldered and powerfully built, and both were undeniably fine-looking young men.

So as time passed, no few of the Immortal Crane Divine Palace’s women cast glances their way; and with so many eyes upon them, both men began to grow a little self-conscious.

Tang Pidi sighed: “Master Li is truly a divine figure.”

He lowered his voice. “Think about it — living in a place like this, and yet he won’t allow a single woman to wander freely into Hundred Herb Valley.”

Li Chi said: “Would you care to explain what you mean by *a place like this*?”

Tang Pidi was quiet a moment, then lowered his voice and said: “I mean — have you considered that Master Li might be unwell in some physical respect?”

Li Chi sighed: “The way you’re talking right now, you sound like Yu Jiuling has possessed you. Don’t forget your own standards.”

Tang Pidi sighed: “I’ve found that however high my standards, they still fall far short of Master Li’s. Master Li’s standards approach a perfect union of man and heaven. I am nowhere close.”

Just then, Gao Xining came out of the hall, walking toward them with a bright smile, hands clasped behind her back — the straight ponytail swinging back and forth as she moved.

And so Li Chi knew that something had made her particularly happy.

“Good news?”

Li Chi asked.

Gao Xining walked over to Li Chi, gave Tang Pidi a glance, and Tang Pidi promptly shifted aside to let her sit next to Li Chi.

Gao Xining settled down and said with a smile: “Xiahou Yili is in there trying to persuade her master — she wants to ask the sect leader to send some disciples out into the world to travel with us. When times are peaceful, they could settle in Jizhou and tend to the sick; if there’s fighting, healers of their caliber could save a great many lives.”

Li Chi’s face broke into a smile. He nodded. “If the sect leader is truly willing to send people out into the world, I’ll take the land we claimed from the Surveillance Bureau in Jizhou and section off half of it to be rebuilt as a medical hall.”

Gao Xining was particularly pleased. “We also have stocks of medicinal herbs — all varieties available in Jizhou. With the best healers to go with them, we’d be able to help the people of Jizhou to the greatest degree possible.”

Li Chi was genuinely delighted. This was good news — though whether the sect leader would ultimately make that decision remained to be seen.

Asking them to leave Yun-yin Mountain was no easy thing; they had grown accustomed to life here, and would naturally be wary of the world beyond.

“Where’s Yu Jiuling?”

Gao Xining looked around and couldn’t spot him. She found this somewhat hard to believe.

With Yu Jiuling’s roguish, shameless ways, how was it possible that he could resist, with so many lovely young women around?

“Ah…”

Li Chi let out a long sigh. “I have no idea why Master Li took such a liking to Yu Jiuling. He sent both Old Tang and me away — but he held onto Yu Jiuling.”

Tang Pidi said: “He came trudging out to us at Hundred Herb Valley entrance looking utterly dejected and said Master Li wants to keep him for three days to teach him some skill.”

Li Chi said: “The two of us asked him what skill Master Li intended to teach him, but he absolutely refused to say. Very firmly.”

Gao Xining grew similarly curious. Could it be that Master Li had spotted something with his keen eye?

Because in terms of both natural talent and ability, Li Chi and Tang Pidi far surpassed Yu Jiuling.

Why had Master Li not kept either of them, but kept Yu Jiuling?

Could it be that Master Li had that sort of preference?

“I’ll go back in three days.”

Li Chi said: “Master Li told me to return to Hundred Herb Valley in three days — though I don’t know why. He seems reluctant to see much of me.”

Tang Pidi nodded: “The same for me.”

Gao Xining sighed: “Such a strange man. Does Yu Jiuling perhaps have some talent none of us have noticed, which Master Li recognized at a glance?”

Li Chi and Tang Pidi exchanged a look. Neither could imagine what talent Yu Jiuling possessed, beyond being fast with his mouth and fast on his feet.

—

Hundred Herb Valley.

Yu Jiuling was close to tears — held back only by the fear of being hit.

Before him was stacked a tall, thick pile of books, all written in Master Li’s own hand.

Yu Jiuling truly could not fathom it: a man of Master Li’s caliber, conversant in everything under heaven, could write something of lasting worth on any subject. Why did he insist on writing about pig husbandry?

If he hadn’t seen the pile with his own eyes, Yu Jiuling would never have imagined there was so much to say on the subject.

If you didn’t dissect the inner life of pigs — their moral development, the behavioral norms of pig society — and stuck purely to practical instructions, you surely couldn’t fill this many pages.

“Are you going to read it or not?”

Master Li sat gently swaying in his rocking chair. Seeing Yu Jiuling’s mournful expression, he shot him an exasperated glare.

Master Li said: “A person who wants to learn but lacks the perseverance and steadfastness to see it through — that’s not genuine desire to learn. That’s all mouth.”

Yu Jiuling thought: *I am all mouth. Who actually wants to learn pig husbandry from you?*

He thought about it — he should change the subject, and try his best to get Master Li to find him disagreeable enough to expel him from Hundred Herb Valley.

“Master, is it that you think I’m clever?” Yu Jiuling ventured with a probing tone. “So you didn’t want to pass this on to Li Chi and Tang Pidi — you chose me instead?”

“You?”

