Episode 51

  Insufficient to cover the door and come out, again see the daughter wearing clothes in the store, elegant and charming. The tailor master looked at her intently, as if he was infatuated. Insufficient saw this and took a closer look, only to see that the daughter was dressed in white like snow, with wide sleeves slightly drooping, standing quietly, although she glanced back slightly, already exuding a hundred charms. Then smiled and said:

  "Chang'er, let's go!"

  "Yes, younger brother."

  He didn't pay enough money and took his daughter out of the door.

  Before long, they had gone three or four li beyond the town. Suddenly, Qiangwei turned her head and said:

  "Hey, Brother Insufficient, it seems like Tailor Master is calling you from behind!"

  Insufficient to turn around and stand still, gazing at that person in the distance, only hearing the old man say:

  "Thank you, fellow Taoist, for your poem. Perhaps someday I'll have the chance to visit this place again."

  "Here! The kid is coming to bother us!"

  He finished speaking, bowed with his fists clasped together, and then turned around and left.

  After several days of traveling, the Ling Mountain was already by my side, and in front of me, the sky suddenly opened up. Although the mountains were a continuous stretch of green peaks, they no longer looked menacing, their color had turned warm and peach-like, without any gloomy appearance. Looking into the distance, the distant mountains' peach blossoms were in full bloom, layer upon layer, peak after peak, valley after valley, the scenery was vast and difficult to describe. Three miles to my left, there was a very unusual mountain, which looked like a lotus emerging from the water, distinctly different from the surrounding mountains.

  "Chang'er, this mountain looks like a lotus from afar, it must be the Holy Lotus Mountain! You see, its peak is shrouded in misty haze, temples are hidden in the light fog, and the mountain path winds and turns, suddenly disappearing and reappearing. This place must be where immortals reside."

  "Yes, brother is absolutely right."

  As they reached the foot of the mountain, they stopped for a short rest at a small tea house and asked the young waiter about the route. They were told that after crossing this small hill, they would be able to see the sacred lotus wonderland. After sitting for a while, they continued up the small hill, turned around a huge boulder on the mountain path, which was hidden behind the stone. On the left side of the path, there was a platform. As soon as they stood on the platform and looked out, they saw a peak standing alone in the center of a basin-shaped valley surrounded by this mountain and other hills. The peak was surrounded by gullies and streams, which flowed from the west into the upper reaches of the creek beside Lingyin Mountain. The peak was very small, only about two or three miles around, with a slightly blunt top resembling a lotus flower. However, it stood out among the surrounding mountains and hills, like a water lily rising above the water. Moreover, the mountain mist in the valley below suddenly appeared and disappeared, opening and closing, making the objects on the mountain sometimes visible and sometimes invisible, creating an atmosphere of mystery and fantasy that was truly breathtaking! The two men descended the steps again, crossed the stream once more, and climbed up to the sacred lotus peak. The stone steps wound their way around the mountain, leading to the top, with small paths branching off every now and then to connect to temples or incense-burning places. Halfway up the mountain, there was a flat area that served as a marketplace where ordinary people traded incense, candles, paper money, and other items for the convenience of devout pilgrims who came to worship on the mountain. This lotus peak, together with its surrounding peaks, formed the sacred lotus mountain range.

  Not enough to go with Chang'er into the market, first went to small stalls and idle around. Then Chang'er's little woman's temperament suddenly appeared, towards small toys, flower rings, head decorations and so on, she couldn't bear to put them down. Not enough saw this, then let her choose. A stall after another, following her idle around. When he suddenly saw a pair of phoenix hairpins, Chang'er was still trying on bangles at the bangle stall without stopping. Not enough asked the price, and quietly bought it back.

  "What a pity I didn't have enough money; otherwise, I would have had a pair of golden hairpins."

  Then Chang'er also saw the golden hairpins, but knowing that there was no silver left, she sighed secretly and went on her way.

  "Chang'er, let's go, we'll take a look ahead."

  "Yes! Not enough for big brother."

  The girl reluctantly took another glance at the golden hairpins and then followed the insufficient person to the next stall. This was a medicine stall, with some medicinal herbs and flowers placed on a piece of oilcloth. The insufficient person's heart was slightly surprised - this person looked like a farmer, how did he have such rare medicines! Most of them were unknown and unused in the mortal world, and one or two branches of the medicinal herbs were even difficult to find in the immortal realm! In this place where ordinary people gathered to sell medicine, those who recognized it were rare, why was that? Thinking about this for a moment, the insufficient person suddenly felt a shock in his heart, as if someone was using the Taoist method to investigate him. Moreover, the other party's six senses had spread out and covered the surrounding area, but their spiritual field was rough and simple, and they could sense it slightly. It was clear that although this person was a cultivator, their magical powers were not yet sufficient to be feared. The insufficient person looked up at the vendor and saw his astonished expression, then smiled and said:

  "Sir looks at me like this, could it be that you have seen me before?"

  The drug trafficker also said:

  "Unexpectedly met a fellow traveler here! Haven't you gone to Apricot Forest?"

