We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

Chapter 468: Two Born as One

After Gui Ning and the Lady of Mount Tu left, Xiao Mo, having spent a day in the firewood room, stepped out of the kitchen courtyard as well, wanting to get some fresh air.

The Mount Tu residence did not have many strict rules.

Aside from the main Ladyʼs quarters, the Young Missʼs quarters, and important storerooms and side courtyards, servants were generally free to go most places.

As he walked, Xiao Mo found himself drifting without realizing it to the Jiaoyue Courtyard.

The Jiaoyue Courtyard was the place where he and Tushan Jingci had been attacked the night before but a day had passed, and the Jiaoyue Courtyard had already been put back in order.

The moment Xiao Mo stepped into the courtyard, he saw a small girl sitting at the edge of the Jiaoyue Lake.

The little girl was holding a thin bamboo pole, a fishing line hanging from it, and sat at the lakeside focused intently on fishing.

”Elder Sister Yueshi, why will the fish just not take the bait?”

Tushan Jingci rested her chin on her small hand, her tone full of wistfulness.

”Well...” Yueshi did not quite know how to explain it, but offered her consolation nonetheless. ”Young Miss, perhaps the fish in the lake are simply uncooperative. If the Young Miss wishes to eat fish, we can just have the kitchen courtyard prepare some.”
”That is not the point!” Tushan Jingci puffed out her cheeks. ”Xiao Mo said that if I caught a fish, he would give me a birthday gift... but I have not caught a single one until now.”

”...”

Yueshi very much wanted to say, ”Young Miss, even if you have not caught a fish, do you think he would dare refuse to give it to you?” But watching her young missʼs earnest expression, Yueshi understood that the Young Miss truly regarded that little human boy as a friend, not as a master regards a servant.

”How about this? I could buy a fish for the Young Miss? The Young Miss could say you caught it yourself. Xiao Mo would never know the difference.” Yueshi offered.

”No, no!” Tushan Jingci shook her adorable little head. ”How could I deceive him? Absolutely not! What if he found out and stopped being my friend?”

”But then...” The little girlʼs round eyes rolled about with thought. ”Elder Sister Yueshi, do you think if a fish swam up and took the bait on its own, does that count as me catching it?”

”...” Yueshi was momentarily taken aback, then immediately understood her young missʼs little scheme, and covered her mouth with a light laugh. ”That would naturally count. Please wait a moment, Young Miss.”

With those words, Yueshi gave a bow, shifted into her true form, and leaped into the lake.

In the water, Yueshi caught a large fish, then swam slowly toward the fishing line, hooked the fish onto it, and gave it a tug with her paw.

”It took the bait!” Tushan Jingci cried out happily and pulled the bamboo pole upward.

In the moonlight, a spray of water erupted from the lakeʼs surface, and the fishʼs tail flapped vigorously.

Hugging the fish to her chest, Tushan Jingci removed the hook and then ran happily toward the kitchen courtyard where Xiao Mo lived but after just a few steps, Tushan Jingci, fish in arms, spotted Xiao Mo standing right at the entrance of the courtyard.

Yueshi, who had just climbed out of the water, was momentarily frozen at the sight as well.

It was not for any other reason. Yueshi was astonished that she had not sensed his presence at all but when Yueshi glanced down at the jade pendant at Xiao Moʼs waist, she quickly understood why and yet her heart was all the more surprised.

She had not expected that the Elder would give such a treasure to Xiao Mo.

Why did the Lady and that Elder place such importance on this little boy? Was it truly only because he had saved the Young Miss?

”Xiao Mo, you... when did you get here?” Tushan Jingci walked forward with a reddening little face and asked.

”Hmm?” Xiao Mo was momentarily taken aback, then answered. ”I just arrived here and saw the Young Miss running toward me holding a fish. Did the Young Miss catch this fish yourself?”

”Yes, yes!” Believing Xiao Mo had not noticed anything, Tushan Jingci gave a happy nod. ”How is it? Is it a big one?”

”Mm, it is indeed quite large.” Xiao Mo replied.

”Then Xiao Mo, where is my birthday gift? I have already caught a fish.” Tushan Jingci looked at Xiao Mo with eager anticipation, her eyes shimmering with the clear light of the moon. ”You have not forgotten, have you?”

”I would not dare forget. Would the Young Miss come with me to the kitchen courtyard?” Xiao Mo asked with a smile.

”Of course! Let us hurry. This fish is really strong.”

Tushan Jingci held the fish with both hands and her tail together and happily followed Xiao Mo toward the kitchen courtyard.

Watching the two small children walk close together, their small arms occasionally bumping into each other, Yueshi furrowed her brow.

Although Yueshi was also genuinely grateful to Xiao Mo, knowing that without him the Young Miss might have been in real danger, she still found it uncomfortable to see the Young Miss on such good terms with a human but she quickly recalled what the Lady had said to her, that she need not concern herself with these matters, and only needed to keep the Young Miss safe. Yueshi shook her head and followed along.

