The remaining two jars of Tianxia Wu Shuang were carefully packed into a delicate porcelain box as a gift for Lord Xiangqu. On the fifteenth day of the month, the day of the celestial flower and wine festival, Yuan Zhong, before leaving, gave Yuan Xiaozhong a thorough lecture on taking care of everything, then left the small cave dwelling where they had lived for most of the past year, taking Tan Yin with him.
The Celestial Flower and Wine Festival at Xiangqu Mountain did not have a fixed date. It was often held whenever the mountain lord felt inclined, and at those times, he would send out a wide array of invitations. Various immortals, who had good relations with him, would receive these invitations, each bringing along gifts to Xiangqu Mountain, where they would eat and stay for free. These gatherings could last anywhere from ten days to several months.
Immortals had long lifespans, and many were often idle with nothing to do. Lively gatherings like this were always a favorite among them.
The mountain lord of Xiangqu Mountain had become an immortal early on and was now approaching the end of his life. Both his wealth and reputation placed him among the upper echelons of the immortals. His influence was vast, and his territory sprawled over more than a dozen mountains. He had thousands of disciples, all of them strikingly beautiful young men and women. Newcomers often found themselves awestruck for a long time upon arrival.
Yuan Zhong had been to Xiangqu Mountain before, but the grand scale of the place still took his breath away. The cliffs above the valley soared to dizzying heights, with multiple waterfalls cascading down like silver dragons. However, they disappeared into nothingness just three feet above the ground. The sheer grandeur of it all was unheard of, completely different from the elegant subtlety of Fangwai Mountain. No matter how many times he visited, Yuan Zhong couldn’t help but marvel at it.
The path that welcomed guests had already been meticulously cleaned, with not a speck of dust in sight. In the air, golden flowers gently drifted down, while each tree lining the path bore massive, bowl-sized celestial flowers of various hues. The realm here was perpetually spring, with warm breezes and a heady fragrance in the air. The invited immortals walked leisurely along the path, admiring the stunning scenery, while others rode on spiritual birds or beasts, gliding gracefully through the air. They all exuded the aura of immortality, creating an atmosphere of elegance. This only made the slow, dilapidated ox cart that ambled along the road stand out even more.
The ox cart was in terrible condition, with one wooden wheel askew, clattering noisily over the stone path. The old ox pulling the cart looked utterly disinterested, its ears and head drooping. Yet, despite its lethargic appearance, the cart moved surprisingly fast, overtaking many of the immortals who were walking, attracting curious stares.
As the cart passed by Yuan Zhong, he instinctively stepped aside. Suddenly, the curtain of the cart was flung open, and the thin, bony face of Lord Meishan appeared, his expression filled with joy.
"It’s the Great Monk!" Lord Meishan exclaimed. "Ah, the two jars of Zui Sheng Meng Si you sent last time were absolutely divine!"
As he spoke, his eyes darted around until they landed on the porcelain box in Yuan Zhong's hands. His eyes lit up with near-obsessive excitement.
“I can smell it!” he shouted, his hands trembling as he pointed at the box. “I can smell the scent of some extraordinary wine! Tell me, what’s inside?”
What kind of nose did this guy have? Was he even an immortal or some sort of dog spirit? The Tianxia Wu Shuang wine was sealed in jade, and the porcelain box was tightly secured. How on earth could he still smell it? It was beyond belief.
Yuan Zhong shook his head. “It’s nothing particularly special. Just the wine we use for our sacrificial rites—Tianxia Wu Shuang.”
Tianxia Wu Shuang!
Lord Meishan looked as though he might faint from sheer happiness. As someone who loved prying into others' secrets, he naturally knew the value of Tianxia Wu Shuang. He tumbled out of the ox cart and stared blankly at the porcelain box in Yuan Zhong’s hands. If it weren’t for the large crowd of onlookers, he might have tried knocking out Yuan Zhong and making off with the box.
Knowing how obsessed this immortal was with wine, Yuan Zhong turned his body slightly to shield the box and smiled. “You should back off a little; you’re embarrassing yourself.”
Lord Meishan couldn’t tear his eyes away from the box, completely ignoring what Yuan Zhong had said.
Yuan Zhong turned his back to him and whispered to Tan Yin, “Let’s move further away before people realize we know him.”
Blocked from seeing the box, Lord Meishan looked like he was about to jump in frustration. But with so many people around, he still cared a little about his reputation and decided against stealing the wine. Instead, he shifted his gaze to Yuan Zhong’s face and exclaimed, “You’ve changed your face again!”
Yuan Zhong merely smiled, not bothering to respond. It had been a long time since he’d worn a disguise, but now that he had left the cave dwelling, he was once again wearing his mask. It felt a bit uncomfortable after so long without it.
In front of this Great Monk, Lord Meishan didn’t dare act as freely as he would with someone like Fu Jiuyun. Despite Yuan Zhong’s seemingly easygoing demeanor, there was a distance about him, and Lord Meishan found such people the most intimidating. After racking his brain for a conversation topic and coming up with nothing, he was ready to retreat to his cart.
But then, his eyes casually swept over Yuan Zhong and landed on the white-robed girl beside him. Suddenly, Lord Meishan felt like he’d stumbled upon some scandalous secret.
Men, he thought, always fickle. Last time, in Yandu, he’d clearly seen Yuan Zhong with another girl, and now he was already with a new one! What a disgrace! Truly, men as devoted as myself are rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns!
He cleared his throat and nudged Yuan Zhong with his elbow, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “The Great Monk certainly knows how to charm the ladies.”
Giving a thumbs up, he continued, “Is this young lady your immortal partner?”
Yuan Zhong chuckled, glancing down at Tan Yin. She smiled too and nodded politely toward Lord Meishan. “Meishan Immortal, we meet again.”
Meet again? What did she mean by that? Had he met her before?!
Lord Meishan’s mind was in turmoil. How could there be gossip in this world that he didn’t remember? Where had he seen her before? Looking at Tan Yin’s innocent, dark eyes, he was too embarrassed to ask. They clearly knew each other well; it would be humiliating to admit he had forgotten.
“Yes, yes… we meet again,” he stammered, nodding awkwardly. “You, um, you…”
“I’m Ji Tan Yin,” she kindly answered the question he was too shy to ask aloud.
Ji Tan Yin… Lord Meishan’s confusion lifted. He remembered now—Yuan Zhong had given him two jars of Zui Sheng Meng Si because he had asked him to investigate her background. And now, in just a few months, they had gone from enemies to lovers?!
Feeling melancholic, Lord Meishan thought of his own unrequited love. For others, mutual affection seemed so easy, but for him, nothing ever went right.
Overwhelmed by sadness, he lost all interest in gossip and dejectedly returned to his ox cart, wiping his tears as he went.
“Why did he suddenly start crying?” Tan Yin asked, staring in bewilderment as Lord Meishan ran off, sobbing.
Yuan Zhong gave a tight-lipped smile. “Probably reminded him of his unrequited love.”
0 Comments