At noon, Lu Zheng prepared three dishes.
Braised snake segments.
Grilled snake slices.
Mushroom and fresh snake soup.
Daoist Wansong did not touch the braised snake segments or the grilled snake slices. He only drank a small bowl of the mushroom and fresh snake soup before stopping.
However, Si Lingxi elegantly ate most of the dishes. Her phoenix eyes curved slightly, the corners of her mouth lifted in a gentle smile. She was clearly enjoying the meal very much.
…
In the afternoon, Si Lingxi, already familiar with Daoist Wansong’s style and no longer surprised by it, invited Lu Zheng to play a game of Go with her.
Lu Zheng had already revealed his skill while playing against Daoist Wansong, so he held nothing back.
At their level, although each player had developed their own distinctive style, the paths of play remained ever-changing and unpredictable.
Thus, even though Si Lingxi’s ability was considerably lower than Daoist Wansong’s, she still helped Lu Zheng deepen his foundation.
When the game ended, Si Lingxi lost, as expected, by one and a half points.
She did not mind, however. She simply sent Lu Zheng off to listen to Daoist Wansong’s lecture while she continued strolling leisurely around Wansong Mountain with Shen Ying.
Along the way, they gathered more fresh mushrooms and various wild vegetables.
…
“Ten li of level lake beneath frost-filled skies,
Every inch of dark hair worries over passing years.
Gazing at the moon alone, longing for protection,
I envy only the mandarin ducks, not the immortals.”
As Shen Ying and Si Lingxi wandered through the forests of Wansong Mountain, they grew to understand each other better.
Si Lingxi also heard many stories about Lu Zheng from Shen Ying.
After all, Shen Ying’s own experiences were hardly worth mentioning. It was only after meeting Lu Zheng that her life gradually became vibrant and exciting.
The two soon turned to talking about opera performances across the Central Plains. Si Lingxi shared a few good tales she had heard while travelling there, and Shen Ying recounted two stories written by Lu Zheng.
In Si Lingxi’s view, the brilliance of “Liang Zhu” made it a masterpiece among masterpieces, while the characters and plot of “A Chinese Ghost Story” were also of the highest quality.
Si Lingxi shook her head and commented, “Your husband is gifted with remarkable literary talent. He is exceptionally talented, just a little too lazy. Have him write a few more stories, and next time you can tell them to me.”
“All right,” Shen Ying replied with a laugh, though her eyes flickered secretly. It was precisely this personality that made her feel even more satisfied.
“But this piece for Liang Zhu…” Si Lingxi’s eyes gleamed.
“What do you think?” Shen Ying asked. She could play the qin and had just performed the melody for Si Lingxi.
“A tune that will be passed down through the ages,” Si Lingxi nodded in approval. “Even in my own repertoire, there are few pieces superior to this one. Did he compose it?”
Shen Ying shook her head. “Lu Lang says it is a melody handed down in his homeland, but… we all suspect he created it himself.”
Si Lingxi nodded, a flash of appreciation in her eyes, and asked no further.
…
For more than ten consecutive days.
Lu Zheng added several dozen more strands of the light of destiny to himself, raising his Go skill another level. Astonishingly, he reached a point where he was evenly matched with Daoist Wansong.
Si Lingxi personally witnessed the speed of Lu Zheng’s progress and could not help feeling deeply surprised, even more so than by the advancement of his cultivation.
After all, everyone understood the difference in difficulty between rapid early progress and further improvement later on.
During this time, playing Go was merely a diversion. The main activities were…
Daoist Wansong’s guidance for Liu Qingyan, and Lu Zheng preparing meals with endless variety.
In return, Si Lingxi offered Shen Ying considerable instruction. Over these ten-odd days, the relationship between Shen Ying and Si Lingxi grew closer and closer.
…
Whoosh!
One day, while Shen Ying was playing Go with Si Lingxi atop another mountain peak, they saw a surge of spiritual energy on the main peak of Wansong Mountain in the distance. Then four fox tails appeared out of thin air, each ten zhang long, swaying slowly in the sky.
At the same time, in broad daylight, a beam of moon-white light descended from the heavens, accompanied by wisps of cloud and mist that enveloped the entire mountaintop.
