Volume Two, Chapter Seven: Lotus Seeds, Lotus Seeds

Though he had firmly resolved, when the food was served once more, Yi Bing still could not restrain himself. Telling himself he would only take two bites, in the blink of an eye he had cleaned both plate and bowl. When he looked up and saw Mu Tong about to speak, he quickly waved his hand with feigned righteousness to stop her.

“No need, Senior Sister, I’m full! Burp...” Yi Bing even made a point to belch. Mu Tong nodded, half convinced.

“Senior Sister, I’d like to follow and go to Companion Moon Mound, so I can take care of Master’s daily needs. Would that be allowed?” Bi Yi, after shooting Yi Bing a glance, suddenly spoke.

“Certainly! I was thinking the same even if you hadn’t said so! Cheng Yan, take Bi Yi and Mo Yan with you,” Mu Tong agreed with pleasure.

“Yes!” Cheng Yan, of course, understood what her senior sister meant. Bi Yi and Yi Bing, a young man and woman alone, would be improper; with herself and Mo Yan along, it would be much better.

“Thank you, Senior Sister!” Mo Yan was so delighted she nearly jumped up, and before Mu Tong could say more, she dashed to the back to pack up.

On the way back, Yi Bing trotted along happily behind Bi Yi, but she paid him no heed at all. Mo Yan, on the other hand, chatted away without pause. Yi Bing couldn’t help but feel frustrated. At last he had a chance to be alone with Senior Sister Bi Yi, yet for some inexplicable reason this chatterbox had to tag along. Though he himself was something of a talker, at a time like this... sigh...

As they passed through Peach Marsh, there was no sign of Carefree. It must not have returned yet—who knew what punishment awaited it? Then, thinking of Fat Girl, Yi Bing’s mood plummeted. He thought, “Best hurry back and consult Uncle Master.”

“What’s wrong?” Noticing Yi Bing’s chubby face suddenly cloud over, Mo Yan hurriedly asked. Bi Yi also glanced at him curiously.

“It’s nothing!” Yi Bing quickly forced a smile and shook his head.

By the time they returned to Companion Moon Mound, dusk had fallen. Yi Bing had barely stepped into the main hall when he saw all his senior brothers inside, each with a long face. Not knowing what had happened, he hurried over cautiously.

“Yi Bing, what’s going on with you?” Hong Kun was the first to spot him and stormed over in a fury. The others also turned their heads.

“Senior Brother, I...” Yi Bing looked at Hong Kun, feeling at a loss—he seemed truly angry.

“Why are you only returning now? We all thought something had happened to you! Eh? Junior Sister Cheng Yan! Junior Sister Bi Yi! Junior Sister Mo Yan!” Only then did Hong Kun see the group following behind.

“Little Chubster, what’s going on?” Daoist Xi Feng strode straight to Yi Bing, ignoring her three disciples entirely, leaving Bi Yi and Mo Yan feeling awkward.

“Greetings, Uncle Master!” Yi Bing hurriedly bowed.

“Uncle Master, it’s a long story... hard to sum up in a few words.” Hearing her call him “Little Chubster,” Yi Bing immediately relaxed.

“Then keep it short,” Daoist Xi Feng said, her rosy face suddenly stern.

“Yes, yes! After leaving Companion Moon Mound, I rushed along, wanting to finish the task you gave me as soon as possible. Who could have guessed that in the marsh—no, Peach Marsh—that wretched fellow would catch up to me!”

“That wretched fellow?”

“The Immortal Carefree!” Yi Bing hastened to explain.

Xi Feng couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“But, as soon as he heard your name, Uncle Master, he immediately quieted down and even asked if you were—”

“Enough idle talk. Why was it troubling you?” Daoist Xi Feng quickly changed the subject; she knew full well that Carefree’s mouth was foul.

“Oh, well, it’s not all its fault! Do you remember I mentioned Fat Girl? After her spirit left her body, she’s been listless, so her senior brothers came to Peach Marsh looking for—”

“Hell Lotus!” Daoist Xi Feng frowned.

“You know? Yes, yes, the seeds of the Hell Lotus. Today just happened to be the day of seeding, but Immortal Carefree refused to give them up!”

“It has no right to give them away!”

