Chapter 1: Planting Pears

Leaning on the stone bridge's railing and watching the gurgling water below, Wu Shan couldn't help but sigh again. This was a truly strange sight for a child of seven or eight. To call him an old soul would be an understatement; he was far too precocious. Yet, the way he frowned in deep thought didn't seem like an act.

The thin, scrawny child stared at his own reflection in the water. Finally, he confirmed it once more: he really had transmigrated. Perhaps he was simply the type who was slow to accept things, as it had taken him seven or eight years to reach this realization.

By the way, his name in this world was Xu Xian.

Yes, there was absolutely no mistake—it was that Xu Xian. If the name was just a coincidence, the fact that he lived in Qiantang County, had been orphaned since childhood, and was raised entirely by his older sister was enough to dispel his final doubts.

Consequently, the question Xu Xian had pondered most over the years was this: would a woman—no, a female snake—really appear before him one day to repay a kindness from a thousand years ago, and then perform a legendary romance for the ages?

Xu Xian couldn't help but grumble, "This is way too cliché." Yet even as he complained, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. The smile broadened uncontrollably until it turned into a loud, frantic laugh.

"Ahahaha!" On the small bridge, a little brat stood with grand aspirations, laughing toward the heavens.

Passersby looked over one after another. "Is that the Xu family's crazy kid?" "Sigh, what a pity. He looks perfectly fine, yet he's a fool." "Indeed, indeed!"

Xu Xian’s laughter turned into a twitch, and he quickly fled the scene of the crime. This child, fleeing with a distressed expression and his face covered, was none other than the famous little fool of Chengtang County, Xu Xian. As a transmigrator, he hadn't left behind a reputation as a child prodigy; instead, his abnormal speech and behavior had left everyone with the impression that he was an idiot. It had to be said that he was the most failed transmigrator in history.

But who cared? The Four Books and Five Classics were incredibly boring. No matter how hard he studied, he couldn't become the Top Scholar anyway. Besides, his son would become the Top Scholar in the future! The other kids were so naive; only a fool would go climbing trees with them. If they dared to bully him, he'd beat them to death.

No matter how much of a failure he was, it didn't matter. No matter how destitute he became, it was fine. The arrival of that person would change everything. She would be like an angel descending to earth, completely saving Xu Xian’s life.

At this thought, Xu Xian let out a long sigh. "As expected, being a pretty boy is my destiny!" One wonders if a child like Xu Xian, who resolved to be a pretty boy starting at age seven, would disappoint a certain someone in the future.

One could predict that if Xu Xian continued to develop this way, then when that celestial-like woman eventually descended upon the West Lake and searched far and wide, she would find him begging for years by the Broken Bridge. Xu Xian would pounce on her, crying, "My Lady, I’ve finally waited for you! What took you so long? Waaaaah!" Then, the woman in white would kick him away, throw down two hundred taels of silver, and vanish in a streak of light, heedless of the shock she caused.

"Xu Xian!!! You little brat, where the hell are you? Go get a bottle of soy sauce, now!" A loud roar shattered Xu Xian’s fantasies about the future.

He hurriedly wiped the drool from his mouth and shouted, "As you command, Sister!"

Just like in the original story, Xu Xian had been raised by his sister after their parents died young. Even as a transmigrator, Xu Xian felt nothing but deep gratitude for this sister who cared for him. Perhaps because he viewed things from an adult's perspective, this gratitude was likely even greater than that of the original Xu Xian. Although she often lost her temper with him, he was always honest and obedient, much more sensible than other children.

Xu Xian, the soy sauce runner, picked up the bottle and walked toward the market with large strides—walking toward another turning point that would save him from his potential life as a beggar.

The afternoon market was bustling with noise. Various strange and pleasant cries of street vendors filled the air, blending with the sound of wheels and the noises of poultry and livestock to form a cacophony of the mortal world.

"Pears for sale! Pears for sale! Crisp and sweet Ya Pears!" A loud shout reached Xu Xian’s ears. The straightforward sales pitch felt unusually abrupt.

Xu Xian poked his head out to look. A stout countryman stood by the roadside next to a large cart filled with golden pears. He was shouting at the top of his lungs, clearly someone who didn't come to sell things often.

A few people had already gathered around to ask for prices. The countryman handled them with a bit of awkwardness, but the price was not low. This man managed to send numerous battle-hardened aunts and old hags—experts at haggling and grinding down prices—fleeing in defeat. No matter how they argued, he refused to lower the price even a bit. When pushed too hard by those sharp-tongued women, he would suddenly blurt out, "My wife said not a single cent less!"