Master Li gave him a contemptuous look, then said with heavy meaning: “Don’t you have *any* self-awareness?”

Yu Jiuling was stunned.

Master Li said: “I didn’t let the other two learn this because neither of them is suited to it. Those two — which one isn’t a man of both civil and martial talent?”

“Even setting aside exceptional ability — at the very least they’re both upstanding in bearing, strong of body, and capable of easy conversation.”

Master Li looked Yu Jiuling up and down. “And you? No great abilities to speak of. Martial arts mediocre at best. Flippant in thought, lacking in depth. Laziness toward all four forms of labor. And to top it off, you’re ugly.”

Yu Jiuling: “Master, that’s enough, please stop.”

Master Li said: “The other two — no matter what they do, they’ll find a living. But you? If you don’t make something of yourself, and you can’t even raise a pig — can you get through life?”

This was, genuinely, the posture of a loving father.

Yu Jiuling let out a long sigh. The things Master Li had said had left him feeling like a complete failure.

Master Li asked: “Tell me yourself — what skills do you have?”

Yu Jiuling answered promptly: “Master, I’m fast. No matter how strong Li Chi and Tang Pidi are in martial arts, neither runs as fast as I do. In all of Jizhou — in all of the world — there may not be anyone who runs faster than me.”

Master Li nodded slowly. “Exactly suited to the profession — you run fast, which makes you ideally suited for chasing pigs.”

Yu Jiuling: “…”

Master Li rose. “I can see you’re at a loss. Learning must be combined with practice. Come with me — I’ll take you along to do something.”

Yu Jiuling asked: “What are we going to do?”

Master Li said: “Several of the boars are now large enough. I’ll take you to castrate them, so they don’t cause trouble.”

Yu Jiuling: “My god…”

—

Three days later.

Li Chi arrived at the entrance to Hundred Herb Valley as agreed. For those three days he and the convoy had been living in tents; he had kept strict discipline and not allowed anyone to venture casually near the Immortal Crane Divine Palace.

These people were so innocent — they had never so much as dealt with outsiders. If they could be left undisturbed, they should be.

Not that living out here was any hardship. Everyone agreed the fish from Mirror Lake across the way was the finest they had ever tasted.

There was the lake to boat on, mountains to climb, the scenery was absolutely stunning — and though it was the height of summer, it was not remotely hot. The climate was so pleasant that lying on the grass felt like the height of luxury.

A clean breeze on the face — life, easy and contented.

When Li Chi arrived at the entrance to Hundred Herb Valley, he could faintly hear the intermittent screaming of wild boars echoing from within — agonized, piercing cries.

Even the Divine Eagle, who had by now grown acquainted with the boars here, was so frightened by those wretched sounds that it bolted a great distance away and crouched shivering behind a large boulder.

He entered the valley and walked roughly a quarter of an hour before reaching the Floating Cloud Pavilion where Master Li lived.

The Floating Cloud Pavilion had been built on a hillside; below was the long gallery of Hundred Herb Valley, and the gallery stretched out over Cloud Stream. The scenery was extraordinarily lovely.

Cloud Stream was a small brook threading through the valley, so clear it almost seemed as though there was no water at all — and only when you tossed a pebble into the calmer sections could you confirm that water was truly there.

Li Chi came over to find Yu Jiuling in a hide apron, pinning down a wild boar and doing something to it.

He drew close to look. Yu Jiuling glanced back at him, and in his eyes a flash of pride immediately kindled.

“Look at me — smooth, aren’t I? Practiced, wouldn’t you say?”

Li Chi asked: “Is that… castrating a pig?”

Yu Jiuling blinked: “You know about this?”

Li Chi said: “My master used to do this as a side occupation back in the day. I was young and watched from the side.”

Yu Jiuling narrowed his eyes. “Is there anything that man can’t do?”

Li Chi said: “Give birth.”

Just then, Master Li emerged from the Floating Cloud Pavilion, hands clasped behind his back, and walked toward Li Chi and the others. Li Chi and Yu Jiuling bowed at once.

Master Li pointed toward the Floating Cloud Pavilion. “The things you wanted, I’ve written them all. Your friend Tang Pidi’s as well — take them all with you.”

Li Chi bowed again in thanks.

Master Li made a sound of acknowledgment, then looked at Yu Jiuling. “You seem to have done well enough. I’d say you’ve completed your apprenticeship. Take those books with you too.”

Li Chi and Yu Jiuling entered the Floating Cloud Pavilion. The books were laid out on the table — a pile on the left that stood over a foot tall, and on the right two thin booklets.

Li Chi naturally walked toward the tall stack and reached out to take them. Yu Jiuling cast him a sidelong glance. “Those aren’t yours.”

Li Chi looked at Yu Jiuling in puzzlement, then back at the books.

Master Li stepped inside, his tone even: “Li Chi — what you asked for, I’ve written out as a set of principles and guidelines. It should be sufficient for your purposes. Your friend Tang Pidi’s military strategy text — that too I’ve only written as a set of principles, but it should be enough for him.”

Yu Jiuling hugged the tall stack to his chest with great pride and looked at Li Chi with contempt.

“Yours? Military strategy, nothing more. How much is there to write?”

He held his books with immense self-satisfaction. “Mine is pig husbandry!”

—