“Exactly. After it explained, we could only beg it to help get one. But it said even if it wanted to help, it couldn’t—the lotus probably wouldn’t bear seed!”

“What happened?” Daoist Xi Feng’s face filled with surprise.

“The well water should have cleared, but...” Yi Bing hurriedly recounted everything, spittle flying as he spoke, until everyone unconsciously gathered around him.

“And that’s how it went!” Finishing his tale, Yi Bing took off the medicine pouch from his neck.

“Uncle Master, I don’t know if one will be enough. I said to give them all, but Senior Brother Jin said one is sufficient!” Yi Bing looked at his uncle master, half doubting, half trusting.

“Don’t worry, one is enough! More than enough, in fact—it would be wasteful to use more!” Daoist Xi Feng said with great certainty.

“Oh, then I’m relieved! Uncle Master, I’ll hand the remaining six to you!” Yi Bing said, holding the pouch high above his head.

“I didn’t expect you to have kept this pouch!” Xi Feng examined it carefully, then hung it back around Yi Bing’s neck.

“Since this was given in goodwill by the lotus, you should be the one to keep it!” Xi Feng tugged at the pouch; if she hadn’t, the string would have been invisible, completely sunken into his flesh.

“But...”

“Remember: these lotus seeds are not to be used lightly. More is not better. Use them when you should, don’t use them when you shouldn’t. If you use them when you shouldn’t, you bear the consequences yourself!” Daoist Xi Feng gazed at Yi Bing with deep meaning. He nodded, half understanding.

“Master...” Mo Yan finally couldn’t hold back and hopped over.

“Master, Master, who told you to come here on your own?” Daoist Xi Feng muttered, though her face could not hide her joy.

“We were worried Master would have no one to care for her!” Mo Yan hugged Xi Feng’s arm without a care.

“It certainly wasn’t you who was worried!” Xi Feng glanced at Bi Yi, who kept her head lowered and said nothing.

“I was worried too!” Mo Yan quickly made a funny face.

“You! Now, tell me, what kind of mess have you made of the Five-Colored Cave?” Xi Feng immediately chuckled.

At dawn the next day, Yi Bing hurried to the pond, but found only the divine tortoise lazily sprawled at the water’s edge.

“Tortoise Brother!” Before Yi Bing finished speaking, the tortoise stretched out its neck.

“Hey, what’s that smell on you?” The tortoise sniffed all around him, then stopped at his medicine pouch.

“These are Hell Lotus seeds!” Yi Bing hurried to explain.

“Hell Lotus? That scent seems so familiar!” The tortoise rolled its eyes, deep in thought.

“Really?” Yi Bing didn’t know how to respond.

“Never mind!” The tortoise shook its head vigorously, then stared at Yi Bing. “You’d better think it through!” Yi Bing froze, shocked that the tortoise had seen through his thoughts. After a moment’s silence, he started telling the tortoise about his experiences the previous day. The tortoise lay there, motionless, as if asleep—Yi Bing couldn’t tell if it was even listening.

“Fat Girl will be fine!” Just as Yi Bing finished, the tortoise yawned.

“Then should I...” Yi Bing was about to ask for advice when a rustling sound came from behind.

“Ow! Xi—” Mei Niang started to call out, then remembered and stopped herself.

“Careful or you’ll get it!” Han Yu raised an eyebrow.

“All right, all right! When did you get back?” Mei Niang flicked Han Yu with her tail impatiently.

“Dusk yesterday. It was too late, so I didn’t come to see you.”

“Hmph! With Senior Sister Bi Yi here, how could you worry about us?” Han Yu said coldly.

“No, no... It was just too late!” Yi Bing’s round face flushed bright red with embarrassment.

“Heh, we knew you were back last night! Her little brats came running long ago with the news!” Mei Niang giggled.

“What are you spouting?!” Han Yu raised a leg, about to kick her.

“What’s your hurry? I didn’t say they were yours!” Mei Niang darted behind Yi Bing. Han Yu leapt after her, and if Yi Bing hadn’t intervened, the two would have been wrestling on the ground. The tortoise watched in delight, its little tail wagging in glee.

“Looks like you two are fully recovered!” Yi Bing couldn’t help but laugh. To his surprise, both of them immediately wilted. He understood what they had remembered.

“You can always train your cultivation again!” Yi Bing tried to console them.

