The First Part: The Birth Chapter 3 In Total, It's All a Chaos of Flowers Dazzling People's Eyes

  Qiao'er pouted, complaining: "Xiaoxue Shijie, you came so slowly, letting the monster bully me for half a day." She grabbed the purple-clothed girl's hand and jumped up with a flip.

  The girl lowered her head to examine, stretched out her hand to stroke, and saw that Qiao'er was not injured. Only then did she say: "I'll send those girls back home, it's a big delay in the village at the foot of the mountain. You didn't wait for me to catch up, but instead insisted on fighting with the monster, what if something happened? When we get back to the mountain, I'll have Ouyang Shijie punish you severely!" Her voice was clear and pleasant to hear, but her tone was severe, revealing a cold and stern intent.

  The peach blossoms were in full bloom, and her mind was filled with wild thoughts. "The young girl captured by the Zhou family actually had the good fortune to be escorted personally by an immortal... Ah, what a wonderful thing! Why didn't Zhou Tian Shuai capture me instead..."

  Qiao'er heard the words "Ouyang Shijie" and stuck out her tongue, not daring to say more. On the other side, Can Niangzi came back to herself, swallowed back her internal elixir, and stared at the young girl saying: "You're called Xiaoxue? You're a disciple of Emei Jianxianmen?"

  Xiao Xue did not respond, but instead asked: "The silkworm maiden originally belonged to the Ba Shu spiritual beast, and has always been cultivating in the deep mountains. Why have you come out into the world to harm people? You have turned men into silkworms, stolen their yang energy to cultivate your inner elixir, and have already violated the Emei Sect's demonic prohibition order. Do you know your crime?"

  Silkworm girl said: "The Emei sect is in great danger, and it's hard to protect oneself. Who still cares about your warnings?"

  Xiao Xue said: "Recently, the demons in Shu do not obey Emei's rules, and most of them are related to the great disaster you mentioned. Since you know the truth, come back with me to Mount Emei. Report the details to Changshengzi, your senior brother, or he may spare your life."

  The silkworm girl looked at Little Snow, seeing her white teeth and snowy skin, her waist straight and her shoulders upright, but she was just a young girl under 28 years old. She coldly smiled and said: "Since ancient times, there has been a saying 'E' Mei Yang, Sword Immortal is strong', now they send out a fledgling to show off in the world, it can be seen that their power has already declined, no one can be used. You want me to yield? First take out some real skills!"

  Xiao Xue said: "Cán Niáng Zǐ, come with me. If I take you down with my sword, your years of cultivation will also be wasted."

  Silkworm girl burst out laughing: "You're so arrogant, come and get me!" She spat out her internal elixir, accelerated her cultivation, and in an instant a whirlwind rose from the ground, picking up gravel and forming a column of smoke that shot towards Xiaoxue at high speed. The sound of 'whooshing' echoed through the smoke, as if countless sharp blades were piercing and chopping, leaving all the grass and trees they passed by scattered, and the rocks shattered into pieces.

  Xiaoxue's expression remained calm as the whirlwind approached. With her left hand, she pulled out a small ceramic box and with her right arm, she gently stretched out, shouting "Dì!" (Swift!). A brilliant light burst forth from her palm, momentarily blinding like a golden crow landing on the ground. All around was a vast expanse of white. Then, the light converged and retreated into the small box. Taoyao's eyes were dazzled and her spirit shaken. When she regained her composure and looked again, the surrounding area was calm and peaceful, with no sign of Can Niangzi. Inside the small box, there was an additional large silkworm as thick as a thumb, wriggling about.

  Qiao'er leaned in close to the box, laughing: "So white, so well-behaved. Silkworm girl, Tianji Shixiong's 'Subduing Soul Box' is much more comfortable than your Dustless Pavilion!"

  Xiao Xue said: "After Master leaves the pass, send her to Zhenyao Tower. That's what I call 'comfortable'!" She closed the box lid, put it in her bosom, and with a wave of her hand, a golden sword light flashed by, cutting the red locust and green mantis in two. Qiao'er saw this and couldn't help but sigh: "Two little monsters were quite fun, just like that they're gone. Alas, so pitiful, who made you run into Xiao Xue's sister."

  Xiaoxue sheathed her sword and said, "If we don't eliminate this little demon, it will surely become a great calamity."

  Qiao'er said: "Sister, are you using the 'Chrysanthemum Sword'? Master said that this sword can easily intensify your murderous intent, and told you to use it with caution..."

  Xiao Xue smiled and said, "Alright, get rid of the two insects, you can be so troublesome. Go back and I'll catch two grasshoppers, put them in a cloth bag and let them jump around for you to play with."

  Qiao'er said: "Understood, you can spare some lives. Eldest sister, what about those scholars in the house? And that Tao Da Ge, he's quite interesting, I'll introduce him to you."

  Xiao Xue hesitated slightly, then shook her head and said: "The silkworm girl has been taken in, her magic will naturally dissipate. I don't want to get involved with outsiders, let's go quickly." She grasped Cui'er's arm, mobilized her energy, and rose into the air on a beam of sword light. The clear wind carried their shadows, and they suddenly soared into the sky, disappearing in an instant amidst the radiant dawn clouds.

