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

Why must love be buried?

Women sometimes romanticize love, believing that only such love is truly faithful and lasts until death. Therefore, whether it's Shu Baimei, Hu Yunying, or Guo Lanying, they all believe that love must involve sacrifice.

That's what makes love poignant and beautiful.

Only tragic love stories last forever and endure.

Isn't this guy just plain crazy?

Zhang Zhengdao originally intended to tell the three women his own haphazardly adapted version of the Legend of the White Snake so they could understand the tragic consequence of squandering money and causing the Peach Blossom Temple to collapse.

As a result, the three women only focused on the love story.

Is love the most important thing?

The love story in *The Legend of the White Snake* was never the main focus; the main focus was Leifeng Pagoda. Because in the end, Leifeng Pagoda generated huge tourism revenue, making a fortune every day. This even inspired Zhang Zhengdao to consider building a pagoda in Peach Blossom Temple, then weaving a mysterious love story, and just waiting to rake in the ticket sales.

Sigh, things you can't understand with women, don't bother trying to figure them out. Therefore, Zhang Zhengdao felt that leaving for a while would be good for him.

To get to Lingzhou City from Taohua Temple, you need to pass through Linbin Town.

As Zhang Zhengdao walked through the town, he happened to run into Lu Xiaohua washing clothes at the dock. Seeing Zhang Zhengdao, she waved and greeted him warmly. After the incident of falling into the water, the little girl had become much more outgoing.

"Taoist Master, where are we going?"

Master Zhang really liked this little girl.

"To Lingzhou City!"

Lu Xiaohua exclaimed, "Wow! Lingzhou City! That's great! It's a huge city, maybe a hundred times the size of Linbin Town?"

"I've gone to see it, I'll let you know when I get back!"

Zhang Zhengdao waved and walked towards the town's intersection.

Lu Xiaohua stood up from her squatting position, looked at Zhang Zhengdao, reached out and brushed a strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead, stared blankly for a moment, and then twisted the clothes in her hands hard.

Many people greeted Zhang Zhengdao along the way.

Zhang Zhengdao responded to each point.

He didn't become arrogant after gaining some fame in Linbin Town. Nor did he look down on farmers and hoeers after making some money.

After leaving the town and walking for a while, I saw a newly built grave by the roadside. The grave mound was already covered with tender grass.

I was reminded of that charming yet headstrong little girl from the Four Beauties of Tianshan.

At the tender age of seventeen or eighteen, a girl as beautiful as a flower, gone just like that.

This is Jianghu.

He did not regret killing this young girl, just as he had killed Shu Baimei without hesitation back then.

The little girl's body in the grave is probably rotting now; her once beautiful face has turned into a pile of rotting flesh, and will eventually become a pile of bones.

A pink skull!

It was just a fleeting feeling; we continued on our way.

This is an official road that leads directly to Lingzhou Prefecture.

Along the official roads, in the suburbs or small towns near some county towns, teahouses would appear. They were mainly for travelers who, when thirsty, could rest by the roadside and have a cup of tea to relieve their fatigue.

Thanks to the Sword God Qin Shouzhong, there have been many martial arts practitioners heading to Linbin Town on this official road recently.

When Zhang Zhengdao strolled into the teahouse, several martial arts figures were already seated inside.

Wearing a straw hat, a short jacket, and carrying a large ring-handled sword, he is a chivalrous hero of the martial arts world.

The young man wearing a scholar's hat, a long robe, and a long sword at his waist must be from a reputable sect.

There were also pretty young girls, long-bearded old men, bald monks, and Taoist priests in blue robes.

Did I run into a fellow professional?

Zhang Zhengdao cupped his hands in greeting to the middle-aged man in the blue Taoist robe. They were all Taoists, and it was natural for Zhang Zhengdao to look after each other when they went out – this was Zhang Zhengdao's understanding from his previous life.

Those within the system should not make things difficult for others within the system.

The middle-aged Taoist priest also had a long, beautiful beard and a refined appearance, clearly a cultured and cultivated person.

This person just glanced at Zhang Zhengdao sideways, but didn't seem to intend to strike up a conversation.

This made Zhang Zhengdao feel somewhat embarrassed.

So he just focused on drinking his tea.

At this moment, a group of people came up the official road, some carrying knives, some carrying sticks, some carrying spears and swords at their waists... The older ones led the younger ones, who strode ahead.

"Step aside!"

The young man had a short temper. When he arrived at the teahouse and found there were no seats, he started to kick people out.

"You, get out of my way!"

The young man carrying a knife berated the bald monk.

The monk chanted "Amitabha" once, stood up, and moved aside. He then stood right next to Zhang Zhengdao.

