From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 321 River Heart Discussion
Upon hearing that Elder Hua was also present, Lin Yan and Meng Yuan exchanged a glance, and both of them perked up.

This Elder Hua is elusive and has a history of dealings with Li Weizhen, the senior disciple of Chongxu Temple. She is also likely Xiangling's godmother.

Meng Yuan and Xiang Ling were close friends, and he often listened to this country girl ramble on about the profound truths taught to him by her godmother. These included things like the magnanimity of being alive and dying, the life truth of gratitude, and other miscellaneous and trivial remarks.

Xiangling is hardworking, down-to-earth, and has excellent literary talent. She saves money but doesn't spend it, making her a good person to live a frugal life. As the saying goes, like mother, like daughter, so Elder Hua Suzhi should be no less so.

But according to Xiangling, the roe deer's past behavior did not seem to be diligent and reliable, and it seemed that it was somewhat unreliable in doing things.

In short, we'll see each other today.

"Elder Hua is here too?" Lin Yanxin's beloved Yuan Yaoniang called Elder Hua "Ancestor," so he was quite fond of him as well.

"They've arrived," Cangshan Jun said with a smile.

"What is Elder Hua's temperament like? What does he look like?" Lin Yan pressed.

"You'll know when you get there," Cangshan Jun said, keeping everyone in suspense.

Without further ado, he immediately ordered Lord Cangshan to lead the way, with Meng Yuan and Lin Yan following behind, and no one else was brought along.

Unexpectedly, Cangshan Jun walked down the mountain. He explained, "Elder Hua said that bald men are not good-looking and he doesn't want to come to the monastery."

It's only natural for a roe deer to laugh at a bald man, and both Meng Yuan and Lin Yan expressed their understanding.

After descending Wulou Mountain, we turned and headed northeast.

After only two or three miles, the sound of rushing river water could be heard.

At the foot of Wulou Mountain flows a river called Qinglong River, and on the riverbank stands a nine-story pagoda called Qinglong Pagoda.

The Qinglong River flows eastward, and after several twists and turns, it finally merges into the Canglang River, becoming a tributary of the Canglang River.

Legend has it that in ancient times, a green dragon lurked in the river, causing turbulent waves and immense suffering to the people on both banks. Later, a high-ranking monk passed by and subdued the green dragon, imprisoning it under the Green Dragon Pagoda. The river then ceased its turbulent flow and began to bring blessings to the people on both banks.

"In fact, the Azure Dragon story does have a basis. It is said that our demon clan's Azure Dragon senior cultivated here, but it did not harm the people on both sides of the river. It was just a fabrication by the monk."

Arriving at the foot of the Azure Dragon Pagoda, Cangshan Jun looked up at the towering structure and even had the mind to reminisce about the past with Meng Yuan and Lin Yan.

The tower has been renovated and repaired several times, but it still retains its ancient charm. Lord Cangshan stepped forward and touched the tower bricks, sighing, "The tower could not suppress the great demon, so Senior Qingjiao moved it away on purpose. Now, in my demon kingdom, there is still Senior Qingjiao's grave and tombstone."

After sighing, Cangshan Jun did not enter the tower, but continued forward and came to see the Qinglong River.

After several days of heavy snow, the snow has now melted, the river has swelled, and there is no ice on the surface, only the mighty river.

It was nearly dusk, and the red sun was half-hidden behind the mountains, its rays reflected on the river, making the water shimmer like golden scales, as if the river could transform into a real dragon at any moment.

A small flatboat was moored on the riverbank. Cangshan Jun untied the rope and invited Meng Yuan and Lin Yan to board the boat.

"It's just ahead." Cangshan Jun, dressed in a black robe and holding a whisk, pointed ahead, then put down the whisk, picked up the oar, and became the ferryman.

The small boat was narrow, but large enough for three people to stand on.

Lin Yan put his hand on the side of the boat, splashing in the river water, and muttered that he wanted to catch an old turtle to nourish himself.