  Half a time later, the sky was greatly brightened. The sunlight passed through the window lattice and sprinkled on Taoyao's body. The white silk that bound her limbs turned into water stains, and she could also make sounds in her throat. She slowly walked out of the door with the wall, and her strength gradually recovered. She walked to the center of the grassland again, where the morning breeze stroked her face, the dew was clear, and she felt refreshed. Looking far away at the clouds and mist at the sky's edge, her thoughts also rose like the sun.

  Tao Yanyan stood still for a moment, gazing around. She looked at the green grass with a slight depression, that was where Xiao Xue had stood. The person had left but the fragrance remained, last night's strange encounter seemed like a distant memory. Recalling Xiao Xue's appearance, it was exactly like the girl in her dreams, but her demeanor was vastly different from the charming and alluring attitude in her dreams, even a bit cold and elegant. But Tao Yanyan at this moment felt deeply moved, and thought that Xiao Xue was refreshingly elegant and refined, with a divine and refreshing presence, just like the fairy of Gusha Mountain, she should be high up, worshipped by ordinary people.

  Actually, when young people first experience romance, they always imagine the other person to be extremely perfect, as if "one good thing after another, unable to compare with Xi Shi". What's more, Xiaoxue's skin is like jade and ice, her beauty is rare in this world, she can't lose to those beauties in books. At this moment, she is still young, already a stunning beauty, what kind of charm will she have when she grows up? Her personality is cold and proud, if all her tenderness is only for her loved one to enjoy, then that's even more wonderful.

  Tao Tao was more and more infatuated, imagining himself as Xiao Xue's lover. He vaguely saw thousands of men offering their devotion, but Xiao Xue didn't even bat an eyelid, not even glancing at them, only happily leaning against his chest like a little bird. Tao Tao floated up to the sky, closed his eyes and loudly declared: "Heaven's will! Meeting her in my dreams is a match made in heaven! A destined romance!"

  With excitement hard to contain, he suddenly pointed his finger at the sky, as if all the gods and Buddhas had descended. He gritted his teeth and vowed: "Jade Emperor! Buddha! Yuanshi Tianzun! Tiandu Mozushi! Sun Wukong Baigujing Tianpeng Yuanshuai Guan Er Ye, listen to me - If I cannot spend my whole life with Xiaoxue, I will go to the 18th level of hell after death, roll in the oil pot and climb the knife mountain. In the next life, I will become a big king and be trampled by everyone!" He originally wanted to say "marry Xiaoxue as his wife", but felt it was too cliché and disrespectful to the gods, so he changed it to "spend my whole life with her". After making the vow, Tao's energy doubled, and his heart was filled with hope.

  At the beginning of the fight, they answered each other and revealed that Xiaoxue and Qiaor were "Emei Sect disciples". Since their identities have been confirmed, going to Emei Mountain to visit the Emei Sect is the next step. Taoyao returned to the Xuedustudio, packed a few gold and silver utensils as travel expenses. The scholars had already recovered their human form, sat in the wing room discussing their experiences last night, but still didn't know they were being fooled by the demon, and continued to blindly discuss "whether it is or not" and "gentlemen and petty men". Taoyao smiled, didn't even say goodbye, turned around and walked out of the gate, slowly turning to the front of the ridge.

  It's much more convenient to travel during the day. Before long, they met a woodcutter and Tao asked for directions, soon taking the official road leading to Emei. At dusk, they arrived at Leshan, where they exchanged several dozen copper coins at a money shop, bought two sets of clothes, had a big meal, and casually found an inn to stay in, continuing on their journey the next day. After four days of traveling like this, Tao spent lavishly along the way, eating and drinking fine food and wine, also giving alms to poor people, until only 40 or 50 copper coins were left when they arrived at Emei County. Fortunately, the mountain peaks could be seen in the distance, and Mount Emei was within reach, so not much more travel expenses would be needed.

  Taoyao walked through the streets and alleys, inquiring about the scenic spots of Mount Emei. No one knew what "Emei Sect" was. Gradually arriving at the entrance to the mountain on the outskirts of the city, a stone archway stood facing her, with inscriptions on either side: "The misty haze has been dyed with the beauty of the landscape for thousands of years, and the Buddha's light has reflected the strange peaks for thousands of years." On top of the archway was written in large letters: "The First Fairy Mountain under Heaven". Taoyao thought to herself: "Although Mount Emei is famous throughout the world, the immortals who live here avoid the world and cultivate themselves, so the name 'Emei Sect' is rarely known." She looked at the stone steps behind the archway, winding and twisting, seemingly connecting directly to the clouds.

  She walked along the stone steps for a while, and in front of her, there was a magnificent temple with a grand roof. The sign above the gate read "Imperial Decree to Build the Great Temple of Gratitude". Tao had read several Buddhist scriptures and had always been respectful of the Three Jewels. She thought to herself, "A temple as grand as this must have great virtuous monks, why not go in and ask for their teachings?" With a happy heart, she was about to step across the threshold when someone suddenly shouted from beside her, "Hey! What's wrong with you? Where do you think you're going?"

