In the afternoon, the sun filled the deck. Yuan Ling and I leaned against the side of the ship and chatted easily.
The sea breeze blows slightly, bringing a bit of coolness.
"Where are you from?" I asked her curiously.
Yuan Ling's eyes lingered on the distant sea, as if recalling something.
"I come from a small town in the south. It has beautiful mountains and clear waters, which is very suitable for practicing Taoism." Her voice was calm, but she revealed a hint of nostalgia for her hometown.
"Sounds great." I responded with a smile, feeling a little curious about her hometown.
"A small town in the south...life there must be very peaceful."
"Yes, very peaceful." She nodded slightly, then turned to look at me, with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
"What about you? Where are you going?"
I was silent for a moment, and then slowly said: "I want to go to Yanshan."
When she heard the word "Yan Shan", she couldn't help but frown slightly, obviously knowing something about this place.
"Yan Shan? It's very dangerous there."
I looked firmly and replied calmly: "I know.
But I had a reason to go. "
Yuan Ling was silent for a moment, seeming to be thinking about something.
After a while, she said slowly: "My home is in Dujiang City, not far from Yanshan.
If you don't mind, we can go together. "
I looked at her in surprise, not expecting that she would make such a suggestion.
"Are you sure? The journey to Yanshan is not that easy."
A smile appeared on her face: "It's just the way.
Moreover, it is better to have a companion on the journey than to walk alone. "
I looked at her firm eyes and felt a little warm in my heart.
"Okay, that's it."
The three-day voyage passed quietly in peace.
In the early morning, when our boat slowly approached the dock of Bianshan City, I stood on the deck and looked at the city in front of me.
Bianshan City is located on the edge of a large river. High-rise buildings and antique buildings complement each other, forming a unique landscape.
Yuan Ling stood next to me, with a hint of familiarity in her eyes.
"It's changed a lot here. When I came here, it was still a small town." Her voice was full of nostalgia.
We got off the boat together and set foot on the streets of Bianshan City.
There is a unique sense of moisture in the air of the city, and the streets are lined with lush trees, adding a bit of vitality to the city.
Walking on the stone-paved streets, I occasionally caught glimpses of roadside vendors, who enthusiastically sold a variety of snacks and handicrafts to passers-by.
The hustle and bustle of the city forms a sharp contrast, making people feel the unique cultural atmosphere here.
After walking for a while, I noticed a rather quaint-looking donkey meat hotpot restaurant.
"Yuan Ling, have you ever eaten the donkey meat hot pot here?" I asked curiously.
She shook her head, a look of interest on her face.
"Sounds special, let's go try it."
We walked into the hot pot restaurant. The decoration inside the store is full of traditional style. The wooden tables, chairs and antique hanging paintings create a warm atmosphere.
The waiter greeted us warmly and took us to a seat by the window.
Soon, a rolling pot of hot pot was placed in front of us.
The clerk introduced us: "This is our specialty donkey meat, as well as some local seasonal vegetables and homemade hot pot base."
I picked up my chopsticks, picked up a piece of donkey meat and put it into the boiling soup.
"Try it, it should taste very good." I said to Yuan Ling with a smile.
She nodded and started to taste it too.
We were sitting by the window of the hot pot restaurant. Outside the window was the street view of Bianshan City, full of people coming and going.
The air in the store is filled with a spicy smell, mixed with the aroma of various spices and fresh ingredients, which greatly stimulates people's appetite.
I picked up a piece of donkey meat again and gently dipped it in the boiling soup for a few times. The piece of meat quickly became transparent. I picked it up and put it in my mouth. It was tender and juicy and left a fragrant aroma in my mouth.
"This donkey meat hot pot is really good and delicious." I said to Yuan Ling.
Yuan Ling also took a piece of donkey meat, took a bite, and nodded slightly: "It's really good. This is my first time to try donkey meat hot pot."
As we ate and chatted, the topic shifted from the deliciousness of hot pot to the upcoming trip.
"I have always heard about Yanshan before, but I have never been there." I said, "I heard that there are many legends and supernatural events there."
Yuan Ling put down her chopsticks and her expression became solemn: "Yanshan is indeed not an ordinary place.
The environment there is complex and full of unknown dangers.
Someone in my family has been there, and they came back taciturn, like a changed person. "
I felt the seriousness in her words, "Do you know much about it?" I asked.
She smiled slightly and shook her head: "No, I just want to remind you that you'd better be careful."
After eating hot pot, we walked out of the store and stepped into the streets of Bianshan City.
Night has fallen quietly, and the lights on both sides of the street are warm and soft, illuminating our steps.
Yuan Ling suggested that it would be better to take a stroll in the city, and I naturally nodded in agreement.
We strolled through the bustling snack street, lined with a dazzling array of food stalls, exuding tempting aromas.
Grilled skewers, fried skewers, candied haws... all kinds of snacks are dizzying.
I pointed to a grilled fish stall that looked very popular and said to Yuan Ling, "The grilled fish here smells really good. Do you want to try it?"
Yuan Ling smiled slightly and agreed.
We found a place to sit down and ordered a fresh grilled fish and a few skewers.
The grilled fish is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and tastes great with the unique sauce.
While eating delicious grilled fish, Yuan Ling and I chatted about our respective monastic experiences and knowledge.
"You must have seen many strange things in the monastic world, right?" I asked curiously.
She nodded: "There are indeed some things that ordinary people can't imagine.
But the path of spiritual cultivation is more about cultivating the mind and nature, rather than simply pursuing external magic. "
Listening to her words, I gained a deeper understanding of spiritual practice.
After we finished our snacks, we continued walking around the streets.
Our next stop was an antique shop.
Various antiques and works of art are displayed in the store, and each piece reveals the history.
I was attracted by an ancient bronze mirror. Its surface was engraved with exquisite patterns, which looked simple and mysterious.
I couldn't help but ask the shop owner about the origin of this bronze mirror.
The shop owner is an old man with white hair. He smiled and said: "This is a treasure in our shop. It is said to be from the Qing Dynasty."
Yuan Ling gently touched the bronze mirror, and a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes: "This mirror is not simple. The pattern on it seems to contain some kind of formation."
I became very interested in this bronze mirror and bought it.
