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

The old man is the charming scholar Liao Xiaochun, the middle-aged man in the scholar's robe is the bloodthirsty butcher Ba Tiannong, the old woman is Chunhua Niang Xiao Yiren, and the charming woman in the red dress is the Moon Invitation Fairy Shu Baimei, who is sought after by people in the martial arts world, yet feared by them.

Adding to the list of those who died, Cui Yiming, the Soul Chaser, made up the famous "Five Eccentrics" of the martial arts world. Besides the Five Eccentrics, there were also the Four Masters, who were even more powerful than the Five Eccentrics.

Legend has it that the Five Eccentrics and Four Masters are the top figures among the current innate masters.

However, the Four Masters possess refined tastes and generally do not actively meddle in the affairs of the martial world, maintaining a detached status. The Five Eccentrics, on the other hand, enjoy stirring up trouble in the martial world, killing countless people, and are widely notorious.

It is an evil creature that cannot be defeated by fighting or verbally abused.

“Old man, now that Cui Yiming is dead, let’s change our names!” suggested the middle-aged man in a scholar’s ​​robe, Blood Butcher Ba Tiannong.

"I disagree!" Old woman Chunhua's mother, Xiao Yiren, glared angrily at Batian Nong.

"Are you having an affair with Cui Yiming?" the old man, a handsome scholar named Liao Xiaochun, asked.

"I'm having an affair with your father, my good son!" Old woman Chunhua's mother roared.

“Alright, let’s not waste our brains and call them the Four Monsters,” said Blood Butcher Ba Tiannong.

"Five strange things!" Chunhua's mother, Xiao Yiren, gritted her teeth. "Unless I die."

"Those are the Three Eccentrics!"

"I'll fight you to the death!" the old woman said, rolling up her sleeves.

Ba Tiannong immediately backed down; this old woman was using poison, he'd be badly injured even if he didn't die.

However, an agreement was reached: they needed to find Guo Lanying first. To find Guo Lanying, they had to find her master, Butterfly Fairy Hu Yunying.

Mount Emei, Lingying School.

With its flying eaves and bracket sets, the buildings are arranged in a well-organized manner, exuding the grandeur of a martial arts sect.

The Lingying Sect is located next to the Emei Sect, a major sect on Mount Emei. The two sects often exchange information and their disciples also interact with each other. There are also friendly matches between the two sects during the year-end assessment.

Friendship first, competition second.

"Master!"

Guo Lanying knelt on a prayer mat in the side hall, while a beautiful young woman sat on the seat above her.

Butterfly Fairy Hu Yunying raised her hand: "Have you taken your revenge?"

"Half of them have been reported!"

"Reimbursing half is still considered reimbursing; just do what you can afford!"

Lingying School prioritizes safety above all else.

"This time when I went down the mountain, I encountered a remarkable person!"

"An extraordinary person?"

"Yes, this extraordinary person is highly skilled in martial arts, probably reaching the level of the Four Great Masters, but he lives the life of an ordinary person." Guo Lanying said, "It was he who saved my disciple's life."

"We should repay your kindness. Have you offered yourself to me?" Butterfly Fairy Hu Yunying asked.

Guo Lanying said dejectedly, "No, I just feel that this person looks down on me. Putting aside his long, flowing beard and handsome appearance, just the fact that he..."

"Oh? Tell me more!" Hu Yunying became interested and leaned closer.

Guo Lanying continued: "Just looking at his martial arts skills..."

"Um... how handsome and dashing is he? How tall is he? Is his skin fair and smooth? The ancients often described him as having a face like jade... Is this extraordinary person as the ancients described him...?"

"Master——"

Guo Lanying twisted her waist and acted coquettishly.

Hu Yunying coughed twice and sat up straight: "Such a great favor, we cannot shirk our responsibility. Since you feel that the masters look down on you, then your master will suffer a loss..."

"Master, if anyone should repay a debt of gratitude, it's your disciple—"

Guo Lanying was dissatisfied again.

People are discovered by themselves, and connections are formed by themselves. If anyone suffers a loss, it is themselves who suffers the loss; it has nothing to do with the Master.

Hu Yunying looked at Guo Lanying with a face full of disappointment.

Trying to compete with me? Ha!

This wretched disciple is going to be so filial to me that I die?

I'm already over thirty. How many thirty-year periods does one have in a lifetime? Maybe in the next thirty years I'll be laid to rest, and you're still going to try and take it from your master?

Most martial arts masters in the martial arts world are in their seventies or eighties. Would someone really want a man like that, hoping he'll be paralyzed in his later years, confined to a wheelchair, and have frequent bowel movements?

Eighteen or nineteen-year-old boys are mostly "puppy dogs"—they're young and have soft skin, but their skills are terrible. Why would you want to keep him cute, work as a bodyguard, and even steal his money?

What's hateful are those middle-aged men, most of whom are somewhat famous in the underworld and quite wealthy. But such men usually have many wives and concubines, and marrying into such a family means waiting every evening to be selected through a lottery system before one can even share a room with the other.

A rare breed of high-quality man in the martial arts world.

Hu Yunying sighed, "Lanying, you're still so young..."

Guo Lanying was furious, her chest heaving, and she wanted to speak.

