Chapter 18: Three of the Five Emerged
When Fu Nanhua walked out of the house, he found that the delicate-looking maidservant was sitting on a small stool in the courtyard, holding a handful of corn in her hand. She was feeding the chickens. An old hen led a group of fluffy yellow chicks, pecking at the ground.
Seeing her, Fu Nanhua smiled slightly. The young girl, whether due to shyness or innate coldness, merely twitched the corners of her mouth as a return greeting.
When Fu Nanhua pulled open the courtyard gate, he discovered that Cai Jinjian was actually waiting for him in the alley, looking displeased. He turned to close the door, and through the gradually narrowing gap, he caught a glimpse of a face looking up. Fu Nanhua suddenly noticed that this maidservant, a poor girl who should have been covered in the smell of earth, actually had a pair of rather extraordinary eyes, setting her off like the tender green of early spring. However, Fu Nanhua didn't think much of it. For the young master of Old Dragon City, women of outstanding beauty, plump or slender, graceful and charming, were simply too common to be impressed by.
Walking side by side with Cai Jinjian, Fu Nanhua asked, "What's wrong? Didn't it go smoothly? Matters of fate are always full of twists and turns; you can't expect to strike the final blow every time. No need to be disheartened."
Cai Jinjian was naturally seductive and charming. After cultivating, she had undergone marrow cleansing and bone washing. In terms of her physical body alone, she was naturally purer than ordinary worldly women. A glance at a worldly woman might make one think she was stunning, but ultimately, it was just a bag of skin and bones.
At this moment, the expression on the fairy of Cloud Mist Mountain was not good, showing just how terrible her mood was. Otherwise, she wouldn't have worn it so obviously on her face. She had probably been holding in her anger while waiting in the alley earlier and simply had to vent it now. "A senior got there first. One of the local powers in Book Scroll Lake, River-Cutting True Lord Liu Zhimao. He left no room for negotiation. As soon as we met, he brought up my sect's founding master to pressure me, a junior. I only managed to say a few words before he kicked me out of that Gu Can's courtyard."
Fu Nanhua, thoughtful, reminded her, "Let's talk after we leave Clay Bottle Alley."
Cai Jinjian asked suspiciously, "Isn't all magic power forbidden here?"
Fu Nanhua smiled. "Who among those who come here seeking fate doesn't have some hidden tricks up their sleeves? For young people like us, it might be fine. According to the town's rules, the higher one's cultivation, the greater the suppression. Below the Saint level, the closer one gets to sainthood, in principle, the weaker one becomes, like a child, right? But have you ever considered that if a senior cultivator were willing to sacrifice some of their cultivation base to use a divine ability, wouldn't they still be stronger than us juniors?"
Cai Jinjian retorted, "With a Saint here, would that River-Cutting True Lord dare to blatantly attack me?"
Fu Nanhua advised, "We came here to find good karma, not to make enemies. Even if there's no risk to our lives, souring relations with seniors is ultimately not a good thing."
Cai Jinjian was not one to dwell on things. She nodded and said, "Brother Fu's words are very sensible. That is the prudent opinion."
Her face fell, looking pitiful. "But I really can't accept it! I've already given you ten Cloud Root Stones. If this turns out to be a waste of effort, how will I explain it to my ancestors when I return?"
After leaving Clay Bottle Alley, both Fu Nanhua and Cai Jinjian felt a sudden surge of energy. It was not simply that the light had brightened. The two looked at each other, then quickly averted their gazes.
Fu Nanhua, who had been extremely excited and elated, also became much calmer. He carefully considered his trip to the alley. His alliance with Cai Jinjian had shown no flaw. His transaction with the youth Song Jixin had also been without any mistakes. It was a fair deal that followed the rules. Why would the Saint, who sat here watching the wind come and go, the water rise and fall, have the leisure to interfere? Then where did this pressure come from? Could it be that River-Cutting True Lord, whose name he had never even heard of, was responsible? In contrast to Fu Nanhua's deep thoughts, Cai Jinjian's thinking was simpler. She thought Fu Nanhua’s guess was correct, that the River-Cutting True Lord had indeed used some kind of divine ability or spell to monitor her. She shuddered in hindsight, grateful that she had only uttered some complaints and not made any harsh or angry remarks.
The two walked down the street with their own concerns. The further they got from Clay Bottle Alley, the lighter the feeling of oppression in their hearts became. Fu Nanhua felt it was the weight of fate and fortune, while Cai Jinjian felt it was the weight of family burden.
