Chapter 8

(T/N: I am changing Wandering Taoist to Fudao Shanren because I feel that the English translation not accurate, and it sounds so funny and weird.. Sorry for keeping on changing the Wandering Taoist name…huhu I tried to change his name into English words, but sometimes I feel it is not quite accurate so better stick to Chinese name… once again sorry..huhu.. I promise this is the last time I change his name..hehe)

The cicadas chirped incessantly, and the summer heat was scorching.

On a long, winding mountain path, a woman in plain clothes and an old man walked side by side.

The woman carried a small bundle on her back, her hair as dark as ink.

Despite the sweltering heat, she held a green lotus leaf above her head, providing a refreshing shade, as if a cool breeze had blown in on this hot day. Her fair skin and large eyes made her a sight to behold.

The old man, however, was a different story. Though not drenched in sweat, his face was filled with grief and indignation. He wore tattered clothes, with a yellow gourd of wine hanging from his waist. In one hand, he held a bamboo pole, and in the other, a hemp rope.

Behind him, the rope dragged a small cart with wheels, on which stood a calm and composed white goose.

Yes, this old man was none other than the legendary Fudao Shanren, who claimed to be a master of the six realms and nineteen continents. The woman in plain clothes was, without a doubt, Jianchou.

It had been ten days since they left the small village.

After departing the village, they had been heading south.

But poor Fudao Shanren had to drag a white goose along the way. He had thought that by taking on a disciple, even if he didn’t receive any formal gifts, he would at least get a couple of white geese, as he had been craving them lately.

Little did he know, a big pitfall awaited him.

One day, when he mentioned wanting to eat the white goose, Jianchou revealed the truth, causing Fudao Shanren to howl in frustration.

At that moment, Jianchou smiled, and for some reason, Fudao Shanren’s anger dissipated.

That smile was the only genuine one Jianchou had shown in those days.

His disciple had suffered much but still forced a smile, which truly pained his heart.

Fudao Shanren decided to take the white goose with him.

However, as time went on, it became clear that the goose couldn’t keep up with their pace. Fudao Shanren couldn’t bear to part with it.

Jianchou, seeing Fudao Shanren’s indecision, suggested releasing the goose or simply killing it.

But Fudao Shanren, for reasons unknown, refused and came up with a ridiculous idea: he found a small cart and placed the goose on it.

From then on, Fudao Shanren dragged the goose wherever they went.

Jianchou was speechless, utterly baffled by Fudao Shanren’s strange thinking.

She had seen ox carts and horse carts, but never a man dragging a cart with a goose on it!

Now, Fudao Shanren trudged ahead, while the white goose honked noisily behind him.

Jianchou listened to the cacophony and looked at the road ahead, feeling utterly helpless.

“Master, how much longer do we have to walk?”

Aren’t immortals supposed to fly?

Why does Fudao Shanren have to drag a goose along?

Jianchou couldn’t make sense of it.

Fudao Shanren stopped, wiped the nonexistent sweat from his brow, and glanced at her. Then, he pulled out a chicken leg from somewhere and started munching on it.

“The master isn’t in a hurry, but the disciple is. Are you a eunuch or something?”

“…”

Jianchou stared at him, wanting to say that she was just asking, not rushing.

Fudao Shanren, as if seeing through her, said, “Alright, alright, I know what you’re thinking. You came to learn from me, but I haven’t taught you anything yet. That’s my fault. But I’ve been busy eating chicken legs, carrying the goose, and guiding you. Don’t be impatient; being patient is also a form of cultivation…”

No, I’m not impatient…

Wait!

You have time to eat chicken legs, carry the goose, and guide me…

And you’re busy?!

Jianchou suddenly had an epiphany and glared at him. “Didn’t you say you weren’t teaching me cultivation to help me calm my mind and temper my spirit?”

“Eh, did I say that?”

Oops, the cat’s out of the bag.

The chicken leg in his throat seemed to choke him, and Fudao Shanren looked around, coughing. “Ahem… that’s not what I meant. We’re busy traveling, and we need to find a place with abundant spiritual energy to start cultivating. I just haven’t found the right place yet.”

Jianchou’s grip on her bundle tightened, and her smile deepened.

“Oh? So it’s not because you’re too lazy to teach?”

“Yes, yes, exactly.”

Fudao Shanren nodded vigorously.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already mapped out a grand path for you! In half a day, we’ll reach the famous Qingfeng Temple in Daixia, near the eastern coast. I have an old friend there, and I want to visit them. That place is by the sea, with abundant and gentle spiritual energy, perfect for beginners like you. Once we’re there, I’ll handle some business, and you can start cultivating.”

Jianchou looked at him but said nothing.

Fudao Shanren leaned in, trying to appease her. “Alright, I’m not the kind of person who spouts nonsense and can’t be relied on! How could I let you fall behind? You’ll be the most outstanding among the new generation in the nineteen continents! Just half a day more.”

Jianchou instinctively looked up at the sky.

There were no flying cows.

Though she didn’t find Fudao Shanren particularly reliable, his earnest and careful demeanor made her feel no anger at all.

