Notes on Longevity

Chapter 130 Seeking the Daoist Master Yisheng in Taihua, a Chance Encounter with Xiangyu in Yu'an

Yu'an was the first city of the State of Bei.

If it weren't for the fact that the emperor established his capital in Shangjing, this place could be considered the true capital of the country.

There's a folk saying: "The capital is where all the officials reside, and Chongqing is where all the wealthy gather." This refers to this city, famous throughout the world for its commerce.

Because of its unique location connecting trade routes across the country, Yu'an is also known as the "Never-Sleeping City of Bei". As soon as night falls, Yu'an under the cover of darkness is as bright as day, with the eaves of shops open for business at night, and the colorful lanterns held by groups of pedestrians.

Because of its reputation for being "nightless," Yu'an has an extremely late curfew, attracting countless tourists from all over the country. By the time everyone has had their fill and the shops have closed, it's already the hour of Yin (3-5 AM).

And now night is just beginning.

The streets of Yu'an City were interconnected, and there were many pedestrians, so Taihua carrying that huge gourd was quite eye-catching. However, because he was wearing a Taoist robe, no one dared to approach him to speak. Unless he asked.

"This humble Taoist priest, Taihua, greets you."

Taihua asked a young man at the entrance of an alley.

"Xiangyu greets Immortal Master Taihua."

The young man had very delicate features and a well-defined face. He wore a thin black brocade round-necked robe with a purple silk sash around his waist.

He raised his hands, holding a small fan between his thumb and forefinger. His wide sleeves hung down as he returned the salute to Taihua, concealing a jade pendant with two fish on its waist.

"I wonder what brings Immortal Taihua to Yu'an this time?" The man named Xiangyu smiled, his demeanor as gentle as a breeze, utterly elegant.

“I came with a friend, but he got lost. It’s perfect timing to run into you! Could you send someone to help me look for him?” Taihua was clearly anxious, constantly glancing at the passersby as he spoke.

"Okay, may I ask what the immortal's friend looks like? What is he wearing?" Xiangyu noticed Taihua's anxiety and quickly asked about Daoyisheng's appearance and clothing.

"A scholar in a blue robe, around thirty years old, about your age, very handsome. Just looks a bit dull." Taihua was momentarily stunned when Xiangyu asked him what Daoyi looked like. Because for so long, he had never really paid attention, only knowing that he was good-looking, so when Xiangyu asked him, he couldn't say.

"Understood." Xiangyu raised an eyebrow and smiled. Then she waved to another person in front of them at a shop across the alley.

Upon seeing this, the young man immediately walked over, bowed to him, and said, "Young Master."

Xiangyu glanced at the young man, then at the anxious Taihua, and said seriously, "Find someone who looks like me, dressed in a scholar's blue robe, with a somewhat naive and inexperienced look in his eyes."

After Xiangyu finished speaking, the young man was stunned for a moment. Looking at Xiangyu, he hissed, "Young master, has the master brought another young master back from outside?"

"What nonsense are you spouting now? Hurry up and go!" Taihua was taken aback by the man's words. Xiangyu rolled her eyes at his words.

"Oh," the man turned and took two steps, then turned back, puzzled. Xiangyu asked, "What's wrong now?"

"No, how tall is that person?" the man asked.

Xiangyu remained silent, looking at Taihua, who immediately replied, "About seven feet two inches."

"Understood." The man turned and left without hesitation after receiving Taihua's reply.

After watching the man leave, Xiangyu turned to the anxious Taihua and asked, "Who is this friend of yours? I've never seen you so flustered since I've known you."

"Sigh, it's a tree spirit." Taihua sighed, his face full of helplessness at the thought of Dao Yisheng.

"A tree demon?" Xiangyu looked at him in surprise. "You really are different from other Taoists." As he spoke, he walked forward, with Taihua following beside him. "Other Taoists capture demons when they encounter them, but you've become friends with demons."

“There is none like it,” Taihua sighed.

"Alright. I don't understand the path you cultivate." Xiangyu pursed her lips, waving a small fan in her hand. "By the way, you still haven't told me what you came here for?"

Taihua said, "Wandering."

Xiangyu frowned: "Just travel around?"

Taihua said, "Otherwise what?"

He thought for a moment and then said, "I remember that you used to come to Yu'an to either catch demons or exorcise ghosts. Why is it different this time?"