“It’s Qingyan!”
Shen Ying’s eyes brightened as she rose to her feet.
“Let’s go and see.”
Si Lingxi smiled faintly, then took Shen Ying’s hand and instantly appeared on the main peak of Wansong Mountain.
They saw Liu Qingyan standing before Daoist Wansong and Lu Zheng. Her eyes were clear and bright, golden light shimmering around her body, demonic aura surging. Four illusory fox tails swayed behind her, faintly stirring the winds and clouds.
Moments later, the fox tails vanished. Liu Qingyan withdrew the golden light and demonic aura, returning to an ordinary appearance.
“Congratulations, Qingyan!”
“Thank you, Sister!”
Liu Qingyan took Shen Ying’s hand, but her beautiful eyes turned towards Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng smiled warmly. “Congratulations, Qingyan!”
Liu Qingyan gave a delicate laugh, then turned back and slowly bowed to Daoist Wansong. “Many thanks to Senior Wansong for your guidance.”
Daoist Wansong waved his hand. “A small matter. Now that your bloodline is purer and your realm advanced, the next phase will be a long period of steady refinement.”
Liu Qingyan nodded to show she understood.
“Today is a joyous occasion. We should celebrate!”
Lu Zheng said with a smile, “Let me go down the mountain to hunt some game and prepare lunch.”
“The braised large snake from the day before last was delicious. Make that again today,” Si Lingxi said.
“Good!”
“I would like a portion of dried fruit and mushroom porridge,” Daoist Wansong said, unusually making a request.
“Leave it to me!”
Lu Zheng set to work with great enthusiasm, carefully preparing the ingredients and seasoning the sauces. He turned the lunch into a feast fit for a state banquet. Even Daoist Wansong, who rarely ate, expressed satisfaction with the meal.
…
In the following days, Liu Qingyan continued consolidating her cultivation, while Lu Zheng kept playing Go with Daoist Wansong. Everyone was in a relaxed mood.
Once Liu Qingyan’s aura had stabilised, Lu Zheng expressed his intention to take his leave from Daoist Wansong.
After all, they had only intended to pay a brief visit, yet they had ended up staying for over half a month.
Daoist Wansong had a long lifespan and was accustomed to solitude, so he did not try to detain them. As before, he simply fetched another box of medicinal herbs.
“Many thanks, Senior!”
Lu Zheng accepted without ceremony, expressing his gratitude.
Daoist Wansong nodded. These herbs were of little use to him, so he gave them away without regret.
Of course, they were spiritual medicines, not something just anyone could receive from him. Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan’s lack of false politeness actually pleased Daoist Wansong.
“Senior Si, we take our leave,” Lu Zheng said, bidding farewell to Si Lingxi.
“Are you planning to return to the Central Plains?” Si Lingxi asked.
“We will stop at Dingfeng Mountain on the way,” Lu Zheng replied.
Si Lingxi nodded, then said, “On the eighth day of the tenth month, I will celebrate my three thousandth birthday. If you have time, come to my Phoenix Mountain as guests.”
Three thousand years…
Lu Zheng was speechless, but since Si Lingxi had personally extended the invitation, he naturally agreed. He cupped his hands decisively. “This junior and the others will certainly pay a visit.”
Si Lingxi nodded. With a casual wave of her hand, a fiery red phoenix tree leaf suddenly appeared and floated lightly into Lu Zheng’s palm.
The leaf was crystalline as jade, emitting faint traces of heat.
“When you reach the territory of Phoenix Mountain, display this red leaf, and someone will come to receive you.”
“Very well!” Lu Zheng and the two women replied in unison.
“I hear from Shen Ying that your qin skill is profound. On my birthday, I would ask you to play a piece,” Si Lingxi said.
When Lu Zheng’s group had come to Wansong Mountain as guests, cooking was incidental. Si Lingxi would not ask Lu Zheng to perform music specially for her otherwise.
Lu Zheng laughed heartily. “It’s a deal!”
…
After bidding farewell to Daoist Wansong and Si Lingxi, Lu Zheng rose on a cloud. With Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan standing on either side, they headed towards Dingfeng Mountain.
