Publish Time: 2026-06-20 01:32:00

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«Chapter 516: Return to Heaven’s Gate Mountain, Climbing the Familiar Path Again

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Chen Changsheng looked at the rotten log in front of him. One by one, he placed the logs he brought up into position.

These logs might not keep this path open for many years, but later and later, others would surely come again to this place and set up new logs.

There would always be people.

Chen Changsheng walked through this path until he reached the other side. The view opened up before him.

Looking down, he saw a Peach Grove below, and within the mountain’s heaven and earth, rich and peaceful.

The Tabby Cat gazed at this scene, completely drawn in by the beautiful view for a moment.

If it were to describe it, it would probably just say ‘very pretty.’

“Let’s go down.”

Chen Changsheng held the Tabby Cat and jumped down from the middle of the cliff.

They fell slowly until they reached the bottom of the cliff.

Just as they were about to leave.

A voice suddenly sounded from behind.

“This humble God pays respects to Mr. Chen!”

Chen Changsheng turned back and saw again the Mountain God Yuan from many years ago.

This Mountain God still didn’t receive much incense, just like before.

Still poor and struggling.

Chen Changsheng smiled warmly in response.

.

.

A few butterflies flew into the Peach Grove.

They circled around Chen Changsheng.

“Little fu die! (Little lucky butterfly!)”

“It’s butterfly.”

“Oh.”

The Tabby Cat stretched out a paw to catch them, but it seemed less clever than the butterflies. It couldn’t catch any.

But even so, it could play happily.

“Why did they fly away?”

The Tabby Cat’s tail twitched, feeling a little regretful.

Its gaze then fell on some peaches. It said, “Good Human Chen…”

“Hmm?”

“Want to eat peaches.”

“You’ll get some to eat soon.”

They walked forward for half a ke (around 7.5 minutes).

Then they saw the butterflies that had flown away earlier, return.

Behind the butterflies followed a young woman. She wore simple clothes and had her hair loose.

“Changsheng!!”

That voice seemed to pull his thoughts back many, many years.

…………

Over a dozen years passed in the blink of an eye. Seeing Aqing now, she looked much more plain and simple. The anger and bad feelings she once carried had unknowingly completely vanished. Now she was as clean and clear as morning dew.

Aqing picked the reddest, sweetest peaches [Tao’er] from the woods to treat him, and brought out the peach blossom wine that had been brewing for who knew how long. She set it on the table.

She also heated up some dishes. Mushrooms picked from the mountain were steamed in a pot, making a sweet pot of mushroom soup. Vegetables pulled from the garden could be washed and thrown right into the wok…

The Tabby Cat lay on the nearby table, just watching Aqing cook.

Actually, this was the first time it had seen this.

Aqing was very curious about this Tabby Cat. She couldn’t help saying, “Such a well-behaved cat. Has it always been with you, Changsheng?”

Chen Changsheng said, “You can ask it directly.”

Aqing paused, then remembered she had her Thumb Ring. She reached out to pet Tabby.

The Tabby Cat blinked and asked, “What are you doing?”

Aqing was startled and pulled her hand back.

“You talk?!”

The Tabby Cat licked its paw and said, “Lihua definitely talks. It’s just that Good Human Chen usually tells me not to.”

Aqing blinked. “So you’re a monster?”

Tabby nodded.

Aqing said, “Wow,” surprised. “This is the first time I’ve seen a monster.”

She looked Tabby up and down, trying to see what was different about this cat compared to ordinary cats.

Aqing reached out and poked Tabby’s cheek.

Tabby moved aside a little. It looked at Aqing with a strange expression, as if it didn’t understand what she was doing.

“Hmm… seems not much difference,” Aqing remarked.

Chen Changsheng said, “Lihua isn’t some Great Demon. Compared to that, it just talks and is a bit smarter.”

Tabby looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, “Good Human Chen, are you talking bad about me?”

“I did not,” Chen Changsheng replied.

“Oh.” The Tabby Cat wasn’t bothered then.

Aqing covered her mouth with a giggle. “Seems not very smart either.”

Chen Changsheng also laughed helplessly.

Indeed, not very smart.

Aqing smiled. “With this cat along, Changsheng, your journey must be pretty fun.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Always much better than traveling the road alone.”

Aqing nodded. “Too bad. If only Aqing had half your skills. Then maybe I could travel with you, chat, and keep you company.”

Chen Changsheng said, “My path is constant travel and weariness. Nothing particularly good.”

Aqing smiled and didn’t say more on the matter.

After bustling about for a while, Aqing served the food onto the table.

At the table: two people and one cat.

The Tabby Cat looked at Chen Changsheng, tugging his sleeve, “Lihua’s bowl.”

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng took a bowl from his sleeve.

This bowl was actually bought back in Autumn Moon Market.

Now it finally had a use.

Aqing smiled. “You even have a bowl for yourself?”

The Tabby Cat nodded firmly. “Of course. Lihua needs to eat too.”

As they ate, Chen Changsheng and Aqing started talking.

Aqing asked, “Changsheng, how long are you staying this time?”

Chen Changsheng replied, “Not long. This time has something to do with the Daoist Sect. You might have noticed too, the Taoist Temple outside Qingshan City is different now.”

“So it really is related…”

Aqing had noticed the difference a long time ago.

She said, “I knew if you returned, Changsheng, you would go check it out. I just didn’t expect you’d come back specifically for this.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Aqing seems quite knowledgeable.”

Aqing nodded, then extended her hand showing the Thumb Ring. “I’ve made quite a few friends with this ring. Sometimes, I learn secrets about the mountain-top Daoist sects.”

“Actually, I didn’t notice at first. But later, the birds flying down from the Dao mountains got smarter and smarter. Slowly, I realized something was up.”

“Later, I asked them. That’s how I learned Immortals had descended to the Mortal World. Seems they want to accept disciples.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Miss Aqing knows quite a bit.”

Aqing asked, “Are those descended Immortals… is something wrong?”

“Oh, nothing wrong.”

Chen Changsheng explained, “Now the great age is approaching. Spiritual roots are awakening among mortals. Cultivators from Immortal Sects descend to choose suitable candidates to join their ranks, hoping to make their Immortal Mountains flourish. But the Buddhist Sect has stepped in mid-way. The conflict between the two sects started because of that.”

Aqing pondered this and asked, “Will they fight and kill each other, like the Jianghu People? Or… engage in magic battles?”

“No killing,” Chen Changsheng said with a smile. “Choosing to enter the Dao or practice Buddhism depends entirely on their own choice. Even descended Immortals must follow the rules.”

Aqing understood. “So, it all depends on which side can rope people in or convince them better?”

Chen Changsheng paused, then chuckled. “That’s the gist of it.”

Aqing rubbed her chin. “So Changsheng, do you think entering the Dao is better or practicing Buddhism?”

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment. “Each has its own merits. Though by comparison, Buddhism is too restrictive. I lean more towards the Dao.”

Aqing pondered for a while and gave a faint, “Oh.”

Chen Changsheng asked, “Miss Aqing, do you want to practice Cultivation?”

Aqing shook her head. “Not sure yet. A Daoist Priest came to see me on the mountain a few times before, but I didn’t agree. Haven’t decided.”

“I see…”

«Chapter 516: Return to Heaven’s Gate Mountain, Climbing the Familiar Path Again

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