Volume Two, Chapter Five: Zen Comes, Zen Goes

“Who goes there, demon?” Yibing shouted sternly, unable to help himself. But then he remembered—how could anyone hear underwater? Hastily, he gripped his sword and swam toward the three figures, but was met by three jets of black water shooting at him. Having learned from earlier mistakes, he quickly dove downward and avoided them. He rolled several times, and soon he was just a few feet from the lotus. Now he saw clearly: three golden toads were tightly clutching the infernal lotus, desperately dragging it down to prevent it from turning upward!

“No wonder the well water clears only to blacken again—it’s these three fiends causing trouble!” Enraged, Yibing swung his sword at the golden toads. The first two immediately released the lotus and advanced, each wielding a steel trident, attacking and blocking left and right. In an instant, Yibing was locked in combat with them. The third toad, however, still clung stubbornly to the lotus, fearing it would struggle free and ascend.

Yibing was no longer the novice he once was. After days of instruction from his uncle, his mastery of spells and martial skills had soared. He moved with confidence, his sword flashing up and down, unstoppable even underwater. Seeing Yibing gradually gaining the upper hand, the two toads suddenly guarded the entrance with their tridents and kicked wildly with their hind legs. The third toad, still clutching the lotus, soon joined in. Instantly, the waters of the marsh churned violently, like a kettle boiling over. Despite Yibing’s heavy build, he was tossed about, dizzy and disoriented.

Alarmed, Yibing noticed that the two toads remained unaffected, their tridents stabbing straight for his vital points. He swung his sword wildly and swam toward the surface, but just as he reached the muddy bottom, an undercurrent dragged him back down. Amid the chaos, a slick pillar crashed into his arms—he grabbed hold desperately. Looking closely, he realized it was the root stem of the infernal lotus.

Suddenly, two bronze bell-like eyes appeared before him. Unexpectedly, he was only inches from the third toad, which was stabbing at him with its trident. Just as escape seemed impossible, the infernal lotus abruptly sprang upward, shooting straight toward the surface. The third toad dropped its trident and wrapped all four limbs around the stem, yanking it downward. Yet the lotus seemed resolute, surging upward with unstoppable force. Yibing dared not let go, and so was carried along. Wherever the lotus passed, the muck parted, and in a flash, it brought Yibing to the mouth of the well.

“Yibing!” He Lingchi’s shrill cry snapped him back to his senses. He hurriedly reached upward.

At the moment Xiaoyao bit down on him, the infernal lotus was suddenly dragged back down. The clear well water turned pitch-black like ink.

“Oh, you’re alive!” Xiaoyao cried in delight, forgetting he still had Yibing in his mouth. Yibing crashed heavily onto the ground.

“Great Immortal, please be gentle…” Jin Guishan couldn’t help but protest.

“Yes, yes, are you all right?” Xiaoyao quickly brushed at Yibing, who was sprawled on the ground.

“I’m fine… I’m fine…” Yibing managed to reply after a long moment.

“You were down there so long, we all thought…” He Lingchi burst into tears and laughter.

“Sister, what are you saying!” Jin Guishan reproached her.

“Yes, I thought I was done for too! But to my surprise, it was just like when we were in the Guiyuan Cave. Didn’t Sister Zhao tell you?” Yibing glanced at He Lingchi, who looked utterly confused.

“Guiyuan Cave?” Xiaoyao was clearly startled.

“Yes, at Bianma Mountain, the Guiyuan Cave. When we were trapped, something tear-shaped and shining entered my body, and I could breathe and move freely underwater. Later it slid out of my arm, so I thought it had left me. Only today do I realize—it’s still inside me! The moment I entered the water, I could breathe easily, my whole body glowed, and the muck parted for me. It must be because of it!”

“Whose tear? Sister mentioned it, she said it might be someone’s tear!” He Lingchi finally remembered.

“Whose tear…” Xiaoyao mused deeply.

“Great Immortal, I know what’s going on!” He Lingchi’s words reminded Yibing—he had to hurry and save the lotus!

“What is it?” Xiaoyao snapped out of his reverie.

“There are three golden toads pulling the lotus down, preventing it from rising!” Yibing explained, gesturing as he spoke.

“Golden toads?” Xiaoyao widened his eyes.

“Yes, three golden toads! They wield steel tridents and fought with me for ages. Later they cast spells, making the marsh water surge so violently I couldn’t tell up from down. Just as I was about to perish, I grabbed hold of the lotus stem, and it shot up, bringing me out!”

“Then Sister Zhao can still be saved?” He Lingchi cried out excitedly. Jin Guishan glanced at Xiaoyao, his heart uneasy.

“Will you go down again?” Xiaoyao suddenly stared at Yibing.

“Go down again?” Yibing was startled.

“Yes, help me lure them up!” Xiaoyao’s eyes glinted.

“Going down is easy, but how do I get back up? If I can’t make it, how can I lure them up?” Yibing frowned.

“Don’t worry, I’ll tie a rope to you—just pull, and I’ll haul you up.” Xiaoyao said confidently.

“Oh, that’s safer! But they might not…” Yibing brightened.

“No worries! Use this to lure them…” Xiaoyao spat out a blue pearl. It gleamed, clearly no ordinary object, but was covered in saliva, making it rather nauseating.

“This is my elixir pearl, cultivated for ten thousand years. They won’t be able to resist snatching it!” Xiaoyao signaled Yibing to take it.

“Oh…” Yibing reluctantly took it.

“You won’t eat it, will you?” Xiaoyao asked, worried.

“Eat it?!” Yibing shook his head vigorously. Not only would he never do such a thing, he couldn’t stomach anything so filthy!

