“Who’s there!”
Ling Xiaodong was the first to be alert, turning his head to look at the massive figure approaching from the shadowy forest.
As the figure drew closer, Ling Xiaodong realized it was a person.
But calling him a person was misleading—it was more like a sphere. The man was ten feet tall, with a waist circumference of nine feet. Not only that, but the four animals accompanying him were extraordinary.
The man was standing on the back of a black tortoise, which itself was entwined by a black snake. The snake carried the man forward slowly.
On his shoulder perched a crimson bird. To his left followed a white tiger, while on his right hand coiled a long serpent resembling a green snake, but unlike ordinary snakes, it had horns on its head.
“Who are you!”
Ling Xiaodong drew his sword and held it across his chest, eyes fixed warily on the fat man.
The fat man didn’t seem angered by Ling Xiaodong’s sword but instead laughed heartily. The fat rolls on his face pressed together, obscuring his features.
He raised a hand, pointing to his face, and retorted to Ling Xiaodong:
“Who do you think I am?”
Before Ling Xiaodong could respond, the man continued:
“Some call me Sage, some call me Philosopher, some call me Worthy, and others call me Wubuda.”
“What do you want from us?”
Ling Xiaodong remained highly cautious despite the fat man’s seemingly mad words. After all, they were deep in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, where strange things could exist.
“Ling Xiaodong, wait!”
Yue Yingying tugged at his arm from behind, stepped forward, and cupped her hands in a respectful bow.
“Could it be that you are the Wubuda senior who attained immortality five hundred years ago?”
The fat man smiled warmly at Yue Yingying and replied:
“Indeed!”
Yue Yingying asked, “May I ask what brings you to us, senior?”
Wubuda did not answer directly but instead asked:
“You came here looking for Xuan Yang Grass to save someone, isn’t that right?”
Ling Xiaodong’s expression turned excited. He stepped forward and saluted:
“Senior, your divine foresight is remarkable. We are indeed searching for Xuan Yang Grass. Do you know where it can be found?”
Wubuda shook his head and his jowls trembled along with the fat on his face.
“I know the rivers and seas, the Big Dipper’s movements, can read the speech of birds and beasts, know the flavors of hundreds of herbs—salt, bitter, and sour. Naturally, I also know where Xuan Yang Grass grows.”
After speaking, he pointed westward.
“Go forward a hundred or so steps, and there is a mountain peak. The Xuan Yang Grass grows right at the summit. But beware of the feathered serpent guarding it—it is impervious to blades and fire. Only a wooden sword can harm it.”
“Thank you for your guidance, senior.”
Ling Xiaodong bowed deeply, and when he looked up, the immortal had already vanished.
Yue Yingying sighed beside him:
“Truly an immortal among mortals. We cultivators should aspire to be like this!”
Having obtained the exact location of the Xuan Yang Grass, the two hurried toward the place the immortal had indicated. Along the way, Ling Xiaodong felled a tree and carved its trunk into a wooden sword.
When they reached the mountaintop, they indeed saw a stalk of Xuan Yang Grass glowing with golden light, swaying gently in the breeze.
Yue Yingying pointed at the grass excitedly but whispered to Ling Xiaodong:
“That’s it! That’s the Xuan Yang Grass!”
She spoke quietly because not far from the grass, in the branches of a tree crown, a giant python with wings on its back was resting.
Ling Xiaodong didn’t rush to pick the grass but silently approached beneath the tree, drawing the wooden sword from behind him.
His legs bent slightly as he leapt like thunder.
The feathered serpent only managed a roar before the wooden sword pierced seven inches into it.
One strike, and it was dead.
It really worked!
Ling Xiaodong examined the serpent’s scales, which shimmered with a metallic luster. He then pulled out his iron sword and scraped its corpse.
Sparks flew from the friction between the sword tip and the scales, yet the scales remained undamaged.
This sword had been snatched from Shao Yinhua’s hand—a blade capable of cutting through gold and jade with ease. Yet, it couldn’t pierce the serpent’s scales, while the wooden sword managed to wound it.
Ling Xiaodong marveled at the inscrutable depth of the immortal Wubuda.
While Ling Xiaodong tested the hardness of the scales, Yue Yingying had already used secret methods to gather the Xuan Yang Grass.
The two hurried back to Qingfeng Temple.
Inside, Ye Yiyun was moving Xiao Yan from the bed to outdoors. Before leaving, Yue Yingying had instructed her to let Xiao Yan bask in the sun, as the Sun Charm would work better with sunlight.
No sooner had Ye Yiyun carried Xiao Yan outside than Yue Yingying and Ling Xiaodong returned.
Ye Yiyun was surprised:
“Why are you back so soon? Did you forget something?”
Ling Xiaodong waved the pouch excitedly.
