After arranging for everyone from the Dragon Palace to complete the apprenticeship ceremony, Jiang Yun led them out of the main hall.
Now that they were fellow disciples, they could establish their own abodes on the mountain. Jiang Yun told them to find suitable places and build them themselves.
Moreover, now that their apprenticeship ceremony was complete, the dragon guards who had escorted them here would also be returning to the Dragon Palace. Jiang Yun informed the guards' leader about the matter he had discussed with the two masters earlier—the need for the Western Sea and Northern Sea Dragon Palaces to assist in establishing Spirit Land Nodes in the western and northern directions—and asked them to pass the message along. He had also left jade slips detailing the arrangements, which they could consult later. He believed the people of the Dragon Palaces would be more than willing to help.
Five hundred years passed in the blink of an eye. One day, Jiang Yun set out for Longevity Mountain together with the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea, accompanied by Jieyin and Zhunti.
At this moment, the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea had shrunk himself down and lay on Jiang Yun's shoulder, snoring away. Although he had escaped the restrictions of a physical body, his soul still had not shaken its fondness for sleep. Since he usually stayed by Jiang Yun's side and had no interest in managing worldly affairs, he simply found a spot on Jiang Yun and slept. He would wake up to take a look only when he encountered someone or something that interested him.
Sometimes Jiang Yun would turn his head to glance at the little turtle on his shoulder. He felt as though the turtle were his personal Old Grandpa—one who had arrived a little late. If he had obtained this Old Grandpa earlier, he probably would never have gone to Mount Sumeru.
But when he turned back to look at the two masters ahead of him, he shook his head to himself, feeling a sense of relief. After all, the two of them had treated him rather well. Uniting all forces that could be united—that was the foundation for accomplishing great things.
Time flew by in an instant. The Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea felt as though he had only just fallen asleep when they arrived at Wuzhuang Temple.
"Immortal abode of everlasting life, the Daoist's home with a lifespan equal to Heaven." Just after waking up, the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea saw a couplet hanging on the mountain gate of Wuzhuang Temple.
In front of the temple gate, Qingfeng, who had grown a little taller, was waiting there. When he saw the arrivals, he hurried forward excitedly.
"Daoist Jieyin, Daoist Zhunti, my master ordered me to welcome you. The three Great Immortals from Kunlun Mountain have already arrived inside the temple as well. Please, come in." Qingfeng explained the situation somewhat excitedly, then winked at Jiang Yun before stepping aside to invite them in and leading the way.
Guiding Jieyin and Zhunti into the main hall, they heard lively conversation coming from inside even before reaching the entrance.
When they arrived at the main hall, the people inside saw the newcomers and all rose to greet them. As the host, Zhenyuanzi hurried forward to welcome them as well.
Seeing all the elders gathered together and exchanging greetings, while no one was paying attention to the younger generation, Qingfeng and Mingyue darted over to Jiang Yun's side.
"Senior Brother Jiang Yun, you really came! Mingyue and I have been looking forward to this for so long!" Mingyue spoke with a delighted expression.
"Eh... Why is there a little turtle on your shoulder too? Is it your pet?" Mingyue asked curiously when she saw the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea.
"Ahem... Qingfeng, Mingyue, don't speak nonsense. This is Senior Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea. Hurry and pay your respects!" The moment Mingyue said that, Jiang Yun felt rather speechless. He quickly explained things to the two of them, then said a few conciliatory words to the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea.
The Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea did not care about such trivial matters. He rather liked the straightforward and adorable nature of children.
The two children stuck out their tongues, paid their respects to the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea, then pulled Jiang Yun along and chattered away.
Their cultivation had advanced considerably. It seemed the Three Lights Divine Water he had given them earlier had been quite effective. They had both reached the late stage of the Mystic Immortal realm!
After a while, once Jieyin and the others had finished reminiscing, they called Jiang Yun over to pay his respects. Carrying the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea on his shoulder, Jiang Yun walked over.
