"Should I water it some more?"
Clack! ...
Just as Xu Taiping was about to fetch some water, something suddenly pushed aside the clod of earth he had used to cover the soybean seed.
"Huh? It... it's sprouted? So fast!"
He crouched down curiously, only to discover, dumbfounded, that the soybean he had just planted had already put out a tender shoot.
And that was not all. After breaking through the soil, the tender shoot began growing stems and leaves at a speed visible to the naked eye, then flowered and bore fruit.
In mere moments, a mature soybean plant stood before Xu Taiping.
The plant was about four feet tall, its leaves so lush and green they seemed ready to drip with water. The three pods hanging from it were as translucent as green jade. Anyone could tell it was no ordinary thing.
"Could the fortunate opportunity Grandpa mentioned be the beans inside these three pods?"
Amazed, Xu Taiping reached out to pick the three pods.
"Little one."
Just as Xu Taiping reached toward the three pods, an enchanting voice suddenly rang out from the soybean plant before him.
Then Xu Taiping saw a milky-white radiance drift like smoke from the plant's stems and leaves, finally gathering before him into the figure of an exquisitely beautiful immortal maiden.
"Don't rush to pick them just yet."
The immortal maiden looked at Xu Taiping, who stood frozen in a daze, with a sweet smile.
"Are... are... are you a monster, or... or an immortal?"
Finally coming to his senses, Xu Taiping tried hard to steady himself, but his voice still stammered.
"An immortal? Perhaps I once counted as one. Now, though, I'm nothing more than a wisp of a remnant soul, clinging to life inside this bean."
The woman considered this, then gave a bitter smile.
"Little one, don't be afraid. I won't harm you, nor could I. I've appeared now only because I wish to make a trade with you."
She continued speaking to Xu Taiping.
"A trade?"
Xu Taiping was somewhat puzzled.
"My name is Chu Lingyue. Six hundred years ago, an enemy ambushed me. My physical body was sealed away, and my soul was shattered. Only this wisp of a remnant soul managed to escape by relying on this bean. Later, the bean traveled tens of thousands of miles and ended up in your grandfather's hands. Eventually, your grandfather passed it on to you. Only today, when you planted it in this spiritual soil and allowed the seed to be reborn, was I able to see the light of day again."
The beautiful woman recounted this to Xu Taiping with sincerity in her voice.
"If I hadn't made it up the mountain, would you have had to stay inside the bean forever, immortal maiden?"
Xu Taiping asked curiously.
Though mature for his age, he was still a boy of ten or so, and his curiosity far outweighed his fear.
"Yes, and it isn't merely a matter of being trapped inside the bean. In another year or two, once all the spiritual energy within it dissipated, I'm afraid this Remnant Soul would have vanished like smoke as well."
Chu Lingyue nodded, hiding nothing from Xu Taiping.
"Then what did you mean by the trade you mentioned just now?"
Xu Taiping had not let his curiosity distract him from the heart of the matter.
"Of the three pods on this soybean plant, could you take only one and leave the other two for me?"
Chu Lingyue asked Xu Taiping solemnly.
"From what you're saying, immortal maiden, am I the only one who can pick the pods on this plant?"
Xu Taiping blinked his large eyes as he looked at Chu Lingyue.
"With such a clever grandson, Xu Zhian should be able to close his eyes in peace beneath the Nine Springs."
Xu Taiping's words startled Chu Lingyue. She gave a wry smile, then nodded. "That's right. Only the person who planted it can harvest its fruit."
"Then I understand."
Xu Taiping nodded.
"Since this is a trade, what do you intend to offer me in exchange, immortal maiden?"
He asked Chu Lingyue.
"If you agree to take only one, I'm willing to tell you some of this bean's secrets, as well as give you a medicinal formula that can help someone with a mortal bone cultivate."
Chu Lingyue spoke with great seriousness.
The look in her eyes made it clear that she no longer regarded Taiping as a mere child.
When Xu Taiping heard Chu Lingyue say she had a medicinal formula that could help someone with a mortal bone cultivate, a gleam of delight flashed through his eyes.
"How can you make me trust you, immortal maiden?"
Xu Taiping continued asking, keeping his expression composed.
"I can give you the formula first. After you've tried it, if you find it effective, it won't be too late to make the trade."
Chu Lingyue spoke with complete openness.
Xu Taiping stared unblinkingly into Chu Lingyue's eyes. Only after a long while did he nod and say, "There's no need to test it. I agree to the trade."
"What's this? Aren't you afraid I'll deceive you anymore?"
Seeing Xu Taiping agree so readily, Chu Lingyue found herself puzzled instead.
"Grandpa said that after I planted that bean, I would find a fortunate opportunity. Now it seems that my fortunate opportunity must be you, immortal maiden."
Xu Taiping answered earnestly.
Chu Lingyue first froze, then covered her mouth and laughed.
"I wouldn't have guessed you had such a way with words, little one. You're quite a bit better than your grandfather in that respect."
"Did you know my grandpa well, immortal maiden?"
Xu Taiping suddenly asked curiously.
From Chu Lingyue's words, Xu Taiping could vaguely tell that she had actually spoken with his grandfather before.
"I can't remain outside for long. Let me tell you about this bean first."
Chu Lingyue changed the subject.
"All right."
Xu Taiping nodded without dwelling on his earlier question. He sat cross-legged on the ground, ready to listen with rapt attention.
"The bean your grandfather gave you is also known as the Earth Treasury Fruit. It is an extremely mysterious spiritual treasure. When planted on an immortal mountain, it absorbs that mountain's spiritual energy and can use that energy as a foundation to nurture unique treasures within its fruit."
Fairy Lingyue did not keep him in suspense, but began explaining plainly.
"Do you mean that if this seed is planted on different immortal mountains, the fruit it ultimately produces will be very different?"
Along with his amazement, a question arose in Xu Taiping's mind.
"Exactly."
Fairy Lingyue nodded approvingly.
"The spiritual energy contained within each immortal mountain is different. It's just like people-a thousand people, a thousand faces. For that very reason, the fruit the Earth Treasury Fruit bears on different mountains, as well as the treasures nurtured within that fruit, will all be different."
She explained in greater detail.
"To think such a tiny soybean could be so extraordinary. No wonder Grandpa said this was a great fortunate opportunity."
After hearing Fairy Lingyue's detailed explanation, Xu Taiping's face was filled with astonishment.
He had initially guessed that this soybean seed was, at most, some treasure such as an immortal fruit. He had never expected it to be a divine object capable of nurturing treasures.
"Pick one of the pods and open it."
Fairy Lingyue pointed to the three pods on the soybean plant.
Before you continue