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

It's like an epiphany.

Zhang Zhengdao's mention of his wife from a past life has made the young girl obsessed.

She refused to admit it in her heart.

So he ran out and asked the six ghosts.

The little girl asked curiously, "Did you also say to that woman, like a madman, that she was your wife in a past life?"

Second Senior Brother: "I'm a madman."

The other five ghosts immediately burst into laughter.

Junior Sister: "Second Senior Brother, how crazy are you?"

Second Senior Brother: "When I go crazy, even I'm afraid of myself."

The little girl said, "Do you guys have any ideas? That Taoist priest insists that I was his wife in a past life." She decided to interrupt their nonsensical conversation.

The eldest brother was silent for a moment before saying, "It's possible that this is true."

The senior sister also said, "The past life is the past life, and this life is this life. What does it matter?"

The fifth junior brother, a simp, said, "I don't think it's a matter of past and present lives. It's that in your past life you were his wife, and in this life he wants you to be his wife again. So, life after life, you will be his wife."

The third senior brother said, "I don't think whether you are his wife or not is important. What's important is how this Taoist knows you are his wife from a previous life?"

The little girl was taken aback. That's a good question.

The junior sister said, "Because we look alike!"

All the ghosts and the little girl looked at their junior sister. What a clever girl she is!

The eldest brother said, "Little girl, you should go ask your master. We are all ghosts, and we haven't even entered the cycle of reincarnation, so we can't give you an answer."

That's quite honest.

But at this time, the master... was probably doing *that* with the Taoist priest. The girl, though young, was still fourteen or fifteen. In those days, boys were expected to establish their fathers' ambitions by fifteen, and daughters were sent to marry into their families at fifteen. Especially in educated families, this kind of education was started much earlier.

The little girl squatted in the corner counting ants.

One, two, three...

Then Zhang Zhengdao and Zixia came out and saw the little girl in the corner.

Zixia said, "Still thinking about your past life? It's all nonsense from the Taoist priest. If you believe him, you'll be fooled."

The little girl said, "I didn't believe it!"

Zhang Zhengdao glanced at the young girl, said nothing, and went straight out the door.

Zixia was teaching her apprentices in the courtyard.

Chunhua's father was a student who had completed his studies at the lowest level of the imperial examinations. His surname was Gu.

Gu Tongsheng didn't look like a scholar; he was tall and thin, and his robes made him look like he was hanging on a clothesline. But he lifted his long robe, tied it around his waist, and sat on the threshold of the door, barefoot, holding the large bowl of rice that Chunhua had served him, quickly shoveling rice into his mouth.

"Taoist priest... are you looking for me?"

Gu Tongsheng put down his bowl and chopsticks, stood up, wiped his hands on his trouser leg, and bowed with his hands clasped.

Zhang Zhengdao also bowed.

"Gu Chunhua is learning cultivation from Fairy Zixia, so I've come to see you."

Gu Tongsheng smiled and said, "I still want to thank the fairy for giving her this opportunity. If she can cultivate immortal techniques and successfully change her fate, there will be far fewer troubles in this world."

Zhang Zhengdao laughed and said, "You can change Chunhua's fate too? Passing the imperial examination might change her fate as well."

Gu Tongsheng shook his head and smiled: "How difficult it is. Even if you pass the exam and get a minor official position, you still have no control over your own destiny. Only true freedom can change your fate."

That's quite true.

Great freedom is not something that ordinary people can possess.

From emperors to peddlers to farmers in the fields, who among them can achieve true freedom and carefree living? But cultivating immortality is different.

This is how mortals view immortals.

Therefore, Zhang Zhengdao could only smile when speaking to Gu Tongsheng, without offering any explanation.

"Gu Chunhua was my wife in my previous life."

Zhang Zhengdao told Gu Tongsheng directly.

Gu Tongsheng glanced at Zhang Zhengdao, showing little surprise. Instead, he nodded and said, "Those who cultivate immortality naturally understand the concept of past and present lives. If you say so, then so be it. In this life, she has now found her destiny in immortality. If she can understand this as well, then I will not stop her from doing anything."

The meaning is obvious: unless Gu Chunhua also knows the cause of her past life and is still willing to marry Zhang Zhengdao in this life.

"Rest assured, sir, I would never do anything that forces someone to do something against their will."

After finishing his explanation, Zhang Zhengdao said, "It is fate that we have met. Why don't we have a cup of tea to express our feelings?" With that, he flipped his hand, and a cup of tea appeared in his palm.

Gu Tongsheng accepted it without ceremony, picked it up, and drank it.

After finishing his drink, he even cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Zhang Zhengdao.

"Thank you!"

Zhang Zhengdao laughed heartily, turned around, and left.

Gu Tongsheng watched Zhang Zhengdao walk away, then bent down, picked up his rice bowl, and finished eating with his chopsticks. He didn't seem to care much about his appearance.

