Immortal Dao Fruits, Cards to Help Me

Chapter 80 Black Mother's Feast

There is a folk tale in Hangzhou about how Xu Xian and Bai Niangzi met and fell in love.

The common version says that Xu Xian saved the white snake when he was a shepherd boy several lifetimes ago, and then the white snake came to repay the kindness.

However, there is another version of the story: it is said that the Pure Yang Immortal Lü Dongbin was selling glutinous rice balls on the West Lake Bridge to join in the fun. Xu Xian bought some, but he was not blessed with enough immortality and could not digest the glutinous rice balls. In the end, he vomited them into the West Lake and was eaten by the White Snake...

Chen Xiuxian's "sticky rice cakes," which he had been obsessed with and encouraged everyone to eat as much as they could without dying, were similar.

However, it can't compare to the legends. It's probably set up by some ghost or deity to reward someone with a connection.

In the game, there was a top player who once climbed to second place on the ranking leaderboard.

He later revealed that it was because he leveled up quickly in the early stages and then spent his time in Shencheng that he accidentally triggered this "fate," ate several sticky rice cakes, and gained a lot of experience points.

This happened particularly early; after all, being able to roam around Shenyang at a level of ten or so, half a year after the game started, required some luck and skill.

Not to mention encountering this "bean bun stall".

It takes a bit of luck, or good fortune!
You know what, this young boy Li Huo, his chance has finally come.

Chen Xiuxian was fortunate enough to find this stall; Lao Niu and the others were just lucky to have it.
The stall owner, an old lady, didn't say anything, but just smiled and picked out sticky rice cakes from the steamer for the group.

These bean buns are made with a skin similar to rice cake or millet flour, similar to glutinous rice flour. The filling consists of cooked red beans or kidney beans mashed into a paste, mixed with fine sugar, and shaped into small, pit-sized pieces.

Once cooked, steam it and then freeze it. When you want to eat it, just steam it again and it's ready to eat.

The one made with glutinous rice flour is white, while the one made with millet flour is yellow.

When the pot lid was lifted, a burst of steam, mixed with the unique aroma of steamed buns, filled the air with a sense of abundance and delight.

The old lady who ran the stall didn't say anything. With a flick of her long bamboo chopsticks, she picked up a steamed bun from the steamer and put it into Chen Xiuxian's bowl.

Then everyone else also got one.

Chen Xiuxian took one look, saw it was white, and decided to eat it!
Pick it up, dip it in some white sugar, and put it in your mouth.

One bite and the soft, chewy outer layer and sweet red bean paste filling bring a sense of satisfaction!

This thing is really solid; it's heavy, sticky, and has a lot of weight.

Old Niu, who used to eat dumplings one after another, can now only manage a few bites. He chews them vigorously but can't swallow them!
Others are even less likely to succeed.

Dou Zhongde was hissing and laughing, unable to bring himself to take a bite; even a small bite was too hot.

There was a bowl in front of Mimi, but the steamed bun was like glue, sticking right to her teeth. She was screaming and yelling while eating, and it was impossible to tear it apart. She almost suffocated!

Although I don't know what Chen Xiuxian is up to, since he repeatedly told me to eat more, then I'll eat it.

Besides, these steamed buns are delicious, aren't they?

The old ox chewed with his big mouth until his cheeks ached and he ate two in a row. The old lady then picked up another one and put it in his bowl.

But even the old ox was a little surprised—this stuff is so filling! I'm actually a bit stuffed!

Considering the appetites of those three grown men, Old Niu, he was actually satisfied by just two steamed buns. He was a little indignant!

Gritting my teeth, sticking the white sugar to my lips, I ate half of the steamed bun again, and felt that my stomach was about to burst!
As for Chen Xiuxian, he ate like crazy and had already eaten his fourth one!

Three whites and one yellow!
"I...I really can't eat anymore."

Li Huo had already eaten two before Chen Xiuxian and the others arrived, and now he's eaten two more, so he feels so full that he won't be hungry for half a month.

As he muttered this to himself, Chen Xiuxian suddenly sensed something, looked up, and found that the person was gone!
Where are the old ladies selling goods at their stalls? Where are the steaming pots of food?

There were only empty tables and a few people sitting on benches.

"Oh no! Where did everyone go!" Li Huo exclaimed in surprise when he realized the stall was gone, and turned to run away.

Chen Xiuxian grabbed him and said, "You're so jumpy, can't you be a little more composed?"

Li Huo is usually quite mischievous, but he really doesn't dare to bare his teeth in front of Chen Xiuxian.

All I could do was grin and honestly reply, "Yeah!"

"It's Chinese New Year and you have nowhere to go... It's fate. Why don't you come over and have a New Year's Eve dinner with us?"

Chen Xiuxian felt that since this kid had this opportunity, he might as well take care of him.

"Eat everything in your bowl!" Chen Xiuxian instructed, while stuffing the last half of the steamed bun into his mouth.

