Chapter 75: The Will of the People, the White Deer's Rebirth
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On the slopes of Red Pine Mountain.
Lin You sat cross-legged beside a sea of clouds, watching them gather and disperse before his eyes. His expression was serene and composed, as though nothing in the world could trouble him.
Bai Yi, lying nearby, glanced at him with curiosity and asked, “Master, aren’t you going to personally preside over the grand medical gathering? I imagine it must be quite lively right now!”
At her words, Lin You smiled faintly and shook his head. “It is indeed very lively there, but there’s no need for me to go in person. With Senior Brother and Daoist Jiang and the others present, that is more than enough.”
“I see. Still, it seems a pity you’re not attending. After all, you put so much effort into nurturing this apricot grove, and now it feels as if you’ve gained nothing from it,” Bai Yi said, sounding a bit dispirited.
Lin You smiled at her. “That may not be the case.”
At that moment, within his spiritual sea, the little jasper tree had grown yet another circle, and sixty more jade-green leaves of spiritual energy now adorned its branches.
This signified that the tens of thousands of plague victims had all been saved, and that after the great epidemic in Jiangzhou had been resolved, the world itself had offered considerable feedback to the little tree.
Moreover, countless threads of golden energy were flowing along the lines of fate connected to the tree, feeding back to Lin You and gathering into a cloud of auspicious mist.
With a touch of his mind, he could hear within it endless voices of sincere gratitude and blessing, filling his spirit with an unparalleled sense of comfort.
A sudden insight dawned upon Lin You.
It seemed that if he abandoned his physical body and merged his soul with this cloud of auspicious will, he could become a different kind of existence—one no longer bound by mortal lifespan.
Yet the drawback would be eternal bondage to the heavens and earth, forever tied to the will of all living things.
This was an alternative path to immortality.
It was a road distinct from the way of the immortals, sometimes called the Path of Divine Incense and Offerings.
As Lin You gazed at the amassed will of the people, he fell into deep thought.
He had not expected the little tree to possess such wondrous abilities.
After a moment’s contemplation, he looked toward the valley’s apricot grove.
Amid hundreds of apricot trees, the ancient Bitter Apricot Tree swayed in the wind, exuding a sense of profound weight and an indescribable spiritual presence.
Lin You’s heart stirred, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
He pointed lightly toward the valley, and the amassed will of the people instantly condensed into a small golden seal, which followed the line of fate and descended into the valley.
The Bitter Apricot Tree in the valley was instantly enveloped in golden light as the seal fell.
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A mysterious and dignified aura immediately filled the area.
All the apricot trees around the valley began to sway in unison, as if celebrating and cheering.
Even the other living beings in the Red Pine Sanctuary sensed it, turning their heads toward the valley at exactly the same moment.
Bai Yi, of course, noticed as well. She raised her head to look into the valley, where it seemed a noble presence was being born.
Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked, “Master, what’s happening in the valley?”
Lin You clasped his hands behind his back, watching the Bitter Apricot Ancestor Tree, and smiled. “There is about to be a new companion on this mountain.”
As soon as the words left his lips, auspicious clouds and colorful mists coiled through the valley, and all the plants and creatures of the mountain celebrated together.
In Bai Yi’s astonished gaze, an incomparably noble and majestic white stag slowly emerged from the golden light that enveloped the Bitter Apricot Ancestor Tree.
On its brow was an intricate divine sigil, exactly the form of the golden seal Lin You had just conjured.
The white stag stepped gracefully through the air, ascending to the edge of the sea of clouds before Lin You.
Suddenly, it knelt and bowed deeply. “Xuan Shuang greets the Master and thanks you for granting me new life!”
Lin You looked at the spirit of the white stag before him, nodded, and smiled gently. “You are born of the blessings of your former life, and now you have again saved countless living beings. This is a fortune well deserved. May you continue to bring relief to suffering and avert disaster—your day of true attainment will surely come.”
Originally, he had planned to use the bitter apricots at the grand medical gathering to form bonds with the living, but the rebirth of the white stag spirit was an unexpected joy.
“Xuan Shuang thanks the Master!” the stag spirit replied, bowing respectfully once more.
Lin You nodded and asked, “Now that you have formed a divine body, how are you different from before?”
Xuan Shuang considered carefully before answering, “Master, I can now sense the other apricot trees grown from my body, and can manifest myself through them at will. However, as my divine power is still weak, I possess no ability for magical combat.”
In other words, every apricot tree grown from the seeds of the Bitter Apricot Ancestor was now essentially an extension of Xuan Shuang.
He could perceive the state of these seeds and trees at any time and manifest himself through them, but having only recently attained divinity, his power was limited to surveillance and manifestation for now.
Yet hearing this, Lin You’s eyes brightened.
These two abilities of Xuan Shuang were precisely what he needed at this moment.
He had always intended to establish a path of merit, forming connections with the living.
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The reason for planting so many bitter apricots was to emulate the ancient tale of the Apricot Grove, using spiritual medicine as a medium to gather renowned healers from across the land. As they cured illness and saved lives, they would help him receive the world’s feedback, allowing him to condense spiritual energy for cultivation.
Until now, it had only been an idea, but with Xuan Shuang’s arrival, he suddenly saw a complete system of merit coming together.
With apricot seeds as the link and a deity as overseer, by rewarding good and punishing evil, all beings could continuously accumulate merit, and both he and the little tree would receive spiritual feedback in return.
In this way, his journey of immortal cultivation would truly be set in motion.
With this thought, Lin You said to Xuan Shuang, “I wish to establish a path of reward and punishment through merit, and will need your assistance. Xuan Shuang, will you help me?”
Xuan Shuang immediately replied with reverence, “Master, your words are too gracious! For the gift of new life, I can never repay you. I am yours to command!”
“Excellent!” Lin You laughed softly, gazing in the direction of Jinhua Prefecture.
…
By the shores of Lake Jici.
After a spiritual rain, the plague that had afflicted tens of thousands was entirely dispelled; the atmosphere was jubilant as everyone knelt in thanks to the Jade Dawn Master who had saved them from suffering.
Even the renowned physicians and healers from all regions were filled with boundless curiosity about this mysterious and unfathomable master.
Could there truly be an immortal in this world?
Just as everyone was marveling, the apricot pits in their hands began to tremble, flying from their grasp and rising into the sky.
Before they could comprehend what was happening, golden light suffused the air, and a sacred, noble presence descended upon the assembly.
Tens of thousands of citizens, both inside and outside the city, were stunned by this miraculous scene.
Even the seasoned martial masters stared wide-eyed at the golden light in the sky, unable to look away.
Before the gaze of the multitude, a divine white stag, radiant with golden light, slowly emerged from the void.
Treading on clouds of auspicious mist, surrounded by countless voices of blessing and praise, it was as if a being from myth had descended into the mortal world.