Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

While playing with his younger sister, his thoughts drifted away...

He remembered his senior brother who had traveled on the treasure ship...

Is Xuanqing Temple any good?

It's a good place, he's very comfortable there.

When you're bored, you can pet a panda; when you're feeling down, you can seek comfort from Yunling; and when you encounter difficulties in your Taoist cultivation, there are many elders and senior brothers and sisters you can consult.

But... I still feel like something's missing...

Master Qingxuzi seems to want to groom him as his successor, but he hasn't decided yet whether he wants to become that successor.

His thoughts drifted further and further away; he was somewhat lost in thought.

His mind was only pulled back when his mother called him for dinner.

At night, the younger sister hugged her small pillow and tugged at Zhuang Xing's clothes.

"Brother, I want to sleep with you tonight."

She blinked and said in a pitiful tone.

Neither my mother nor my father intended to refuse.

"Okay." Zhuang Xing felt he should take on the responsibility of being a son, so he carried his younger sister into the room.

"Brother, brother, are you asleep?"

The younger sister was talking to Zhuang Xing by his pillow, her arms around his neck.

"Can't you sleep, little sister?"

"Brother, can you tell me two stories? I want to hear you tell stories."

"Tell a story..."

Zhuang Xing's thoughts drifted away again.

"How about I tell you a story about a monkey?"

Why a story about monkeys?

"That's no ordinary monkey; it's a stone monkey that sprang from a rock—the Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven!"

"Is my little sister listening to me?"

"Listen."

"There is a place called Flower Fruit Mountain, where on the mountaintop there is a strange rock that absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, and from it sprang a naturally born stone monkey..."

Zhuang Xing was telling this story to someone for the first time, and his younger sister had many questions.

She asked what kind of mountain Huaguo Mountain was, what kind of trees and water it had, and how she was born, whether she also sprang from a stone. She said that when she asked her father and mother, they wouldn't tell her.

But Zhuang Xing didn't know what kind of mountain Huaguo Mountain was, or what kind of trees and water it had.

He had only heard the story; he had never seen the trees and water on that mountain.

This question stumped him so much that he didn't even think about how to answer the question of how children are born.

He vaguely brushed it off, and as he talked, when he got to the part about the monkey causing trouble in the sky and being pressed down under the Five Finger Mountain, he realized that his sister was already asleep in his arms.

But he couldn't sleep, so he lay on his back staring blankly at the roof beams all night.

Chapter 173 The Emperor's Invitation

The next day, Zhuang Xing met Da Bai and the white mouse.

The couple both gained weight. Da Bai stayed at Zhuang Xing's house for a long time. It was no longer so afraid of people, and it even came over to Zhuang Xing's side to eat the steamed bun.

Ten days after I returned home, the first snow of the year fell.

When I woke up, the outside world was completely white.

"Brother, I want to build a snowman!" the little sister exclaimed energetically.

When I left last year, I promised her that I would help her build a snowman.

But the snow wasn't deep today, so Zhuang Xing had to take his sister's hand and lead her into the yard to sweep the thin layer of snow together.

To prevent his younger sister's hands from getting frostbite, Zhuang Xing put a layer of cloth over her palms, which were two small cloth bags cut from old fabric.

The snowman was only half-built when a messenger arrived outside.

The constable, accompanied by two young soldiers, walked straight up to Zhuang Xing and stopped at the door, bowing respectfully.

"Master Zhuang, it's been a long time. I am Liu Songshi. Two years ago, when the pig demon attacked, I was able to save my life thanks to your help."

Liu, the constable, seemed afraid that Zhuang Xing would forget about him, so he made a point of mentioning it.

Compared to then, Liu Charen hasn't changed much.

The biggest difference is his sword. He used to wear his sword on his left hip and draw it with his right hand, but now he has moved it to his right hip and draws it with his left hand.

That year, his right arm was broken by a pig demon. Although Master Yuan Yan applied medicine for him, his right arm, which he usually used, was still injured.

Normally, after suffering such a serious injury, one should put down the knife, but what is left for a swordsman after putting down the knife?

He seemed unwilling to give up, and even with his unaccustomed left hand, he continued to grip the knife.

With just one glance, Zhuang Xing saw a great deal.

Although he didn't know why Liu Songshi had come to him, perhaps it was because there was a monster in the vicinity and he had come to him for help.

Zhuang Xing stepped forward and opened the courtyard gate.

"Long time no see, Officer Liu."

The younger sister hid behind Zhuang Xing and made a face at Liu Songshi. She was building a snowman with her brother when a group of strangers suddenly appeared, and she seemed a little unhappy.

"The prefect sent me after he learned of the Taoist priest's return." Liu Songshi didn't care about the child's joke. Besides, this was the sister of his savior. Even if she rode on his head and peed on him, he could only endure it.