Looking up at the distant archway, Fu Nanhua asked curiously, "River-Cutting True Lord of Book Scroll Lake? Why don't I have any impression of him? Even though my Old Dragon City is in the far south of the continent, the position of True Lord is so illustrious. No matter how ignorant I am, I should have some knowledge of it."
Cai Jinjian lowered her voice and sneered, "What True Lord? He's just a high-ranking Cultivator among the heretical sects. He is the most hypocritical and doesn’t even qualify to be called a True Lord. It's just flattery from meddlesome people. Think about it, Emperor Yuan Wu is very shrewd; he would never confer this title on such a man. One True Lord title, once given out, might not be taken back for two hundred years. Besides, Emperor Yuan Wu's ancestors were too generous. By his time, only two True Lord positions remained. He wouldn't casually give one to a fame-seeking rogue cultivator from a heretical sect."
Fu Nanhua realized, "I see."
Every True Lord who takes a seat in a dynasty can help the ruler gather, suppress, and increase the nation's fortune.
The Daoist position of True Lord can be considered the pinnacle for Daoist sect members in secular dynasties, alongside the Military Supreme Pillar and the Confucian Grand Scholar.
Cai Jinjian asked casually, "What about that Song Jixin?"
Fu Nanhua also answered casually, "That youth, ambitious, naturally intelligent, with no small backing, but his vision..."
Cai Jinjian smiled, "Not broad?"
Fu Nanhua laughed heartily, "I wouldn't say not broad, just not broad enough."
As they walked under the archway, Fu Nanhua was in high spirits and murmured, "When opportunity comes, even heaven and earth lend their strength."
Cai Jinjian looked up at the four characters "Do Not Seek Outwardly", feeling empty and lost. It was as if the sudden insight she had gained earlier in Clay Bottle Alley had been completely returned to this town.
This made her unusually irritable.
—— ——
Song Jixin's residence was a large household in Clay Bottle Alley. Besides the main hall with a plaque, there were also side rooms on both sides.
The plaque in the main hall read "Huai Yuan Hall", without any signature. Song Jixin always felt that just from the calligraphy, it was not the work of any great master.
At this moment, master and servant were in Song Jixin's main room. The youth was rummaging through boxes and cabinets, while the maidservant stood at the door. She asked softly, "Young master, did the deal not go through?"
Song Jixin put down a string of bells, sat back on the only chair in the room, clasped his hands behind his head, and crossed his legs. "That Fu Nanhua from Old Dragon City isn't a complete fool. He didn't treat me like some greenhorn who doesn't know anything from the start. But he's not that smart either. He wanted to strike up a friendship with me. How amusing. Later, I tricked him a little and he showed his true colors. He thought he could show off some thunderous methods, both reward and punishment, to bluff me. But compared to that unfathomable Mr. Qi, he's light years away."
The maidservant Zhigui said, "Light years away, young master, that's an exaggeration."
Song Jixin made a face and said, "Then it's ten Clay Bottle Alleys away!"
The youth tossed a pouch to his maidservant. "Take a look, these are the copper coins mentioned in that secret letter. The Chen kid next door also got a bag. I figured back then that having such immense fortune fall on his head might not be a good thing. Sure enough, didn’t it piss off those two bitches? I think that Chen fellow has more trouble coming his way. Oh, Zhigui, let me tell you, the guy who came to our house claimed to be the young city lord of Old Dragon City. From his tone and his behavior, he's at least not a showy fool. And this jade pendant, he said it's called ‘Old Dragon Brings Rain’, definitely valuable!"
Song Jixin patted the lovely green jade pendant now hanging at his waist. Deep down, the youth felt he had taken a big step closer to becoming a scholar like Mr. Qi.
Zhigui opened the exquisite embroidered pouch and asked softly, "Young master, can you bring back some more 'copper coins'?"
Song Jixin asked with a smile, "Do you like them?"
Zhigui pinched a golden coin between two fingers, shook it, and said happily, "They're so golden and shiny, so festive to look at."
Song Jixin laughed helplessly. "That works? Alright, since you like them, I'll get you a few more bags. These coins, in the outside world, are used as charm money placed on beams, spring greeting money on peach talismans, or offering money inside Buddha statues' stomachs or hands. But commoners have their customs, and immortals have their stories."
She squinted her eyes, like two crescent moons, and asked, "What about Chen Ping'an's bag?"
Song Jixin frowned. "Him?"
