Volume Two, Chapter Seven: Lotus Seeds, Lotus Seeds

Despite having resolved to restrain himself, when the food was brought out again, Bing couldn't resist in the end. Intending to take just a couple of bites, he soon found himself polishing off everything, leaving both plate and bowl spotless. When he looked up and saw Mu Tong about to speak, Bing hurriedly waved his hand with righteous resolve to stop her.

"No need, Senior Sister. I'm full! Burp..." Bing even made a deliberate show of belching. Mu Tong nodded doubtfully.

"Senior Sister, I wish to accompany you to Banyue Mound to care for Master. May I?" Bi Yi glanced at Bing and suddenly spoke.

"Of course! I was thinking the same even if you hadn’t asked. However, let Mo Yan go with you." Mu Tong agreed gladly.

"Yes, Senior Sister!" Bi Yi understood her intentions well. It wouldn't be proper for her to be alone with Bing, but with Mo Yan along, it was much better.

"Thank you, Senior Sister!" Mo Yan was so delighted she nearly jumped for joy, and before Mu Tong could reply, she darted off to pack.

On the way back, Bing followed Bi Yi with a spring in his step, but Bi Yi ignored him completely. Mo Yan, however, chatted with him nonstop. Bing felt frustrated—he had finally managed to be alone with Senior Sister Bi Yi, only to have an unexpected chatterbox tagging along. He was a chatterbox himself, but at this moment... sigh...

Passing through Peach Marsh, they saw no sign of Xiaoyao, likely not returned yet. Bing wondered what punishment it might face. Remembering Fat Girl, Bing’s mood plummeted further, thinking, "I’d better hurry back and seek advice from Master Uncle."

"What's wrong?" Mo Yan noticed Bing's face suddenly cloud over and asked anxiously. Bi Yi also glanced at him, curious.

"Nothing!" Bing quickly smiled and shook his head.

By the time they returned to Banyue Mound, dusk had fallen. As Bing entered the great hall, he saw all his senior brothers inside, each with a dour expression. Unsure what had happened, Bing carefully approached.

"Bing, what’s going on?" Hong Kun was the first to spot him and rushed over angrily. The others turned their heads as well.

"Senior Brother, I..." Bing looked at Hong Kun in confusion; he seemed furious.

"Why are you only just back? We all thought something happened to you! Wait, Bi Yi! Mo Yan!" Hong Kun finally noticed Bi Yi and Mo Yan close behind.

"Little Fatty, what’s the matter?" Daoist Xi Feng strode straight up to Bing, ignoring her two disciples. Bi Yi and Mo Yan were left rather embarrassed.

"Greetings, Master Uncle!" Bing hurriedly bowed.

"Master Uncle, it’s a long story, hard to explain in one sentence..." Hearing Master Uncle call him "Little Fatty," Bing relaxed at once.

"Then make it a short story!" Daoist Xi Feng’s rosy cheeks tensed.

"Yes, yes! I left Banyue Mound and rushed to complete your task. But in Peach Marsh, that sly fellow caught up with me!"

"Sly fellow?"

"Xiaoyao Immortal!" Bing quickly explained.

Daoist Xi Feng couldn’t help laughing.

"But when it heard your name, it immediately behaved and even asked if you were..."

"Enough chatter—why did it give you trouble?" Daoist Xi Feng changed the topic, knowing well Xiaoyao’s foul mouth.

"Oh, it's not entirely its fault! Do you recall Fat Girl I mentioned?" Seeing Master Uncle nod, Bing continued, "After her spirit left her body, she became absent-minded, so her senior brothers came to Peach Marsh to seek..."

"The Infernal Lotus!" Daoist Xi Feng frowned.

"You know about it? Yes, yes, the lotus seeds! Today was the day they ripen, but Xiaoyao Immortal refused to give any!"

"It has no authority to give them away."

"True, so after it explained, we begged for help getting one. But it said even if it wanted to help, the lotus might not bear seeds this year!"

"What happened?" Daoist Xi Feng was genuinely surprised.

"Originally, the well water should have cleared, but..." Bing eagerly recounted the whole tale, spittle flying, and soon everyone unconsciously gathered around him.

"That’s the story!" Bing finished and took off his pouch.

"Master Uncle, I’m not sure if one is enough. I offered all to them, but Senior Brother Jin said one would suffice!" Bing looked at Master Uncle, still uncertain.

"Rest assured! One is enough—more than enough, in fact, you won’t need so many!" Daoist Xi Feng spoke with confidence.

"Ah, then I’m relieved! Master Uncle, I’ll leave the remaining six with you for safekeeping!" Bing raised the pouch over his head.

"I didn’t expect you’d keep this pouch!" Xi Feng received it, examined it, then hung it back around Bing’s neck.

---

"Since the lotus willed it, it should be kept by you!" Xi Feng tugged gently at the pouch. The cord was so deeply embedded in the flesh it was nearly invisible.

"But..."

"Remember, the lotus seed must not be used indiscriminately; overuse is harmful. Use it when needed, refrain when not. If you use it unnecessarily, you’ll bear the consequences!" Daoist Xi Feng gazed meaningfully at Bing, who nodded, half-understanding.

"Master..." Mo Yan couldn’t resist jumping over.

"Master, Master, which master allowed you two to come here on your own?" Daoist Xi Feng grumbled, but her face betrayed joy.

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

"It’s not you who’s worried!" Xi Feng glanced at the silent Bi Yi.

"Ah, I’m worried too!" Mo Yan made a funny face.

"You! Now, tell me what you did to Five-Colored Caverns?" Xi Feng laughed.

Early the next morning, Bing rushed to the pond. He saw only the divine turtle, lazily sprawled at the edge.

