After spending all of his inheritance, Du Zichun () encounters an elderly stranger who hands him an enormous amount of money. Du spends all of that, only to meet the old man for a second time, who passes him an even greater amount of money. Despite resolving to be more disciplined, Du finds himself penniless again. For yet another time, the old man bails Du out. This time, he uses the money to help both the needy and his family members. Upon reconvening with the old man, Du learns that he is a Taoist priest. The priest brings Du to
Mount Hua, where he is making the
elixir of life. Du is tasked with smelting the elixir; the priest enjoins him to remain silent no matter what happens. Du begins to experience a series of intense hallucinations involving an army, terrifying animals, and violent weather. He is unfazed, even as he meets a legion of demons who boil and dismember his wife, before fatally torturing Du himself. Reborn as the daughter of a local magistrate in
Shanfu County,
Songzhou, Du-as-woman remains silent for several years and is assumed to be
mute, although she is also reputed for her beauty. She marries a scholar and gives birth to a boy. Two years pass, and not a single word has been exchanged between husband and wife. Exasperated at Du-as-woman's silence, the scholar takes their child and dashes him against the rocks. Du lets out a cry of anguish and instantly finds himself back at Mount Hua. The elixir is destroyed and the temple is engulfed by purple flames. The priest tells Du that although he has renounced feelings of joy, anger, sadness, and fear, he has not let go of love. Disappointed in himself, Du returns home. He later attempts to retrace his steps at Mount Hua but the old man is nowhere to be seen. ==Authorship and publication history==