Don't let Yu Ding take on any more disciples.

Chapter 118 Soulmate Anglers by the Imperial Pool

"Then I will have to trouble you, Immortal, to take care of my daughter from now on." The Queen Mother of the West nodded in greeting.

Yu Ding returned the greeting and said, "Since you have accepted me as your disciple, I will naturally take good care of you. How could I dare to ask for your help?"

The two exchanged a glance and both smiled with satisfaction.

Yu Ding laughed because, although the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West seem to have little involvement in the Investiture of the Gods, one of the important causes of this great calamity was the selection of a group of civil servants for the Heavenly Court.

After the Investiture of the Gods, the three religions retreated into seclusion, and the Heavenly Court flourished, thus forming a complete and systematic organization to govern the three realms.

It's easy to imagine how much power these two rulers of the Heavenly Court will wield at that time, so it's essential to cultivate good relations with them beforehand.

Longji was like a link connecting him to these two rulers of the Heavenly Court.

Besides, was the Queen Mother of the West's purpose in having her daughter become his disciple really just to find a good master for her useless daughter?

This probably accounts for a portion.

But it's never that simple.

He is Yu Ding Zhenren, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Yu Xu, a disciple of the Chan Sect, and behind him stands Yuanshi Tianzun.

The fact that the Queen Mother of the West had her daughter become his disciple might not have been without the intention of forging a good relationship with the Chan Sect.

Another thing is... this Heavenly Court female supreme being is really rich and generous, she gave him way too much!

And so the matter of the apprenticeship was settled.

Longji looked at the jade cauldron, then at the Queen Mother of the West in the Jade Pool.

Why were her master and mother both smiling in a way that she couldn't understand?

"Alright, Your Highness Longji, please rise."

Yu Ding helped Long Ji up and said with a smile, "Then Your Highness, shall this prince be taught by me in the Heavenly Court from now on, or shall he return to the mountain with me to cultivate?"

The Queen Mother of the West glanced at Longji and said without hesitation:

"Then let's wait until after the Peach Banquet and have her go to the Immortal Abode with the Immortal to cultivate!"

Thinking of all the years that Longji had caused her headaches, she felt utterly exhausted.

Now that I've finally found a master, I can finally send him off. If I continue to cultivate in the Heavenly Court, wouldn't I still be hanging around in front of her?

Out of sight, out of mind!

Mother, how much you want to get rid of me...

Longji's gaze towards the Queen Mother of the West suddenly turned somewhat resentful, and he whispered, "Mother, I can't bear to part with her..."

"How can a princess of the Heavenly Court behave like this?"

The Queen Mother of the West scolded, "While you are by the side of the Immortal, you must cultivate diligently, listen to the Immortal's words, and never slack off, do you understand?"

"Yes!"

Longji lowered his head, somewhat reluctantly.

The Queen Mother of the West added, "Furthermore, since she has become the disciple of the High Immortal, from now on, the High Immortal need not address her as Your Highness; just call her by her name."

"Well, that's fine too."

Yu Ding smiled and said, then his eyes suddenly flashed: "By the way, after hearing what Your Majesty said just now, I also have a question, and I would like to ask Your Majesty to enlighten me."

"Please speak, Immortal."

"Your Majesty just said: I heard someone say that Yang Jian is a disciple of this humble Taoist."

Yu Ding smiled brightly and said, "May I ask, Your Highness, from whom did you hear this?"

The Queen Mother of the West was taken aback.

There's a mole! That was Yu Ding's first thought.

After all, not many people know that Yang Jian is his disciple; you can count them on your fingers.

Basically, it's those people from the Twelve Golden Immortals.

Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Cihang are not on good terms with him and have competed with him for Yang Jian; they are likely to trip him up.

These are the most suspicious individuals, though it's also possible they informed others about it.

The other people in the know were Taiyi and Huanglong Laotie, who had accompanied him to the repair shop last time. He trusted these two people...

Wait a minute… Yu Ding’s eyes narrowed.

I remember when we were repairing the Heavenly Court last time, Taiyi told him that Huanglong was working unusually hard!

After that, Huang Long unusually did not visit Yuquan Mountain for many years, which was extremely unusual.

You should know that even Taiyi came to see him for this banquet in Heaven, while Huanglong, who used to be inseparable from Yuding, didn't even show his face...

