Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

After finishing the wine, Zhuang Xing bowed and prepared to return to his room to rest.

Tomorrow, he and Yunling will set off to go home, where they will get married.

Before parting, Red Fox suddenly called out to Zhuang Xing.

"Master Dao".

Zhuang Xing looked back at it.

It asked, "Master Dao, may I also travel overseas with you?"

“Going abroad means leaving the land you're standing on now and drifting on a vast, boundless lake,” Zhuang Xing asked. “Do you really want to go?”

This time it didn't hesitate and nodded seriously: "I want to go."

Zhuang Xing smiled and said, "Then let's go."

"Good!" The red fox's eyes lit up.

It realized that a fox's life is only a few decades long, so it should experience more things it hasn't experienced before in order to make its life worthwhile.

It wanted to see that boundless lake, and to go to a land it had never been before.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On the evening of August 15th, the Mid-Autumn Festival.

On this day, Zhuang Xing's house was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and he hosted a banquet for his guests.

Many tables were set up both inside and outside the courtyard.

Bai Yu and Chu Sheng rushed over from Yidu, carrying a swaddled infant in their arms—their child, who was already one year old.

Many people from the Wu family also came, including Wu's eldest brother, Wu's second brother, and Xiao Moli, who had reached the age of 18.

There are many acquaintances, as well as relatives and friends from the village.

Zhuang Xing took off his Taoist robe and put on the groom's bright red clothes.

If a Taoist wedding is held on a mountain, it is usually not so festive, but more solemn, with the master and elders reciting the vows in front of the hall.

Down the mountain, the atmosphere was even more lively and joyful.

The auspicious hour had arrived, and Zhuang Xing looked towards the bride who had just emerged from her boudoir.

The woman, dressed in new clothes, helps the bride, who is veiled, step over the brazier, signifying the burning away of bad luck and her entry into her new home.

The woman led the bride to the hall where the embroidered ball was tied and the wedding couplets were pasted.

Zhuang Xing's parents and Yun Ling's uncle and aunt all sat in the main seats.

Yunling's aunt shed tears of relief, while Zhuang Xing's parents wore smiles on their faces.

Zhuang Xing's hands were sweaty, and he stood ramrod straight, not daring to move.

The emcee announced loudly, "First bow to Heaven and Earth!"

Zhuang Xing and the bride on his right bowed deeply to each other facing the altar.

This bow signifies compliance with destiny and a preordained marriage.

The emcee sang again: "Second bow to the parents!"

The two turned around and knelt down to pay respects to their parents.

This bow is to repay the kindness of being raised and to continue the family bloodline.

The emcee concluded by chanting, "Husband and wife bow to each other!"

The two stood facing each other and bowed to each other.

This signifies equality and mutual respect between husband and wife, and a commitment to being of one mind.

The ceremony is now complete.

The younger sister, Zhuang Ming, came forward eagerly, carrying a bamboo basin filled with coins, grains, beans, and flower petals.

As she laughed, she tossed coins, grains, and flower petals to her older siblings, a gesture meant to ward off evil and bring good fortune.

A woman presented a wine cup, and the groom and the bride, whose head was covered by a red veil, crossed their arms and drank the wine together.

After the ceremony, Zhu He stood up and escorted the newlyweds to their bridal chamber.

Red candles burned in the bridal chamber, and the bride sat on the bed with her hands folded in front of her, like a flower ready to be picked.

Zhuang Xing swallowed hard, stepped forward, and carefully lifted the veil.

The bride's eyes were as captivating as spring water, and she was as beautiful as a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.

She bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushed slightly, and looked down at her toes.

"My husband..." she called softly.

Zhuang Xing's heart skipped a beat. He stepped forward and took her soft little hand in his.

The candle was blown out, and in the darkness came a soft, delicate shout.

A spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold, but a spring night cannot be bought with a thousand pieces of gold.

This night is destined to be sleepless.

...

...

Xuanqing Temple, Qilu Studio.

Qingxuzi and the elders lit lamps and read the new book by night.

The book describes a completely new method of internal breathing, which is similar in principle to the "Dragon Breath Technique" but is much simpler.

