Chapter 89: Celestial Immortal, Please Wait!

Yun Xiang gazed at the lotus pond before her. The breeze brushed the strands of hair at her temples. For some reason, she felt a bit of joy blooming in her heart. A faint smile curled at the corners of her lips.

Though she didn’t really know why she felt happy.

Chen Changsheng turned his head and saw Yun Xiang smiling. He couldn’t help but be a little stunned.

The hand hidden in his sleeve began subtly counting his fingers.

He suddenly paused.

Feeling rather dazed, he looked at Yun Xiang and said, “So that’s how it is…”

Yun Xiang snapped back to reality, blinked, and asked, “Sir?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head, not explaining. Instead, he reached out and lightly tapped Yun Xiang’s forehead once.

Yun Xiang raised a hand to rub her forehead. “Has Yun Xiang done something wrong, Sir?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head with a smile. “No, you haven’t done anything wrong.”

Confusion filled Yun Xiang’s eyes, but since her teacher wouldn’t tell her, she could only mutter a quiet “Oh.”

Chen Changsheng turned to look back at the lotus pond and let out a long sigh.

Things in this world are always so hard to figure out.

Round and round life turns, yet he could still run into her.

Fate is wonderfully elusive, hard to put into words, yet plain as day before him.

Sir didn’t stay watching for very long before leaving.

Yun Xiang thought Sir was probably just feeling a bit unwell and wanted to take a walk. She followed him quietly, saying nothing. She felt he probably didn’t want to talk just then.

Later, she walked around the market with her teacher.

On the street, they came across a Preserved Fruit Shop. Chen Changsheng paused, looking at it with a hint of hesitation.

Yun Xiang asked, “Sir, would you like to buy some preserved fruit?”

“Do you?” Chen Changsheng asked back.

“Huh?”

Yun Xiang was startled. After a moment, she replied, “Shouldn’t it be that Sir wants some?”

Chen Changsheng chuckled softly and walked towards the shop.

The shop overflowed with all kinds of preserved fruits: sugared apricots, melon strips, golden dates, red berries, crystallized sugar, sugared grapes, and nearby, some ready-made Sugar-Coated Hawthorns.

Chen Changsheng asked for a little of each. But when it came time to pay, he reached for his money pouch only to find it completely empty.

Unexpectedly, Yun Xiang produced some money and handed it to the shopkeeper.

Chen Changsheng felt a bit embarrassed. He later heard Yun Xiang say this money was given to her by Tang Mingjing, so he didn’t think much more of it.

He unwrapped the parcel of preserved fruit secured in oiled paper, picked out a melon strip, and handed it to Yun Xiang.

Yun Xiang paused, then shook her head. “I shouldn’t, Sir. You bought this.”

“Take it and eat it,” Chen Changsheng insisted.

Seeing her teacher was persisting, Yun Xiang felt she had no choice but to accept.

She glanced at her teacher, slightly shy, and then brought the melon strip to her mouth.

The sweet taste of melon filled her mouth. Yun Xiang was a little dazed for a moment.

“Is it sweet?” Chen Changsheng asked.

Yun Xiang felt shy and gave a small nod. Then she looked up and answered, “Sweet.”

“Haven’t you had any before?” Chen Changsheng asked.

Yun Xiang replied, “This is the first time. Though the manor bought some before, only the master and young master occasionally had any.”

“If you like them, eat more.”

Chen Changsheng handed the entire package of preserved fruit to Yun Xiang. “Keep it. It’s all yours.”

Shocked, Yun Xiang hurriedly refused. “No, no, Sir! Yun Xiang can’t take this. I can’t accept it.”

“Take it.”

Yun Xiang dared not take it. “Sir, I truly cannot accept this. If the young master finds out, he will punish me.”

“He wouldn’t dare punish you.”

Chen Changsheng paused, then added, “Don’t worry.”

