Hermit in the Mountains

The next day, at nine o'clock in the morning, Zhang Yuanfu, led by Yang Dashan, climbed Changsheng Peak.

Zhang Yuanfu followed Yang Dashan, panting. Although he had practiced health exercises for many years, his physical condition at seventy years old was not as good as Yang Dashan's, who was in his prime.

During his climb, he looked around at the environment of Gu Changsheng's secluded cultivation place and occasionally learned about Gu Changsheng from Yang Dashan.

Along the way, we saw peach saplings all over the mountain, growing lush and green. We heard that various saplings were planted on the mountain just a few months ago. This mountain used to be a deserted mountain that no one cared about.

The two stood in front of the Jinxiangyu bamboo forest when Yang Dashan suddenly shouted two words towards the bamboo forest.

"rhubarb-"

After he finished speaking, he turned to Zhang Yuanfu and explained the rules of Changsheng Peak: "Brother Gu doesn't like outsiders to disturb him. Anyone who wants to go up the mountain must get permission in advance."

"Old Zhang, you were invited by Young Master Gu, and I am the one leading the way. The two of us can go straight up the mountain."

"We'll reach Brother Gu's cabin after we pass through this bamboo forest. We need to inform him so that Big Yellow can come out and lead us in."

Zhang Fuyuan, standing to the side, put his hands on his hips to regulate his breathing and recover his strength. Hearing Yang Dashan mention the rules, he nodded quickly.

Inside is Gu Changsheng's secluded cultivation place. Knowing more about it will be beneficial for him, so as not to touch Gu Changsheng's taboos.

As soon as Yang Dashan finished speaking, a yellow figure darted through the bamboo forest, accompanied by a loud bark.

"Woof woof woof..."

The half-meter-tall yellow car burst out of the bamboo forest and braked sharply to a steady stop in front of the two people.

Da Huang stopped and immediately looked at Zhang Yuanfu warily, baring his teeth and staring fiercely at this stranger.

Only when it saw that the person's appearance was the same as the photo its owner had shown it did it lower its guard.

Zhang Yuanfu was also startled by the half-meter-tall dog that rushed out. Seeing the fierce look in the big yellow dog's eyes, he felt uneasy.

The big yellow dog gave him the feeling of a fierce tiger staring at him menacingly, which made him feel quite scared.

If Yang Dashan hadn't led him and given him a prior introduction, he would probably have been treated as an intruder by the big yellow dog in front of him if he had come to visit Gu Changsheng alone.

The big yellow dog had thick limbs, a robust physique, fierce eyes, and fangs that gleamed white like sharp knives.

The big yellow dog attacked him, and he probably couldn't run away even if he wanted to. There was only one outcome: he would die in the dog's mouth.

Yang Dashan spotted Dahuang and waved with a smile, "Dahuang, your master's guest has arrived."

Big Yellow successfully recognized the face. With a brisk gait and wagging its tail, it circled the two of them once. Its dog nose sniffed Zhang Yuanfu's trouser leg, recording the scent of the person who came. In the future, if a familiar scent comes, it will be able to quickly identify whether it is friend or foe.

Seeing Da Huang's movements, Yang Dashan stood still and let Da Huang complete its task. "Mr. Zhang, don't be afraid, Da Huang is just memorizing your taste."

"From now on, when you go up the mountain, Dahuang won't adopt a defensive posture when it smells your scent."

Zhang Yuanfu suddenly realized, his tense face relaxed, and he smiled and praised, "Senior Gu is indeed a master; even the pets he keeps are so smart."

After confirming the information, Da Huang turned around and called out to the two of them before leading the way inside.

"Woof woof woof..." (Come with me, Dog Bro!)

"Mr. Zhang, let's go, follow Big Yellow." Yang Dashan called out to Zhang Yuanfu.

"Okay, okay." Zhang Yuanfu followed closely behind Yang Dashan.

A dog and two people walked through the golden bamboo forest and came into view a flat area with birds singing and flowers blooming, with grape arbor, fertile fields and wooden houses.

