Super Elation Under the Sun

Chapter 96 The Old and Young Taoists

Wang Shi and the other three continued to climb up the mountain and headed to the Qing Temple. It was still early, and they were cultivators, so they didn't feel tired while climbing. Li Baizhu was much more interested in the young Taoist on the mountainside than other things, so after she passed the mountainside, she was in low spirits.

Both Wang Shi and You Muzhi were Taoists, but they had never been to the Qing Temple, so after they walked and stopped, they were confused as they couldn't find the temple seemingly. As for the two ladies from Luoshui Academy, Leng Pingxue looked indifferent all the time and seldom talked while climbing. Seeing that they seemed to be unable to find the Qing Temple, she stopped and stood to have a rest beside the mountain path.

Wang Shi stood aside and looked impassive, while You Muzhi got close to Li Baizhu and asked with a smile as he saw that this lady was not happy, "What's the matter, Master Li? Do you feel bored on the mountain?"

Li Baizhu glanced at this young Taoist and didn't want to reply. So after she shook her head, she came to her senior sister apprentice and asked in a low voice, "Pingxue, the Taoists on mountains can get married?"

Leng Pingxue looked at her junior sister apprentice and answered softly, "The cultivators on mountains are not heartless. Why can't they get married? As for the cultivators from the three religious sects like us, both the cultivators of Taoism and Confucianism don't forbid this except the monks on the Buddhist land who would never get married. Perhaps you will put on a red wedding dress and get married when you are older in several years. Then will you marry a master in the academy who is incomparably learned or a common person?"

Li Baizhu looked up and responded with a smile, "The man I will marry must be the most learned scholar in the human world. Don't mention the senior fellow apprentices in the academy. I need to choose one in the Yanling Confucian Temple. Otherwise, I don't want to marry anybody."

Leng Pingxue joked, "The scholars in that Yanling Confucian Temple can't be said to be the most learned in the world, right?"

"Then I won't get married." Li Baizhu was carefree and never hesitated.

Leng Pingxue didn't want to continue with this subject. She pondered for a moment and then shook her head. "We climb up the mountain this time, and you can take it as sightseeing. I never expected that we can do something in this Taoist temple depending on us, and we need the master and that elder Taoist to do the main job."

Li Baizhu nodded and then asked about Li Nianshan again who washed clothes, but Leng Pingxue turned a deaf ear. In fifteen minutes, the four continued to climb up the mountain.

This time, after they walked a short distance along a path, they finally saw a big courtyard. A young Taoist was sitting inside and cutting paper with a pair of big scissors in his hand.

Because he was concentrated, he didn't notice Wang Shi and the three who came near him. He just lowered his head and wondered if what he made could be used. Wang Shi didn't say anything and merely craned his neck to see what the young Taoist had cut, to find that there were patterns of all kinds of small animals besides some words for a wedding. Perhaps the young Taoist was not skilled, so the paper he had cut was not good-looking, yet he did the job carefully, as if reading some rare books about Taoism.

After the young Taoist finished cutting the word in his hand, he raised his head and saw four people standing in front of him. He didn't know how long they had stayed here. Then he hurriedly got up and kowtowed to them, smiling awkwardly.

Wang Shi introduced himself and then said that they would go to the mountaintop to avoid summer heat. The young Taoist nodded with a smile and explained, "It is cool on the mountain indeed. However, in fact, it is not because the mountain is high as the outsiders say but because of the talismans drawn by the elders in the temple. Then there is cool wind." When Wang Shi asked why they did that, the young Taoist smiled with shyness and replied that the burning incense in the temple needed to be paid by the common people. Otherwise a lot of Taoists would starve to death.

For the first time, Wang Shi heard such an honest answer, and he was doubtful, yet the young Taoist said with certainty that he didn't hide anything from them. The masters in the temple never told them to hide it. If somebody asked, they would say so. They were not afraid that the common people who climbed the mountain would think that there was no immortality at the mountaintop. They were not immortals, and it was normal to be with humanity.

They saw a young Taoist who wanted to get married and then met such a young Taoist who spoke so honestly, which made Wang Shi think more highly of the Qing Temple than he had thought when he was at the foot of the mountain, but after only a few words, Wang Shi couldn't jump to early conclusions.

Li Baizhu was carefree. Looking at the paper-cut on the table, she asked excitedly, "Master, you cut them for the young Taoist on the mountainside, right?"

The young Taoist was stunned for a while and then asked, "You have seen my junior fellow apprentice?" Later he continued with a smile, "Li will get married, but there is nothing good on the mountain, so as his senior fellow apprentices, we have to make something for him. However, I have never done such a job, so the things I made are not good-looking. I hope that he won't dislike them. Otherwise, I won't have a face to ask for a drink at his wedding."

Wang Shi smiled and asked, "I heard Li say that he will marry a girl outside the mountain. Is it true? Won't Li and the people in the temple be worried?"

Wang Shi didn't finish his words, yet anybody knew what he meant.

