Upon hearing the news, the villagers erupted with excitement, eagerly inquiring about the plant's appearance, its location, and other intricate details.
Only Xue San wore a deeply contemplative expression.
"What are you pondering so intensely?" his father asked, a knowing smile on his face.
"Oh, nothing, Dad," Xue San replied hurriedly.
"Dad, Dad, wouldn't it be awesome if we were the ones to find this plant?" little Xue Si chimed in. "Then we could move to the city and live with Big Brother, buy lots of sweets, and Mom wouldn't be so sad anymore. Oh, and one of us could become an immortal too," she added as an afterthought, as if being an immortal wasn't as important as eating sweets and being with her family.
Hearing this, Xue Chang's face fell slightly.
Meanwhile, Jin Fu continued addressing the villagers.
"The Phoenix Fern is a plant with fronds that unfurl like fiery wings. Its leaves transition through vibrant hues of red, orange, and gold, reminiscent of phoenix feathers. The fronds are broad and lush, with a slight iridescence that catches the light, creating a mesmerizing display of colors. We have already visited several towns and villages on our way here, so know that you aren't the only ones searching for it. If we don't find it while we are here, one of the guards escorting the young lady will stay behind in case you find it after we leave."
"Oh, and one more thing, friends: if you do find it, please be careful when you remove it. Be sure not to damage the plant," Jin Fu concluded.
"Sir, isn't there anything more you can tell us about this Phoenix Fern?" one of the villagers asked.
"Yes, for example, what kind of environment does it prefer?" another inquired.
"Unfortunately, that's all the information we have," Jin Fu replied. "Now, my friends from Silverberry Village, we can proceed with our usual exchanges."
Hearing his words, the villagers went to gather all the things they had to sell or trade.
While the village bustled with activity thanks to the caravans, Xue San was making his way toward the mountain.
Xue San wasn't the only one who ventured up the mountain. Many of the younger people, fascinated by tales of immortals, went to try their luck, but they searched randomly. Only Xue San moved forward with a clear objective in mind.
"According to The Compendium of Alchemy: Volume One, the Phoenix Fern thrives in sun-drenched, mountainous regions where vibrant sunlight meets cool, misty air. It flourishes on rocky ledges and volcanic soil, which provide the rich minerals essential for its fiery hues. Gentle breezes ensure adequate air circulation, preventing moisture buildup while enhancing the fern's natural iridescence. I think I know a place that matches these characteristics," he thought.
After walking for almost an hour, he reached a part of the mountains where there was a pond of natural hot water, surrounded by plants of all shapes and colors.
Unfortunately, even after searching until the sun was almost down, he didn't find anything.
"I don't understand. This place is perfect for it to grow. Why isn't there anything here?" Xue San said in a frustrated tone.
He was already prepared to head back and try his luck again tomorrow when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw, a few hundred feet away, a flash of golden-red light with a hint of orange—like a tiny flame flickering.
"Could it be?"
Xue San rushed over, and there, between two rocks, was a tiny plant barely half an inch tall, glowing with a mixture of gold, red, and orange hues.
"Oh my god, I can't believe I've found it!" he exclaimed with excitement. In fact, he was so thrilled that his whole body trembled.
"Finally, that stupid book is paying off. If it weren't for it, I'd be wandering around relying on luck to try and find it."
Taking a moment to calm himself, Xue San carefully took a piece of cloth, filled it with moist soil, and gently removed the plant, taking care not to damage its roots.
The way back to the village seemed to take half the usual time—perhaps because he was in such a good mood. The only problem was telling his father that he wanted to leave; he knew his father wouldn't like that.
Thinking about leaving, Xue San found it strange that so few people ever left this village. It's not that people hadn't left before, but it was extremely rare. And for some reason, those who did leave—like his brother—stopped coming back for one reason or another. It was odd that the villagers weren't more interested in the outside world.
But even so, Xue San was excited. After all, with this discovery, he finally had an opportunity to realize his biggest dream: to be like that young woman and that old man—an immortal.
--------
When he got home, Xue San enjoyed a nice dinner with his family. As everyone finished eating, he thought it was a good opportunity to bring up his news, but his little sister beat him to it.
"Mommy, wouldn't it be nice if we found that Phoenix Fern? Then we could all go live with Big Brother, and one of us could go to the sect and become an immortal."
At her words, everyone was stunned except Xue San; he knew how curious his little sister was about the wider world.