  The young Taoist nun turned her head to look, and in the small wooden pavilion by the gate sat a monk, stretching his neck and glaring with golden eyes, hastily putting his hands together and saying: "Disturbing the master's quiet cultivation, I humbly gaze upon the precious temple's grandeur, hoping to enter and rejoice in worshiping the Buddha."

  The monk's expression slightly softened and said: "Out-of-province people? No wonder you don't understand the rules, come over and first buy two sticks of 'incense for Buddha', five cents!"

  Tao Xiaoxiao said, "It's right to worship Buddha." Just as she was about to take out the money, she suddenly had doubts and asked, "Can't you enter without buying incense? Do outsiders have to spend five cents to visit the temple?"

  The monk said, "Of course not. Five cents just to enter the door and take a stroll, twenty cents for incense in front of the courtyard, fifty cents for striking the bell in the Zen hall. If you want to enter the Mahavira Hall, you need to buy a two-cent Guanyin Bodhisattva's blessing portrait."

  The peach blossoms were in full bloom, and suddenly, she sighed: "It's strange, the Buddhist temple is open for business, you are really good at making money."

  The monk didn't mind at all and said, "If you're afraid of wasting money, just get a 'Certificate of Refuge', five taels of silver will let you have fun for the whole year, isn't that convenient?"

  The monk shook his head secretly, thinking "A monk is so greedy and corrupt, it's a pity. I don't need to go in and see him, no need to get involved with the stench of copper." He turned around and took the path up the mountain, walking several steps, still hearing the monk behind him muttering "Country bumpkin..."

  Tao Yao buried her head and only managed to climb the ladder, turning over several bends. The maple forest by the road was fluttering red, and the mist was rising with the dawn. Her chest felt comfortable and relaxed. She raised her eyes to look at a small temple on the edge of the forest, nestled in the mountains and beside the water, quiet and elegant. Tao Yao walked around to the front of the temple, looked up and examined it carefully. Under the eaves, there was a wooden sign with three characters "Fú Lóng ān". She thought to herself, "Large temples are greedy for wealth, but small temples should be clean and simple, shouldn't they?"

  Just over a dozen peasants came out of the temple gate, arguing with the temple keeper in a loud and clear manner. It turned out that they were tenants from the temple, asking the abbot to reduce or exempt them from land rent due to poor harvests. The temple keeper had a shiny bald head and a kind face, smiling and saying: "You brothers are really ignorant. The management of land rent and property is all handled by the old abbot, how can I be in charge? Why don't you ask the wealthy households in the countryside to hold a few ** events, spend some silver to fill the account, and I'll say some good words, the old abbot will surely show mercy."

  The peasants were skeptical and repeatedly asked the host. The temple was angry, shouting: "Money can solve problems, fire can burn pig's head! What's the use of messing with me?" He also remembered that the kitchen was burning vegetables, and he hurriedly shouted: "Girl, pay attention to the stewed trotters in the pot, add some water."

  "Rest assured, the wine is also ready, just waiting for you to eat."

  Her eyes wide with astonishment, she stared blankly for a moment before exclaiming: "I've seen the light! Monks drink wine and eat meat, and they even keep women!"

  There was a young tenant next to me, who liked to talk a lot. He whispered: "He used to be the village head of this town. Because he saw that being a monk had more benefits, he went to Mount Wutai and got a certificate, then came back and became a temple manager after shaving his head. The woman is actually his wife, who usually helps take care of the incense and candles. They also have an eight-year-old son, who sells incense sticks, candles and paper money in town every day, living a pretty good life."

  The monk has a wife, what a strange thing to hear!

  Unexpectedly, the monk heard this. This person was straightforward and glanced at Tao Yaya a few times, pointing to the small Buddha statue at the bottom of the lotus seat, laughing and asking: "The monk doesn't have a wife, where did the little monk come from?" The crowd burst into laughter, staring at Tao Yaya in unison, as if he was a monster from outer space.

  Tao's face was slightly red as she hastily left the small temple. After half a cup of tea's time, the mountain path became increasingly narrow, with steep cliffs hanging in mid-air, forming a treacherous pass. Below the rocks stood four men, extorting money from passing pilgrims. Tao was bewildered and stepped forward to ask under the clear blue sky, who dared to block the road and rob people?

  The villagers are honest and courteous, explaining: "In recent years, there have been too many tourists and incense guests, the mountain paths are often trampled, and many trees have been damaged. The nearby villages have suffered a lot of losses for this reason. Therefore, from 5 am to 3 pm every day, we collect 15 cents per person, which is used for mountain protection, forest conservation, and people's livelihood expenses. This is permitted by the county magistrate, if you think it's expensive, you can climb the mountain in the evening."

  A foreign monk took over and smiled: "Emei Mountain is someone's ancestral industry, we should follow local customs."

  No choice, Taoyao had to take out money. From then on, passing by Qingyin Pavilion, Guanxinslope, Wanniantop, she took out her purse several more times. At noon, they arrived at Xigongting and bought tofu rice from a roadside tea stall, mixed with salted vegetables, the meal was also ten times more expensive than in the city below. Afterwards, they asked for a bowl of millet porridge, just as they were drinking it, a young Daoist came down the stone steps, his footsteps swift as flying, lightly leaping over the mountain stream. Among the tea-drinking guests, there were three prostitutes, who cheered and clapped "Daozhang is so handsome with his qinggong!" "Martial arts are handsome, people are handsome", they laughed and giggled. The Daoist's face turned red with embarrassment, he lost his footing and fell into the stream, got up and ran away quickly.

