The fifth of May.
Wangshu Pavilion rarely got up early. Elder Mo, representing the Pavilion Master of Wangshu Pavilion, put the prepared scroll and gifts into a brocade bag. He led the crowd to bow in the direction of Fuguang Mountain, then turned to Yan Bo with his hands behind his back and said, “Yan Bo, you sort it out. Later, let the Immortal Crane send the brocade bag to Fuguang Mountain.”
As soon as Elder Mo and the other three Elders left, Yan Bo immediately waved to his Junior Brothers and Sisters, “Quick, quick, quick, hurry up if you want to stuff things in.”
While reminding his junior brothers and sisters, he stuffed the gossip record book of the cultivation world hidden in his sleeve into the brocade pouch.
After the senior brothers and sisters had put their things away, Jiu Hui took out the things she had prepared.
The senior brothers and sisters watched in silence as the priceless jade marrow was turned into a storytelling figurine, the finest spirit wood was turned into a wooden stick figure, and the ingenious and almost life-like iron-eating beast cub doll was made.
Poverty limited their imagination. It turned out that there really were people who used top-grade spirit wood to make dolls to amuse children.
Who on earth raised their children in such a luxurious way?!
Even the richest Yuzhen Sect Master’s adopted son wouldn’t be as good as this.
“And this!” Jiu Hui dug through her storage ring and pulled out a transparent glass ball.
“Junior Sister, what is this?” Chang He asked curiously.
“This is called a Memory Orb.” Jiu Hui extended her finger and lightly tapped the orb with her spiritual energy. Suddenly, a vast ocean appeared above the Memory Orb, and they could even hear the sound of waves.
The magnificent waves of the sea, the mysterious and beautiful seabed, the verdant grasslands, the meandering rivers, the silly roe deer emerging from the snow, the white deer with its ethereal calls…
Countless images flickered and intertwined above the Memory Orb, as if all the beauty in the world could be found within this orb.
“These are all places that the village elders have visited. Immortal Lord Fuguang should like them.” Jiu Hui put the Memory Orb into a brocade pouch and asked her fellow disciples, “Is this a bit childish?”
Before the crowd could recover from the shock of the beautiful scenery, they heard Jiu Hui’s question and shook their heads in unison: “Not childish, not childish.”
An 18-year-old girl might find it a bit childish, but they, who were over a hundred years old, found it very good.
“Since you both like it, Immortal Lord Fuguang shouldn’t dislike it.” Jiu Hui was relieved.
Yan Bo stepped forward, preparing to seal the brocade pouch with a spell, when he suddenly remembered that his junior had not spoken yet. He turned his head and asked Zhi You, “Junior, is there anything you would like to give?”
Zhi You shook his head in silence.carpreads.pages.dev
“These are the ones that Zhi You and I sent together.” Jiu Hui waved her hand. “Eldest Senior Brother, you should quickly put away the brocade pouch and ask the Immortal Crane to deliver it.”
“Oh, okay, okay.” Yan Bo quickly agreed.
After giving out the gifts, everyone went back to their courtyards in twos and threes. Jiu Hui and Zhi You walked side by side on the path. Several wild ducks were quacking in the lake. Jiu Hui stopped under the shade of a tree and said, “Zhi You, look how fat those wild ducks are.”
Zhi You pondered for a moment: “Should I have the east kitchen make fragrant tea duck today?”
“The one who knows me best is Zhi You.” Jiu Hui looked up at the sun in the sky and suddenly said, “I feel like I’ve forgotten something.”
But what had she forgotten?
“Junior Brother, Junior Sister?” Xi Yuan returned to the courtyard and changed into a new outfit. As she flew over the lake, she saw the two standing under a tree and asked curiously, “Why are you still here?”
“Senior Sister, are you going out?” Jiu Hui looked up at her.
“Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. Taolin City is holding a dragon boat race. Aren’t you two going to watch the excitement?”
“Dragon Boat Festival?!” Jiu Hui suddenly realized. “I knew I kept forgetting something. Today’s the fifth of May, a big, lively festival.”
“Senior Sister, you go ahead and enter the city. Zhi You and I will go back to the courtyard to change our clothes and then head over.” Jiu Hui pulled Zhi You back to the courtyard, changed into the new dress that Aunt Jiao had sent a few days ago, and picked out a purse embroidered with five poisonous creatures* to hang on it.
TN: Five Poisons
“Calamus… calamus…” She rummaged through her storage ring for a while and found a jade hairpin carved into the shape of calamus. She inserted it into her hair and looked at herself in the glass mirror with satisfaction before happily leaving the room.