Although it has been simplified considerably, it has not lost its subtlety and remains a rare internal energy cultivation method. It can even be said to be the best internal energy cultivation method that Qingxuzi has ever seen.

In addition, the book also records a "Warm-up Technique" that can refine true qi, enabling cultivators to better understand their strengths.

After studying it with the elders, Qingxuzi repeatedly praised it.

"With such internal strength, our Taoist sect will surely prosper."

In addition, there is the book "Waterways, Forests, and Marshes Classic", which records 126 kinds of monsters around Yidu.

Many demons that Taoists had not understood before were now dissected in great detail.

Its habits, distribution, what it fears, and what it likes are all described in great detail.

"Do you all think that this merit outweighs Zhuang Xing's desire to resign from the Daoist sect?" Qingxuzi asked.

The elders looked at each other, but at this point, they couldn't find any fault with it.

This method of internal energy cultivation can make the sect strong and prosperous, while that popular science book can help disciples subdue demons and bring peace to the people.

In addition, the demons throughout the entire prefecture have basically interacted with humans, and a mutually beneficial relationship has been established between demons and humans. Everything has changed drastically in just a few years.

"In addition, these are spiritual seeds cultivated by my disciple Yunling." Yuan Yan took out a box of spiritual seeds at the end. "These seeds do not require special methods to activate. They can be used like talismans by activating true qi. They can produce seeds simply by planting them in a spiritual field. They have many wonderful uses. If true qi is injected in advance, even ordinary people can activate them."

The elders all understood what this meant; it meant that the sect had gained another method.

Those two were truly rare talents, but Xuanqing Temple was too small to keep them.

Let's vote on this then.

Qingxuzi took out the contract he had written in advance, and the elders stepped forward one by one to press their fingerprints.

They acknowledged Zhuang Xing and Yun Ling's contributions to the sect, but instead of expelling them from the sect, they simply set them free.

To put it simply, the elders merely signed a leave slip. However, the duration of this leave slip is different from those for visiting relatives. The duration for visiting relatives is usually half a month to a month, while this leave slip has no date on it, meaning that the Daoist sect will always be their place of belonging.

Qingxuzi carefully put the contract away and placed it in a wooden box.

The elders dispersed, and he remained alone, reading Taoist scriptures and new books by the moonlight.

Just then, another bird flew past under the jade-like moon and landed by the window.

It was the wild goose spirit; it looked around and quietly jumped into the room.

"Fellow Daoist Shuofeng, why are you back?" Qingxuzi asked.

"The letter has been delivered, so I'll be back," said the goose spirit.

It picked up a feather and, using the same trick, conjured up a letter.

"You can read the letter I sent you yourself."

Qingxuzi opened the envelope and read it word by word, a smile appearing on his wrinkled face.

"That treasure ship has actually returned."

That was the second letter his apprentice, Song Yu, had written back.

The letter read: "The ship has reached the East China Sea and will depart for the return journey immediately. I hope Master will understand."

The letter also stated that they had found some new crops from across the sea and brought back some exotic animals.

Actually, they should have returned years ago, but the sea was much more dangerous than they had imagined. Although it was a fleet of treasure ships built with the full strength of the nation, they still encountered many accidents during the voyage. The ships had to be repaired and repaired, and they went through many setbacks before finally returning to their homeland.

Unfortunately, they did not find the elixir of immortality on the other side of the sea.

As for what exactly happened during that time, we can only wait for Song Yu to return and tell us.

That's good news.

...

In September, Zhuang Xing and Yunling returned to Guanyin Temple.

The two had already consummated their marriage. Newlyweds are always inseparable, like glue.

Back at the temple, Qingxuzi handed the two of them the page of the contract.

After bowing, the two solemnly accepted the gift.

In the days that followed, Yunling no longer lived in the medicinal herb field, but moved to Zhuangxing's hut to live with him, or rather, to share a bed with him.

A lotus pond has appeared in Zhuangxing's courtyard. Lotus roots have grown in the pond, and the locust tree that once housed Xiao An's soul has now been swallowed into the bud by the largest lotus flower in the pond.

Yunling spent a lot of time in the lotus pond, while Zhuang Xing was in his study, writing and drawing. Sometimes he would ask the senior Shuofeng to help him deliver letters to Yidu.