If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 773 Walking Together
Xiaoyu also asked Cui Sheng in detail about what he saw and heard inside Xiaoyou Cave.

These questions were also asked to Cui Sheng by her young friend, and were even more detailed than hers.

“Entering the doorway, it was like walking through a tunnel and arriving on the other side of the mountain.

The opposite side is sunny, with birds singing, flowers blooming, grass, trees, rocks and valleys, all of which are not found on this earth.

After walking two or three miles along the dirt road, we came across a majestic city. The city walls were coated with gold powder, shining brightly in the sun, unlike anything in the mortal world.

The city gate is vermilion, an extremely bright color.

There were hundreds of armored soldiers on the city wall. When they saw Cui Sheng coming, they immediately scolded him.

After Cui Sheng reported his name and origin, another immortal official went to the palace to report to the immortal.

But the more detailed Gou Jiao talked, the more Xiaoyu felt something was wrong.

The story of Cui Sheng told earlier has convinced her: Cui Sheng did not meet the old ghost, and the fairyland he went to was not a blessed land in the underworld. The old ghost in a blessed land could not play such tricks. At most, the elixir Cui Sheng took was a bit strange.

The stories she heard now were like a person going to a foreign capital and meeting the queen in the palace. Although what she saw and heard were fantastic and magnificent, they could never escape the scope of the palace and the emperor.

This is not the behavior of an immortal.

But Xiaoyu had just made a mistake by taking Cui Sheng's story for granted as a ghost story.

She realized that although she had experienced a lot, her knowledge still seemed insignificant compared to the anecdotes in the entire three realms.

Especially since this place is Jambudvīpa, there are more miracles and myths.

——Perhaps the immortal with a small cave was an emperor on earth before he became an immortal?
Maybe someone else has a special quirk?
Maybe there are reasons that she doesn't know, such as the method of becoming an immortal for the immortals in the small cave is quite special?
Xiao You Dong Tian and even Cui Sheng's story were not the fundamental purpose of her chatting with Gou Jiao.

She hoped to find out from his experience why he made her feel so excited.

"Gurgle, gurgle." Gou Jiao's mouth became dry and his stomach began to rumble.

Xiaoyu looked up at the sun in the sky.

It’s almost noon.

"You didn't have breakfast?"

Gou Jiao sighed and said, "I am a bandit who was kidnapped to the mountain. Even the villagers in the back mountain only eat two meals a day. How can I have breakfast?"

"Wait a minute, the meal isn't ready in the village yet," Xiaoyu said.

Gou Jiao looked curious and asked, "Little Taoist priest, you don't seem to be a bandit, why are you in the mountains?

Why did she recognize me from the crowd at first sight and say that I was a little special?
Could it be that I have a bone in my forehead that points to the sky, a light in my eyes, and the potential to become an immortal?"

Xiaoyu really doesn't know how to answer this question.

She still hasn't determined the causal connection between the two.

But she trusted her feelings.

In fact, any Qigong practitioner trusts the feeling of sudden inspiration and sudden inspiration.

If she let go of her friend for nothing, she would definitely regret it for something in the future.

“You have a blessed appearance, but you went astray on your journey to seek immortals and learn the way.

You shouldn’t learn from Cui Sheng. Or rather, the lesson you learned from Cui Sheng’s story is wrong.”

Gou Jiao frowned and said, "It was because Cui Sheng's will to become an immortal was not firm that he missed the chance to become an immortal and entered the cycle of reincarnation again."

Xiao Yu shook her head and said, "There are many doubts in Cui Sheng's story. It is definitely not as simple as you think."

"Is Cui Sheng lying to me?" Gou Jiao asked suspiciously.

“Cui Sheng is just an ordinary scholar who strayed into Xiaoyoudongtian by mistake, not because he had a strong desire to seek the truth.

He never thought about looking for immortals or Taoist priests. He just wanted to dig a well for your family to earn some money to support his parents.

He won’t lie to you, but he’s also confused himself.”

Gou Jiao said: "At least he and I can be sure of one thing - as long as he is determined to seek the truth, he will be able to escape from the cycle of reincarnation and live forever."

Xiao Yu sighed, "You are possessed by a demon. Let me ask you, if you were to marry, what kind of woman would you choose?"

Gou Jiao shook his head and said, "I have a firm heart and regard women as nothing. No woman can make me tempted, unless she is a like-minded immortal partner."

