"Should I water it some more?"
"Plop!…"
Just as Xu Taiping was about to go fetch some water, the soil he had used to cover the soybean seed was suddenly pushed aside by something.
"Huh? It... it's sprouting? Already?"
Curious, he crouched down, only to be stunned to find that the seed he had just planted had already sprouted a tender shoot.
Not only that, but after the sprout pushed through the soil, it began to grow stems and leaves at a visible speed, then it bloomed and bore fruit.
In just a short moment, a fully matured soybean plant appeared right in front of Xu Taiping.
This plant stood about four feet tall, with leaves so green they seemed to almost drip with water. The three bean pods hanging from it were translucent, like jade, and anyone who looked at them would know they were not ordinary.
"Could the opportunity Grandpa mentioned be these beans inside the pods?"
Xu Taiping reached out with surprise and was about to pluck the three bean pods.
"Little one."
Just as Xu Taiping extended his hand to the bean pods, a melodious voice suddenly rang out from the plant.
Next, Xu Taiping saw a soft milky-white glow, like smoke, emerging from the stems and leaves of the plant, eventually coalescing into the figure of a beautiful fairy in front of him.
"Don't be in such a hurry to pluck them."
The fairy smiled sweetly at the still-dumbfounded Xu Taiping.
"You… you… are you a demon, or… a fairy?"
Finally snapping out of it, Xu Taiping tried to steady his mind, though his voice still stammered.
"A fairy? I might have been one once, but now, I can only be considered a fragment of a soul, clinging to life within this bean," the woman said with a wry smile.
"Little one, don't be afraid. I won't harm you, and I can't even harm you. I'm only appearing now to make a deal with you."
"A deal?"
Xu Taiping was confused.
"My name is Chu Lingyue. Six hundred years ago, I was ambushed by enemies. My physical body was sealed, and my soul shattered. Only this fragment of my soul has managed to survive, clinging to this bean. Over time, the bean traveled thousands of miles until it ended up in your grandfather's hands, and eventually, he passed it down to you. Only today, when you planted it in this spiritual land, did the seed come to life, allowing me to see the light again," the beautiful woman explained earnestly.
"If I hadn't gone to the mountain, would you have remained trapped in the bean forever?"
Xu Taiping asked, curious.
Although he was mature for his age, he was still just a young boy, and his curiosity outweighed his fear.
"Yes, and not just that. In one or two years, when the spiritual energy of the bean completely dissipates, my soul will likely vanish with it," Chu Lingyue nodded and admitted without hiding anything.
"Then, what is this deal you mentioned?"
Xu Taiping, still focused, didn't let his curiosity distract him from the main point.
"From the three pods on this soybean plant, would you take only one and leave the other two for me?"
Chu Lingyue asked seriously.
"According to what you said, only I can pluck the pods from this plant?"
Xu Taiping blinked his big eyes and looked at Chu Lingyue.
"Such a smart grandson. Your grandfather, Xu Zhi'an, can rest easy in the underworld," Chu Lingyue was startled by his words. She chuckled softly, then nodded. "Yes, only the one who plants the seed can harvest the fruits."
"I see now."
Xu Taiping nodded.
"Since it's a deal, what are you going to offer in exchange?"
He asked Chu Lingyue.
"If you agree to take only one, I will tell you some of the secrets of this bean and give you a recipe that will help with the cultivation of bones," Chu Lingyue said seriously.
Her eyes clearly no longer saw Xu Taiping as just a child.
When Xu Taiping heard that she had a recipe to aid in bone cultivation, a glimmer of joy flashed in his eyes.
"How can I trust you?"
Xu Taiping continued to ask calmly.
"I can give you the recipe first. If you find it effective after trying it, we can make the deal then," Chu Lingyue said openly.
Xu Taiping stared deeply into Chu Lingyue's eyes without blinking. After a long pause, he nodded. "No need to try it. I agree to the deal."
"Really? You're not worried I'm lying?"
Seeing Xu Taiping agree so quickly, Chu Lingyue was a bit surprised.
"My grandfather said that after planting the seed, I would gain an opportunity. Now it seems that my opportunity is you, Fairy."
Xu Taiping answered seriously.
Chu Lingyue paused for a moment, then smiled as she covered her mouth.
"I didn't expect you to be so eloquent, this makes you much better than your grandfather."
"Are you familiar with my grandfather?"
Xu Taiping suddenly asked with curiosity.
From Chu Lingyue's words, Xu Taiping could vaguely tell that she had interacted with his grandfather.
"I don't have much time to appear. Let's focus on the bean for now," Chu Lingyue quickly changed the topic.
"Alright."
Xu Taiping nodded and didn't dwell on the previous question. He crossed his legs and sat down, ready to listen attentively.
"Your grandfather gave you this seed earlier. It's also known as the Earth Tomb Fruit. It is a very mysterious spiritual item. When planted in an immortal mountain, it can absorb the mountain's spiritual energy, and the fruit it bears will also contain unique treasures."
Fairy Lingyue didn't keep him in suspense and explained directly.
"Are you saying that if this seed is planted in different immortal mountains, the fruits it bears will be completely different?"
Xu Taiping asked, surprised, and a new question popped into his mind.
"Exactly."
Fairy Lingyue nodded in approval.
"The spiritual energy in each immortal mountain is unique, just like humans. As a result, the fruits the Earth Tomb Fruit bears and the treasures contained within them will differ depending on where they are planted," she explained in more detail.
"This tiny soybean is actually so extraordinary. No wonder Grandpa said this was a great opportunity."
After hearing Fairy Lingyue's explanation, Xu Taiping was astonished.
He had initially guessed that the yellow bean might be some sort of celestial fruit, but he never expected it to be something that could give birth to treasures.
"Pluck one of the pods and open it."
Fairy Lingyue pointed to the three pods on the plant.