PCJ – Chapter 623 Exploring the Cave

“It’s fine for you to walk around the village,” Gu Baishui said, “but there are a few households you must avoid.”

“Why?” Zhang Jiaohua asked, puzzled.

“Those families are very hostile to outsiders. There are some things you’re better off not knowing—no need to get caught in a tough spot,” Gu Baishui replied.

Zhang Jiaohua frowned. He could tell from Gu Baishui’s tone that there was definitely more to it. But what exactly was going on?

“Actually, most people in the village are easy to get along with. It’s just those few households that are difficult. As long as you don’t provoke them, they won’t go out of their way to make trouble for you,” Gu Baishui said, subtly avoiding the topic.

“Secretary Gu, I heard many young men in Yingpan Village can’t find wives. Is that true?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“It’s true. In a poor place like Yingpan, which girl would want to marry into this hardship? Those who are capable marry and leave, never to return. The ones who aren’t capable just end up as lifelong bachelors,” Gu Baishui sighed.

Zhang Jiaohua wasn’t in a rush to do anything. He hadn’t come here to stir up great events. His real goal was to find a peaceful place to settle down—and perhaps, in passing, help solve some of Yingpan Village’s problems.

Cultivation isn’t just about sitting in a place full of spiritual energy and breathing it in. More important is comprehending the Dao. One could gain insight in deep mountains or in a bustling city. Even this poor mountain village had its own truths to reveal. Zhang Jiaohua didn’t force enlightenment—he would wait for the right moment. When the time came, enlightenment would come naturally.

Gu Chuangui, still intent on earning money from painkillers, came running over after lunch and found Zhang Jiaohua cleaning up the dishes. He immediately stepped in to help.

“Uncle, let me wash the dishes,” Gu Chuangui offered.

“Alright, I’ll trouble you then,” Zhang Jiaohua stepped aside.

Although he was a child, Gu Chuangui was deft at housework. But he was still a kid, so he couldn’t be as meticulous as an adult.

“Want some snacks? I’ll grab you some,” Zhang Jiaohua offered, heading toward his chest.

“No, no, uncle. I’m not here for candy. Didn’t you say I could show you around the village? I need to earn money to buy Grandpa his pain medicine,” Gu Chuangui said seriously.

“How about this: You show me around the village, and in return, I’ll heal your grandpa’s leg,” Zhang Jiaohua proposed.

“You can cure legs? My grandpa’s got rheumatism. Everyone says it’s incurable,” the boy replied skeptically.

“There’s no such thing as an incurable disease—only a lack of proper treatment. I can definitely cure your grandpa’s rheumatism,” Zhang Jiaohua said confidently.

“Deal. But if you can’t, you’ll have to give me the money for the painkillers,” Gu Chuangui said, still doubtful.

“Secretary Gu told me earlier there are some households I shouldn’t go near. Do you know why?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“The adults tell us kids not to go near them either. Who knows what creepy stuff they’re up to. Sometimes, when I pass by, I hear people crying from inside—scares me to death. Probably haunted,” Gu Chuangui said, visibly disturbed.

“In broad daylight? Ghosts?” Zhang Jiaohua found that odd too.

“I swear I heard crying—just a few sobs and then silence. When I told Grandpa, he scolded me. But seriously, don’t go near those houses—they bring bad luck,” Gu Chuangui warned.

“Let’s go. Take me to that toxic pond,” Zhang Jiaohua said.

Soon, Gu Chuangui led him to the pond. It was fairly large—big enough to be called a small reservoir. Zhang Jiaohua immediately saw the problem. The water was crystal clear, unnaturally so. Unlike normal ponds with a greenish tinge, this one looked like purified water. You could even see the bottom. Yet the pond floor was barren—no life whatsoever. The surface only held a few fallen leaves, and even the edges were bare.

“Has anyone ever bathed in this pond?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

Gu Chuangui shook his head. “It’s poison water. Adults won’t let us near it.”

Everyone in the village knew about the pond. Not only was the water deadly to animals, but it could even kill crops if used for irrigation. That’s why it was infamous as the Poison Water Pond. If the water were usable, the village wouldn’t be suffering from water shortages.

Zhang Jiaohua noticed a layer of white powder around the pond and crouched down to examine it. He pinched some, licked it, and tasted a faint salty flavor.

“A saline-alkali pond,” he realized. The salinity was so high that no plants or animals could survive in it. But Gu had said the pond wasn’t always like this. So where had the salinity come from?

