Old Friends Reunited
The raving words, transmitted from the Great Void to the mortal world, touched the Soul-Losing Radiant Fire Formation of Golden Ao Mountain, stirring up ripples.
Upon hearing this, Su Yao's face turned ashen. The wood element represents the transformation of the Wood Virtue, Geng Wood is outwardly wood but in reality represents miasma, new rules, and rebirth after death. Although a True Person seeking gold cannot affect Qixia Temple, this blatantly disgusting act is truly repulsive.
But only a moment after the sound completely dissipated, a profound and mysterious sound resounded, reaching the heavens and the earth:
"Today should be a joyous occasion, Geng Wood shouldn't be like this."
As soon as he finished speaking, boundless Pure Qi appeared out of thin air in the eastern sky.
In an instant, the Geng Wood vanished without a trace.
Everyone on Golden Ao Mountain was stunned. In the Embracing Rosy Clouds Hall, a local Nanzhao True Person murmured:
"Could this be the True Lord?"
Someone immediately advised:
"Fellow Daoist, please be careful with your words. Pure Qi has disappeared since the Investiture of the Gods. It must be that some great being used a Pure Qi Law Treasure to suppress that Geng Wood Daoist True Person who seeks gold, without damaging his very essence."
Upon hearing this, the people around nodded in agreement.
Su Yao's expression softened slightly, and he stopped paying attention to the matter. He went to the Embracing Rosy Clouds Hall and saw a boy dressed in Qingyi beckoning to three figures, one adult and two children.
The one dressed in Qingyi was none other than Su Yao, the Yunsong Su Yao had hatched from that spiritual embryo some time ago, who was also the Golden Ao Mountain God that Su Yao intended to confer upon him.
As for the three figures, they were none other than Daoist Zheng, Nannuo, and Jueming. Su Yao had missed them dearly after more than twenty years.
At this moment, Yunsong heard footsteps and turned around. He was about to bow when Su Yao waved his hand to stop him.
"Go ahead and find Yunhe. Tell him I'll be there shortly and that he should take good care of the guests who have come today."
Yunsong, took a few quick steps with her short legs (which were still a little unaccustomed to walking), and dashed out through the small door on the side of the hall.
At this moment, Daoist Zheng dressed in a gray cloth robe, led his two attendants, Nannuo Jueming, to greet them, bowing and saying:
"Greetings, Abbot of Qixia Temple!"
Seeing this, Su Yao quickly stepped forward to help Daoist Zheng up and patted Daoist Zheng's hands:
"Why must you be so formal, Daoist? There's no need for such formalities between us in private."
After saying this, he carefully examined Daoist Zheng's full head of white hair. Twenty years had passed, and Daoist Zheng had become even more aged.
So he interrupted Daoist Zheng, who was about to speak:
"The Daoist should be enjoying his remaining years at Qixia Mountain, why has he come down the mountain again?"
Only then did Daoist Zheng have a moment to speak, and he laughed:
"Dawn-Holding Bell a few months ago, I already had a guess in my heart. After Qingzhu confirmed it, I was overjoyed and begged to come down the mountain with you. I also thought that since you have no one to use here, this old fellow can lend a hand."
Upon hearing this, Su Yao quickly replied:
"Ziyan and others are in charge of things in the mountains, and they've also taken in a few disciples. In a few more years, they'll all be able to achieve Foundation Establishment, so they're not short of people. Since you've come, Daoist, you can rest and recuperate in the mountains."
Upon hearing this, Daoist Zheng shook his head repeatedly.
Jueming stepped forward and took a wooden box from his Storage Bag, handing it over.
"Daozi, look, these are the earliest pears that grew on Qixia Mountain when you descended the mountain more than twenty years ago. Since you left, the pear blossoms have withered, and the mountain has not borne fruit for more than twenty years. So I asked Qingzhu to put these two fruits into the treasure cave. I took them out before coming here, and they are exactly the same as when they were picked. Please, Master, taste the flavor of Qixia."