The river was still, though the water was moving. Meng Yuan was intrigued and began to talk about an old turtle demon that Xiang Ling had mentioned before.

"They just stay in the Canglang River, preferably out at night, pretending to be fishermen, carrying people across the river. The price is quite reasonable. They've only hurt one person, when they suddenly stopped carrying them halfway across. Luckily, several passengers could swim, so they survived, but lost most of their belongings." Meng Yuan summarized Xiangling's rambling words.

"According to Buddhist teachings, those travelers were probably destined to face this calamity," Lin Yan said with a grin.

“Indeed.” Cangshan Jun nodded, smiling as he looked at Meng Yuan. He pointed to the shimmering waves of the river in the distance and said, “You didn’t bring Xiangling with you when you came to Lanruo Temple this time. Otherwise, we could have enjoyed the view of the river under the rosy clouds, sailed on the boat, and recited poems. That would have been a delightful experience.”

"Xiangling only has three tricks up her sleeve; all she knows is doggerel." Lin Yan had witnessed Xiangling's abilities firsthand.

"Poetry is about clarifying one's mind and opening one's heart, but there's no need to scrutinize the words and phrases. As long as the meaning is genuine, it's a masterpiece." Cangshan Jun managed to smooth things over for Xiangling. He smiled and said, "I've read the Laobiekeng Poetry Society's collection, and many of the poems there are just as good as those by the masters."

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan and Lin Yan exchanged a glance and immediately understood that Cangshan Jun was shameless enough to insist on praising him, so he must have something to ask for!
"Pangolin, just say what you want to say," Lin Yan chuckled.

Cangshan Jun was somewhat reserved. While rowing, he said, "I heard that Brother Meng got married, but I haven't offered my congratulations yet."

He then looked at Lin Yan and said, "Brother Lin, too."

Meng Yuan and Lin Yan remained silent, waiting for Lord Cangshan to get down to business.

Seeing that the two remained silent, Lord Cangshan asked Lin Yan again, "Is the medicine girl pregnant?"

"Sigh, don't even mention it!" Lin Yan waved his hand helplessly, "There's no one to cuddle with!"

"..." Even though Cangshan Jun was highly cultivated and learned, he was still stunned for a moment and couldn't utter a word.

Left with no other choice, Lord Cangshan looked at Meng Yuan again and asked, "Have your two sisters-in-law conceived children?"

"You didn't mention it in your previous letter, so I suppose it hasn't happened yet." Meng Yuan was an honest man and didn't lie.

“There’s no need to rush.” Cangshan Jun seemed to understand. “However, these things also depend on fate.”

Sure enough, these words piqued the interest of both Meng Yuan and Lin Yan.

Lord Cangshan began to elaborate, "The higher one's cultivation level, the more difficult it is to have offspring."

"That's true!" Lin Yan immediately clapped his hands in agreement. "The three abbots of Lanruo Temple are all eminent monks, yet none of them have any children! That's truly strange!"

Monks sever kinship ties. If someone isn't married, how can they have offspring? Lord Cangshan knew Lin Yan was talking nonsense, but he didn't argue. He simply said, "Brother Lin is joking. I think Brother Lin will have many children and grandchildren in the future, so there's no need to worry."

This is also speaking nonsense, implying that Lin Yan's cultivation level is not high.

"Pangolin, just say what you have to say." Lin Yan felt there was no point in arguing with Cangshan Jun.

"That's nothing." Lord Cangshan smiled. "Brother Lin married a member of our demon clan. We in the mountains didn't really think much of it. Brother Lin stole it. It's common for the strong to get it. Elder Miaoyin approved of this marriage. Actually, there are many enlightened people in our clan."

At this point, Lord Cangshan looked at Meng Yuan again and said, "Brother Meng, if you are interested, there are many beauties in my demon race. Their temperament and appearance are both first-rate."

So it turns out they just wanted to borrow sperm!

At this point, Meng Yuan naturally couldn't agree, so he simply said, "Go ask the Third Miss later; I am one of her people."

