Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?-Chapter 988 - 984: Journey in Search of the Dao
"Little monkey, little monkey, do a somersault for me to see!"
Dou Dou tiptoed, stealthily approaching the macaque squatting on the tree branch, her round eyes full of curiosity. Her little hand quietly reached out, wanting to touch its sleek, shiny back fur.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a gentle glow on the macaque’s brown fur, making it appear indeed obedient and adorable.
"Be careful, it might scratch you. Wild monkeys aren’t so tame."
Xiao Yue floated nearby, speaking with a tone of reminder, her eyes never leaving the eager look on Dou Dou’s face.
"No, it won’t!"
Dou Dou retorted without turning her head, her small hand already close to touching the monkey hair, "Look how well-behaved it is, it must be... wow~"
The words hadn’t even landed when the macaque suddenly turned its head, its eyes instantly becoming wary, sharp claws extending with a "swish," scratching directly toward Dou Dou’s cheek.
Dou Dou was so scared that her soul flew away, her body instinctively turning into a half-transparent ghost form, barely dodging the scratch. The claw brushed past her nose tip, bringing a chilly breeze.
"Ha, I told you so!"
Xiao Yue couldn’t help but laugh, her tone full of "I warned you" pride.
Dou Dou reformed her solid form, her face turning red with both embarrassment and anger.
She stomped her foot forcefully, pouting at the macaque baring its teeth on the branch, "You naughty monkey! Just as bad as Tang Tang!"
"You only dare to say this behind Tang Tang’s back."
Xiao Yue floated to her side, leisurely exposing her.
"If you said it to her face, she’d chase you until you begged for mercy."
"I’m not afraid of her!"
Dou Dou stuck her neck out stiffly, her voice a bit louder.
With Tang Tang not present, she indeed spoke more boldly, even placing her small hands on her hips, looking like "I’m the best."
Just then, "Don’t run! Stand still for me!"
A crisp shout interrupted the bickering, and Duoduo suddenly emerged from the nearby bushes, her clothes stained with grass leaves, hair a bit messy, waving a stick in her hand as she cheerfully chased forward.
Dou Dou and Xiao Yue looked in the direction she was chasing, and their eyes lit up.
They saw a red-bellied pheasant flapping its wings, running forward. Its feathers seemed to be sprinkled with jewels, the crown feathers atop its head as red as fire, the back feathers shining with a metallic blue-green sheen, the red feathers on its belly vibrant and eye-catching. When its tail spread, the black and white stripes were neatly arranged, running like a flowing rainbow, so dazzling that one could hardly look away.
"Wow! What a beautiful bird!"
Dou Dou’s eyes widened, the fright caused by the macaque immediately forgotten, and she pulled Xiao Yue’s clothes, rushing forward.
"Duoduo, wait for me! Let’s chase it together!"
Xiao Yue intended to remind, "Don’t scare it," but seeing Dou Dou hopping excitedly and that vibrant pheasant, she swallowed her words.
She quietly stirred a slight Yin Wind, allowing her speed to match the little ones, a barely noticeable smile flashing in her eyes.
In truth, she also found the colorful plumage bird intriguing and wanted to see how fast it could run.
Duoduo, seeing Dou Dou joining the chase, ran even more eagerly, shouting while chasing, "It can’t run fast! Let’s surround it!"
The red-bellied pheasant, panicked by the two small pursuers, flapped its wings trying to fly. But the dense forest allowed it only low gliding steps before it landed again, occasionally glancing back with panic in its eyes.
Dou Dou, running quickly, nearly stumbled over a tree root. She then copied Duoduo, waving her little hands while shouting, "Little colorful chicken, don’t run! Let me touch your feathers!"
Xiao Yue, floating in mid-air, seemed to "supervise" them. In reality, she quietly used Yin Wind to push aside obstructing branches and deliberately blew a breath in the pheasant’s path, slightly slowing its pace. Though unspoken, she secretly wished for the two little ones to get closer to the beautiful bird.
"Almost there!"
Duoduo reached out to grab the pheasant’s tail, but the bird turned sharply, disappearing into a dense patch of ferns.
"Oh no, it got away!"
Dou Dou stopped, hands on her hips, panting heavily, her face full of excitement.
"It runs really fast! Next time, let’s come play with it again!"
Duoduo, also a bit disappointed, squatted beside the ferns, tugging at leaves for a while, but seeing no sign of the pheasant, she stood up, pouting.
Xiao Yue floated down beside them, feigning calmness, "Alright, stop chasing. It’s not good to scare the wild birds."
Yet, she couldn’t help but glance deeper into the ferns, secretly noting the location, actually quite eager to see that gorgeous red-bellied pheasant again herself.
Dou Dou, oblivious to Xiao Yue’s little thoughts, chattered on.
"Next time, we’ll bring Tang Tang too! Let her help us encircle it, surely we can catch it!"
"Yep! Catch one and raise it in the courtyard!" Duoduo quickly agreed.
Listening to their conversation, Xiao Yue gently shook her head, but her lips kept a subtle smile. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
The sunlight filtering through the leaves splashed onto the three little ones, their crisp laughter echoing through the woods, even making the air lively.
"Rested enough? We need to head out." Shen Siyuan called from the cliff.
"On my way."
Dou Dou first transformed into a gust of Yin Wind, flying toward the cliff top, with Duoduo close behind.
But halfway up, Dou Dou suddenly thought of a question, "Why didn’t we fly while chasing just now?"
"Ha-ha~, I forgot." Duoduo showed an awkward smile.
"How silly you are," Dou Dou seized the chance to say.
"You didn’t either!" Duoduo retorted.
"I didn’t want to," Dou Dou insisted.
Duoduo jokingly kicked towards her backside.
"Potato, help me..."
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As they got closer to Bazhong City, scattered villages began to appear along the ancient road.
Most villagers were simple and kind. Seeing Shen Siyuan in Taoist robes, although a bit curious, they warmly greeted him.
Shen Siyuan would often pause and chat with the villagers, inquiring about local customs and occasionally helping solve small problems, like warding off wild beasts from the mountains or treating simple illnesses.
The scenery along the way kept changing—sometimes perilous, sometimes beautiful, sometimes magnificent, sometimes serene.
As Shen Siyuan journeyed, he continued his spiritual practice, not only honing his mind and refining his Spiritual Power but gaining a deeper understanding of Taoist Natural Law.
He realized that cultivation is not just shutting oneself out from the world but involved integrating with nature, experiencing life’s ups and downs, growing in adversity, and finding peace in beauty.
By sunset, Shen Siyuan finally saw the outline of Bazhong City.
This city, located at the throat of the Shu Road, has the bustling charm of a modern metropolis yet retains the flavor of ancient Shu paths.
The distant mountains glowed golden under the sunset, the city’s lights gradually illuminating, interacting with the evening glow on the horizon.
Standing on a hillside outside the city, Shen Siyuan gazed at the city ahead and the ancient path behind, a faint smile emerging on his face. From Han Zhong to Bazhong, this journey along the Shu Road held challenges, beauty, insights, and growth—this was the path of cultivation he sought.
"Let’s go, rest in the city for the night, and move on tomorrow." Shen Siyuan said, turning to walk toward Bazhong City.
Behind him, Xiao Yue, Duoduo, and Dou Dou followed closely, their figures gradually merging with the afterglow of the sunset.
The rigors and majesty of the Shu Road had long become the nourishment on his path of cultivation, making him more determined and composed in his quest for the Grand Way.
