The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 266 The Dream Seller

"Your Highness, I... I can cook," Zhong Ling said softly after a moment.

Zhao Ti chuckled and shook his head: "Is Miss Zhong hungry now?"

Zhong Ling said, "I'm not hungry now. If Your Highness wants something to eat, Ling'er will prepare it for you."

Zhao Ti said, "No need for now. The people in Changchun Valley said they hadn't seen Wanqing. Their words were so stern and they didn't reveal any flaws. It's a bit hard to tell if they're telling the truth."

Zhong Ling pondered, "The people in the valley don't seem like vicious criminals. They speak reasonably, so there seems to be no need for them to lie. If they were lying, they wouldn't have treated me and His Highness this way."

Zhao Ti thought about it and realized that the people of Changchun Valley were not only not vicious, but also seemed rather shrewd.

This is not to underestimate the other party. If the people here were truly shrewd, how could they have been deceived by Xiaoyaozi?
It's one thing to deceive the Valley Master's daughter and get her to leave this place, but why would they steal something as precious as the Divine Book?

The location of such a thing would not be revealed in the slightest, let alone be stolen by an outsider.

The situation on Kunlun Mountain seemed somewhat similar. Putting aside whether it was dangerous or not, if he was truly shrewd, could the Taizu have fooled those Kunlun people who came out on business? He followed them all the way into the mountains and eventually obtained the Thirty-Three Creation Fist by some unknown means and returned to the Central Plains.
In short, they all seem rather dim-witted. This could also be explained by living in isolation in one place for many years, gradually becoming detached from the world. Since they are all friends and family, there is little scheming or backstabbing. Over the years, their wariness of others and their cunning in dealing with people have become extremely shallow.

Thinking of this, Zhao Ti stroked his chin and said, "Miss Zhong, let's go for a walk outside and see if it's true what Chunniang said, that we can't get out of the valley."

Zhong Ling nodded, and the two then went out. They encountered passersby who looked on with curiosity and greeted them. Zhao Ti responded with a smile.

They first went in the direction they came from, passing by that green field where some kind of grain was planted. Pang Meiweng and the others were no longer there; they must have returned to the town.

We continued onward, and although the scenery on both sides was exactly the same, we could no longer see the mountain pass where we had entered the valley earlier.

Zhao Ti stood under a tree and looked up into the distance. He saw a sheer cliff, smooth and sheer, with no vines on top. Climbing out of the valley would be extremely difficult.

Zhong Ling murmured, "The mountain pass is really gone. I remember that's where we came in."

Zhao Ti said, "Let's look around somewhere else."

The two walked around the area, their eyes filled with bare, mirror-like cliffs. They walked for an unknown amount of time until evening arrived, when they reached the other side of the town.

Zhao Ti pondered, "Looking at it this way is not very meaningful. According to Chunniang, if the valley entrance changes with the light and shadow of the sun and moon, and the weather with the wind and rain, then what we see in front is still a cliff, but after we pass through it, the valley entrance may appear behind us. There is no point in looking forward."

Zhong Ling said, "What Chunniang said... seems to be the meaning, but it's really too amazing."

Zhao Ti said, "The creation of heaven and earth is full of wonders and mysteries, but because people's lifespan is limited and they are bound by worldly affairs, it is difficult for them to explore, so they know very little about it."

Zhong Ling's eyes were bright and her gaze was obedient, like a studious child in a private school. She looked at Zhao Ti and said, "Your Highness is right."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "In fact, people in the martial arts world know far more than ordinary people or even government officials. What Miss Zhong has seen and heard is far beyond what ordinary people can compare to."

Zhong Ling lowered her head and said, "Ling'er doesn't know anything, and I haven't read many books. I'm afraid Your Highness will laugh at what I'm saying."

Zhao Ti shook his head: "Let's go, let's go straight to the back of the town and take a look, no need to keep going around in the valley."

The two then changed direction and went directly to the back of the town, where they were closer to the cliffs and could see caves at the foot of the cliffs, which were guarded by people.

Zhao Ti pondered, "I wonder what these holes in the walls are for."

Zhong Ling said, "Those teachers said that the Valley Master and the Deputy Valley Master are all in seclusion. Could it be that they are in this cave? It wouldn't be appropriate for them to practice and comprehend martial arts in an ordinary house."

Zhao Ti nodded, and Zhong Ling continued, "And what about the Everlasting Spring? We haven't seen it anywhere. Could it be inside a cave, not outside?"

Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows: "That is very likely. This kind of spring water is as precious as a divine spring, and it is unlikely to be exposed to the elements. Otherwise, how can it maintain its purity under the sun and rain?"

After he finished speaking, he glanced at the cave over there again: "There are several caves, but I don't know exactly which one is inside."

Zhong Ling looked curious: "Your Highness, if Chunniang offers you Changchun Spring water to drink, will you drink it or not?"

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "Of course I'll drink it. It can keep my youthful appearance and prolong my life. Why not?"

Zhong Ling's eyelashes trembled: "It's good that my appearance hasn't changed, but it's just that I can't leave this valley anymore and can't see my relatives and friends anymore, it's just that..."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "It's not necessarily true that we can't live without each other."

He possesses the Longevity and Immortality Technique, a technique derived from a divine book, perhaps the entirety of it, or perhaps only a part of it.

Regardless of the amount, according to Pang Meiweng and the others, Xiaoyaozi must not have fully comprehended the secrets when he left Changchun Valley, but even if it was only a part of it, he was no longer restricted by the Changchun Spring.

He thought for a moment and said, "When we get back, I will teach you a skill. After you learn it, you can drink from this spring and leave without any problems."

Zhong Ling was shocked upon hearing this: "Your Highness..."

Zhao Ti raised his finger in a shushing gesture and said, "We'll talk about it when we get back."

The two then returned to the small courtyard in the town, prepared some simple food, and as darkness fell, Zhao Ti began to teach Zhong Ling the Longevity and Immortality Technique.

He first recounted the story of Xiaoyaozi and explained the origin of this skill. Zhong Ling was stunned and whispered, "Your Highness, this kind of divine skill is precious. I... I cannot learn it."

Zhao Ti said, “It’s alright. Now that we’ve come to this valley, we should adapt to the situation and be flexible. We not only need to deal with the risks of drinking the Everlasting Spring water, but we also need to learn some advanced martial arts for self-defense. Your original skills are lacking.”

Zhong Ling said, "I originally thought my family's martial arts were powerful, but after traveling around more, I realized they were actually just average..."

Zhao Ti knew she was referring to the martial arts of Wanjie Valley and those taught by Gan Baobao, and laughed, "As the saying goes, people strive to rise higher and water flows downhill. What you've learned is barely enough for ordinary people in the martial world, but it's useless for people like Duan Yanqing and Emperor Baoding. As for people like Huo Linglong and Jiumozhi around me, it's like child's play."

Zhong Ling said, "That's how it is..."

Zhao Ti nodded: "I will teach you now. You must learn it seriously, but you must keep it a secret and not tell anyone."

Zhong Ling blinked and said, "Ling'er will definitely not tell anyone, not even Mother... she won't tell Mother either."

Zhao Ti nodded and began to teach her the Longevity and Immortality Technique, practicing until midnight before stopping.

The house has three main rooms, with a simple hall in the middle and bedrooms on both sides, where the two people rest separately.

The next morning, after getting up and tidying up, and having breakfast, Zhao Ti said, "Miss Zhong, let's go for a walk. Yesterday, we only explored the area outside the town carefully and only glanced at the town itself. I wonder if there's anything new or interesting there."

Zhong Ling nodded in agreement, and the two left the courtyard and arrived in town.

The town has only one ancient bluestone road, which has been paved for countless years, its surface mottled and patina worn, stretching far into the distance.

There are some shops on both sides of the road, mostly selling handmade products, some of which are for daily use, and some are just for decoration.

According to Chunniang, if they wanted to buy it, they had to barter. Since the two of them had nothing to exchange, they could only watch the excitement and give up.

Just then, a bright yellow wine flag appeared in the distance, fluttering in the wind. Zhong Ling exclaimed in surprise, "There's actually a restaurant here?"

Zhao Ti pondered, "All the food and drink here is supplied from the grain and managed by Changchun Hall. This restaurant must also be run by Changchun Hall, otherwise, where would ordinary residents get grain to brew wine?"

Zhong Ling nodded: "Your Highness is right, that is indeed the case."

Zhao Ti said, "Let's go take a look and see what kind of drinks they sell."

As the two walked forward, they saw an old Taoist priest walking gracefully along the street.

The old Taoist priest had dark yellow hair and beard, and looked quite old. It was unclear whether he had ever drunk the water from the Changchun Spring. He was dressed very neatly, and carried a whisk with the end of the whisk draped over his arm, giving him a somewhat otherworldly air.