Gu Chuangui mimicked Zhang Jiaohua, tasted the substance, then spat it out. “So salty!”

“Chuangui, is there a cave near the pond? Where does the rainwater that feeds the pond come from?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“From the mountain. No one comes here often—it’s poison water. But the water flows down from the hills,” the boy answered.

Zhang Jiaohua nodded and walked around the pond’s mountainous side. In some exposed areas, the saline crust was thicker—maybe a clue to its source.

The pond was man-made—he could still see the slogan “Learn from Dazhai in Agriculture” on the dam, a relic from a bygone era of agricultural reform. But now, this reservoir had turned into a poison pond.

Near a rocky section, he spotted a thick, white patch of salt crust stretching toward a cave entrance. Inside the cave was more of the same.

“This must be it,” Zhang Jiaohua thought. The cave was about two meters tall—no need to crouch. It looked like it had been there for a long time. If the pond hadn’t originally been salty, then this cave probably wasn’t either. Something must have caused saline from the mountain to leach into the groundwater.

Zhang Jiaohua prepared to enter the cave, but Gu Chuangui grabbed him.

“Uncle, don’t! It’s dangerous,” the boy said.

“Why dangerous?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“Someone went in before and got bitten by a monster. Now he walks with a limp,” Gu Chuangui said fearfully.

“A monster?” Zhang Jiaohua was intrigued.

“Yeah. Uncle Cripple went in and came out limping after being bitten.”

Zhang Jiaohua backed off—he didn’t want to scare the boy. But he was definitely going to explore the cave eventually. He had to find the source of the salt if he wanted to solve the pond issue.

“Chuangui, where are your parents? Off working?” he asked.

“My mom ran off. Dad went to find her and never came back,” the boy said sadly.

Zhang Jiaohua patted his head. He suspected the situation was more complicated but didn’t push further. There’d be time to figure everything out.

The poison pond was large—it took them one or two hours to walk around it. Aside from difficult terrain, the pond really was more like a reservoir. It was a shame it had turned into a salt pit. If the salt source could be blocked, the pond drained and cleaned, then refilled, the village’s water shortage might be solved.

Back at the village school, Zhang Jiaohua shared snacks with Gu Chuangui.

“How do you earn money for food here?” he asked.

“The government gives us relief grain. We also sell herbs to buy rice,” the boy replied, carefully eating even the crumbs from the packaging.

“Here, take some more,” Zhang Jiaohua handed him another big handful.

“I’m full. Uncle, I’m going home. I’ll come back tomorrow,” the boy said.

“Why not stay for dinner?” Zhang Jiaohua offered.

“My grandpa’s waiting to eat with me,” he replied, then left.

After he left, Zhang Jiaohua returned to the poison pond alone. He wanted to explore the cave.

He entered, flashlight in hand. The cave stretched deep—its end invisible. The sound of water dripping echoed around him.

Although the water flow was minimal, he could see its path through the cave. He released his tracking leopard to investigate.

The leopard sniffed around and led him deeper into the winding tunnel. After about 30 minutes, they reached areas with stalactites glittering in the light—like a crystal palace.

Then Zhang Jiaohua spotted a narrow side tunnel—only wide enough to crawl through. He saw more white crystals on the floor—solidified salt.

He realized this tunnel was the salt source. Though narrow, he crawled in without fear—he could always retreat into his Daoist space or use spells if needed.

After crawling dozens of meters, the tunnel widened into a chamber full of dazzling crystal formations—like a palace. This was the mineral source. A tunnel from above fed water in—clearly not naturally formed but artificially dug.

The leopard barked at something on the ground. Zhang Jiaohua found messy paw prints.

“What kind of creature made these?” he wondered. Whatever it was, it was strong enough to break rocks—and likely responsible for the pond’s salt.

The side tunnel was too narrow for even the leopard, so Zhang Jiaohua summoned his fat cat from the cultivation space.

Though reluctant and embarrassed, the fat cat finally crawled in after a nudge from Zhang Jiaohua.

After a while, it returned—no sign of the creature, but it led Zhang Jiaohua to another cave entrance on the hillside, which turned out to be the other end of the same tunnel. This was the source of the incoming water.

Zhang Jiaohua took out a shovel, dug up soil, and blocked the opening, tamping it down firmly. With the source cut off, rainwater could no longer wash salt into the pond.

With this, the key to fixing the poison pond—and perhaps saving Yingpan Village—was finally within reach.