"Xue Si!" her father exclaimed a bit louder, because every time their eldest son was mentioned, his wife would spend days sad and sobbing.
"Dear, don't yell at Xue Si. And you, Xue Si, I know you also miss your elder brother but finding that Phoenix Fern seems impossible. I heard Madam Wang saying they've searched many places along the mountain range and haven't found anything," said Rou Shui.
Hearing his mother's words, Xue San grinned and said, "Oh, that's easy then." With that, he got up and went outside. A few minutes later, he returned with a piece of cloth. Carefully unwrapping it in front of everyone's eyes, he revealed a little piece of fern with some dirt around its roots. It was barely half an inch tall and had three colors on its leaves: gold, orange, and red.
Everyone was stunned, and the silence lasted for more than a few minutes. When Xue San was getting nervous and was about to say something, his older sister broke the silence.
"It's... it's the Phoenix Fern! How did you find it, Little Brother?" she asked in amazement.
"I was just lucky, I guess. I went up the mountain and found it. But with this, we can give it to the young lady of the Long Clan and receive the rewards we were promised," Xue San said.
Xue Chang and Rou Shui were both astonished by their son's luck.
"Honey... what do you think?" Rou Shui asked hesitantly.
Xue Chang was silent for a moment, then said, "I think... our family is more important than staying here." Everyone understood his meaning, and they were happy to hear those words. "Tomorrow, I'll ask Jin Fu to help me deliver the Phoenix Fern to that young lady."
Early the next morning, Xue Chang went to find Jin Fu and deliver the Phoenix Fern. Jin Fu was stunned when he saw the plant before him; it didn't take long for him to present it to the young lady.
"Miss Long Huo, one of the villagers actually found it. All the money you spent to hire that Heavenly Seer paid off," said Jin Fu with a bright smile.
"Good. I was already getting worried he was a scammer. If we hadn't found anything, I would have chopped his head off the moment we got back to Dragon Fort City," she replied.
The young lady before him was Long Huo, she exuded a blend of youthful grace and strength. Her long blue hair flowed like a cascade of silk, shimmering with each subtle movement. Her eyes were mesmerizing and unconventional—one a deep emerald green, the other a striking blue—creating a captivating and mysterious allure. These dual-colored eyes glowed faintly with the energy of cultivation, showcasing a focus and determination beyond her years.
Her face was soft yet striking, with delicate features that hinted at her noble lineage. She wore a robe of deep blue, embroidered with tiny dragons soaring through the sky—a symbol of her clan. A silver belt adorned with small birds cinched her waist. At her side hung a slender sword, its hilt wrapped in white silk, ever ready for action. Despite her young age, her posture was confident, her movements fluid, reflecting the extensive training she had undergone. There was a quiet fierceness within her.
But Jin Fu knew that beneath her beauty lay a slightly selfish and shrewd nature, often prioritizing her own advancement in cultivation and carefully navigating alliances to benefit herself. This cunning edge made her both a formidable ally and a cautious rival among the younger generation of Dragon Fort City, as she always placed her personal ambitions above all else.
"With this, the position of the Soaring Sword Sect core disciple is mine. Tell everyone to prepare—we are returning at once," declared Long Huo.
"Young Lady Long, there remains the matter of compensating the person who found the Phoenix Fern," Jin Fu reminded her gently.
"Hmph! Just toss them some gold coins; that should suffice for someone from this backwater village. Honestly, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed such poverty and ignorance existed. Even the slaves in our household live better and are more educated than these people," Long Huo replied, her tone dripping with contempt.
Jin Fu managed a wry smile; he had anticipated such a reaction from the young lady of the Long clan. She had achieved her objective, and these villagers were of no further use to her. But he, Jin Fu, still needed to maintain good relations, for he would return here to conduct business.
"Young Lady Long, I understand your perspective, but consider the damage to your reputation and that of your clan if word were to spread that the Long clan does not honor its promises—especially when the cost is something the clan can easily afford. Do you think that a mere thousand gold coins and a residence in Dragon Fort City are worth more than the prestige of the Long clan, and the position of a core disciple?" Jin Fu said, hoping to persuade her. His words seemed to strike a chord, for a deep frown creased her brow.
"Hmph! Jin Fu, don't think I don't see what you're trying to do. I don't know why you want to help a nobody, but as one of our main business partners, I will give you face. Still—that is worth much, much more, and for a nameless nobody?." Long Huo retorted, her eyes narrowing.