Xiao Yu said with a wooden face: "Only a fairy like the Lord of Xiaoyou Cave Heaven who can give you the elixir will you be willing to marry her? Are you marrying a wife, or marrying the 'opportunity to become an immortal'?
Put yourself in his shoes. If you were a fairy, would you marry such a utilitarian man? "

Gou Jiao said awkwardly: "I don't ask my Taoist friend to give me the elixir that can make me immortal.

It would be enough if you can lead me into the Dao, and together we can cultivate Qi, preserve the spirit, and adjust the Kan and fill the Li."

"Why should others lead you into the Tao?" Xiaoyu said.

Gou Jiao said excitedly: "My determination to follow the Tao is as firm as a rock."

Xiaoyu was speechless.

"Answer my previous question. When you choose a woman as your wife, do you only consider her appearance?"

Gou Jiao shook his head, "Marry a virtuous woman, her character is far more important than her appearance."

"If a woman looks like Wuyan (Zhongli Chun, also known as Zhong Wuyan) but is very virtuous, would you be willing to marry her?" Xiaoyu asked again.

Gou Jiao said: "I said, character is far better than appearance. Since she is virtuous, of course I will marry her. However, my ambition is -"

Xiao Yu waved her hands impatiently, "Alright, I know you want to be an immortal.

Now I am just using simple and easy-to-understand examples to teach you how ignorant you are, but I am not really asking you to get married. "

"Do you have any close friends? Are their standards for choosing a partner exactly the same as yours?" she asked again.

Gou Jiao was very smart. After a moment of hesitation, he understood what she meant.

“The way an immortal chooses a disciple should be different from the way a mortal chooses a wife.

Marrying a wife is a personal matter. Some marry a virtuous woman, some marry a pretty woman, and some value power or money.

Immortals accept disciples in order to train them to become immortals who can ascend to heaven in broad daylight.

The standards for ascending to heaven should be unified and unchanging, unlike mortals who can marry as they please.

Therefore, when immortals accept disciples, they should also take Taoism as the main criterion. "

There was a hint of admiration in Xiaoyu's eyes when she looked at him.

This guy finally showed another advantage besides his stubbornness - he is not stupid.

"No matter who you are, there is not only one standard for choosing a wife. Isn't it good to have both talent and beauty, and both moral integrity and ability?

The immortals choose their disciples just like a king chooses his queen. They must be of noble birth, have a rich dowry, be talented and virtuous, and have a stunning appearance.

It’s about choosing the best from the best.

Immortals will certainly require their disciples to have a firm faith in the Tao, but they will also certainly require their disciples to be loyal, filial, affectionate and righteous.

Only those with flawless morals, extraordinary talents, and a firm determination to succeed in the Tao will receive the favor of the immortals.

You, can’t do that!”

Gou Jiao hurriedly argued: "I only said that a firm heart is the main criterion, I did not say that as long as the heart is firm, one will definitely become an immortal.

I have explained before that I will give the Gou family's property to Zhang Bo and give three thousand gold to Zhao.

I have a grateful heart, and I also understand filial piety, brotherhood, loyalty, faith, propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame.

I used to feel regretful that I was not able to leave descendants for the Gou family, which seemed a bit unfilial.

Now the young Taoist priest said that Zhao gave birth to a child for me, perfect!"

“If I were an immortal, I would never teach you the immortal skills. You have too many mundane causes and effects that need to be resolved, but the way you resolve them is actually adding new karma. It’s too simple and crude.” Xiao Yu said.

Gou Jiao laughed and said, “You are not an immortal, so you don’t know what an immortal thinks.

If you didn't have a firm heart like me, the immortal probably wouldn't have chosen you."

Xiaoyu thought about it and realized that she just wanted to find the cause and effect that made her so excited. She didn’t want to educate this guy, nor did she want to train him to be a disciple that suits her wishes.

Besides, what he said might not be wrong, and what she thought might not be right.

She herself would never accept such a person as her apprentice.

He is not a bad person, but it is quite scary that he abandoned his family and career in order to cultivate immortality.

But there is no guarantee that there is no immortal who likes this.

There was no need for her to dwell on this issue.

"Now that the heroes of Mengshan have released you, what are your plans?"

Gou Jiao said without thinking: "Continue to visit famous mountains and rivers, look for immortal traces, and visit mysterious sites."

