Chapter 518: Fate and Change

"Yuanqiu Mountain..."

Lin Jue found the records about this ancient immortal mountain in the Scripture Pavilion of Fuqiu Temple and was holding it to read.

The book didn't say that Yuanqiu Mountain was the Daoist field of the previous previous Tianweng; perhaps this was not something everyone knew.

The book recorded that Yuanqiu Mountain had an immortal tree, eating it would lead to longevity, and there was a red spring, drinking it would lead to not growing old. There were also many big snakes and rare beasts, so ordinary people could not live on it. It was also recorded that Yuanqiu Mountain had disappeared at the end of the previous dynasty, not knowing where it went.

Back then, when Lin Jue first met Lord Luo on the side of the road, he had heard Lord Luo say that a mountain moved silently, moving from somewhere in the southwest to Huizhou, and he was going to see it.

So he had a rough guess in his heart.

The so-called Yuanqiu Mountain hiding in the world might not have flown to the sky or overseas, but just left its original place and came to a relatively remote place in the southwest, making it impossible for people to find it. It might also have borrowed the exterior of a certain mountain in the southwest to hide itself, because according to ancient books and what the Refuting Third Shixiong said, there were many spiritual plants, immortal trees, and rare beasts in this mountain. If it appeared in the human world openly, it was unlikely to be treated as an ordinary mountain by the local people.

Later, at the end of the previous dynasty, that is, before Lin Jue left home to seek the Dao, that mountain moved from the southwest to Huizhou again, thus conforming to the signs of the dynasty's impending destruction in ancient books.

At this moment, it was still in Huizhou, a few hundred *li* away.

But going to that mountain would definitely not be able to see immortal trees and phoenixes. If one could see them just by going to that mountain, the world would have spread it long ago.

While pondering, the Third Third Shixiong happened to walk over.

Lin Jue looked up and happened to ask: "Does Third Third Shixiong know about that legendary mountain that flew from the southwest to Huizhou?"

"Flying mountain?" The Third Third Shixiong was carrying a basin of wheat bran, wanting to feed the chickens, "What's wrong?"

"Has Third Third Shixiong been there?"

"I haven't been there. However, this matter was spread far and wide in Huizhou at that time, and many people who lived nearby went to see it." The Third Third Shixiong said, "We were going to participate in the Qiyun Mountain Great Offering at that time, and originally wanted to take a detour to see it once, but heard that there was nothing to see, so we didn't go. Master passed by on his way back from visiting friends and went to see it."

"Nothing to see?"

"Nothing to see. Master also said so. It looked like a very ordinary mountain; I don't know how it was moved here." The Third Third Shixiong said, "Once we heard that, we didn't go even more."

This was indeed as Lin Jue thought.

The Third Third Shixiong sprinkled a handful of wheat bran, called *gu gu* a few times, and asked again: "What's wrong?"

"That mountain might be the legendary Yuanqiu Mountain."

"Yuanqiu Mountain? Ji Xianren tree? Yuanqiu fruit?"

"Third Third Shixiong knows it too!"

"I saw it in a book." The Third Third Shixiong pointed to the book in his hand, honest and simple, "What about Yuanqiu Mountain?"

"Legend has it that Yuanqiu Mountain has Yuanqiu fruit, eating it prolongs life for a hundred years, and one won't grow old for a hundred years. Isn't Third Third Shixiong curious?"

"I must have been curious. However, there are too many such rumors in the world. There are also the flat peaches of the Queen Mother of the West in Kunlun Mountain. What's the use of being curious? Can you steal them?"

"Aren't there many such stories in the human world?"

"Mostly fabricated. If it's true, it's also fate, which can be met but not sought."

"Reasonable."

Lin Jue nodded and said bluntly: "But if that mountain is really transformed from the legendary Yuanqiu Mountain, I really want to go and take a turn."

"How do you know?"

"I asked the 'Refuting Third Shixiong', and he gave me a hint." Lin Jue said, "It is said that there are phoenixes inside."