“Master, I’m really not in a hurry. I just think…”

I think you should stop spouting nonsense.

“Forget it.”

“Hehe, don’t worry, it’s definitely just half a day!”

Fudao Shanren quickly assured her.

And so, they continued on their way.

But after less than two hours, Jianchou realized that this master of hers was indeed unreliable.

The mountain path ahead gradually leveled out.

Standing halfway up the mountain, they could see the rolling hills stretching from north to south, gradually flattening into an endless plain.

On the plain, bustling towns were scattered about, already filled with the hustle and bustle of human life.

Qingfeng Temple was in Daixia, near the eastern coast—the eastern coast!

They had been heading south since leaving the village!

Which meant that now, Fudao Shanren had to lead Jian Chou eastward!

The moment she saw the plain ahead, Jian Chou knew she was doomed to be led astray by Fudao Shanren.

“Is this the half day you were talking about?”

“Well, if we hurry, we can make it.”

“…Give me back the goose!”

Jian Chou suddenly didn’t want to reason with Fudao Shanren anymore. She realized that without some pressure, this master of hers would continue to be unreliable!

“Let’s talk this out properly; don’t bring up the goose so easily!”

Fudao Shanren looked at the plain ahead, feeling a bit confused himself.

This wasn’t the direction he had in mind.

As he pondered where things had gone wrong, he heard Jian Chou’s cold, ruthless, and unreasonable words.

Fudao Shanren immediately bristled, bending down to pick up the white goose and glaring at Jianchou defensively.

Jianchou smiled. “Then, Master, can you give me your word that it’s really just half a day?”

“Why are you in such a hurry! I said half a day, and half a day it is. Half a day is six hours, and only two and a half hours have passed… we still have three and a half hours left. We’ll definitely make it!”

Fudao Shanren declared confidently.

Jianchou’s skeptical gaze swept from Fudao Shanren’s hair down to his tattered straw sandals. She pointed at the endless plain ahead, where only a faint mist could be seen.

“You’re saying we can cross the plain in three and a half hours?”

“I said we can, so we can.” Fudao Shanren glared. “Hmph, I’ll just have to show you my true skills—sword!”

Before Jianchou could react, Fudao Shanren shouted:

“Sword!”

A series of crisp cracking sounds followed.

Jianchou looked over in surprise and saw the small wooden cart on the ground rapidly folding together.

With a flash of blue light, the small cart transformed into a wooden sword, hovering about a foot above the ground.

The white goose in Fudao Shanren’s arms flapped its wings wildly, as if shouting, “My cart! My cart! My sword! My sword!”

Seeing this, Fudao Shanren didn’t hesitate to give the goose a smack.

“Behave!”

The goose immediately slumped, its neck drooping, as it pitifully stared at the wooden sword.

The sword was ancient in design, a large blade as wide as two palms side by side and four feet long. It was blunt and unsharpened, with a dull color and deep, dark marks in some places.

Upon closer inspection, those dark marks were actually small tadpole-like patterns, resembling some kind of mysterious seal.

The sword didn’t look particularly impressive.

But the moment it appeared, Jianchou felt a sense of simplicity and natural harmony with the world.

Seeing Jianchou’s astonishment, Fudao Shanren finally let out a smug snort.

“This sword is called ‘Wu.’ If you close your eyes, you won’t see it.”

“…Is there a sword that can be seen with your eyes closed?”

The cultivation world truly was full of wonders.

Jianchou’s mouth twitched.

“Ignorant, ignorant! Well, you wouldn’t understand even if I explained. Hurry up and get on the… uh, sword!”

Fudao Shanren stepped onto the sword first, standing about a foot from the tip. The sword remained steady, still floating above the ground.

Jianchou hesitated for a moment, then cautiously stepped onto the back of the sword near the hilt. Afraid of falling, she grabbed onto Fudao Shanren’s arm.

“Master, we won’t fall, will we?”

“If you stand steady, you won’t fall.” Fudao Shanren chuckled, then patted the white goose in his arms. “Good goose, good goose, we’re about to ride the wind and sword! Sword, rise!”

Ride the wind and sword!

A gust of wind blew in their faces, causing Fudao Shanren’s thin frame to tremble in his fluttering robes. Yet, his eyes burned with a bright, intense light, as if a radiant energy filled his body.

He stood firmly at the tip of the sword, forming a hand seal. A blue light emanated from the sword, and the wooden blade suddenly shot up into the sky from the mountain path.

The tall trees that had once blocked the sky quickly receded from Jianchou’s view.

Higher and higher they went.

The sword, tilting upward, carried her even higher.

The blue sky and white clouds grew purer the higher they ascended.

In just moments, they had left the mountains and valleys behind, heading toward the vast plain.

Clouds drifted swiftly beneath their feet, and the bustling towns were shrouded in a faint mist, only vaguely visible.

Standing above the clouds, Jianchou felt her heart sway.

The beautiful mountains stood like ancient statues at the edge of the plain, like the earth’s protruding veins.

