Chapter Nineteen: Xian Xing and Renshen Fruit

  Nüwa heard him say that he was his daughter's body, and it wasn't convenient to do anything about it. Perhaps thinking of the situation where two people would greet each other like this, she couldn't help but blush, instantly lifting her darkened face, and no longer inquired further, softly saying: "As long as you don't forget what you said before and promised me, that's all that matters."

  "How could I forget? You see how obedient I was just now."

  Fuxi let out a cold snort and approached Zhuang Xiong, his expression dark and menacing. "Tell the truth, what did you say? What promises did you make to my sister? You seem quite glib and smooth-tongued, is this how you deceived my sister?"

  Zhuang Xiong disdainfully said: "Don't measure a gentleman's heart with a petty person's. What we've discussed, why should we tell you? Not to mention that you don't know my intentions towards Nüwa's sister, which are more proper than your brotherly duties. How could I possibly deceive her?"

  Fuxi coldly snorted, "Say whatever you want, this time I was careless, but next time there won't be another chance. Let's see about that." He didn't even wait for Zhuang Xiong to explain himself, and instead walked over, bowed his head and smiled, "I've made a fool of myself in front of all of you, seeing my little sister safe and sound, I was overjoyed and couldn't contain myself, which led to me being rude. I hope all of you won't mind."

  Laozi looked at Zhuang Xiong again and said, "Fuxi Dao friend is being polite, let's go up the mountain and talk about it." Tongtian also called out, "Up the mountain, up the mountain! Today we have new friends, we should celebrate!" And so he led everyone up the mountain.

  Zhuang Xiong originally wanted to hold Nüwa's little sister's hand, but didn't think that Fuxi was indeed always by Nüwa's side, not letting Zhuang Xiong get close to Nüwa. This made Nüwa laugh and smile, while Zhuang Xiong smiled bitterly, unable to take action, and could only follow the crowd up the mountain with a sulky expression.

  All along the way, everyone had great magical powers. After passing through the formation, although Mount Kunlun was vast, it was reached in the blink of an eye.

  The Taoist temple of the Three Pures was not yet the later Kunlun Mountains' Jade Void Palace, but only had a few ordinary thatched cottages, stone tables and chairs. Everything was so plain and unremarkable, but Zhuang Xiong immediately noticed a apricot tree in front of the cottage. At this moment, the apricot tree was only over three meters high, with a few small flowers scattered on it, sparse and inconspicuous, not even comparable to the ordinary spiritual trees that could be seen everywhere in the mountains. But Zhuang Xiong knew that this was the immortal apricot, one of the ten great spiritual roots before heaven. According to legend, when the Three Pures parted ways, the immortal apricot was also divided into three parts. Yun Zhongzi of the Jade Pillar Cave on Mount Zhongnan had only transplanted a branch from the immortal apricot after it was divided, and the fruit that grew from it was mistakenly eaten by Lei Zhenzi, who surprisingly grew wind and thunder wings and made a great name for himself. It can be seen that the immortal apricot is extraordinary. However, Zhuang Xiong had no great interest in these uses, what he wanted to know was how the immortal apricot tasted?

  On the other side, Tongtian was busy inviting everyone to sit down, serving tea and water, and having a great time. Yuansheng was accompanying him on one side, exchanging pleasantries with the crowd. Laozi, however, had been observing Zhuang Xiong all along, seeing that he had noticed the immortal apricot tree, his eyes gleaming with interest for an instant before quickly passing it off. He came over and said: "Fellow Daoist, please, I am Sanqing Laozi, but I don't know how to address you? We've been cultivating this apricot tree for countless millions of years, without any special features. Fellow Daoist, have you discovered anything unusual about it?"

  Zhuang Xiong smiled and said, "I don't have a Taoist name yet, you can call me Cang Xiong or Xiong Dao Ren, just don't be so polite. Don't try to deceive me, others may not recognize it, but I know that this apricot tree is the immortal apricot of the ten great spiritual roots. How could I, as a fellow Taoist of Laozi, not know? Are you trying to test me?"

  The old man laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist, you indeed have a broad vision. This apricot tree has been standing here all along, yet no one has ever noticed it, nor did anyone know that it is one of the pre-heavenly Ten Great Spiritual Roots. You are the first to discover its extraordinariness and can even call out its origin."

  Zhuang Xiongqi said, "Isn't that person over there the Daoist friend Zhongyuan of Wanshou Mountain's Five Ancestors Temple? I remember he had the Ginseng Tree, one of the Ten Great Spiritual Roots, in his hands. Having been in contact with the Ten Great Spiritual Roots for a long time, how could he not recognize this immortal apricot?"

  Laozi's smile said: "It's good to see the Daoist friend. Indeed, Zhenyuanzi Daoist also didn't recognize this immortal apricot. This immortal apricot is different from other spiritual roots, it doesn't transform into a treasure, nor does it take human form, its fruit doesn't increase one's lifespan, nor does it prolong one's magical powers..."

  Zhuang Xiong hastily interrupted him, saying: "Fellow Daoist, don't say any more. I can't bear to hear so many words. What you're saying is making my head spin. Actually, what I most want to know is, how does the immortal apricot taste? How's its mouthfeel?"

  The old man was interrupted by Zhuang Xiong, but he didn't get angry and still smiled: "Daoist friend is indeed honest, this immortal apricot knot is not easy to come by, in ten million years there are only three, it's just that I used it for alchemy, and haven't even tasted the flavor. If Daoist friend is interested, I have a few more here, you can try them." As he spoke, he handed over three immortal apricots from his hand, with a red glow emanating from within, and a faint aura of mysterious power seeping out. The crowd on the other side also noticed the two men's movements in an instant.

