Traveling through countless heavens, an immortal being

"A hermit living amidst white clouds and yellow cranes, with a zither, a sword, and a cup of tea."

Her feathered robes are always tinged with the hues of mist and haze, untouched by the peach and plum blossoms of the mortal world.

……

At Chongji Temple on Yusun Peak in Zhongnan Mountain, Lear opened his eyes after finishing his meditation in front of the offering table.

Looking out of the hall, Li Er let out a long breath, which lingered in the Ancestral Hall halfway up Jade Bamboo Shoot Peak until it faded away as he approached the hall door.

"This Changchun True Qi is really something else, Master didn't lie to me," Li Er thought to himself, slowly standing up from the palm-woven cushion, turning to face the statue of the Supreme Being and respectfully bowing three times before turning back to walk out of the hall.

……

On the earthen stove in the kitchen, the eight-seal iron pot was steaming, and the firewood in the firebox was crackling as it burned, quickly heating the water in the pot.

Lear rolled up his sleeves, scooped water from the water vat to wash his hands, and quickly rinsed the rice to cook porridge. After rinsing it clean and putting the rice in the pot, Lear stirred the pot with a large iron ladle placed in the iron basin. Then he took a porcelain basin from the cupboard and scooped out some pickled vegetables from the pickling jar behind the kitchen door, which he chopped up to eat with the rice later.

Despite the sweltering summer heat, there was still snow on the summit of Jade Bamboo Shoot Peak. The Taoist temple was located halfway up the mountain, and only a few vegetable plots in the backyard of the temple showed tender green leaves. Looking out the windows, all one could see were dark green pine trees.

Lear busied himself chopping the pickles, then sat in front of the stove watching the fire to prevent it from burning. The warm flames in the stove reflected on Lear's face, revealing a serene expression.

The warmth from the source of heat made Lear's thoughts wander, and he couldn't help but think of his past life...

He sacrificed himself to put out a fire and save lives in his previous life. Unexpectedly, he transmigrated to a different world and was reborn. This world is not the same as the previous one. He observed it when he went down the mountain with his master to perform a ritual. The overall level of technology is still far behind that of the previous life. At least in this world, no country has ever sent a rocket to the moon.

But the world is very different. At least since my master found me on his travels and raised me to the age of fifteen, the "True Secret of Longevity through Qi Absorption" that my master taught me is proof of this.

After five years of practice, Lear was able to exhale more than three feet and solidify like a suspended white cloud. He was neither cold in winter nor hot in summer and spent the four seasons wearing only a coarse cloth robe.

All these signs stirred a desire in Lear, who had lived two lives and read countless fantasy and mythological novels, that he could live forever.

...

According to the master, this skill was passed down by Sima Chengzhen, a high-ranking master in the Tang Dynasty. Long-term practice can lighten the body, improve health, cure diseases, and prolong life. The master's grandmaster practiced this skill and lived to be 196 years old, and the master's master lived to be 122 years old.

The old master is of unknown age, and does not inquire about lifespan; he is simply white-bearded and with white hair.

The villagers down the mountain all said that the old man was over a hundred years old. Li Er didn't believe it at first, because although the old master looked old, his agility when going up the mountain to collect herbs and down the mountain to buy food showed no signs of old age.

Moreover, since Lear arrived at Chongji Temple, he would usually come down the mountain to perform rituals for several days and nights when invited. Even when Lear was tired at night, the master would still maintain a solemn and proper ritual demeanor.

For the first two days, the village of Yudong at the foot of the mountain invited the master and his apprentice down the mountain to perform a wedding blessing ceremony. Several elders over eighty years old, who sat in the chief seat of the village, treated the master with exceptional respect, calling him "Old Immortal".

Lear privately asked the villagers, and the answers were all, "You're asking about the old man? He was this old when I was playing naked in the river, and now I'm a grandfather, and he still looks the same. How can anyone not believe he's a god?"

……

In a daze, the wood in the stove burned out, and the mixed grain porridge in the pot was fully cooked. The rich aroma of the porridge filled the kitchen, making those who smelled it hungry and wishing they could drink three big bowls of it.

...

"What fragrant porridge!" Before the words were even finished, a plump old Taoist priest, dressed in a black robe with wide sleeves, a bamboo hairpin in his hair, straw sandals on his feet, white hair and beard hanging down to his belly, and a ruddy complexion, picked up his red gourd and took another sip of wine before settling down at the table.

"Master, why are you drinking before meals again?"

Just as Li Er had ladled out two large bowls of mixed grain porridge and placed them on the table, he turned to get chopsticks and returned to see the old Taoist priest taking another sip of wine from his red gourd.

"Hehe, without this fine wine to live on, this body would be nothing but a mortal. My good disciple, you wouldn't understand the taste of this wine! Hahaha!"

The old Taoist priest took another sip from his wine gourd, smacked his lips, and then stroked his white beard while smiling as he responded to his disciple.

"I'm only thinking of your health," Lear said, handing the chopsticks to the old Taoist priest. He sat down on the stool, picked up his own chopsticks, took a pickled cucumber, and put it into the porridge bowl. Watching the porridge steaming in the bowl, he looked up at the person opposite him.

"Master, what did you say you were going to give me yesterday?"

The old Taoist priest, holding a gourd of wine, stroked his beard with his right hand and said, "Good disciple, I cast a divination a month ago and it was predicted that the foundation for our master-disciple attainment of Tao is about to be laid. After we finish eating, let's go to the Ancestral Hall. The thing I promised to give you is there."