Although he was a scholar, he cultivated the land and indeed looked like a farmer.

After finishing my meal, I turned around and went into the house, but I felt dizzy and staggered a few steps. I just wanted to sleep, so I quickly climbed into bed and lay down.

He had barely lain down when he fell asleep, snoring loudly.

As I drifted off to sleep, I vaguely felt my body becoming light and airy, as if I were flying uncontrollably. I finally landed on a cliff.

On the cliff, a Taoist priest stood facing the wind.

Although his face was obscured, the way he held the whisk and the white Taoist robe made him look like an enlightened immortal.

"You are the Heavenly Lord Youyang, descended to the mortal realm. Now, having received guidance from someone who has attained the Great Dao, I have waited here specifically for you. Would you like to follow me to cultivate immortal arts and return to the Heavenly Court?"

Gu Tongsheng was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed, saying, "This disciple is willing."

The Taoist priest said, "That's very good. I am the Celestial Immortal Lord Taiyi, and from now on I will be your master. Our master-disciple relationship has been restored, which can be considered a return to the right track. You have been unconscious for three days now, so go back."

Having said that, Immortal Lord Taiyi waved his whisk, and Gu Tongsheng was involuntarily lifted into the air. In a daze, he seemed to have returned to his own room.

Inside the room, by the bedside, a little girl was holding a bowl of porridge, looking at him nervously.

It was his own daughter, Gu Chunhua.

When she opened her eyes, Gu Chunhua immediately smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons.

"Father, the Taoist priest said you would wake up at this time today, and it really did!"

Gu Tongsheng sat up, feeling refreshed, though he was a little hungry.

He took the large bowl of porridge from Gu Chunhua and drank it all in one gulp. He was still not satisfied, but he knew that his stomach had been empty for three days, so he couldn't overeat and had to eat gradually.

Where is the Taoist priest?

Feeling some strength returning to his body, Gu Tongsheng got up and asked Gu Chunhua.

Gu Chunhua: "The Taoist priest went fishing. Master is at the inn, giving a lecture."

Gu Tongsheng asked in surprise, "Has your master taken on another disciple?"

Chunhua shook her head and said, "No, it's Master scolding those six ghosts."

Everyone in the town knew that the six martial arts figures killed at the inn had become ghosts. Gu Tongsheng was no exception!

"Come on, I have to thank your master and the Taoist priest."

In the courtyard of the inn, six ghosts stood in a row, each with a different appearance, looking at Zixia sitting on a chair in front of them.

The junior sister straightened her intestines and put them back into her stomach.

Unfortunately, the incision in her stomach was too big, and it slipped out again, so she quickly held it up with her hands.

Some parts fell off half of the second brother's face, which he picked up and put back.

The fellow students were either plugging leaks, picking up trash, or spitting blood...

Zixia grew annoyed and scolded, "Why are you so fixated on your appearance at the time of your death? Your appearances aren't physical bodies now; they're all figments of your imagination. Once you become ghosts, your forms will change according to your imagination, you know? You don't even have ghost bodies..."

Everyone stopped and looked at Zixia.

Zixia said, "This form is formed by your last consciousness at the moment of death. So, what your body looks like at the moment of death will shape your soul according to your last consciousness."

The six ghosts suddenly realized what was happening.

But the junior sister was still holding up the situation, the second senior brother was still clutching his head, the third senior brother was still spitting blood, and the eldest senior brother was still constantly pulling the arrows out of his body...

Unbearable.

Zixia waved her hand, but a beam of light rushed towards them, and then they saw six people dressed in white, handsome men and beautiful women, appear in front of Zixia.

"Master is so amazing!"

Chunhua couldn't help but clap and cheer.

Gu Tongsheng came over and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, fairy."

Zixia said, "It wasn't me who helped you, it was the Taoist priest. Moreover, your master is the famous Taiyi Immortal in Heaven, who was also your former master, and it's all fate."

Gu Tongsheng insisted on performing a deep bow, and then waited to the side.

He will thank the Taoist priest when he returns.

Although he didn't have money to buy gifts, he could at least offer a grand gesture, and give the Taoist priest and the fairy some more after the harvest. This was all he could offer.

The six fellow students looked at each other, overjoyed.

Especially the junior sister, who had regained her beautiful appearance and kowtowed to Zixia repeatedly.

The sycophantic young man next to her reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Do not touch me!"

The junior sister glared at him.

Fifth Senior Brother stared wide-eyed in surprise and said, "Junior Sister, why are you being so distant?"

Junior Sister: "Hehe, when I was being completely open and honest before, it was just a temporary measure, a last resort. Now that I'm as beautiful as a flower, who do you think you are?"

The fifth senior brother was struck dumb, speechless.