569: Chapter 103: Spring Plowing, Autumn Harvesting_2 569: Chapter 103: Spring Plowing, Autumn Harvesting_2 This must be the so-called “Purple Mansion Divine Sea.”
The vast majority of mortals are not aware of this place, but that does not mean they lack a Purple Mansion or a Divine Sea.
This is where memories are stored and souls are kept.
In the past, to spy on the Purple Mansion, one would need to employ certain methods.
Such as “Soul Search.”
But this time…
after being immersed in the Undying Spring’s essence.
Xie Xuanyi came effortlessly to this uncharted territory of the Divine Sea.
He stood silently in a world of silver and white.
On the bed.
Zheng Fengsheng felt as if his entire body lost sensation, lying quietly, watching the white light enveloping him.
For some reason, the pain beneath began to recede.
A strong sense of dizziness surged over him.
He closed his eyes involuntarily.
Memories fluttered and pulled him back to the year when he found Chu Guo.
…
…
It was an extraordinarily cold winter.
Zheng Fengsheng decided to end his own life.
Life was a tedious journey; to Zheng Fengsheng, there was nothing left in this world worth clinging to.
Yuanzhou was in chaos.
His wife, children, and relatives, all had their lives taken by the ravages of war.
He fled alone, in a most pitiable state, clinging desperately to life…
That year, he was trampled upon, humiliated.
The very word “alive” had become a torturous burden, painful to even think about.
Fleeing through the Four Realms.
In the end, Zheng Fengsheng escaped to Pingzhi City, where an ancestral house stood; he planned to hang himself at home.
On that day, the snow swirled and fell heavily.
Zheng Fengsheng, carrying his bag and belongings, returned to his ancestral home, only to find a swaddle left at the door.
Since the Emperor fell ill, Li Kingdom was in chaos, with power-hungry figures turning Yuanzhou, this barren land, into a battleground.
When immortals fight, the mortals suffer.
In those days, abandoning infants was not an uncommon occurrence.
Zheng Fengsheng thought this was just another ordinary abandoned baby.
But there was no crying from the swaddle.
Zheng Fengsheng stepped forward to look.
The baby was not dead.
Instead, with big, round, pitch-black eyes, it looked at him calmly.
He paused for a moment, instinctively preparing to ignore it.
After all, he was a man about to die.
How could he save another?
He laughed at himself mockingly, deciding to ignore the infant.
After Zheng Fengsheng prepared the noose in the ancestral house, he suddenly hesitated.
A long time later, he went back to the front of his ancestral home and picked up the child.
The baby still did not cry, instead, it revealed a pure smile, its eyes full of innocent laughter.
Zheng Fengsheng took a deep breath.
His initial plan, before dying, was to do one last good deed—bathe the child in warm water, then go from door to door to see if any kind soul was willing to take over its care.
But after he unwrapped the swaddle.
All his plans were thrown into disarray.
In the child’s embrace was a gold-gilded Identity Jade.
On it was carved a single character.
Chu!
Zheng Fengsheng began to regret his decision…
In recent days, the Iron Cavalry was on strict patrol for internal traitors.
If someone indeed took pity and chose to adopt this child, they might very well become implicated later on.
Zheng Fengsheng was deeply conflicted.
In the end, he decided to personally raise the child…
after all, he was already a “man about to die.”
If the Yuanzhou Iron Cavalry executed him, then so be it.
That would put an end to this dark, joyless life.
But unexpectedly.
The imposing lockdown by Pingzhi City’s Iron Cavalry soon came to an end.
No one troubled him, nor did anyone scrutinize the suddenly appearing child.
Maybe the years of good fortune accumulated from his medical practice had blessed him, and the child, too, was protected by that fortune…
Surprisingly, no one was suspicious of this baby of unknown origin.
That year, Yuanzhou fell apart completely, plunging into turbulent times.
Yet for Zheng Fengsheng, that very year was a “rebirth.”
Instead of saying that he saved the child’s life.
It would be more accurate to say that the child saved his life.
He was originally a person who mustered the courage to seek death…
On the night he found Chu Guo.
That inflated courage then dissipated.
…
…
Xie Xuanyi stood in the deep night of Pingzhi City where heavy snow was tumbling down.
This was his first time using the power of the Undying Spring to peek into someone’s past.
He saw the story hidden deep inside Zheng Fengsheng’s heart.
That year.
