Chapter One: Cultivating Pears

  Leaning on the railing of the small stone bridge, looking at the gurgling water below, Wu Shan couldn't help but sigh again. This was really strange for a 7 or 8 year old child. It seemed like he was growing up too fast. But that furrowed brow and contemplative expression didn't seem like an act.

  A slender and pale child, Wu Shan gazed at his own reflection on the lake's surface. He finally confirmed something once again, that he had indeed crossed over. Perhaps due to his relatively poor adaptability, it took him seven or eight years to confirm this.

  His name in this world is Xu Xian.

  Yes, it's absolutely not mistaken, it's that Xu Xian. If the name was just a coincidence, then living in Qiantang County, both parents died young, and relying on an older sister to raise him. These experiences can completely dispel Xu Xian's last bit of doubt.

  So over the years, Xu Xian has been thinking about one thing: will there really be a woman, no, a female snake who will come to him in the future and repay that thousand-year-old kindness, then perform an extraordinary love legend?

  Xu Xian couldn't help but complain, "This is a bit too melodramatic, isn't it?" But as he complained, the corners of his mouth curled up into a faint smile, which grew uncontrollably into loud laughter.

  "Hahaha!" On a small bridge, a little brat laughed loudly and wildly, throwing his head back in laughter.

  "Hey, isn't that the stupid kid from the Xu family?" "Oh, what a pity, he looks fine but is actually an idiot." "Yeah, yeah!"

  Xu Xian's loud laughter turned into convulsions, and he quickly fled the scene. This little friend with a worried expression covered his face and escaped. It was Chen Tang County's famous little fool Xu Xian, who as a traverser not only didn't leave behind a reputation for being a prodigy, but instead gave people the impression of being a fool due to his abnormal speech and behavior. Can't help but say that he is the biggest failure in the history of traversers.

  But who cares? The Four Books and Five Classics are really boring, no matter how hard I study, it's impossible to become a champion scholar. Anyway, my son will be the champion scholar in the future! Those little kids are so naive, who wants to climb trees with them? Dare to bully me and see if I don't beat you all to death!

  No matter how many failures, no matter how desperate the situation, it doesn't matter. The arrival of that person will change everything, she is like an angel descending to earth, thoroughly saving Xian's life.

  Thinking of this, Xu Xian let out a long sigh: "It seems that being a pretty boy is indeed my destiny!" From the age of 7 or 8, Xu Xian had been determined to become a pretty boy. I wonder if he will disappoint someone in the future?

  It can be foretold that if Xu Xian continues to develop like this, in the future when that heavenly woman descends upon West Lake, after searching high and low, one will see Xu Xian, who has been begging at the Broken Bridge for many years, pounce forward: "My lady, I've finally waited for you! Why did you only come now?! Waaahhh!" Then the white-clad woman kicks Xu Xian away, tosses down 200 taels of silver, and without caring about shocking the world, disappears in a flash.

  "Xu Xian!!! Little rabbit, where did you die, hurry up and bring a bottle of soy sauce!" A loud shout broke Xu Xian's reverie about the future. Xu Xian hastily wiped away the drool at the corner of his mouth and said: "Yes ma'am, sister!"

  Like the original storyline, Xian's parents died early and he was raised by his sister. For this sister who took care of him, even after crossing over, Xian is still filled with gratitude. Perhaps it's because from an adult's perspective, this sense of gratitude is probably more than the original Xian had. Although she often scolds Xian, he always listens obediently and is much more sensible than other children.

  Soy Sauce Party Xu Xian picked up the soy sauce bottle and strode towards the market, towards another turning point in his life as a beggar.

  The afternoon market was very noisy, with all sorts of strange and pleasant calls that never stopped, accompanied by the sound of wheels, poultry and livestock, forming a worldly din.

  "Selling pears, selling pears, big and sweet Chinese pears." A loud shout entered Xu Xian's ears, the straightforward hawking voice seemed exceptionally abrupt.

  Xu Xian looked up and saw a stout countryman standing by the side of the road, with a large cart stopped beside him, loaded with bright yellow pears. He was loudly hawking his wares. At a glance, it could be seen that he was not a frequent seller of things.

  At this time, a group of people had already gathered around to ask the price. The villager responded with a hint of awkwardness, but the price was not low. However, it was these villagers who made countless veteran hagglers retreat in disarray, no matter how they tried to persuade them to lower the price. When pressed by these sharp-tongued old ladies, he suddenly blurted out: "My wife said so, can't be a single penny less."

