I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 111 The Universe Within the Sleeve

Is this...

Actually, it was Jiang She's bad habit. He was usually lazy and always liked to use whatever he could get his hands on, and he didn't like to carry any luggage when he was traveling. As for supernatural powers, I never thought of it that way.

But you can't say that to an elderly person.

The person opposite me had a burning gaze.

Jiang She thought for a moment and asked Zhang Guo, "Have you heard a saying, sir?"

Zhang Guo stroked his beard.

"Appreciate further details!"

The aroma of tea filled the air. Jiang She picked up his teacup and said, "A world of its own can be contained within a sleeve, and time can stand still within a teapot!"

A vast universe lies hidden within one's sleeve...

Time seems to stand still in the pot...

What kind of magical power is this?
Hearing this, Zhang Guo felt it was profound, ancient, and infinitely mysterious. For a moment, he felt as if he had been overshadowed, and even though the donkey beside him was nuzzling him, he didn't reach out to stroke its head.

The Old Deer Mountain God was also pondering carefully.

Nearby, Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu, upon hearing that casual remark, also began to ponder.

They had seen the gentleman take things out of his sleeve several times before, and assumed it was some kind of Taoist magic.

Look at this old man.

It must be an extremely profound method...

They saw him every day, yet they never recognized him. They only knew he was powerful, but didn't know just how powerful—it's truly ashamed of them.

The room quieted down, with only the sound of the cold wind howling outside.

After a while.

Zhang Guocai then spoke, asking for guidance:
"Can you elaborate?"

Jiang She put down his teacup, pointed outside the main room, and the door was suddenly blown open by the wind. A cold wind swept in, lashing against their faces.

He asked with a smile:
"Old man, what do you believe to be the basis of the universe? What are Yin and Yang, and what is life and death?"

Zhang Guo was taken aback, then burst into laughter.

"Such a big question, haha, let the old man think about it..."

His aged gaze drifted slowly to the outside world. The winter wind howled, and the sky was exceptionally blue, clear and cloudless. From here, Mount Tai in the distance was obscured by rows of houses and could not be seen at all.

Zhang Guo stroked his beard.

"Heaven and earth..."

He pondered, "If we're talking about what constitutes Yin and Yang, and what constitutes life and death... I'm afraid this is actually asking the same question."

"It's nothing more than purity or impurity!"

The cold wind blew against him, and the more he thought about it, the clearer his mind became. Zhang Guo felt a sense of satisfaction.

He said slowly:

The *Suwen* states: "Therefore, the clear yang is heaven, and the turbid yin is earth. Earth's qi rises to become clouds, and heaven's qi descends to become rain. Rain comes from earth's qi, and clouds come from heaven's qi."

"This must be the answer!"

Zhang Guo, somewhat pleased with himself, looked at Jiang She and asked, "How did I answer?"

Jiang She raised his cup to toast the other person.

He praised:
"What you say is absolutely right, sir!"

Zhang Guo stroked his long beard repeatedly, nearly pulling out a few strands earlier, which pained him.

"Haha... What's this? It's just that I've lived a long time and have some ideas. It doesn't count, it doesn't count." Zhang Guo chuckled, picked up his teacup, and took a sip himself.

This tea...

He raised an eyebrow but didn't ask any further questions.

Instead, it started with:

"Sir, you haven't yet said that the universe is vast within this sleeve, and the days and months are long within this pot!"

The mountain god Li Yuan and the other two listened intently, knowing that this was a discussion of profound Taoist principles, and waited for Jiang She's explanation.

The snow outside was gleaming silver. The cat had somehow climbed onto the donkey's back, curled up into a small black ball of fur, and was already asleep.

Jiang She looked out at the cold wind.

He said casually, "Just as you said, sir."

"Between heaven and earth, there are two kinds of energy: the pure one is the life force of all things, and the turbid one sinks. There is turbidity within the pure one, and pureness within the turbid one; they generate and grow together in an endless cycle."