"So it's for phoenix feathers..."

The Third Third Shixiong frowned, lost in thought.

Holding the wheat bran, he pondered for a long time, and the group of chickens in the courtyard looked up at him for a long time, before he sprinkled it out and said:

"If so, I do remember that more than ten years ago, I went down the mountain to exorcise yaoguai and faintly heard people talk about a story similar to the Peach Blossom Spring."

"Tell me."

"It was someone who went to the Flying Mountain because of its reputation, but missed the boat on the way, and was attempted to be robbed by the boatman and water bandits. That person probably had some sword skills and martial arts, escaped a disaster, and drifted down the river. When he arrived at Flying Mountain, it was already midnight. Suddenly he heard the sound of water and saw a waterfall flying down from the mountain. He hadn't been there before and didn't know if Flying Mountain had a waterfall, thinking Flying Mountain looked like this, so he paddled the boat into the mountain along a small stream, wanting to go under the waterfall to wash off the blood. As a result, he mistakenly entered a fantasy land, where a huge snake wanted to eat him, and he was so scared that he hurriedly paddled the boat out.

"When he woke up from the boat during the day, he found that in front of him was just an ordinary mountain, and there was no waterfall on the mountain, nor was there a small stream connected to this river. When he told others about this, others said he was scared and had a nightmare at night.

"However, there are many strange stories about Flying Mountain.

"Because Flying Mountain is strange in itself—it really flew from somewhere else. Many people who went to see it with admiration also held a heart of pursuing strangeness. Some were already superstitious, some produced hallucinations because of this heart, and others came and found that it was just an ordinary mountain, so they fabricated strange things they saw there to increase their capital for showing off and bragging.

"These are all very common."

The Third Third Shixiong narrated while feeding the chickens.

The fox was playful, chasing chickens in the courtyard, making them unable to eat a meal in peace.

Lin Jue nodded repeatedly: "Just like people at the foot of the mountain seeking immortals, foxes, and dragons. When they can't find them, they magnify other slightly strange things and call them immortals, foxes, or dragons, or simply fabricate them, so they can brag to friends and family when they go back?"

"Junior Third Shixiong understands better than me!"

It was still that courtyard back then, still under that ancient pine, and even the cloud leopard lying on the pine branch was still there. The Daoist sat under the tree, just like before, chatting with his Third Third Shixiong in the quiet Daoist temple.

"But in Third Third Shixiong's opinion, how much of this story is true and how much is false?"

"Hard to say."

"There are many such stories in the world; are they all fake?"

"That's not necessarily so."

"Then why are there always such stories?" Lin Jue asked, "Like in my hometown Shu Village, there were three aunts who came from afar, picked immortal fruits and went back, and ate them to become immortals. Like the people at the foot of the mountain, there are always those who accidentally enter an immortal mountain or holy land and get immortal fruits to take back. Like in the Tianshan Mountains in the Western Regions, there are also people who accidentally break into the Tianshan Snow Lotus Meeting and get strange things. And like this Flying Peak."

"In my opinion, seven or eight out of ten are because the people in the human world yearn for such things, so they like to fabricate and spread such stories."

The Third Third Shixiong frowned and pondered, looking honest and simple, but actually thinking about things with great depth:

"The other two or three are true. If you look into it, whether it's the world, the Heavenly Dao, or divine beings, there is nothing that is seamless and integrated. There are always omissions, or there is always a share of deliberately left heavenly secrets, and there is always a share of fate and possibility. Therefore, some people really have opportunities, or all aspects fit the immortal mountain and the divine beings in the mountain, so it is really possible to walk into the immortal mountain as a mortal and take away immortal fruits. Whether it's luck or the immortal's tacit approval, it's hard to say."

The Third Third Shixiong paused while speaking, looking at Lin Jue:

"Junior Third Shixiong is now an immortal; how an immortal thinks, Junior Third Shixiong should know better than me."

