Changsheng turned her gaze to Columbina, who had been listening quietly.
"Miss Columbina, I believe I have your name correct?" she said solemnly. "Given your earlier display, you wield this power – so distinct from ours – with such ease... In that case, I have a favor to ask."
Columbina raised her head, meeting Changsheng's gaze. "Is there anything I can help with?"
"When my Lord returns, I will take you to meet her, retrieve those stones from her, and return them to you," Changsheng explained.
"But I cannot be certain that once those stones are gone, my Lord won't relapse into her previous state of madness. Therefore, I hope to rely on your power to help me investigate and attempt to treat her condition. Finding a cure would be ideal. Even if we ultimately fail and confirm this path is unviable, it's still better than remaining at a loss as we are now."
Coppelia, hearing this, turned to Columbina. "I have no objections. And you?"
Columbina hesitated not at all, nodding. "No problem. I'm happy to help."
Changsheng bowed slightly to them. "Then, I thank you both in advance."
After receiving a positive response, Changsheng seemed to feel a weight lift from her heart, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards the cave dwelling.
"I must take my leave for now," she said, retrieving her gaze with a hint of apology. "There are some matters in the cave dwelling that require my personal attention. Fujin has returned, and she knows better how to entertain guests. In the days before my Lord returns, allow her to show you around Chenyu Vale. If you're curious, you can also have Fujin take you into the cave dwelling for a look..."
She paused, her voice softening slightly. "Oh, and the work I'm doing requires a relatively quiet environment, so..."
Coppelia immediately understood, nodding in agreement. "Rest assured. We won't disturb you."
A faint smile touched Changsheng's lips. "Thank you."
With a jade spoon, she leaned down and carefully added a small pinch of incense powder to the purple copper incense burner on the stone table, ensuring the elegant fragrance would continue to linger around her guests.
Then, she picked up the now empty ceramic jar and her medicine box, saying no more. She turned and walked slowly towards her cave dwelling, her white figure quickly vanishing behind the deep cave entrance and hanging vines.
As soon as Changsheng disappeared, Fujin's lithe figure appeared not far away, her hands empty, but her face alight with enthusiastic smiles. "I'm back! Eh? Changsheng's busy again?"
Coppelia nodded.
Fujin shook her head helplessly, a hint of affectionate complaint in her tone. "She's the one in charge here, yet she neglects her guests..."
As she spoke, she waved her sleeves lightly. Her adeptal power flowed, golden light flashed, and eight neatly arranged, calf-high, exquisite light yellow wooden boxes appeared on the ground.
The moment the boxes appeared, a rich, tempting aroma of pastries and the elegant, mellow fragrance of tea leaves immediately filled the air.
Columbina, the instant she caught the scent, turned her head completely towards the wooden boxes, her gaze firmly locked on them. Under the enticing fragrance, her hunger only intensified.
Fujin saw her reaction and smiled brightly.
She first carefully moved the purple copper incense burner on the stone table to an empty spot on the ground for safety, then opened the lids of the wooden boxes one by one.
Each wooden box was neatly stacked with a different exquisite pastry. From each, she took out a plate and arranged them on the stone table.
In an instant, the tabletop seemed to present a small-scale pastry feast.
"Eat as much as you like," Fujin said generously, waving a hand. "There's plenty!"
Columbina reached out almost immediately, picking up a snow-white, cube-shaped rice cake and taking a tentative bite. The soft and glutinous rice cake melted in her mouth, and the warm osmanthus honey filling inside instantly burst forth, sweet but not greasy, with a faint osmanthus fragrance.
Her chewing paused slightly, then noticeably sped up, clearly captivated by the wonderful texture.
Her gaze then fell on other pastries.
There were flaky, pink and white pastries, layered and blooming like night-blooming cereus. Picking one up, she found the flaky crust exquisitely fragile, melting in her mouth, with a mixed fragrance of rose and almond within.
Others were shaped like koi, lifelike mung bean cakes with alternating orange-red and white hues, their fine, sandy texture carrying the natural flavor of mung beans and a hint of milk.
Exquisite tea desserts were served in transparent crystal cups: a trembling dark tea jelly formed the bottom layer, topped with chopped raspberries, sugar-preserved glass bag flower petals, and crispy nut crumbs. A spoonful revealed a refreshing sweet and sour taste, rich in layers.
Finally, amber-colored thousand-layer pastries made a slight "crack" sound when picked up. In the mouth, their extreme crispiness and the subtle saltiness from surface rock salt cleverly balanced the sweetness, creating a truly unique flavor.
Under the dual effects of hunger and overwhelming deliciousness, Columbina ate with intense focus.
She first took small bites, her expression shifting between surprise and joy. Then she could no longer maintain her composure, eating with both hands, her cheeks slightly puffed up like a little hamster storing food.
She had almost stopped talking, all her attention immersed in "communicating" with the various pastries, occasionally even shaking her head slightly because of a particularly favorite flavor, her entire being exuding an air of satisfaction and pleasure.
Fujin watched her eating, and her smile deepened.
She took out various tea sets from a wooden box.
