Taoyuan Village is quite large, nestled against the mountains to the north, with a river flowing through it. The village is named after the many peach trees planted there. The oldest peach tree dates back to the village's founding, making it at least two or three thousand years old.
Zhang Jing said that the village used to have five or six thousand people, stretching for more than ten miles, but ten years ago a plague wiped out all the villagers.
The further you go in, the more wild trees and grasses you see, and the trees are all very thick, with many even being hundreds of years old.
"Everyone, stay close!" Xing Shuo shouted a reminder.
The trees grew denser and denser, giving Yuan Qi the illusion that he had entered a primeval forest.
Because the village was very large, it got dark as they walked. Fortunately, everyone was prepared and brought oilcloth and tinder.
Xing Shuo and the others, each carrying a torch, led Yuan Qi and the others further inside.
As they could vaguely see lights ahead, a sense of unease crept into their hearts.
Bai Youhui asked, "Seventh Sister, look, it seems like people live up ahead. The pavilions and towers over there look very beautiful."
"It's just an illusion, everyone be careful not to lose your mind."
As soon as Yuan Qi said that, the surrounding scenery changed immediately. It was no longer a desolate and dense forest, but a bustling market. Street vendors lined the streets one after another, and tourists thronged the streets. The dilapidated houses were transformed into houses with red walls and green tiles, full of life and warmth.
Everyone was startled because the constable was holding a knife, which attracted a lot of attention, and everyone pointed and whispered about Yuan Qi and the others.
"Put it away. There's no murderous intent, so we're not in danger. Now let's go find the owner of this illusion." Yuan Qi calmly pressed down the knife in Xing Shuo's hand.
A boy carrying a bamboo basket blocked their way: "Want some freshly made sugar cakes? They're very sweet."
Everyone knew this was an illusion, so they dared not eat anything and shook their heads.
The boy selling sweet cakes regretfully stepped aside, and Yuan Qi asked him, "Brother, where is the leader here?"
The boy scratched his head, looking puzzled.
Yuan Qi then made up another story: "My brother passed by here the other day. He's tall and handsome, wearing a white robe. Have you seen him?"
The young man was very enthusiastic: "Are you a scholar?"
Yuan Qi nodded like a chicken pecking at rice: "Yes, yes, my brother is studying at the academy and has been away from home for a long time. My mother asked me to come out and look for him."
The boy pointed to the northernmost point: "The scholars are all at Peach Blossom Academy over there. You might be able to find them there."
Yuan Qi looked in the direction he was pointing. The area was brightly lit, with a large cluster of neat buildings built on the hillside, visible from afar.
"Thank you, brother." Yuan Qi led everyone away.
Bai Youhui also noticed: "The people here seem to be ordinary people. Do you think they were originally residents of this village?"
Yuan Qi smiled and said, "You've become smarter after spending so much time with me. What you said is right. It's just that they are all ghosts, doing the same things they did in life, living the same lives they did in life."
Bai Youhui instantly felt that things weren't going well, and when he looked at the people passing by, he subconsciously avoided them.
The constables who followed them didn't dare to talk to those people casually, let alone buy their things.
Xing Shuo chatted with Yuan Qi: "These people don't seem to know any kung fu; they're just ordinary people. Daoist, are they really just ghosts and not monsters?"
Yuan Qi hummed in agreement: "They are not monsters. The monsters are just ahead."
Everyone looked up and saw a very tall peach tree in front of them, its branches stretching far out, and pink peach petals would fall wherever they went, making the place beautiful and romantic. It seemed as if the petals on the tree would never stop falling.
Even Bai Youhui and Qian Wenbing couldn't resist reaching out to catch a few petals, and they could still smell a faint fragrance when they placed them in their palms.
Before long, everyone arrived under the peach tree.
Standing under the tree was a handsome young man dressed in a pink and white robe, his black hair held back with a peach branch. He had handsome features, red lips and white teeth, and held a folding fan painted with peach blossoms in his hand. Not far away was a table with a pot of wine and several wine cups on it.
He looked at Yuan Qi with a smile.
Yuan Qi was also looking at him. He had at least two thousand years of cultivation, but fortunately, there was no murderous aura about him.
"You all stay here and wait, don't go far," Yuan Qi instructed.
Xing Shuo was also a little confused: "Taoist Master, is this the monster you were talking about? Why isn't it a blue-faced, fanged monster? Instead, it's a handsome man?"
"Um."
"My name is Tao Ran. I have met the Celestial Master." Tao Ran was not only handsome but also very polite.
Bai Youhui scrutinized the person closely and whispered in Yuan Qi's ear, "He doesn't look like a demon."
Yuan Qi spoke to Bai Youhui without any pretense: "Your cultivation is high, so you can conceal it well, but you can't hide your demonic aura."
"Can we win?" Bai Youhui was a little unsure.
“No problem. Although he is powerful, he is afraid of my Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Trees are most afraid of fire.” Yuan Qi was very confident.
After muttering to herself for a while, she finally spoke to Tao Ran: "How old are you?"
Tao Ran invited Yuan Qi, Bai Youhui, and Qian Wenbing to sit at the table, which was just the right number of seats for four wine glasses.
He chuckled and said, "Two thousand seven hundred and fifty-six years old."
“It’s been quite a few years, it would be a shame if it died.” Yuan Qi said this as soon as he sat down.
"You knew as soon as we arrived in this village, didn't you?" Yuan Qi smelled the wine on the table. It was brewed from peach blossoms and had a clear and fragrant taste. Such fine wine was rarely seen outside.
Bai Youhui could tell it was good wine just by smelling it: "Peach Blossom Wine".
Tao Ran glanced at him lightly, then answered Yuan Qi's question: "Yes, my roots have covered an area of ten miles. I knew as soon as you arrived. What does the Celestial Master think of this place?"
Yuan Qi raised an eyebrow slightly: "I don't think there's anything good about what you're doing by imprisoning the souls of the villagers of Taoyuan Village here, preventing them from going to the underworld to reincarnate."
Tao Ran was somewhat angry: "The Celestial Master probably doesn't know how they died back then, does he? If it weren't for that plague, they would still be alive today. The villagers of Taoyuan Village have watered and nourished me for generations, but when the plague came, I couldn't save them. Do you know how sad I am?"
“Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the cycle of nature. Everyone is just a passerby in this world, and it’s not something you or I can control. Just like the villagers here who all died from this plague, that was their fate. You should let them go their own way.” Yuan Qi patiently persuaded him. If it weren’t for the fact that he had no intention of killing him, he would have burned this place down long ago.
Tao Ran clearly disagreed with this statement: "No, all the villagers here are dead. They watered and nourished me, so I have an obligation to let them continue to live on this land."
"You're just fooling yourself."
Bai Youhui couldn't stand it anymore and questioned him: "You imprisoned the villagers here, preventing them from entering the cycle of reincarnation and being reborn, and that's one thing, but why did you leave so many scholars behind? What did they do to offend you?"
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