"Takeout? Deliveries?"
Qingji looked at Ao Ding in puzzlement.
Ao Ding smiled and gestured as he explained.
"Since all the demon immortals have their own ways of making a living... once the monkey demons have brewed their wine, couldn't they hire you to deliver it instead of going out themselves? They could pay you a little bay-leaf jade nectar. Having you, who spend every day running about, make the rounds would surely be faster than delivering each order themselves, right?
"Besides, some spirits are enormous and have trouble traveling. Rather than spend more than ten days walking a thousand miles, they could have you make the round trip in a single day-"
Ao Ding said, "Don't think of yourselves only as 'carriage drivers.' Let your thinking spread out a little... broaden your horizons. And another thing-aren't you very united? You could pool the requests from the various immortals. For instance, if two immortals are headed to the same destination, they could share a carriage. That way, you could handle two jobs in one trip. Or if some spirit asks you to deliver something, and it happens to be on the way when you're escorting an immortal, you could take that extra job and deliver the goods along with the passenger..."
He talked on and on about how takeout, armed escorts, and deliveries worked, leaving Qingji listening in a daze. Ao Ding's imagination even took flight: pointing at the luminous Kan Water paths around the ceremonial carriages and horses, he advised them to make their yellow-canopied carriages bigger and longer in the future, and to lay tracks using the Qingji clan's Kan Water and Xun Wind paths.
Qingji bobbed his little yellow hat, his face full of bewilderment. I didn't understand much, but it sounds very reasonable. Is he helping us expand our business?
After a moment's thought, Qingji patted his pony and hurried a few paces ahead to invite the old Qingji over.
Facing the little white-bearded old man, Ao Ding repeated his suggestions.
The white-bearded Qingji thought for a moment and raised a difficulty. "We Marsh Sprites are born of the essential energies of wind, marsh, and earth, nurtured by heaven and earth. Young Marsh Sprites haven't lived long and lack intelligence. I fear they wouldn't be able to communicate freely or remember so many goods... there are even many natural treasures we don't recognize!"
"That's precisely why this business suits you Qingji. Most demons and spirits cultivate alone in seclusion. Marsh Sprites who cultivate together like you are few and far between... I hear you even have some sort of association? Then everyone can join in. Young Qingji can do the running, while the older, wiser ones negotiate with customers. After all, once you're old, traveling becomes difficult, and you can only stay underground, supported by your clansmen. Why not put your remaining strength to use doing logistical work? Besides, if one Qingji doesn't recognize a natural treasure, he can ask the others to help identify it. I think you could even make contracts with knowledgeable, kindhearted cultivators and ask them to arrange and manage things for you. Oh-right, if you don't understand business, you can seek out mortals. Take some gold and silver you have no use for and hire a few mortals with a head for business as your managers."
The old Qingji looked thoughtful.
It's hard to say whether it would work... but our trade really has become difficult lately. Some spirits who can fly through the heavens and burrow through the earth come to compete with us every day. We really should start trying new ventures...
He silently committed the suggestion to memory and thanked Ao Ding.
Whether the business succeeds or not, he's reminded us of one thing.
We're simple and don't know how to adapt. But we can search underground for gold and fine jade, then hire wise people from the mortal world to think of solutions for us!
Yes, that's it! Once we reach White Mountain Commandery, I'll discuss it with the other stewards.
Ao Ding had merely offered a casual suggestion to pass the time in conversation during the journey and had thought nothing of it. But once he settled back down to enjoy his peach juice, he noticed Sun Chen looking at him strangely.
"Senior, did I say something wrong?"
"No, nothing." Sun Chen merely worked his fingers through a divination and dimly glimpsed signs that the Qingji lineage's fortune seemed about to grow.
Could this escort and delivery business really work?
Of course, the ancestral seats of the six sects had their own dedicated couriers and probably would have no use for it. But for branches like the Seven Spirits Sect, having the Qingji Society share some of their errands would indeed make things more convenient.
In short-it was no bad thing.
Sun Chen mused, I originally divined Lin Bai's affairs intending to use this matter to enlighten Ao Ding, teaching him the principle of doing good, accumulating merit, and building up blessings. But now, it seems a willow planted without intent has taken root... Ao Ding should receive blessings for this act. I can use this to teach and guide him as well.
Half a day later, the ceremonial carriages arrived outside the gates of Lingcheng County.
Travelers came and went in great numbers, yet none noticed the tiny procession.
The Qingji sheltered themselves amid Xun Wind and Kan Water, so ordinary people could not see these spirits either.
"Great Immortal, we've arrived."
The Qingji at the front stopped playing their music, and the little white-bearded old man rode over to welcome the four passengers down in person.
Looking at the familiar city gates, Lin Bai let out a long, stale breath.
Whether Father can be cured depends entirely on Senior Sun.
After the four alighted, their bodies gradually grew larger.
The old Qingji and his party of twelve Marsh Sprites bowed to the four.
"Thank you for your patronage, Great Immortals. We wish you a smooth journey!"
With that, the Qingji turned and burrowed underground with their carriages and horses. Before leaving, the old Qingji took another look at Ao Ding. There were things he wanted to say, but in the end he gave up.