When they reached the kitchen courtyard, Xiao Mo took the large carp from Tushan Jingciʼs hands and knocked it unconscious with one swift strike.

”Young Miss, please wait just a moment. It will be ready soon.”

Xiao Mo stood on a small stool at the stove, picked up the kitchen knife, and began cleaning and preparing the fish with practiced ease.

”Xiao Mo, are you going to cook?” Tushan Jingci asked with curiosity, watching his every move.

”Mm.” Xiao Mo gave a nod, concentrating on scoring the fish with a crosshatch pattern. ”When it was my birthday, my family would always make me a sweet and sour carp. I asked Master Niu about it before and he helped me piece together the recipe from memory. I will try making it for the Young Miss.”

In truth, this sweet and sour carp was something the director of his orphanage had made for him every year on his birthday.

The director of Xiao Moʼs orphanage was a retired cook, and whenever any of the children had a birthday, he would make them a special dish.

”Sweet and sour carp? Then Xiao Mo, can I help you light the fire?”

Although Tushan Jingci did not know what sweet and sour carp was, she thought cooking seemed like fun, and cheerfully bounced forward, wanting to help Xiao Mo.

”Well...” Xiao Mo hesitated a little. ”How could I have the Young Miss do such rough work?”

”Yes, Young Miss.” Yueshi also quickly stepped forward to discourage her. ”This servant will handle the fire. The Young Miss need only wait for the dish to be ready.”

”No! What is wrong with lighting a fire? I can do it too! I have watched Xiao Mo light fires so many times before. I am going to help Xiao Mo!”

Tushan Jingci puffed her cheeks with a small but firm stubbornness.

Seeing the stubborn expression on Tushan Jingciʼs face, both Xiao Mo and Yueshi knew her small, unyielding temperament well enough, and could not say anything more. They had no choice but to let her do as she pleased.

Tushan Jingci, seeing them relent, immediately bustled over to the stove to busy herself, while Yueshi stood nearby to help.

Before long, the flames in the stove were crackling, casting their warm glow across the little girlʼs fair, soft face.

The little girl watched the fire in the stove, poking at it from time to time, and found it enormously fun.

Although the carp from the Jiaoyue Lake was not some rare spirit fish, it was no ordinary carp either. It had virtually no fishy smell, so Xiao Mo did not need to bother with any odor-removing steps.

After scoring the fish with crosshatch cuts, coating it in powder, and mixing the batter, Xiao Mo poured oil directly into the pan.

He gripped the fish by the mouth with one hand and the tail with the other, lowered the body of the fish partway into the hot oil for a few seconds to let the scored cuts set in shape, then slowly bent the fishʼs body into a bow.

He tilted the head and tail upward and lowered the whole fish into the pan, ladling hot oil continuously over the fishʼs body, and with great care propped open the mouth, gills, and belly of the fish to ensure it was cooked through evenly.

Yueshi stood to one side, watching Xiao Mo cook with full curiosity.

This was the first time she had ever seen a dish prepared this way.

Xiao Mo placed the fried fish onto the plate and poured the sweet and sour sauce over it. The result was beautiful to look at.

”Wow, Xiao Mo! This fish looks so beautiful!” Tushan Jingci stretched out her small hand and rubbed the finished carp dish.

”It turned out reasonably well. It seems to have been a success.” Xiao Mo let out a breath of relief. At the very least, from its appearance, the taste seemed promising. ”Would the Young Miss like to try it?”

”Yes!”

Tushan Jingci gave an enthusiastic nod.

Xiao Mo broke apart the fish, mixed it with the sauce, and Tushan Jingci picked up her chopsticks and took a bite.

The moment the fish entered her mouth, Tushan Jingciʼs beautiful eyes curved into happy crescents.

”Is it good?” Xiao Mo asked.

”Yes, it is delicious!” Tushan Jingci said happily. ”I have never eaten such delicious fish in my life!”

”As long as the Young Miss finds it good.”

Xiao Mo took a bite as well.

He felt it had turned out quite well, but not quite to the exaggerated degree Jingci was describing.

But after all, this was a fish that Jingci had ”caught” herself, and she had been the one to light the fire. Having been involved made it naturally taste better to her.

Just as Tushan Jingci was eating with great delight, Xiao Mo drew a bracelet from inside his robe.

Tushan Jingci blinked at the jade-green bracelet with curiosity and asked, ”Xiao Mo, what is this?”

”This is also a birthday gift for the Young Miss.”

Xiao Mo scratched his head with a touch of embarrassment.

”Over this time, I have saved a little from my wages, and asked Master Niu to help me buy a bracelet blank for me. There happened to be a gourd-shaped grinding stone in the kitchen courtyard, so I polished it a little each day.”

”It is just that it probably did not turn out very well-looking, and the jade used is quite ordinary. If the Young Miss does not like it, it is perfectly fine. If the opportunity comes, I will give the Young Miss something better.”

”No, it is not true! It is very beautiful!”

Afraid that Xiao Mo might put the bracelet away, Tushan Jingci quickly snatched it up and held it in her palm to look at it carefully. The longer she looked, the more she liked it.