  The peach blossoms were in full bloom, but her heart was filled with worries. She thought to herself, "They say that Mount Emei is home to dragons and tigers, but I've been walking for half a day and haven't seen any extraordinary people? The whole mountain is shrouded in worldly air, how can the Emei Sect remain pure?" She got up and continued on her way, gradually feeling a chill run down her spine. The autumn wind blew by, making a "whooshing" sound like a thousand arrows piercing the sky. Her body was still injured, and she stumbled forward, almost fainting from exhaustion. Relying solely on her stubborn determination, she forced herself to reach the Golden Summit, where the western horizon was already showing signs of dusk.

  At this time, the Golden Summit was doing Buddhist affairs - the opening ceremony of the statue of Bodhisattva Puxian. The Dharma assembly had dispersed, and offerings were being sold in front of the Buddha statue. Several rosaries, fruits, flower baskets, and even incense sticks were all clearly priced. Monks shouted loudly, believers rushed to buy, and the scene was chaotic. Taoyan squeezed into the crowd to warm up, and saw a shed next to the Bodhisattva statue where monks were having a meal, with chicken, duck, fish, and meat in bowls. The monks were calm and composed, while the laymen were eating with gusto, everyone's face filled with joy.

  Circumventing the temple, inside Huayan Temple there is a high-ranking monk giving a sermon. Outsiders are not allowed to make noise. The Dharma Master's voice is loud and clear like a lion's roar. From outside, one can faintly hear: "Observe this thought in front of you, where does it come from? Observe the thought in an instant. Observe this thought in front of you, where does it go? Observe the annotation in an instant. Alas, what is meant by observing thoughts? Both objects and self are empty, fiercely grasp the essence, only then will you know that there is no coming or going, and see the true nature of Tathagata..."

  The young Taoist smiled wryly and sighed, "If I were to be hit on the head with a stick, wouldn't that make me empty-headed? Would that lead to enlightenment? The Lengyan Jing says, 'When the mind is empty, it appears in front of you. If the mind is born, grows, decays, and dies, then the demon of emptiness enters the heart.' Alas, nowadays, Buddhist masters do not teach the true meaning of the scriptures, nor do they encourage people to do good deeds. They only peddle some 'sudden enlightenment' nonsense."

  An old woman counting her Buddhist rosary beads walked up to him and kindly advised, "Young man, whatever you do, don't stand on the threshold. The Buddha's gate is wide, but only those with a predestined connection can enter. If you stand at the entrance, neither going in nor out, even the Bodhisattva will find it difficult to help you."

  Taoyao gazed at the old woman's withered face, feeling a surge of sorrow and compassion. He bowed deeply, his waist still bent, when he suddenly heard someone reciting in a low voice: "In the era of decline, the heterodox destroy the Buddha's gate; having realized emptiness and correct awareness, there is no flower in the mirror behind the flower."

  Taoyuan was shocked and secretly exclaimed, "Indeed there is a high-ranking monk! These two sentences of Buddhist scriptures are the true words of Buddhism that distinguish right from wrong!" Hurriedly tracing the sound, she saw that the speaker was a rough-looking young monk wearing a tattered monk's hat, dressed in dirty clothes, carrying a broken bundle on his back, and walking quickly with his head down. Taoyuan hastily called out, "Master, please stop! I am ignorant, please enlighten me!"

  Sandy didn't respond, and just kept pushing through the crowd. Tao Yaoyao hastily chased after him, circling around twice before leaving the Huayan Temple, and directly climbing to the top of the mountain along a winding path. The people around gradually thinned out, the figure in front became blurry, and moved stealthily like a ghost. In an instant, he arrived at the end of the small path, where was Sandy's shadow? Looking far away, the evening mist was hazy, listening closely, the sound of ravens crying in the empty valley could be heard, and in front of his feet was a deep, dark abyss.

  The peach blossoms are faintly visible, and I'm lost in thought. "Is it all just my illusion? Is it an illusion, Sha Mi, Xiu Cai, Can Yao, Xiao Xue... everything is just my illusion... the Emei Sect is completely nonexistent. All things in the world are like flowers in a mirror, water in the moonlight; what am I really searching for?"

  He stood at a high point on Mount Emei, known as "Sheshen Cliff". The place was usually shrouded in mist and clouds, with an otherworldly atmosphere. Tourists who came to view the scenery would often tie their belts around their waists, lest they get carried away by the beauty of the scene and jump off the cliff. Taohua had been traveling for several days, observing the ways of the world. She saw how wealthy people were arrogant, how scholars were hypocritical, and how monks were greedy. Her initial respect for Confucianism and Buddhism had faded. Moreover, she couldn't find any trace of the "Emei Sect", so her heart felt cold and disappointed. Suddenly, she had a thought to break free from worldly attachments. She lifted her right leg and slowly stretched it out towards the edge of the cliff.

