Journey to the West: Starting by becoming an apprentice of Emperor Donghua

Ji Sheng then appeared before Zhen Yuanzi and bowed:

"Ji Sheng has met the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi."

Zhen Yuanzi laughed and said:

"You naughty boy! Tell me, what do you want to say to me that you led me here?"

Qingfeng and Mingyue then realized that Ji Sheng had deliberately used an illusion to cover one of the ginseng fruits and then disappeared into the garden. He had not actually picked the fruit.

Ji Sheng said:

"Is the sage really going to give me ginseng fruit?"

Zhen Yuanzi said:

"What, you don't want it?"

Ji Sheng shook his head:

"This ginseng fruit is famous throughout the three realms. Which deity in heaven or on earth wouldn't want it? But even if they want it, I don't want to just take it like that."

Stealing things sneakily is not the style of the Donghua lineage.

The Donghua lineage? Qingfeng and Mingyue were both taken aback upon hearing this.

Although they guessed that Ji Sheng came from an extraordinary background, they were surprised to learn that he actually belonged to the lineage of Emperor Donghua.

Zhen Yuanzi laughed heartily:

"Stop trying to glorify your master! Your senior brother, Dongfang Shuo, is a notorious thief. Who in the Three Realms doesn't know about his theft of the Queen Mother of the West's peaches?"

Ji Sheng blushed slightly and gave an awkward laugh.

"Uh... I can't control my senior brother, but I, Ji Sheng, cannot do that. If the Great Immortal is willing to give me this ginseng fruit, please bestow it openly and honestly; otherwise, please give it to someone else!"

Zhen Yuanzi said:

"Do you really think I can't give away my precious treasure?"

Ji Sheng bowed respectfully but did not reply.

Zhen Yuanzi snorted coldly:

"If it weren't for your master's relentless pursuit, and you not saving my two disciples' lives, you wouldn't even have been able to smell this ginseng fruit!"

Ji Sheng's heart skipped a beat; it really was because of Emperor Donghua's influence.

He had suspected it before, but now that it was confirmed, he was still very moved.

This is a renowned treasure in the Three Realms, and Ji Sheng doesn't believe he can obtain it simply by showing favor. He wonders what price Emperor Donghua paid.

After a moment, Zhen Yuanzi said:

"Since you insist on obtaining the ginseng fruit openly and honestly, it's not impossible."

When this ginseng fruit first appeared, I said that I would give one to anyone who could pass my three tests. Are you willing to try these three tests?

Ji Sheng nodded and said:

"Please, Master, set a question!"

Zhen Yuanzi said:

"If that's the case, then it's easy to discuss. However, if you fail the test, you'll never have the chance to own this ginseng fruit again. Are you still willing to accept that?"

Ji Shengdao:

"willing!"

Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi's eyes revealed a hint of appreciation:

"Good! You had a chance to get a ginseng fruit for free before, but you passed the test, so you have guts. You've passed the first test. As for the second test..."

After a moment's hesitation, Zhen Yuanzi waved his jade whisk, and a worn-out double-eared hemp shoe appeared on the ground:

"This is my old hemp shoe. Take it down the mountain; I won't sell it for less than ten thousand taels of gold!"

Ji Sheng picked up the hemp shoes and saw that they were terribly worn out, with the hemp ropes used to weave them broken in many places.

These shoes are barely wearable, let alone worth ten thousand taels of gold.

Ji Shengdao:

"What if I could sell more?"

Zhen Yuanzi was taken aback, then burst into laughter:

"If you can sell it for a higher price, I will give you another reward!"

Ji Sheng put the shoes into the purple bamboo tube and then went down the mountain.

Three hundred li west of Longevity Hill, there is a large city. This large city is the capital of a small country.

Although the country is small, it is quite wealthy, and therefore its capital is extremely prosperous.

