PCJ – Chapter 500 Three Little Kids

The leopard ran to Zhang Jiaohua’s side and nudged Zhang Jiaohua’s foot with its head, wanting to join in and watch the fun. Having experienced this once before, the leopard was no longer nervous; instead, it was quite excited.

Zhang Jiaohua was now very skilled, quickly bringing the leopard into the Dao cultivation map, and his spiritual sense followed it into the map as well.

Inside the Dao cultivation map, three little children appeared. Among them, the leopard looked exactly the same as before. The other two were black and golden. It was obvious who had transformed into which. The black one was naturally the fat cat, its long tail unchanged. Its body was plump, with short, stubby limbs, looking incredibly cute, and it wore a black-and-white patterned bellyband. The chubby monkey was still fat, with its monkey tail hanging on the Yin-Yang Xuanpin cart, dressed in a red bellyband.

The three of them immediately recognized each other without any prompts.

“Leopard brother, you still look mighty even in human form,” the chubby monkey immediately flattered the leopard.

The fat cat, without any sense of shame, looked at the leopard and laughed, “Leopard brother, your tail is so cool.”

The leopard proudly looked at its tail. “Of course! My tail is even more impressive than Tiger Brother’s.”

“Fatty, can your tail still catch fish? There’s a small stream here; I’m sure there are fish in it,” the chubby monkey pointed at the side.

The fat cat glanced at the stream, “I only see pebbles; where are the fish?”

“Fishing? What’s so fun about that? This is much more fun,” the leopard jumped onto the Yin-Yang Xuanpin cart, grabbed the handrail, and quickly started spinning the wheel. As soon as the wheel turned, the stream’s water was diverted by the waterwheel on the cart, flowing uphill.

Zhang Jiaohua suddenly remembered a line from the “Internal Sutra” that read: Where to seek the gate of all mysteries? Turn the mechanism and make the water flow backwards. The backward flow of the stream was where the mystery lay. Now that the stream was flowing backward, it had indeed triggered the mechanism of the Dao cultivation map.

The Dantian in the Dao cultivation map shook violently, and the originally misty scene around them was suddenly surrounded by a fog, with only the nearby scenery being clearly visible.

A piece of land appeared next to them, about one acre in size. The soil was ordinary yellow dirt, with a water buffalo leisurely grazing in the green grass at the edge. A plow was placed at a slant in the field.

“I’ll do it! I’ll do it!” the leopard quickly ran over, tethered the water buffalo to the plow, and then shouted. The water buffalo immediately began running through the field, and the plow started turning the soil.

The leopard hummed a song: Iron ox plows the land to grow money, stone-engraved children pass through. A world hidden in a grain of rice, half a liter pot boils the country. The old man’s white hair touches the ground, the green-eyed monk drags the sky. If you ask where this profound meeting is, it is beyond all profoundness.

Zhang Jiaohua found it strange. This verse was from the Internal Sutra, and he had never mentioned it in front of the leopard. He was puzzled as to how the leopard knew it. This was truly amazing. Could it be that entering the Dao cultivation map had allowed the leopard to comprehend the contents of the Internal Sutra?

The fat cat and the chubby monkey, naturally, didn’t dare compete with Zhang Jiaohua for the toys. They simply continued to turn the wheel of the Yin-Yang Xuanpin cart, pumping the stream’s water up and away. They seemed to know their mission.

The fat cat and the chubby monkey sang together: Step by step, the mechanism turns, the water flows east. The abyss will eventually show its depth, while sweet springs rise from the southern mountain.

At that moment, Zhang Jiaohua heard a deep and ancient chant coming from somewhere within the Dao cultivation map: My family grows its own fields, with spiritual seedlings lasting for millennia. The flowers are golden in color, and the seeds are like jade grains, all the fruits are round. Cultivation relies on the central soil, irrigated by the Upper Valley spring. Once the work is done, the great way is accomplished, and one can freely roam among the waters and the immortals.

Zhang Jiaohua didn’t know where the voice came from. The Internal Sutra seemed simple, but Zhang Jiaohua was only visualizing a small portion of it. He couldn’t imagine what the full vision of the Internal Sutra might look like. These verses carried deep meaning, and at Zhang Jiaohua’s age and state of mind, he could grasp very little—just a vague feeling of something profound, but not clear.

After carefully savoring these verses, Meizi’ao had already fallen asleep. Zhang Jiaohua quickly released the leopard and the others from the Dao cultivation map and rushed down the mountain.

At Zhang Jiaohua’s home, Liu Qiaoye was still awake, sitting with Zhang Youping in the yard.

“This child, he’s finally back, but he’s always running off,” Liu Qiaoye said with a wry smile.

“He’s grown up and has his own ideas. Let him be,” Zhang Youping had come to terms with it.