Su Yao took the wooden box and gently opened it.
Two pears lay quietly in the box, their skins slightly wrinkled, yet still gleaming with a faint glow—these were the unique Crimson Pears of Qixia Mountain.
He gazed at the two fruits, and in a daze, he seemed to see again the pear blossoms covering the mountains and plains of Qixia Mountain, the boy sitting under the tree reading Daoist scriptures, and Jueming carrying a plate of freshly picked pears, carefully placing it on the stone table beside him, then stepping aside and quietly waiting for him to taste the first bite.
More than twenty years have passed.
The pear blossoms on the mountain never bloomed again, Jueming hid the last two pears in the treasure cave, leaving them until today.
You're so thoughtful.
Su Yao closed the wooden box, gently placed it on the table, and reached out to touch Jueming's head.
More than twenty years have passed, Jueming still looks like a child of about ten years old, without growing up at all.
Nannuo stood to the side, still the same quiet boy, but his eyes were already red when he looked at Su Yao.
"Why are you crying?" Su Yao took two steps forward and patted Nannuo on the shoulder, much lighter than when he came down the mountain years ago. "I'm perfectly fine."
Nannuo nodded vigorously, but couldn't utter a single word.
Jueming muttered from the side:
"The pear blossoms haven't bloomed yet; I'm afraid you've forgotten us."
He was referring to the words Su Yao had spoken when he descended the mountain. "When the pear blossoms bloom again, that will be the day I return to the mountain."
But now, more than twenty years have passed, and Su Yao is now the abbot of Qixia Temple, Purple Mansion True Person, stationed in Nanzhao. His return is far off, and who knows when the pear blossoms on Qixia Mountain will bloom again?
"I can forget anyone but you two." Su Yao smiled and pulled the two of them to him. "It's good that you're here now. You can stay on Golden Ao Mountain from now on. This mountain full of pear trees, though not as vast as the old forest on Qixia Mountain, is still enough for you to manage."
Daoist Zheng, who had been standing to the side with a smile watching this scene, finally stepped forward and pushed the wooden box towards Su Yao's hand.
"Master, please try it. It's a treasure that Jueming has kept hidden for over twenty years. Even Qingzhu says he's stingy."
Jueming blushed at Daoist Zheng's words and muttered, "How am I stingy? I just wanted to leave some for Daozi..."
Su Yao picked up a pear, but didn't eat it right away.
He handed another one to Daoist Zheng:
"Please go first, Daoist priest."
Daoist Zheng quickly waved his hand:
"This was Jueming left for the Abbot by Jueming, how could this old Daoist dare to..."
"Daoist," Su Yao's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable seriousness, "You watched me grow up from childhood. When we were on the mountain, you were the one who took me under your wing, taught me to read, and enlightened me. Nannuo, Jueming, and I were all raised by you. This affection has never been just between the abbot and his disciples."
Looking into those bright eyes that were exactly the same as they had been back then, Daoist Zheng remained silent for a moment before finally reaching out and taking the pear.
The fruit pulp is sweet and refreshing, just like it did more than 20 years ago on Qixia Mountain.
Daoist Zheng chewed slowly, then suddenly turned his head away and wiped the corner of his eye with the corner of his sleeve.
"I'm getting old." He smiled, his voice a little hoarse, "I can even cry while eating a pear."
Jueming couldn't wait any longer and picked up another pear, handing it to Su Yao with eyes full of anticipation.
Su Yao took it and took a small bite.
The moment the pear flesh melted between my teeth, that familiar, heart-fluttering sweetness flowed down my throat, as if I were swallowing the wind, clouds, sunrise, and twilight of Qixia Mountain all at once.
He closed his eyes, and in a daze, he seemed to be standing on Purple Canopy Peak again. The mountain wind swept through the pear orchards covering the mountains and plains, and the pear blossoms fell like snow, landing on his shoulders, on the Daoist scriptures open on the table, and on the plate of freshly picked pears that Jueming had brought.