world
Yunxiu looked at the groups of disciples from other sects sitting on a big rock in a daze.
She was born with unstable immortal power. As the youngest junior sister of Emperor Yao Xizong, she was already able to transform into a human form at the age of 18 when she was picked up.
However, when she was practicing, she would always be suddenly struck by something, and her immortal power would instantly be reduced to nothing. She would fall to the ground and fall asleep, unconscious, and nothing could wake her.
Strangely, she woke up surrounded by people, yet felt no discomfort. Her immortal power had returned, and she was refreshed, as if she had simply slept. Senior Sister Yingtang and Master exhausted all their efforts, scouring ancient texts, but could not find the cause of the problem.
They had speculated that perhaps the divine power of Yaoxi Mountain was insufficient, causing the forms of the creatures nurtured by that power to be unstable. After all, over a hundred years had passed since Yunxiu's transformation, and no creature had taken human form.
The entire sect took turns keeping an eye on Yunxiu, fearing that her immortal power would dissipate and turn to ashes if they weren't watching her closely.
As a result, Yunxiu naturally never went down the mountain.
Without the ability to wield their Qi freely, they risked exposing their identities. The inhabitants of Yaoxi Mountain must conceal their presence. Born inhuman, they were once considered monsters by the people below them, who slaughtered them at will. Since then, Yaoxi Mountain has adopted a different name and surname, adopting an appearance indistinguishable from ordinary people, and has become at peace with the people below them.
Yunxiu didn't particularly mind; she lived a carefree life in the mountains. It was just Wuyi and Yingtang who often frowned, as if Yunxiu had missed out on many wonderful things in life. The brothers and sisters repeatedly descended the mountain to search for a solution, always bringing back delicious treats and fun things, but with a touch of sadness, they watched Yunxiu silently.
There has been no progress in understanding the cause or solution.
She had never flown beyond the boundaries of Yaoxi Mountain, so she had no idea how high the mountains were, how vast the waters were, or what the scenery on earth was like. The mountains beneath her, as her senior brothers and sisters had often mentioned, always contained novelties and amusing happenings.
Every day in the world is brand new.
The competition would start tomorrow anyway, so Xiao You hesitated for only a moment, then dropped all his review and preparation and flew down the mountain.
The human world! She wanted to see the human world! The human world she had heard of for so long but never seen!
The wind whistled in my ears, carrying the fragrance of mountain plants away. Yunxiu settled at the end of a bluestone-paved street.
The streets are lined with shops with colorful signs swaying gently in the wind.
The enthusiastic calls of the waiter could be heard from the tavern, the clerk of the silk shop was attentively introducing the newly arrived fabrics to a passing woman, and children were chasing and playing with sugar figures in the street, their laughter like silver bells filling the entire street.
Everything is exactly as described by the seniors, vivid and fresh.
Yunxiu walked to a bun shop, where steam was rising from the steamer. The rich aroma of meat filled his nose, and Yunxiu frowned.
The shopkeeper greeted her with a smile, but Yunxiu just shook her head and ran away. She walked to another snack shop and watched a young woman nearby picking out some peanuts, melon seeds, and other fruits.
"That's all. Madam, please weigh them for me." The young lady grabbed a handful of melon seeds and passed the paper bag to the stall owner while eating them.
The young lady wore a tassel pendant on her head, not in good condition, which swayed with the movements of its owner. Yunxiu's eyes followed the swaying and were attracted by the crisp sound of cracking melon seeds. She heard her say:
"I come here often to patronize your business, Madam, please don't weigh me! Even the decimal point is rounded off!"
The stall owner was a middle-aged woman in her forties. She didn't show any displeasure on her face and replied with a smile: "When have I ever been less than you?"
She smiled as she spoke, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes made the already deep tail line even more slender, just like the orchids growing beside Yunxiu House.
It was so beautiful that Yunxiu was mesmerized. It was as if the years were reluctant to erode her beauty, but only added color and flavor to it, making it sweet and moving.
Seeing Yunxiu staring at her, the stall owner smiled and asked her, "Little girl, what do you want to eat? Try anything and buy it if it tastes good!"