After a cultivator took the road of cultivating, he could live longer once he reached a higher stage, and the cultivators at high stages could even live for thousands of years, but an ordinary person could live for merely one hundred years at most. If they got married, perhaps in the future, one would be at the height of his youth and vigor, while the other would be old with white hair.

The young Taoist didn't avoid answering such a question, and he just explained, "Li's talent in cultivating is not outstanding, and it is hard for him to make progress on the mountain these years. After he decided to get married, his cultivation base was ruined in the Merit Hall, and in fact, he is the same as an ordinary person, so it is not a big deal."

You Muzhi asked with a frown, "His cultivation base was ruined so easily?"

The young Taoist smiled bitterly. "Li is carefree and cultivated on the mountain just following the fate these years. He didn't ask for anything, nor did he hesitate to ruin his cultivation base. However, if it happened to any other disciple on the mountain, he wouldn't be so carefree, so Master always said that none of the Taoists on the mountain can compare with Li."

Li Baizhu whispered, "He can give up the road of cultivating because of a girl. Nobody knows how much he loves that girl."

Wang Shi smiled in silence and just turned to Leng Pingxue.

You Muzhi stated, "Perhaps in that young Taoist's opinion, the girl is his road to achieve his goal."

The young Taoist's eyes lit up and he looked at You Muzhi, smiling heartfully. "My master also said that Li didn't have a good result when he cultivated on the mountain these years, and he couldn't remember the scriptures or learn the skills well. It is not because he is stupid but because his goal is not here. He misses that girl all the time and is unwilling to delay as soon as she agreed to marry him. He is so anxious must because his goal is that girl. Master said the goal is everywhere between heaven and earth. Everybody has a goal different from others'. Since he can find it, it is a good thing. No matter whether Li will leave here or stay on the mountain, it's up to him and nobody will stop him."

Leng Pingxue finally expressed unhappily, "There is no rule on this mountain."

Anybody would feel annoyed after hearing such impolite remarks, while the young Taoist didn't get angry at all. He just said that he needed to send the paper to Li as soon as possible, but he had to receive the tourists here, so it was troublesome. Li Baizhu got excited and offered that she would send them to the mountainside for this Taoist as she felt bored on the mountain. The young Taoist agreed smilingly and put away the things. Then he gave them to Li Baizhu and told her, "Please send a message for me after you see Li. Tell him that the betrothal gifts prepared by our senior fellow apprentice will be sent to the mountainside these days, and he doesn't need to worry."

Li Baizhu received these things and nodded, saying with a smile, "Master, rest assured. I will give the things and send your message to him."

Then Li Baizhu glanced at her senior sister apprentice, to see that her expression didn't change. However, after Li Baizhu got up, Leng Pingxue followed her to the bamboo cottage on the mountainside. In her opinion, the investigation on the mountain was not as important as her junior sister apprentice.

After the two ladies from Luoshui Academy went down to the mountainside, Wang Shi frowned. He wanted the two ladies to be witnesses. Now they had gone to the bamboo cottage, and he couldn't do anything, so after asking this young Taoist, he said that he wanted to walk around.

The young Taoist didn't stop him and kowtowed, seeing the two Taoists off.

After Wang Shi left for a while, the young Taoist returned to his seat and grabbed a brush pen, dipping in the red ink on the table. Then he drew a talisman.

The talisman in red ink drawn on the yellow paper was shaped slowly.

The young Taoist smiled and nodded. "Li, I don't have any ability. We need Master to do these things."

Before Li Baizhu and Leng Pingxue reached the bamboo cottage on the mountainside, an old Taoist dressed in a yellow robe brought a lot of things to the cottage. Seeing that his disciple was still washing clothes by the pool, the old Taoist put away the things and then moved a small bamboo stool. Later, he sat next to Li Nianshan and rubbed his head.

Li Nianshan showed a sad face. "Master, I am getting married in a few days. Why do you still rub my head? I will be stupid."

The old Taoist chuckled and knocked at his disciple's head. "Don't I know that the girl you love always says that you are a stupid Taoist? Since you are a stupid Taoist, it doesn't matter if you become stupider."

Li Nianshan furrowed his brows. "Master, what you said doesn't make sense. I am stupid. If I become stupider, she will dislike me."

The old Taoist was helpless. This disciple of his had been on the mountain for many years and remained muddle-headed all the time. He had been disdained by his master for a lot of times, yet he never minded. Now he was going to marry a girl, and he was afraid that she would dislike him. Was his master worthless in his eyes?

Li Nianshan stopped washing and turned to his master, asking with a smile, "Master, did you come to see me today because you don't understand something when you read books about Taoism? Just ask me if you want to. I won't tell my senior fellow apprentices."

The old Taoist laughed and nodded, but he didn't speak. Instead, he just knocked at Li Nianshan's head again. Li Nianshan rubbed his head helplessly.