Under the flowering tree, Zhi You wore the new brocade robe made by Aunt Jiao. The light-colored brocade robe was embroidered with light green bamboo patterns, making him look like a gentleman as elegant as jade. Even the newly emerged pointed lotus leaves in the lotus pond were not as refreshing and clean as he was.
“Wow.” Jiu Hui covered her face and laughed. “The clothes that Aunt Jiao made really suit you. You look great in them.”
Zhi You gently shifted his gaze, not daring to meet Jiu Hui’s smiling eyes.
“Are you shy?” Jiu Hui turned her head to look at Zhi You’s face. Seeing his pursed lips and slightly flushed cheeks, she couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Zhi You, are you really blushing?”
“No.” Zhi You turned his head to the other side. “It’s… the sun.”
“Yes, yes, yes, the sun is really strong today.” Jiu Hui nodded in agreement and took out two sun hats from her storage ring. She put one on her own head and said, “Here, put on your hat.”
A gentle breeze lifted the veil on her hat, and Zhi You saw Jiu Hui’s smiling face beneath it.
-—–
The Dragon Boat Festival in Taolin City was always lively.
Every shop hung calamus and mugwort, and street vendors sold five-poison fans. Even the bun stalls specially smoked the stove with mugwort, hoping for good luck.
The moat was filled with the sound of gongs and drums. Boatmen wearing short jackets of different colors sat in their boats, waiting for the race to begin.
The peddlers seized the opportunity to hawk snacks by the river, their business so good that they were sweating profusely.
Jiu Hui pulled Zhi You along as they squeezed through the crowd. The air was filled with the smell of delicious food and mugwort and calamus. She sniffed and followed the scent to a food stall.
“Boss Song, what business are you in now?” Jiu Hui saw that the person at the stall was actually Boss Song, who sold glutinous rice dumplings before. She lifted the veil of her bamboo hat and said, “These spicy skewers smell so good. Give me twenty skewers, and add more spice.”
“There aren’t many people eating rice dumplings today, so I’ll come to the river to sell some other snacks.” After Boss Song secretly gave Jiu Hui a few more spicy skewers in the bamboo tube, she poured a spoonful of fragrant sauce on the skewers: “Fairy… Miss and Sir, are you also here to watch the dragon boat race?”
“Sure.” Jiu Hui paid and asked curiously, “When does the dragon boat race start?”
“The show doesn’t start until noon.” Boss Song pointed to a teahouse not far away. “That’s the best place to watch the dragon boat race. The City Lord’s Mansion has even arranged for someone to explain the race.”
“It’s fine, let’s just walk around first.” Jiu Hui took a bite of the spicy skewer, the spicy and delicious flavor made her hand over the bamboo tube to Zhi You: “It’s delicious, you try it.”
Zhi You took a bite and his face turned red from the spiciness. Jiu Hui quickly handed him a bottle of fragrant drink. “Take a few sips.”
After drinking most of the bottle of drink, Zhi You held his reddened face and said, “It’s delicious.”
“Boss Song, twenty more skewers, not too spicy.” Jiu Hui bought another portion for Zhi You. “Mine is too spicy for you.”
Zhi You held the bamboo tube that Jiu Hui had given him helplessly. His eyes were watery from the spiciness, making him look extremely aggrieved.
“It’s normal that many people can’t eat too spicy food.” Jiu Hui took his sleeve and pointed to the various food stalls by the river: “Look at these snack stalls, many of them have different flavors.”
“Miss Jiu Hui is right,” Boss Song said with a smile. “If the young master can’t handle spicy food, he shouldn’t force himself.”
“Let’s walk and eat, and try to taste all the stalls along the moat.” Jiu Hui nodded to Boss Song, and pulled Zhi You along with the crowd.
Young couples leaning on each other, children holding the hands of adults, old people supporting each other, dashing young gentlemen, and beautiful and charming young ladies…
On the bluestone path by the river, Zhi You saw different people. Some of them walked in a hurry, while others were very relaxed. They were just part of the masses, but each of them was different.
“Even on a grand festival, everyone’s joys and sorrows are different.” Jiu Hui finished the last spicy skewer. “So different tastes are just a trivial matter.”
“Will I… be despised?” Zhi You watched the child in the distance who was being spanked by his father for being naughty, his eyelids half-drooped. “I’m sorry, I was being too cautious.”