  The people next to them couldn't help but burst out laughing, and Xu Xian found it interesting too, so he squeezed over and smiled at one of the women carrying a vegetable basket: "Buying pears, Aunt Wu." The two families were neighbors.

  Aunt Wu turned around and saw Xu Xian, her face tightened, then smiled and said: "Not buying, not buying, just looking." After finishing speaking, she squeezed out and walked towards the depths of the market.

  Xu Xian secretly smiled to himself, knowing that she was afraid he would give her a pear to eat. Although it is now a prosperous and peaceful era, the ancient times were not as rich in material goods as they are in modern times, so this pear had a somewhat luxurious flavor for these common people.

  But the pear tastes sweet and delicious, and the local business is not bad either.

  "Go away, go away, don't delay my selling pears." The villager shouted loudly. It turned out that a Taoist priest had been lingering around the big cart, staring at the fragrant pears with eager eyes. But he was dressed in tattered clothes and didn't look like someone who could afford to buy them. The villager was still somewhat reserved towards these city people, but he looked down on this shabby Taoist priest.

  The countryman let out a loud shout, and the Taoist priest stood back a little further, but still refused to leave, only staring at the pears on the cart with greedy eyes. The countryman was furious and began to scold him.

  The Taoist's face didn't change color, and instead argued: "One cart with hundreds of pears, I only ate one, it doesn't cause you much harm, why must you get angry?"

  Xu Xian couldn't help but laugh, thinking to himself that this was indeed a monk, with skin as thick as his face. But looking at him wearing a tattered hat and a worn-out hemp robe, with an old and pale complexion, Xu Xian felt a pang of sympathy in his heart, especially since the weather had already turned cold.

  The people around also advised: "Just give him a bad one and that's it." But the countryman blushed and refused to budge. The crowd surrounded them in a big circle, shouting and arguing. Some said the countryman was too stingy, while others said the scholar was shameless.

  "Hey, I'll buy you a pear to eat!" A childish voice suddenly came out, and a small hand holding several copper coins was raised in front of the countryman.

  Someone beside him who knew him grabbed his hand and scolded, "Xu Xian, when did you crawl out? Did your sister's money come easily? Hurry up and go make soy sauce." He had seen the soy sauce bottle in Xu Xian's hand.

  Xu Xian shook off the hand and said, "I'm willing to, don't bother about it." Xu Xian also hesitated for a while, but in the end he couldn't bear to do it. The Taoist priest might not even make it through this winter, and although his own family was poor, they could still afford an extra pear. Saying so, he picked a big pear from the cart and gave it to the Taoist priest.

  The Taoist looked at Xu Xian in front of him with a concentrated expression, smiled and bowed to thank him: "Then thank you, little brother." Then he said to the crowd: "I'm a monk, I won't be stingy with things, and it just so happens that there are some good pears here, please everyone try one."

  Xu Xian said with curiosity: "You have pears, why are you still eating other people's."

  The Taoist smiled mysteriously and said, "We still need the young monk's pear core as a seed." After finishing speaking, he started eating voraciously. The yellow pears were crisp and juicy, making Xu Xian drool with envy, for it had been a long time since he had eaten such delicious pears.

  The Taoist ate the pear as if no one was around, took the pit in his hand, dug a hole on the street, put the pit in it, and buried it well. "Who will offer a bowl of boiling water?"

  The Taoist's strange behavior had already attracted a large crowd of onlookers, and some busybodies immediately borrowed a bowl of boiling water from a nearby shop and handed it to the Taoist, who took it without hesitation and then poured it down.

  Under the gaze of everyone, only to see that the place where the pear core was buried slowly sprouted fine buds, slowly growing and growing, and soon grew into a pear tree, blooming and bearing fruit, with a full tree of pears. The Taoist first picked one for Xu Xian: "This is returned to you, Little Master."

  Then, amidst the crowd's scramble, they scattered all the pears on the tree, and with a clang, they cut down the pear tree. They shouldered the lush green tree and left with a swagger.

  Xu Xian was left staring blankly, and in comparison, the great magicians of his past life were nothing but child's play. Although he knew that this world had gods, immortals, and demons, and his future wife was a thousand-year-old snake demon, the shock of what he saw still lingered, and he couldn't help but repeat one phrase in his mind: "Is this really what they call 'immortal magic'?"