The old Taoist took off his shoes and socks and ignored Li Nianshan's eyes with disdain, putting his feet in the pool. Then he instructed this disciple in all earnestness, "Nianshan, after you get married, you will bother about groceries and chores, not like cultivating on the mountain. When you get involved in secularity, you will be not as happy as us cultivators on the mountain. Have you made up your mind? Have you considered how to make a living in the future? You need to raise your wife by yourself and can't expect your senior fellow apprentices on the mountain to help you all your life."

Li Nianshan chuckled. "I have a plan since long ago. After I get married, I will cut some green bamboos in the mountain behind to make some things and then sell them at the foot of the mountain. I won't make much money, but I think it is enough."

Li Nianshan thought that his plan was nice and at least it was practicable according to what he thought now. Nevertheless, as soon as he finished his words, his master knocked at his head once more. "How much money can you make when you do this job? Your wife needs to buy some things, and won't you spend money for her? Have you considered the expenses? You will have children in the future. Won't you let them receive education? You don't know how much it will cost. Have you counted it in? You need money to buy quilts in winter and new clothes in spring. Have you thought over everything?"

Li Nianshan looked worried and asked cautiously, "Master, so I won't get married?"

The old Taoist reached out his hand and knocked at Li Nianshan's head again while laughing out of anger. "Coward."

Li Nianshan was so depressed.

The old Taoist took out a small moneybag from his pocket and gave it to his disciple unwillingly. He tried to pretend calm. "There is no much money. You need to try to spend less. Remember to find a secure job. Don't make your wife suffer from injustice. I have lived too long but never met something interesting, and only your marriage interests me, while you keep me worrying all the time. I always think that you have the most power of understanding. If you concentrate on cultivating, you might have surpassed your senior fellow apprentices on the mountain long ago, yet you were just idle and thought about other things all day long. Now, you are awesome. You stop taking the big road and abandon your cultivation base easily. If the old masters on the mountain are still alive, they would probably hang you in front of the Merit Hall and beat you up before they vent their hatred."

Li Nianshan received the moneybag and wanted to say something when he saw that the two ladies who climbed up the mountain walked over. Li Baizhu who once talked with him held a lot of papercut with both hands. After she jogged over, she put all of the paper in Li Nianshan's arms and wiped the sweat on her forehead, saying with a smile, "Master, your senior fellow apprentice on the mountain asked me to give them to you, and he told you not to worry about the betrothal gifts. The people on the mountain will solve the problem."

Li Nianshan kowtowed seriously and expressed his thanks sincerely. "Thank you, lady."

Li Baizhu waved her hand to silently say that it was nothing. Then she noticed the old Taoist sitting by the pool. She said "Gee" in astonishment and then cupped her hands in a hurry. "I am Li Baizhu from Luoshui Academy. Nice to see you, Master Yang."

The old Taoist rubbed his cheeks and asked in surprise, "Young lady, how did you know me?"

Li Baizhu grinned. "Before I left the academy, the master showed me a picture of you when you were young. I see you today, and I can still.recognize you indistinctly."

The old Taoist didn't make any comments and just laughed. He pointed to Leng Pingxue in the distance. "I heard that there is a weirdly cold lady master whose family name is Leng in your Luoshui Academy. Is it her?"

Li Baizhu raised her head and glanced at her senior sister apprentice with guilt and then nodded in embarrassment.

The old Taoist rubbed his beard and asked casually, "You kids don't stay in the academy to study. Why did you come to Qing Mountain? Did you come to join the fun because you knew that my disciple would get married? But since when can I have this honor?"

Li Baizhu pursed her lips and responded, "No. We just knew that he will get married when we climbed up the mountain. If we knew it earlier, we would prepare some gifts instead of coming here with nothing in hands."

The old Taoist waved his hand. "The people on mountains don't like doing that. I guess that you and the two little guys from the Shouye Temple came to cause trouble to us. However, I am quite innocent and don't have anything for you to find fault with me."

Li Baizhu who must have heard the literary words and seldom heard such a saying looked confused.

However, Leng Pingxue in the distance looked at the temple owner of this mountain alertly all the time. Although she was at the Fundamental Stage, she was no match for this temple owner.

The old Taoist didn't notice Leng Pingxue's actions. He just whispered in his disciple's ear for a long while, which made Li Nianshan unhappy from beginning to end.

At last, the old Taoist got up and said that he would go down the mountain. Li Baizhu had no objection as she just wanted to chat with this young Taoist.

When the old Taoist passed Leng Pingxue, he stopped for a moment, which made her feel that she met a formidable enemy.

The lady master from Luoshui Academy looked at the old Taoist vigilantly and then called stiffly, "Master Yang."

The old Taoist didn't answer and just stated, "A clear conscience laughs at false accusation. A few important things happened at the border these days and all people suspect Qing Temple. If you don't come, I will think there is something wrong, and when you come, you are guests. You can investigate, but don't go too far. My disciple thought about getting married since long ago. Don't mess up his wedding."

Leng Pingxue didn't speak and just watched the old Taoist's back.

Unexpectedly, the old Taoist suddenly looked back after taking a few steps. He added indifferently, "Otherwise, I will really get mad."