Chapter 57 Spring City Blossoms "Bed or floor, you choose."...
Qiu Tong recognized him at a glance; this was the fisherman who had given her the broken jade in her past life!
The rushing water splashed onto the mudflats, wetting the old man's clothes. Occasionally, a fish would leap and swim in the rapids, bumping into his fishing rod.
He looked at Qiu Tong, a smile playing on his lips, but a hint of doubt in his expression: "Little girl, the current here is swift and dangerous. What are you doing here?"
Hearing those familiar words, Qiu Tong stopped her tears, quickly climbed over the rocks, and stumbled slightly as she headed towards the fisherman, replying as if in her past life.
"My things fell into the mountain stream, so I came here to look for them! Old man, the current here is swift and rapid, how can you catch any fish?"
The old man sighed softly upon hearing this: "If you were to fall into this place, you would probably be swept away by the river. Young girl, you would likely never find it. As for fishing, there's only this one river nearby. Where else can you go if you don't come here?"
Qiu Tong was anxious, and this was evident on her face. Fortunately, she was "in a hurry to find something," so it wasn't unusual. She walked to the fisherman's side, pretending to search, and said, "So you're from Chuncheng. Since you like fishing so much, why don't you go out of the dense forest? There's a deep pond outside the forest. We've seen quite a few of them when we passed by."
The old fisherman turned his head and looked at the water: "I can't leave Kunming, and I've gotten used to living here. Although this river is swift, it has been with me for many years. When it takes pity on me, it will give me some fish to eat."
"What kind of fish is it? Is it tasty?" Qiu Tong couldn't help but turn around and look, and her search slowed down. She was waiting for the old man to say those words.
The old man shook his rod: "A silverfish swam down from upstream... wait, what's going on?"
Qiu Tong's eyes lit up, and she immediately got up and walked to the old man's side, looking at the water.
In the turbulent current, a tranquil yet swift whirlpool was swirling within it. Just as it was struggling to break free, it happened to crash into a protruding crevice between rocks, its tail making a loud slapping sound.
She said, "You're trapped. Could it be that the river is giving you fish to eat?"
The old man chuckled upon hearing this, but then said, "I was just joking. Whether the fish eats it or not, I won't starve. But if we don't save it today, it will surely die."
After saying this, he put down his fishing rod, seemingly troubled about how to get to the turbulent waters.
Qiu Tong feigned hesitation, but her hand was already quietly rolling up her sleeve.
After a short while, she seemed to have finally come to a conclusion, and grabbed the old man: "You are a mortal, won't you be swept away if you go into the water? In that case, I will help you get it out first, and then go find my things."
The old man turned around and looked her over: "Aren't you in a hurry to find your thing?"
Qiu Tong nodded: "It's still urgent, but we can't find it in a short time, so I'll help you."
She formed hand seals and used her magic to save the fish, but she was still unable to get it out of the crevice. However, Qiu Tong had expected this. She glanced at the old man, summoned her disciple's sword, and flew to the river. She half-squatted on the protruding rock and personally moved the fish out, then handed it to the old man.
"For cultivators, it's a trivial matter."
The old man placed the fish into the water-soaked basket and exclaimed, "So you're a cultivator, also here to participate in the Flying Flower Festival? Are you aware of the major changes to the rules this time?"
Qiu Tong was taken aback; these words were unexpected. Her heart suddenly jumped, but she nodded calmly and said, "Of course I know, but the mind of a sage is hard to fathom, so we can only accept it."
The old man looked at her with a rather peculiar gaze, which did not make her feel uneasy or disturbed, but rather quite gentle. He was simply observing her, and had no other intentions.
“Your magnanimity makes me feel ashamed. I have a piece of jade I found on the mudflats. It’s not worth much, but it’s enough to thank you for this little fish. Please accept it.”
Qiu Tong's shoulders slumped slightly as she quietly exhaled, her tense heart finally settling down: "I was just helping out and didn't want anything in return. You should keep this jade for yourself."
She pushed the jade back, wrung out the water from the hem of her robe, and was about to continue forward when the old man called out to her again.
