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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
When Wang Erniu mentioned the name ‘Lady Su’, his expression was filled with unconcealed respect. They might not be refined or cultured, but they knew how to be grateful to others.
Lady Su had appeared in Green Mountain Village when he was just a child. At the time, the village and the surrounding towns had been afflicted by a plague of unknown origins. Many people had died from the plague, and corpses could be found everywhere.
Everybody was filled with utter despair. Even the most famous doctors were infected by the plague and ultimately chose to end themselves by fire. The cultivation Sects in the distance were also powerless in this situation. In order to prevent the disaster from spreading further, they were forced to take measures to burn everything down.
Just when everybody was drowning in despair, the passing Lady Su came forward and healed everybody. It was obviously a very harmful plague, but the plague practically became harmless in her hands.
Wang Erniu could clearly remember the scene to this day.
The beautiful Lady Su had arrived in her white dress as though she were a fallen angel. Holding a white jade bottle which contained a freshly picked willow branch in her hand, she splashed water everywhere she walked. Then, the symptoms that everybody suffered from vanished in an instant.
The plague that devastated more than a dozen nearby villages disappeared without a trace thanks to her help. Therefore, to the villagers, she was a living Buddha who saved people from pain and suffering.
Afterwards, Lady Su settled down at a place near a lake on the eastern side of the Green Mountain Village. Not only did she build a small courtyard surrounded by bamboo trees and clear water from the lake, but she also raised some poultry and planted some medicinal herbs. On the odd occasion, she would sit cross-legged in the middle of the lake and calmly play the zither.
Some of the villagers would come to her for treatment whenever they became sick. Furthermore, she would sporadically appear at the private school nearby and teach the children in the village how to read and write.
After settling down in the village, she ended up staying here for several decades straight. Her appearance never changed in the slightest throughout these years.
In the past, several powerful cultivators came to visit her after hearing about her. However, they suddenly became very respectful before they even approached her house. Without even meeting her in person, they immediately turned around and departed in a deferential manner. Not only that, but they also did not dare to show any sign of disrespect.
That was why the villagers believed that the mysterious Lady Su with unknown origins was an Immortal with unfathomable power. Nobody knew where she came from or even her real name. They only knew that she had the surname ‘Su’; she was as beautiful as an angel; she liked to dress in white; and she occasionally played the zither quietly in the middle of the lake.
Some of the villagers speculated that she might have come here to relax or that she was yearning for the person she used to love. There were times when the sound of the zither was sad, lingering in the air like smoke that did not dissipate. There were also times when the sound of the zither was as clear as ice, piercing through the clouds in the sky.
“I only said I wanted to marry an Immortal Elder Sister. It’s not like I said I wanted to marry Sister Su. Besides, Sister Su will never be interested in a child like me. Father, you’re the one who is talking nonsense. Let me tell you, I do have a cultivation root! When I was herding the cows today, I encountered a Master Elder who appeared on top of a flying sword. He smiled and rubbed my head, saying that I had a Sword Body which was suitable for cultivating the sword. He also asked whether I wanted to become an Immortal who could fly in the sky like him… Then, he gave me a jade pendant and asked me to wait for him.”
Faced with his Father’s scolding, Wang Xiaoniu seemed very unhappy and dissatisfied. Thus, he told his Father about what happened during the day.
After returning from the market, he had been asked by his Father to herd the cows at the village entrance. That was when he met the mysterious Master Elder. The other party had stroked his head and arm with a smile, claiming that he was suitable to cultivate the sword and that he could become a Sword Immortal as powerful as the old man himself in the future.
While speaking, Wang Xiaoniu took out a simple sword-patterned jade pendant and dangled the jade pendant in front of his parents’ stunned gazes.
“That…” Wang Erniu initially thought that his son was lying to him and talking nonsense, so he was completely stunned to see the jade pendant.
Although the Green Mountain Village only had a hundred households, the surrounding villagers were not unfamiliar with the cultivation and Immortals. To them, flying in the skies was the symbol that represented the Immortals. Those who were strong could live for several hundred years, and some could even live for thousands of years.
The Blazing Sun Sect was the closest cultivation Sect to the Green Mountain Village. The Grandmaster was Lieyang Shangren. It was said that he had lived for more than eight hundred years, and controlling fire to boil down the sea was a simple task to him.
Even the wealthy young men in the nearby cities were desperately racking their brains to enter the Sect. Unfortunately, the Blazing Sun Sect had a very high standard for accepting disciples. Even if they donated a large sum of money, they could only become a disciple for errands at most.
If one wanted to cultivate superior cultivation techniques, then they had to have a suitable cultivation root. Otherwise, they would simply struggle in vain for their entire lives.
