Mortal Bones

Chapter 9: Planting Soybeans, Obtaining a Fated Chance Within the Pods

“Should I fetch some water for it?”

Rustle…

Just as Xu Taiping was about to go find water, the small mound of earth he had packed over the soybean seed was suddenly pushed aside by something from beneath.

“Hm? It… it sprouted? That fast!”

Curiosity piqued, he crouched down, only to be struck dumb by the sight. The tiny soybean seed he had buried mere moments ago had already pushed a tender green shoot through the soil.

But it did not stop there. Once free of the earth, the shoot began sprouting stems and leaves at a speed visible to the naked eye, swiftly flowering and bearing fruit.

In the span of a few breaths, a fully mature stalk of soybeans materialized right before Xu Taiping’s eyes.

Standing roughly four feet tall, its leaves were an emerald green so vibrant they seemed ready to drip water. The three pods hanging from the stems were even more astonishing, translucent and flawless as fine jade. Anyone could tell at a glance that these were no mortal objects.

“Could the Fated Chance Grandfather spoke of be the beans hidden inside these three pods?”

Filled with wonder, Xu Taiping reached out, intent on plucking the trio of pods.

“Little one.”

Just as his fingertips neared the jade-like surface, a voice of breathtaking melody chimed from within the soybean plant.

Immediately after, Xu Taiping watched as a milky-white radiance seeped from the stems and leaves, drifting like ethereal mist before coalescing into the translucent figure of a peerlessly beautiful fairy.

“Do not be in such a rush to harvest.”

The fairy smiled sweetly down at Xu Taiping, who had frozen entirely in his tracks.

“Are… are you a demon, or… or an Immortal?”

Finally recovering a sliver of his wits, Xu Taiping fought to steady his racing heart, though his voice still carried a slight tremble.

“An Immortal? Perhaps I was, once upon a time. But now, I am little more than a wisp of a remnant soul, clinging to this bean to eke out a miserable existence.”

The woman mused for a moment before offering a bitter, self-deprecating smile.

“Do not fear me, little one. I have no intention of harming you, nor do I possess the power to do so. I reveal myself now solely to strike a bargain.”

She continued, her voice gentle as a mountain breeze.

“A bargain?”

Xu Taiping blinked, thoroughly puzzled.

“My name is Chu Lingyue. Six hundred years ago, I fell victim to a treacherous ambush by my enemies. My physical vessel was sealed away, and my soul was shattered. By sheer fortune, this single wisp of my remnant soul managed to escape by fleeing into this bean. Over the centuries, the bean drifted across tens of thousands of miles before landing in your grandfather’s hands, and ultimately, yours. It was only today, when you planted it in this spiritual soil and allowed the seed to experience rebirth, that I could finally see the light of day once more.”

The exquisitely beautiful woman recounted her history with absolute sincerity.

“Fairy, if I had failed to climb this mountain, would you have been trapped inside that bean forever?”

Xu Taiping asked, his curiosity piqued.

Though he possessed a maturity far beyond his years, he was still a boy of ten. His boundless curiosity easily eclipsed his lingering caution.

“Indeed. And not merely trapped. In another year or two, once the residual Spiritual Qi within the bean was thoroughly depleted, my remnant soul would have scattered to the winds, vanishing into absolute nothingness.”

Chu Lingyue nodded, choosing not to obscure the grim reality of her situation.

“Then, Fairy, what exactly does this bargain entail?”

Xu Taiping did not allow his curiosity to blind him to the crux of the matter.

“Of the three pods resting upon this stalk, could you take only one, and leave the remaining two for me?”

Chu Lingyue asked, her expression growing deeply solemn.

“Fairy, judging by your words… am I the only one capable of plucking these pods?”

Xu Taiping blinked his large, clear eyes at Chu Lingyue.

“With a grandson as sharp as you, Xu Zhian can truly rest in peace down in the Yellow Springs.”

Xu Taiping’s swift deduction caught Chu Lingyue slightly off guard. She let out a rueful laugh before nodding. “You are correct. Only the one who sowed the seed may harvest its fruit.”

“Then I understand.”

Xu Taiping nodded slowly.

“Since this is a bargain, what do you intend to offer in return, Fairy?”

He asked, his gaze steady.

“If you agree to take only one, I am willing to share a portion of this bean’s true secrets with you, as well as a medicinal formula capable of aiding a mortal bone in cultivation.”

Chu Lingyue promised, her tone grave and earnest.

The look in her eyes clearly indicated that she no longer viewed him as a naive child to be placated.

At the mention of a formula that could mend the crippled path of a mortal bone, a brilliant flash of joy ignited in the depths of Xu Taiping’s eyes.

“How can I be sure I can trust you, Fairy?”

Xu Taiping pressed, smoothly masking his inner elation.

“I can give you the formula first. You may test it yourself, and if you find it effective, we can finalize the bargain then. It will not be too late.”

Chu Lingyue replied, her expression completely open and magnanimous.

Xu Taiping stared unblinking into her ethereal eyes. After a long, scrutinizing silence, he gave a firm nod. “There is no need to test it. I accept your bargain, Fairy.”

“Oh? You are no longer afraid I might deceive you?”

Surprised by his sudden and decisive agreement, Chu Lingyue found herself rather taken aback.

“Grandfather promised that planting this bean would yield a Fated Chance. Looking at it now, I believe you are that Fated Chance, Fairy.”

Xu Taiping answered, his voice utterly sincere.

Chu Lingyue froze for a second before a light, silvery laugh escaped her lips as she covered her mouth.

“I certainly didn’t expect you to have such a silver tongue, little one. You are vastly superior to your grandfather in that regard.”

“Fairy, were you closely acquainted with my grandfather?”

Xu Taiping asked, his curiosity flaring anew.

From her casual remarks, he could faintly discern that she had, in fact, conversed with the old man.

“My time outside the pod is strictly limited. We should focus our discussion on the bean for now.”

Chu Lingyue smoothly deflected the question.

“En.”

Xu Taiping nodded. Knowing not to press the issue, he simply sat cross-legged on the earth, assuming an attentive posture, ready to listen.

“The bean your grandfather bestowed upon you is known as the Earth Treasury Fruit. It is an artifact of profound mystery. When planted within an immortal mountain, it absorbs the local Spiritual Qi. Utilizing that Spiritual Qi as its core foundation, it nurtures unique treasures within its fruit.”

Fairy Lingyue did not attempt to keep him in suspense, delivering the explanation with crisp clarity.

“Fairy, are you saying that if this seed were buried in different immortal mountains, the fruit it eventually produced would differ drastically?”

Amidst his creeping astonishment, a sharp question formed in Xu Taiping’s mind.

“Precisely.”

Fairy Lingyue nodded, her eyes gleaming with visible approval.

“The essence of the Spiritual Qi housed within each immortal mountain varies wildly. It is much like humanity itself—a thousand people possess a thousand different faces. Because of this intrinsic variance, the Earth Treasury Fruit bears different yields depending on the mountain, nurturing entirely distinct treasures within.”

She elaborated, ensuring he grasped the profound nature of the artifact.

“To think such a tiny soybean could harbor such unfathomable depths. It is no wonder Grandfather called it a great Fated Chance.”

Listening to her thorough explanation, a look of unadulterated awe washed over Xu Taiping’s face.

His initial assumption was that the seed would simply sprout into some rare immortal herb. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine it to be a divine vessel capable of incubating bespoke treasures.

“Pluck one of the pods and pry it open.”

Fairy Lingyue instructed, pointing a slender, pale finger at the three jade-like pods hanging from the stalk.