"Please wait, young lady. Your kindness is commendable, and we should not let you down. Please accept this."
Without giving Qiu Tong a chance to refuse, he smiled and placed the broken jade into her hand, casually asking, "By the way, what were you looking for when you went into the valley to search for something?"
Qiu Tong choked, her hand holding the broken jade slowly tightening its grip: "What was lost was a jade ring. Although it's not valuable, it has great significance."
She was a little nervous. In her previous life, after she said those words, the fisherman took the jade ring out of the silver fish's mouth. But now she hadn't lost anything... She already had the broken jade in her hands, so what did it matter if it was real or fake?
"I still have to go find Yu Huan, so I'll take my leave now..."
When Qiu Tong uttered the last word, her voice suddenly trembled, and her almond-shaped eyes widened as she watched the old man take a jade ring out of the silver fish's mouth.
The old man chuckled and asked, "Young friend, is this the one?"
...It's a ghost!
She didn't drop anything at all. This person in front of her is probably not a master, but a demon!
Qiu Tong's eyes widened in shock, and cold sweat broke out. In her panic, she remembered what she had said in her past life and forced a smile: "This is indeed the jade ring I lost. How did it end up in the fish's mouth? You...you are also a cultivator? One of those unparalleled immortals described in stories!"
The old man laughed loudly upon hearing this, tightened his raincoat, and threw the silver fish back into the stream: "Young friend, you flatter me. I am just a carefree person. You helped me save the fish, so I will help you find the jade ring. What's wrong with that?"
Now that the item has been retrieved, let's leave the valley. Don't tell anyone about the fisherman in the valley; I want some peace and quiet.
Qiu Tong's hands, holding the broken jade and the jade ring, trembled slightly. She nodded, seemingly excited, "Rest assured, Master, I will keep my mouth shut!"
Without another word, she drew her disciple's sword and fled from the valley as if escaping. Only when she landed on the bridge and the blazing sun gradually dispelled the dampness of the mountain stream did her wildly beating heart begin to calm down.
She looked at the jade ring of unknown origin in her hand, as if holding a hot potato, not daring to throw it back into the valley, nor wanting to carry it with her.
Was the jade ring she received in her past life truly the one given to her by Wei Changzai? Qiu Tong dared not think too much about it. While her heart was in turmoil, she ran into the dense forest, buried the jade ring under a tree, clutched the broken jade, and hurriedly ran into Chuncheng.
Inside the valley, the fisherman watched her emerge from the valley, his expression unreadable.
Suddenly, a woman leaped down from the branches beside her, also looking up, and said, "I've followed her all the way down into the valley, and there's nothing strange about it."
The old fisherman sighed softly, bent down to pick up his fish basket, and said simply, "Let's go."
*
Once outside the inn, Lin Feiran's mouth never stopped.
Although the city of Kunming is remote, it is very prosperous and boasts delicacies from all over the world. She ate her way through the city and eventually returned to the city gate.
According to the vendors on the street, the golden light and characters that appeared on the city wall actually had another name. People at the time called it the "Flower Picking List," but it had nothing to do with flowers. It was just a way to be cultured and to get a good meaning.
The flower-picking list has a long history. Initially, it was just a small transaction between cultivators and mortals, which was not respectable. However, as the opening intervals of the Pilgrimage Valley became longer and it became increasingly difficult to enter the valley, this type of transaction developed and grew.
Based on the generousness of the rewards, the flower-picking list was divided into three categories: gold, silver, and bronze.
The left side of the city wall gleams with gold, bearing contracts with generous rewards and in high demand; these are known as the Gold List. Contracts with slightly lower rewards are moved to the middle, still quite eye-catching, and are called the Silver List. The ordinary contracts reside on the far right, rarely noticed, and are dim and lackluster; these are called the Bronze List.
Most cultivators gathered on the left side, and some even fought over it. Some, who considered themselves to be of low cultivation level and were unwilling to take risks, moved to the middle section to select the silver list. Only people like Lin Feiran, who were just strolling around, would walk down to the bronze list.