Columbina, at that moment, held a different pastry in each hand, eating them alternately, curiously turning her face towards Fujin, observing the various uniquely shaped tea sets, and watching her brew a pot of tea with dazzling hand movements.
A rich and unique fragrance immediately rose – a fragrance like a secluded valley orchid, yet carrying the sweet and mellow fruit scent of preserved fruit – clear and lingering.
After a moment, Fujin poured the tea. The golden, oily tea soup flowed evenly into two tea tasting cups, filling them exactly seven-tenths.
Fujin pushed one of the cups of clear, golden, fragrant "Chenyu Immortal Tea" lightly in front of Columbina.
"If you feel thirsty, or if the pastries are too sweet or cloying, take a sip of tea to cleanse your palate," Fujin softly instructed. "First, gently smell its fragrance, then take a small sip, let the tea soup linger in your mouth for a while, and feel its wonderful transformation from a slight bitterness to a sweet aftertaste..."
Columbina, hearing this, quickly stuffed the remaining pastries in her hands into her mouth, patted the crumbs from her hands.
Then, as instructed, she cupped the small tea cup with both hands and brought it close to her nose for a light sniff. Trying to organize her words, she said, "It has a kind of... indescribable fragrance. Very comfortable."
The tea soup entered her mouth, and initially, indeed, carried a slight bitterness, making her unconsciously furrow her brows.
But in the next moment, a long, refreshing sweet aftertaste quietly bloomed from the depths of her throat, rapidly filling her entire mouth, dissolving the initial bitterness.
Her brows instantly relaxed, and her body unconsciously straightened slightly. She lightly swallowed the tea, and the dryness and cloying sweetness in her mouth from the pastries indeed dissipated, leaving only a lingering freshness and sweetness.
"How wonderful," she whispered in admiration, unable to resist picking up the tea cup again, carefully taking another sip, eager to chase that unique sweetness.
Throughout the process, Coppelia sat quietly to the side, her gaze always patiently following Columbina, observing her every subtle reaction, from her eager eating to the change from furrowed to relaxed brows as she tasted the tea.
Fujin watched Columbina's enjoyment of the tea and pastries, her face showing satisfaction, yet also a hint of regret. "It's a pity you two won't stay here long, otherwise we could have had more tea parties."
"Tea party..." Columbina softly repeated this new word.
"Tea parties are wonderful things," Fujin enthusiastically explained. "If you want to make friends in the future, or strengthen relationships, just gather your friends for a tea party. Everyone gathers, sharing good tea, pastries, stories, and smiles – just thinking about it is beautiful. If someone invites you to a tea party in the future, don't refuse!"
"Mm." Columbina nodded seriously. "Do you often have tea parties?"
Fujin's gaze drifted into the distance, a hint of nostalgia in her gaze.
"Originally, I had an appointment with Lingyuan, the Lingyuan Borrowing Wind True Lord, and the Songchen Langshi True Lord. We planned that when the tea trees in Chenyu Vale grew better, we would carefully make some good tea, and everyone would gather to enjoy it... But later, they were all busy with matters of war and couldn't spare the time, so this appointment..."
Her voice gradually lowered. Then she perked up again, a smile returning.
"So, opportunities to gather are truly rare. Oh, in our place, there's a saying: 'one time, one meeting.' It means that every tea party is unique; even if it's the same people next time, drinking the same tea, it won't have the current mood and scenery. So, cherish every gathering."
Columbina was silent for a moment, as if digesting the deep meaning of this saying. Then she raised her head, meeting Fujin's gaze:
"I will remember this day."
After enjoying the exquisite tea and pastries, Fujin enthusiastically invited Coppelia and Columbina on a tour of Changsheng's cave dwelling.
To avoid disturbing Changsheng, they specifically chose an unused side cave.
The cave entrance was initially somewhat narrow, with the passage winding downward, but after a short walk, the space suddenly opened up.
This was a huge underground space, with a high vaulted ceiling.
Its most peculiar feature was the rock walls, embedded with several large, abandoned medicine furnaces. These were cleverly transformed into independent "small rooms," their furnace openings facing inward and containing bookshelves stacked with dense books and scrolls.
The air was filled with the scent of ink and faint medicinal fragrance.
Some colorful butterflies fluttered in the cave, their wings shimmering with dreamlike colors in the faint light seeping through the rock crevices.
Fujin looked at these butterflies and remembered something, saying softly to the two behind her, "See these colorful butterflies? Changsheng has been trying to infuse her own adeptal power into their wings recently, believing this might help extend their lifespan..."
"But she never told me why she suddenly wanted to."
Her tone carried a hint of feeling left out.
"I often ask her about medicine and medical skills, but she seems reluctant to talk much about it. When I asked her the reason, she actually said I was stupid and wouldn't understand even if she told me. She even said I have a fish's brain, and that even if she told me, I would forget everything in a few days."
"Hmph, I may be a fish, but my memory is good! I remember the events of the Rite of Descension very clearly! So during that period, I would run to her side every day, tirelessly telling her about the various ceremonies I'd presided over in the past... Let's see what she can do about that!"