“True, how could a disciple of the Phoenix do something so sneaky?” Xiaoyao said casually, but Jin Guishan and the others took offense.

“Where’s the rope?” Yibing was most concerned about getting back up.

Without a word, Xiaoyao plucked two feathers and tossed them to the ground; they instantly transformed into a rope and a golden thread. Before Xiaoyao could speak, Jin Guishan hurried to tie the rope around Yibing’s waist. But he couldn’t figure out the purpose of the golden thread, so he picked it up and looked to Xiaoyao, who ignored him and instead fixed his gaze on the pearl in Yibing’s hand, chanting softly. In no time, the pearl became a crystal-clear jade-green worm.

“Aiya!” Yibing nearly jumped in fright. The worm squirmed stickily in his palm.

“What are you waiting for? Tie up the worm! Fasten the other end to his wrist!” Xiaoyao urged Jin Guishan, who carefully tied the worm and fastened the other end to Yibing’s left wrist.

“Once they see such a highly cultivated worm, they won’t be able to resist. Then it’s up to you!” Xiaoyao chuckled lewdly.

“Don’t worry!” Yibing stiffened his neck in determination.

Despite his bravado, when he reached the well mouth, Yibing took a deep breath and plunged in. He tried to approach quietly, but as soon as he neared the lotus, the two golden toads spotted him and charged. As before, the three toads conjured surging waves, tossing Yibing about like a leaf. Strangely, this time he felt no dizziness, likely thanks to Xiaoyao’s elixir pearl.

Feigning panic, Yibing swam upward, and the two toads chased after him. But near the mud layer, they suddenly stopped. Yibing quickly let go with his left hand, dropping the worm. Looking back, the toads’ eyes bulged like cartwheels, and they rushed at him madly. Frightened, Yibing tugged at the rope, but it moved as slowly as an ox.

The two toads stabbed at his vitals with their tridents, forcing Yibing to defend desperately with his sword, dodging left and right, danger at every turn. He kept pulling at the rope, and finally it sped up. Just as he was about to break through the well mouth, the toads grew frantic, threw aside their tridents, and leaped forward, grabbing his legs. At that moment, Xiaoyao bit down and hauled Yibing out, bringing the two golden toads with him.

Seeing Xiaoyao, the toads immediately let go and tried to escape, soaring toward the well mouth. But Xiaoyao swept his left wing across, blocking the exit, and his right wing struck, knocking them to the ground. Before they could scramble up, Xiaoyao’s claws pinned them down.

“Spare us, Great Immortal! Spare us!” the toads cried.

“Isn’t there a third one?” He Lingchi called.

“It’s still underwater, pulling the lotus!” Yibing answered, and just then a splash came from the well. The lotus rose up, pushing the third toad out with it. The toad stared in shock at the infernal lotus. Xiaoyao spat out Yibing, his neck suddenly stretching ten feet as he grabbed the third toad in his mouth. But the lotus sank back down.

“Aiya!” Jin Guishan reached to grab it, but caught only empty air.

“Let’s tie them up with this rope!” Yibing said, glancing at Xiaoyao, who nodded approvingly.

Qi Yuanxiao and He Lingchi hurried to untie the rope from Yibing’s waist and bound the three toads together.

“Damn it, what demon dares steal my lotus?” Xiaoyao, finally able to speak, cursed loudly.

“Spare us, Great Immortal! We’re just…” The three toads kowtowed desperately.

“You dare lie!” Xiaoyao’s anger flared, raising a claw to strike.

“I’m Little Black! Little Black! The three tadpoles you rescued five years ago!” one cried.

“Little Black?” Xiaoyao was stunned. He recalled saving three tadpoles from a nearly dried puddle on the way home five years ago, then tossing them into Peach Marsh.

“Great Immortal?” Yibing looked at Xiaoyao curiously, who nodded awkwardly.

“Yes, you gave us our names! On the road, you kept calling us Little Black, Little Little Black, and Little Little Little Black!”

“Aiya! I saved you, and you should have been grateful, but instead you cultivated into spirits to harm me!”

“...It’s actually because of you…” Little Black’s voice was barely audible.

“Because of me?” Xiaoyao’s fur bristled.

“Yes, do you remember the second year when you drank too much?”

“What?” Xiaoyao swallowed awkwardly. That year he’d gotten some immortal fruit…

“…Later, you drank too much, and we ate the leftover immortal fruit, which caused us to change…”

“…I wondered why I remembered not finishing, but when I woke up it was gone…” Xiaoyao finally realized.

“After that, we fell deeper into cultivation, longing to become human. But relying on ourselves alone would take centuries, so we coveted the lotus seed… So you see, it’s because of you!” Little Black added.

“Aiya! So it’s really my fault! In that case, I’ll destroy you myself to correct the mistake!” Xiaoyao raised his claw.

“Great Immortal, wait!” Thinking of Hanyu and Meiniang, Yibing hurried to intercede. “First, take this…” He handed over the worm.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Xiaoyao quickly swallowed it.

“Let’s check on the lotus first, shall we?” Yibing quickly changed the subject.

“Yes, yes, I’ll deal with you later!” Xiaoyao remembered he still had to collect the seeds.

“It’s sunk again…” Jin Guishan, still at the well mouth, looked at Xiaoyao, who turned to Yibing.

“Oh, I understand! Please transform another rope!” Yibing caught his meaning.

After securing the rope, Yibing dove in once more, now strolling leisurely. But as he neared the lotus, his heart sank. Fat Niu was truly beyond saving! The infernal lotus lay prostrate on the ground, its flower and stem completely severed.