“But soon, he’s going to the capital again. Who knows if he’ll come back for the New Year? I feel like he’s getting farther away from us. I’m worried he’ll become distant in the future. I remember when we went to Guangdong that year, and when we came back, he seemed to distance himself from us,” Liu Qiaoye said with concern.

“No matter how far away he is, he’s still our child. Blood is thicker than water; no distance can break the bond. If he dares to not recognize us, I’ll break his legs!” Zhang Youping said.

Liu Qiaoye laughed, “If you really get your hands on him, I don’t know who will end up getting beaten.”

“This kid, no matter how tough he gets, he won’t dare to lay a hand on me,” Zhang Youping scratched his head.

“That’s because our child knows what’s right,” Liu Qiaoye could always find the good in her child.

“Mom, why aren’t you two asleep yet?” Zhang Jiaohua came in and saw that his parents were still sitting in the yard, knowing they were waiting for him.

“You brat, always running off. There are more and more wild beasts in the mountains, and they often come to the village. Our village is fine, with the leopard and others guarding it. But in the nearby villages, wild animals often show up,” Liu Qiaoye knew her son’s abilities but still couldn’t help but remind him.

“Your sister Hao Yue called. She’s starting military training in a few days, and she wants you to go on time. Don’t delay it. School is important; you need to take it seriously. These days, don’t run around, stay home and keep your mom company. When you leave, she’ll miss you,” Zhang Youping said.

Zhang Jiaohua nodded, “I won’t go anywhere these days; I’ll stay at home with Mom. And while I’m home, I’ll prepare some Jade Immortal Tea and Red Jade Immortal Tea to bring to Hao Yue and the others when I go to the capital.”

“Mm, a drop of water should be repaid with a spring. People have treated us well, and no matter what, we should remember it,” Liu Qiaoye nodded in approval.

Time passed quickly, and Zhang Jiaohua stayed at home obediently. Liu Qiaoyedidn’t go to work, and Zhang Youping went out less often, only taking on unavoidable tasks. The family of three quietly stayed at home, seeming like an ordinary family.

Zhang Jiaohua spent his days preparing Jade Immortal Tea and Red Jade Immortal Tea, and within a few days, the house was filled with bamboo tubes filled with tea leaves. The craftsmanship of the tubes became increasingly exquisite, with carefully designed patterns etched on each one. Every bamboo tube had a unique design.

Zhang Jiaohua didn’t pay much attention to his Dao cultivation map; only in the evening did he bring the leopard and the others into the map.

Zhang Jiaohua was planning to bring the leopard and the others to the capital with him. After taking them, he would arrange protective forces for his parents. He would pick the most powerful mountain dog to lead the group, and the black cat and monkey tribes would also select their new leaders. In the future, the safety of Meizi’ao would be entrusted to them.

One day, Liu Qiaoye told Zhang Jiaohua not to prepare the tea leaves anymore. “Let’s talk, just the two of us. You’ve been busy making tea leaves every day. Actually, we don’t rely on your tea leaves anymore to get by. We’ve invested a lot in tea processing, and although the new products can’t match the quality of the Jade Immortal Tea, they are still top-notch internationally. Your father and I can’t always depend on you. We don’t want you to be a tea maker your whole life. It’s time for you to go. Your mother has thought it through. A good man should go far. I can’t selfishly keep you here forever. But you should know, wherever you go, your mother will miss you.”

When Liu Qiaoye reached this point, she couldn’t continue. She covered her face with her hands, letting her long, dark hair hide her beautiful face, and her body trembled slightly.

“Mom, don’t worry. I’ll come back for New Year’s. I miss you too. Studying in the capital isn’t far, and when you miss me, you can come visit me. I’ll stay at Fatty’s house, and it’s really big. If you come, I’ll ask Fatty to prepare a room for you. You can stay as long as you want,” Zhang Jiaohua said, feeling a little reluctant as he saw his mother so upset.

“No need. I’m not a child. If I can’t let go, then my child will never grow up. Our child is capable and has greater responsibilities. I want my child to become a real man. Go ahead and study, son. After today, I’ll slowly get better.” Liu Qiaoyedecided not to see Zhang Jiaohua off. She packed his things into the car and returned to her room.

The car started, slowly leaving the house. Liu Qiaoye ran out, but by the time she reached the yard, the car was already gone. She hurried to the front gate and saw the car parked not far from the door, with Zhang Jiaohua standing next to it, waving vigorously at her.

“Mom! Take care of yourself! I’ll be back for the New Year!” Zhang Jiaohua smiled.

Liu Qiaoye looked at her son, now as tall as his father. Unknowingly, he had grown up.

Liu Qiaoye waved her hand. “Son, safe travels!”

The car started again and drove toward the distance.

The picturesque scenery of Meizi’ao slowly receded into the distance.

When Zhang Jiaohua looked back, he saw the rolling Meishan mountains, shrouded in mist.