  At a critical moment, two arms stretched out from behind and hugged him. The newcomer shouted: "Tao Xian, what are you doing?"

  Tao Yao was startled and broke out in a cold sweat, her absurd idea of 'leaving the world' instantly dispelled. Turning around to take a closer look, she found that it was actually Lu Kuan! Tao Yao exclaimed: "Brother Lu, is that you? You've also come to Mount Emei!"

  As the two of them walked hand in hand down from the top of the cliff, they told each other about their parting. It turned out that after Tao Yingying made a big scene in Guanxian County, the county government's runners closed the city gate tightly the next day and pursued the "demon" who had committed the crime throughout the city. Lu Kuan avoided the storm for two days, hired a large cart to leave the city, and only arrived at Mount Emei this morning. Because he was unfamiliar with the terrain, he followed someone to the Golden Summit in a daze, but unexpectedly met Tao Yingying again. Lu Kuan's face was full of joy, his eyebrows flying and his color dancing, but when he talked about what had happened that day in the teahouse, his expression was still a bit awkward.

  "Brother Lu has come up the mountain again, still seeking immortality?"

  Lu Kuan said: "Of course! My foolish brother is unfamiliar with the place, took a wrong turn, otherwise would have joined the Emei Sect long ago."

  Tao Yuyan's eyes widened in surprise and she exclaimed: "From what Brother said, I know that Emei Sect is somewhere. Tell me quickly!"

  Lu Kuan replied, "My late father was rescued by the great master of the chaotic dust. After the event, he knelt down and begged to be accepted as a disciple. The master said, 'Your family still has elderly and young members, how can you abandon your home to cultivate immortality? If in the future, there are descendants with good roots, let them go to Mount Emei's old cave to seek out the Emei Sect, perhaps they will have a predestined relationship as master and disciple.' Therefore, this Emei Sect is set at Old Cave... Hmm, brother, your tone is urgent, could it be that you also want to enter the Emei Sect to learn immortal techniques?"

  "Ah, yes, yes!" Tao nodded and proceeded to recount everything he had seen and heard, as well as his thoughts about Xiaoxue. He then sighed and said, "Alas, the Buddha's path is one of lotus flowers blooming with each step, but in today's world, it's 'each step requires money'. I used to read poetry and books at home, yearning for the scenes they described, thinking that the world was full of noble and heroic spirit. But now I realize how naive I was. Since there's nothing worth lingering over in this mundane world, I'm willing to devote myself to the mystic way, learn the immortal arts, and accompany the fairy maiden. What joy could be greater than that?"

  Lu Kuan was overjoyed and said: "You've woken up! As a god, you should have beautiful women at your beck and call! Oh, brother only loves Xiaoxue, huh? Truly a devoted fool. Brother Lu wishes younger brother success in cultivating immortality, and soon you'll be able to hold the fairy maiden in your arms..."

  The two of them chatted more and more, found a small inn to stay in, and talked until the middle of the night before going to sleep. The next day, they got up early, washed their faces quickly, bought some steamed buns as dry rations, asked about the direction of the old cave, and headed towards the mountain waist. Along the way, they chatted and laughed, and their footsteps were very light. However, there were few people on the mountain path, much quieter than the road to Jin Ding. At noon, they arrived at Wang Xian Ping, which was even more desolate and deserted, without even a small stall to rest and eat, so they had to use steamed buns to fill their hunger. Lu Kuan was worried and anxious, unable to swallow his food, wondering how the orthodox school of Taoism could be so deserted? Was it another mistake? Tao Yaoyao didn't think so, on the contrary, she felt that a secluded fairy mansion should be far away from the noise of the world.

  After eating the steamed buns, the two of them strolled around Wangxianping. This flat land was about three or four miles wide, with Tianchi Peak in front and Changsheng Rock behind. On the cliff wall, there was a stone cave about 70-80 feet high, and nearby, a stone tablet stood at an angle - "Old Cave". Lu Kuan walked closer to take a look, but was greatly disappointed, stomping his foot and exclaiming: "What a disappointment! Is this really the Old Cave? It's almost the same as the Rat Cave!" The entrance of the cave was only a few feet away from the bottom, with no couplets or inscriptions, no incense or offerings. How could gods and immortals set foot in such a place? There were only a few toads crawling around, burrowing into the mud.

  Peach was also puzzled, scratching his head and looking around, when he suddenly saw a little boy about four or five years old beside the rock, holding a small stick and poking at the sand. His heart slightly moved, he pulled on Lu Kuan's sleeve and said: "Brother Lu, take a look!"

  Lu Kuan narrowed his eyes and saw that the child had a small braid on his head, covered in dust and dirt, like an ordinary village kid. He was still annoyed and asked, "What's to look at? Is he the Emei immortal master? Are we going to pay our respects to him?"

  "Isn't that so? Look at this desolate land, with no village in front and no shops behind. Where did the child come from? This situation is quite strange."

  Lu Kuan patted his forehead and exclaimed, "Ah, that makes sense! That makes sense!" He walked closer to the little boy, crouched down on one knee, and called out, "Hey there, young fellow, come here and I'll ask you something."

