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

Large swathes of bamboo forest collapsed.

One by one, the trees collapsed; one by one, they broke.

Countless bamboo leaves fluttered in the air, and numerous bamboo branches trembled.

Upon seeing this, Chang Shou stroked his beard and nodded, his face showing appreciation.

Ke Da truly lived up to his reputation as a woodcutter of superhuman skill, chopping down hundreds and thousands of tall, lush, century-old bamboo stalks with just a fraction of his strength.

The cut is clean and the edges are sharp.

Each cut is neat and uniform.

Each broken edge is exactly the same.

Ke Da left roots for each bamboo stalk.

To paraphrase Ke Da:

Woodcutters live off the mountains, and fishermen live off the water.

Therefore, we should always leave room for maneuver and not exhaust our resources. Only by leaving a spark can we ensure that the flame of life burns endlessly.

A steady, consistent flow of water is the best way to repay the kindness and bounty of nature.

This is an ancient custom.

This is also the most simple and fundamental truth in this world.

Chang Shou largely agreed with this.

His philosophy emphasizes the transformative power of water.

Therefore, he and Ke Da share similar views on many things and deeply understand the importance of perseverance.

Kelvin was left to continue building houses.

Laying the foundation, building bamboo walls, constructing a high platform...

Ke Da's movements were skillful.

This is not the first time he has built a house.

The Ke family compound at the foot of the mountain was built by his own hands; every single tree and blade of grass in the beginning was the result of his hard work.

Of course, Changshou wasn't idle either.

With three furballs by his side, he used his magic to loosen the soil with the help of water, dug up the bamboo roots near the house site he had chosen, and transplanted them deep into the bamboo forest.

Hehehe~

Familiar laughter rang out.

A familiar golden retriever darted out first, catching Chang Shou and Ke Da's eye—it was Sun Wukong.

Chang Shou asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"

He didn't notify the monkey.

The original plan was to build the house and then invite the monkey and a group of friends to come and have a housewarming party.

Sun Wukong scolded:

"Old Chang, you're being unfair."

They didn't even ask me to help build the house.

If it weren't for Senior Brother Zhenli having nothing better to do and casting a divination for you, we would all be kept in the dark.

As for the others, that's fine too.

Why didn't you even notify me?

"Am I not closer to this big, dumb guy surnamed Ke than you are?"

Chang Shou:......

Ke Da: ...

The three who had just come into their view: ...

Zhenli shook his head helplessly.

As cold and icy as ever.

He clasped his hands together in prayer.

If they hadn't known the monkey and his personality beforehand, they probably would have been really angry.

---

A mountain breeze is blowing.

The bamboo grove sways gently, its shadows dancing in the breeze.

The wind and bamboo create a rustling melody.

Chang Shou glared at the monkey and said:

"It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, not something I did intentionally."

Besides, you are all friends whom I acknowledge as my friends, so how can I distinguish between those who are close and those who are distant?

You monkey, you have no manners! Hurry up and apologize to your fellow Daoists.

Scratching his head, Sun Wukong belatedly realized what was happening.

He gave an embarrassed smile and quickly bowed to Ke Da, Zhen Li, and the other two Qi Refining cultivators to apologize.

"I acted on impulse..."

Normally, he wouldn't speak so recklessly, but since this matter involved Old Man Chang, he was indignant and that's why he spoke so quickly.

Otherwise, why would I be so brainless?

Now that Old Man Chang has offered him a way out, he'll naturally take it, lest it affect their future relationship.

Ke Da and Zhen Li would never stoop to the level of a monkey.

Firstly, they had a good relationship.

Secondly, they knew that the monkey and Changshou had a very close relationship.

Although Fellow Daoist Changshou spoke eloquently, they understood that what the monkey said was not without reason.

Moreover, Changshou and the monkey had already given them enough face by putting on a show together, so they wouldn't care about such trivial matters.

"I am very grateful to all of you for coming to help me."

"Since you're here, don't just stand around, get to work!"

Chang Shou thanked him first, and then began to urge him on without any politeness.

Sun Wukong and Zhen Li both benefited greatly.