"She even cares about this kind of thing?" Cangshan Jun was very surprised and frowned in doubt. "Pants... isn't that a bit too much of a meddlesome thing?"

"Your junior brother's wife hasn't gotten pregnant yet, what's the rush?" Lin Yan sneered.

"What's wrong with that?" Lord Cangshan was clearly shameless. "Brother Meng is strong and diligent; he'll surely reap the rewards. Your wife is far away in the capital; she needs someone by her side." "Lord Cangshan, whose mission is this?" Meng Yuan was quite familiar with Lord Cangshan and knew that he was a decent person, but his shamelessness today must have a reason.

"No need to say more," Cangshan Jun smiled awkwardly. "Anyway, Brother Meng, please consider it."

As I rowed the boat, the occasional chirping of birds could be heard from both sides of the shore.

Before long, the sun began to set. The world fell silent, with a bright moon hanging in the sky.

Lord Cangshan stopped mentioning the matter of borrowing seed and instead kept asking Meng Yuan to compose poems.

Lin Yan was also in high spirits and urged them on.

Meng Yuan had no choice but to compose the line: "The river flows windingly around the fragrant fields, and the moon shines on the flower forest like scattered snowflakes."

"As expected of someone from the Old Turtle Pit Poetry Club! Brilliant!" Lin Yan naturally kept praising him, but in an unusually sarcastic tone.

"My worthy brother, a casual remark is a line that countless scholars have pondered for decades without finding the perfect expression!" Cangshan Jun praised sincerely, but in his heart he wondered whose lines Meng Feiyuan had stolen. Where here is there a fragrant field? And a moonlit flower forest? There is indeed a bright moon in the sky, but no flower forest. It is clear that he only cared about stealing the lines and forgot that the season was not right.

Meng Yuan then forced Lin Yan and Cangshan Jun to compose poems. Lin Yan wrote a doggerel, while Cangshan Jun wrote a serious seven-character quatrain.

Downstream along the Qinglong River, the bright moon hangs high in the sky, and the Milky Way shines brilliantly.

The bright moon is reflected in the river, and ahead, a small awning boat is seen drifting aimlessly on the water.

"That's it." Lord Cangshan disregarded his dignity and rowed the oars vigorously.

As they approached the covered boat, a sudden storm arose on the river, and rain began to fall. In an instant, the river surged, and the small boat was tossed about by the waves, sometimes rising high and sometimes falling low.

However, the three were cultivators after all, and their arrival by boat was out of courtesy. They were not afraid of the wind and waves. Their small boat was like a floating leaf, but it did not capsize no matter what when Lord Cangshan ferried them across.

However, the awning boat was clearly unmanned, and simply rose and fell with the waves.

The lights in the covered boat were sometimes obscured by the waves, and sometimes they shone faintly.

"Elder Miaoyin is angry," Cangshan Jun said softly. "You two should just jump over there. I'll guard this little boat."

What's so great about guarding a small boat? Isn't that just being a coward? Seeing that Cangshan Jun didn't want to go, Meng Yuan and Lin Yan didn't force him, and the two immediately got up.

With feet firmly planted on the surging waves, they landed on the bow of the awning boat.

Both of them were extremely cautious and moved very quietly. The awning boat continued to drift with the waves, showing no unusual movement despite their arrival.

Meng Yuan peered forward and saw a low table under the awning, with a dim yellow lamp on it. An old Taoist priest sat cross-legged on it; it was none other than Xuanjizi of Chongxu Temple.

Two women sat cross-legged opposite me. One of them was dressed in a light blue gauze dress, and even in the candlelight, she was still radiantly beautiful, capable of stirring the heart with a single glance. Her allure was so captivating that she possessed the beauty to bring ruin to a nation.

This woman was none other than Elder Miaoyin. Her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she were angry, but she possessed a unique charm that captivated all who looked at her.

Beside Elder Miaoyin was a woman in gray, about thirty years old, with a wooden hairpin in her hair and a golden necklace around her neck.

