I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 186 Asking about the Immortal Path

Several people looked over.

The Du family uncle and nephew, having learned of Mr. Jiang's extraordinary abilities, were even more eager to know how such a person would respond.

Du Langjun was old and had read some Taoist and Buddhist scriptures, as well as biographies of immortals. He knew that in ancient times there were immortals with all sorts of abilities who could use supernatural powers to turn a stubborn stone into gold.

Is it a gift to this family, to spare them a lifetime of worry?
A person like Mr. Jiang would inevitably associate with local officials, such as the county magistrate or the sons of prominent families.

Should the county magistrate or powerful families be responsible for making proper arrangements?

In the eyes of everyone.

Jiang She put down his wine cup.

He said calmly:

"If I were to answer, I would likely disappoint you."

Du Fu, Du Langjun, the monk, Yuan Danqiu, Li Bai, and all the spirits in the courtyard raised their heads and looked at Jiang She.

There was only a cat and a donkey, one burying its head in eating meat, and the other bending down to snatch half a plate of green vegetables from the table.

Li Bai was strange.

"gentlemen?"

Among those seated were Old Deer Mountain God and Zhang Guolao, who seemed to understand the meaning behind the words and began to ponder.

In the courtyard outside, the locust trees rustled in the wind, and a faint fragrance wafted in, light and pleasant, without disturbing anyone.

Jiang She did not answer, but just smiled and drank.

The old deer mountain god noticed their questions and, unusually, spoke:
"I do have some thoughts, but since I can't guess your answer, I'll share my own perspective—take a common occurrence in the world as an example: the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, waiting for its chance to strike. Have any of you ever witnessed this?"

Everyone nodded.

They may not have seen a mantis stalking a cicada, but they have seen similar hunting scenes.

The mountain god of Lumen had not preached to the mountain beasts for several months, and he had become quite interested. Holding a wine cup, he smiled and looked at the crowd, observing their faces, which were either surprised, thoughtful, or reluctant.

The old deer mountain god asked slowly.

"If there were a cicada in front of you all today..."

"In the bamboo grove behind, a praying mantis lies in wait, ready to pounce. Behind the mantis, a bird perches in the woods, waiting for its chance to strike. What should we do now that we see this?"

"save."

"Still not going to save them?"

Du Langjun frowned. His nephew, Du Fu, put down his chopsticks, also pondering the same question, slightly drunk. The family he had seen playing in the street earlier seemed quite different from the mantis stalking the cicada example the old man had given. Various thoughts collided in the young man's mind, and for a moment he didn't know how to answer.

After a long pause, he said.

"I'll save you."

The old deer mountain god looked at him with a tolerant smile and asked again.

"But if you save the cicada, what will the mantis eat? Without food to fill its belly, it will starve to death. Similarly, if birds don't have mantises or other insects to eat, they will also starve to death."

A mischievous spirit chimed in from the side. A little mouse, with crumbs of sesame cake still around its mouth, ate contentedly.

"Eat a pancake!"

The Old Deer Mountain God laughed heartily.

Du Fu said, "But people are different."

The old deer mountain god smiled and nodded at the young man.

“Young master, your idea is very good.”

The aroma of alcohol wafted through the air.

Li Bai's face was slightly flushed from the alcohol. Holding his wine cup, he said:

"I don't think too much about it. If I can save one person, I will; if I can save two people, I will. If I have the financial resources to help a thousand people... I'm afraid I really don't have that much money."

Yuan Danqiu, slightly drunk, said, "I'll lend it to you."

Zhang Guolao laughed heartily upon hearing this.

"I'll remember what you said when you sober up."

Yuan Danqiu was quite drunk and completely unaware of the danger. He leaned on Li Bai's shoulder with one hand, and the two started arguing again, denying the game and hurling insults at the hanged ghost under the locust tree at the Lu family's house. He thought it was just a sudden cicada urination.

The monk listened to their discussion for a while, but the mountain god never offered his own opinion.

He consulted the mountain god, bowing and asking, "If it were you, what would you do?"

The Old Deer Mountain God sighed.

"There's nothing we can do but not help them and let them live or die naturally."

Jiang She listened with great interest. The mountain god who had said he would "not save" the Lu family had protected them for eight hundred years, warding them off from misfortune and evil, until he himself was about to die.

Zhang Guolao listened from the side, and a thought suddenly occurred to him.

He suddenly thought.

Just now, when I was walking through the palace at night, I felt a mysterious change in the world, but I couldn't figure out the result. I just felt that Mount Tai was particularly high and distant under the night.

I recalled the words his friend had recited.

"The dead dwell in the yin, the living return to the yang... From now on, stay here and do not interfere with each other!"

It seemed to be something more mysterious, more profound, and more compassionate.

It's hard to explain, hard to see clearly.

He glanced outside the main room; families were gathered together to celebrate the New Year, but the surrounding walls obscured Mount Tai. Suddenly, Zhang Guolao went outside, climbed onto the roof, and looked up at the majestic mountain silhouette against the vast night sky.

He muttered to himself.

"Stay here from now on, and do not interfere with each other, do not interfere with each other..."

Du Langjun was startled, wondering why this elderly master would suddenly sit on the roof.

Zhang Guolao waved his hand.

"Old man, calm down and try to understand the master's answer!"

Several people looked at each other.

They chatted and laughed, drinking and gossiping. The Du family uncle and nephew didn't ask about the Prince of Qi, and Jiang She didn't ask why they were having a family reunion.

The meal lasted for almost two hours before the guests finally left.

Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu were quite drunk and had already fallen into a deep sleep.

After a lively time, the cat soon became sleepy, nestled in Jiang She's arms, breathing evenly, its belly heaving.

Jiang She reaped a great harvest.

He witnessed the death of the renowned Prince Qi and saw the splendor of the prosperous era during the emperor's Fengshan ceremony. Decades later, the poet sat in the same banquet. He was still a young man, not yet fully grown, and his expression lacked the melancholy that would later appear.

We gathered together tonight for a reunion dinner.

For the first time in this world, he experienced a lively New Year, dispelling the loneliness and chill amidst the myriad lights of homes, and helping Mount Tai in a small way.

We got to drink Zhang Guolao's fine wine.

They enjoyed the delicious food sent by the Du family.

He also got drunk with Li Bai, Du Fu, Yuan Danqiu, the mountain god, and monks, and they discussed a matter, each having their own opinions.

No one is wrong.

There is no distinction between superior and inferior.

As Jiang She sat beside them, watching their drunken state and listening to their answers, he was momentarily lost in thought, recalling the ancient poems.

See Confucianism and Taoism.

See the way of chivalry.

They also saw their respective paths.

A glimpse of the vastness and desolate silence of heaven and earth.

Zhang Guolao climbed down from the roof, stroked his white donkey, and asked Jiang She with a smile:
"Would you be willing to explore Mount Tai with me, sir?"

Jiang She shook his head, declined, and said with some regret, "I have some feelings tonight, and I may need to meditate and comprehend them for a while."

"That's easy, we'll wait for you, sir!"

Zhang Guolao was all smiles, reeking of alcohol.

"Sir, you waited with me at the palace for six days, just to await the death of Prince Qi. How could this old man not wait for you?"

Jiang She put down his wine cup and said.

"It will probably take a while."

Zhang Guolao picked up the wine pot, which was already empty. He shook it and added some more wine.

He laughed loudly.

“Perfect. This fruit wine gets better and better with age. It’s better to drink it today than tomorrow, and better the day after tomorrow.”

"I'll be waiting right here, sir, so we can drink to our hearts' content!"

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)