Ji Sheng transformed into a lame Taoist priest, leaning on a cane and holding the double-eared hemp shoes in his hand, hawking them in the most bustling street in the city.

His hawking quickly attracted the attention of the crowd on the street. In no time, a crowd gathered around him, including merchants, vendors, passersby, and even the shop assistants.

"Haha, you Taoist priest are really something else. Those shoes you just took off your feet, weren't they?"

The shoe belonged to the right foot, and Ji Sheng was also lame on his right foot. His right foot was bare at the moment, so everyone assumed that.

Ji Sheng smiled and said:

"What you say is true, benefactor. These are the shoes I just took off."

Someone nearby sneered:

"What an economical Taoist priest! If your right leg is lame, you sell the shoes for your right leg. Then let me ask you, if your left leg becomes lame, will you sell the shoes for your left leg?"

Ji Sheng nodded:

"Of course!"

The crowd burst into laughter, and someone started to shove:

"Who would buy just one shoe? You might as well break your left foot too and sell both; that way, someone will buy them!"

Faced with the ridicule and jeers of the crowd, Ji Sheng was not annoyed. He simply looked at everyone and smiled without saying a word.

A wealthy businessman in the crowd, his face showing pity, asked:

"This Taoist priest, I'll take pity on you. How much are you planning to sell these shoes for?"

Seeing that Ji Sheng was dressed in rags and had a limp, he assumed that Ji Sheng was trying to gain attention for the sake of making a living.

Ji Sheng made a ten with his hand.

"Ten copper coins?"

Ji Sheng shook his head.

"Ten coins?"

Ji Sheng shook his head again. The wealthy businessman frowned:

"Could it be ten taels of silver?"

Ji Sheng shook his head again and said:

"One hundred thousand taels!"

The wealthy businessman was startled:

"How much? One hundred thousand taels of silver? You Taoist priest, have you gone mad?"

Ji Sheng laughed heartily:

"No, no, it's not 100,000 taels of silver, it's 100,000 taels of gold!"

Everyone was startled by Ji Sheng's words and began to insult him, calling him a fool who was obsessed with money.

A busybody asked from the side:

"You're selling these tattered shoes for 100,000? What, will they grow a new leg if you wear them?"

Ji Sheng smiled:

"Long legs and long feet are merely the smallest of these shoes' abilities. Wearing these shoes will protect you from all diseases, clear away past karma and future calamities; wearing these shoes will grant you eight hundred years of life; wearing these shoes will prevent your parents and relatives from falling into hell; wearing these shoes will ensure wealth and prosperity for generations to come, and establish an indestructible foundation for ten thousand years!"

This statement only drew more ridicule from the crowd.

"That boastful Taoist priest, that shameless ox-nose!"

"These shoes are so good, what are you selling? Wear them and renounce your vows!"

"Ten thousand taels of gold is such a bargain. If I had that much gold, I would have bought it long ago."

The crowd bustled about, treating Ji Sheng as a joke. Ji Sheng simply sat down on the street, waiting for someone destined to meet him.

His words just now were not boasting. These were the hemp shoes worn by Zhen Yuanzi, the ancestor of earth immortals. They looked ordinary, but they were extraordinary in many ways and were rare magical treasures.

Just then, someone said:

"Hey, isn't this Zhang the Cripple from East Street? It just so happens that you're lame in your left foot, and he's selling right-hand shoes. What a coincidence!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in even more commotion. This cripple, Zhang, had a full head of white hair and had lost half of his teeth; he looked to be at least sixty years old.

He was pushed forward and, upon seeing the hemp shoes in Ji Sheng's hand, shook his head repeatedly.

"What use would I have for this tattered shoe? Go away, stop fooling around."

Someone said:

"The shoes are worn out, but they suit you perfectly. Why don't you ask about the price?"

Crippled Zhang was indeed tempted and asked:

"How much do you want for these hemp shoes?"

Ji Shengdao:

"One hundred thousand taels of gold."