Becoming a god starting from the weasel

"Oh? What is this?"

Chen Yang reached out and pried out the object, blew off the surface charcoal ash, and found it to be a perfectly intact peach pit.

Chen Yang gazed at the withered peach tree for a long time, pondering, "This tree was struck by lightning and lost all its vitality, yet it still retains a peach pit."

"Life and death are predetermined, yet it refuses to completely disappear; this is quite a strange thing."

Chen Yang carefully put away the peach pit, and the two returned to retrieve the bamboo basket. Looking at the vermilion fruit plant and the blackened peach pit in the basket, Chen Yang nodded slightly.

"Today's harvest in the valley was quite plentiful."

Upon reaching the valley entrance, several macaques were already waiting.

An elderly monkey has a small basket in front of it, filled with wild grapes, several lantern-shaped red persimmons, and a large autumn peach in the center.

Black Hair pointed at the peaches and laughed, "Your Majesty, these are from the old peach trees in the valley. Although their taste is not as good as in the height of summer, they are already a rare delicacy in autumn."

Before the words were finished, a little monkey came forward carrying a cup made of banana leaves. The cup was filled with pale yellow fruit juice, and its rich fruity aroma wafted through the air.

Black Hair explained from the side, "This is fruit wine that we brewed in previous years. Your Majesty does not wish to stay long, please have a cup."

After saying that, Black Hair picked up the leaf cup with both hands and respectfully handed it to Chen Yang.

Feeling the hope in Black Hair's heart, Chen Yang felt relieved, pursed his lips slightly, and then raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The first taste is a soft, crumbly texture of fruit pulp, followed by layers of fermented fruit aromas. With careful tasting, you can also taste the sweetness of dozens of wild fruits intertwined and blended together, creating a delightful flavor.

Chen Yang, still savoring the taste, then handed the empty cup back to the little monkey.

Seeing Chen Yang's delight, Black Hair quickly explained, "Your Majesty, in previous years the wine was only enough for the tribe to share. This year, due to the chaos caused by the ferocious beasts, we didn't brew much. Otherwise, we would have offered a whole pool to Your Majesty."

"Black Hair, I accept your kind offer."

"It's getting late. If I have some free time next summer, I'll come back to the valley to taste the monkey wine again," Chen Yang replied softly, wiping the remaining juice from the corner of his lips.

The Taoist temple is peaceful and quiet, but it lacks this kind of flavor. This monkey wine has a unique rustic charm, and I would like to make a special trip to try it next year.

Chen Yang picked up the fruit basket, waved goodbye, and had just stepped out of the valley when Black Hair called out loudly from behind, "Your Majesty, where do you reside?"

Chen Yang turned around, a faint smile appearing in his eyes. This monkey is sincere and honest; it's quite interesting.

Chen Yang raised his hand and pointed towards the mountains: "Beside the stream at the foot of the mountain stands the Sanqing Taoist Temple, which is my residence."

Black Hair remembered the words and did not go forward to see him off again.

Seeing that he had stopped, Chen Yang nodded and left.

Black Hair stood at the valley entrance, watching Chen Yang's departing figure carrying a bamboo basket in the setting sun, and murmured softly:

"That ferocious creature talks about immortals all day long. How can it compare to the Great King? The Great King is the true immortal, a hundred times better than the immortals it speaks of."

A group of macaques stood quietly behind him, listening intently to Black Hair's soliloquy.

Chen Yang didn't return to the Taoist temple until the last rays of the setting sun had faded.

The journey wasn't far, and Chen Yang was familiar with the mountain roads, so the trip went smoothly.

  

After entering the temple and putting down his bamboo basket and fruit basket, Chen Yang lay down on the wooden bed in the Taoist temple, thinking to himself that he could visit Monkey Valley again sometime in the future.

After resting for a while, Chen Yang took off his Taoist robe, walked in the dark to the mountain stream to bathe and wash his clothes before returning to the temple.

After hanging up his Taoist robe and washing the fresh fruit in the basket, Chen Yang returned to the Taoist temple and looked out the window at the night sky.

The moon had not yet risen to its zenith, and I should have been able to rest for a while. However, although I had been out seeking opportunities today and had a pleasant journey and had finally achieved my goal, I was still troubled by a sense of unease.