  "Apricot forest? Oh! Sir, didn't you go either?"

  "Alas! My cultivation has been hindered, and I have sought a breakthrough for ten years now! The grand competition of the medical community may be colorful and exciting, but it's just a contest of skills and techniques, far from helping me achieve a breakthrough in my cultivation. It's not what I'm looking for!"

  "Your words are wrong. Comparing with others is not about being brave and fierce, but rather to sharpen one's skills and divine abilities, in real battles to reveal the inadequacies of one's training, or perhaps gain insight and achieve a breakthrough, who knows!"

  "Although I said so, but for ten years, I have been through many battles in the medical field, and every time I fought with others, I gained nothing. Now I am no longer disappointed!"

  "Sir, enlightenment only occurs in an instant. Although thoughts and feelings often revolve around the heart, if the spirit is not focused, what one seeks will not be obtained. The spirit refers to external objects that tempt and suddenly arise in the heart. What you seek is good fortune for your spiritual heart. This is actually a chance encounter, so it's better to follow nature and go with it! Why must you avoid this great gathering of scholars? Enlightenment is not the fault of the gathering, but rather the fault of using one's mind too strongly!"

  "Hmm, well said! But how did you also end up in this place?"

  The cultivator pondered for half a moment.

  "I want to find the immortal grass and spiritual root to enter the elixir, I have been searching for a long time without success, just about to go to that apricot forest to compare."

  "What then shall I do with you?"

  Nothing's going on here, Chang'er. Let's go with this Taoist friend instead. Firstly, it's safer to travel in a group; secondly, we can also ask the immortal for guidance along the way.

  "Good!"

  Chang'e's tears fell like pearls. The cultivator gazed at Chang'e's face and was shocked to see a heavenly being. He stared straight at Chang'e and said:

  "Good fortune to you and your friends, may you find a perfect match!"

  "Hah, hah, hah, what is your honorable title?"

  "A certain family had the surname Chu, with a single given name of Jin. What is your honorable surname?"

  "Not dare," Insufficiently rose his hand in a slight salute:

  "This is Xiao Ke Feng Cheng, she's my sworn sister Fu Jun Ru."

  "Hello, Brother Chu!"

  That Chang'er smiled and said: "This is the way of cultivation." Zhu Jin hastily performed a bow and said:

  "It turned out that the two were not husband and wife, but rather I, Tang, had made a mistake."

  Chang'er glanced sideways and said in a soft voice:

  "Brother Chu is too polite. I've long heard of the name of Apricot Forest, but had no chance to meet, please bother Brother Chu to introduce me."

  "Oh, Fairy didn't go to Apricot Forest!"

  "I'm not good enough, brother won't let me go, he just says it's a girl's family, and one should still be diligent!"

  "This is not Brother Feng's style. There are many female cultivators in the Great Repair! Think of our Qingyuan Gate's current leader, Shen Hong Xianzi, who has entered the path of cultivation and is not only elegant but also has profound skills. She is a renowned figure among cultivators, who dares to look down on her? Moreover, there are many female cultivators in the land of apricot forest, each with their own strengths, and some of them have divine powers that surpass those of male cultivators of the same level in the Ten Sects! Brother Feng, aren't you hiding a treasure, unwilling to let Xianzi go out? Ha ha ha..."

  "Brother Chu is laughing at me."

  "You're like an immortal, how can I take you home?"

  "Thank you, Brother Chu."

  So the three of them traveled together all the way to Apricot Forest.

  After traveling for over ten miles, we turned west around the left wing of Mount Shenglian and entered a valley. We then climbed over a steep mountain peak and stopped at the summit. The view suddenly opened up, with layer upon layer of peaks rising and falling in the distance, disappearing into the far horizon, and floating among the clouds and mist, impossible to see again. As we gazed out as far as the eye could see, the entire landscape within our field of vision was filled with peach blossoms covering the hills and valleys, without a single gap. Although I had previously seen the beautiful scenery of the peach blossom forest, at this moment, standing on the summit, I saw the sea of flowers like a mighty wave, rolling and surging forward in waves, its momentum warm and majestic. The flower forest was hidden among the clouds and mist, floating and drifting, delicate as fine dust. It seemed that the flowers, trees, mountains, and valleys were all connected, merging into the boundless spring colors of heaven and earth! I felt that humans were insignificant in this magnificent landscape. We walked for dozens of miles, circling around a mountain path hidden by a peach forest, and stood at the entrance to a valley. Jing'er gazed out at the valley filled with peach blossoms, her heart suddenly aching, tears flowing down her face. She thought that Jiao Jiao loved flowers the most, and if she were here now, who knows how excited she would be? But she had entered the Nine Spirits Divine Box to cultivate, and it was unknown when she would achieve great success. Even if she succeeded, how could she reforge her physical body and rely on the gods? At that moment, I raised my eyes and looked out, seeing the black mountain peak in front of us, cutting off the sea of peach blossoms! The left side of the mountain was a flower-filled ocean, while the right side had not a single peach branch.

  "How strange! How bizarre!"