"Oh...anything is fine! Just, like this girl!"
Yunxiu was startled and pointed at the young lady next to him in panic.
The young lady was carrying a few bags and said with a smile:
"Oh, you're calling me a girl! Little boy, you can't eat so many bags. That's all our family can eat!"
She casually grabbed a handful of peanuts from the stall, stuffed them into Yunxiu's hand, and said to the stall owner, "Put this on my account. It's my treat!"
Judging from the young woman's attire, her family must be poor, perhaps even struggling financially. Why would she buy so many unnecessary snacks at once? And even treat a stranger to them? Yunxiu thought it was unacceptable and quickly declined. But she was so adamant, even pretending to get angry, that Yunxiu finally gave in.
Yunxiu couldn't refuse, so she walked to the corner of the street with a handful of peanuts. She looked left and right, and seeing no one was passing by, she carefully peeled a peanut and ate it.
They were roasted peanuts, darker in color than the raw peanuts commonly eaten in the mountains. The peanut skins were crisp and fragrant, yet clung to the tongue. As Yunxiu chewed the peanuts, she could taste the flavors of autumn.
Yunxiu finally reached the foot of the mountain and sat beside the bustling street, but he felt a little uninterested.
If Wu Yi, Senior Sister, and Senior Brother Yu Wei were here... they could all go shopping together. They could gather together like the other disciples. They would definitely be laughing and joking, their noise disturbing the entire venue.
Yunxiu and his senior brothers and sisters seemed to have endless things to say, but the sects before them were all different. They were so quiet that it was as if they didn't know each other, and even Yunxiu felt awkward and a little uncomfortable.
Ah...if it was Yan Xiu who came, they would also be quite quiet.
Before long, Yunxiu's attention was attracted by a stall selling small gadgets on the street.
The stalls are filled with all kinds of clay figurines, windmills, and sachets, which are brightly colored and exquisitely crafted.
The stall owner was a white-haired old lady. Seeing Yunxiu looking intently, she smiled and said:
"Girl, if you like any of them, just pick them up and have a look. They are all made by me."
Yunxiu picked up a small white bird. It felt soft to the touch, its eyes vivid. She lowered her head and examined it carefully. The more she looked at it, the more familiar it seemed, and the more she liked it. Just as she was asking the price, she glanced up and caught sight of the old woman's cuffs.
It was broad daylight, and where the sun shone obliquely, the cuffs looked like a black hole, without any light or shadow.
Yunxiu's heart was moved. She asked, "I don't have any money with me. Can I buy on credit?"
The old lady smiled and said, "Sure, I'll still be here tomorrow."
Yun Xiu looked at her for a while, then asked, "I might not come tomorrow. Can you send me off?"
The old lady's smile didn't change at all: "It's all fate, child, I'll give it to you!"
Yunxiu looked at the lifelike little white bird with its wings spread in his hand, but suddenly felt a chill in the sunshine.
She calmed down and began to observe the street.
A peddler selling fruit with a shoulder pole walked from one end of the street to the other, always shouting "Fresh fruit, sweet fruit", with even the tone and pauses being exactly the same.
Moreover, the fruits in his carrying pole, both in quantity and in their placement, seemed to have not changed at all. Even if passers-by bought a few, when they looked again, the pole had returned to its original appearance.
There is a teahouse not far away. The lanterns hanging at the door of the teahouse seem to be set, and the amplitude and frequency of the lantern tassels swinging at a fixed frequency, repeating the same action no matter how the wind blows.
On the second floor of the restaurant across the street, a man in a long, green robe leaned against the window, holding a folding fan, seemingly admiring the street view. But half an hour had passed, and the man's posture hadn't changed at all, not even the angle of his folding fan had shifted, as if he were a statue.
Yunxiu suddenly turned around and looked at the stall he first saw - the young lady was back in front of the stall, cracking melon seeds.
Lively streets, delicious food, and friendly people.
But it is repetitive and rigid, like a carefully painted scroll without any breath of life.
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