The onlookers couldn't help but burst into laughter. Finding it amusing, Xu Xian squeezed through and smiled at a woman carrying a vegetable basket. "Buying pears, Aunt Wu?" Their families were neighbors.

Aunt Wu turned around and saw Xu Xian. Her expression tightened before she smiled and said, "Not buying, not buying. I'm just looking." Having said that, she squeezed out of the crowd and headed deeper into the market.

Xu Xian chuckled to himself, knowing she was afraid he'd ask her for a pear. Although they lived in a time of peace and prosperity, the ancient world wasn't as resource-rich as the modern world. For these common folk, pears were somewhat of a luxury.

However, since the pears tasted sweet, the countryman’s business wasn't bad.

"Go away, go away! Don't get in the way of me selling pears!" the countryman scolded loudly.

It turned out a man of the cloth had been lingering by the cart, staring longingly at the fragrant pears. However, his clothes were tattered and filthy; he clearly didn't look like someone who could afford them. The countryman, who was somewhat cautious with the city folk, acted quite haughty toward this destitute Taoist.

The countryman shooed him, and the Taoist moved slightly further away, but he still refused to leave, his eyes fixed on the pears on the cart. The countryman grew furious and began to curse at him.

The Taoist’s expression remained unchanged. Instead, he argued, "There are hundreds of pears in this cart. I only want to eat one. It won’t do you much harm, so why be angry?"

Xu Xian watched with amusement, thinking that as expected of a man of the cloth, his skin was certainly thick. However, seeing the Taoist wearing a tattered headcloth and padded clothes with a weathered face, Xu Xian felt a pang of pity. The weather was already turning cold.

The onlookers also began to chime in. "Just give him a bad one and be done with it."

But the countryman, his face flushed red, stubbornly refused. A large circle of people had gathered, and the crowd was in an uproar. Some called the countryman excessively stingy, while others called the Taoist shameless.

"Here, I'll buy one and treat him!" a childish voice suddenly called out. A small hand holding several copper coins was raised before the countryman’s eyes.

Someone nearby who recognized him grabbed his hand and scolded, "Xu Xian, when did you crawl out? Was it easy for your sister to earn these few coins? Hurry up and get your soy sauce!" They had spotted the bottle in his hand.

Xu Xian shook off the hand and said, "I want to do this, it’s none of your business."

Xu Xian had hesitated for a moment, but in the end, his heart softened. This Taoist might not even survive the winter. Though his own home was poor, they could afford a single pear. With that, he picked a large pear from the cart and gave it to the Taoist.

The Taoist looked intently at Xu Xian, broke into a smile, and bowed in thanks. "Then many thanks to you, little brother." He then turned to the crowd. "I am a man of the cloth and do not hoard wealth. I happen to have some good pears as well; please, everyone, have a taste."

Xu Xian asked curiously, "If you have pears, why were you trying to eat his?"

The Taoist gave a mysterious smile. "I still needed this little layman's pear core to use as a seed." Having said that, he began to eat greedily. The golden pear was crisp and juicy. Xu Xian watched with envy; it had been a long time since he had eaten a pear like that.

As if no one else was there, the Taoist finished the pear, took the core in his hand, dug a hole in the street, placed the core inside, and covered it with soil. "Who has a bowl of hot water to spare?"

The Taoist’s strange behavior had already drawn a large crowd of spectators. An onlooker immediately borrowed a bowl of hot water from a nearby shop and handed it to him. The Taoist accepted it without ceremony and poured it over the spot.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, a small sprout slowly emerged where the pear core had been buried. It grew and branched out, and in moments, it had grown into a pear tree. It bloomed and bore fruit, eventually becoming laden with pears.

The Taoist first picked one and gave it to Xu Xian. "I’m returning this one to you, little layman."

Then, amidst the crowd's scramble, he distributed all the pears on the tree. With a clatter, he chopped down the tree, slung the lush pear tree over his shoulder, and walked away with a carefree air.

Xu Xian was dumbstruck. Compared to this, the master magicians of his previous life were like children playing games. Although he knew this world had immortals and demons—his future wife being a thousand-year-old snake demon—the shock of seeing it with his own eyes was hard to shake.

A single phrase repeated in his mind: "Is this what they call immortal arts?"---