Abnormal!

This is too unusual. Yu Ding's eyes flickered, because he knew that the Twelve Golden Immortals were also divided into small groups.

For example, there's the self-important little circle of Manjushri and his two companions, the academic elites like Guangcheng and Chijingzi, or the middle-class circle like Taiyi Daode Zhenjun.

Huang Long, a poor and academically challenged student, couldn't fit into these circles.

Yu Ding was willing to hang out with Huang Long, and because of this, the two had a very close relationship, which is why Yu Ding called him "old buddy".

So... Huanglong betrayed himself?
The Queen Mother of the West glanced at the celestial pool outside the immortal island, coughed lightly, and said:

"It's just some idle gossip; I'll forget about it after I hear it."

Besides, the Immortal Lord previously rendered meritorious service to my Heavenly Court by perfecting the Heavenly Laws, so even if Yang Jian is truly your disciple, so what?

Then she said to Longji, "Longji, your mother has something to attend to here. Why don't you take your master to the Heavenly Realm for a visit?"

"Oh!" Longji said obediently, "Master, please!"

"Then Your Highness, this humble Taoist priest shall take his leave."

Yu Ding bowed slightly and followed Long Ji out of the Sendai.

"Phew!" The moment he stepped out of the treasure pavilion and was out of the sight of the Queen Mother of the West, Longji suddenly let out a long breath, and his previous reluctance disappeared.

"Master, where would you like to go for a walk?"

Longji asked with a smile.

It was all an act… Yu Ding felt a little strange: “Anywhere is fine.”

He had genuinely thought that Longji was unwilling to leave home and go with him to Yuquan Mountain to cultivate!
As Yu Ding stepped off the fairy island, he immediately saw a magnificent pavilion on a high platform above the fairy pool. Strange phenomena swirled around the pavilion, auspicious clouds appeared, the jade terrace was adorned with colorful decorations, and the pavilion was shrouded in mist.

A colorful, gilded table and a jade basin adorned with a thousand flowers. On the table are delicacies such as dragon liver and phoenix marrow, while in the basin are immortal peaches, their delicious flavors lingering in the air.

It has already been laid out neatly.

But no immortals have entered yet.

Smelling those aromas... even a true immortal like Yu Ding, who had already abstained from grains, couldn't help but feel a surge of appetite and an urge to feast.

"No wonder Sun Wukong couldn't resist!"

Yu Ding thought to himself, "This is indeed the grandest spectacle in the Three Realms. Not to mention that mortals rarely get to eat such delicacies, even he, an immortal, doesn't eat them often."

On the stage, a flag hung high in the sky, radiating innate precious light, spreading mist all over the ground, and enveloped in a strange fragrance.

“That flag…” Yu Ding’s eyes flickered.

“Master, that is my mother’s plain-colored cloud banner.”

Longji smiled and said:
"This flag is also called the Cloud Realm Flag or the Gathering Immortals Flag. When going to the Jade Pool Gathering, this flag is raised, and all the immortals in the Three Realms will know and come to attend the Jade Pool Gathering. Hence it is called the Gathering Immortals Flag."

Yu Ding nodded gently... The Five Banners of the Primordial Heaven.

The Five Primordial Banners belong to the Five Primordial Elements and are treasures born at the beginning of creation. All five treasures are top-grade primordial spiritual treasures with unparalleled defense, and they belong to the great figures of the primordial era.

Among them, the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner is a magic treasure of the Jade Void Palace, while the Southern Earth Flame Banner belongs to his grandmaster, the Moral Celestial Venerable, and the Azure Lotus Treasure Banner is an item of the Western Sect...

The so-called Jade Pool is naturally very large, with many pavilions and towers in addition to the celestial pool itself.

Beyond the pavilions and towers lie mountains and forests, where one can see:

The ground was fragrant with orchids, the herbs were sweet and fragrant, and the medicines were crystal clear. All kinds of rare and exotic herbs were everywhere, and rare birds and beasts such as the Azure Phoenix, the Divine Phoenix, and the Qilin appeared. It truly satisfied Yu Ding's imagination of the mythical world.

It can be seen that Longji relaxed a lot after leaving Yaochi, but he was still reserved in front of his immortal master, which shows that he was raised with strict family discipline.

