I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 21 Fellow Taoist
Li Bai walked over, put down his wine pot, and asked, "What does Lord Jiang want with me?"

Jiang She said, "That day I opened your third eye, allowing you to see those things, but I forgot to put that technique away yesterday. Seeing the forms of ghosts and gods all day long is not a good thing."

"Luckily you're brave enough not to be startled. Otherwise, it would have been my fault."

Li Bai subconsciously touched his eyes.

He can now see some strange things, sometimes startling people when he sees them out of the blue, but with a little more practice, he can see ghosts and spirits, which is much more interesting than what others find interesting.

He lived in Lumen Mountain for some time.

He followed Yuan Danqiu to gather herbs, visited friends with Meng Haoran, and lived a carefree life in the mountains. He also frequently visited local high-ranking families and participated in poetry and literary gatherings.

He was confident that he knew the city of Xiangyang inside and out like the back of his hand.

Only now do I realize this.

It turns out there was a hanged ghost in front of the tree at the Lu family's residence. It turns out there were many mountain spirits and demons on Mount Lumen, and even an old mountain god who had lived for over eight hundred years.

Only then did I realize that the dream of Emperor Guangwu of Han was not a fabrication.

Another world has always been here.

Mountain spirits saw its form, and demons heard its traces. For decades, gods and ghosts have lived here day after day.

It's just that ordinary people are unaware of it.

Li Bai asked, "If we lose this ability, will we still be able to see the mountain god?"

Jiang She laughed and said, "The mountain god is the master of the mountains and rivers of a place, not a ghost or demon. If he wants you to see him, you will be able to see him."

The implication is that if the mountain god wishes to conceal his presence and not appear before people...

That is what cannot be seen.

Li Bai asked again.

"Would it be possible to spot mountain spirits then?"

"Can't see."

Li Bai pondered quietly for a while, then cupped his hands and said:
"Young Master Jiang, may I retain this Heavenly Eye?"

“I have never witnessed such a thing as immortals and gods in my life. I have traveled thousands of miles from Shu Prefecture to Xiang Prefecture, and the most I have seen are hermit Taoist priests. The Taoist magic that those so-called magicians possess is probably not even as good as the three who tricked Lu Da.”

"Of course, we should not equate noble hermits with swindlers who cheat people out of their money."

"Taoists are not bad, but they are not what I seek. The path I seek is the path of the immortals."

"This is the true way."

"It is not a profession that involves burning incense to worship gods or ringing bells every day."

Confucius once encouraged his disciples, saying in his writings, "If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening."

"I am the same."

The courtyard was quiet; Yuan Danqiu had gone out to visit a friend. Only two servants in the south room could vaguely hear their masters talking; they kept their doors closed and did not go out. Only Li Bai and Jiang She remained in the courtyard.

The leaves rustled.

The two, one standing and one sitting, were both enjoying the shade of the tree.

What he had seen a few days ago was too bizarre, and staying in a dream for seven days was even more unimaginable. Moreover, the dreamland was actually a paradise for insects and ants under the trees... All of this piled up in Li Bai's heart.

When he was young and studying, the path to immortality he had encountered was partially revealed to him.

It is too magnificent and mysterious.

Li Bai paused only briefly before continuing.

“I had only ever read such stories in books before. It was only after meeting Jiang Langjun that I realized that there really was a god of the main mountain in Lumen Mountain. I saw the land of ants under the tree and traveled with him in my dreams. I was filled with emotion and sighs.”

"In the past, we were mediocre and ignorant, just like the ants under the tree."

"Now that I have heard of this, it is like a fish out of a dried-up pond finding water in a river."

"I cherish it more than my own life, and I don't want to lose it. That's why I love it even more."

Jiang She listened attentively to his yearning for and reverence for the Dao.

He nodded.

"I understand."

"If you want to keep it, that's fine. Just don't be afraid."

After Li Bai finished speaking that sentence...

Now that he had spoken, the questions that had been building up in his mind could no longer be suppressed, sprouting like bamboo shoots after a rain. He stared intently at Jiang She, his question persistent.