Zhang Zhengdao rolled his eyes at the monk and moved away.

It's obvious something's going to happen here. You're trying to scam me by getting close to me, aren't you? I need to draw a clear line and not get involved.

This monk doesn't look like someone to be trifled with.

It is said in the martial arts world that scholars, old women, children, monks, Taoist priests, and pretty young women should not be messed with.

Zhang Zhengdao scoffed. If there are so many people you can't mess with, who's left to mess with? Are ordinary people the only ones you can mess with? If you're so wary, is this what it means to be a江湖 (jianghu, a world of martial arts and outlaws)? You might as well go back and honestly become a tenant farmer or do odd jobs to support yourself.

The pretty young woman watched the group of people come in with a smile, without moving an inch.

But the young man with the knife wouldn't ask her to give up her seat.

Beautiful women always receive preferential treatment; this has been the case since ancient times.

"And you, you, you... get out of the way!"

It refers to scholars, old men, and Taoist priests.

The three of them seemed to just want to watch the show and didn't want to cause trouble, so they obediently gave up their seats.

The burly man with the large ring-handled sword looked like someone not to be trifled with, so the young man didn't go up to ask him to give up his seat.

They all took their seats, surrounding a man wearing a cloak and a mask. This masked man was the center of their group.

The boss rushed over to pour tea and even brought out a large pile of melon seeds, saying they were free.

This made Zhang Zhengdao extremely jealous.

I just spent ten coins to buy these melon seeds, and these people just got them for free.

A strange silence pervaded the teahouse.

The people in the teahouse stopped chatting and waited quietly.

The group that came in later didn't speak either, sitting quietly as if waiting for something.

Zhang Zhengdao was so angry that he didn't want to say anything.

Everyone comes in for tea, why should they get to eat for free? The boss is so dishonest, a typical bully who preys on the weak.

The monk sat quietly, his mouth opening and closing, but he didn't make a sound.

Silently chanting scriptures.

They just sat there, no one left, and no one spoke.

Apart from the boss occasionally shakily coming out to refill everyone's tea before quickly disappearing back into the back, no one moved.

Half an hour...

An hour...

Two hours...

Zhang Zhengdao thought these people were crazy. They'd been sitting there for two hours straight, which was four hours in total. Four hours of sitting there, not saying a word, just drinking tea, and the worst part was, not a single one of them seemed to need to pee…

He also felt that he was crazy for watching them sit for so long.

"It's worth it..."

There was the sound of horses' hooves.

Take your time.

There seemed to be the sound of wheels, creaking and swaying as if they were moving. A little while later, a group of people could be seen coming from the direction of Lingzhou Prefecture on the official road.

Compared to the people in the teahouse, this should be considered a large group.

Leading the way was a middle-aged man riding a tall horse, dressed in fine brocade robes. Judging from his attire, he was likely a member of the Qingfeng Guard. The flying crane embroidered on the chest of his official robes indicated that he was at least a minor officer, a commander of a thousand men.

Behind them was a large contingent of about a hundred men, all on foot, with embroidered spring knives tucked into their belts. They surrounded a prison cart in the center.

The leader of the Qingfeng Guard, mounted on horseback, raised his fist.

Immediately, all the Qingfeng Guards stopped.

The prison van also stopped.

The group that later entered the teahouse also stood up, weapons in hand, staring intently at the Qingfeng Guards.

The masked man slowly stood up.

An imposing aura immediately swept over us, even causing our cloaks to flutter.

Holy crap, is this the main character mode?

He took only one step forward, and he was already outside the teahouse.

This single step was enough to make the discerning customers in the teahouse narrow their eyes and become extremely wary.

"Heh, the people of Qingmu Cliff, they have quite the nerve."

The commander of the Qingfeng Guard, riding a tall horse, sneered and slowly gripped the embroidered spring knife at his waist.

"Commander Dong, what an arrogant official you are!"

The masked man spoke in a deep, muffled voice, as if it were coming from a tube.

Zhang Zhengdao nervously looked to both sides, quickly cracking melon seeds. After drinking so much tea, his bladder wasn't so full anymore. He was thrilled to witness such a large-scale conflict in the martial arts world.

However, everyone else in the teahouse stood up, looking even more nervous than Zhang Zhengdao.

Only the monk sat not far from Zhang Zhengdao, chanting sutras with his eyes closed.

Zhang Zhengdao: ...

What are you trying to prove?

Zhang Zhengdao scoffed. If he hadn't been able to feel the monk's heart pounding, he would have thought that the monk was truly unfazed by the collapse of Mount Tai.