"Turtle Brother!" Before Bing finished speaking, the turtle stretched its neck over.

"Hey, what’s that smell on you?" The turtle sniffed him all over, finally stopping at the pouch.

"That’s the Infernal Lotus seed!" Bing explained.

"Infernal Lotus? This scent feels so familiar..." The turtle rolled its eyes, thinking hard.

"Really?" Bing didn’t know how to respond.

"Forget it!" The turtle shook its head sharply, then stared at Bing, saying, "You better think carefully!" Bing was startled, not expecting the turtle to see through his thoughts. After a moment’s silence, he began to recount yesterday’s events. The turtle lay motionless, as if asleep, and Bing couldn’t tell if it was listening.

"Fat Girl will be fine!" When Bing finally stopped, the turtle yawned.

"So I should..." Bing was about to ask for advice when he heard rustling behind him.

"Hey! Xiang..." Mei Niang started to call out but quickly shut her mouth.

"Be careful, or you’ll get scolded!" Han Yu raised her brows.

"Alright, alright! When did you get back?" Mei Niang impatiently swiped her tail at Han Yu.

"Yesterday at dusk. It was too late, so I didn’t come see you."

"Hmph! With Senior Sister Bi Yi here, you’ve no mind to worry about us!" Han Yu said coldly.

"No, no... It was just too late!" Bing’s face flushed with embarrassment.

"Heh, we knew you were back last night! Her little brats already ran over to report!" Mei Niang giggled.

"What nonsense?!" Han Yu raised a leg to kick.

"Why so hasty? I didn’t say they were yours!" Mei Niang darted behind Bing, and Han Yu leapt after her. If Bing hadn’t intervened, the two would have been wrestling. The turtle watched merrily, its little tail twitching in delight.

"Looks like you two have fully recovered!" Bing laughed, but both immediately wilted. He knew what they were thinking.

"Can cultivation be regained?" Bing tried to comfort them.

"That’s not a matter of days—it’ll be a long time..." Mei Niang looked up at Bing.

"...I..." Bing hesitated.

"What?" Mei Niang looked at him curiously.

"Perhaps I can help you..." Bing swallowed and said, "I have the Infernal Lotus seed!" Han Yu and Mei Niang were visibly shaken.

"You know about it?"

"Of course!" Mei Niang’s eyes sparkled, but Han Yu remained silent.

"I’m not sure if it’ll work for you! Also, I can only give you one to share; more is said to be harmful." Bing took out a seed from the pouch.

---

"Give it all to the fox spirit; I don’t need it!" Han Yu suddenly turned to leave, but Mei Niang stepped on her tail.

"You little minx, afraid of poison?"

"What are you saying?" Han Yu snapped.

"Don’t worry, why run? Half for you, half for me—let fate decide!" Mei Niang stared mockingly.

"Fine!" Han Yu’s blood rushed.

Bing dared not speak further. He quickly drew his divine iron, transformed it into a kitchen knife, and placed the seed on a flat stone. He took great care to find the fairest spot, and when he cut, the seed split into two large pieces and one small. The two large were equal in size, the small was about a third of a large.

"What about Red Zither..." Bing couldn’t help asking. Mei Niang and Han Yu exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"... ..." Bing hesitated, then placed the two large pieces in Mei Niang’s hand.

"You go first!" Mei Niang handed one to Han Yu, who swallowed it without hesitation. Mei Niang smiled and quickly ate the other.

After a while, nothing seemed to happen.

"Maybe it’s not immediate. Let’s go back to our rooms." Han Yu glanced at Mei Niang, who nodded. The two sped off. Bing turned—the turtle had slid into the pond, leaving him alone by the water’s edge. Bing wandered a few steps, then headed to their little courtyard.

Entering the main room, Bing gasped. Red Zither’s feathers were almost all gone!

"You..." Bing wanted to say something but didn’t know what. Red Zither, lying in the cage, struggled to open her eyes.

"Eat this. The rest is up to fate," Bing said, placing the small piece in the food dish. Red Zither kept her eyes tightly shut.

"Sigh..." Bing sighed and left.

Before dawn, Bing couldn’t wait and rushed to Han Yu and Mei Niang’s courtyard, but both east and west wings were silent, so he sat under the eaves to wait. As the first ray of sunlight pierced the sky, Bing couldn’t contain himself and craned his neck to shout, "Hey! Are you two alright?"

"What are you yelling for?" After a while, Han Yu’s door cracked open.

"Hey, are you both okay?"

"Okay? Last night we suffered all night—pain, vomiting, diarrhea, nearly died! I can barely move, that minx..." Han Yu’s breath was weak.

"What should I do?" Bing panicked and stepped forward.

"Don’t come in!" Han Yu rasped, and Bing quickly stopped.

"I’ll go check on Mei Niang..."

"No need, she’s here in my room! Not dead, anyway! Go away!" Han Yu said, closing the door.

"I’ll fetch Master Uncle for help!" Bing turned to run, but paused after a few steps, worried about Red Zither.

He pushed open the main room’s door and saw Red Zither’s head sticking out of the cage, glaring fiercely at him.

"Are you alright?" Bing peeked in; the cage was a mess of vomit and droppings.

"I didn’t know it would be like this..." Bing apologized. Red Zither opened her beak at him.

"What is it?" Bing leaned closer, only for Red Zither to bite him.

"Ah..." Bing dodged just in time, or his plump face would’ve been bitten.

"I’ll... go get a new cage..." Bing hurried out.

He ran to the main hall but didn’t see Master Uncle. He dared not go to the back hall, so he waited on the steps.

"Sigh..." Remembering Master Uncle’s words yesterday, Bing was filled with regret.