Seeking the Way Up the Mountain
This story comes from Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. A young scholar surnamed Wang heard that immortals dwelt on Mount Laoshan and set off to seek the Way.
The master taught him no grand magic — only daily firewood chopping. After a month, the scholar's hands were calloused, his feet blistered. He suffered terribly.
The Art of Walking Through Walls
On his last evening, the old Taoist chanted an incantation and walked straight through a wall. The scholar begged to learn this art.
The Taoist taught him the incantation. The scholar passed right through the wall! Overjoyed, he thanked his master profusely.
“The Taoist warned him: 'When you return home, keep yourself pure and upright, or the spell will fail.'”
— Strange Tales, 'The Taoist of Laoshan'
The Fall
Back home, the scholar boasted about his power. His wife didn't believe him, so he aimed at the wall, chanted the incantation, and charged.
THUNK. He slammed into the solid wall. A lump the size of an egg swelled on his forehead while his wife roared with laughter.
The Moral
Pu Songling concluded: 'Those who hear this story all laugh at him — but do not those who seek immortality today do the same?' Impure hearts lead to bruised heads.