  The child shouldn't be staring at the ground with rapt attention. Tao Xiang thought to herself, "Children are restless and can't focus on things for long, I'm sure there's a reason for this." She put on a smiling face and said warmly, "Little brother, what are you doing?"

  The child didn't even lift his head and mumbled: "I'm quarreling with an ant."

  Tao Yao asked again: "Why are you arguing with ants?"

  "The kids said: 'They stole my candy and scolded me, how hateful!' The hands holding the grass stems were messy, and they spat on the sand pile."

  Lu Kuan snorted in derision, gently patting Tao's shoulder and saying: "Young master, don't ask such foolish questions. A child's words are all over the place, how can you believe them? If he can talk to ants, then I can sing with the phoenix."

  The little boy raised his head, glanced at Lu Kuan and said with a pout: "You're bragging! Lan Shijie plays the 'Zhengyang Chui Feng Di', and the phoenix appears to dance. She won't even sing with the phoenix, how can you?"

  "The three words 'Lan Shijie' were like a thunderclap, causing the two people's ears to ring and their bodies to tremble. Tao Yao suppressed her excitement and asked the child, "Who is Lan Shijie? Is she the one who taught you how to talk to ants, right?"

  The child nodded and said, "Yes, Lan is a disciple of the Beast Tamer's Gate. She..." Suddenly becoming alert, he stood up and looked around with his head tilted to one side. The two also examined the child's appearance, seeing that he had a flat nose, big ears, small eyes, thick lips, and an ugly yet lovable expression, both mischievous and adorable.

  They looked at each other for a while, and Lu Kuan couldn't help but ask: "Little brother, are you from the Emei School of Mount Shu? Do you know Master Luanchen?"

  The child's eyes sparkled, and suddenly shouted in a sharp voice: "Bhagavan, Bodhi, Dakini, Khecara, Bhairava!" The two people retreated one after another, bewildered. The child seemed to be thinking deeply, muttering to himself: "It seems not to be a monster... no, I must examine carefully." As he spoke, he circled around them, his expression serious, his eyes fixed intently on their buttocks.

  Tao Yao asked: "Little brother, what were you reciting just now?"

  The child said, "It's the 'Mahākāla Mantra', taught to me by Master Linpo. Monsters will reveal their true form when they hear it. Master Linpo said that since there are many monsters around, if we encounter outsiders prying into Emei Sect, we must recite this mantra." He then reached out and touched Lu Kuan's buttocks, nodded, and said, "No tail is exposed, so you're not a monster."

  The two of them were in a state of mixed emotions, and Tao Xiangxiang said: "We are not monsters, so we naturally don't have long tails."

  The little boy's face was calm and he waved his hand, saying: "Then you can go." He continued to pinch the grass and brush away ants, only then asking those questions, which had already been forgotten. How could the two of them leave? Lu Kuan thought that children don't understand reason, empty words won't work, they need to be tempted with something beneficial. So he took out two copper coins, bent down and stuffed them into the child's hand, smiling: "Little brother, take this first! You bring us to meet Master Lingbo, I'll give you twenty more coins to buy candy, okay?" He guessed that "Master Lingbo" was a very important person in the Emei sect, since they couldn't find Ran Chen Master, it would be good to pay respects to that master as well.

  The little boy's eyes lit up with a smile, and he exclaimed: "These two coins look like sugar cakes!" He stuffed the copper coins into his mouth and crunched away loudly. Peachy was shocked and said: "Those are made of copper, you can't eat them!" But she saw the little boy smacking his lips and savoring the taste, with sweet drool dripping from the corner of his mouth, attracting a swarm of ants to gather and fight over the food, clearly his saliva was full of sweetness.

  The two of them were dazzled and their spirits rushed. Peach exclaimed, "Copper coins... have turned into sugar... Young brother, your magic is truly wonderful!"

  The little boy looked pleased with himself, tilting his head and saying: "Lingbo Dashi taught me the 'Three Transformations of Sugar Technique', which can turn small things into sugar. I love eating sugar, when there's no sugar, I transform pebbles to eat."

  Lu Kuan didn't believe it, took out a few copper coins and spread his hand: "You change for me again, don't sneakily swap them, just put them in my hand to change."

  Little boy sighed: "Three times sugar magic, only three sugars can be changed every day. The stone sugar I changed earlier was stolen by the ants, and I ate two ring-shaped sugars, so I couldn't change it today. Master Lingbo said that eating sugar is bad for teeth, and the sugar magic can only be used three times a day... Hmm, when I grow up and learn well, I will change every day... change fifty sugars!" He stomped his foot, with a look of great ambition.

  Lu Kuan thought to himself, "After all, he's just a child, can't even count properly, how could he know any magic?" He withdrew his hand with a sigh and smiled wryly, saying: "Fifty pieces of candy, you really have a lot."

  The little boy laughed and said, "Yes, my name is Tang Duoduo. Okay, I'm hungry, let's go back, goodbye!" He threw away the grass and was about to walk away when he saw Lu Tao and the other following him, so he quickly said, "Don't follow me!"