"Bai has one more question to ask."

Why doesn't Jiang Langjun accept Bai as his disciple?

His question was deliberate, and Jiang She did not answer casually. He thought carefully and weighed his words.

Fangdao:

"I am also a wanderer and have no plans to take on any disciples at the moment."

"Furthermore, disciples need to be careful in their selection. Do not teach or impart knowledge to those who are not suitable. How can one know whether someone is capable of transmitting the Dao? This requires time to observe and assess."

"I have known Li Bai for less than ten days, how could I make such a decision?"

He became acquainted with Li Bai, Meng Haoran, and Yuan Danqiu because of a heavy rain. And because Li Bai burned incense, he also had the idea of ​​thanking the mountain spirit of this place for providing shelter from the rain.

Unexpectedly, the mountain god of Lumen Mountain was an old deer.

Having been granted a ten-year lifespan, they were brought together by rain, inevitably leading to some entanglements and fates in the mortal world.

And standing right next to him was Li Bai, speaking to him.

Was it someone from ancient times?
Or is it a modern person?

Jiang She was momentarily stunned, feeling a mix of emotions and slight regret. When he came to his senses, he saw that Li Bai was still waiting for him to speak.

He smiled.

He picked up the wine pot that Li Bai had just used from the table, reached into the kitchen and found two wine cups hidden there, and poured wine into them. The wine soup had a layer of foam on it, having been filtered twice, and was a hazy, clear white.

Li Bai looked at the wine cup.

He's become quite perceptive about these rather mystical things. He remembers the wine glass being kept in the kitchen; how did it end up on the table?

He watched Jiang She pour the wine without saying a word.

Jiang She pushed a cup of wine over and placed it in front of Li Bai.

The wine pot pressed down on the paper where the writing had just been done, spilling a few drops of ink, but the ink on it did not get wet or smudge.

Jiang She held onto his wine glass.

The shadows of the trees were a green mass, and sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves onto the table, chairs, and the two people, scattering dappled light. All around was quiet, and even the air was bluish.

It was as if the surrounding ghosts, gods, and earth spirits could not hear their conversation.

Jiang She pondered for a moment, holding his wine cup.

"If you wish to learn the arts of immortals, your time is not yet ripe."

Li Bai asked, "When will we be considered destined to be together?"

Jiang She smiled. He said, "That's up to you to figure out."

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to travel together like this, chatting about worldly anecdotes, and going to see what strange ghosts and spirits we encounter?"

"Those who travel together are free to come or go as they please."

"Without barriers."

"Then you can also be called a fellow Daoist."

At this point, Jiang She raised his wine cup and said with a smile, "I invite Li Bai to drink with me."

Is that acceptable?

He spoke of being free-spirited and open-minded, saying that regardless of whether one possessed Taoist knowledge or not, or how profound one's cultivation was, one could discuss the Tao together, walk the same path, see the world, and become fellow Taoists.

What exactly constitutes a destined connection?
Can I cultivate the path to immortality?
These were not mentioned.

Li Bai simply stopped arguing, picked up his wine cup, tilted his head back, drank it all in one gulp, and laughed heartily.

"It's impossible."

He didn't feel the awkwardness he had when he wanted to become an apprentice, and they didn't use any respectful titles with each other, just like chatting and drinking with friends.

It's somewhat reminiscent of that day when, during a heavy rain, several people huddled together in a mountain temple to take shelter from the rain, and their unexpected meeting.

The leaves rustled in the air, making a soft, whispering sound.

Li Bai simply sat down on the ground, drank his wine, and then spoke.

"Mr. Jiang, what method did you use to retrieve these two cups?"

"It's as easy as taking something from a distance."

"Telekinesis?"

"Yes," Jiang She said, beckoning to a bird in the tree, "Come here."

The bird appeared in his hand, and after a few moments of stunned silence, it fluttered its wings and flew away, leaving feather dust on the wooden table. Jiang She simply reached out and brushed it away, and the traces disappeared.

"How strange!"

(End of this chapter)