  Zhuang Xiong, however, was completely oblivious and shamelessly said: "Don't mind me, just don't mention that I'm a foodie. If you don't mind, I really want to try the flavor of this immortal apricot. Don't be heartbroken about it. To be honest, I've lived for countless years but still haven't tasted the flavors of the top ten spiritual roots. It's not something to brag about, but in the future when I'm wandering around the Desolate Expanse, I'll have to try a few more things."

  The old man laughed and said, "What's there to mind or not mind? For someone like me who has cultivated to this level, the Spirit Fruit is just something used to satisfy one's desires. It's rare to have a Daoist friend as optimistic and open-minded as you, who still has a heart that appreciates taste. A few trifling Immortal Peaches aren't worth my concern. Even if I use them to refine Dan, it's just a hobby, a way to pass the time."

  Nǎ Zhuāng Xióng heard Lǎo Zi say this, couldn't bear it anymore, and hastily said "Then I won't be polite", snatched the three immortal peaches in his hand, and shouted to Nǚ Wā: "Sister Nǚ Wā, you come over and try some too."

  Nüwa glared at him fiercely, feeling extremely embarrassed, and her face instantly turned bright red. Fuxi, however, was not one to be polite with him, and teased: "You big oaf, you're just a foodie, I saw you searching for spiritual roots to satisfy your cravings in Mount Buzhou, and now you've even lost face all the way to Mount Kunlun, do you still want to save face?"

  Laozi laughed and said, "No harm, no harm." Yuanshi smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist is already in the realm of Dali, but instead of thinking about improving his magical powers, he has a unique fondness for the desires of the mouth and stomach. It's rare to have this kind of innocent heart, it makes us old folks look down."

  Tongtian whispered in a low voice: "It's just a few fruits, how can there be so much to say?"

  "That's quite an eye you have, friend," said Zhenyuanzi with a smile. "The sacred apricot tree is indeed right here, yet none of us noticed it until you pointed it out. You should be rewarded for your keen observation. As for your interest in the spiritual fruit, that's nothing to be ashamed of. We've been cultivating for tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of years; if we didn't have our own little hobbies, it would be hard to bear. If you're not too proud, I still have a few ginseng fruits at my Five Villas Temple; feel free to come by and try some whenever you have the time."

  Zhuang Xiong's face turned slightly red as he listened to Zhen Yuanzi's words, and he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. Who didn't know about Zhen Yuanzi's legendary ginseng fruit? Who wouldn't want to try some? Zhuang Xiong would often swallow hard at the mere thought of it, and now that Zhen Yuanzi was inviting him to taste the ginseng fruit, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed. "Brother, you're too kind," he said. "I've been admiring your ginseng tree for a long time, and I'm eager to try some. Don't worry about wasting the fruit on me; just throw me out if I get too greedy!"

  Nüwa shot a sideways glance at Zhuang Xiong, her eyes gleaming with amusement. She snorted softly and Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but chuckle, saying: "Sister Nüwa, you see I have this little hobby of mine. And wasn't it Zhenyuanzi who invited us? We can't very well refuse his kind intentions, can we? Whatever good things I have, won't I share them all with you? Come, Sister Nüwa, try some of these celestial pears first."

  Nüwa hummed and said: "I won't eat it."

  Zhuang Xiong's face turned gloomy, and he didn't even dare eat the immortal apricot in front of himself, so he had to put it away first.

  Everyone watched as Zhuang Xiong anxiously stood on the other side, and couldn't help but secretly laugh. This Zhuang Xiong was so cultivated, if he were just a greedy eater, that would be fine, but he was also afraid of Nüwa. It's truly amazing how one thing can suppress another, and all things are born and overcome each other.

  Only Fuxi glared at him with anger in his eyes, treating Zhuang Xiong like a time bomb, staring fiercely at him, fearing that he would take another step closer. Town Yuanzi hurriedly laughed on the side: "It's me who invited fellow Taoists, it has nothing to do with Brother Xiong. If Nüwa wants to blame someone, she can blame me. Later, I'll ask Nüwa to move over and give me a little face, and also come taste my ginseng fruit."

  He turned his head to Laozi and said: "Laozi is not being generous, having such spiritual fruits, why didn't you take out a few more? Everyone can taste them together, why did you only give some to Zhuang Xiong?"

  The old man smiled bitterly: "It's not that I, the poor Taoist, am petty, but this immortal apricot has only borne three fruits in ten million years. Unfortunately, I've used them all to refine elixirs. Except for the few in Brother Xiong's hands, there really aren't any left. I'm afraid I've become a laughingstock for all of you, please don't mind."

  Tongtian chimed in from the side, "Elder brother is right, that apricot tree is really too difficult to grow, and it takes ten million years to produce only three. I think even if we want to play with them, big brother won't agree. Today, giving three to Brother Xiong is already a rare occurrence, I'm afraid there really aren't any more." Before Tongtian could finish speaking, he saw Yuanshi staring at him fiercely and quickly shut his mouth.

  Zhenyuanzi said thoughtfully, "So that's how it is. My ginseng fruit can produce thirty in a million years, and everyone can come to Wuzhuangguan to taste them another day. But this immortal apricot takes ten million years to produce just three, which is extremely difficult. The effect must be extraordinary, but I don't know what's so special about it."

  Yuanshu sneered, "With our level of cultivation, no matter what effect it has, how can it possibly work? Following the elegant and refined is acceptable, but if one goes too far, they will inevitably fall into inferiority."

  Although these words sounded unpleasant to the ear, everyone couldn't help but ponder deeply, obviously having been moved. Zhenyuanzi said: "Fellow Daoist is right, we have spent countless years cultivating in order to attain the Great Dao, to be born and die without bounds, forever carefree. We must remember this every day, not relaxing for a moment, only then can we achieve something. Being complacent over just a few fruits is not what our kind should do."