  Peach tenderly gave Lu Kuan a glance, and the two of them stopped at the same time. "Not following, not following, you go back home." They walked another seven or eight steps before suddenly turning their heads, only to find that the three people were still close together. Tang Dudu let out a hum, pressed down on her neck, turned around, and suddenly disappeared without a trace. All around, there was only the sound of a little scamp's laughter drifting away with the wind: "Big fool, follow me? Follow the servant girl to the riverbank to wash clothes, haha... Hurry up and find me, or I'll really leave!"

  Just as the thread of seeking immortality was about to break, Lu Kuan became anxious and turned around in circles. Tao Xiaoxiao heard Tang Duoduo's voice drifting away without a fixed location, remembering that Qiaoye had also used similar magic before, suddenly becoming clever, pinched the jade token sent by Qiaoye between her fingers, shaking it as she said: "Tang Duoduo little brother, what is this thing!"

  The sunlight shone on the jade pendant, dazzling to the eyes. Tang Duoduo exclaimed "Ah oh" twice, suddenly leaping out of his body shape, just like jumping out from a door, walking closer and looking up in admiration, clapping his hands and saying: "Qiao Jiejie's 'Zhenhun Ge', did she give it to you? Then you are good people!" He raised his arm to take the jade pendant, but Taohuayuan was afraid he would turn into sugar and eat it away, so she quickly put it back in her pocket. Tang Duoduo didn't get angry, his expression became more affectionate than before, smiling and asking: "Who are you? What do you want to do?"

  Lu Kuan hastily said: "My name is Lu Daryan, his name is Tao Yanyan, we are here to rely on Emei Sect and learn from the immortal masters."

  Although Tando was young in years, he understood the rules and said: "Want to join our Emei sect? Must be introduced by a fellow disciple of this sect, who is your introducer?"

  He heard him directly admit "our Emei faction", Lu Kuan was like taking a tranquilizer, smiled and said: "Tang little brother, why don't you be our guide? From now on I'll give you fifty candies every day."

  Tangtang's mouth watered, but then she thought for a moment and put on a stern face: "No way! Only close friends can be the guide, that's what Big Sister said! You have to give me 50 candies every day first, once we're familiar with each other, I'll consider being your guide."

  Tao Yaoyao didn't want to entangle with him anymore, so she squatted down and said seriously: "I have a very close friend named Xiaoxue, who is a girl. She can be our matchmaker. Will you call Xiaoxue out?"

  Unexpectedly, Tang Duoduo blinked her small eyes and said vaguely: "Xiao Xue? We don't have Xiao Xue there."

  Tao's face turned slightly pale with a "thud" in her heart. Tangtang continued, "There are more Emei disciples than ants, who is that Xiaoxue? I don't know."

  The peach blossoms were in full bloom, and she let out a gentle sigh. She thought to herself, "It's no wonder that the Emei Sect has so many disciples; it's only natural that I wouldn't know all of their names." After a moment of contemplation, she tried her best to describe him: "He's...the sister who loves to wear purple clothes and is very beautiful..."

  Tangtang suddenly jumped up and rushed to say: "Beautiful beauty! Beautiful sister, is it?"

  Tao nodded repeatedly and said with a smile: "Right, right, she is beautiful."

  Tangtang said, "Alright, I'll call her out right away!" and ran towards the entrance of the cave. Taoyao stopped him again, handing over the "镇魂珏" (a soul-calming jade) to him, instructing: "Remember, tell sister clearly that this is a token of my thoughts, a symbol of our longing for each other. Ask her to read my sincere words and come meet me as soon as possible."

  "Tangtang shouted: "Ahh, this is so troublesome! Do you like beautiful women? I'll tell her it's okay!" He took off in a sprint towards the old cave, entering three feet inside, his figure instantly disappearing as if he had dissolved into an invisible wall of water."

  Lu Kuandao said: "Good kid, other things are muddled, but when it comes to romance between men and women, you're a natural, truly gifted."

  After waiting for the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Tao Yao felt as if she had waited for two years, pacing back and forth and rubbing her hands together. Suddenly, a misty air enveloped the cave, hazy and indistinct, like a slow-opening jade curtain. Lu Kuan's voice trembled with excitement: "Good, there's movement." Tao Yao's face turned red, her ears burning, her heart racing wildly, her mind churning with thoughts - "I, I'm finally going to see her, I'm going to have a face-to-face conversation with Xiao Xue... She's intelligent and clever, she'll understand my feelings after seeing the token I gave her. Will she be shy? Will she be angry? Will she think I'm being too forward? Ah, I'm so reckless, how could I be so open and honest? Too reckless..."

  In the midst of the commotion, Tang Duoduo suddenly jumped out and shouted with a flourish: "Ta-da-da! The beauty has arrived!"

  Tao Yao's head drooped, her temples throbbing wildly. She heard the sound of footsteps "swooshing" closer, and a girl's skirt hem appeared before her eyes - it was the familiar purple color. His hands and feet trembled, his mind went blank, he had warned himself to be calm, but when the time came, he completely lost control, his lips trembling, like an idiot, confessing: "Miss, I, Tao Yao, I like you! I...I want to spend my whole life with you!" When she said this, she suddenly realized and secretly exclaimed, "My god, what am I saying?" Her face turned red all the way to the back of her neck, feeling both regretful and ashamed, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

  Suddenly, the girl let out a long sigh, as if she hadn't expected it. Peach's courage was boosted, and she raised her eyes to look around, but in an instant, she was tongue-tied, as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

  In front of me stood a woman in her twenties, wearing a purple skirt, with a round white face, a slender waist, and a protruding chest. Her hips were raised, and her waist was twisted into a wavy shape, posing like Chang'e chasing the moon, but actually uglier than a silly sister chasing ducks.