Jieyin first introduced the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea on Jiang Yun's shoulder to everyone. The Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea restored himself to his full size and exchanged greetings with them. After chatting for a while, everyone addressed one another as fellow Daoists.
After hearing about the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea's circumstances, everyone looked at Jiang Yun in amazement, inwardly marveling at his fortune. Jiang Yun seized the opportunity to hurry over and pay his respects to all the seniors.
Hong Yun came over and draped an arm across Jiang Yun's shoulders, looking like they were old brothers. He kept praising Jiang Yun for his profound fortune and blessings, even wanting to share in his good luck. The sight left Zhenyuanzi utterly speechless.
Zhenyuanzi invited everyone to take their seats. Seeing that everyone had arrived, he instructed Qingfeng and Mingyue to go to the rear courtyard, fetch the Golden Striker, and bring back eleven fruits, one for each person.
Before long, Qingfeng and Mingyue each returned to the main hall carrying a plate. They used silk handkerchiefs to wrap the Ginseng Fruits and placed one in front of every person in the hall.
In the end, the two of them each received one as well, holding them in their hands.
Everyone picked up their fruit, but no one hurried to eat. Instead, they placed them in front of themselves and examined them carefully for a while.
Just by smelling the Ginseng Fruits, everyone felt refreshed and invigorated. Looking at their shape, they truly resembled lifelike little children, though their sizes differed.
"This Ginseng Fruit Tree truly deserves its status as one of the Ten Great Innate Spiritual Roots. The fruits it bears are extraordinary indeed. Brother Zhenyuan has quite the blessing!"
"Indeed, he certainly has a blessing! He gets to enjoy them only once every ten thousand years. That is no small fortune..."
"..."
Everyone could not stop praising the fruits, bringing a glow to Zhenyuanzi's face. He could not help feeling rather pleased with himself, stroking his beard in great satisfaction.
"Everyone, stop merely looking at them. Try my Ginseng Fruits."
At Zhenyuanzi's urging, everyone began taking small bites. Hong Yun, who was seated beside Zhenyuanzi, however, swallowed his fruit in just two or three bites, barely tasting it at all.
Seeing this, Jiang Yun picked up a Ginseng Fruit as well and took a bite.
The moment it entered his mouth, his taste buds seemed to embark on a wondrous journey.
At first taste, a cool sensation spread through his mouth, like the first wisp of mist drifting through a mountain forest at dawn, gently brushing over the tip of his tongue and bringing a delicate freshness. The Ginseng Fruit was plump and juicy. As soon as he bit through its cicada-wing-thin skin, the juice surged out impatiently, flowing freely through his mouth.
Savoring it carefully, he discovered a unique sweetness. It was not the cloying intensity of an overly rich flavor, but a light elegance in perfect measure. It was like a rare flower blooming in a deep mountain Secluded Valley, its fragrance serene and lingering. The sweetness lingered leisurely across his taste buds, seemingly carrying the purest essence from deep within the earth and the wondrous aura of the Sun, Moon, and Stars. It actually caused his cultivation to advance considerably, while his magical power seemed to have been refined and tempered, becoming even more concentrated.
The flesh of the Ginseng Fruit was as delicate as the finest Mutton Fat Jade paste, melting the instant it entered his mouth. Every chew felt like embracing a cloud. Not the slightest bit of pulp or fiber obstructed him, and the texture was impossibly smooth and tender. A fresh fruity fragrance also faintly permeated the flavor, like a blend of ripe melons and fruits beneath the morning dew, along with the simple, natural scent of wild fruit trees in the mountains.
After he swallowed, the sweetness and coolness remained in his throat for a long time, as though leaving behind a trace of delicious memory that made him endlessly savor the aftertaste. His mouth was also filled with a faint lingering flavor reminiscent of immortal grass, making him want to taste the wondrous fruit again.
Everyone wore expressions of bliss as they savored the lingering taste of the Ginseng Fruits. Seeing them, Hong Yun was filled with regret. Although he had eaten them many times before, watching the others enjoy them so much made him think of how he had swallowed his in just two or three bites without really tasting it. He truly felt he had lost out!
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