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

The old beggar was very surprised.

"I can't see through your cultivation level, but you can see through mine. Interesting, very interesting!"

Tieguai Li is quite powerful in the Taoist mythological system.

Can't you see through my strength?

Isn't this obvious? Even Laozi (the Supreme Lord Lao) couldn't see through this power. You're just a deity who was instructed by Laozi. How could you possibly see through it?

Where is your cane?

Zhang Zhengdao insisted on seeing his cane.

Tieguai Li didn't want to show him, but Tieguai's strength was undeniable, and there might be consequences if he didn't. So, a cane appeared out of thin air in his hand.

"See? See? There's nothing to see here."

Zhang Zhengdao took it, looked at it, and said, "This cane is quite uniquely made. Is there some kind of hidden weapon inside the cane, which you then shoot when someone sees you as a cripple and underestimates you?"

Tieguai Li: ...

No, we're all immortals. When immortals fight, sneak attacks are fine, but using hidden weapons... are we even martial arts practitioners?

What was they thinking?

"I don't usually get into fights!"

Zhang Zhengdao looked the cane left and right, and even turned it upside down to see if there was any mechanism underneath, but he didn't see anything, which was quite disappointing.

It's such a waste that such a good concealed weapon tool could be used.

Tieguai Li took out his gourd, took a sip of wine, and handed it to Zhang Zhengdao: "Want a sip?"

Zhang Zhengdao took it, wiped the mouth of the gourd with his sleeve, held it up, took a sip from a distance, and said, "Good wine. Is this the Queen Mother's nectar that you got from Heaven?"

"You also attended the Queen Mother's birthday banquet?"

"I've been there, and I haven't been there. But I've drunk quite a bit of wine, and the taste is pretty much the same."

The two of them took turns drinking, and became quite tipsy.

Tieguai Li said, "Aren't you worried about your ox?"

Zhang Zhengdao said, "What do I have to worry about? If that ox can't handle those people, it's not worthy of letting me ride it. I might as well buy a donkey."

Tieguai Li laughed heartily: "That's right, that ox has already transcended the mortal realm and become an immortal."

To ordinary people, white oxen are divine creatures, and in ancient times they were rare and generally regarded as auspicious omens.

Zhu Da secretly led the white ox back to his village.

A large white ox entered the village, causing an immediate sensation.

The villagers, young and old, all came out to see what was so strange.

A little boy who had sniffled even reached out and touched it.

"Don't touch it, or I'll cut off your hand," Zhu Da threatened the child.

The child was so frightened that he pulled his hand back and quickly hid behind his father, a middle-aged man in a simple brown shirt, peeking out with his head.

The middle-aged man said, "Zhu Da, you're making a fuss over nothing, even a child."

Zhu glared at the man, who was somewhat frightened and took several steps back. After all, he was the local bully in the village, a rogue and a scoundrel, so most people were still afraid of him.

"This is a divine object, do you know that?"

Lai Liuzi chimed in from the side.

A little girl with blond hair stared wide-eyed and asked, "What is a divine object?"

Lai Liuzi said smugly, "The divine object is... it's... the kind that lets you get whatever you want, making your wishes come true. It's even more effective than the local earth god."

An old man quickly stopped him: "Don't make things up about the local deity, Lai Liu, you can't just say such things."

Lai Liu snorted: "Old man, with this divine object, why would I be afraid of the local earth god?"

Zhu glared at him and whispered, "What the hell are you spouting? It's a divine object, but don't brag about it. If the local earth god comes after you, don't drag me down with you!"

Lai Liu suddenly felt a cool breeze blowing on his neck.

When we arrived at Zhu Da's house, it was a two-courtyard house with a brick and wood mixed structure. It was considered one of the best houses in the village at present. The large estate located at the east end, facing south, was the most powerful and wealthy in the village.

Dazhuangzi was built by a retired official, the Vice Minister of Rites, who returned to his hometown during the reign of Emperor Gaozu.

It's now the fifth generation.

The retired vice minister died, but the connections he had built in officialdom remained, so everyone still respected that they were from the family of a vice minister and an official family, and dared not offend them.

The villagers followed Zhu Da to his house, watched him lead the white ox inside, and talked around him for a while, marveling at it before gradually dispersing.

This is exactly the effect Zhu Da wanted.

Once this news reaches the ears of the governor, those high-ranking officials will not miss such an auspicious omen.

Lai Liuzi tied the white ox to the courtyard, spread a layer of lotus leaves in the yard, then laid out the braised meat and roast chicken he had bought. He took out two bottles of wine from his pocket and handed one to Zhu Da.

"Done!"