  Tangtang raised her small face and proudly introduced: "She is Shuixian sister! The beautiful beauty of Emei sect!"

  The water fairy sister gathered her figure, puffed out her golden fish eyes, and had a look of several parts melancholy, several parts intoxication. She slowly approached Peach Blossom, murmuring as if in a dream: "I am beautiful, but sorrowful; I am pure, but proud. My enchanting and seductive appearance, along with my icy and elegant temperament, make it so that no matter where or when, I will always be ruthlessly picked out by people's gazes. This face of mine that can withstand a thousand gazes, paired with this body that sets men's desires ablaze, has destined me to bear the ancient curse of being a beauty."

  Lu Tao and the two were so frightened that their bones were trembling, their legs were soft like they had been marinated in vinegar. Lu Kuan lightly pulled at Tao's arm and whispered: "Xian, younger brother Xian, fortunately I didn't eat lunch, your fairy is really... really stunning. The beauties of Emei Sect are all like this, I think I don't need to practice being an immortal anymore."

  Tangtang said: "Shuixian sister always says she's beautiful, she's the beauty of Emei sect. The person you're looking for must be her!"

  Lu Kuan let out a silent sigh, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and thought to himself "What a beautiful narcissus, but it's just my own conceit. Ugh, even dogtail grass is more pleasing to the eye than her."

  The Water Fairy Sister's eyes were filled with emotions, like a resentful wife in spring. She stared at Peach Young Master and said: "I was 15 years old when I tied my hair up and joined the Emei Sect under the orders of my master. Since then, my beauty and virtue shook the entire Emei. The female disciples were jealous, while the male disciples went crazy showing their love for me. For seven years, every moment, I had to avoid those foolish men with various intentions. I was almost driven mad by that group of infatuated men! ... Until just now, when Duoduo gave me your token and conveyed your deep feelings, I barely decided to entrust myself to you, using this as an excuse to cut off the endless entanglements from my fellow disciples. Alas, Peach Young Master, you're really lucky. Don't let go of this opportunity while I haven't changed my mind yet!" After speaking, she tightly grasped Peach Young Master's wrist and refused to let go.

  Tao Yao Yao suddenly came to her senses, shaking her head like a rattle drum, and said: "Miss, you misunderstood. I made a mistake. Actually, I was waiting for Xiao Xue..."

  "Are you waiting for Xiaoxue's wedding day? It's already this month, and before you know it, it'll be Xiaoxue's turn! Ah, you're so impatient, disgusting, disgusting, she won't come anyway..." She said with a coquettish tone, pouting and lightly tapping her fist. Taohua's face turned as red as earth, and goosebumps broke out all over the ground.

  Lu Kuan asked Tang Duduo: "Is this water fairy girl really a disciple of Emei Sect?"

  Tangtang replied: "She's a nominal disciple. Chou Jiejie has mentioned it before, Shifu is afraid that Waterspirit will go to the mortal world, so she took her in as an apprentice."

  Lu Kuan nodded thoughtfully, thinking to himself "No wonder, this crazy woman has descended from the mountain. Although the world is vast, it's hard to find peace again. But meeting her is an opportunity for me to seek immortality." He smiled all over his face and bowed his hands, saying: "Tao Xian, congratulations, congratulations! Heaven has sent a good match, and you've won the favor of a beautiful woman."

  "Brother Lu, don't joke around! I'm in a desperate situation, think of a way to save me!"

  "Alright, I'll save you now." He turned to the Water Fairy and bowed, saying seriously: "Younger sister! My name is Lu Kuan, and I'm sworn brothers with Tao Gongzi. It's not presumptuous of me to call you younger sister, is it? We've traveled thousands of miles from our hometown to Sichuan, seeking immortality and a master to learn from. Luckily, you've personally come to welcome us - thank you very much! Would you be willing to trouble yourself further and act as our introducer for meeting the master?"

  He kept calling them "brother and sister", making Tao Xiaoxiao so angry that her nose was crooked. Shuixian sister's face almost smiled to tears, and she replied: "It's a small matter, we're not outsiders anyway. Just greet Changshengzi brother, and you can be considered as part of the Emei sect. Duo, hold this Brother Lu's hand, and we'll take them into the Xuanzhen realm."

  Four hands clasped together, they stepped into the old cave. Tao Yao was dragged by Shui Xian sister, and she gritted her teeth at Lu Kuan, saying: "Da Yuan brother, you are indeed a credit to adulthood!"

  Lu Kuan leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Brother Dumb, let's use Shuixian sister as a guide and join the Emei sect. That way we can find your little Snow Fairy! This is a clever plan of open repair and secret escape."

  Just then, Shuixian sister said: "Don't just nibble on the ear, come in!" She pulled Taoyao. Several people passed through the white fog, and suddenly the light was dazzling, a strange fairyland appeared in front of them.