Yu Ding didn't say anything about this. This was still the Heavenly Court, and the matter of teaching disciples could wait until they returned to Yuquan Mountain.

"Master, when are we going back to Jade Spring Mountain to cultivate?" Longji asked cautiously.

Yu Ding could see her eagerness, but he still smiled and said, "Of course, we'll have to wait until the Golden Mother's Peach Banquet is over."

Longji gave an "oh" and walked away after a moment of contemplation.

"By the way, where are those immortals who came to the gathering now?"

Yu Ding looked around and asked, but still couldn't see anyone. It seemed that he had been given a special treatment this time.

He still has something he wants to ask Huang Long.

Longji gazed into the distance and said, "In the past, the grand gathering was always held at Kunlun Yaochi, but this time it has been moved to the Heavenly Court because we were worried that some people might not know the way to Yaochi."
Therefore, it seems that someone will first lead all the immortals to the Tongming Hall to perform the ceremony, and after everyone has arrived, they will then move to the Yaochi to attend the gathering…

"I see!"

Yu Ding nodded slightly, and before they knew it, the two had arrived at the edge of a royal pool.

It is called a pond, but it is actually a huge lake with mist flowing on the surface. Even a small lake is crystal clear and has all kinds of strange fish and aquatic creatures in it.

The lakeside scenery is picturesque, with jade-like grass covering the ground, ethereal mist rising and willows swaying like smoke, and some unnamed sacred trees. A gentle breeze blows, and the petals fall like rain, filling the air with fragrance, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

"what……"

Even Yu Ding, upon entering such an environment, couldn't help but close his eyes and sigh with comfort.

Everyone says immortals are good?
Why? Because if you eat well and live in a good environment, you'll live longer, right?

Longji glanced at the jade cauldron with a strange expression.

Yu Ding coughed lightly and said thoughtfully, "The lake is calm in March, reflecting the vast emptiness!"

The birthday of the Queen Mother of the West is on the third day of the third lunar month, which is when the Peach Banquet begins.

“Master, what are these two lines you recited…” Longji was taken aback.

Yu Ding looked at the lakeside in front of him and said, "This is called poetry. Seeing this beautiful scenery, I was inspired to write this poem..."

As they were talking, suddenly, a golden light leaped up from the lake surface and disappeared into the lake in a flash.

"What was that just now...?"

Yu Ding's gaze sharpened as he saw a slender fish, about three inches long, covered in golden light, radiating spiritual energy, with dragon whiskers and two small pouches.

"That's a golden dragonfish, which has a trace of true dragon blood in its body."

Longji said, "It is said that one can cultivate into a true dragon, but it is extremely difficult to catch... It's a pity that you can't eat it once you leave the Heavenly Court."

True dragon bloodline… Yu Ding nodded slightly. He had seen it in ancient books. This kind of fish was of great value, whether for eating or for making medicine.

As they were talking, suddenly a divine light shot into the sky from afar, and one powerful aura after another arrived.

“A powerful being has arrived.” Longji said solemnly. Yu Ding nodded slightly.

"Great Power" is also another name for "Golden Immortal".

However, given the scale of the Peach Banquet, a mere Golden Immortal is hardly a truly heavyweight figure.

"Ahem, Longji, do you know where my temple is?"

"I heard it's at... Yuquan Mountain!"

"You're so clever! Now, let me test you. Do you know why it's called Jade Spring Mountain?"

Longji was overjoyed by the praise and pondered, "Could it be that there is a spring on the mountain?"

"Hahaha, my disciple Yu Ding is indeed clever. Not bad, not bad, there is indeed a fairy spring."

Yu Ding patiently guided him, saying, "When I used to meditate and cultivate by the Jade Spring, I always felt that something was missing. Now I think I know. Do you know it?"

"Master, could you be referring to... the Golden Dragon Fish?" Longji's eyes lit up.

Yu Ding nodded slightly: "Indeed, my disciple is indeed very intelligent, but this is raised by the Heavenly Court..."

"Master can catch them at will. The Heavenly Court raises them just to eat. My father catches them and releases them, then catches them again. It's no fun at all."

Longji's eyes lit up: "Shall we get some, and when we get to Yuquan Mountain, I'll cook it for you?"

