The Great Way to Truth, Starting from Jiazi Laodao

Chapter 102 This Scholar...is Not a Human
Da da!

The sound of hooves could be heard.

On the North City Overpass, the old half-immortal and the blind old Taoist heard the sound and went to look, and were immediately delighted, because the person sitting on the donkey was Taoist Yuan.

He held a whisk in his hand, his posture was relaxed, his expression was at ease, his temperament was completely different from before, he looked less plain and approachable, and more like an immortal.

The two men stood up and saluted. Xuanming nodded, motioning them to follow and continue riding the donkey.

On the way, they met Fu Lai Huo Qu, two other wandering Taoists. At Xuan Ming's signal, they followed him.

One person was in front and four people were behind, passing through the city. Xuanming did not stop until he was out of Fuyun County.

Looking at the four people in front of him, he did not hide it anymore. He flicked his whisk and removed his disguise. In an instant, a white-haired old Taoist riding a deer appeared before them. Although they were stunned, the four people were all smart people. They immediately understood that this was Taoist Yuan's true identity and bowed down.

Xuanming did not stop him, but accepted the gift calmly, saying in a gentle voice: "I am Xuanming, a Taoist who practices in the Qiuzhen Temple. Before that, I used the pseudonym Yuan Shoucheng to play in the mortal world and experience the world. You and I are destined to be together. We have been together for more than two years, and you know our personalities. Now I am about to go on a long journey, and I came here to complete this fate before I leave."

He waved his sleeves and sent out four streams of light, which all entered the four people's eyebrows. Xuanming explained: "This is part of my experience in fortune-telling, and I am giving it to you. I hope you will keep your original intentions and not show off your abilities or do anything wrong. Otherwise, I will show no mercy when we meet again in the future."

The four were shocked. The name of Xuanming Zhenren was well-known to them and resounded throughout Fuyun County. The four thought that Taoist Yuan was a hidden master, but they never expected that he was the old Zhenren from Fuyun Mountain. They were so surprised that they couldn't calm down for a long time.

The old beggar had been struggling in the lower class for the longest time. He was the first to react and bowed: "I will remember the teachings of the Immortal."

The other three people finally reacted and immediately saluted. When they looked up, Xuanming had already ridden away on a deer and turned into a small dot, his figure disappearing into thin air.

---

Revisit the old place, walking and strolling.

Xuanming set out on the road to the county town.

After being invited to watch the ceremony at Hai's house in Nancheng and witnessing the black boy Bao Renyi becoming Hai Fengming's apprentice, he stayed for only one night and left early the next morning.

After leaving Haizhai, he went straight to the outside of Fengyang County, took the official road and headed for Cangyue County.

My eldest sister is going to celebrate her 80th birthday this year. As the saying goes, an eldest sister is like a mother. She used to take good care of me and was very considerate. Because of her Taoist name, she was once nicknamed "Duniang" by her fellow disciples. Even after she got married, she often asked people to send things back to her.

This time, his adopted nephew came and sent an invitation to the birthday party. It is reasonable for Xuanming to go.

But he was in no hurry to travel. Cangyue County and Fengyang County were more than ten thousand miles apart, and his eldest sister's birthday banquet was still a month away. With a spirit deer that could travel more than two thousand miles a day, it was definitely in time.

Since you have come down the mountain and entered the world, you must experience it with your heart, look at the scenery along the way, observe the various human emotions, and observe all things in the world. Even if you just rush through it, it is better than rushing through it blindly. Maybe some inadvertent moment can touch your soul and give you some understanding.

The official road was wide. Although it was early in the morning, there were many pedestrians, including ordinary people walking barefoot, children of wealthy families riding horses and carriages, caravans hired by escort agencies, and villagers driving ox carts along the way...

People of different identities and classes travel together, coming and going, which is quite interesting.

Xuanming transformed himself into an ordinary Taoist priest, with an ordinary face, ordinary clothes, ordinary temperament, ordinary whisk, an ordinary donkey behind him, and an ordinary swallow on the donkey's head. He blended in with the passers-by and was inconspicuous.