Sun Chen stroked his beard, inwardly chuckling at the sight.
"Please follow me, all three of you. My home-my home is inside the city."
The closer he came to home, the stronger his longing grew.
Lin Bai strode ahead, leading the three into Ling City.
The Lin Household was one of Ling City's three great lineages.
But clouds of sorrow now hung over the Lin residence. Three months earlier, the household head, Lin Rulong, had fallen unconscious, and only medicinal decoctions kept him alive. With no dragon at their head, the Lin Household lived in constant anxiety.
"Abao-Wang Chun-open the gate!"
Lin Bai led the three home and called out toward the main gate.
Soon, someone in the gatehouse opened a small door and peered outside.
Upon seeing Lin Bai, the servant hurriedly opened the side gate to welcome him.
"Oh! Seventh Young Master, you're finally back. The master-the master, he... ah!"
Seeing the servant's manner, Lin Bai grew anxious. "What happened to Father?"
"Five days ago, the master stopped being able to swallow even his medicine. According to the physicians in the city, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it'll be within the next day or two."
Lin Bai's face filled with panic. Forgetting the three beside him, he hurried into the residence.
Halfway there, he remembered something and hastily caught hold of the servant.
"These three immortals are honored guests I've invited. Hurry and open the main gate to welcome them."
With that, he rushed straight to Fortune and Longevity Hall.
The servant dared not delay. He hurried back to the entrance and opened the main gate.
Sun Chen was in no hurry to enter. He simply studied the Lin residence, then suddenly asked Ao Ding, "While at the Seven Spirits Sect, did you study the art of observing qi?"
Ao Ding looked somewhat embarrassed. "I spent my time in the kitchen garden studying spells. I haven't explored much feng shui or qi observation... I only learned a few rudimentary formulas from some outer disciples."
"Then how does the Lin residence's fortune look to you?"
Ao Ding stared at the sky above the Lin residence, but his right eye could discern nothing.
Left with no choice, he used his left eye.
Since advancing to the Mystic Gang Realm, Ao Ding had not yet had time to test and record how long he could keep his left eye open. He surmised that he probably still could not use it perfectly or keep it open all day, but each activation should last a little longer.
Through his left eye, he saw auspicious clouds rolling above the Lin residence, with rosy mists and propitious haze taking the shapes of magpies and spirit mushrooms.
"This-" Ao Ding froze. "The Lin residence's fortune is flourishing. How is this a sign that its head is about to die?"
Hearing their conversation, Lu Xiu interjected, "Perhaps Senior's arrival changed its fortune? Isn't there a saying, 'A mountain need not be high; with an immortal, it becomes numinous'? Now that a true immortal like Senior has come calling, the residence's ill fortune naturally dispersed."
"Haha-I wouldn't dare claim credit for that. This is the Lin Household's own destined opportunity!"
Sun Chen pointed at the gatehouse servant. "Stop mourning and hurry to prepare red silk and colorful ribbons. Your household is about to welcome a joyous occasion!"
As he spoke, he led the two youths inside through the main gate.
Seeing that they were guests brought home by the Seventh Young Master, the servants dared not neglect them. One led the way while another ran ahead to announce their arrival.
By the time Ao Ding and his companions entered Fortune and Longevity Hall, family members already crowded it in ring upon ring.
Lin Bai was a son born late in his father's life and ranked seventh. His eldest brother was thirty years older than him; not only was he married, he already had several sons. His second and third brothers were much the same. Even his fourth brother, only ten years his senior, now had a three-year-old daughter.
Together with the old master's concubines and those of the various branches, they left scarcely any room to stand in the spacious Fortune and Longevity Hall.
The three stepped through the courtyard gate and could not help frowning at the dense crowd before them.
Having visited his father in the inner room, Lin Bai hurried out to welcome Sun Chen, accompanied by a middle-aged man who bore some resemblance to him.
"Senior, this is my fourth brother-Fourth Brother, this is the expert I invited. He can treat Father."
"Treat him?" Sun Chen shook his head with a smile. "Did your Lin Household receive a cultivator three months ago?"
Lin Bai nodded. "We did. Our Lin Household specializes in brewing wine, and our winery business extends throughout White Mountain Commandery. Three months ago, a scabby-headed Daoist came to ask for wine. Father has always revered immortals and honored the Dao, so he invited the Daoist to drink."
Lin Bai's fourth brother added, "That Daoist truly had an ocean's capacity. He drank a full hundred jars of our Emerald Moon Drink and two hundred jars of Flowing Cloud Intoxication."
At this, Ao Ding understood.
"What did that Daoist say to your household before leaving?"
Lin Bai said resentfully, "Father entertained him out of kindness, yet before leaving, he said Father was going to die and told him to prepare early..."
His fourth brother said, "Father pondered for a whole day and night after hearing that, then fell ill. Now medicine is useless, and all the physicians are at a loss."
Ao Ding wore a strange expression as a suspicion quietly took shape in his mind.
To confirm his guess, he asked Lin Bai to take him inside for a look.