When the Emperor of Great Chu Imperial City passed away, the Holy Empress took power, Yan Xin and Chen Jingxuan, in order to continue the legitimate lineage, sent Prince Chu Guo to the border…
The person who left the abandoned baby at the doorstep of Zheng Fengsheng’s ancestral home, unseen by Zheng Fengsheng, was likely that “Fire Master” Chen Jingxuan mentioned as trustworthy.
Although they had never met.
But Xie Xuanyi could already vaguely sense Chen Jingxuan’s intentions behind his description.
Indeed, the Fire Master chose a good family for Chu Guo.
So far, it seems Zheng Fengsheng has invested all his kindness and good thoughts into this child.
Only…
Xie Xuanyi vaguely felt that something was not right.
He was able to see this scene because he was using the Undying Spring to heal Zheng Fengsheng, the mist rising and reaching deep into Zheng Fengsheng’s “Divine Sea.”
This memory signifies the segment Zheng Fengsheng is most attached to.
However, this Illusory Dream did not end there.
The heavy snow flew, burying both Zheng Fengsheng’s ancestral home in Pingzhi City and Xie Xuanyi under the snowflakes.
The howling went on for a long time.
Xie Xuanyi saw a second figure walking out of the heavy snow.
He was stunned.
This figure walked through the snow with ease, his large robe billowing in the wind as if blending with heaven and earth.
But Xie Xuanyi recognized him at a glance.
It was…
Lu Yuzhen?!
Wait…
Xie Xuanyi suddenly remembered what Zheng Fengsheng had just told him.
[“Someone once said this to me.”]
[“It was a very strange Taoist.”]
Xie Xuanyi, who was treating Zheng Fengsheng at the moment, did not take much notice of these words.
On the snowy day.
Lu Yuzhen came alone to the doorstep of the ancestral home in Pingzhi City and knocked on the door very politely.
The man who opened the door was an exhausted-looking Zheng Fengsheng with graying temples.
This must have been shortly after Zheng Fengsheng had “revived,” and Xie Xuanyi saw the baby Zheng Fengsheng was holding in his arms.
“Congratulations, it’s rare to have a child at your age.”
Lu Yuzhen gave Zheng Fengsheng a salute and said with a gentle smile, “This poor Taoist is here to beg for alms.”
The infant in the swaddle didn’t cry or fuss but just calmly observed the Taoist in front of him.
With a hoarse voice, Zheng Fengsheng said, “This is all I have.”
He took out a copper coin.
Lu Yuzhen did not mind the small amount, he reached out to accept it and said softly, “An unexpected joy…
there are not many people willing to give alms these days, benefactor is a good man indeed.”
“There aren’t many Taoists who ask for alms in Li Kingdom either.
I’ve heard that Yuanzhou Iron Cavalry and Buddhist followers often clash, and even Taoist disciples might be implicated.
It’s best to avoid going out during this period,” Zheng Fengsheng kindly reminded, then prepared to close the door.
“Please wait a moment.”
Lu Yuzhen extended his palm, gently pressing against the door.
He squinted and smiled, “According to my customs, some things can’t be accepted for free.”
Zheng Fengsheng paused.
“Accept money from someone, take away their calamities.”
Lu Yuzhen said softly and seriously, “Has this child been named yet?”
“Name?”
Zheng Fengsheng paused again, he had just found this abandoned baby and had not yet thought about naming it.
Lu Yuzhen asked with a smile, “What is the child’s last name?”
“Chu…
Lu?”
Zheng Fengsheng instinctively spoke the character he saw on the Jade Token, then corrected himself, “Lu as in ‘clear.'”
“If you don’t mind, use this name…
it’s a name with great fortune.”
Lu Yuzhen slowly wrote a character in front of Zheng Fengsheng with a finger.
It was the character “Guo.”
“Guo…
Chu Guo?”
Zheng Fengsheng looked at the Taoist in front of him, feeling somewhat puzzled, “Teacher, what’s the profound meaning behind this name?”
“I, humble as I am, am a Cultivator.”
The white-robed Taoist bowed and said slowly, “But Cultivators are not so different from the ordinary.
Cultivation is nothing but the sowing in spring and the harvest in autumn.
In spring, you plant the seed, and in fall, you harvest the fruit, it’s just that for different Cultivators…
the seeds of karma they sow are different, hence the seasons and their lengths vary greatly.”
…
…
(This is the last update for this year!
Wishing everyone a safe and happy new year!)