The group was still unaware of what was going on, but having experienced many things in the past six months, they saw that Chen Xiuxian seemed to know something, so without asking why, they did as he said.

Several people got up and left. After taking a dozen steps, Chen Xiuxian looked back and saw that even the table, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks had disappeared. Before he even got home, he heard the system clanging and banging:

"Ding~ You have triggered the 'Heavenly Mother's Blessing' event. You have consumed the 'White Bean Bun' and gained 10000 experience points!"

"Ding~ You have triggered the 'Heavenly Mother's Blessing' event. You have consumed the 'White Bean Bun' and gained 10000 experience points!"

"Ding~ You have triggered the 'Heavenly Mother's Blessing' event. You have consumed the 'White Bean Bun' and gained 10000 experience points!"

"Ding~ You have triggered the 'Heavenly Mother's Blessing' and consumed the 'Soybean Bun'. You have gained the talent attribute [Cultivation Prodigy (Blue)]!"

【Cultivation Prodigy (Blue)】: +2 Constitution, +5% Cultivation Progress.

Oh my god!

So, this "fate of immortality" not only grants experience points, but also talent attributes?

Did that pro player deliberately withhold information back then? How could that pro be so wicked!

No, not necessarily!
Because at that time the game version hadn't been updated yet, and features like talent attribute upgrades hadn't been enabled.

At that time, the top players might have only received experience points.

Unfortunately, I really couldn't eat anymore.

Chen Xiuxian gently patted his belly. They were all so full that they could barely walk straight.

The old ox was still grumbling, "I probably never want to eat sticky rice cakes again in my life."

As for Mimi and Dou Zhongde, they each only ate one. Dou Zhongde felt it was too hot to eat and couldn't eat it quickly.

Mimi is even funnier; her teeth are still sticky and she's still licking them!

But that young man, Li, didn't seem to be acting any differently.

Back home, I added coal briquettes to the stove and boiled water.

Taking out melon seeds and peanuts, and brewing tea, Chen Xiuxian began to tell them about this matter.

"To say... um... that... ah!"

"That's how it is! I had a dream a couple of days ago. In the dream, an old deity told me that there was an opportunity there and that I should eat more sticky rice cakes."

"It has its benefits. I wonder if you've noticed any of them yet?"

Upon hearing this, the old ox stroked its horns and exclaimed, "Hey! You know what, it feels like that again!"

He ate three steamed buns, two white and one yellow. Although he didn't get any experience points, it seemed to directly increase his level and attributes.

Chen Xiuxian's eyes flashed with golden light as he discovered that Old Niu had already leveled up from level 19 to level 20.

Moreover, the acquired attributes have increased significantly, and the innate attribute of physique has also increased by 2!
In terms of attributes alone, he gained nearly 10 points!
And it also has an additional talent attribute:
【Unwavering Resilience (Blue)】: Reduces the impact of negative physical effects and has a certain probability of resisting the effects of mind-based spells.

Dou Zhongde was promoted to level 22!
He was only level 20 before!
However, he was, after all, a "Rat Immortal," with a relatively high potential, so breaking through to the Qi Refining Realm was a natural progression.

He was astonished: his magical power had increased significantly, and he felt somewhat different. Had he broken through to a higher level?
However, since Li Huo was standing next to him, he didn't say anything.

As for Mimi, she has gained an additional talent attribute:
[Spirit Beast (Blue)]: The demonic power within the body will be transformed into spiritual power, and the demonic aura will fade to almost nothing.

It wasn't like he was in a panic or acted rashly.

Chen Xiuxian said, "We have obtained a great opportunity this time, and we should thank that black mother."

"Black Mom?" Old Niu was from Jianzhou after all, so he wasn't quite sure.

However, Dou Zhongde, as a local rat spirit, knew all too well.

"Is it that Black Mother from Nine Peaks Iron Sha Mountain?" he asked quickly.

Chen Xiuxian nodded.

Dou Zhongde was filled with regret, slapping his own mouth repeatedly! "How could you be so weak-willed! If I had known it was Black Mama, I would have eaten more even if it burned me to death!"

Black Mother, also known as Black Old Lady, has a mysterious origin story that is subject to much debate. All that is known is that she followed Master Guo, the founder of Tiesha Mountain, in her early years of cultivation and contributed to his efforts in establishing the Daoist lineage.

Later, Master Guo achieved perfect merit and ascended to heaven at the age of 102.

Black Mother became a local deity in this realm, similar to a mountain god or guardian deity. She has a close relationship with Ironclad Mountain.

This person's status in Liaodong is comparable to that of Hu San Taiye and Hu San Tai Nai in the Five Immortals. Moreover, he is an orthodox Taoist guardian deity and later became a local deity, which is much stronger than the "Five Immortals" folk belief, which is not officially recognized!
Especially for someone like Dou Zhongde, the Rat Immortal, this is simply... a missed opportunity!

However, everyone has their own destiny; being able to eat even one steamed bun is already a blessing, after all, these were all picked up by Chen Xiuxian.
(End of this chapter)