This shows that Changshou didn't stand on ceremony with them.

They did as instructed and quickly got to work.

The monkey went to help Ke Da build a house. He was incredibly strong and could carry the bamboo walls and beams without any effort.

True separation helps longevity by transplanting bamboo roots.

He himself attained enlightenment through bamboo, so transplanting bamboo roots was naturally a piece of cake for him.

As usual, both Ru Chang and Xing Wu had their own tasks, assisting Ke Da.

After transplanting the bamboo roots, Chang Shou skillfully summoned wind and rain by making a hand gesture with his fingers.

The drizzling wind and rain nourish the bamboo roots.

The bamboo roots, nourished by the sweet rain, sprouted and branched out at a speed visible to the naked eye, growing fresh slender branches.

Witnessing this scene firsthand, Zhenli looked surprised, and his gaze towards Changshou became more friendly and appreciative.

He praised generously:

"The spring breeze and rain nourish the grass and trees."

This kind of sweet rain is extraordinary; it has already attained the Samadhi of life-giving energy.

It's been a few days since I last saw you, and I never expected that Fellow Daoist Changshou's skills have improved so much.

"When the Patriarch gives great sermons in the future, fellow Daoists, enter the cave to listen to the Dao, please linger a while longer to tend to the flowers and plants in my courtyard."

Chang Shou nodded in agreement:

"Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Zhenli."

I will certainly take good care of it for you.

A genuine smile, but a deep regret in my heart.

Unfortunately, Fellow Daoist Changshou can no longer reside permanently in the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave. Otherwise, countless plants and trees would have benefited from it, and over time, some might have even gained sentience and embarked on the path of cultivation.

---

As dusk settles in.

The orange-yellow setting sun casts its slanting rays upon this place.

A small bamboo building stands proudly.

This bamboo grove has two floors and a total of three or four rooms.

The courtyard is surrounded by lush bamboo groves at the four corners, along with several century-old wild peach trees, all enclosed within a bamboo fence. The peach trees and bamboo groves complement each other, while wildflowers bloom in profusion, together protecting the bamboo building.

A waterfall and spring flow about a mile away.

Changshou used water to soften the mountain rocks and dug ditches to bring in spring water.

The ditch flows around the bamboo house, into a pond in the courtyard, then flows out of the courtyard and back into the main mountain stream.

The pond water is clear, reflecting the bamboo pavilion.

Water plants grow unevenly in the pond, and fish and shrimp frolic.

The entire bamboo grove is simple and elegant, with a tranquil environment, resembling a "hermit's dwelling".

Looking at the fruits of their hard work, the two immortals, two Taoists, three demons, one monk, and one monkey were all quite pleased with themselves.

However, it is still not possible to move in at the moment.

Ke Da invited Monkey and Zhen Li to his home, and they did not refuse. This was their first reunion since Fellow Daoist Changshou left the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave, and they should indeed celebrate.

The Ke family is simple, warm-hearted, and prepared with great care.

Although it was just a few simple mountain dishes, they ate with great relish, praising the thoughtfulness behind it.

The lively event didn't end until around midnight.

The monkey and Zhenli returned home, having had their fun.

Inside the backyard of the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave.

Bodhi Patriarch said disdainfully:

"How can simple meals be compared to delicacies like dragon liver and phoenix gall? And you've only just returned now."

I was just telling the truth.

It's definitely not because he felt bitter.

Bodhi Patriarch got up and left the temple, heading straight for the Thirty-Third Heaven. He wanted to visit his old friend, the Supreme Daoist, and have a bite to eat.

Tired day.

Changshou quickly fell asleep in the guesthouse.

The two fox spirits lay at his feet, snoring contentedly.

The night owl also behaved unusually, appearing listless at night and sleeping standing on the treetops until midnight.

Early the next morning.

The first rays of sunlight pierced the darkness.

After gathering the purple aura of the morning glow, we had our morning meal.

Chang Shou and Ke Da went down the mountain together.

Ke Da went to sell firewood.

Chang Shou went to purchase daily necessities.