It must be said that after seeing the astonishing rewards on the gold list, the silver list does seem less impressive, and the bronze list is even more ordinary.
Suddenly, Lin Feiran paused slightly, swallowed the pastry in his mouth, and walked towards the far right of the city wall.
There wasn't even a bronze plaque there, yet a considerable number of cultivators had gathered there, and the occasional burst of laughter made it quite lively.
Curious, she went inside and saw a young scholar with a satchel hanging from his arm, writing something on the mud wall. He seemed to have been exposed to the scorching sun for a long time; his face was flushed, and he was sweating profusely, but his hands never stopped.
"Find a medicinal herb that can cure hypothermia. The reward is the deed to my house and a yellow ox." She approached and silently recited the words.
The scholar's eyes lit up, and he immediately looked at her, asking loudly, "Fellow Daoist, are you interested in this?"
Lin Feiran looked up and saw a mud wall, low and leaning against the high city wall. The wall on top of the wall looked somewhat incongruous.
So she asked, "What is this?"
The scholar immediately replied, "This is also a flower-picking list! If you are interested, please take the notice and I can draw up a contract for you!"
Lin Feiran raised an eyebrow slightly, but before she could speak, a sneer came from among the onlookers.
“Little girl, don’t be fooled by him. This mud wall is made of piled-up earth and is used to appease the bandits who enter the city, so that they won’t cause trouble if they have no list to pick. It’s not a flower-picking list at all, and the rewards on it are even more ridiculous. What use are eggs, old cows, house deeds, and land deeds? We call it ‘mud post’ in private.”
Lin Feiran looked at the scholar and asked, "And who is he?"
The scholar was somewhat tongue-tied, his face covered in charcoal powder, making him look dusty and grimy. He replied, "My abilities are meager, and... I've had bad luck. I dare not associate with others too much, much less bear any expectations. I can only do these insignificant things..."
His voice grew even lower, and feeling ashamed, he said nothing more. He glanced at Lin Feiran, then turned back to continue copying.
"Bad luck? This is the first time I've heard such an excuse. You are not allowed to lie in your Imperial Academy, so don't spout nonsense."
Someone stepped forward, wanting to see the token at his waist to identify which palace he belonged to. Upon seeing this, the scholar panicked and retreated, saying, "Fellow Daoist, getting too close to me will bring bad luck!"
"I don't believe you, you better stop right there!"
The two inexplicably started circling around. The scholar looked clumsy, but he was clearly a master of escaping. Even Lin Feiran couldn't help but exclaim in admiration at his evasive skills.
Unable to catch up, the man grew increasingly frustrated and immediately fled. Just as he was about to grab the scholar's shoulder, a huge object fell from the sky and struck the man on the head, causing him to lose consciousness.
What slammed down was a giant sword.
The onlookers gasped and looked up to see a yellow-robed disciple leaping down from the city wall. He was horrified and quickly sheathed his giant sword to help the man up.
"Fellow Daoist, are you well?!"
Lin Feiran couldn't help but ask, "How did this sword fall?"
The yellow-robed disciple was filled with remorse: "The celestial horses and phoenix carriages of the various sect masters have all landed on the wall and need us to guide them. However, I am carrying a greatsword and it is inconvenient for me to do so. So I leaned the greatsword against the wall for the time being... Fellow Daoist, I really did not know that it would be swept off by the celestial horse. Is it injured?"
The man waved his hand and stood up. Although he had no external injuries, his vision was blurring and he was very dizzy. He pointed at the scholar and stammered for a while, but he dared not provoke him any further and hurriedly followed the yellow-robed disciple to get treatment.
The scholar sighed, his face full of apology. When he looked back, the onlookers muttered bad luck and dispersed, leaving only Lin Feiran alone soon.
Charcoal pencils were scattered all over the ground. He bent down to pick them up nearby. Lin Feiran saw a pencil lying not far away and prepared to help pick it up. But as soon as she took a step, her toe inexplicably got stuck between the bricks, causing her to stumble.
"..."
What incredible power!
