"Okay."

 

The green gourd swayed and then continued, "But you'll have to wait another day or two to come out. You have to wait until these three gourds are fully ripe."

 

This was something that Fairy Lingyue had told Xu Taiping before.

 

After waking up this time, her remnant soul would slowly nurture itself in this green gourd as a place of residence, without the need to rely on the Earthly Fruit.

 

"Little Taiping, although I don't know what specific treasures are in the other two gourds, the aura they emit is very powerful. This time, there may be a surprise."

 

Fairy Lingyue continued with a hint of excitement in her tone.

 

"I also think there will be a surprise."

 

Xu Taiping also nodded. He was also looking forward to the treasures that would result from the Earthly Fruit the second time.

 

After discussing some of the confusion in their cultivation over the past few months with Fairy Lingyue, Xu Taiping returned to the house to play a few games of chess with the little monkey, and then continued his evening cultivation in the bedroom.

 

He didn't want to waste any time now.

 

As Xu Taiping began to cultivate, the little monkey, Ping'an, began to play alone in the courtyard, imitating Xu Taiping's posture, punching and climbing up and down the old banyan tree, having a great time.

 

"Gulong…"

 

As it was getting dark, Ping'an's stomach began to growl.

 

The food consumption of the mountain-moving ape was very large. Even though it had eaten a whole roasted leg of lamb at noon, it still felt hungry at this time.

 

But even though it was hungry and weak, it didn't disturb Xu Taiping. It just hung itself on a tree branch with its tail, swinging back and forth, and kept reciting the three-character scripture that Xu Taiping had taught it: "At the beginning of the monkey, its nature is good, similar in nature, different in habits, yellow sheep meat, big chicken legs, roasted bear paws…"

 

"Bang, bang, bang…"

 

Just as Ping'an couldn't help but want to grab a handful of leaves to eat, there was a sudden knocking at the door outside the courtyard.

 

Ping'an shook its tail, swung its body onto a tree branch, covered its eyes with its hand to look outside, and then saw a middle-aged man in a blue shirt standing at the door.

 

"Excuse me, is Xu Taiping at home?" the middle-aged man's voice rang out.

 

"Jiji…"

 

Ping'an jumped down from the tree and danced around the middle-aged man.

 

"Little monkey, is your master in the courtyard?" the middle-aged man smiled at Ping'an.

 

Hearing this, Ping'an suddenly realized that it seemed to be able to speak human language, and immediately shook its head and said, "Not here, you go, Xu Taiping, not interested, not interested in the Cloud Tower."

 

It had just learned to speak and could only speak in short sentences.

 

"I see…"

 

The middle-aged man nodded thoughtfully, a barely perceptible sly look flashing in his eyes. Then he looked back at Ping'an and said, "Little monkey, I have two spirit peaches here. Do you want to eat them?"

 

As he spoke, he took out two fist-sized, tender peaches from his wide sleeves.

 

A unique fragrance of spiritual fruit filled the area as soon as the two spirit peaches were taken out.

 

"Jiji…"

 

Smelling the fragrance of the spiritual fruit, Ping'an found it difficult to resist and began to scratch its head and cheeks.

 

"Little monkey, if you want to eat, come and get it yourself."

 

As the middle-aged man spoke, he picked up one of the spirit peaches and began to eat it with relish.

 

"Jiji jiji…"

 

Faced with the temptation of the middle-aged man, Ping'an wanted to jump down several times, but when it remembered Xu Taiping's warning, it finally resisted and, after scolding the middle-aged man and returned to the banyan tree in the courtyard.

 

"Never mind, I'm too lazy to tease you. The spirit peach is for you, come and get it yourself."

 

The middle-aged man smiled and then placed the spirit peach on the ground before turning and leaving without looking back.

 

"Jiji…"

 

Seeing the middle-aged man leave, Ping'an finally relaxed, jumped down, and quickly picked up the spirit fruit from the ground.

 

But at that moment, the middle-aged man seemed to have disappeared as if he had turned invisible, and he appeared next to Ping'an out of thin air.

 

"Jiji…"

 

Before Ping'an could scream, the middle-aged man grabbed it and knocked it out with a palm.

 

"Little guy, if you won't accept a toast, you'll have to drink a forfeit."

 

The middle-aged man looked at the plaque above the courtyard door, "Green Bamboo Residence," then flicked his hand and shot a dart from his sleeve, straight into the plaque.

 

And on that dart was a letter.

 

After doing all this, the middle-aged man's figure disappeared into thin air once again.

 

…

 

"Taiping, if you want to get back your spiritual pet, come to Peach Blossom Ridge for a meeting within three days. Yuan Liu of the Cloud Tower will be waiting."When Xu Taiping saw the letter, a stick of incense had already burned down.

 

He had been at a critical juncture in his cultivation practice, his mind fully immersed, and hadn't noticed what was happening outside.

 

"Why would they do this to me, a mere beginner at the Opening Realm, especially when I have no quarrels with the Yunlou Association?"

 

Xu Taiping, walking towards the medicinal garden while reading the letter, couldn't quite understand.

 

"What's wrong, Taiping?"

 

By now, Xu Taiping was standing in the medicinal garden, right beside the gourd vine.

 

"A loose cultivator alliance called the Yunlou Association has kidnapped Little Monkey, demanding that I visit their estate within three days."

 

Xu Taiping recounted to Fairy Lingyue what had happened today, as well as the repeated invitations from the Yunlou Association over the past days.

 

"They must be after the medicinal herbs in your garden."

 

Fairy Lingyue, an old hand in the world, immediately thought of this possibility.

 

"That's possible. This year, all the herbs I've planted in the garden are valuable."

 

Xu Taiping nodded.

 

"Don't worry too much, Taiping. Since their goal is the herbs in your garden, they won't harm Little Taiping before meeting you. Tonight, these three gourds will fully mature. You should take the treasures to add a layer of protection, and then I'll accompany you to Taoyuan Ridge."

 

Fairy Lingyue suggested at this moment.

 

"Mhm, that's the only way."

 

Xu Taiping nodded.

 

This was also why he hadn't rushed out immediately but had come to the medicinal garden instead.

 

…

 

Late into the night.

 

As the moon reached its zenith, with a "plop," the green gourd where Fairy Lingyue resided fell from the vine.

 

Then Xu Taiping saw the green gourd, glowing faintly, floating straight towards him.

 

"Little Taiping, you'll have to take good care of my dwelling from now on."

 

Fairy Lingyue's somewhat playful voice came from the gourd, followed by the opening of the gourd's mouth, and a somewhat transparent figure floated out from within.

 

Who else could it be, if not Fairy Lingyue?