"Let me tell you, this is delicious! It only has one backbone, and it's cartilage, so it's crunchy..."

Yu Ding frowned:
“Disciple, we are cultivators, how can we be tempted by the desires of the palate?”

Longji looked flustered.

However, Yu Ding immediately said, "It's fine to have a treat now and then. Go and find out when the Peach Banquet starts, and let your master know when it's about time."

"Disciple obey!"

Longji was overjoyed and exchanged a glance with Yuding.

The master and apprentice exchanged knowing smiles, and the initial awkwardness vanished instantly.

“Master, my father said that this golden dragon fish is extremely intelligent. As soon as it senses magic power, it hides underneath and won’t come out. You must restrain your magic power and fish like a mortal…” Longji also helped to teach him the techniques.

"Ahem, what is fishing? This is called self-cultivation," Yu Ding said with a dry cough.

"Yes, yes, cultivate oneself, cultivate oneself."

Longji covered his mouth and chuckled, then strode off to the front to gather information.

Yu Ding glanced around and, finding no one there, went into the pavilion.

Based on his experience of accompanying others on wild fishing trips in his previous life, this was the best fishing spot on the entire lake.

This pavilion on the lake is also perfectly placed.

With a flick of his Taoist robe, Yu Ding sat down cross-legged, conjured a fishing rod, took out a spiritual pill from his sleeve, hung it on the hook, and slowly lowered it into the water.

Just as he was about to conceal his magical aura, suddenly, a large group of fish, attracted by the elixir, gazed at him from afar.

When it was discovered that it wasn't a familiar white-clad figure who loved to eat fish, but rather a refined and elegant immortal, as perfect as jade...

What an opportunity!
Staying in Heaven means you can only cook!

Leaving here offers a chance to survive; what choice do you need to make?

We have to give it our all!

Those with low intelligence rushed toward the elixir based on instinct, while those with high intelligence also scrambled to bite the hook.

In an instant, the entire lake seemed to stir.

call out!
Just as the first fish was about to bite the elixir, several golden lights flashed in the distance, seemingly hesitating.

Finally, one of them couldn't hold back any longer!
"Let's take a gamble..." The golden dragonfish charged forward like a gambler, as fast as lightning, and bit the elixir.

It also took hold of the hook.

"Unexpectedly...good fishing?"

Yu Ding pulled out the fishing hook and looked at the golden dragonfish. He was pleasantly surprised but fell into deep thought.

Wasn't Ryuji supposed to be very cunning? So is he just too stupid now, or... trying to escape his fate of becoming food?

hum!
Immediately, he flipped his left hand, and his magic transformed into a bucket. He scooped up some water and placed the dragonfish inside.

Immediately afterwards...

"Keep going!" Yu Ding started fishing again.

Time passed slowly, and this time, the other arowanas did not take the bait.

I only caught an ordinary spirit fish.

Fortunately, Yu Ding knew that the most important thing in fishing was... patience!

While Yu Ding was engrossed in fishing, a figure in white appeared hurriedly by the lake.

"Um?!"

When he saw the person who had taken his place in the pavilion, he was first taken aback, then raised an eyebrow and his expression became subtle.

Jade Cauldron...The True Man?
The Peach Banquet was being held during the busiest time of the year, but he heard that Yaochi had invited the Jade Cauldron Immortal.

What to do?
Needless to say, they'll definitely make Longji become their apprentice!
So he would steal a moment of leisure from his busy schedule, using his clone to stand in front of the Queen Mother of the West while she was occupied, to relax a bit... He was really annoyed by all the social obligations.

But how come Yu Ding appeared here even faster than him?
A figure in white, a smile playing on his lips, entered the pavilion carrying a fishing rod and said, "Greetings, fellow angler."

Yu Ding glanced behind him and saw that the white-clad figure had a youthful face and an extraordinary bearing. He smiled and returned the greeting:
"Fishing... cough, fellow immortal, you're too kind. There are seats over there, please make yourself at home."

The figure in white sat down and smiled, "Fellow immortal, the Peach Banquet is about to begin over there, yet you're still here. I suppose this is one of your hobbies."

"Ahem, what is a hobby?"

Yu Ding glanced at him and said, "We call this self-cultivation."

