A Tale of Encounters with Immortals: A Peach Blossom Temple in the Martial World

As dawn breaks at the peak, the primordial purple aura emerges.

Zhang Zhengdao sat cross-legged on a rock at the top of the mountain, his hands forming a mudra, and finished his work.

Hu Yunying also formed a hand seal and exhaled a long breath.

Another morning wasted.

What is this Primordial Purple Qi?

No, she only felt the loneliness and cold of early morning.

The female ghost, Shu Baimei, followed along for a day, also wanting to learn how to absorb the Primordial Purple Qi. However, when she was exposed to the Primordial Purple Qi in the sun, she almost lost her soul.

If Zhang Zhengdao hadn't blown it into a shady corner of the rock in one breath, it would have long since dissipated into the air and started to "cool down".

From then on, he could only diligently absorb spiritual energy in the Peach Blossom Forest Bagua Formation at night.

To be honest, apart from Zhang Zhengdao and Shu Baimei, no one else could actually sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. After all, they were just mortals, and they had never even heard of such mysterious things from the immortals, let alone sensed them.

The legend of the Four Great Masters' unparalleled martial arts skills still circulates among everyone.

Even the old storyteller in the teahouse was telling the legendary stories of the Four Wonders.

Stories like "The righteous master of Ping'an Town, the Miao family's master of Yin techniques, became a hero" and "The sword god of the Flower God Temple saved an orphan girl, and the high monk of Qingzhou Prefecture relieved her suffering" were heard by many.

Whenever the storyteller heard something exciting, he couldn't help but clap and cheer, throwing his reward coins onto the stage with a clattering sound, making the old man beam with joy.

At this moment, everyone was quite happy.

Zhang Zhengdao reluctantly tossed over a copper coin. Five copper coins for tea, plus some snacks, brought the total to nearly twenty copper coins. This expense was quite extravagant in Linbin Town.

So, with a touch of ostentation, he laid out twenty copper coins for the tea server in front of a crowd, and then slowly sat down to drink.

This is what life is like for gods!

After listening to the storytelling, we went to Sister Gui's distillery to buy a few more kilograms of liquor. We also ordered a bowl, and peeled peanuts while drinking. The distillery wasn't big, so those drinking outside were mostly men in short coats from Linbin Town.

Only customers like Zhang Zhengdao, dressed in long robes and Taoist gowns, would stroll into the shop and sit down to drink slowly.

"Warm a bowl of wine, a plate of peanuts, and stir-fry these kidneys for me!"

When Butcher Hu came in, he brought a gust of wind with him, carrying a kidney in his hand, which he handed to Sister Gui, who was smiling as she approached.

A group of men in short coats, drinking, stood at the door. Several of them were his day laborers, and they all greeted him.

"Uncle Hu, good news! You're beaming with joy, you're definitely going to make a fortune!"

A burly man in short clothes smiled obsequiously at Butcher Hu.

"Hey, Master Zhang, drinking here!"

Butcher Hu didn't even bother to glance at the man in short clothes. "Short-clothed gang, dogs like them," he thought, "does he even deserve to speak to me?" He walked straight towards Zhang Zhengdao, bowing respectfully.

Zhang Zhengdao returned the greeting with a cupped hand, but did not invite Butcher Hu to drink with him.

Butcher Hu, being sensible, set up a separate table. Sister-in-law Gui served the wine and dishes, and he slowly sat down and began to drink.

Zhang Zhengdao could earn one or two taels of silver for each Taoist ceremony or ritual, which meant he could make a considerable amount of money in a year. This was why Butcher Hu respected Zhang Zhengdao.

"Is Master Sun from the town's old lady celebrating her 70th birthday? Has he invited Taoist Priest Zhang?"

"Of course we invited them!"

Zhang Zhengdao replied.

"The Sun family is one of the most prominent families in the county, and they are also well-known in Lingzhou Prefecture. Now that the Guo family is finished, the Sun family naturally takes the lead. All the guests who have come are distinguished guests from Lingzhou Prefecture. It is said that there are even high-ranking officials from the capital!"