Wang Erniu and his Family might be ordinary people, but they knew that becoming an Immortal was not a dream they could hope to pursue. Hence, his first reaction when he heard his Son saying such words was to scold his Son. He wanted him to stop entertaining such wishful thinking and focus on the honest work of herding cows.
If Wang Xiaoniu was capable, he might even obtain a meritorious degree in the future and enjoy a bright future. In the worst case, he could sell the cows they were raising and find a Wife to continue the Family lineage.
Wang Erniu never expected his Son to have such great fortune as to actually encounter the legendary fate to become an Immortal.
“Is… Is this real?”
Therefore, he immediately became so excited that he almost forgot that they had a guest in the house. His sentence was barely coherent, and his voice trembled with emotion.
What did an Immortal mean to an ordinary person? The ability to fly through the skies? Prosperity and wealth? Longevity? Those were figures that they could never reach even in their dreams. And yet, they suddenly learned that their Son might have the possibility of becoming that kind of Immortal. It was easy to imagine the couple’s excitement and disbelief.
Wang Xiaoniu might be young, but he understood what his encounter meant for his future. Lifting his head slightly, he spoke with great pride. “Of course, it’s real. How could I deceive you, Dad? I saw the Master Elder riding his flying sword and landing on the ground with my own eyes…”
“That’s great… That’s great…” Wang Erniu was extremely emotional. His large and rough hands stroked the jade pendant as though he was holding a priceless treasure. All of a sudden, he seemed to realise something and hurriedly turned to look at Gu Changge, who was silently picking at the dishes on the dining table.
“Xiaoniu, quickly put the jade pendant away. Don’t let others know about it.” He hastily instructed.
It was not that he was worried about Gu Changge, whom he had brought home on a whim. It was just that he had been so accustomed to living an honest life that he could not help reacting like a poor man who had gotten a priceless treasure when he suddenly encountered such an opportunity.
Besides, the jade pendant was definitely not that simple. If they lost the jade pendant and the Immortal blamed them for their negligence, then wouldn’t they lose their opportunity? Not to mention, what if the jade pendant was a test that the Immortal had prepared for his Son?
“I understand, Father. Don’t worry.” Although Wang Xiaoniu was young, he was sensible and shrewd. He hurriedly kept the jade pendant, knowing that there was an outsider with unknown origins in the house.
After such a huge commotion, both Wang Erniu and his Wife lost their appetite to continue eating.
In the beginning, Wang Erniu thought that Gu Changge seemed a little unusual. It was just that Gu Changge’s appearance was dusty from travel. His complexion seemed weary and could even be said to look haggard. That was the reason why Wang Erniu had acted out of goodwill to invite Gu Changge home and offer his guest a warm meal. He did not know Gu Changge’s origins or name. It was only when Gu Changge requested some water from him that he made a brief inquiry, but Gu Changge did not answer and simply smiled amicably. Such a response only increased his curiosity even more.
Gu Changge had seemed travel-worn, as though he had journeyed very far. Nevertheless, he could not conceal the noble and extraordinary aura in his speech and behaviour. That was not something the common folk could ever emulate.
Furthermore more, Wang Erniu had never seen such a good-looking man before. Despite being covered in dust, the other party’s handsome features could not be concealed.
After Gu Changge washed his face, both Wang Erniu and his Wife were stunned by the other party’s appearance. Wang Erniu even wondered whether Gu Changge was a fallen noble who had wandered here.
“Brother, are you going somewhere? It seems to me that you have travelled for a very long time.” Despite listening to the three of them discussing the jade pendant and an opportunity to become an Immortal, Gu Changge remained unmoved. It was almost as though he had not heard anything. He simply quietly ate the food on his plate. In the end, Wang Erniu could not hold back and blurted out the question.
“Am I going somewhere?” Gu Changge looked up when he heard the question, but his expression seemed to contain some confusion.
He did not know where he was going. It seemed as though he was searching for an invisible road, and he had to walk until the end of the road. However, he did not know anything about the so-called road. He did not have any memories regarding this matter either. It seemed that only his instincts were pushing him to persevere on his journey.
However, he was very tired. All he wanted to do was find a place to stop. Even a short break would be enough. Then, he would continue with his journey again.
Looking at Gu Changge’s expression, Wang Erniu was taken aback for a moment. He did not expect Gu Changge himself to not know the answer to his question.
[There’s something wrong with his condition. Could he have forgotten something?] At this moment, he became increasingly convinced about the speculation in his heart. He believed that Gu Changge must have failed to withstand a huge shock, which caused the latter to fall into such a state. In fact, he already had a complete story in his mind.