“I understand that you’re being cautious because you care.” She tossed the bamboo tube and the spicy skewers into the trash can by the roadside. “I’m glad that you care about our sibling bond, but I also care about it, so I’ll respect your hobbies and differences.”
“Cherishing is about respect and tolerance. Any emotion that is confined by biased feelings cannot be called emotion. It can only be a twisted desire for control.” Jiu Hui asked Zhi You with a smile, “Would you distance yourself from me because I eat spicy food?”
Zhi You shook his head.
“I wouldn’t distance myself from you just because you eat more lightly than me.” Jiu Hui took hold of Zhi You’s sleeve. “That’s what friendship is.”
Zhi You extended his arm towards Jiu Hui, making it easier for her to hold onto his sleeve.
“Nothing in this world is worth losing yourself over.” Jiu Hui swiped a spicy skewer from Zhi You’s bamboo tube and happily ate it. “Besides, mildly spicy skewers are also delicious.”
In the end, at least ten of the twenty skewers in Zhi You’s hand ended up in Jiu Hui’s stomach. She ate as she walked with Zhi You, and only then did Zhi You realize that some of the food really wasn’t very tasty.
“How do you feel about this one?”
Zhi You shook his head.
“I also think it’s very ordinary.” Jiu Hui stuffed the food into her mouth and wiped her mouth, saying, “Fortunately, I bought less, or I could only bear to waste food.”
Drums sounded on the river, and cheers rose and fell on both banks. Jiu Hui quickly pulled Zhi You to the best viewing spot: “The competition has begun!”
Zhi You watched Jiu Hui cheering in the crowd, lifted the veil of his veiled hat, and looked down at her hand tightly clutching his sleeve.
“Zhi You.” Jiu Hui turned her head to look at him, her smile radiant. “Who do you think will win?”
He looked at the tender green shawl on her body and slowly said, “Green.”
“Ah?” Jiu Hui looked at the river surface, looking at the green-clothed team that fell behind. After a long while, she said, “You’re quite kind.”
He even encouraged the most backward team spiritually.
Fuguang Mountain.
Countless cranes flew through the barrier, dropping what was in their claws before hurriedly turning around to leave. Only one chubby crane fell slowly behind the rest of the crane group, flapping its wings as it landed in the snow.
Where was the person?!
Who was the one who had treated him to fish?!
A hand with distinct knuckles reached out in front of it, holding a plate of dried fish.
The crane immortal let out a satisfied cry and shook its slender neck, tossing the brocade pouch tied around its neck into the newcomer’s palm.
“Thank you.” Fuguang took the brocade pouch, stood up, fixed the puppet in place, and took out the contents of the pouch one by one.
“This subordinate pays respect to the general. Please order the troops into formation.” The stick figures quickly lined up in a row on the snow, as if they were real soldiers awaiting their master’s command.
They waited for a moment, but when they didn’t receive any orders from their master, they began to perform sword techniques. The snow was slippery, and the little people fell down and got back up, continuing to perform their sword techniques with great seriousness.
Fuguang wiped each of them clean and put them into the jade box that had been prepared in advance.
The iron-eating beast cub doll climbed up his leg and onto his knee, its furry head rubbing against him as it made a soft “hmm” sound.
Fuguang picked it up and placed it on his shoulder. It seemed to be satisfied with this position and finally stopped making noise.
The cold wind howled as he slowly lifted the clear glass ball and tapped it gently. A beautiful sea of flowers appeared before his eyes.
The boundless sea of flowers concealed the icy, ghastly white snow, blooming unrestrainedly before Fuguang’s eyes.
A giant kun* leaped out from the depths of the sea of flowers, slowly transforming into a roc* in the air, and flying into the depths of the sea of clouds.
TN: various legendary beasts
Fuguang watched this scene in a daze. Countless snowflakes fell on his shoulders. The iron-eating beast cub that kept going “hmm hmm” crawled over his neck, brushing away the snow on his shoulders, and then wrapped itself tightly around his neck like a scarf.
-—–
“Wow, the green team actually won!” Jiu Hui excitedly jumped up and down on the spot: “Zhi You, you’re so amazing!”
She tugged at his sleeve. “Let’s go look ahead, let’s go look ahead.”
The winning dragon boat team would perform a special skill. After the performance, the audience on both sides of the river would give them cloth, silver, or sachets as a way to congratulate them.
The people of Taolin City were simply too enthusiastic. The dragon boat of the green team was piled high with layers upon layers of cloth. Jiu Hui tossed the silver in her hand onto the boat, and a cool breeze blew through the air.