”Xiao Mo, put it on me.” Tushan Jingci stretched out her arm, round and fair as a lotus root segment.

”All right.”

Xiao Mo picked up the jade bracelet and gently slipped it onto her wrist.

”How is it? Is it beautiful?”

Tushan Jingci raised her wrist happily. The jade-green bracelet set against Tushan Jingciʼs fair, white wrist shimmered with a faint moonlight glow.

”Beautiful.” Xiao Mo gave a nod.

”Heh heh heh!” Tushan Jingci ran happily to stand before maidservant Yueshi and asked with delight, ”Elder Sister Yueshi, look! The birthday gift Xiao Mo gave me, is it beautiful?”

”Mm.” Yueshi smiled faintly. ”Whatever the Young Miss wears looks beautiful.”

Tushan Jingci ran happily back to Xiao Mo and said with a bright, cheerful voice, ”You see, Xiao Mo! You think it is beautiful, Elder Sister Yueshi thinks it is beautiful, and I think it is beautiful too. So this bracelet is not plain at all. It is more beautiful than any bracelet in the world! I will take very good care of it!”

”Young Miss is far too kind. Even if this bracelet broke, it would be no matter. It really is just an ordinary bracelet.” Xiao Mo said with a smile.

”It is not ordinary at all! I am not going to let you say that about it!”

Tushan Jingci puffed out her soft, pink cheeks and looked a little bit annoyed.

”But it truly is a common bracelet one can find anywhere.” Xiao Mo said.

”So what?”

Tushan Jingci raised her small head and cradled the wrist bearing the bracelet to her chest.

”You made it!”

”So it is not ordinary at all!”

…

In the northern part of the Demon Realm, there was a vast stretch of land.

Within this land, more than ten thousand peaks of varying sizes stretched for tens of thousands of li, range upon range and among those tens of thousands of peaks, one mountain rose in the heart of the towering ranges, seemingly cut off from the world entirely.

The mountain was called Seeking Immortal Mountain.

Atop the peak stood a Daoist temple.

The temple was called the Seeking Immortal Temple.

The temple had few disciples.

Including the temple master, there were no more than fifty in all.

As for the incense of this Daoist temple, one could not say it was particularly prosperous but one could not quite call it sparse either. On festivals and special occasions, some of the local villagers, grateful for the templeʼs everyday acts of goodness, would climb the mountain to offer their respects, bringing grain and meat and a little incense money.

For the most part, however, it was the disciples of the temple who came down the mountain to drive away evil spirits for the villagers, help with difficult births, and provide medical care.

The villagers had no idea how capable those Daoist priests on the mountain actually were.

All they knew was that the temple master of the Daoist temple had been there since the time of their grandfatherʼs grandfatherʼs grandfather.

On this particular evening, just as the villagers had returned to their courtyards and were settling in for the night, suddenly, a rush of rosy light shot up from Seeking Immortal Mountain and disappeared into the clouds.

”Old man, look! What is that?”

A woman in the village shook her husband awake urgently.

”Good heavens!”

The husband blinked open his groggy eyes and looked out the window, feeling as though he must be dreaming.

Colorful rosy light spread outward like ripples on water, ring after ring, through the cloud layer, until it faded from sight.

In the main hall of the Daoist temple, a young woman dressed in Daoist robes slowly opened her eyes and looked in the direction from which the rosy light had come.

”Master, has something happened to Junior Sister?”

The senior disciple rushed into the main hall, looking at the temple master with concern.

”Nothing is wrong. Attend to your own affairs.”

The female temple master shook her head, slowly rose to her feet, and stepped forward.

In just that single step, the young woman disappeared from the main hall and arrived before a small courtyard halfway up the mountain.

In the courtyard, a little girl of only six years of age sat cross-legged on the ground.

Around the little girl, various formation arrays had been arranged, both to protect her while she cultivated and to gather spiritual energy for her.

As the spiritual energy within the courtyard gradually settled back to calm, the little girl slowly opened her eyes.

”Master.”

Seeing her master had come, the little girl quickly ran forward and gave a respectful bow.

”Excellent. At just six years of age, you have already reached the tenth layer of Qi Refinement, and can produce such an auspicious phenomenon. A talent like this is truly rare across the whole of the Demon Realm.” The temple master gave a satisfied nod.

”It is all because Master has taught me so well.” The little girl said.

”It is because you have worked hard enough.”

With those words, the temple master drew a mirror from within her robe and handed it to the little girl.

”Today is your birthday. Your master has nothing much to give you. This mirror may be of some help to you in gaining clarity of heart and understanding of the Dao.”

”Thank you, Master.”

The little girl accepted the gift and happily looked at herself in the mirror her master had given.

The girl reflected in the mirror had delicate, clear features, cherry lips and bright teeth, and was without question a breathtakingly beautiful child in the making.

Only, the girl in the mirror was an exact, perfect likeness of a little girl of the same age who lived in Immortal Fox City.