As she said this, she deliberately moved closer to Zhang Zhengdao and whispered the words so loudly it was deafening.

Everyone in the distillery heard it.

They greatly admired Butcher Hu's extensive information network and extraordinary abilities.

"We've also invited the famous Chunqing Opera troupe from Lingzhou." Seeing everyone craning their necks to listen to him, Butcher Hu became even more smug. He shook his head, tossed a peanut into his mouth, took a sip of wine, and sighed.

"The leading man of the Chunqing Troupe was someone even the Prince of Lingzhou Prefecture would praise highly. The tunes he sang were truly captivating when I was a child."

As Butcher Hu finished speaking, he even sang a few lines while shaking his head.

"Wenqin is well-versed in poetry and literature, embodying the ambition of a man who roams the four corners of the world. With his parents at home, how could he possibly have a young wife..."

His fingers tapped on the table, his big, oily head bobbing back and forth.

Everyone envies +5, +6, +9...

Being able to listen to opera is already an eye-opening experience.

You should know that the highest art form in Linbin Town is storytelling. If you get three or four opportunities to hear storytelling a month, you're already considered very lucky. As for opera, that's something you can only hear in the county or prefecture.

Most people in Linbin Town never leave the town in their entire lives.

Which farming family could afford to listen to opera? The entrance fee alone was twenty coins, enough to cover a month's expenses. Some wealthy families could afford it, but opera troupes were usually privately owned by high-ranking officials or wealthy restaurants; they lacked the social standing to hire them.

Zhang Zhengdao had never heard of opera before. Although modern people don't want to watch such things, the singing was so slow and the rhythm was so slow that it sounded like the singer was out of breath. He wished he could kick the singer in the chest to help him catch his breath.

"But take Qin Fangguan's singing voice, it's really... like a fairy descending to earth... damn, it's just so beautiful!"

Butcher Hu was showing off.

The audience listened with rapt attention, as if they were no longer seeing Butcher Hu, but Qin Fangguan, the beautiful woman of Manlingzhou City. Her every smile and frown was like that of a fairy, and Butcher Hu's drooling voice was like that of a nightingale singing in a valley, melodious and lingering.

Without a woman by my side, I am truly free.

Zhang Zhengdao slightly turned his body to block the spit that Hu the butcher was about to spray out, so that it wouldn't fall into the wine bowl and ruin the wine.

"Master Zhang, you didn't see Qin Fangguan's figure...tsk tsk..."

Butcher Hu proudly showed off in front of Zhang Zhengdao.

Zhang Zhengdao: ...

Does this have anything to do with me?

I'm tired of seeing modern beauties, let alone ancient beauties?

"never seen it!"

Zhang Zhengdao had to be honest: he hadn't seen it before.

"You'll see it the day after tomorrow. When the opera troupe goes on stage, I'll deliver pork to the town magistrate and stand there; I'm sure I'll see it..."

In his moment of triumph, Butcher Hu downed the wine in his bowl in one gulp, smacking his lips with a satisfying smack.

Zhang Zhengdao finished his drink, wrapped the peanuts in straw paper, and put them in his pocket.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Butcher Hu: "That's all for today, goodbye!"

"See you the day after tomorrow. I'll take you to the stage to see Qin Fangguan."

Zhang Zhengdao was about to leave when Sister-in-law Gui called him back.

"You didn't like the girl from the Kan family last time, how about I introduce you to another one this time..."

"Oh dear, you were already pregnant last time, don't do something so despicable."

Zhang Zhengdao quickly refused.

Sister-in-law Gui said, "This time it's different. I guarantee she's a clean and innocent girl, Lu Xiaohua... the daughter of that old scholar at the village entrance. She can read and write. She died two years ago and is now living with her uncles. I guarantee she's a clean and innocent girl."

"how old are you?"

"The winter solstice will be fifteen days old this year!"

Zhang Zhengdao's face turned dark.