Chapter Thirty-Three: The Mountain Immortal’s Daily Life (Sowing Beans, Reaping Melons)

Life in the mountains was leisurely and quiet, so uneventful that Liao Chen, a little bored, could not resist Yunhua’s pleading and went to take a look at her watermelon seedlings.

Why were they sprouting but refusing to grow?

Yet when Liao Chen finally saw the little watermelon vine, he was startled. He could not tell whether Yunhua and Yunlingzi were growing watermelons at all, or some kind of spirit herb. Was there any such thing as growing watermelons like this?

Spiritual energy shimmered all around the seedling. It was no longer an ordinary watermelon vine. No wonder it was growing so slowly. But he absolutely could not tell Yunhua that, or she would surely fly into a rage.

Liao Chen circled the vine a few times at random and discovered that Yunhua had apparently chosen the wrong spot. The soil was far too barren. If not for the spiritual energy sustaining it, the seedling would probably have starved to death long ago.

"Master, why wont this vine grow taller?" Yunhua asked her all-powerful master, staring at the seedling.

"Hmm." Liao Chen thought for a moment. He could not tell her that she had chosen the wrong place, nor that she had overdone it with the spiritual nourishment. He could only deflect. "The soil in these mountains is too poor. It is not suited for growing watermelons."

"Huh?" Yunhua was stunned. Should she try some farmyard fertilizer? The mere thought of dousing the precious little seedling with a bucket of filth instantly killed the idea. Too horrifying. How were people supposed to live here after that?

"Then there is no other way?" All her hopes were pinned on her master.

"It seems that planting beans nearby to enrich the soil might work." Liao Chen was not entirely certain. In his past life, he had not been the sort to do farm work; he had only heard of such things.

"All right then! Ill plant some beans nearby. Master, youre amazing!" Yunhua clearly paid no heed to the uncertainty in his tone. The moment she heard that her master had come up with a plan, she agreed at once.

That forced Liao Chen to swallow the rest of his words, leaving him uneasy and faintly apprehensive. If, in the end, the watermelon seedling still refused to grow, would his exalted image come crashing down?

Yunhua continued with her grand farming endeavor, while Yunlingzi remained immersed in his own world of joy and suffering. The monkey was busy all day long, running about the mountains. Yunlingzi was likewise occupied, continuing steadfastly down the path of the ghost immortal. That left Liao Chen with little to do.

Four years had passed. Though Emperor Hongzhi had already passed away, the court seemed to have no intention of halting the great project. The Profound Gate Temple was now more or less complete. A magnificent temple complex had risen upon Mount Qingcheng. What remained were only the fine details: carving, decoration, and the like. Such things could not be rushed.

Liao Chen instructed the official left in charge of the temple to purchase red copper, white marble, and some sinkwood on his behalf, hoping he would see to it as quickly as possible. The official, upon receiving Liao Chen’s orders, dared not be negligent. Copper had always been scarce in China, but when the True Person Guardian of the Nation had spoken, how could he not do everything possible? Besides, the offered price seemed extremely generous. He immediately made a record of it, asked his clan and colleagues to help procure the materials, and at the same time submitted a petition to the court, hoping it might provide some support.

Liao Chen was preparing to establish the Grand Celestial Star Array of Guiding Starlight in the rear mountains.

The little watermelon seedlings Yunhua was tending had reminded him of something: the spiritual energy in the mountains was insufficient. Once cultivation reached a certain stage, progress would inevitably grind to a halt, just like a sprout that had emerged but could never finish growing. It seemed Yunhua would soon run into the same problem. If the formation could not be set up successfully, their cultivation might be delayed.

After finishing the worldly affairs, Liao Chen returned to the cave residence and found Yunhua planting beans near the watermelon vine. It seemed she had taken his words completely to heart.

Suddenly, Liao Chen remembered his first meeting with Yunhua in the mountains. Time truly passed too quickly. And the little fat boy, the second disciple he had intended to take in, still had not sent any word.

After thinking it over, Liao Chen beckoned. "Yunhua, come here a moment."

"Oh? What is it this time, Master?"