Lin Feiran sighed inwardly. As she picked up the charcoal pencil, she saw the scholar sitting on the brick floor, giving her an apologetic smile: "Fellow Daoist, just stand there. Getting too close will only bring more bad luck. You don't need the charcoal pencil."
Lin Feiran looked at him and suddenly asked, "Aren't you going to continue writing?"
The scholar shook his head with a wry smile, helped himself up, looked back at the mud wall, and remained silent for a long time.
"They're right. What's the point of writing it down? Who would read it? Would someone go through all the hardships of pilgrimage to the Valley of the Immortals just for a basket of eggs? No one does that. And it's no one's fault if others don't do it."
In a moment of enthusiasm, I offered to help them get their photos on the wall, which only created unnecessary expectations for everyone. The greater the hope, the more painful the disappointment when it's dashed.
After speaking, he wiped the charcoal marks off the mud wall, folded the paper in his hand, and turned to walk into the streets and alleys of Chuncheng: "A small boat, carved from rotten wood. A thousand waves lie ahead, how many can it ferry back home..."
Lin Feiran watched his retreating figure and followed him from a distance.
The scholar was truly unlucky. As he walked along, flowerpots suddenly fell from the railings of restaurants on both sides, hitting him. Flagpoles erected by vendors broke and blocked his way. He dodged them one by one, afraid of causing trouble for others, and walked even more hurriedly.
Lin Feiran followed him, turning left and right, until they finally stopped in front of a dark alley. She leaped onto the roof, looked down, and her eyes flickered slightly.
Spring City is prosperous, with tall buildings everywhere. With the sun shining brightly, it appears bright all around. But here, nestled between two buildings, is a shady spot with dense shade, casting a faint shadow.
Perhaps because few people come here, it hasn't been well maintained. The bricks and stones on the road are warped, baskets are scattered everywhere, and puddles of all sizes have gathered, revealing an incongruous state of dirt and disorder.
In this deserted corner, many refugees huddled together, most of them with weary faces, chapped lips, and faces etched with numbness and vicissitudes. Their dusty bundles were piled at their feet, yet they were being closely watched.
Most of the people who had traveled from afar gathered here. She even saw the old man who had cursed Gu Buhui and said he wanted to find a sage to make decisions. He was leaning against the corner of the wall, and his face was even more ashen than before.
The scholar walked in, and the crowd immediately surrounded him, asking him how things were going and whether anyone had answered the call to arms.
The scholar lowered his head and stammered for a long time. Everyone understood. Some silently endured it without saying a word, while others covered their faces and wept as if they had nowhere else to turn.
In this bright and dazzling city of Kunming, no one would notice this dark corner.
“I’ve learned in the few days since I entered the city that we commoners are always inferior, and we are lowly people everywhere. Even in Spring City, we are still treated the same way. What kind of path do you cultivate!”
"That land may seem insignificant to you, but it's the only valuable thing I own!"
"Why won't you help us, Taoist priest? Please help us find the spirit herb! My child can't die!"
Lin Feiran watched, then quietly stood up straight on the eaves. The shadow that should have been covered by the eaves melted into the shadows of the dark alley.
At this moment, she couldn't help but think of Gu Buhui, who was masked and had said those words. Confused, she stopped in her tracks for the first time.
Just then, a loud and stirring bell rang throughout Kunming, startling countless birds into flight.
"Autumn is approaching, and the Flying Flowers Festival will begin in three days."
An ancient and ethereal voice came from nowhere, and the city suddenly fell silent. Everyone held their breath and looked around to find the source, not daring to make a sound. On the high city wall, the heavenly horse lowered its head and the phoenix lowered its eyebrows. The elders and masters of various sects present bowed and closed their eyes without saying a word.
After the three chimes, the bells faded, and it took a long time before human voices could be heard again in the city.
Lin Feiran was not surprised. She had been keeping track of the days since she set off from the Demon Capital, and there were indeed three days left. In her plan, these three days were reserved for Ru Xian to rest and recover after sealing her meridians, and they could not be delayed.
She glanced at the dark alley again, stared for a moment, then looked away and strode towards the inn.