She looked up at the clouds, her expression changing. She lowered the veil on her hat and pulled out the hairpin from her hair, throwing it. The jade hairpin transformed into a flying sword in the air, blocking the arrow that had come from the clouds. The arrow carried demonic energy, making its origin clear.
The people of Taolin City had yet to recover from their joy when they were astonished to see a flying sword suddenly appear in the air and block the arrows. No one panicked, and some even speculated if this was a show arranged by the City Lord’s Mansion and Wangshu Pavilion.
When they saw a veiled, ethereal woman fly out of the crowd and stop in the air, holding a sword, they all applauded enthusiastically.
“They actually invited cultivators to perform for us. The City Lord’s Manor is really extravagant!”
“This immortal looks very powerful. Just look at her swordsmanship. She’s so dashing.”
Tao Er in the crowd: “…”
No, you guys are idiots! That arrow was clearly meant to take your lives, and you actually thought it was some kind of performance?
The people of Taolin City had been well protected over the years. Not only had they not been invaded by demons, they hadn’t even seen a single ghost.
In other cities, people would run and hide at the sight of a flying sword or arrow, or even anyone who didn’t look quite human. But if the people of Taolin City saw them, they would probably just whisper in awe, “Oh my, this fellow has a rather novel appearance!”
“Don’t panic.” Amidst the crowd, Tao Xiangyi held down Tao Er, who was about to jump up, and whispered, “Both sides of the riverbank are full of people now. If they all panic and flee for their lives, it will likely cause a stampede.”
“What should we do now?” Tao Er, despite his tendency to act recklessly, knew that this was not the time for it.
“I’ve already sent word to the city lord’s guards to evacuate the crowd outside.” Tao Xiangyi gripped the magic weapon at his waist. “Go and meet up with the immortals from Wangshu Pavilion. Be careful not to cause panic among the people.”
“Good.” Tao Er nodded and whispered, “Fortunately, Immortal Jiu Hui was here today.”
He glanced at Jiu Hui in the air, clasped his hands together, and said, “I hope Immortal Jiu Hui can fan the demons into invincible spinning tops.”
“What nonsense are you spouting? Hurry up and scram.” Tao Xiangyi could no longer bear it and kicked him.
After kicking Tao Er away, Tao Xiangyi looked at Jiu Hui in the air nervously, hoping that Immortal Jiu Hui would be able to block the demons.
“Taolin City is just an ordinary small town. Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, so please leave quickly.” Jiu Hui looked up at the clouds and said, “Although visitors are welcome, Taolin City does not welcome wicked guests.”
The clouds churned as a man clad in black robes arrived, stepping on a dark cloud. He wore a half-mask that concealed the left side of his face, and his silvery-white hair danced in the air.
“Immortal Yin Ji…” Tao Xiangyi gasped. Immortal Yin Ji had been expelled from the Jiutian Sect and had his spiritual platform destroyed by his master. Why did he now appear as a member of the demon race?
Jiu Hui also recognized the person who had arrived. She let go of the sword in her hand, letting it hover behind her, and took out two protective magic weapons from her storage ring, blocking them on the surface of the river: “I haven’t seen you for a while, Daoist Master. Your injuries have recovered quite well.”
“Hahahahaha.” A bearded demon cultivator flew out of the clouds, laughing smugly. “He’s not your righteous Daoist Master Yin Ji, but our demon Dharma Protector Yin.”
“Protector Yin,” the bearded man turned his head and asked Yin Ji, “Am I right?”
Yin Ji ignored him and directly used his spiritual power to form a bow and arrow, the arrowhead pointing straight at Jiu Hui’s head. “Get out of the way. As long as this city is willing to offer a hundred young boys and girls, I can spare the lives of the others.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” The old lady by the river cracking melon seeds shook her head. “This immortal’s act of playing the villain is quite sufficient, but the words are not very good, a bit old-fashioned.”
“It doesn’t matter if the words are old-fashioned, as long as the fight is good-looking later.” The old man selling sesame candy had no intention of doing business. He stared intently at the sky: “Anyway, the villains who talk like this will be defeated in the end. What they say is not important.”
The people from Wangshu Pavilion who were desperately channeling spiritual energy on both sides of the riverbank to activate the city’s protective formation sighed silently when they heard this conversation.
It seemed that everyone had a wealth of experience watching operas.