This woman possessed an ethereal beauty that was unforgettable at first glance. However, she was not as alluring and seductive as Elder Miaoyin; rather, she was like a flying fish in the river, with a cunning air and exceptionally bright, lively eyes.

Those eyes were dark and deep, as if reflecting the Milky Way.

Meng Yuan had a feeling that this was probably Elder Hua. Meng Yuan's eyes shifted slightly. Sure enough, he saw that the woman had a sachet hanging from her waist.

Upon closer inspection, the stitching is exactly the same as the floral sachet that Xiangling carries day and night. However, the woman's sachet is light blue and embroidered with lifelike dragons and phoenixes.

In terms of exquisite detail, Xiangling's little bundle is far inferior.

Moreover, a blue jade pendant was hanging next to the sachet.

There seemed to be words on the jade pendant, but Meng Yuan only saw the characters "情" (love) and "寿" (longevity).

This person was clearly dressed in gray, but he did not look old at all. On the contrary, he was full of vitality, as if he was about to jump up and swim a few laps in the river at any moment.

Moreover, she was wearing quite a few decorations, but compared to Xiangling, she didn't look capable at all; instead, she looked like she had come out to play.

Meng Yuan felt that Elder Hua Suzhi had really not taught Xiangling well; at least in terms of dressing, Xiangling looked like a country bumpkin.

Although the awning boat was small, it didn't feel crowded inside. The two women each had their own unique charm, clearly not ordinary people.

The old Taoist Xuanji stroked his beard, his mood fluctuating as he rode the awning boat, but his face showed impatience, clearly indicating his annoyance with the two women.

No wonder, Elder Miaoyin is already difficult to deal with, and with Elder Huasuzhi added on, they are even more difficult to deal with.

The three sat around a low table, next to which was a small red clay stove on which water was boiling.

The moon is not visible in the middle of the river, yet despite the chasing wind and waves, not a drop of boiling water has spilled from the small stove.

Moreover, a faint tea fragrance wafted out, which was quite unusual given the wind and rain.

The aroma of this tea, though faint, lingered for a long time in the heart of the river, amidst wind and rain, and the ebb and flow of the waves.

Moreover, the aroma of the tea seemed to have a calming effect, and Meng Yuan immediately felt comfortable all over, with no distracting thoughts in his mind.

The wind and rain did not penetrate under the awning, and the three of them remained remarkably calm.

Meng Yuan and Lin Yan did not think twice and immediately bowed.

"The tea-brewing boy has arrived!" Xuanjizi waved happily, inviting Meng Yuan and Lin Yan to sit under the awning.

Meng Yuan had seen his share of grand occasions, and Lin Yan was shameless; neither of them were afraid of a master, so they immediately stepped forward and sat down.

"Young friends, you've come through wind and rain, thank you for your hard work." Elder Miaoyin was completely unpretentious, her voice gentle and charming, instantly making Meng Yuan and Lin Yan forget the storm outside.

Meng Yuan tempered his body several times, and on the fifth time he even succeeded in refining his mind. He immediately got rid of his chaotic thoughts, but as soon as he woke up, he saw that his hand had been pulled over by Elder Miaoyin.

Her palm was fair and slightly warm. Meng Yuan looked closely at her palm and felt that the lines on it seemed to hold the greatest joy in the world. If he just touched or scratched her palm, he would probably experience the most delicious taste.

"Don't frighten the young man," the woman in gray said. "Look at his expression, he's clearly embarrassed."

Meng Yuan felt grateful, thinking to himself that Xiangling was indeed very kind and helpful, and that he had once again benefited from the assistance of his godmother Xiangling.

The woman in gray continued speaking, her words making perfect sense. She then said, "Let me and the old Taoist Xuanjizi make room for you! The wind and waves on the river are strong, rising and falling. Listening to the wind and rain outside, and the churning clouds and rain under the awning, it must be even more enchanting."

(End of this chapter)