*
The accommodation they chose wasn't actually in a remote area, and the shopkeeper was very welcoming. When Lin Feiran entered, he immediately called her over.
"Please wait, little fairy!"
Lin Feiran turned around and looked at him with a question in his eyes.
The shopkeeper hesitated, then said, “Young Immortal, you should still be careful of the person who came with you. After you left, he stood by the window for a long time with a sad look in his eyes. I don’t know what he was looking at, but he might have suicidal thoughts… Next time, please don’t just leave like that. Try to comfort him more.”
Lin Feiran blinked: "?"
She didn't seem to recognize who he was talking about.
The shopkeeper immediately nodded and went behind the counter to find her a spirit ball.
"The ball is divided into twelve sections, which are lit by spiritual energy. One section dims every hour, and the spiritual energy is gathered once every ten days. This is included in the room rate."
"Okay, thank you for your guidance." While going upstairs, Lin Feiran glanced at the lobby again. The owner was kind and honest, and he was not a person who talked nonsense. He probably really saw that scene, so she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Is Ru Xian the kind of person who appears carefree on the surface but is actually heartbroken and saddened in private?
People have many facets. She had seen Xuanzhen and Biqing silently reflecting on their feelings, and Ruxian might have done the same.
With slightly complicated feelings, Lin Feiran knocked on the door like a hailstone. After a few breaths, the door moved slightly, but no one was seen; it only opened a crack.
She made eye contact with the hapless fellow from behind her. The hapless fellow had now transformed into a little panda, standing with his fist clenched, beckoning her with his paw and inviting her into the house.
"..."
Such a helpful and popular item.
Lin Feiran didn't move. She looked through the crack and saw a figure slightly protruding on the bed, motionless. It was obviously not good to enter rashly.
She patted the burly man's head, preparing to wait for him to rest, but before she could turn around, the burly man grabbed the hem of his robe and pulled her inside.
A cool, rich fragrance of plum blossoms wafted towards her, refreshing and invigorating. She steadied herself and glanced around. The windows were wide open, and the bright sunlight made the fragrance feel warmer, intoxicating her.
The dog had already closed the door and jumped onto the table, slowly chewing on the gold bars. It even used its tail to sweep the bench, inviting her to sit down.
She always felt a little uncomfortable when she entered his room, and it was the same now. She touched the back of her neck, awkwardly moved to sit on the bench, and stared at the blockhead.
It held the gold bars in its two paws and fed them to her mouth, very generously, which Lin Feiran could only politely decline.
The room was quiet and still. Feeling awkward, she glanced around and noticed that the bed curtains had changed from moon-white brocade to peach-colored gauze. His gold belt hung at the head of the bed, and the brocade quilt was covered with a layer of light pink...
Upon closer inspection, she realized that it wasn't a quilt cover, but rather sunlight filtering through the gauze curtains, casting a soft pink hue on his snow-white hair.
Ru Xian buried her head in the soft pillow, and at some point she returned to her original appearance, her whole body hidden under her pink hair.
Lin Feiran felt even more uneasy; she really shouldn't be here.
As he was about to get up and leave, he suddenly heard a very gentle breathing sound coming from behind the bed curtains, and then the person sleeping sat up.
He turned to look outside the tent, his emerald eyes slightly narrowed, a faint melancholy in his expression, which made Lin Feiran subconsciously want to call out, "Young Miss, you've gotten up."
Ru Xian simply looked at her and suddenly asked, "When did you arrive?"
Lin Feiran immediately replied, "Just now, just now, not long ago!"
"I was just asking, why are you making such a loud noise?" Ru Xian rubbed her neck, got out of bed, poured herself a glass of cold tea, tucked her snowy hair behind her ear, and looked down at her. "Are you full?"
Lin Feiran took a moment to realize what he was asking: "Half full, I guess. Something happened on the way."
Ru Xian responded with an ambiguous tone, paused for a moment, and seeing that she had no desire to continue speaking, finished her tea and glanced at the spirit ball in her hand, which was tightly gripped and almost crushed.
"It's evening. Would you like to eat some more, or prepare to break the curse?"