The three continued their tour, coming to another corner.
Here stood a clearly broken large medicine furnace, its body split open by the root system of a thriving tea tree, which grew vigorously in this "remnant," full of green vitality.
Seeing this tea tree, Fujin's eyes lit up once more, a funny memory resurfacing in her mind.
"Speaking of this tea tree, it has a connection to Lingyuan! Lingyuan is another immortal of Chenyu Vale, often accompanying mountain spirits..."
Fujin lowered her voice, a secretive smile on her face. "Let me tell you, when Lingyuan first transformed into human form, her technique wasn't yet perfected, and once she transformed into a... well, a very, very corpulent shape! She genuinely thought she'd eaten herself fat while walking in the mortal world!"
Fujin couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Actually, when we immortals transform, we can be whatever shape we want, how could we truly get fat? But I didn't tell her the truth at that time..."
"She believed it was true, pulling me to find Changsheng here, crying and begging Changsheng to make tea leaves that would help her lose weight... You didn't see Changsheng's expression then... Hahaha, thinking about it now is still so amusing!"
She laughed for a while before continuing, "Unexpectedly, Changsheng actually went on to research tea leaves that could 'help lose weight.' Unfortunately, it seems she still hasn't successfully developed them."
Along the way, Fujin enthusiastically shared many interesting stories about Changsheng, Lingyuan, and Chenyu Vale. Although the cave dwelling was deep and quiet, it was filled with a lively atmosphere thanks to her storytelling.
After touring Changsheng's cave dwelling, Fujin was still not satisfied, and suggested, "Come, let me take you to visit the tea fields outside! I'll tell you how our Chenyu Vale tea is cultivated..."
"If we're lucky, we might even meet Lingyuan in the mountains. She looks very beautiful in her current human form."
As she spoke, her tone carried a hint of regret. "Originally, I should have brought Changsheng along, but she's been... busy with something recently, always mysterious."
Hearing this, Columbina, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up, asking with concern, "Can you tell us more? What's Changsheng busy with? Maybe... we can help."
Fujin thought for a moment and explained, "Well... to put it simply, after Changsheng talked with my Lord a few days ago, she seemed to have developed an ominous premonition."
"So during this period, she's been hurriedly organizing all her prescriptions and medical books, as if preparing for something. Recently, I've been helping her deliver some prepared medicines to the villagers' homes."
Coppelia keenly grasped the key information and asked, "She mentioned to us earlier that your Lord's mental state seems... abnormal. Where has your Lord gone?"
Fujin seemed somewhat surprised. "So she already told you about my Lord? Then I won't explain the reasons."
She furrowed her brows slightly. "My Lord's whereabouts... She took a group of strongmen south a few days ago, but she didn't tell us at all what she was going to do or why."
Coppelia speculated, considering the current situation, "Could it be that she went to participate in the Archon War? If she is, she must be helping the Geo Archon..."
"Our Lord told us that in her early years, when she lived in the Chasm, she became good friends with the Archon, often gathering and exchanging gifts."
"Later, a terrible incident occurred in the Chasm, making it no longer suitable for her people to live there. So she led those willing to follow her northward..."
"The Guili Plains is the territory of Guizhong and the Archon, Jueyun Karst is the secret realm where many immortals reside. Our Lord ultimately chose this Chenyu Vale as her new home..."
Her voice softened, filled with a deep nostalgia.
"Our Lord... is actually a very, very good person. In the past, she often invited us to gatherings, enthusiastically talking about the interesting things she saw in the mortal world, even bringing us many wonderful and happy dreams... Those were truly beautiful times."
"But later..." Fujin's voice lowered, carrying obvious disappointment.
"I don't know when it started, but her mood gradually changed. She became silent, no longer inviting us to gatherings, no longer caring about what happened in the human towns, and she became increasingly restless..."
Fujin sighed. "The timing is really unfortunate. I really wanted to introduce you to our Lord, let you enjoy the beautiful dreams she weaves..."
She suddenly thought of something, and curiously turned to Coppelia. "Oh, I'm quite curious: your mechanical body... can it dream?"
Coppelia seemed to have been touched by this question, recalling some distant memory fragments. She was silent for a moment before answering, "No."
"What a pity..." Fujin expressed genuine regret. "Dreams are truly wonderful things..."
She quickly perked up again, her gaze fell on the wound on Coppelia's cheek.
"Oh, the wound on your face. I was planning to have Changsheng take a look. Her medical skills are amazing; she can help people remove scars. But she never tells me the secret to this."
Fujin continued, "Now it seems Changsheng's medical skills don't work on you. Maybe I should take you to visit the Lingyuan Borrowing Wind True Lord!"
"That immortal is proficient in mechanical techniques, although her speech is sometimes... well, 'blunt,' her heart is actually very gentle. She often helps pitiful people and tells us funny stories about her disciples when they were young – it's quite interesting..."
As she spoke, she chuckled first, then realized she had digressed again, quickly tapping her forehead lightly. "Ah, look at me, going off topic again! Let's go, let's go – we'll go see the tea fields now!"
___
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