“It’s quite dramatic, really. A righteous disciple was abandoned by their sect and turned to the dark side.” Chang He stuffed all the spirit stones on his body into the protective formation. “If you have the guts, go and cause trouble for the Jiutian Sect. Why pick on us small sects? What kind of proper dark side is that?”
“They’re fighting, they’re fighting!”
Cheers erupted from the crowd as Chang He gripped the magic weapon in his hand, watching his Junior Sister Jiu Hui fiercely battling Yin Ji in the sky.
Although it was unknown what means Yin Ji had used to recover his cultivation, his every move was ruthless, and he showed no mercy whatsoever.
But he encountered Jiu Hui, who was covered in protective magic weapons. After nearly a hundred rounds, he was unable to do anything to her, apart from the dazzling spiritual light that filled the sky.
“When did Wangshu Pavilion produce such a formidable disciple?” Yin Ji looked at the veiled girl, vaguely feeling that her figure seemed familiar.
“If the Jiutian Sect can have a disciple like you Daoist Master who forget his ancestors, why can’t it have an outstanding disciple like me?” Jiu Hui pinched her hands together, and countless talismans flew towards Yin Ji like scattered flowers from a celestial maiden. Yin Ji flicked his sleeve lightly. What could talismans of this level do to him?
Suddenly, one of the talisman papers transformed into a roaring falcon, clawing at Yin Ji’s chest before vanishing into smoke.
“My apologies, I forgot to remind you, Daoist Master. There’s a talisman inside drawn by an elder of the Zhang family.” Jiu Hui looked at Yin Ji’s bleeding chest. “Are you alright, Daoist Master?”
“Daoist Master” after “Daoist Master” grated on Yin Ji’s nerves. He scowled and said, “I was going to spare your life because you’re young and it’s not easy to cultivate, but since you refuse to step aside, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
“Daoist Master, you jest again. There’s no affection between us. It’s the Demon Princess who has feelings for you.” Jiu Hui noticed the bearded man next to her intended to sneak attack her. She had just taken off the scarf on her arm when she saw Zhi You fly out and flick his sleeve, sending the man flying into the river.
“Little Junior Brother, don’t throw people into the river,” Chang He shouted from the shore. “Don’t pollute the water.”
Jiu Hui threw her silk scarf and pulled the bearded man out of the water, throwing him at Chang He’s feet.
Chang He looked at the big man who was tied up and unable to move by the silk scarf, and his heart was full of envy. How many powerful silk scarves did his junior sister have?
“It’s you guys.” Seeing Zhi You appear wearing a veil, Yin Ji finally guessed the two people’s identities. They were the two Wangshu Pavilion disciples who had watched the excitement at the Jiutian Sect guest house that day.
“Show me what you’ve got.” Yin Ji drew a sword from his spiritual platform that emitted a black aura. His eyes burned as he looked at Jiu Hui. “I’m curious to see how formidable a cultivator who reached the Nascent Soul realm at the age of eighteen truly is.”
“Daoist Master Yin Ji, you jest. As an elder, how could you bully us juniors?” Jiu Hui glanced at the applauding townsfolk on both sides of the riverbank and stretched out her hand in front of Zhi You. “Zhi You, Spirit Sword Formation!”
Zhi You nodded at her, and they both pinched their fingers to summon countless spirit swords.
Yin Ji looked at these spirit swords with cold light flashing, and was about to speak, when suddenly his lower back felt cold. He looked down at his waist, his pupils trembling.
The so-called Spirit Sword Formation was just a deceptive illusion. While Yin Ji focused all his attention on the formation, Jiu Hui had already used a magic weapon to conceal herself and arrived behind Yin Ji.
The rusty knife went in, and the red knife came out.
“Alright, alright, alright, the butcher’s knife is still the best.” A butcher on the riverbank clapped his hands. “Although the beginning of this play was a bit cliché, who can compete once the butcher’s knife comes out?! Interesting, interesting.”
“Aren’t you going to escape, Daoist Master?” Jiu Hui whispered. “Do you really intend to die here? I don’t know what your plans or schemes are, but I hope you understand that even the most ordinary people shouldn’t be used as pawns in your schemes and killed without reason!”
“Even though Wangshu Pavilion is small and weak, we will do everything we can to protect all the city’s people.” Jiu Hui looked at the city’s grand protective formation that had consumed countless spirit stones and exhausted the spiritual power of several Elders. “Whether the Daoist Master is a devoted lover or has ulterior motives, Wangshu Pavilion does not care. But whoever treats us like a soft persimmon, we will stab them in the kidney. I hope the Daoist Master will bear with us.”