Lin Feiran was taken aback and asked, "Aren't you going to eat?"
Lin Feiran wasn't sure if he had eaten anything, so she tentatively asked, "Then... eat a little more?"
They said they would just have a bite to eat, but when the two of them went down to the main hall, Ru Xian immediately ordered about ten dishes, including both meat and vegetables, as well as soup.
There were not only the two of them in the hall, but also many other cultivators who lived there. To avoid trouble, he wore a veil and ate only vegetarian food. After a while, he put down his chopsticks, crossed his legs, crossed his arms, and leaned against the pillar to wait for her.
His arrogant demeanor made it seem perfectly natural to him, as if he was born to look at people this way, which attracted many people's fleeting glances.
In a moment of reflection, she suddenly heard Ru Xian ask, "You don't have pierced ears?"
She looked up and subconsciously touched her earlobe, wondering why he had noticed her ear, but still answered, "The sect does not allow disciples to wear earrings."
However, she did pierce Wei Changzai's ears.
Ru Xian responded with a soft sound, tapping her fingers absently, clearly in a good mood: "I have a pair of earring-shaped treasures that would suit you perfectly, what a pity."
Lin Feiran wasn't too surprised; she didn't care much about clothes and appearance, only about convenience. But Ru Xian was quite interested in it.
Knowing that she liked to wear black robes, he did not force her to change them. He simply asked the ginseng boy to send her many black robes embroidered with dark silver patterns. When she put them on, at first glance, there was no change. But when she walked, one could see wisps of light flowing across her body, creating distinct layers.
The two sleeve rings on her wrists and the jade-colored waist sash were also gifts from him, and after she put them on, her aura changed dramatically.
She reluctantly put down her bamboo chopsticks and said, "It is indeed a pity, but since it is a magic weapon, Your Majesty should keep it for yourself."
As if a hailstone's fingertips paused slightly, then it began tapping again after a moment. He asked, "Have you finished eating?"
Lin Feiran nodded and said, "We can begin."
The two returned upstairs. Just as Lin Feiran was hesitating about which room to enter, Ru Xian stepped straight into his room. After a moment, he took a half step back, lifted the veil to look at her, and said, "What are you standing there for? Come in."
Lin Feiran had no choice but to follow, and the rich, cool fragrance wafted over again, making one feel refreshed.
When she entered, Ru Xian had already shed most of her clothes and was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her snow-white hair disheveled, casting a pale pink hue under the warm curtains. He looked up at her and simply said, "Get into bed and take off your clothes."
Lin Feiran didn't have any particular thoughts. He just remembered the last time the curse was broken and said, "No need to force yourself. I can sit on a stool this time too."
Ru Xian stared at her intently for a moment before speaking: "Choose one, the bed or the floor."
Seeing his expression, Lin Feiran naturally wouldn't want to offend him. She took off her outer robe, slowly moved onto the bed, and knowing that he was clean and didn't like to touch others too much, she tried her best not to touch other parts of his body and just sat cross-legged comfortably.
Upon entering, layers of gauze curtains fell, allowing sunlight to spill in, as if one were immersed in a peach grove. As if sitting cross-legged on the opposite side, one's entire body was bathed in this color, as vibrant as peach blossoms and plums. However, a touch of arrogance lingered between one's brows and eyes, which condensed the vibrant color into a sharp edge that seemed to break through ice.
He suddenly spoke up: "I told you before that the exorcism will only get more painful each time. Rather than having you sit on the edge of the bed, collapsing in pain and only able to be supported by your burlap, I'd rather lend you half of the bed. When your spiritual power is overwhelmed and you have nowhere to use your strength, remember to change the bed."
Lin Feiran then realized that he was explaining his earlier impolite words, so he said, "...I will remember that, and I will be gentler when I seal your meridians."
"Hmm," he responded, then pressed his fingers against her wrist and closed his eyes slightly.
Then, a magic array appeared inside the room, tightly protecting it.
Author's Note: I'll also update tomorrow, Monday.
There's still so much to write. I wish I could write this much every day TT
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