“It’s my friend. He has only recently attained human form, and I wanted to take him out to see the world and experience human life. If we’re talking about seeing all the wonders of the world, there’s only one place: Yu’an. You can see all the absurdities of this world without having to travel so far.”

Taihua remained silent for a while. Xiangyu, who was standing to the side, also listened in silence.

But that's the truth.

The more glamorous the exterior, the dirtier the interior.

"Isn't he a demon? Why are you bringing him to see all this?" he asked.

“He’s a demon, but he’s also human. He came to the human world, so he can’t stay a demon forever. Even though he’s a demon, if he wants to get along with people in the human world, he has to abide by the rules of the human world. Otherwise, who knows how much trouble he’ll cause. If I’m not around one day and he gets into trouble, I won’t be able to escape the blame either. After all, I brought him to the human world, so I have to guide him.”

Taihua was worried about Daoyisheng and also spoke frankly with Xiangyu.

He and Xiangyu had known each other for quite some time. Xiangyu was not even born when he first came here, and it was Xiangyu who gave him the name.

Xiang means mountains and rivers. In terms of clothing, the collar represents a mountain, and the sleeves represent two rivers. Their family was once the richest in Yu'an and controlled the lifeline of the trade routes in Bei. As long as they were in charge of Yu'an, merchants from all over the world would flock to them, and they would be the leaders.

Jade, a beautiful stone found among rocks in mountains and rivers, needs to be polished and carved in countless ways before it can be called jade.

The name Xiangyu was chosen only after much careful consideration. Therefore, whenever he traveled and passed through the vicinity, he would always stop in Yu'an.

But every time I've come here over the years, it's either to catch demons or something else. I've never really stayed here properly.

The reason I brought Dao Yisheng along this time was partly to broaden his horizons, and partly for a selfish reason.

"That's true. I remember you told me that all things in the world have a spirit and follow the laws of nature; by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the sun and moon, their spirituality is fully developed, and they can be transformed into humans, or perhaps they can be called demons."

"Humans are also part of all things, and they also need guidance to get on the right path. It's just a pity that my old man didn't meet you sooner."

As Xiangyu spoke, she poked her forehead with a small fan, her face full of helplessness and disgust.

"I just heard from that person that your father brought another young master back?" Taihua asked.

Xiangyu complained bitterly, "Yes! I really don't know how many women my old man slept with when he was young. I'm already the youngest in my family, and I've inexplicably gained several older brothers, which is a headache. If only my dad had met you sooner." Taihua suddenly smiled and said, "If your dad had met me sooner, he wouldn't have achieved what he has now. Yu'an used to be just a small town. Now look at it, the number one shopping mall in the world! Besides, if your dad had met me years ago, you might not even exist."

"Immortal Master, you are joking."

Although Xiangyu had already sent people to look for Daoyisheng, Taihua was still worried. He followed Daoyisheng around, talking to him while also keeping watch in the streets and alleys of Yu'an. Without exception, there was no trace of him.

Taihua was worried that Daoyisheng had only recently transformed into his true form and was unfamiliar with the area of ​​Yu'an. If he were to be provoked and reveal his true form, it would be troublesome.

He also blamed himself in his heart, thinking that if he had kept a closer eye on him, things wouldn't have turned out this way.

Fortunately, Xiangyu's family was large and had many people, so they eventually found him in a relatively secluded place, in front of a willow-lined stone bridge.

"Young master, do you think it's him?"

Xiangyu didn't speak, but looked at Taihua, who was standing with her under the willow tree.

Taihua breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at Daoyisheng, who was standing at the bridgehead staring at the moon in the water. "Thank you."

"You're too kind, Immortal Master," Xiangyu replied with a smile. "By the way, I just had a room prepared for you. Would you like to come back with me?"

Taihua laughed and said, "No need, he and I will stay at the inn."

"So, are you going to be staying in Yu'an for a while?" he asked.

Taihua replied, "Yes."

"Alright, I'll leave someone behind for a bit. Once you've finished talking, go with him. I'll cover all your expenses in Yu'an during this time."

Xiangyu spoke with an air of wealth and arrogance. Taihua couldn't refuse, so he could only agree, "Then thank you."

"Don't be so polite," Xiangyu said to Taihua, with one hand on his shoulder. "Sometimes you and he bring your family to visit my father. He talks about you every day, it gives me a headache."