"Is there a demonic threat?" Zhuang Xing asked.

"It concerns the matter of receiving an award. Last year, Dongmai contributed greatly to the disaster relief efforts in the north and south. No one deserves the greatest credit for this. If it weren't for the Taoist priest offering the wheat seeds, countless people would have suffered from famine. Last month, the prefect went to the capital and met with the emperor. The emperor then issued an edict to invite Taoist priest Zhuangxing and the immortal masters of Xuanqing Temple to the capital to receive their rewards."

Well, there is such a thing.

The prefect said that once the wheat seeds truly resolved the disaster, the rewards from the capital would arrive.

The emperor himself sent an invitation; that's quite a show of respect.

Liu Songshi continued, "The Prefect originally intended to visit in person, but with winter approaching and preparations for this year's snow disaster underway, he was too busy to come himself and sent us to invite the Taoist priest."

“Well… traveling in winter would be quite inconvenient, and besides, I’m just going home to visit relatives; my superiors aren’t traveling with me,” Zhuang Xing said.

"Whenever you immortal masters are free, please come to Yidu and let us know," Liu Songshi said respectfully.

It means that the itinerary needs to be arranged according to the people's schedule.

Having said that, Zhuang Xing couldn't very well refuse.

However, he couldn't be too absolute in his statement. He could only say that once he returned to the mountain, he would inform his superiors about the matter, but there was no certainty about a resolution.

Liu Songshi said, "The prefect said that no matter what, the reward will be sent to Xuanqing Temple."

“Not everyone in the world is as indifferent to fame and fortune as the immortal masters. If the court is unclear about rewards and punishments and lacks order, no one will offer wheat seeds in the future.”

That makes sense. It's like offering up your family heirloom; if all you get is a banner, why bother offering up your precious treasure?

Doing good deeds doesn't necessarily require a huge reward, but there should always be some kind of reward.

If helping an elderly person up not only brings no reputation but also results in being extorted, then no one will help elderly people up in the future.

Liu Songshi left an invitation, and he also brought cotton cloth.

Cotton cultivation is still in its early stages, so cotton quilts are not yet available on the market, and cotton fabrics are also rare.

These cotton fabrics were woven this year and were sent by Liu Songshi on behalf of the prefect, who has already mandated the promotion of cotton cultivation.

It will probably take three to five years for people to realize the benefits of cotton, and cotton and linen will replace mulberry, hemp, and coarse cloth, and cotton quilts will become more common.

When Liu Songshi brought cotton cloth and left an invitation, Zhuang Xing truly realized that his actions had had a tremendous impact on the people of this land.

A gust of wind, like the fluttering of a tiny butterfly's wings, stirred up ripples in a place unseen by him.

He carefully put away the invitation and took the unremarkable cotton cloth to show his mother.

My mother's hands were very skillful. She took the measurements for her children and, within a few days, cut out two new sets of clothes.

Zhuang Xing and his sister changed into cotton-padded clothes.

Apart from this incident, nothing particularly noteworthy happened this winter.

Zhuang Xing spent a happy New Year at home, until one day when his sister was sleeping with him, he woke up and suddenly felt something wet on the bed.

The younger sister blushed and ran out. It's normal for a four-year-old to wet the bed. Zhuang Xing didn't laugh at her, but she was still sullen all day. For many days afterward, she went to her mother and father to sleep together.

I stayed at home for a month and a half, and soon it was the beginning of spring.

Before the snow had completely melted, Zhuang Xing packed his bags and prepared to leave.

He was the team leader and had to go to other villages to bring his disciples back, so he had to set off early.

My sister was still very reluctant to part with him, but she was much better than when she left last year. She didn't cry a lot, just a little. She hugged her pillow and listened to Zhuang Xing finish telling the story of the monkey by his bedside.

She asked Zhuang Xingtianzhu where it was, and where Huaguo Mountain was.

Zhuang Xing said that India might be in the west. As for Huaguo Mountain, he didn't know if there was a place called Huaguo Mountain in the world. Maybe there was, but it probably wasn't the Huaguo Mountain he knew.

The younger sister said that when she grows up she wants to go to Flower Fruit Mountain. Zhuang Xing patted her head and said, "Then your brother will go with you."

He spent the night with his sister, and the next day he went out to find Dachun.

"Dachun, let's go!"

Zhuang Xing led his horse, Wu Zhui, to Da Chun's house and called his name.

"Here we are!" Da Chun put on his Taoist robe and put on his sword.

"Dachun, think about that girl your older sister introduced you to!" Dachun's father shouted from behind. "You're seventeen years old already! When I was your age, your older sister was already born! You've become a Taoist priest, not a monk. If you don't like her, then find one on the mountain! Do you hear me!"

Da Chun covered his ears and ran away.