The vast landscape lay beneath her feet.

It felt as if they were riding the wind, with no end in sight; as if they had transcended the mortal world, ascending to immortality.

For a moment, Jianchou forgot what she wanted to say, entranced by the view.

As if understanding her feelings, Fudao Shanren remained unusually silent.

The vast plain, which would have taken days to cross on foot, was now traversed in mere moments with the speed of the sword.

The wooden sword, Wu, transformed into a streak of blue light, streaking across the sky.

The boundless eastern sea was now within sight.

The deep blue waters stretched to the horizon, with rolling waves and white foam.

The coast was flat, with only a few low mountains at the edge of the plain. The tallest among them was Mount Dai, home to Qingfeng Temple, Fudao Shanren’s destination.

From afar, Fudao Shanren spotted the cliff behind Mount Dai and steered the sword toward it.

“Descend!”

With another hand seal, the sword’s tip pointed downward.

Jianchou felt a slight unsteadiness, but her feet remained firmly planted on the sword, likely due to some protective mechanism.

She felt a sudden warmth in her heart. Despite his complaints, Fudao Shanren had thought of her safety while flying.

Then, she looked ahead and saw Fudao Shanren cradling the white goose as if it were his own child!

Who’s your real disciple here?

The warmth she had felt vanished instantly.

Jianchou felt a pang of something indescribable…

“Whew!”

Once they landed, Fudao Shanren let out a long breath.

Jianchou stepped off the sword and looked around.

The eastern coast’s climate was vastly different from the small village she had come from. The trees were taller and denser, with glossy leaves. The rocky cliff beneath their feet was grayish-white, covered in a layer of fine dust, as if weathered by years of wind.

They stood on a high cliff, with a few leafless old trees growing at an angle on the rock face.

A fierce wind blew from the base of the cliff, stinging their faces.

But Fudao Shanren stood unflinching, and as the wind hit him, he suddenly exclaimed, “Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

Jianchou thought something was amiss.

Fudao Shanren shook his head. “Nothing, just someone sent me a message.”

“Where are they?”

Jianchou looked around but saw no one.

She turned back to see Fudao Shanren standing at the edge of the cliff, his tattered robes fluttering in the wind. He stretched out his hand, fingers spread, as if sensing the wind’s path. Then, he narrowed his eyes, furrowed his brow, and gently stirred the air with his fingers.

Suddenly, he seemed to grasp something, and with a pinch of his index and middle fingers, he pulled a silvery light from the void.

“No one, the message is here.”

The silvery light rested in Fudao Shanren’s hand, and Jianchou found it strange.

“This is the message?”

Fudao Shanren nodded, confirming her question.

He frowned, then gently rubbed the silvery light between his thumb and index finger. The light burst into a cloud of silver mist, which then condensed into lines of text.

What is this?

Jianchou looked over but found the words blurry and impossible to read.

Fudao Shanren, however, focused intently on the text.

“To Fudao Shanren, from Hengxu of Kunwu Mountain.”

“According to the laws of heaven, I once used a great divination to predict the next hundred years. Kunwu Mountain will face a great calamity within this century. A prodigy of unparalleled talent will emerge on the twenty-second day of the sixth month, destined to replace me and save Kunwu from disaster, turning the tide in our darkest hour.”

“Bound to Kunwu by fate, I must dedicate myself to its survival. Thus, ten days ago, I ventured west to Daixia and took this prodigy as my disciple.”

“This disciple possesses an exceptional temperament, free from worldly attachments, with a face like jade and a gentle, refined demeanor. He is well-versed in all schools of thought. Though he wields the Dao with his left hand, his talent is extraordinary. He achieved the Foundation Establishment stage in just ten days, a feat I have never seen in my life.”

“Shanren, we have been friends for many years. I share this joyous news with you and invite you to celebrate together.”

“Additionally, I hope you return to the nineteen continents soon, as there are important matters to discuss.”

Word by word, line by line.

After reading the message, Fudao Shanren felt a mix of emotions, his teeth grinding audibly.

“That old monster Hengxu! So what if he just took on a disciple? What’s so great about having a face like jade and a gentle demeanor? Cultivation isn’t about looks! And what’s with the ‘wielding the Dao with his left hand’? Just say he’s left-handed! So pretentious! Ten days to Foundation Establishment? Big deal! Disciple, my disciple—”

He turned to Jianchou, his voice cutting off abruptly.

Jianchou, in her plain clothes, stood without a trace of cultivation, looking at him in confusion.

Fudao Shanren thought of the “ten days to Foundation Establishment” mentioned in the letter and felt a lump in his throat, as if he were about to spit blood.

Comparing the disciple Hengxu had taken on to his own…

For a moment, Fudao Shanren’s face was filled with weariness.

Jianchou had heard Fudao Shanren’s outburst and understood that someone had taken on a disciple.

But…

A face like jade, a gentle demeanor, ten days to Foundation Establishment…

And…

Left-handed.

Jianchou looked up in a daze. “Master, what’s the name of the disciple that Hengxu took on?”