The maidservant noticed her master's unusual mood, carefully put away the copper coins, tightened the pouch, and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Song Jixin curled his lips, covered his neck with his hands, twisted it, and said casually, "Nothing, just remembered some crappy things. As for that Chen guy, no rush. I don’t want to bring trouble on myself. As for that bookish Zhao Yao, he'll probably get some coins too. He's easier to fool. I promise I'll get you a bag from him."
Seeing the maidservant's strange expression, Song Jixin didn't bother to explain further. Seeing that her master had no desire to talk, the girl didn't press him.
Zhigui walked out of the room into the courtyard. She saw that annoying-looking four-legged snake, lying listlessly on the ground, basking in the sun. It occasionally rolled over, looking quite content.
The suddenly angry girl strode over and stomped right on the snake's head, twisting her foot viciously.
The poor little creature whined miserably.
She lifted her foot, and the snake shot away like a bolt, scurrying around the courtyard, constantly crashing into walls.
Her own earth-yellow four-legged snake.
The golden carp that had greedily swum into the fish trap.
The black loach that Gu Can kept in his water jar.
Gold, wood, water, fire, earth — three of the five had emerged.
Looking at the four-legged snake with horns growing on its head, the girl grinned and said with contempt, "Stupid thing!"
—— ——
In the courtyard of the child Gu Can's home, the old man and the woman were still sitting facing each other. The former stretched out his palm and looked at the spread of lines on it, his mood not light.
The old man withdrew his hand, looked up, and asked, "Mrs. Gu, are there many women in town like you who married an outsider?"
The woman shook her head. "Probably not many. Around here in Clay Bottle Alley and Apricot Flower Alley, I'm the only one."
The old man hesitated for a moment, then revealed some heavenly secrets to her. "For a girl, ages six and twelve; for a boy, ages eight and eighteen, are two major thresholds. The first needs to be crossed by oneself. The second can be helped by external forces. After that, there is another matter that can give more certainty. The wealthier and more noble the family, the greater the advantage. Opening the door, entering the hall, ascending the chamber — for the first two steps, it truly depends only on fate and destiny. Especially the first step; success or failure depends solely on whether heaven bestows the favor."
The woman's eyes were full of joy. "Being selected by an immortal at a glance means my Gu Can is someone who can take the first step on his own, right?"
The old man gave a noncommittal smile and said, "Any child raised in this town means their innate talent is not particularly outstanding. Your Gu Can is no exception, even though he hasn't turned eight yet."
The woman's face instantly turned extremely ugly.
The old man lifted his foot, stamped on the ground, and said with a smile, "Don't worry. Innate talent is important, of course, but it's not the most important thing. If heaven looks kindly on you, even a dog by the roadside or a wild weed can slowly cultivate the Great Way and eventually ascend to the clouds. This time, the town has made an exception to allow so many outsiders to enter, which is also a last resort. A piece of farmland, no matter how good the soil and water, after thousands of years of continuous reclamation, cultivation, and harvest, along with several instances of reckless overexploitation in between, will eventually decline and become barren. This place's feng shui foundation has finally reached its last great cycle. Just like when a person is about to die, they have a final burst of energy. At that time, their spirit and vitality become especially strong. Your Gu Can is benefiting from this. His opportunity is so great it's beyond imagination, far surpassing those children in town who were gifted before."
The woman's lips trembled as she struggled to suppress her joy. Her eyes were watery, and they exuded an alluring charm.
The old man glanced at her and said with a smile, "Of course, don't be greedy. Your son is not the only one with such great fortune. To be blunt, in this entire East Treasure Vase Continent, even if someone were qualified to monopolize this fortune, they haven't been born yet."
The woman clasped her hands over her heart and murmured, "Enough, that's enough."
The old man thought of that junior disciple from Cloud Mist Mountain and sneered, "Busy and frantic, exhausting themselves, only seeking external things. Truly, they pick up sesame seeds and lose the watermelon. Utterly foolish."
Then the old man chuckled, "Right, Cloud Mist Mountain's old geezers have never had broad vision. That's why I got this advantage. Possessing a treasure mountain that's almost inexhaustible, they should have been rolling in wealth and prosperity, yet they've fallen to the point of relying on a mere disciple to save face."
Inside the room, the child, who had been kicking and punching the door for a long time, stood on a stool, leaning on the windowsill. With a pitiful face, he begged, "Mother, let me out, okay? I promise to be good!"
The woman looked at the old immortal, who nodded.
She then went to open the door, took the child's hand, and walked into the courtyard. She said sternly, "Xiao Can, no causing trouble, understand?! Your mother has never hit you, but if you dare to disobey, I might hit you again."