Just as heaven and earth are divided into yin and yang, cultivation should also have a balance of tension and relaxation. Being too tense can easily lead to problems, so what's wrong with relaxing a little?

"Hahaha, yes, yes, cultivate your character, cultivate your character!"

The figure in white smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, then began baiting the hook and casting it.

Jade Tripod Immortal... truly a kindred spirit!

They had already reached a consensus on the issue of the Heavenly Laws, but it turns out they also share the same interests.

A true fishing buddy!
The two paused for a moment, then Yu Ding smiled and said, "It is fate that we have met. I am Tai Ding Zhenren, and I have yet to ask you, fellow immortal..."

He couldn't fathom the extent of this person's cultivation.

This time it's stealing again, cough, wrong, if Princess Longji of the Heavenly Court knew it, then it doesn't count as stealing.

In short, it was a little... awkward that Longji wasn't there.

The figure in white was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's no problem, I am Long... Hao!"

Long Ritian? Why don't you call him Long Aotian, Zhao Ritian... Could it get any more fake?

Yu Ding and the white-robed figure exchanged a smile:
Pah! Shameless! Using a pseudonym!

“Fellow Daoist, your demeanor is extraordinary, and your cultivation is unfathomable. You must be no ordinary person, perhaps a celestial being from the Heavenly Court?” Yu Ding said with a smile.

The man in white laughed and asked, "What do you think, fellow immortal?"

He could see the jade tripod clearly, but the jade tripod knew nothing about his true form.

This feeling is truly... amazing!

Guess what I'm going to guess... Yu Ding gave him a deep look before resuming his fishing.

Wow!

There wasn't a single fish around the man in white this time; instead, they all seemed to be rushing to jump out of the jade cauldron's hook from the water's surface.

Yu Ding fell into deep thought, ignoring the fish lickers.

This man is quite unfathomable!
Long Hao, Long Ji, Hao, could it be...?

Man in white: "..."

That's how he used to catch these fish.

However, after he and his entourage added a dish to the Peach Banquet this time...

We can leave empty-handed this time; it's time to replace the fish here!
……

In front of the East Heavenly Gate.

With a cry of a crane, a crane flew across the sky.

Taiyi Zhenren landed gracefully.

Beside Taiyi, Lingzhuzi had a cold face, giving off an impression that strangers should stay away.

So fierce... these guys probably won't see themselves as girls anymore, right?
"Hey, the Immortal Taiyi has arrived!"

The group of heavenly generals recognized Taiyi from the last visit and greeted him with smiles and high spirits.

Taiyi arrived at the registration desk and said with a smile, "This humble Taoist, Taiyi, has come to attend the gathering with my disciple, Lingzhuzi."

The registering official glanced at the two of them, smiled, and made a note of them.

Then a celestial official stepped forward and said, "Immortal, please!"

"See? When I arrived at the Heavenly Court, these people were so polite to us!" Taiyi said with a smile as he entered the Heavenly Gate with Lingzhuzi.

Even after walking quite a distance, a faint sound drifted over:

"The Immortal Taiyi is so kind, and his disciple is adorable too, the little girl is so cute and fierce..."

boom!
Lingzhu was stunned. He then clenched his fists and suddenly turned his head so that fire shot out from his forehead.

Snapped!
Taiyi Zhenren extinguished it with a flick of his whisk and said calmly:

"Don't be so hot-tempered at such a young age. A calm mind will naturally cool you down."

Let them say what they want. What's wrong with being delicate? A man's spirit will come when he grows up.

Look at all your senior and junior masters, aren't they all good-looking?

"I'm not bragging, but they look even better in women's clothing than those celestial maidens... Don't look at me like that, I'm just giving you an example, um, excluding your Uncle-Master Huanglong."

Lingzhuzi: "..."

Actually, he didn't want to go out, or maybe changing into plain clothes would have reduced the misunderstandings.

"Nothing more than bringing you out to broaden your horizons and let your Uncle Yu Ding see how your cultivation is going. He's an expert."

Taiyi Zhenren laughed and said, "The disciples I teach are no worse than his... I should be."

But his disciple caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace...

Lingzhuzi thought to himself, and looked around at the magnificent Heavenly Court, but he couldn't see any signs of disturbance.
(End of this chapter)