“We found the Xuan Yang Grass!”
“That fast!”
“Yes. Aunt Yun, I’ll explain later. Saving Xiao Yan comes first.”
Ling Xiaodong handed the pouch to Yue Yingying and went to carry Xiao Yan back inside.
Yue Yingying and Ye Yiyun searched for supplementary medicines inside the temple and went to the copper fire room, only emerging as dusk approached.
Ling Xiaodong sat beside the bed and heard the door open, turning to see Master and Ye Yiyun standing at the entrance.
Though both looked exhausted, joy shone from their expressions.
“Is it ready? Did it work?”
Yue Yingying placed one hand on her slender waist and proudly lifted a jade bottle.
“When I, your master, take action, success is guaranteed.”
She poured a golden pill from the bottle into Xiao Yan’s mouth.
The pill melted instantly, saving the unconscious Xiao Yan the trouble of swallowing.
After the Xuan Yang Pill was taken, Yue Yingying extended a sword finger to Xiao Yan’s forehead, helping to activate the medicinal power.
Xiao Yan’s pale cheeks gradually regained color. She whispered:
“Water…”
“Here it is!”
Ye Yiyun helped Xiao Yan sit up and brought a bowl of water to her lips.
Xiao Yan drank the water, then weakly opened her eyes and looked at the three people around her.
“Master.”
“Master is here. Do you feel unwell? If so, tell me.”
Ye Yiyun gently held Xiao Yan’s frail hands, clutching her as if she were a treasure lost and now found.
“Master, I can’t breathe.”
Ye Yiyun quickly loosened her arms and laid Xiao Yan back down.
“All done on my end. Now it’s just a matter of rest.”
Yue Yingying had spent the whole day searching for herbs and refining pills without pause. Naturally lazy, she immediately found a guest room inside the temple and fell asleep the moment she lay down.
Ling Xiaodong intended to leave the room so Xiao Yan could rest properly but was stopped by her.
“Is there something you need, Xiao Yan?”
“I know everything.”
Ling Xiaodong was stunned. “You know everything?”
Xiao Yan answered, “It’s about you and Master. Master thought I was unconscious and told me everything.”
Both Ye Yiyun and Ling Xiaodong froze, especially Ye Yiyun, whose face turned pale.
“It’s alright. Master has explained everything to me. I don’t blame either of you. From now on, the three of us will live together.”
Ling Xiaodong breathed a secret sigh of relief. Truly, Xiao Yan was understanding.
After a month of recuperation, Xiao Yan finally returned to her normal self.
That night, Xiao Yan and Ling Xiaodong became partners.
They performed the rites of Zhou Gong, journeyed to Mount Wu, and spent a sleepless night together.
Later, on Ling Xiaodong’s eighteenth birthday, Ye Yiyun and Xiao Yan presented themselves as gifts, lying beside him on the bed, letting him fully enjoy the blessings of a man with two women.
When Ling Xiaodong turned twenty, another joyful event occurred.
Master confessed her feelings to him.
In truth, Master had liked him all along but was too shy to say it.
Seeing him grow older, Yue Yingying panicked, fearing that her youth would fade and her beauty wane, so she hurriedly expressed her feelings.
Ling Xiaodong agreed without hesitation, and that very night was their wedding night.
Looking at Yue Yingying lying on the bed, nude, Ling Xiaodong bent down tenderly and kissed her cherry lips.
This should have been a night of love and warmth.
But suddenly, Yue Yingying’s hazy eyes cleared, and her gentle cheeks became serious.
“Ling Xiaodong, listen to me—ah!”
Yue Yingying looked down at her bare body and felt the softness on her lips.
She screamed, kicked Ling Xiaodong off the bed, and grabbed the nearby quilt to cover herself.
Her face flushed crimson as she glared angrily at Ling Xiaodong.
“You ungrateful disciple! How dare you do such a thing to me in a dream!”
Ling Xiaodong was startled by the sudden turn of events. What happened to the wedding night?
“Dream?”
Yue Yingying urged urgently, “Yes! Wake up quickly! Everything here is an illusion!”
Ling Xiaodong’s expression changed. He immediately cast the Mind Purification Spell.
“Supreme Star of the Tai Platform, adapt without pause, dispel demons and bind evil spirits, protect life and body, clear wisdom, calm the mind, eternal three souls, no loss of spirit!”
Suddenly, Ling Xiaodong opened his eyes.
There was no Cat Ear Mountain or Mingyue Temple.
Darkness stretched everywhere.
Ling Xiaodong felt as if he was soaking in warm spring water, but the water emitted a pungent, disgusting stench. Around him, soft, writhing flesh enveloped him.
He hurriedly opened his eyes and looked around.
He was inside an animal’s stomach!