The story begins with the bride marrying off her daughter, and the woman, at the age of one hundred,

The wind caresses the mountains and rivers, and the scenery settles in the heart.

The group hurriedly headed to Huangfengling.

The strong winds stopped when we passed Triangle Mountain.

Chang Shou left the two cubs to be cared for by the old fox.

Holding his two beloved grandsons, Old Li smiled so broadly that his eyes narrowed into slits, making him look like a fox that had successfully caught a chicken.

Overjoyed, the old fox stood on the treetop, waving a burlap handkerchief while blowing its nose.

"May you all have a safe journey."

I glanced back.

Sun Wukong raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

"This old fox is quite amusing."

The round-faced, chubby chicken clucked a few times, realizing that the monkey shared the same view as it, truly worthy of being one of only two fluffy creatures.

Chang Shou heard this but only smiled slightly.

Whether it's flowers, birds, insects, fish, humans, ghosts, gods, or Buddhas, the wisest people in the world will become more and more like children as they grow old.

As always, I ride the gale.

The two immortals, the monkey, and the chicken quickly arrived at their destination.

Huangfengling remained as desolate and lonely as ever.

However, because the large rats in the mountains either died or escaped, the black mist that had shrouded the ridge had dissipated, and the sunlight shone on the ridge, as if it were a piece of glass that had been dusted off and wiped clean, revealing its true colors, bright and clean, and suddenly open and bright.

The vast expanse of yellow earth, though desolate, somehow exudes a touch of vitality.

It evokes a feeling of having weathered countless storms and been reborn from the ashes.

Their eyes lit up at the sight.

It's really different now!!!

At the highest peak of the mountain stands a hundred-foot-tall three-leaf tree, its branches and leaves lush and its trunk gnarled and twisted, its crown like a canopy, casting shade over a radius of three miles.

A tall, thin old man stood in front of the tree.

He had ordinary features, high cheekbones, wore a wide robe with large sleeves, and a jade hairpin crown. He stood with his hands behind his back, his spine straight, as if he wouldn't bend even if the sky fell. His temperament was extraordinary, and even the color scheme of his blue robe and yellow belt had an indescribable flavor.

It was that immortal Guangzhi.

Looking at the ancient tree in front of him, Chang Shou stroked his white beard and a look of sudden realization flashed across his face.

It turns out that the three-leaf tree was the poplar tree in its previous life.

Poplar trees are known as the soul of the desert, and they are indeed suitable to take root in Huangfengling, repair the earth's veins, harmonize the spiritual veins, and restore the vitality of the land.

Upon landing, Chang Shou and the others were the first to bow.

"May I ask if it is Fellow Daoist Guangzhi in person?"

Hiroshi clasped his hands together in front of his chest, making a gesture of respect, a gesture usually reserved for scholars and gentlemen. The movements were standard yet not rigid, conveying a sense of solemnity and dignity.

This made Changshou and the others feel a deep sense of respect.

"I, Guangzhi, greet all fellow Daoists."

---

I greeted him with formalities.

Guangzhi politely received the guests.

A deep vortex emerged from within the thick tree trunk.

Hiroshi beckoned, "Come on, come on!"

As if by magic, wooden tables, chairs, benches, tea, and fruits flew out from the vortex.

"My humble abode is simple, with only a little tea. I hope my fellow Daoists will not find it offensive."

He is usually cold-faced and doesn't talk much.

Sun Wukong scratched his ears and cheeks.

Round-faced, chubby chickens are disregarded.

Chang Shou shook his head; he had no choice but to go himself.

He responded with a smile:

"Fellow Daoist Guangzhi, you are too kind. Given the desolate state of Huangfeng Ridge, where no living beings are left and the mountains and rivers are barren, it is already a rare treat to have a cup of tea and some fruit."

Moreover, our connection began at Huangfeng Ridge. Sincerity is the foundation of any friendship; even the finest treasures cannot compare to a true friend's sincerity.

Hiroshi smiled slightly.

Chang Shou smiled in return.

This statement was half true and half false; no one believed it completely.

At least the words sound nice, make sense, and are acceptable in public.

They sat down under the tree.

Hiroshi and Tsunetoshi were the main conversationalists.

