Chapter Four: The Marvel

As white mist surged into his body, Chen Ling suddenly realized that he was in a state of soul. Yet, his spiritual form not only welcomed this white mist, but felt an inexplicable yearning for it, actively absorbing it. He had never encountered such a thing, and was instinctively captivated by the magical scene before him.

As the mist flowed in, Chen Ling’s soul felt warm and pleasant, like soaking in a hot spring on a winter day. Soon, the mist was completely consumed, all absorbed by Chen Ling. He felt refreshed and clear-headed from head to toe, as if he had been cleansed from the inside out, and he felt as though he had become several years younger.

"So comfortable!" Chen Ling couldn't help but let out a soft moan. He clenched his hands, feeling the abundant strength and the tangible sensation of touch. He discovered that his soul was now almost indistinguishable from a real human body.

"The Sun-Moon Grotto-Heaven..." he mused. "What a truly magical place! Could this white mist be the legendary celestial energy?"

While he speculated, his eyes were drawn to the scene revealed after the mist dispersed. Standing before a stone tablet and looking back, he saw a lush forest filled with strange and exotic trees, many of which he had never seen before. A shaded path wound its way deep into the woods, possessing an elegant sense of seclusion.

Chen Ling followed the path for a few steps and saw a thatched cottage not far away. This caught him by surprise. "Could there be someone else here?"

A short while later, he reached the cottage and saw a plaque hanging above the door. It bore the words "Sun-Moon Cottage," written in the same mysterious script, the meaning of which he now understood. However, it was clear that no one had lived there for a long time. There were only a few simple furnishings: a meditation cushion, a bamboo bed, an old-fashioned hoe, and two bamboo hats. The hoe was made of some kind of hard, heavy grey stone, and Chen Ling could not even lift it with one hand.

"Perhaps this is the dwelling of some immortal," Chen Ling thought.

After searching the cottage and finding nothing, he stepped back out and continued along the path. After about two or three hundred meters, a small stream appeared, cutting through the forest. The water was crystal clear, even more so than the mountain springs outside the village. He cupped his hands to drink; the water was sweet and refreshing, and his soul felt that warmth once again. It was similar to the sensation of the white mist, though the effect faded quickly and was much weaker.

Continuing along the stream, he soon saw an ancient stone arch bridge. Beneath it lay a vast lotus pond, carpeted with emerald leaves and vibrant lotus flowers. Looking from afar, the lotus leaves stretched to the horizon in endless green, while the blossoms glowed with a unique, brilliant red. A gentle breeze blew, causing the lotus leaves to sway and rustle. Combined with the delicate fragrance of the flowers, Chen Ling was intoxicated.

He closed his eyes unconsciously and spread his arms, listening to the rustling breeze and the murmuring water, smelling the fresh air and the scent of flowers. He felt his entire body and mind becoming light and carefree.

After a long while, Chen Ling opened his eyes, let out a satisfied breath, and walked onto the stone arch bridge to explore further. From the bridge, he saw an ancient stone pavilion nearby. It was surrounded by exotic flowers and a few scattered fruit trees, and from a distance, a seven-colored glow seemed to shroud the top of the pavilion. It was truly a picturesque, immortal scene.

"Tsk tsk!" Chen Ling sighed in sincere admiration as he reached the pavilion. "This immortal predecessor really knew how to enjoy life; the layout is so tasteful." He circled the pavilion, but found no inscriptions, which left him slightly disappointed.

However, he was soon distracted by the heavy clusters of fruit hanging from the trees outside. He stood on tiptoe, picked two, wiped them off, and popped one into his mouth. He hadn't even finished marveling at the delicious taste before he noticed two flower buds appearing on the very branch where he had just picked the fruit. Then, under his stunned gaze, they grew at a visible rate, bloomed, and bore fruit; within just a few breaths, two more plump, juicy fruits had grown in their place.

"This..." Chen Ling was speechless. "It grows back as soon as you eat it? Is it really that magical?"

He quickly tested the other fruit trees of different varieties outside the pavilion, and even tried the flowers and lotus roots in the pond. The results did not disappoint; within this Sun-Moon Grotto-Heaven, everything seemed to grow rapidly. To verify this, Chen Ling even ran back to the cottage, used the hoe to dig a few holes, and planted the fruit pits and flower cuttings. Watching the pits sprout and grow into fruit-laden trees, and the cuttings grow into blooming plants, Chen Ling was so excited he nearly jumped.

"Good heavens, this is a cornucopia!" An inexhaustible source of treasure—what else could it be?

He rubbed his hands together, then suddenly paused, struck by a thought. Since this Grotto-Heaven could make things grow rapidly, could he bring things from the outside to plant here? "Wait, never mind whether I can bring things in, how am I supposed to get out?"

As soon as the thought of "getting out" crossed his mind, a flash of white light appeared before his eyes. He found himself back in the outside world, lying on a hard white wooden bed covered with a thick quilt. The walls were blackened by smoke, and a wire was stretched between the east and west walls, hung with iron hooks at intervals. There was a pile of ash on the floor near the four legs of the bed.

Chen Ling’s heart tightened. This wasn't home; where was he? And why was there so much ash? Had his body shown some strange condition while his soul was in the Grotto-Heaven, leading his young wife to think he was beyond saving?

"Is anyone there? Susu? Susu..."

Receiving no answer, he scrambled out of bed and walked outside. It was pitch black—already night—and there was not a glimmer of light, yet to his surprise, his eyes could see everything clearly. He looked around; having spent the three days since he arrived in this world wandering the area, he still couldn't recognize this place.

Just then, voices came from nearby. Chen Ling looked toward the sound and saw a group of people driving a donkey cart toward him. The man leading them was Wang Laishun. Seeing the light in the room, they spotted Chen Ling standing in the doorway immediately.

"Look, did Fugui wake up?"
"It really is him. What a waste of effort, the kid is perfectly fine!"

Seeing someone about to complain, Wang Laishun glared, "What nonsense are you spouting? Shut your mouths..."

Chen Ling approached, "Fifth Uncle, what is going on?"

"We were taking you to the township health center!" Wang Laishun held the donkey whip, looking him up and down, and sighed through his yellow teeth, "It’s a good thing you woke up. If you had stayed unconscious, none of us would have known what to do. Your brother Guoping said if you didn't wake up within ten hours, it would be trouble. We had to rush you to the clinic."

"You kid, you traded your farmland with Erzhu without a word, and now that you hear you can't trade it back, why such a huge reaction? Regret it?"

Chen Ling didn't know how to answer. Someone else chimed in from the side, "Does he even need to ask, Fifth Uncle? Of course he regrets it. Erzhu pays others a hundred yuan per mu every year to rent land! He traded his own farmland to Erzhu for two hundred yuan—he’ll never get it back. Compared to everyone else, he lost everything. Who wouldn't regret that? Look, Fugui even fainted from regret!"

At this, the group burst into laughter.