As he walked, he recited: "There are strange merchants in the world who specialize in selling absurd dreams, comforting the disheartened. Buyers flock to them like the wind, never asking when they will wake up. Enjoyment is in the dream. What is life? A hundred years is but an empty dream..."

Zhao Ti glanced at the Taoist priest, who chuckled and walked over, bowing respectfully: "This esteemed guest is quite unfamiliar."

Zhao Ti nodded and said, "I am a newcomer from out of town. This is my first time out in town. I didn't expect there to be a Taoist priest in the valley."

The old Taoist priest smiled and said, "There are 3,600 schools of expounding the Dao, each school concealing the Dao and the Dao concealing the truth. The three sages from afar established the mystery, and the subtle transmission by word of mouth carries the profound sound. Everyone is a Taoist, and a Taoist is everyone. So what is the difference?"

Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows: "What a fine Daoist verse! It elucidates three thousand six hundred gates, isn't it? How can the Dao be contained within the elucidation?"

The old Taoist priest ignored him: "I sell dreams. Good customers may buy them. They reveal truth within the bizarre and genuineness within the false."

Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes: "I wonder how you sell this dream to the buyer? Can you make the buyer fall into a deep sleep and then have a long dream?"

The old Taoist priest smiled slightly and said, "I will give this dream to you, my esteemed guests, and then tell you about it. There will be no mistakes or omissions."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti stroked his chin: "I spend money and resources to buy dreams from the Taoist priest, and then the Taoist priest tells me about the dreams he has. It feels like the Taoist priest gets all the benefits?"

The old Taoist priest shook his head and said, "The dream belongs to the guest. I am merely acting on his behalf. I will tell the guest the original story without alteration." Zhao Ti smiled and said, "That's right. It doesn't sound good. I paid for the items, but the Taoist priest received them in person and then told me a story. I don't even know if it's true or not."

The old Taoist priest flicked his whisk lightly: "Good sir, you're overthinking things. How do you know that what's false isn't true, and what's true is actually false?"

Zhao Ti shook his head: "Even if I wanted to buy a dream from the Taoist priest, I don't have anything to exchange. I'll come back in a few days to gather herbs and cut down trees to make some items and then exchange them."

The old Taoist priest sighed, "The timing is auspicious today. The benefactor who made the purchase may have a pleasant dream. But if the timing is inauspicious in a few days, he might have a nightmare, which would give the benefactor a real fright..."

Zhao Ti raised the corner of his mouth: "Is that so? Is the Taoist priest just trying to sell his dream and making up lies to deceive people?"

The old Taoist priest, with a compassionate expression, said, "This humble Taoist has always been honest and truthful, treating everyone fairly, young and old alike. I would never do such a thing..."

Just as he finished speaking, Ximen Yan strode up from behind, his face strange, and said, "Brother Zhao, why listen to this mad Taoist's nonsense?"

"A mad Taoist priest?" Zhao Ti was slightly taken aback. He couldn't see anything mad about the old Taoist priest; on the contrary, he seemed to have the air of a charlatan.

“Sigh…” Ximen Yan said in a low voice, “He has been crazy for who knows how many years. When I was a child, he went around selling dreams like this. You see him dressed neatly, but he was just talking nonsense. He talked incoherently and even dreamed for people. After you bought his dream, he would sleep for a while and then make up stories for you. He dared to say anything strange and bizarre.”

Zhao Ti glanced at the old Taoist priest, who was looking at him expectantly, seemingly oblivious to Ximen Yan's words.

“It would be understandable if it were just a dream of one’s own making,” Zhao Ti nodded. “But it’s a bit absurd if someone else did it for you.”

“That’s right. He’s just making up stories for you, and quite a few of them are the same. If you want to hear his stories, Brother Zhao, I remember several. I’ll tell you about them in a bit.” Ximen Yan shook his head: “Brother Zhao, let’s go, let’s go.”

Zhao Ti nodded, then said to the old Taoist priest, "I'll make some items first, then I'll go find the Taoist priest."

The old Taoist priest looked disappointed: "I live at the back of the east street of the town. If you can't find me on the street, you can look for me there."

Zhao Ti responded and followed Ximen Yan forward. Behind them, the old Taoist's chanting and hawking voice came again: "There are unusual merchants in this world who specialize in selling absurd dreams to comfort the disheartened..."