Lin Jue nodded and said *hmm*.

Ji Xianren, immortal, an immortal is an immortal, but also a person.

When a person meets an immortal on the side of the road, the immortal is generally kind. The person feels that meeting an immortal is fate, and the immortal will also feel that meeting you is fate.

Immortals will also be lonely, will also be willing to make friends, and will also feel the wonder of fate.

Just like the divine beings on Tianshan Mountain, they hold snow lotus meetings and invite virtuous yaoguai and divine beings. But if a mortal accidentally enters because of luck and arrives there because of courage, they will treat you as a guest. If this person happens to be upright, kind, and sincere, and fits their heart, they will treat you as a distinguished guest and gift you a snow lotus.

Just like Lin Jue's Daoist field.

Although it is deep in the mountains and covered by clouds and mist, it is not impossible for someone to enter here.

If someone accidentally enters and sees him, the visitor is a guest, and Lin Jue will definitely not drive them away at will. If this guest happens to be upright, interesting, and articulate, or brings him fun when he is lonely and bored while cultivating and sitting in meditation, he doesn't mind letting him pick an immortal fruit from the top of the mountain.

Perhaps it is precisely because of this that there are so many similar rumors in the world.

In this way, if that Flying Mountain is really Yuanqiu Mountain, eight or nine out of ten there is a "road" that can be entered.

It might be a certain time, it might be a certain coincidence.

It might really be a certain road.

It might also not be fixed, as long as there is a chance.

Lin Jue was not in a hurry, because the Xiao Xiao Shimei's other materials had not been collected completely, which might take a few years, and he had already achieved the truth and attained the Dao, so he had plenty of time.

Moreover, asking the Refuting Third Shixiong today was just a whim, and Daoist Jiang in the sky had also promised them to help them inquire about the traces of phoenixes. Perhaps she would bring a simpler answer.

At this moment, the Third Third Shixiong sprinkled the wheat bran and said again:

"Does Junior Third Shixiong know? Daoist Wangji has passed away."

"Hmm?" Lin Jue immediately moved his thoughts away from Yuanqiu Mountain, Yuanqiu fruit, and phoenix feathers, "When did this happen?"

"Last year." The Third Third Shixiong said, "Last summer, Daoist Wangji came to our place once. I thought he had something to do, but he just said that this mountain road had been repaired for so many years, and he had only walked it once when he first came, and saw the snow scene once. Now he wanted to walk it again.

"Oh right, he also praised the Xiao Xiao Shimei for repairing this road well.

"I felt something was wrong at the time, but at that time, the old man's complexion was good, and the Ji Xianren Source Temple was quite chaotic last year. Many fellow Daoists and seniors were arguing because at the end of the previous dynasty, when the world was in chaos, many Ji Xianren Source Temple disciples went down the mountain to subdue demons and exorcise ghosts. After subduing demons and exorcising ghosts in Huizhou, they gradually gained a reputation and were invited by King Yue. Now King Yue is almost destined to fail, and they have been discussing whether to recall those disciples to the mountain to cultivate and avoid the world, or let them seek their own fortune down the mountain. Sigh, I thought Daoist Wangji just didn't want to listen to their arguments and came to seek peace.

"As a result, the Ji Xianren Source Temple came to invite us the next day, saying that Daoist Wangji was sitting in the temple, stroking the deer and leaving.

"At that time, Daoist Wangji explained that he left peacefully and didn't need to disturb the descendants too much, so even the disciples who went down the mountain were not recalled. Until this year, people have been rushing back one after another after receiving the news."

Lin Jue sat still and listened quietly.

I don't know when, the Xiao Xiao Shimei was standing at the door behind him. Obviously, she had heard about it when she returned last night and was not too surprised.

That's right—

The Daoist temple was still this Daoist temple, the courtyard appearance hadn't changed, the ancient pine was still upright, maybe it had been like this for hundreds of years, and it was still like this now. However, the people coming and going in the courtyard were the change.