‘Gu Changge was originally born into a wealthy Family with a noble status. Unfortunately, an accident caused a drastic change in the Family. He lost his previous identity and status. Unable to bear the shock, he began to wander everywhere. He eventually arrived here without knowing where he would end up in the future either.’
“What a pitiful man.” Wang Erniu shook his head. He had seen many such situations. Over the years, he had heard that many dynasties had been destroyed and wars had broken out at various places. There were many victims in similar situations as Gu Changge. They were once wealthy gentlemen with a noble status and a prosperous life. There were always enough clothes to wear and food on the table. It was an easy life where they enjoyed endless glory and wealth at their fingertips.
However, Gu Changge was now a pitiful man wandering around aimlessly. His current life could not even compare to the common folk.
At the very least, Wang Erniu had enough food to fill his belly and enough clothes to keep him warm. There was no need to starve or go hungry. He also had a roof over his head to provide shelter from the rain. Furthermore, he had a diligent and virtuous Wife and a sensible and intelligent Son. In addition, his Son had just been blessed with the legendary opportunity and would soon become an Immortal.
He involuntarily revealed a contented smile at those thoughts, seemingly very satisfied with his life.
That scene seemed to cause Gu Changge’s emotions to fluctuate slightly. His expression became somewhat confused.
[Am I… being pitied? Is that contentment and happiness? Is it that easy? But… why have I never experienced that feeling before? What have I been pursuing? I’ve always been trying to fill that empty void. I’ve always been searching for something. I’ve never been satisfied before. What am I unsatisfied with? What am I lacking?]
Feeling a dull ache in his head, he knew that he had probably forgotten something. As long as he wanted to recall his memories, he could remember everything in an instant. But, he did not do that.
[I just wanted to experience everything myself…] He recovered his composure and stopped pursuing the matter. Everybody had different pursuits. There was no need to compare himself against the pursuits and happiness of others. All he wanted was to comprehend everything quietly and understand the truth.
“Just you wait until I become an Immortal! I’m going to let you live in the best city. I’ll buy the best wine for Dad and the prettiest jewellery for Mom…”
“Look at your minuscule dreams. Immortals can fly through the skies. There’s nothing they can’t do. Forget living in the city. It’ll be easy for them to buy the entire city!”
“Hehe, I’m just saying. It’s fun to imagine the scene at the time. When that time comes, I’m going to find a Pill that can restore youth for you, Mom. You’ll forever be as pretty as Sister Su.”
“Alright, alright. I know you’re a filial Son.
“Who do you think you are calling Sister Su!? Lady Su is older than me! You little rascal! If you dare to address her so rudely again!? I’m going to spank you…”
Under the dim yellow light of the oil lamp, the Family of three had happy and content smiles on their faces. They were imagining and looking forward to the scenarios in the future.
Gu Changge quietly observed them, feeling as though he was experiencing some sort of enlightenment in his heart.
After dinner, Wang Erniu cleaned and put together a tidy guest room for Gu Changge. He also prepared a set of bedding that was as clean as new, which they were usually reluctant to use themselves. He believed that Gu Changge was accustomed to a life of luxury, so these simple accommodations would not be comfortable for Gu Changge. That was why he specially layered another layer of soft hay underneath the bedding.
Gu Changge was not accustomed to the honest man’s kindness, but he did not wish to owe the man anything either. After thinking about it, he took out an exquisite jade pendant. He might not recall the value of the jade pendant, but he understood that the jade pendant could be exchanged for money. Furthermore, the money would be enough for the Family of three to enjoy several lifetimes’ worth of luxuries.
However, Wang Erniu refused to accept the jade pendant. Despite knowing that the jade pendant was extremely valuable, he refused to accept the jade pendant no matter what. In his eyes, the little help he provided to Gu Changge was simply not comparable to the value of the jade pendant.
Besides, the jade pendant might be very important to Gu Changge. What if the jade pendant could help him regain his memories in the future?
Wang Erniu was an honest man. Although he could guess that the jade pendant was extremely valuable, he had no intention of keeping the jade pendant for himself.
Gu Changge was not used to owing people anything, but he decided to stay here for the time being. He stubbornly followed Wang Erniu around the next day, hoping to help out as compensation.
In the field, Wang Erniu was weeding the ground with a hoe. Sweat poured down his back like rain.
Gu Changge stood nearby and diligently imitated Wang Erniu. It was a novel experience that gave him a rare sense of surprise. He seemed to have gained an additional level of understanding toward something.
Unable to dissuade Gu Changge, Wang Erniu could only give up with a wry smile and allow Gu Changge to help him.
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