Brother Jiwen suddenly fell ill. Coincidentally, Gao Zhenmei, who was following Master Niandong, also arrived in Jinan. We all gathered to discuss seeking a physician, and upon hearing from Yuan Lingong that the Liang family south of the city housed a Fox Immortal skilled in medicine, we decided to pay them a visit.

The Liang woman, perhaps in her forties, possessed an expression uncannily resembling that of a fox. Upon entering her room, we observed red curtains hanging everywhere. Lifting the fabric, we saw a painting of Guanyin on the wall, alongside two or three other scrolls depicting fierce warriors astride galloping horses, spears brandished, charging left and right. Beneath the north wall stood a wooden table, upon which rested a small stool, about a foot high, covered in a spread of rich red brocade. Madam Liang explained, "Whenever the Celestial Being descends, they always sit upon this very stool."

We burned incense as an offering and stood respectfully beside her. Madam Liang struck an iron (qing, a small chime) three times in succession, muttering incantations under her breath. Once the prayers were complete, Madam Liang, her face solemn, asked us to sit outside while she stood beneath the curtain, smoothing her fine hair, resting her chin in her hand, and addressing us as she recounted tales of the immortal world.

After a long while, the sky had darkened, and still, the immortal spirit had not arrived. Worried that the darkness would make the journey back difficult, we implored Madam Liang to pray again, earnestly inviting the celestial being to descend. Madam Liang smiled and nodded, struck the iron chime again, then turned to stand, remarking, "The High Immortal greatly favors conversation after nightfall; it is rare to see them during the day. Last night, a scholar preparing for the imperial exams brought his own wine and food to share with the immortal, who in turn offered fine spirits to the guest. The two drank heartily, exchanging poetry and composing couplets until dawn." Before she finished speaking, we suddenly heard a faint rustling sound from within the room, like the flapping of a bat's wings. As we strained to listen, there was a loud bang, as if a boulder had struck the small stool on the table, the noise echoing violently. Madam Liang clapped her hand to her chest and laughed, "That was startling." As she spoke, a sigh emanated from the stool, sounding like that of a robust old man. Madam Liang produced a banana-leaf fan and shielded the stool, preventing us from catching sight of the immortal being.

Then, the immortal on the stool spoke loudly, "Fate connects us, fate connects us." Following this, he called out an invitation to be seated. We vaguely perceived the banana-leaf fan fluttering slightly, as if the immortal were bowing in salute. Not long after, the immortal inquired, "What guidance do you seek?" Gao Zhenmei, following Master Niandong’s instructions, asked, "Have you seen the Bodhisattva?" The immortal replied, "I am intimately familiar with that place in the South Sea; how could I possibly fail to see the Bodhisattva, having traveled there countless times?" Gao Zhenmei then asked, "Has King Yama also been replaced?" The immortal answered, "It is just like the mortal realm." Gao Zhenmei pressed further, "What is Yama’s surname?" The reply came: "Cao."

Next, we requested medicine for Brother Jiwen. The immortal instructed, "You all should return now. Prepare tea offerings at midnight, and I shall petition the Bodhisattva Guanyin to bestow medicine that can cure any ailment." We asked a few more questions, which the immortal answered one by one. With that, our party took our leave and returned to the inn.

After one night, Brother Jiwen's condition showed slight improvement. Since Gao Zhenmei and I had matters requiring our attention, we left early and did not have time to visit the immortal again.