Looking at the breathtaking scenery before him, Zhang Yuanfu couldn't help but exclaim with a smile, "It's so beautiful, like a fairyland."

Hearing the praise behind him, Yang Dashan felt a sense of accomplishment. He had witnessed the changes on the mountain firsthand, and had even participated in most of them.

"Woof woof woof..." (As if saying: Old man, you have good taste.)

Big Yellow, who was at the front, didn't turn his head, but his ears were always perked up, listening to the sounds around him. He heard Zhang Yuanfu's voice respond.

The two walked through the 100-meter-long "S-shaped" grape corridor, and a rectangular wooden house came into Zhang Yuanfu's view.

"Brother Yang, is this the house where Senior Gu lives?" Zhang Yuanfu hadn't expected Gu Changsheng's place to be so simple and unpretentious.

"Coo coo coo..." (Dog Bro, Dog Bro, who's behind you?)

Big Red, standing on the wooden house, saw the stranger and looked at Big Yellow to confirm the person's identity.

"Woof woof woof..." (The person the owner called over.) Big Yellow replied.

Upon hearing Da Huang's introduction, the fierce look in Da Hong's eyes disappeared. If it were an enemy, it would have flown over and swiped at it.

Hearing the loud crowing of a rooster, Zhang Yuanfu looked in the direction of the sound and his eyes were filled with terror. Standing on the roof of the wooden house in front of him was a familiar, fierce red rooster, much larger than the big yellow dog, and more than a meter tall.

"Yang, Brother Yang, is it... is it also Senior Gu's pet?"

Yang Dashan knew why Zhang Yuanfu was shocked. He had only learned about the rooster on the roof and the water buffalo he hadn't seen for several months a few days.

He was just as shocked as Zhang Yuanfu when he saw Da Hong and the water buffalo a few days ago, and it took him a long time to process what had happened.

"Yes, its name is Big Red."

"Moo—" A deep moo from a cow rang out.

Hearing the conversation between his elder brother and younger brother, Qingniu ran out from behind the wooden house.

When Zhang Yuanfu saw the bluish-green ox run out, he was so frightened that he took two steps back.

The ox's limbs are as thick as water buckets, its body is nearly two meters tall, its horns gleam white in the sunlight, and its fur has a bluish tinge.

The image of the Green Ox Demon from "Journey to the West" flashed into Zhang Yuanfu's mind; it was so similar.

In his shock, he blurted out, "A Green Ox Demon???"

"No, it's just that the water buffalo has mutated," Yang Dashan explained, knowing the origins of the blue buffalo.

He led the bewildered Zhang Yuanfu toward the wooden house. "Let's go, Brother Gu should be in the living room."

Inside the living room, Gu Changsheng remained calm and composed, seemingly unaware of the commotion outside. He leisurely poured two cups of warm water from the kettle and placed them on the small wooden tables on either side of the stove, waiting for his guest to drink.

"Woof woof woof..." Da Huang stood at the door and spoke to Gu Changsheng in the living room, as if to announce that a guest had arrived.

Seeing Gu Changsheng wave, Da Huang turned around and went to play by itself.

The blue ox outside the door also saw Gu Changsheng's wave, it mooed and turned back to the bamboo forest behind the house to continue sleeping.

Zhang Yuanfu was led to the living room by Yang Dashan and sat down. His mind was still blank. In just one hundred meters and two minutes, he was shocked three times.

He had only one thought in his mind: Gu Changsheng must be the legendary reclusive master. Thinking of this, he was extremely excited.

"Old Zhang, how have you been?" Gu Changsheng greeted him with a smile.

He saw that Zhang Yuanfu's eyes were glazed over and his face was filled with shock, so he realized that he had achieved the effect he wanted.

He could have kept the big red and blue ox hidden from view, but he deliberately made them appear in front of others.

After practicing for a period of time, he was considered to have entered the path of cultivation and began to plan his external affairs and select test subjects.

Yang Dashan and Zhang Yuanfu were among the first people he selected.