Chen Yang took the "Jade Chapter for Purifying the Mind and Cleansing Delusions" given to him by Chu Xiuyuan, put down the "Illustrated Catalogue of Miscellaneous Objects" he was about to read, and began to close his eyes and recite softly. The clear chanting slowly echoed in the Taoist temple:

"With a clear and tranquil mind, sweeping away all dust and illusions, the spirit guards the central yellow..."

"When all distractions cease and the mind is serene, the inner realm is cool and tranquil. All clamor dissipates, and one embraces the profound and constant..."

Chen Yang recited the mantra for over an hour until all the agitation in his heart subsided before he stopped.

Just as the moon was high in the sky, its clear light shone through the paper windows and filled the house. Chen Yang got up and walked out of the temple gate, standing in front of the gate to absorb the moonlight.

Finally, we studied for the night, and rested all night before the next day.

The villagers of Huangni'ao got up early; today was a busy day for threshing and drying grains.

But the situation was different in Niu Shan's family. Niu Shan, the only able-bodied man in the family, went up the mountain before dawn, carrying a bamboo basket and a wood-chopping knife.

Niu Shan's beard still had a few bits of egg crumbs stuck to it. His elderly mother, fearing that he was hungry, secretly put two hot eggs and a vegetable pancake wrapped in lard in his pocket.

Several months later, Niu Shan re-entered the Black Wind Mountain Range, and the old path was still clearly imprinted in his mind.

This year's severe drought meant that if it weren't for the divine intervention that guided everyone to find water and teach them how to combat the drought, most of the villagers would not have survived the disaster.

Now that we have eggs and lard to fill our stomachs, Niu Shan will never forget this kindness. Today, he finally has time to go up the mountain to thank the immortal.

The vegetation on the mountain was growing wildly, obscuring the old path. It took a long time before Niu Shan finally found a sloping path paved with gravel. After confirming that he had not gone the wrong way and had reached the gate, he happily and quickly walked up the mountain.

Before long, the peeling vermilion gate came into view, and Niu Shan nervously knocked on the door.

Inside the temple, Chen Yang had just finished his morning prayers and was eating yesterday's persimmons, wondering who had come looking for him.

Chen Yang's nose twitched as he recognized Niu Shan's scent. He was curious, since it was the busy autumn harvest season, how could Niu Shan find time to come up the mountain?

However, Chen Yang was not keen to move. He simply sat on the futon, condensed a wisp of spiritual energy at his fingertips, and lightly tapped his spiritual sword finger. With a gentle force, he knocked the door latch to the ground.

Suddenly, a soft sound came from Niushan outside the gate. The autumn wind blew open the gate, and looking up, one could see Chen Yang sitting quietly in the hall, looking at him calmly.

Niu Shan's throat bobbed. Such immortal methods filled him with both astonishment and respect. He swallowed and exclaimed, "Great Immortal, your supernatural powers are truly extraordinary. Today, I have truly broadened my horizons."

Chen Yang ignored the flattery and simply chuckled as he asked, "It's harvest time now, Niu Shan, what brings you here?"

Niu Shan scratched the back of his head, took off the bamboo basket from his back, and pushed aside the weeds inside to reveal two live hens: "This year there was a severe drought, and it was all thanks to the great immortal's guidance that the whole village survived."

"I specially went to the market to buy two hens to offer to the deity."

Looking at the two docile hens, Chen Yang smiled. These two hens could lay eggs, and keeping them in the temple would provide them with some food in the future.

"You're so thoughtful."

Just as Chen Yang was about to speak again, there was another knock on the door.

Chen Yang was about to get up when Niu Shan quickly stepped forward to stop him, saying, "Great Immortal, please sit down. I'll go see who it is."

Niu Shan was puzzled. He had come up the mountain twice before, and the Taoist temple was always deserted. Why were there so many visitors today?

But when Niu Shan opened the door and looked inside, he was stunned on the spot!

There was a large group of macaques at the entrance! The leader was a monkey with long black hair, which steadily held up a bamboo basket filled with various kinds of fresh fruit on its head.

Behind Black Hair were also macaques with fruit baskets on their heads. Chen Yang was puzzled when he saw Niu Shan suddenly retreat.

A familiar, clear voice called out from outside the door: "The monkeys of Monkey Valley, grateful for the King's kindness, have come to pay their respects!"