Looking at Yunhua's youthful face, he noticed that the space between her brows seemed to hold a faint stirring of a love omen. A sudden, ominous feeling rose in his heart. But the signs were already clear; heaven had evidently ordained this. Everything could only be endured as a trial. There was no escaping it.

It seemed that now was truly the time to send Yunhua out into the mortal world.

Liao Chen suppressed his thoughts and smiled. "Yunhua, you have now cultivated in the mountains for many years. It is time for you to go down the mountain and travel for a while. Cultivation is also cultivation of the heart. If one does not enter the mortal world, how can one comprehend it? Take Yunhuzi with you. These days, it is also time for it to broaden its horizons. You should visit your parents while you are at it. Help me go see what is happening with the little fat boy. He is nearly eight now. If he is willing to come up the mountain, bring him back with you when you return. If he is not willing, we will not force him. And while youre there, pay a visit to the Empress Dowager. After all, she is your godmother, and you are also a Princess of Great Ming. By the way, ask the emperor for some red copper on my behalf. I have need of it. But remember this well: do not become attached to the passions of the mortal world. Otherwise, your path of cultivation may end here."

When he had finished, he still felt uneasy. Yunhua had not yet severed her worldly ties, and the star of romance was already stirring at the gate of her fate. Who knew what twists and turns this journey might bring? Yet the path of cultivation was arduous, and the heart of the Dao was never easy to keep. Yunhua could never truly avoid this forever. In the end, it all depended on her own choice: whether she would seek the Dao, or chase mortal love.

Because Yunhua was leaving the next day, the atmosphere inside the cave residence grew somewhat subdued. Yunlingzi was reluctant to part with Yunhua, and Yunhuzi was unwilling to leave the Fire Fox. As for Yunhua herself, besides being a little sad that only a few days had passed since her reunion with her master and she was already being sent back down the mountain, she also felt a great anticipation for the journey ahead and the chance to make her way through the jianghu.

Liao Chen prepared many things for Yunhua's descent from the mountain. Talismans were, of course, indispensable. Then he hurried to give her further instruction in the use of spells. Once Yunhua went down the mountain, she would inevitably encounter demons, ghosts, and all manner of strange beings. She could not allow the name of the Profound Gate Temple to be tarnished.

In the end, he also gave her the copper coins and the money sword. The copper coins could protect her body and were among the temple's precious treasures. Liao Chen had spent quite a fortune on them. The money sword was not as good as a peach-wood sword, but compared with ordinary ritual swords, it was far superior and more than enough for Yunhua to use. After all, the peach-wood sword was an implement of the sect master. Until Liao Chen had chosen his successor, it could not be handed over.

Parting was always sorrowful. Though those who followed the Dao looked down on all things, they could never truly cut off feeling and desire. Liao Chen placed a mirror-sight spell upon the copper coins and the money sword. If danger arose, he would at least be able to know what had happened, and one could only hope there would still be time to come to her aid.

With tears streaming down her face, Yunhua set off down the mountain, accompanied by Yunhuzi, who flatly refused to part from the Fire Fox.

Back in the cave residence, Liao Chen took out three copper coins and quietly cast a divination.

Heaven above, earth below. Heaven and Earth: Obstruction.

Obstruction does not favor the righteous man. The great goes out, the small comes in. The sixth third line changes: bearing disgrace.

His heart immediately clenched. This was not a good omen. On this journey, Yunhua would not meet a worthy person, and if she could not hold fast to her Dao heart, it would likely bring disaster rather than blessing. It was a true peach-blossom tribulation. If it were only a beautiful match, that would be one thing. Liao Chen could not stop his disciple from pursuing happiness in the mortal world. After all, the road to immortality was bitter and difficult; even he would not dare claim he could one day attain the Dao, let alone Yunhua.

But happiness was not waiting for her on this trip.

And yet he could not interfere.

Each person had her own fate. To force himself into the matter would only invite greater calamity. Liao Chen let out a long sigh, put away the coins, and gazed in the direction Yunhua had gone, silently praying, "Yunhua, whatever you do, do not fall into the mire of mortal karma."