"Therefore, there is also the distinction between yin and yang, and life and death."

Speaking of it.

Jiang She smiled slightly.

"I merely took the two qi and hid them in my sleeve!"

"As time goes by, a world will emerge within your sleeve, where things grow and evolve endlessly." "All things carry yin and embrace yang, and harmony is achieved through the interaction of these energies—this is the principle!"

Zhang Guo almost plucked his beard off.

Startled, I didn't even notice the tea on the table and knocked over the teacup.

It's not that simple!
This is a world contained within a sleeve, independent of the world.

The pure and impure energies reside in the breath of heaven and earth. Is it that others do not wish to obtain them, nor are they willing to realize this wondrous method?

He also captures the pure and spiritual energy of heaven and earth; he is also highly skilled in Taoist arts. How come I have never heard of anyone being able to do this?
After a while.

The old man had just picked up the cup and swept the water stains off the table when they vanished completely.

His sleeves were splashed with tea, but they didn't get wet.

Zhang Guo poured the last bit of tea in his cup into his mouth and shook his head.

"I've truly witnessed it today!"

Zhang Guo put down his teacup.
"I misspoke earlier, how could this be considered supernatural power?"

Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu looked over and whispered to the old deer mountain god, "If this isn't supernatural power, then what is it?"

Zhang Guo also heard their questions.

He smiled, shook his head, sighed, and said to the crowd:
"It is not a supernatural power."

"What I have heard today is the Way."

He laughed loudly: "Today's trip has been worthwhile. In all my years, this is the first time I've met such a person. I was wondering why I couldn't predict the outcome."

"So there are truly extraordinary people in the world!"

Zhang Guo's hair and beard were completely white; he was unrestrained and spoke with great joy.

"I wonder if the missed opportunity of Prince Qi is related to you, sir?"

King Qi...

Jiang She said, "It seems we were never destined to meet."

Zhang Guo asked a few more questions, and with the help of others, he learned that the Prince of Qi had once received a pill from the abbot of Hongdao Temple. When the pill was completed, there was a faint blue mark on it.

But it was offered up.

After they mentioned it, Zhang Guo went back to calculate the whole story and it became much clearer.

A donkey brayed nearby.

The old man smiled and patted the white donkey's head: "You've brayed now, so, do you want to move around?"

He looked at Jiang She and said smugly:
"Having heard of your wonderful teachings today, I, an old man, also have some abilities and would like to take a look."

It's getting late today.

"Would you be willing to accompany me tomorrow?"

The old man had completely white hair and beard, yet his every move was somewhat childlike. He could ride a donkey for thousands of miles a day, and he also had insights into the world; he was truly a fascinating person.

Jiang She also wanted to see the other party's Taoist magic.

"Of course I'll oblige!"

The old man then looked at the three people beside him, squinting at the guy who looked even older than him. He was indeed old.

He invited:
"Would the three of you like to go and take a look?"

After a while.

Jiang She woke up the cat that was sleeping on the donkey's back.

The old man sat back on the white donkey, not hurrying, but walking slowly. Zhang Guo only remembered when they had already reached the courtyard gate.

"I've forgotten something."

Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu watched, wondering what the old man had missed.

Then they saw the old man riding on a donkey, his wide sleeves fluttering. Zhang Guolao stretched out his hand and beckoned with a smile.

"I'm back...I'm back!"

Two or three white hairs drifted over from the main room, blown by the wind, and landed in Zhang Guolao's hand.

He stretched out his wrinkled, aged hand.

He slapped himself again.

The whisker that I had accidentally plucked earlier has grown back. It looks exactly the same as before it fell off, blending in with the other white whiskers and disappearing from sight.

He ignored their surprise.

Zhang Guolao looked at Jiang She with a smile.

Stroking his long beard, he said slowly, "Sir, see you tomorrow."

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)