Starting from a peasant family, he mastered the profound art of martial arts.

Chapter 29 Seeking Immortality

It was early morning, and the weather was rather hot.

The two cleaned the house inside and out, and then found a bamboo pole to knock down the dates.

When the villagers saw this, they all came to join in the fun. The adults only tasted a few, while the children called their friends and picked them up from the ground.

This jujube tree is quite old, and the jujubes it bears are sweet and plentiful. In previous years, besides keeping some for our own consumption, we would carry the rest to town to sell, which was also a source of income.

After picking the dates, it was past noon, and they had harvested about seventy or eighty catties.

Meng Chen and Qingyu ate a lot of dates, but dates weren't filling enough, so Qingyu busied herself cooking two bowls of noodles.

Seeing that it was still early and there was no work to do in the fields, Meng Chen remembered Du Ren's instructions and decided to go to Xiazijian to see Gong Ziming.

Qingyu naturally followed, so the two of them put on straw hats, and Meng Chen carried a wooden stick, and they set off.

Along the way, Qingyu talked non-stop, not only recounting all the big and small things happening in and around the village, but also finding out who Meng Chen knew from his time learning martial arts at the school.

Xiazijian is located south of Niujia Village, next to the mountains. Most of the villagers don't own much land and make a living by collecting herbs, growing hawthorns, or even hunting.

After arriving at the destination and making some inquiries, they finally found Gong Ziming's house.

His house was very dilapidated, made of mud and stones, and it was unknown where he got the tuition fee to join the martial arts school.

"He went up the mountain to gather herbs the other day, and he won't be back for at least three to five days." Only Gong Ziming's elderly mother was at home. "Are you from Niujia Village? Do you know Old Chen?"

"I know her, she's Old Chen's granddaughter." Meng Chen pointed to the bluefish.

The old woman's face was weathered and full of wrinkles. She carefully examined Qingyu, then looked at Meng Chen and said in a low voice, "You are Ming'er's friend. Come and visit him more often when you have time."

Seeing that the old woman didn't look well, Meng Chen asked, "What's wrong with him?"

"He's had a relapse," the old woman said, bursting into tears. "His father died young, and no one has been disciplining him. Lately, he's been talking about immortals in the mountains every day, saying he wants to learn their magic, and that the Daoist patriarch's miraculous appearances are real. He also says that once he learns their magic, he'll live forever. I've hit him and scolded him, but nothing works..."

Meng Chen was speechless for a moment. He had also heard the legend of the Dao Ancestor manifesting himself. It was said that every July, the Dao Ancestor would transform into a giant fish and swim among the stars, which people in the world could look up and admire.

Everyone knows this legend, but no one has ever seen it. Some old people describe it in fantastical terms, but Meng Chen asked Old Chen, who said he had lived for over eighty years and had never seen it even once!

Even so, every household still enshrines the ancestral tablet of the Taoist Ancestor.

Meng Chen was a country boy. Although he had learned some skills in the city for a few days, he still lacked knowledge and didn't understand much about immortals.

"I understand. I'll come see him when I have time. If he comes back, you should also tell him to come to the city to find me," Meng Chen said.

The woman agreed.

After chatting for a while, Meng Chen left the dates he had brought and then took his leave.

"Have some food before you leave." Gong's mother looked very old, with gray hair, but she still insisted that her son's classmate stay for dinner.

"We have something to do later, let's eat next time we come," Meng Chen politely declined.

The woman lingered a few moments, but seeing that Meng Chen was really about to leave, she insisted on giving him two catties of hawthorn berries, saying, "You two are young, eat more hawthorn berries, they'll warm you up!"

Meng Chen had no choice but to accept the hawthorns.

On the way back, Qingyu chattered away, saying that when it gets colder, they would come to the mountains to pick sour jujubes to eat.

By the time we arrived at Niujia Village, it was already getting dark.

Old Chen was watering his donkey when he looked Meng Chen over and asked, "Have you finished your studies?"

"I've only learned the basics," Meng Chen said honestly.

Old Chen asked curiously, "Learning just the basics wouldn't be bad, would it? Enough to beat Yan Long, right?"