“That’s not a matter of a day or two. By then...” Mei Niang looked up at Yi Bing.

“I...” Yi Bing opened his mouth.

“What is it?” Mei Niang looked at him curiously.

“Maybe I can help you...” Yi Bing swallowed, then said, “I have Hell Lotus seeds!” Han Yu and Mei Niang both started.

“You know about them too?!”

“Of course!” Mei Niang’s eyes sparkled, but Han Yu hung her head in silence.

“But, I’m not sure if they’ll work for you! Also, I can only spare one between the two of you. I hear any more would be harmful!” As he spoke, Yi Bing took one out from the pouch.

“Give it all to the fox spirit! I don’t need it!” Han Yu suddenly turned to leave, but Mei Niang pinned her tail.

“Little hussy, afraid it’s poisonous?”

“What are you saying?” Han Yu bristled.

“What’s there to fear? Half for you, half for me. Life and death by fate!” Mei Niang glared at Han Yu.

“Fine!” Han Yu’s face flushed with emotion.

Yi Bing dared not say more. He drew his divine iron, transformed it into a kitchen knife, and placed the lotus seed on a flat stone. After much careful comparison, he finally found the most equitable spot. Yet when he made the cut, the seed split into two large pieces and one small. The two large ones were exactly the same size, not a hair’s difference. The small one was just about a third of a large one.

“And Hong Qin...?” Yi Bing couldn’t help but ask. Mei Niang and Han Yu exchanged a look, then shook their heads.

“...” Yi Bing hesitated, then placed the two large pieces in Mei Niang’s palm.

“You first!” Mei Niang handed one over. Han Yu swallowed it without hesitation. Mei Niang smiled and quickly ate the other.

After quite some time, there was no visible reaction from either.

“Maybe it doesn’t act so fast. Let’s head back to our rooms,” Han Yu said, glancing at Mei Niang, who nodded at once. In a flash, the two of them had vanished. When Yi Bing looked back, the tortoise had slipped into the water, leaving him alone by the pond. After pacing a few steps, he headed to their small courtyard.

As soon as he entered the main room, Yi Bing gasped. Hong Qin’s feathers were nearly all gone!

“You...” He wanted to say something, but didn’t know what. Hong Qin, lying in her cage, struggled to open her eyes.

“Eat this. The rest is up to fate,” Yi Bing said, placing the small piece of lotus seed in her food dish. Hong Qin didn’t move, eyes tightly shut.

“Sigh...” Yi Bing sighed and turned to leave.

Long before dawn, he hurried to Han Yu and Mei Niang’s courtyard, but found all the room doors tightly shut, not a sound inside. He wanted to call out, but didn’t dare, so he sat beneath the eaves and waited.

Only when the first ray of sunlight split the sky did Yi Bing finally stand and call out, “Hey! How are you two?”

“What’s with all the shouting?” After a long while, Han Yu’s door cracked open.

“Hey, are you both all right?”

“All right? Last night, the two of us were in agony all night—running to the toilet, vomiting, it was torture! I’m barely able to move, and that hussy...” Han Yu was clearly exhausted.

“What should we do?” Yi Bing panicked, stepping forward.

“Don’t come in!” Han Yu rasped, frightening Yi Bing into stopping at once.

“I’ll go check on Mei Niang…”

“No need, she’s in here with me! We’re not dead, anyway! Now get lost!” Han Yu said, closing the door.

“I’ll go fetch Uncle Master for help!” Yi Bing turned to leave, but after a few steps, he stopped, remembering Hong Qin.

Pushing open the main room door, he saw Hong Qin’s head sticking out of the cage, glaring at him fiercely.

“Are you all right?” Yi Bing peered in; inside the cage was a mess of droppings and vomit.

“I didn’t know it would be like this…” Yi Bing apologized. Hong Qin opened her beak at him.

“What is it?” Yi Bing leaned in, and Hong Qin bit him hard.

“Ow…” Fortunately, he dodged in time, or she would have bitten his chubby face.

“I’ll get you… a new cage…” Yi Bing hurried away.

He ran to the main hall, but Uncle Master was nowhere to be seen. Yi Bing didn’t dare go to the inner halls, so he sat on the steps to wait.

“Sigh...” Remembering Uncle Master’s words from yesterday, he was filled with regret.