"Um... I have something to do, you go have fun by yourself!" Hu Yunying decisively got up and left.

Guo Lanying stomped her feet, twisted her waist, and swayed her hips.

I'm having trouble breathing, my periods are irregular, and I've even squeezed out pimples on my face.

That night, a shadowy figure quietly left from the back slope of Lingying Sect and disappeared into the night.

"Master——"

At dawn, a piercing scream shattered the tranquility of the Lingying Sect.

Hu Yunying, the 27th generation nun of the Lingying Sect, has disappeared without a trace...

Peach Blossom Mountain is actually not very large, only about 300 li in area, spanning one prefecture and one county. The mountain is not steep, but the trees are lush. In addition to Peach Blossom Temple in Lingzhou and Daoxian, there are also two famous temples, one Taoist and one Buddhist, in the nearby Qingzhou.

As for the many other lesser-known monks, there are countless of them.

Taohua Temple is famous in Linbin Town, but it's nothing in Lingzhou.

Besides Peach Blossom Mountain, Lingzhou also has Qiufu Mountain, which also has Taoist temples and monasteries. In particular, a hundred years ago, a great literary figure was demoted to Lingzhou as the prefect. He visited Qiufu Mountain and wrote "A Record of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion on Qiufu Mountain", which made Qiufu Mountain and the dilapidated pavilion on it famous for all time.

To this day, people flock there to visit.

Whenever he thought of this, Zhang Zhengdao would sigh with regret, wishing he could immediately copy "The Story of the Drunken Pavilion" and then promote it widely, so that the Taoist temple's business would be at least twice as good.

The money for tickets, incense, fortune telling, talismans, and souvenirs—isn't that enough to make your hands cramp from counting money?

Even with the government taking a cut, they could still make a fortune.

such a pity!

If I were to write it down, I doubt anyone would care.

He was a great writer; even his farts sounded like jade bells and celestial music, and his spits were full of eloquent words and profound thoughts.

If Lao Tzu were to release a Chinese text, it would only be considered a Taoist scripture for salvation.

Besides, how could those roughnecks in Linbin Town possibly understand it? They barely recognize any characters, and even the town magistrate might not be able to appreciate its subtleties.

They might even claim they copied it...

"The Story of the Drunken Old Man's Pavilion": ...

Is not it?

It’s not easy!

These days, with the economy in a downturn, it's tough to make a living in any industry.

Last month, Quan Laoshi's wife cheated on him and was sold to a brothel by him. As a result, she hanged herself. Her family kept her body at Quan Laoshi's house, and he hired Zhang Zhengdao to perform a ritual.

As it turned out, Quan Laoshi actually bargained.

He was only willing to pay one tael and two mace of silver, even though it was one tael and five mace.

Zhang Zhengdao wished he could immediately send this damned thief to his grave. However, considering the future economic situation and the need for a long-term, sustainable approach, he made a rash decision and agreed.

That promise ruined everything.

This month, the three families who are holding funerals are only willing to contribute one tael and two mace of silver each.

Zhang Zhengdao hated Quan Laoshi his whole life.

Damn it, an honest man doing things that require stuttering.

After some time, business gradually declined. It wasn't that fewer people were dying, but rather that fewer people could afford to hire a Taoist priest after they died.

Nowadays, when people hold banquets, fewer and fewer households can afford to contribute more than ten copper coins. Most only contribute five copper coins. This is almost an unwritten rule in Linbin Town.

Five copper coins used to buy five large meat buns in Linbin Town. Now they can only buy three.

The Taoist temple was deserted, with few people offering incense.

As the peach blossoms faded and the peaches ripened, the chill of spring faded and the weather gradually warmed up. The young women and skillful wives of Linbin Town all came out dressed in light, cool clothing.

Along the riverbank, some people were drawing water, while others were playing and having fun.

When Zhang Zhengdao finished making the sauce and was walking back, his favorite thing to do was to stand by the shimmering river and watch the beautiful, youthful scenes unfold. Every gesture and movement exuded a wonderful... well, you know.

"Youth!"

Zhang Zhengdao sighed.

Being single for too long makes everything seem like youth, and everything seems like... well, you know. What if I brought out my ultimate weapon, the butterfly cushion, and put it in ancient times? Wouldn't the women go crazy? They'd be invincible, making a fortune... haha...

Thinking of his triumphant moments, he couldn't help but burst into laughter, flicked his sleeves, and strode away.

Several young wives stood by the river, watching Zhang Zhengdao's retreating figure, covering their mouths and giggling so hard they could hardly stand up straight.

A daring young woman called out from afar, "Taoist priest, you're spying on us again!"

Zhang Zhengdao's face flushed red, and veins bulged on his forehead.

"Peeping? Watching isn't peeping. Men's affairs... how can that be considered peeping? As the saying goes, a gentleman remains steadfast in poverty... the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as water, especially with women... you are like water..."

The use of classical Chinese phrases immediately caused the young wives and girls to burst into laughter.

The riverbank was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Amidst the silvery laughter of young girls and newlyweds, Zhang Zhengdao walked briskly and soon arrived at the mountain path, his face beaming with a mysterious smile.