Volume 1, Capítulo 7: Entrando na Gruta, Diao Chan presenteia com calçados imortais

“Hum...”

Just as I was mere millimeters away from the Taoist nun’s lips, she suddenly stirred and let out a soft groan. Startled, I immediately sat bolt upright, assuming an expression of absolute innocence as if nothing had happened.

“Hum... kind sir...”

The nun opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings. Realizing her predicament, she struggled to sit up, crossing her legs into a meditative pose.

“Fair maiden, are you quite alright?”

She shook her head and replied with a gentle smile, “My thanks to you, kind sir, for your concern. Were it not for your timely rescue, I surely would have perished.”

“Hahaha, I can’t take much credit for that,” I said, scratching my head with a humble tone. “We’re still stuck here together, aren’t we? If only that spirit-horse provided by the Immortal Fan hadn’t been destroyed, I could have whisked you away to safety.”

When I finished, she shook her head once more.

“Do not fret, sir. Although I have been poisoned by the fumes, I still possess a sliver of residual magic. It should be enough to send you to safety.”

“What? Are you not coming with me?”

“Those men are still scouring the mountain. I have suffered internal injuries and cannot draw upon my magic; I must remain here to meditate and recover my strength.”

“But surely there is no need to recuperate in such a desolate place. Would you not consider coming to my residence?”

“That would not be proper. You see, we who walk the path of the Tao prefer secluded, ethereal heights precisely to avoid the turbulence of the mundane world. I find this place well-suited for quiet healing; there is no need to trouble you at your home.”

Hearing her resolve, I had no choice but to nod.

“Even so, one cannot survive on wind and dew alone. In my opinion, I should make frequent trips to bring you food and water.”

The nun pondered this for a moment before finally nodding.

“Your words hold wisdom. In my current state, I must trouble you, though traveling back and forth with my depleted magic will be difficult, unless...”

“Unless what?”

“Unless we use a personal item, one that has been with me for a long time, to infuse it with spiritual energy. It could then serve as a vessel for travel. However, I am a practitioner of the simple life and possess no such trinkets. I know not what could serve this purpose.”

This was a dilemma. A typical woman might have a sachet or a ribbon, but while the nun carried a faint, clean fragrance, she clearly lacked such adornments.

As for her Taoist robes, they were essential for warding off the mountain chill, and it would be highly improper to suggest using them. Just as I was wracking my brain, a sudden spark of inspiration struck.

“I have it! Fair maiden, there is one thing we could use, though I fear you might be reluctant to lend it to me.”

“Having fallen into such a dire state, what could I possibly be stingy about?”

“Very well. Please lend me one of your slippers to serve as the vessel for our journeys.”

Upon hearing this, a faint blush crept across her face. Even for one who had transcended the world, the thought of lending her private footwear to a man was evidently quite shaming.

Nevertheless, she eventually nodded. She reached down, removed the shoe from her left foot, whispered a few incantations over it, and handed it to me.

I took it with the utmost care. The shoe was barely larger than my palm and felt incredibly light. Though crafted from coarse fabric and appearing quite plain, the mere thought that it had once graced the jade-like foot of this beautiful nun made my heart race with secret excitement.

“*Cough*... *cough, cough*...”

While I was lost in my wayward thoughts, she suddenly broke into a fit of coughing, and a few droplets of blood stained her lips.

“Are you alright?”

She forced a shake of her head and said, “It is nothing. The act of casting the spell stirred the poison. You should return now, sir. Simply touch the shoe and focus your mind on your destination.”

“I understand. Please, try not to exert your magic and focus on your recovery. I will come to see you every day. I hope for your swift healing.”

She nodded in silence. Perhaps speech itself was becoming a burden. Yet, before I left, I had a burning question. She listened, then bowed her head slightly.

“It has been many years since I heard that name. It is but a lowly title from my days as a servant girl. As for the downfall of the tyrant, that was the work of my foster father and General Lu. How could I dare claim such credit?”

My suspicions were confirmed. Who else could this celestial beauty be, if not Diaochan? She seemed unwilling to dwell on the past, so I chose not to press the matter.

The hour was late, and just as I had done with the spirit-horse, I touched the fabric shoe, focused my mind on the Shu Palace, and in a blink, I was back.

From that day on, I followed my routine: attending court and studying as usual, and whenever I found a spare moment, I would use the slipper to travel to the cliffs and bring food to Diaochan.

I knew she needed to recover her strength and could not handle rich or extravagant meals, so I brought only simple, wholesome fare. Though she never said it, I could tell she was pleased.

I had considered leading troops to the mountain to wipe out those remnants of Dong Zhuo’s army, but that would be a grand, unnecessary affair that would be hard to explain to the court. Besides, why would I pass up the chance to care for the beautiful Diaochan and spend time in her company?

I did have one concern. Though no physician, I knew that when one is sick, light food is best to deny nutrition to the illness. But Diaochan was poisoned, not diseased; surely, she needed nourishment. I decided to consult the royal physician under the guise of preparing health tonics for the Empress Dowager, then infused her meals with these supplements.

After a few days of this, combined with her own meditation, her health visibly improved. The color returned to her cheeks, and her magical aura seemed to stabilize, though she was not yet strong enough to leave the cliff.

This gave me great peace of mind. While my days were filled with court, martial training, and studying, it was far less taxing than my old life of overtime. I even began to put on some weight—though, of course, that was Liu Shan’s body, not my own.

One day, I lay on my bed flipping through "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" to help me sleep. As I drifted off, I found myself transported back to the modern world.

With the experience of the previous time, I was far less panicked. I wasn’t even in a rush for work; I took my time with breakfast before heading to the subway.

My boss scolded me in front of everyone for being late, but perhaps because I had worked so late the night before, he didn't dare dock my pay and let it slide.

I didn't care. My mind was entirely occupied with finding a way to sleep and return to that world. But perhaps because I had slept so well there, I couldn't get a wink of rest all day. I was stuck at the office until 11 p.m.

Exhausted at last, I hurried home via the subway, grabbed a bento from the convenience store downstairs for a midnight snack, and prepared to sleep as soon as I finished.

Just as I was checking out, something on the counter caught my eye—bottled energy drinks, the kind I usually relied on to stay sharp during overtime.

Looking at them, a thought struck me: I could fall asleep whenever I wanted, but what if I felt drowsy after arriving in the ancient world? That would be a disaster. I bought a few bottles, deciding to take them with me to the past, just in case.