The two men raised their bottles and drank.

Lai Liuzi tore off a chicken leg and handed it to Zhu Da, then tore off a chicken wing for himself and started gnawing on it.

The two men had been drinking for a while when Lai Liuzi said, "Zhu Da, I have a question. If the Zhu family wants the white ox, will you give it to them?"

Zhu Da sneered, "Of course not. Do you think it's still the time when the Vice Minister was alive? His family's connections are gone. Let alone the Prefect, even the County Magistrate doesn't associate with them much."

Lai Liuzi was taken aback and asked, "Doesn't their family have good connections in official circles?"

Zhu Da said, "Why did he retire? Was it really because he got old? It's because he's a member of the old party, haha. He didn't provoke me before, so he naturally gave me some face. Now that I have this treasure in my hands, it's only a matter of time before I rise to prominence. When that time comes, I'll be the boss of Zhu Family Village."

There is some truth in what you said.

The two talked and drank, and by the end, the ground was covered with chicken bones. They looked at the peach tree in the courtyard, feeling drowsy, and then drifted off to sleep.

It was getting late by then.

The moon is hanging high, and the stars fill the sky.

The two were snoring loudly.

Just then, a hand suddenly rested on the low wall outside Zhu's house, and a small head popped out. This small head looked like that of a boy who was only seven or eight years old.

The little boy struggled to climb up, then looked at Zhu Da and Lai Liuzi, who were fast asleep in the yard, and carefully descended. But his legs were too short, and he lost his footing and fell to the ground.

A dull thud!

The little boy was so frightened his heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

Fortunately, Zhu Da just turned over, groaned a couple of times, and went back to sleep.

The little boy quietly got up, went to the peach tree where the sacred ox was tied, carefully examined the sacred ox, and then knelt down with a "plop" and kowtowed nine times.

He believed that the more he kowtowed and the harder he kowtowed, the more effective his prayers would be.

"Divine ox, divine ox, please show your power and help my father's leg get better soon."

After he finished speaking, he sincerely kowtowed several times.

He looked up and suddenly screamed, "Ah—!"

A large face appeared in front of him, along with Lai Liu's loud laughter.

Zhu Da: "Are you from Zhu Decai's family at the south end of the village?"

The child was so frightened that he took several steps back, fell to the ground with a thud, and wiped his mouth: "Yes...yes...I didn't mean to...steal the cow, I just came to make a wish."

Lai Liu laughed so hard he almost fell over: "You little kids, you really think this is a divine ox that can grant your wish just by making a wish?"

Zhu roared angrily, "Get out of here, or I'll beat you every time I see you in my yard again."

The little boy quickly got up and ran, but instead of going to the front door, he ran to the wall and climbed over it several times before his short legs finally reached the top and he climbed over.

He ran away in a flash.

Zhu Da and Lai Liu burst into laughter, their laughter eventually becoming somewhat uncontrollable. Lai Liu then said, "What's this little guy's name again... Iron Head?"

Zhu Da nodded: "Zhu Tietou. His father's name, Zhu Decai, was given to him by the village scholar back then. Unfortunately, the scholar died, and no one was there to name him. So he was given Tietou? What an uneducated peasant."

Lai Liu asked, "Who broke Zhu Decai's leg?"

"Who else could it be? It was a servant from the Vice Minister's household who beat him. He had his eye on his family's 1.2 mu of good paddy field, but he refused to sell or exchange it. So he used the excuse that he had harassed one of his young ladies and beat her badly."

Lai Liu: "Those scholars are really ruthless."

Zhu Da nodded: "When I have a son in the future, I'll make sure he gets an education too."

Lai Liu smiled obsequiously: "Then you can pass the exam and become a vice minister, haha, then the whole village will have to call you Vice Minister Master."

Zhu Da laughed heartily, very pleased with himself.

Lai Liu said, "This kid has really caught my attention. Tonight we'll sleep in the yard to prevent those fools from stealing my cow."

Zhu Da corrected him: "It's my cow."

Lai Liu quickly nodded: "Yes, yes, what Boss Zhu said is right."

The cold moonlight shone down, and when Zhu Da slept, he held onto the white ox's rope with one hand.

In a thatched hut in the south of the village, the little boy excitedly ran into the room.

Lying on the earthen bed was a man so thin he looked like skin and bones. Hearing the noise, he struggled to sit up and watched the little boy run in.

"You went out?"

The little boy nodded and went to stand next to the man.

He touched the man's withered hand, nodded, and said, "Father, I just found the sacred ox and made a wish. Your leg will get better soon."

The little boy's eyes shone as he said this.

Giving yourself hope is giving yourself a ray of light.