The child said "oh" quietly, his head drooping, listless.
Gu Can brought a small stool and sat down, forming a triangle with his mother and the old man. The child rested his chin on his hands and said, "Mother, what were you and the storyteller talking about? I couldn't hear clearly inside. Say it again, okay?"
The old man let out an "eh", thought for a moment, then shook his wrist. The big white bowl reappeared in his palm. He lowered his head to look intently, his expression unreadable. On the surface of the water in the white bowl, ripples spread, and sometimes splashes rose. A black line was swimming swiftly around the bowl, occasionally bumping against the walls. The old man muttered to himself, "Forget it, forget it. Go as you will."
To take on this disciple, the old man had racked his brains earlier in Clay Bottle Alley. By sacrificing decades of his cultivation base, he had successfully manipulated events three times.
Once was making that woman step in dog shit.
The last time was using a secret technique to make her believe she had truly achieved enlightenment. Outside this town, this would have been absolutely impossible. Even a genuine Daoist True Lord probably wouldn't dare to do such a thing. But in this town, Cai Jinjian was no different from a mortal. The old man paid a heavy price and thus created an opportunity.
The second manipulation was the most delicate. Even the old man himself thought it was a stroke of genius. He made the woman mistakenly believe the straw-sandaled youth's kind reminder was actually a cunning act of revenge. At that time, the old man had slightly slowed down the youth's words when he spoke, allowing the woman to catch that detail.
It was the most careful scheming.
On the path of cultivation, fellow travelers, good karma and bad karma — it's a fine line between them.
At this moment, the woman, Mrs. Gu in the courtyard, was once again anxious, afraid the old immortal might say something bad.
The old man twitched the corner of his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a child tiptoe to stand, then dash towards the courtyard gate.
The woman screamed.
The old man, holding the white bowl, stood up calmly. "Disciple, let your master show you the vastness of heaven and earth first, so you won't act recklessly and ruin the great undertaking of our master-disciple pair!"
The woman's vision went black and she fainted to the ground.
The old man suddenly swung his sleeve.
The next moment, the child who was about to touch the door latch stumbled and fell. But when he realized something was wrong, he looked around in confusion, then looked up at the storyteller standing beside him. "Where is this?"
The old man clasped his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Inside the bowl."
The child was even more confused. Then he heard the old man shout, "Get up!"
The child instinctively stood up, unmoving.
Gu Can found himself standing on the edge of a cliff. In the distance ahead, a sea of clouds surged.
Then the child stared wide-eyed in horror. Amidst the white clouds, a huge trunk was breaking through the mist, moving slowly.
But it was so enormous that its complete form could not be seen.
The child was so scared he wanted to step back, but the old man's hand pressed down on his head. "If you retreat now, you won't be able to take a single step forward on your cultivation path! Stay steady!"
Gu Can was so frightened that tears gushed out. This unruly, stubborn child didn't even dare to cry out loud.
The child couldn't control his body at all, his legs trembling, his lips quivering.
In the distance, the sea of clouds boiled.
The hazy white clouds seemed to be gradually fading.
Thus, more black appeared in the sky, extremely long and extremely large, like... the little loach he kept in his water jar, which had grown huge?
This thought randomly popped into the child's mind.
At that moment, Gu Can was stunned. Involuntarily, he took a step forward, reaching out his slender arm towards the sky.
A head, as huge as a mountain peak, slowly swam out from the sea of clouds.
The child's eyes lit up. Without the slightest fear, he even waved his hand and called out, "Come here, come here! So you've grown this big, huh. No wonder I always felt like the fish and crabs I threw into the jar were always a lot less the next day."
Standing behind Gu Can, the River-Cutting True Lord of Book Scroll Lake was filled with mixed emotions — both a strong sense of loss and jealousy, and a natural feeling of relief.
Although he himself certainly no longer had such great fortune, having such a disciple was still a blessing. This trip was definitely worth it!
The old man watched the head approach and murmured, "A wonder of the world."
—— ——
Chen Ping'an suddenly told the black-clad girl he needed to go inside the house. Finally, he crouched in a corner, his back to her, hiding something in his palm.
He went out, saying he was going to buy a clay pot to brew medicine for her, as they were missing one at home.
After the straw-sandaled youth quickly left, the girl glanced at the dark corner where an old pot stood.
And actually, the girl's hearing was very good.
What he held in his palm was a piece of broken porcelain, extremely sharp.