Even if I study for another year, I still can't beat Yan Long! He's the number one expert in Qingshui County!

"I can't beat them." Meng Chen shook his head.

Old Chen frowned. "You're usually so quick and efficient at working in the fields, why are you so slow and hesitant when it comes to martial arts?" He then asked, "How long will it take you to win a fight?"

How can you say for sure? He's a martial artist at the fourth realm. The gap between the third and fourth realms is insurmountable; nine out of ten people can't cross it in their entire lives! Meng Chen didn't know how to answer, so he could only bite the bullet and say, "Three to five years..."

Old Chen shook his head as he listened.

"Yan Long has been practicing for over twenty years, and my brother thinks he can surpass him in just a few days?" Qingyu spoke up for Meng Chen, adding, "Grandpa, martial arts isn't something you can learn in a day or two; it's very difficult!"

"What's so difficult about that? It's just like us country folk working in the fields. Just observe more, practice more, and figure it out yourself, and you'll get the hang of it." Old Chen said, sounding like an expert.

"I heard from my brother that we have to train hard in the sweltering summer and the freezing winter, and pass three tests. We can't skip a single day of training," Qingyu said earnestly.

"Why be so particular? That kid's an amateur; he tripped and fell, blaming the ground for being uneven." Old Chen patted the donkey's head, looked at Meng Chen, and asked, "Do you have enough money?"

"That's enough. I'm learning fast, and someone is willing to sponsor me," Meng Chen said.

"Alright. Then hurry up." Old Chen sighed. "Save some money so I can bring Qingyu to live with me, so she won't side with outsiders. I can also have some peace and quiet and go out to see my old buddies."

"What is financial aid?" Qingyu didn't understand.

"It means that if someone gives me money and I develop skills, I have to repay their kindness," Meng Chen explained in detail. "There used to be a kind-hearted man in our county named Zhen, who was quite wealthy. Once, when Mr. Zhen was visiting a Buddhist temple, he happened to meet a down-on-his-luck scholar who was staying there for the night. After chatting for a few minutes, he realized that although the scholar was poor, he was very talented in literature. So he gave the scholar one hundred taels of silver to help him go to the capital to take the imperial examination! After the scholar arrived in the capital, he indeed became wealthy. Remembering the kindness he had shown him, he found a good marriage for Mr. Zhen's daughter!"

"So it turns out one person gives money, and the other has to repay the favor..." Qingyu seemed to understand, but after hearing that a good marriage had been found, she remembered that her grandfather had given Meng Chen twenty taels of silver. So she asked in a low voice, "What if he becomes successful and then runs away?"

"If you forget your family's kindness, you'll be talked about behind your back. Ungrateful people are not welcome anywhere," Meng Chen said.

"You don't need to keep it in mind all the time, just remember it." As if she'd received confirmation, Qingyu blushed slightly and turned to go to the kitchen. "Grandpa, he bought you a roast chicken, said it's from Yang's, it's really delicious!"

After dinner, Meng Chen chatted with Old Chen for a long time, mostly reporting good news and not bad.

As it grew later, Meng Chen went home to sleep, and Qingyu even came to deliver some food.

After opening the courtyard gate, Qingyu followed him in. She suddenly became shy and asked in a low voice, "Brother, do you have to go back tomorrow morning?"

"I'm not leaving tomorrow. But I'm afraid I won't be able to work with you on the autumn harvest this time." Meng Chen had already thought it through. Although the autumn harvest was approaching, if he stayed at home and Gao Yuan came looking for him, there would probably be more trouble.

For now, the only option is to stay at the martial arts school and learn the skills. Once we've made further progress and gained some expertise, we can resolve the higher-level issues, and then everything else will be easier to discuss.

"Two years ago, there was a huge flood, and many of us boatmen died. Later, someone erected a monument at the foot of a small hill by the lake, and everyone goes there to burn paper money in remembrance." Qingyu looked expectant. "I miss my mother. Brother, if you're not leaving tomorrow, come with me."

"Okay." Meng Chen agreed without hesitation.