Ximen Yan said, "Brother Zhao doesn't think he's crazy. Let me tell you about his dreams and his own nonsense, and you'll think differently."

Zhao Ti said, "Just now, Mr. Ximen said that he had been watching him sell dreams since he was a child. I wonder if he was originally from the valley or came from outside?"

Ximen Yan frowned: "I really don't know. He is too old. I heard that he was already there when the Valley Master came. Perhaps only the Valley Master knows."

Zhao Ti said "Oh," and looked at the apricot-yellow wine flag in front of him: "There are actually places selling wine in the town. I wonder what I need to exchange for it? I'll treat Mr. Ximen to a drink."

Zhong Ling was stunned for a moment. She had just visited several shops, but she didn't have anything to exchange. The shops didn't accept jewelry or jade pendants, and they wanted practical things. What would His Highness use to treat her?
Then Ximen Yan said, "Brother Zhao is new here, so it's not appropriate for me to treat you to a meal. I have some things with me, so I'll treat you today. Please come again in the future."

Zhao Ti quickly declined, saying, "I'm so sorry, how could I ask Mr. Ximen to treat me?"

Zhong Ling blinked, looked down at Zhao Ti, then at Ximen Yan, and then back at Zhao Ti.

Ximen Yan said, "I think Brother Zhao and I get along well. Let's not call him 'sir' anymore. Just call him Brother Ximen. Come on, let's go inside and have a drink. I'll tell Brother Zhao about that White Stone Taoist."

"Brother Ximen, is that old Taoist priest named Baishi?" Zhao Ti replied.

“He calls himself Baishi, and I remember when I was a child he said that this world was a dream, and that he was having a big dream. What else could this be but madness?” Ximen Yan shook his head and said.

"In a dream?" Zhao Ti laughed. "Wasn't the dream of that generation a dream within a dream?"

"He later changed his story, saying that this was not a dream, but a mistake. He was reincarnated and had come here, but he had not yet awakened his abilities. Once he awakened, he would no longer be restricted by Changchun Valley and would be able to come and go freely," Ximen Yan said.

"So he drank the water from Changchun Spring?" Zhao Ti laughed. "Why would he only drink it when he's old?"

“I don’t know…” Ximen Yan also laughed: “Brother Zhao heard what Pang Meiweng and the others were saying yesterday. There was a divine book in the valley. Whoever could comprehend it could travel freely even if they drank the spring water. I heard that the White Stone Taoist also read the book, but he didn’t understand anything. He’s not as good as Xiaoyaozi. It can be seen that the so-called recovery of some kind of ability is all nonsense.”

Zhao Ti said, "That's true. If you have many skills in your past life, how come you can't understand the divine book at all? Is the divine book that difficult?"

Ximen Yan said, "This book... is really hard to explain in a few words. Although I haven't read it, I have heard about it over the years. The vice valley masters have come and gone like a revolving lantern, and none of them have been able to comprehend even a little bit of it. I don't know about the valley master, but if someone had really comprehended it, the news would have spread long ago. It's impossible for them to keep it to themselves."

They arrived at the tavern and went inside, only to find it empty without a single customer.

Behind the liquor cabinet, a young man in a brown jacket was dozing off. Ximen Yan shouted, "Someone's here!"

The young man was startled: "Where is he?"

Ximen Yan said, "That's right here, Brother Xu. Quickly prepare a jar of wine, cook a few dishes, and a smoked chicken. Just tear it up and serve it; no need to cook it whole."

The young man rubbed his eyes: "So it's Brother Ximen. What brings you to drinking today?"

Ximen Yan said, "Two new friends have arrived in the valley. It's been a while since I've been here, so let's have a few drinks and have some fun."

The young man asked, "Brother Ximen, what will you use to exchange?"

Ximen Yan stepped forward and pulled a cloth bag from his pocket: "It's the same kind of stuff as last time. You've seen enough, haven't you?"

The young man said, "If that's what it is, then it's enough." He then took it.

Zhao Ti didn't see anything specific behind him, but he figured it must be a very practical item to exchange for a meal of delicious food and wine.

After Ximen Yan returned, the three sat down, and Zhao Ti said, "Brother Ximen, please explain what happened in Master Baishi's dream."