"Hmm, the porridge is warm. Let's eat first."

After the old Taoist finished speaking, he picked up his bowl and chopsticks to pickle some kimchi. Lear didn't ask any further questions. His experience of living two lives made Lear exceptionally calm.

For a moment, the only sounds in the kitchen were birdsong from the mountains and the slurping of porridge. The master and apprentice were speechless...

……

After breakfast, Lear went to wash the pots and pans, while the old Taoist leaned against the door frame and sat on the threshold, sipping his drink.

……

The clouds rolled and unrolled, and before long Lear had washed the pots and pans. He walked to the old Taoist priest's side and asked, "Master?"

"Phew~"

"Master!"

"Hmm...what's wrong?" the old Taoist priest asked, half-asleep, clutching his wine gourd.

Li Er rolled up his sleeves, bent down, and leaned close to the old Taoist's ear. "Master! Wake up!"

The old Taoist priest trembled at the shout, and almost dropped the gourd of wine in his arms.

"He's awake, he's awake, disciple, stop calling him. If this wine is spilled, we won't be able to buy any more," Lear helped the old Taoist up, who was holding the wine gourd with a pained expression.

"What is it, my disciple?"

"Master, you just said you were going to the Ancestral Hall," Lear replied helplessly.

"Yes, yes, to the Ancestral Master's Hall," the old Taoist slapped his forehead and chuckled. "Let's go, to the Ancestral Master's Hall. My disciple, this time I have a treasure to pass on to you. Back in the day, our Ancestral Master..."

Lear and the old Taoist priest descended the steps unhurriedly. The wooden door to the kitchen slowly closed behind them. The cinnabar door god images pasted on the two wooden doors flashed with a stream of light before falling silent. A gust of wind blew by, and the pine trees rustled in the breeze...

………………

"Master, is this the treasure you're giving me?"

Inside the Ancestral Hall, the master and disciple stared at each other, the reason being the wooden dragon-headed cane in Lear's hand that had originally been leaning against the statue of Laozi on the altar.

Lear couldn't hold back any longer. His master usually indulged in frivolous pleasures and fine wines. Could it be that he had drunk too much and gotten himself into trouble? How could he even take down the cane that was placed next to the statue of Laozi?

Seeing his disciple's doubtful expression, the old Taoist priest, unusually so, faced the hall entrance and spoke solemnly:

"My disciple, do not underestimate it. This walking stick was left by our founding ancestor, and it is nearly a thousand years old. Back then, our ancestor used it to subdue dragons and tigers and slay demons. However, in the last hundred years, its spiritual energy has gradually dissipated, so this divine object has been covered in dust. Now I am passing it on to you..."

As the old Taoist priest spoke, he turned around and handed him the red gourd he always carried with him.

Just as Lear was wondering what was going on, clouds of mist gradually rose around the old Taoist priest and Lear. Lear subconsciously gripped the dragon-headed cane and the red gourd and walked toward the old Taoist priest.

After taking a few steps, and then a few more, Lear, sensing something was wrong, looked at the old Taoist priest who was so close yet whom he couldn't reach and asked, "Master! What's going on?!"

Lear was met with a hearty laugh from the old Taoist priest, "Hahahaha! My disciple! My disciple!"

Looking at the old Taoist priest's ethereal appearance amidst the clouds, Li Er sensed something was amiss. "Master! Where are you going? Since birth, I have been inseparable from you! Please allow me to accompany you!"

The old Taoist replied:

"Foolish child! Foolish child! Lear is not Li Er, break free from the illusion of the womb. I have come to bestow a treasure, returning to you the Tai Chi! Go away!"

As the old Taoist priest finished speaking, the surrounding fog thickened. In his haste, Lear grabbed his cane and his gourd and ran towards the original temple gate. He realized that this old master was probably no ordinary person. After walking about a hundred paces without stopping, he heard a "clang" and burst out of the fog. Looking around, he found himself on a mountain path.

He looked around and saw nothing but barren mountains and dry streams, a scene of utter drought.

With no one else around, Lear had no choice but to follow the path down the mountain...

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the city walls could be vaguely seen below the mountain. Following the path to the main road, one could see corpses lying on both sides of the road, each one emaciated.

Lear saw this and became wary. He headed straight for the city gate along the main road. When he arrived, he saw that the two gates were half open and half closed. Only a gaunt yamen runner in black clothes was sitting against the city wall in the shadow of the gate, leaning on his scabbard and guarding the gate.

A pale yellow, tattered notice was posted on the right side of the doorway. It read that the county had been suffering from a prolonged drought and was seeking skilled individuals to pray for rain and avert disaster. Judging from the tattered state of the notice, Li Er estimated that it had been there for at least several months.

Lear intended to wake the constable, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that the constable's skin was dark and bluish, his eyes were closed, and his mouth and nose were cracked; he was already dead. The only reason he hadn't fallen was because of the scabbard supporting him.

Lear sighed, leaned on his cane, and went around to the city's government office...

……

Standing in the government office, Li Er was speechless in the face of the ruins. He had considered many possibilities, but he never expected to face such a scene.

The front and back offices were all burned, with countless layers of bones piled up in the ruins. The only intact part of the entire government office was a well in the backyard; otherwise, there was no other place that remained intact.

Lear paused for a moment, then turned and walked towards the only building on the mountain where smoke had risen, hoping to find the answer there…