Ernst didn't enter the temple immediately.
He stood outside the heavy wooden doors, the biting wind whipping his trench coat around his legs. He was gazing at the surrounding mountains, but he wasn't admiring the scenery.
He was reading it.
His enhanced vision overlaid a grid on the landscape. He saw the beauty of the Himalayas not as rock and snow, but as lines of force.
Magnetic leylines. Geological stress points. The flow of Chi.
His brain raced, calculating the vectors.
Elevation: 4,500 meters. Atmospheric density: 60% of sea level. Background radiation: Anomalously high in the ultraviolet spectrum.
Just as Ernst was engrossed in his thoughts, a creaking sound suddenly emanated from behind him.
The heavy temple doors swung open, the iron hinges groaning.
Ernst turned around.
A Taoist priest in traditional blue robes emerged from the darkness of the temple.
He moved gracefully, almost floating, exuding a comforting aura that smelled of sandalwood and old tea.
Although the Taoist priest appeared unremarkable at first glance, elderly, with white hair tied in a bun and a wispy beard, Ernst dared not underestimate him.
His senses pulsed a warning.
There was something different about this man. A mysterious, seemingly calm yet extremely dangerous aura that belied his aged appearance.
It was the feeling of standing next to a dormant volcano.
Approaching Ernst, the Taoist priest extended his hand.
"Dr. Ernst," the priest said, his voice smooth and clear.
"You have finally arrived. I've been waiting for quite some time."
Ernst instinctively shook the offered hand. The grip was warm, dry, and surprisingly firm.
"Waiting for a long time?" Ernst inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Did you know I was coming? Do you possess predictive abilities, Master? Or just a good radio?"
The Taoist priest chuckled. The sound was light, like wind chimes.
"I'm no prophet, just greeting you in advance. I've heard about Dr. Ernst's contributions to our country. Even up here in the clouds, news travels."
He smiled, eyes crinkling.
"Though I'm an outsider to the capital, I'm truly grateful for your assistance. The grain shipments you helped optimize fed my village last winter. So, when I heard of your visit from the local garrison, I came ahead of time to extend my hospitality."
It turned out the old Taoist had a modern flair.
Ernst mused, "I see. I may have been overthinking it earlier. By the way, I haven't asked your name yet. I apologize for my rudeness."
The old Taoist waved off the apology.
"No need for formalities. I was engrossed in our conversation and forgot to introduce myself. My name is Yiming, given to me by my master."
"May I ask, Taoist Yiming?" Ernst pressed gently.
"If someone from the government informed you of the purpose of my visit beforehand?"
"I already mentioned that you've come for the spiritual water in the Shenlong Temple," Yiming said, gesturing to the courtyard.
"It's in the well in the backyard, available whenever you wish. Take as much as you can carry."
He stepped back, inviting them in.
"However, Dr. Ernst, your visit is a rare occasion. A scholar of your magnitude gracing my humble abode... I wanted to greet you personally. Please, come inside. Have some tea to warm your bones."
Yiming led the way. Ernst, Azazel (who was eyeing the priest suspiciously), and Li Guang followed.
They soon found themselves in an antique living room. The furniture was Ming style, simple and elegant.
A charcoal brazier burned in the corner, keeping the chill at bay.
A young Taoist disciple appeared silently with four cups of steaming tea on a wooden tray.
Ernst had seldom consumed tea since arriving in this world; he preferred the caffeine efficiency of coffee or chemical stimulants.
He picked up the cup. The ceramic was thin and delicate.
He took a sip.
The flavor exploded in his mouth.
It wasn't just taste. It was a sensation. The tea's fragrance flooded his sinuses, making him involuntarily shudder as a wave of warmth washed over his nervous system.
It felt like his cells were singing.
Azazel, who usually drank whiskey, took a sip and blinked. His yellow eyes widened.
"This..." Azazel whispered.
"This tastes like sunlight."
Even Li Guang, the hardened political officer, looked entranced.
"The flavor of this tea is unique," Ernst noted, looking at the liquid.
"Even I, who know little about tea, can sense its magic. It must be quite valuable. Is this the so-called spiritual water?"
Yiming nodded, sipping his own cup.
"Indeed. It's brewed with the spiritual water from the well. As for the leaves, they are just wild mountain tea. But the periodic infusion of spiritual water from the well gives it its distinct quality. It awakens the spirit of the plant."
"It's remarkable," Ernst admitted.
"I'm becoming increasingly curious about this well and its water."
Pleased by Ernst's praise, Yiming's expression shifted. The smile faded, replaced by a deep melancholy.
"Although the well water is extraordinary, Dr. Ernst, its potency has been waning," Yiming sighed.
"In truth, the effects of spiritual water have been diminishing gradually over time. In a few decades, it may be no different from ordinary water. The dragon is sleeping more deeply."
This revelation left Ernst startled.
"What's the reason?" Ernst asked, his mind jumping to geological shifts or aquifer depletion.
"Can you elaborate?"
Yiming set his cup down.
"It's not something that can't be shared. There's a legend about this spiritual water. Centuries ago, a hunter lost his way in these mountains, unable to find his path no matter how he tried. He was starving, freezing."
Yiming's voice took on a storytelling cadence.