Ximen Yan laughed and said, "No rush, no rush. It's better to talk about those absurd and bizarre things when the wine and food arrive, so that they can accompany the fine wine. I'm more curious about things outside. Brother Zhao, tell me about the things and legends in Dali Kingdom and other countries. Tell me about the new and interesting things from ancient times to the present."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti suddenly understood why Ximen Yan had been so proactive since yesterday, taking the two of them to find Chunniang, helping to arrange accommodations, and even inviting them for drinks today. It turned out he wanted to learn about what was happening outside.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Judging from their words, they must be natives of Changchun Valley. They were born and raised here and have never been outside. Although they can maintain their youth and prolong their lives, it is actually of little use.

It's not even as good as a caged bird. At least a caged bird can see and hear what's happening outside through the cage, but Changchun Valley is like a natural urn. Once you drink the water from Changchun Spring, you can never see a single thing outside except for the sun and sky above.

What difference does it make how long one lives, or how much one can remain young? It's all meaningless. Even if one lives longer, because there's no contact with the outside world, there's no concept of time or age, so it doesn't really count as extending one's lifespan.

Zhao Ti nodded and smiled, and began to tell Ximen Yan about the outside world. He didn't know if the other party had heard of it before, so he started from the Qin and Han dynasties, all the way to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, and then talked about the Song dynasty, the Khitan, and the Dali and Tubo countries.

After saying all that, he went on to tell interesting anecdotes, especially about Dali. After all, it was better to pretend to be a Dali native when talking about things there. If he really couldn't tell anything, he would ask Zhong Ling to tell him, since Zhong Ling was a Dali native and knew more than him.

Ximen Yan listened intently, and only after all the wine and dishes were served did he sigh and say, "Brother Zhao has lived a worthwhile life. He has seen and experienced things outside, and now he has come to the valley to gain youth and longevity. People like us who grow up in the valley do not have this blessing. We are born and die here, like turtles in a jar, with nowhere to escape and nothing to see."

Zhao Ti shook his head and said, "Brother Ximen, there's no need to be so dejected. Who knows, you might just walk out of the valley one day."

Ximen Yan shook his head and said, "I have neither the comprehension of Xiaoyaozi nor the knowledge of some people who have never drunk from the spring. I'm afraid I have no chance to leave. Although there have been rumors in the valley recently about a great change in the world, even if the world really changes, will the rules of this valley change accordingly? I don't think so."

Zhao Ti said, "I don't understand anything about great changes in the world, but if such an extraordinary event really occurs, there should be some turning point in the valley..."

Then they began drinking, and Ximen Yan recounted the dreams of the White Stone Taoist, which were indeed all strange and unusual.

This Taoist priest, Bai Shi, actually said that in his own dream, there was another world. That world was very magical. Although it was similar to this world, the martial arts barriers were extremely low, and one could even develop supernatural abilities.

He was a Dao Venerable-like being in that world, a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, with countless followers, able to get whatever he wanted, almost omnipotent.

It is also said that countless battles were fought between him and other Dao Ancestors in that world, described in such an incredible way that they were even more exciting than storytelling.

As for other people's dreams, they are all kinds of magical and bizarre, but they can't compare to his own. They are all things and scenes that are extremely difficult to achieve in reality.

Some people who bought the dream, after falling asleep and waking up, mentioned that they had the same dream as others. When asked for an explanation, they couldn't explain it clearly. In the end, they could only say that you were either fighting side by side in a past life or were once a family, which is why you were the same.

As Ximen Yan spoke, he shook his head with a smile: "If you keep pressing him, he'll start acting like a rogue, either reciting some incomprehensible verses or simply collapsing to the ground and pretending to be asleep."

Zhao Ti said, "This is indeed interesting. I wonder if it was a real dream or a fabrication."

Ximen Yan said, "Where can you dream of such things? They're almost all made up. Nobody in the valley buys his dreams anymore."

Just then, a series of noisy footsteps and a clamor of voices came from outside the tavern, their tones filled with surprise.

The young man in brown ran out to look, and returned a moment later with a surprised expression on his face.

Ximen Yan said, "Brother Xu, what happened? I see people running towards the west of the town."

The young man in brown pursed his lips: "Brother Ximen, people outside are saying... saying that Widow Qin has given birth."

"Has Widow Qin given birth?" Upon hearing this, Ximen Yan's face immediately turned serious. "Hasn't she been pregnant for almost a year? It's about time she gave birth. I just don't know whose child it is."

"No, no..." The young man in brown waved his hand and said, "It's not like that. People outside are saying that Widow Qin gave birth, and gave birth to a bunch of little monks..."

(End of this chapter)