Xiao Yu pondered for a while, and said: "Gou Sheng, I am also a man of the clouds and waters. I want to go with you. Are you willing?"

Gou Jiao's eyes flickered as he asked, "Young Taoist priest, is there really nothing special about me?"

——If there was nothing special, why did you stop me and keep asking me questions?

Now you don’t even want to be a “hill king” anymore, you want to walk with me.

Xiao Yu said frankly: "I am proficient in Zi Wei Dou Shu, and the first time I saw you, I felt that you looked familiar.

There may be some unknown cause and effect between you and me.

But there is really nothing special about you, at least I haven't found anything so far."

"Unknown cause and effect" Gou Jiao thought for a moment and asked, "Does the young Taoist priest want to follow me forever?"

Xiao Yu shook her head and said, “I’m going with you because I feel something.

When you don’t feel it anymore or get impatient, you will leave naturally.”

Gou Jiao said with some envy: "The young Taoist priest is even more free and unrestrained than me!"

A moment later during lunch.

"Ah, brother, you are going to go with Gou Sheng to seek immortals and learn about Taoism? You are not going to Jianghuai to visit heroes like Xiang Liang, Huan Chu, etc.?" Zhong Li Mei asked in surprise, "What is so special about Gou Sheng?"

Xiaoyu had agreed with him before, and followed them through mountains and rivers, visiting heroes along the way, and finally arrived in Wuzhong to join Xiang Liang.

Of course, they joined Xiang Liang, and Xiao Yu just followed them and made friends with the heroes he met along the way.

Xiao Yu said: "I really don't know what's so special about Gou Sheng now. When I go to Wuzhong to visit Lord Xiang Liang in a while, I will naturally be able to see my brother, and then I may be able to answer this question."

Zhongli Mei nodded slightly and said, "Lord Xiang Liang's situation in Wuzhong is completely different from my situation in Zhongli County.

If you go to Wuzhong and ask around in the county towns and villages near Zhenze, it should be easy to find clues about Lord Xiang Liang.

Perhaps it is impossible to find Lord Xiang Liang directly.

But once someone is looking for him, he will definitely be notified.

If there is someone he doesn't want to see, he will avoid them and no one can find him, even though many people know he is in Wuzhong.

When I get to Wuzhong, I will introduce my brothers to Lord Xiang Liang and all the heroes I meet on the way.

Brothers, don't be polite when you are in the world. I have been in the world for many years, and "Huaiyin Hungry Tiger" finally has some face.

If you encounter any problem, you can try telling me my name.

No matter what favor or hatred, I am willing to take it on for my brother."

"Thank you for your kindness, brother. I will definitely not be polite." Xiaoyu stood up and toasted him with a glass of wine.

After lunch, Xiaoyu prescribed several prescriptions for nourishing the spirit and replenishing energy according to Madam Zhongli's physical condition.

He also took out two 500-year-old ginsengs picked on the road from his sleeves and gave them to Zhongli Mei.

At about one o'clock in the afternoon, Xiao Yu came with a bag of bacon and said goodbye to Zhongli Mei and his mother, as well as the Mengshan bandits.

"Gosheng, where do you want to go?"

After going down the mountain and returning to the mountain path where they were kidnapped the day before, Xiaoyu asked.

Gou Jiao was a little confused, looked around, and said, "I have been looking for big rivers and high mountains. When I see a high mountain in the distance, I climb up the mountain; when I encounter a big river, I walk along the banks of the river.

But after three years of searching, I haven’t encountered any magical or evil things, let alone the immortals.”

Xiaoyu raised his head and looked around, and immediately found two or three places with evil spirits.

——What does it mean to be friends with this guy?
It is said that when a country is about to perish, evil spirits will appear.

The Qin dynasty came to an end, and the Central Plains was in turmoil.

Leaving the city and entering the mountains, ghosts and evil spirits can be seen almost everywhere, but this guy has never encountered one.
When drawing cards in the game, the probability of getting a single gold draw is of course very low, and getting ten gold draws in a row is like a miracle.

But the minimum guarantee is achieved every time, for three consecutive years, it is really a miracle!

Xiao Yu once again used his spiritual eyes to look at Gou Jiao, focusing on the cloud of luck above his head.

Gou Jiao shivered as he watched, as if he was back to the time when the bandits spread his anus open to look for treasure.

(End of this chapter)