"Young Lady, the cultivators of the Soaring Sword Sect place great importance on reputation. Your words would be worth more than thousands of gold coins, and the higher one's position, the more scrutiny one faces. I've heard that competition among the core disciples is even more fierce than, that of the inner sect disciples. Even something as small as this could become something detrimental to you" Jin Fu continued, his voice measured and persuasive—the tools of his trade.
"Goddamn it! Hmph, very well." Long Huo grumbled through gritted teeth.
After a moment, she composed herself. "We need to depart immediately. Who knows if someone else got lucky and found the Phoenix Fern? This region is vast, and we cannot afford delays. Inform everyone that we are leaving now," she commanded.
"Yes, my lady," Jin Fu bowed and exited her tent.
"Damn it, if he performs poorly it will also reflect poorly on me." Long Huo muttered to herself, her frustration palpable. "Well it doesn't matter, there are ways to dispose of him later"
In the Xue household, excitement buzzed as Jin Fu arrived to deliver the good news: upon their arrival in Dragon Fort City, they would receive the money and the deeds to a new house. However, they needed to pack up immediately, for the young lady was in a hurry.
Xue Chang was taken aback by the suddenness. He had hoped to bid proper farewells to everyone and settle affairs before leaving. "Must we depart today?" he asked. "I was hoping we could leave when the merchants came by next time."
Jin Fu shook his head gently. "I'm afraid delaying would mean forfeiting your son's chance to join the Soaring Sword Sect," he explained.
Xue San's face fell upon hearing this. He knew his father wasn't concerned with immortals; he simply didn't want the family to be separated. It was for the sake of keeping everyone together that he had agreed to move. But his father's next words shook him to the core.
"Then we will stay here and wait for the next caravan to take us to Dragon Fort City. Sir Jin Fu, could you take my son with you so he doesn't miss his chance? Any expenses you incur on his behalf can be deducted from the thousand gold coins," Xue Chang said resolutely.
"Hahaha, Mister Xue Chang, there's no need to worry about expenses or parting with your reward. And even if I did deduct costs, you wouldn't feel the loss—after all, you're a wealthy man now. With a thousand gold coins, none of you will need to worry about work anymore," Jin Fu replied warmly.
The family of four stared in astonishment; they had no concept of the true value of gold coins. The largest currency they had ever dealt with was copper.
"Rest assured, Mister Xue Chang," Jin Fu continued, "when I return next time, I will explain everything in greater detail during our journey to the city. But for now, we must depart promptly. The young lady is in haste, and we wouldn't want to make a poor impression."
Soon after, Xue San was packed and ready—not that there was much to take. His possessions were few. Jin Fu kindly lent him a leather bag, into which he placed a spare pair of shoes, some clothes, and beneath it all, wrapped in a tattered piece of cloth, was his greatest treasure.
He had considered leaving the book behind, but when Jin Fu mentioned it could be a long time before he see his family again, Xue San decided to bring it along. In the worst-case scenario, he could part with the book; he had already committed its contents to memory and he could learn the rest at the sect.
After tearful farewells from his sisters and mother, Xue San found himself in a carriage moving away from the only home he had ever known. His heart wasn't pounding with fear or excitement; instead, he felt as if chains that had bound him were breaking, freeing him to soar into the skies and beyond.
"Well, youngster, is this your first time leaving the village?" Jin Fu asked, a twinkle in his eye.
Xue San nodded quietly.
"You'll see many new things from now on. But your village is truly..." Jin Fu hesitated, searching for the right words.
"My brother said we were living worse than slaves—that this was a backwater place," Xue San offered, his gaze steady.
Jin Fu gave an awkward smile but nodded. " Well, I wouldn't say it like that. but your village is truly peculiar, it's like a place frozen in time. There are so few of you, and besides the Silverberies there isn't anything else. And, curiously, none of you seem to like traveling, and those who do never seem to return and..."
"Sir Jin Fu," Xue San interrupted gently, "could you tell me about the outside world and the immortals?" His eyes shone with curiosity, eager to shift the conversation.
"Certainly," Jin Fu agreed. "It would be best to teach you as we travel, so you don't inadvertently embarrass the young lady."
As the carriage rolled onward, Xue San felt a mix of anticipation and resolve. The world was vast and unknown, but he was ready to embrace whatever lay ahead.