211: Accepting disciples

One who takes from others is beholden; one who eats from others is soft-mouthed.

“Take you as a disciple, teach you skills?

Then tell me, what skills do you wish to learn?”

Gu Changsheng smiled faintly, dropping another sticky bean bun into his mouth.

The child with pigtails looked up, his gaze as firm as a star in the night: “I want to learn medicine.

My mother fell ill when she gave birth to me, and the doctor said it would be hard to cure for life.

Since I was old enough to understand, I often heard her suppressed coughing at night.

I hope to cure her illness, so she can get out of bed, walk to the river, see the weeping willows with branches extending into the water, and watch the butterflies fluttering in the flower fields.”

Gu Changsheng nodded.

Ostensibly, he was a wandering Martial Master, occasionally moonlighting as a barefoot doctor, curing several villagers.

“I also want to learn martial arts.

The bandits from Caotou Mountain come down to rob grain every autumn harvest, sometimes even women, and those who resist are beaten and killed.

The husband of Sister Liu’er from the neighboring village died that way.

If I practice martial arts, I can be like Uncle Gu and drive away the bad guys.”

Gu Changsheng nodded.

When he first arrived, it was harvest time, and he easily drove away the mountain bandits with a small display of skill.

He ensured the peace of this village.

“I also want to learn…”

“Enough!”

Gu Changsheng’s expression was serious.

“You want to learn too much, too many things… As far as I know, only one skill can achieve that.”

“What skill?” The child with pigtails’ eyes sparkled, full of anticipation.

Gu Changsheng did not answer directly, but instead asked, “Do you believe there are Immortals in this world?”

…The sun rose and set, the moon and stars shifted, and two years passed in a blink of an eye.

Inside the courtyard.

A strange beast, entirely purple with fur that rippled like flowing clouds, darted up and down, its long elephant trunk flicking out a string of purple bubbles that floated in the air, reflecting brilliant colors.

Upon closer inspection, one would find countless light and shadows contained within the bubbles.

“Finally, I’ve subdued this beast… It wasn’t a waste of my effort…”

Gu Changsheng looked at the frolicking Dream Eater, a slight curve on his lips.

This special species from the Dream Realm, Guangyuan Sacred Ancestor somehow found it.

With a Divine Soul imprint of a contract, it was easily enveloped and dispelled by the dream domain.

It was only after finding the Dao methods left by Guangyuan Sacred Ancestor in a hidden stronghold of the Blood Sea Dynasty that he was barely able to contract it.

“Caw—”

After a burst of scurrying, the Dream Eater leaped like a young deer in front of Gu Changsheng, fawningly hooking his clothes with its long elephant trunk.

“Hungry? It seems that Spirit Pill was digested very quickly…”

Gu Changsheng pulled out a clean porcelain bottle from his in my arms, poured out a bluish-black Medicinal Pill the thickness of a finger, and immediately the Dream Eater’s eyes widened.

This pill was made from its original eggshell combined with various Spirit Medicines, and taking it could greatly accelerate the Dream Eater’s growth.

“Caw—”

The Dream Eater cheered, its long trunk rolled, and the Spirit Pill in Gu Changsheng’s hand was swallowed into its belly. Soon it became wobbly, a drunken expression appearing on its face, and it collapsed in the courtyard.

A cluster of purple bubbles gradually exhaled from its elephant trunk, growing larger and larger, slowly enveloping the entire village.

As it was already nearing evening, the working villagers, after finishing dinner, felt sleepy and went to bed early, falling into sweet dreams.

In a few breaths, not even a dog bark could be heard in the entire village.

The purple bubbles shimmered, projecting everyone’s dreams above the village.

For instance, at the west entrance of the village, Granny Xi, with silver hair, sat on the edge of the bed, stitching a palm-sized embroidered shoe sole. In the cradle by the bed was a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.

The baby was exquisitely delicate, with small white, lotus-root-like hands unconsciously reaching out.