"One day, he witnessed a dragon soaring into the sky from a hidden valley and vanishing into the clouds. The hunter, terrified, remained prostrate on the ground for some time. When he finally dared to explore the area, he discovered that the land had turned black, as if scorched by lightning. In the center of this charred land, a spring gushed forth."
"Thirsty and famished, the hunter drank from the spring and instantly felt reinvigorated. His wounds healed. He was no longer hungry. Later, he found his way back home and shared his miraculous discovery with his family. Believing that the mountain was once the dwelling place of the dragon, the family moved to the mountain, gradually evolving into a village. The spring water endowed them with robust health, free from all ailments."
Yiming looked at the fire.
"With time, the spring water began to diminish until it eventually stopped flowing. Its efficacy also started to dwindle. However, the villagers, determined to preserve the miraculous water, dug a well near the spring's origin, allowing it to persist, albeit with decreasing potency. In a few decades, it will likely become inert."
Curious, Ernst inquired, "So, is Daoist Yiming the descendant of the original hunter now that you're in charge of the Shenlong Temple?"
Yiming shook his head. "No, that's not the case. My ancestor was a cultivator who stumbled upon this place. The undulating mountains here form a massive natural formation, with the Shenlong Temple situated at its focal point, where spiritual energy gathers. Initially, he believed it was a sanctuary for cultivation, only to discover it was dedicated to the dragon."
"Natural formation," Ernst repeated.
He stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the peaks.
"Speaking of that, I've explored the terrain in this area. I'm unfamiliar with formation techniques in the mystic sense, but I understand geometry."
"Can you enlighten me?" Yiming asked politely.
Ernst turned.
"In my view, the surrounding mountains form a network of interconnecting nodes. It's a focusing lens. It creates a powerful magnetic field. This field gradually concentrates energy, with the central node being the Shenlong Temple."
He gestured with his hand, drawing lines in the air.
"However, I'm uncertain about how the spiritual water is created physically. It appears to be water, enriched with underground minerals beneficial to human health. It's likely linked to this energy field exciting the water molecules."
Yiming, despite the scientific jargon, grasped the essence.
"I didn't expect such an interpretation. It's enlightening. As for the spiritual water, it's indeed unrelated to the formation technique directly. There's another mystical aspect to it."
Yiming leaned forward.
"According to Feng Shui, this place aligns with the 'Golden Dragon Water Spout'. Two Golden Dragons, underground veins of energy, convene here, causing underground water to surge and produce a spiritual spring. But the veins are shifting."
"Golden Dragon Water Vein," Ernst muttered.
Now it was Ernst's turn to be astonished.
Though he had perused numerous ancient texts and Feng Shui concepts back in Beijing, he hadn't delved deeply into the subterranean dynamics. He had focused on the Qi of the air, not the earth.
"Master Yiming, could you allow me to examine the well?" Ernst inquired, his scientific curiosity burning.
"Certainly. You're welcome to have a look."
The group walked to the temple's backyard.
The air here was colder, fresher. In the center of a stone courtyard stood an octagonal well constructed from ancient blue bricks.
It was covered with moss, looking like a natural part of the mountain.
Ernst walked up to it.
He grabbed a wooden bucket attached to a rope and lowered it.
Splash.
He pulled it up. The water was crystal clear, shimmering slightly even in the shade.
He took a sip.
Active Water. High pH. And something else... a biological residue. Dragon DNA? Or perhaps something extraterrestrial?
He closed his eyes.
"Red Queen," he subvocalized.
"Amplify my sensory input. Maximize ground-penetrating radar simulation using the resonance."
Amplifying.
Ernst activated his extraordinary mental powers. He pushed his consciousness down, through the rock, through the soil.
He probed the underground conditions within a radius of over ten miles.
He saw the strata of the rock. Granite. Limestone. Quartz.
He saw the water table.
And then, he saw it.
A grin crept across his face.
"So that's how it is!"
He opened his eyes.
Yiming expressed amazement at Ernst's sudden shift in demeanor.
"Dr. Ernst, do you understand the situation now? Please, enlighten me. I will do everything I can as your host, whatever you may require in the future."
Ernst waved off the offer. He pulled out a notebook and a pen.
"It's simple hydraulics, Master Yiming. The 'Dragons' are blocked."
He sketched rapidly for ten minutes. He drew a topographical map of the surrounding three peaks.
He handed the notebook to Azazel to hold up for everyone to see.
"The underground water channels, the 'Dragon Veins', are clogged by silt and tectonic shifts," Ernst explained, pointing to the diagram.
"The pressure is building up elsewhere, diverting the flow away from your well."
He marked three specific spots on the sketch with red Xs.
"Excavate a well, each 1,200 meters deep, at these three locations," Ernst commanded, his voice taking on the authority of an engineer.
"With China's current technology and equipment, this can be accomplished in just one month."
He looked at Li Guang.
"You will arrange the drilling teams."
Then he looked at Yiming.
"Once the holes are drilled, toss a seismic charge, a grenade will do, down each well. Upon detonation, the shockwave will fracture the blockage. The silt will clear. The cracks will be sealed where they are leaking, and opened where they are blocked."
Ernst smiled.
"And your Dragon will wake up again."
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