Taihua replied, "Understood."

"Then I'll be going now," Xiangyu said, turning back towards the courtyard with her hands behind her back. The others followed suit, leaving only the man who had been standing beside the two of them and speaking earlier.

Dao Yisheng stood by the bridge, his face somewhat saddened as he stared at the shimmering full moon reflected in the water. He was thinking about how he'd been falsely accused as soon as he entered the city. He also felt a pang of resentment towards Taihua: "That guy actually abandoned me and left. Just wait until he gets here, then I'll teach him a lesson."

Luckily, I ran fast, otherwise that woman would have hit me. It's really baffling; she never said she wouldn't pay.

"What are you thinking about?" Taihua's voice suddenly rang in his ear.

He gave a surprised "hmm," turned his head to look at Taihua, then suddenly frowned, grabbed his neck, and asked him with a wronged expression, "Why did you leave me behind as soon as we entered the city? What do you mean?"

Taihua laughed: "Who told you to run around like that?"

Hearing Taihua's words, he immediately lowered his hand. Then he continued to stare at the full moon reflected in the water.

Although he was thinking of "dealing with" Taihua, he was actually just questioning him. In fact, he knew that this matter could not be entirely blamed on him; it was just that he had never seen these things before, was too curious, and couldn't resist getting separated from him.

"It's alright, it's alright." Taihua comforted him, seeing his aggrieved expression.

But Daoyi didn't speak. Instead, he was thinking to himself, "I was wrong about this. I was just too curious about these things."

He explained to Taihua, "How about I go back? It seems like I'm just causing you trouble by staying by your side; I can't really help you at all."

"What are you thinking about?" Taihua patted his head. "Do you think I'd feel at ease if you went back alone? Even if I let you go back, I'd still have to go back anyway, it's too much trouble. You should stay with me, just don't wander off."

Taihua smiled at Daoyisheng, but seeing that he didn't speak, he had no choice but to put down the gourd on his back. He removed the gourd lid, and a wisp of white smoke rose instantly.

This wisp of white smoke was what he used to find Dao Yisheng, but who would have thought that he would accidentally run into Xiangyu?

After the white smoke came out, he put the gourd lid back on. Then he muttered something to the white smoke.

Seeing this, Dao Yisheng asked him, "What are you doing?"

Taihua remained silent, watching the white smoke transform into tree branches, which eventually bent into a circle and became the shape of a bracelet.

He picked up the bracelet and handed it to Dao Yisheng. "Keep this with you. Even if you get lost while following me, I can find you immediately. That way, you won't have to go back. Besides, you've finally managed to come out after transforming into your human form, shouldn't you have some fun and see what the mortal world is like?"

He remained silent, only keeping his head down.

Seeing him like this, Taihua remained silent and simply stayed with him, watching the moon reflected in the water.

After a while, Dao Yisheng looked up at Taihua and said, "I didn't mean to. I just saw that they were selling sachets over there and wanted to buy one."

Taihua remembered, though the woman seemed a bit difficult to talk to. But he could understand, since all the money was with him.

He thought for a moment, then picked up the gourd again and said to him, "Let's go."

"Where to?" Dao Yisheng asked.

"I'll go buy you a sachet." He smiled at Dao Yisheng.

-

"Fifty coins in total, please take it." At the woman's sachet stall, she handed the magnolia sachet she had just received to Taihua with a smile, and kept apologizing, "Daoist Master, I'm so sorry. I was confused for a moment, please don't tell the Wei family about us."

Taihua handed the counted copper coins to the woman, frowned, and asked, "My friend's money is all with me. I should be the one apologizing to you for what happened before. Why would I complain?"

The woman frowned upon hearing this. She handed the sachet to Taihua, the Daoist priest, and looked him up and down. He was indeed wearing a Daoist robe! She felt a little flustered, thinking he was joking with her. "Please don't joke around. Why apologize to us? As long as you don't tell the Wei family about today's events, I'll give you this sachet."

As she spoke, she reluctantly handed the money for the sachets she had just received to Taihua.

Dao Yisheng, who was standing to the side, found it strange and asked, "The Wei family? What's wrong with the Wei family? You seem quite afraid of them."

The woman frowned and looked at Dao Yisheng, who was speaking, and asked in confusion, "Aren't you Daoist priests invited by the Wei family?"

(End of this chapter)