To be precise, Guangzhi was thanking them for eradicating the rat clan in time, and also thinking of his fellow Daoist with whom he had no prior connection, who had provided him with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Occasionally, Hiroshi would talk about his own experiences, such as slaying demons, seeking immortals and visiting friends, playing in the mortal world, or other stories, etc., to avoid the conversation becoming dry.

Although he was upright and steady, he practiced Confucianism.

Confucian scholars are well-versed in literature, quick-witted, fluent in speech, and eloquent in their words.

Guangzhi was able to cultivate himself into an immortal through the Confucian way, making him one of the best Confucian scholars. His talent and knowledge were comparable to the seventy-two disciples of Confucius in the past.

The atmosphere at the tea party was harmonious.

Even when discussing trivial matters, it can still be very interesting.

He would occasionally chime in with a sentence.

The round-faced, chubby chicken is all about companionship.

The monkey is a comedic character who mainly creates a lively atmosphere. He's very clever and cunning.

He didn't miss a single word of what he was supposed to hear.

After three cups of tea and five bites of melon, we had finished our meal.

Hiroshi took out a wooden box, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of Ruchang.

"Fellow Daoist Ruchang, I learned from Junior Brother Zhenli that you are skilled in alchemy, especially in poison making. Over the years, I have collected some pill formulas while traveling. If you don't mind, please accept this item as a token of my appreciation."

They addressed each other as fellow Daoists, not junior brothers.

It's not that Hiroshi doesn't want to, but that's just the rule.

It's fine to talk about it in the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave, but once you leave the Spirit Platform Three Stars Cave, you can no longer address each other as fellow disciples.

Her usual cold expression softened slightly as she thanked him and readily accepted the wooden box.

Hiroshi smiled.

Debts of gratitude are hard to repay.

Although he may eventually attain immortality and become a Confucian sage or near-sage, the debts of gratitude he owes to others will be even greater.

Accepting gifts as a token of gratitude can at least repay some of the favors and settle some karmic debts.

One done, three more to go.

Guangzhi took out a bamboo scroll and handed it to Changshou.

Seeing the old Taoist priest staring at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation, his face clearly saying:

Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!

---

Hiroshi couldn't help but smile.

This old Taoist priest reminded him of the ordinary old men he encountered when traveling through the mortal world, worldly-wise yet with a touch of childlike playfulness.

Without trying to be mysterious, Hiroshi patiently explained:

"I know that Fellow Daoist Changshou aspires to become a human immortal."

This technique is called the Water Moon Technique, which aims to refine the false and cultivate the true, and to generate Yang from emptiness.

One can retrieve purer, gentler water essence imbued with the power of moonlight from the Water Moon to nourish the body, strengthen the lungs and internal organs, and refine the bones and roots.

"Fellow Daoist, you use water to carry the Dao. If you master this technique, it can complement your own methods. Practicing at midnight will save you time transforming Yin energy, allowing you to focus more on replenishing Yang, achieving twice the result with half the effort. Over the years, it should save you some effort."

Chang Shou's face immediately lit up with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist, this gift has touched my heart, so I will accept it without being impolite."

He swiftly accepted the bamboo slips without any politeness or pretense, clearly displaying his greed for "what he wanted."

Hiroshi's gaze fell on the monkey.

Just as he was about to grab something, Sun Wukong's eyes lit up, and he spoke first:

"Old man, do you know the art of immortality?"

Hiroshi's expression instantly turned awkward.

"Won't."

"Do you possess the secret to immortality?"

Hiroshi's expression became even more embarrassed.

"no."

"Could you possibly live forever?"

Hiroshi could no longer maintain the smile on his face.

"cannot."

He wants to live a long and healthy life.

Why go through all that trouble to move the main body to the godforsaken Huangfeng Ridge?

Behind the solitary tree lies a desolate wilderness.

Sun Wukong immediately shook his head like a rattle drum, muttering "No, no."

"I don't want any techniques that don't grant immortality."

Seeing that Guangzhi's face was ashen, Sun Wukong knew when to stop. He jumped off the chair, rushed in front of Guangzhi, his eyes cunning and his smile bright.

"I, Old Sun, am not an ungrateful monkey. Since you don't have what I want, then bring out a few bottles of treasures that can help Old Man Chang's cultivation."

"I, Old Sun, will thank you for that."