“It’s not that I fear the young master’s punishment, Sir, I just…”

Yun Xiang was simply feeling overwhelmed. In her view, Sir had already been more than kind enough to her.

But in the end, she couldn’t win against her teacher’s insistence.

Sir insisted on giving it, so she had to accept it.

Carrying the preserved fruit, Yun Xiang walked behind Sir, head lowered, her mind a jumble of unknown thoughts.

When they reached the gates of Tang Manor.

Chen Changsheng said, “Go back inside first. I want to walk around casually alone. No need to accompany me.”

Yun Xiang hesitated for a moment before replying, “Yes, Sir.”

Chen Changsheng nodded and started walking onwards.

Yun Xiang stood at the manor gate, watching her teacher’s figure recede. Then she looked down at the preserved fruit in her hand.

Conflicting emotions filled her heart. She wasn’t sure how to feel just then.

She only thought that Sir was probably the best person in the whole world.

…

Chen Changsheng headed straight towards the City God Temple in the market district.

He carried some confusion in his heart and wanted to ask.

Incense smoke continuously drifted from the City God Temple. Entering the gate, he saw a large cauldron set before it, smoke curling through the hall, the scent of sandalwood saturating the air.

By this time, dusk had fallen. Only a handful of worshippers remained within the temple.

Upon entering, Chen Changsheng saw an old man sweeping the temple grounds.

The old man approached and said, “Sir, have you come to pray?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head. “I come with a doubt in my heart. I wish to ask the City God to resolve it.”

“Is that so…”

The old man nodded upon hearing this, then gestured. “This way, Sir.”

Chen Changsheng stepped forward and asked, “Are you the temple keeper here?”

“Not really. I just come now and then to clean the place. You came at a good time, Sir. In a quarter of an hour, we’d be closing up,” the old man added.

Once inside the main hall, Chen Changsheng looked at the imposing Divine Statue of the City God. Eyes stern, it held a sword in its left hand and a whip in its right. A faint golden light that spoke of Merit subtly pulsed around it.

The old man took three incense sticks from the altar table and handed them to Chen Changsheng. “Here you are, Sir.”

“How much for these?” Chen Changsheng inquired.

“The little incense sticks at the temple are free,” the old man explained. “But the big one costs money.”

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment, then approached to light the incense sticks from a candle flame.

Once the incense was lit, the old man instructed, “Kneel sincerely. After three kowtows, ask your question silently within your heart.”

Chen Changsheng paused. “Would just standing and bowing suffice?”

It wasn’t that he disrespected this City God – he worried kneeling could cause unexpected trouble.

The old man was taken aback. Then he said, “Sincerity is what matters. Kneeling isn’t mandatory.”

Chen Changsheng nodded and held the three incense sticks before him with both hands.

He prepared to bend forward in a slight bow.

However, just as he was about to incline his body…

“BOOM…”

The Golden Light radiating from the City God Divine Statue suddenly trembled violently, seeming on the verge of collapsing instantly.

Abruptly, a voice rang out.

“Celestial Immortal, please wait!!”

A figure abruptly materialized before the Divine Statue of the City God.

Chen Changsheng paused and looked at the City God.

The City God of Lotus Root Lane looked panicked. He bowed deeply. “I am terrified, lowly one dares not accept your bow, Esteemed Celestial Immortal! Please extinguish your incense!”

Chen Changsheng was inwardly stunned and did not complete his bow.

The old man beside him, of course, could neither see the City God nor the Golden Light. Seeing Chen Changsheng hesitate, he asked, “What’s wrong, Sir?”

Chen Changsheng’s lips parted slightly. He shook his head helplessly. “I’m afraid I cannot offer this bow.”

He raised his hand, extinguished the burning incense sticks, and laid them aside.

“Cannot offer the bow?” The old man questioned.

Chen Changsheng replied, “It seems Lord City God will not accept my respect.”

Confusion filled the old man’s mind.

Everything about this person seemed slightly off, yet he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.