By noon, the sun was scorching, and the flowers and plants on both sides of the official road were a little wilted and listless. Passers-by were so hot that their throats were smoking and they were sweating profusely. Ordinary people kept wiping their sweat with their sleeves, assisted by cooling runes. The nobles in the carriage were in better condition, and the speed of waving their folding and round fans was significantly increased.

In order to better experience the various aspects of life, Xuanming sealed his magic power and physical strength, sealed all his supernatural powers, and regarded himself as a complete mortal. After walking for half a day, he was also thirsty. Seeing some passers-by walking under the shade of the trees to cool off, and even a few carriages parked there, he thought about it and walked over to rest.

The nobles in the carriage and the common people were tacitly separated. Xuanming did not join the rich people, but squeezed together with the ordinary people. He took the water bag and bag from the donkey, took a few sips of water, opened the bag, took out the pastry and started eating.

---

Gulp! The sound of swallowing saliva was heard.

Xuanming turned a deaf ear and pretended not to know.

Gudong!

The swallowing sound started again.

Xuanming continued to turn a deaf ear.

"Master... can I exchange a penny for half a piece of shortbread?"

A voice sounded cautiously.

Xuanming looked up and saw an eight-foot tall man squatting next to him. He was wearing straw sandals and patched clothes, with dark skin and calluses on his palms. He looked honest and there was a hint of embarrassment in his words, and it was obvious that he did not do this often.

Seeing the Taoist priest's puzzled expression, the honest black man hurriedly explained: "I am a little greedy for the Taoist priest's pastry, but I am short of money. If the Taoist priest is willing, I am willing to give you some pickled vegetables from my own home."

Xuanming was familiar with the honest and black man, who seemed to be from a farming family. The three of them were traveling together. He often held a pale, thin child in his arms, who looked unwell. However, he did not spoil the child and would only hold him for a while when the child was tired. The child was also sensible and often asked to get off and take a walk by himself.

Without exposing the man's lie, Xuanming directly handed him a piece of shortbread: "I don't like to take advantage of others. Your pickled vegetables look good and are worth half a shortbread."

The man was in high spirits, a smile bloomed on his dark face. He took the pastry with both hands, full of gratitude, and hurried a few steps to his wife and daughter. He tore the pastry into two halves, gave half to his wife and half to the child. He took out most of the pickled vegetables from the earthenware jar he carried with him, wrapped it in a larger grass leaf next to it, and gave it to Xuanming.

He took out another penny from his pocket and handed it over reluctantly. Xuanming took the two things without hesitation, broke a grass branch into chopsticks, picked up the pickled vegetables, and put them into his mouth. There was a crunching sound, and the taste was good, a common country flavor.

The most important thing is that there is a sense of human life hidden in them. The people who make the pickles are very attentive. Even if they are poor, they still try their best to live a good life without any sorrow or resentment in their hearts. Therefore, ordinary wild vegetables have a bit more warmth and traces of the diligence and thrift of a clever housewife.

"Daddy, you eat first!"

"Boss, you eat first!"

When the man returned to his wife and daughter, his wife and the little girl handed the biscuits to the dark-skinned man. The latter shook his head and was about to say something when the clever little girl interrupted him: "Daddy won't eat it, and Ping An won't eat it either."

"Okay! Daddy, eat! Let's eat together!"

The big man grinned, revealing his white teeth. He took a small bite of the biscuit and pushed it back to his wife and daughter. He then picked up the multi-grain steamed bun and started eating it with pickled vegetables.

While eating the shortbread and pickled vegetables, Xuanming observed the family of three and said, "Interesting!"

This family is obviously human, but they have a faint demonic aura, and even a faint divine power from incense.

Not only Xuanming noticed this heartwarming scene, but other people also saw it. Some people didn't take it to heart, some pouted in disdain, and some smiled at it, being infected by this warmth and feeling warmed in their hearts.

A young scholar carrying a bamboo bookcase came up to the strong man, put down the bookcase and opened it. He took out an oil-paper bag and two white steamed buns, handed them to the man, and said in a gentle voice:

"My dear brother, I have been away from home for half a month, and I miss my mother's pickled vegetables very much. Can you give me some? I am willing to exchange them for sweet-scented osmanthus cakes and white flour buns."

Seeing this, Xuanming's mouth corners raised.

This scholar...

Not human!

(End of this chapter)