A Chance Encounter
As he listened to the story, A Xuan grew more and more curious and couldn't help asking, "What happened after that?"
Kuang Yuanba smiled. "After that, I crawled into the cave. The old man seemed kind and amiable, unlike the people outside, who looked at me as if they wanted to kill me to keep me quiet. So I wasn't as panicked anymore."
"The old man asked me why I was there. I said I'd been trying to escape the attack of a fierce beast when I accidentally fell off a cliff. A big tree caught me and saved my life, and then I climbed up here."
"The old man just smiled and said nothing more."
"When he stopped talking, I started getting nervous again and asked why he was there. The old man was silent for a long time before finally saying, 'I've lived for over a hundred thousand years, but my cultivation has not advanced any further. My time is nearly up, so I wanted to find a quiet place to pass away. I never expected you little fellow to suddenly come barging in.'"
The two of them couldn't help laughing and asked, "What did you say to that?"
"Of course I hurried to explain!" Kuang Yuanba said solemnly. "I told him I hadn't meant to disturb him. If he didn't want me around, I could go lie on a tree outside again and come back after he passed away."
Yu Bo Yi shook his head, torn between laughter and tears. "That's quite the explanation. Wasn't the old man angry?"
"I don't think so. He just stroked his beard and smiled, saying I was an interesting fellow. Then he said, 'I spent my whole life devoted to cultivation, but my talent was limited, and I