Granny Xi had a son when she was young, but he died before he was a month old. Since then, her mind had been somewhat unclear, often fantasizing about her long-deceased child… At the east entrance of the village, Old Farmer Li, with a grizzled beard, dreamed of a golden wheat field. He plunged into the field like a hungry tiger.

The full ears of rice supported him. He casually stripped off unhusked grains and put them into his mouth, savoring them. Two lines of cloudy old tears streamed down his cheeks.

Years ago, there was a great drought, and the village suffered from famine. His old wife left her last remaining food for him, but she couldn’t hold on and starved to death… Not far away, next door.

A child with pigtails was wielding a treasured sword, slaying a giant python beast in his imagination.

Amidst flying sword shadows, the great python was decapitated, and he stepped forward to retrieve a jade-green snake gall.

The elders in front of the village often said that python essence and snake gall were highly nourishing, and eating them would prevent all illnesses.

The child with pigtails was full of excitement, dropping his treasured sword and holding the jade-green snake gall with both hands. He looked back at the house, where a pale-faced, gentle woman was gazing at him with expectant eyes.

“This kid…”

Gu Changsheng watched his cheap disciple’s dream, chuckling to himself.

How many years and seasons had passed.

Such ordinary scenes made memories of his early days of learning Dao methods resurface in Gu Changsheng’s mind.

Chenping County… Xiao Cui from the breakfast stall, that bowl of tofu pudding with chili and emerald aromatic leaves… Yan Xiao Yi, gnawed to death by beggars… Doctor Mo, who had fallen into a frenzy… After a long time.

“Oh, so much time has passed already…”

Gu Changsheng looked up at the sky. A bright moon cast its clear light, falling upon him as if he were wearing a silver-white moon robe.

Not long after, a giant elephant-trunked beast appeared in the dream, greedily devouring everyone’s dreams.

In the courtyard, a layer of light emerged from the Dream Eater’s body. In his perception, the Medicinal Pill was being rapidly digested.

The next day.

In front of the courtyard.

“Su Shuisheng, today, as your Revered Master, I will teach you swordsmanship.”

Gu Changsheng held a carved wooden sword, his wrist flickered, and sword shadows overlapped, instantly causing leaves to fall from the ancient trees in the courtyard.

Su Shuisheng watched, his heart itching like a cat’s paw.

Last night, he had even dreamed of beheading a giant snake with a sword.

Clang—

The sword pointed outside the courtyard, and a streak of sword light pierced through a boulder ten zhang away, leaving a fine hole.

The wooden sword hummed, emitting a pleasant sword cry.

“This set of swordsmanship is the first sword technique your Revered Master mastered, named Qingfeng Swordplay…”

Su Shuisheng murmured, “Qingfeng Swordplay…”

As the swordplay moved, strong winds rose.

Indeed, it was Qingfeng Swordplay.

Su Shuisheng asked with surprise, “Then Revered Master, if we cultivate the sword, do we belong to a School?”

Gu Changsheng pondered for a moment, then softly said, “Our School is named… Shu Mountain…”

…One day.

A palm-sized peach blossom petal drifted into the courtyard. Gu Changsheng reached out and caught it.

Spiritual light surged, and a hidden message entered his mind.

Gu Changsheng smiled faintly: “A once-in-sixty-year auction… There should be a good chance of a demonic spirit flower appearing…”

Over the years, while he appeared to be hidden in the mountain village, he had secretly dealt with local Cultivators of the Holy Ancestor, gathering information and extending his reach.

There were two individuals he could barely consider friends.

This peach blossom was a means of communication from a Profound Cave Middle Stage demoness named Peach Blossom Fairy.

These years, he had indeed obtained a few demonic spirit flowers from Loose Cultivators, but unfortunately, their age was not sufficient.

The most potent one was only five thousand years old.

Fortunately, the root system was well preserved, and it had been transplanted to the Cave Heaven World for cultivation.

However, it’s not enough… Far from enough!