"Well..." Lin Bai looked toward Sun Chen.
Although he believed young Ao Ding had a great future ahead of him, that future promise could not be cashed in now. It was Senior Sun he was counting on this time.
"Let him go-Ao Ding should have understood what's happening."
Thus, Lin Bai led Ao Ding to the bedside.
Several middle-aged men who resembled Lin Bai were attending beside the bed.
Ao Ding did not approach. He merely looked at the bed with his left eye, which he had not yet closed, and immediately brightened.
With so many people present, he felt awkward speaking.
Once outside, he cupped his hands toward Lin Bai.
"Your esteemed father isn't ill. A great blessing has come to him."
Sun Chen clapped his hands and laughed. "You do understand, after all. Come, come-tell them all about this joyous occasion!"
A joyous occasion?
Father's in this state. How can there be anything to celebrate?
Lin Bai's fourth brother looked at the old man and the youth with great displeasure. Only because they were guests invited by his seventh brother did he refrain from turning hostile in public.
Ao Ding cupped his hands toward Lin Bai. "Your esteemed father will soon leave the world of the living, but not because his allotted lifespan is ending. He is undergoing Corpse Liberation into Immortality."
Corpse Liberation into Immortality?
Lin Bai was stunned.
His fourth brother's expression changed in fury. "Where did this arrogant brat come from, spouting nonsense here? This so-called corpse liberation-isn't it still death!"
He turned and glared at Lin Bai. "Seventh Brother, you're always unreliable, running around with that fellow He. Where did you find this charlatan now? Do you really believe that nonsense about gods and ghosts, that the He Household's ancestor married an immortal princess?"
Lin Bai had truly traveled through Jiaxia Kingdom and witnessed wondrous immortal phenomena. Knowing Ao Ding would not lie about such matters, he hurriedly asked, "Then Father really is becoming an immortal? How does that work? Will he still be able to meet and reunite with us in the future?"
"Well..." Ao Ding turned toward Sun Chen.
This was beyond his knowledge.
He could see that Lin Bai's father was about to undergo Liberation by Violence, but he did not know exactly what being such a ghost immortal entailed.
"He counts as a kind of spirit ghost. Since he studied the art of wine during his lifetime and entered the Dao through wine, he can be considered a wine ghost immortal. Hmm... seven days after his death, he will emerge through the crown of his head as a wine worm. His illusory form will take shape, making him a ghost immortal."
Sun Chen addressed Ao Ding and Lu Xiu with particular emphasis. "Such ghost immortals are unlike true cultivators like us. Their yin spirits are illusory, and they cannot remain long in the mortal world. This is an illusory, false path. You must tread carefully in the future. Do not consider Liberation by Violence a good thing merely because I, too, intend to use it to reincarnate."
If one could attain the Dao in this lifetime, why undergo Liberation by Violence?
Wasn't it only because the path in this life was blocked that one sought reincarnation?
The same applied to Lin Bai's father.
If he could comprehend an immortal art during his lifetime, brew immortal wine, and become an immortal in the flesh, why would he need to shed his body through the ghostly path?
The two youths repeatedly voiced their assent.
Sun Chen then told Lin Bai, "When you sought my help, I divined something of your father's destined opportunity, but could not be certain. Now that I've come to your home and seen red clouds overhead, I know your household is destined to produce an immortal. Still-you invited the three of us here and offered a Cloud Immortal White Fruit. I can hardly leave you with just a few auspicious words. Come, bring me your household's oldest wine pot. I'll give your father a destined opportunity."
Lin Bai hurriedly looked at his fourth brother.
His fourth brother looked displeased, studying the three indecisively.
Liberation by Violence? A ghost immortal?
Could these be fake immortals Seventh Brother invited to comfort Mother?
At last, Lin Bai stamped his foot and rushed to his father's study himself, retrieving a dusty gray wine pot from a hidden compartment.
At the sight of the wine pot, his fourth brother's heart stirred, and he instinctively looked inside the room.
His eldest, second, and third brothers all wore dark, displeased expressions.
Ah-as expected, the old man gave Seventh Brother the key to the secret chamber!
The Lin residence had vast holdings and countless descendants and branches. As a son born late in his father's life, Lin Bai had always been favored. He also possessed considerable aptitude and had mastered the art of brewing. Although the household traditionally passed its legacy down through the eldest branch, it was Lin Bai's talent in which his father placed the highest hopes.
Lin Bai brought the wine pot over and handed it to Sun Chen, panting. "Years ago, when an old ape in the mountain forests secretly taught our ancestor the art of brewing, this was the wine pot that ape master gave him."
It was merely a roughly fashioned clay vessel, still bearing the monkey pawprints left during its firing.
Having been used over the years to brew thousand-year monkey wine, the vessel possessed a measure of spirituality. Put clear water inside and recite the Jade Wine Monkey Immortal Secret Spell, and the water would turn into wine on its own.
Sun Chen hefted the wine vessel and smiled. "Not bad. This wine pot can serve as your father's new home. But-as payment, could you make me a copy of that secret spell passed down alongside it?"
Before you continue