Chapter Fifty-Two — A Belly That Holds the World

That night, the moon at its zenith.

All around was still; even the never-ceasing cicada-song had faded, leaving only the rustle of wind through the bamboo.

And Master Sanle's snores.

A figure walked into the Dacheng Temple; leaning on a staff, his body near transparent, he passed straight through the wall and came within.

The temple's Buddha-statues were solemn, as if gazing at this uninvited guest.

The Yellow Immortal sniffed deeply and caught Li Daoxuan's scent, meaning to go toward his room.

In the moonlight, with each step he grew taller, at last bursting the aged skin to become a giant yellow weasel.

Snore~

Master Sanle's snore was most piercing, as if he were swallowing saliva — perhaps hunger.

A trace of disdain crossed the Yellow Immortal's eyes; all his earlier caution, and this fat monk was but a silver-spear with a wax head.

But as he walked he found something wrong.

Why did the snore grow ever louder?

Now in the Yellow Immortal's ears, Master Sanle's snore grew louder and louder, until at last like thunder, deafening.

The Yellow Immortal at once cast a spell to seal his hearing.

Yet it availed nothing; the snore still rang in his mind, like a great bell or nine-heaven thunder, dizzying him, a whirl of heaven and earth.

As if even the ground beneath his feet were shaking!

He would have left, but found his whole body slack, as if the very bones had been shaken loose by the snore.

Just then a powerful suction came from behind; the Yellow Immortal's feet left the ground, as if a hurricane dragged at him.

His tail kept lengthening, mooring to a tree.

But this only held a few breaths; soon the tree was uprooted entire and flew backward with him.

Amid the sky-shaking snores the Yellow Immortal shrank smaller and smaller, until at last he was sucked into Master Sanle's slightly open mouth.

The next moment a lump rose on Master Sanle's belly, faintly the Yellow Immortal's shape — he struggled fiercely, meaning to burst from the belly.

But after three breaths, all was calm.

This version was taken without permission from the author's publication page; reading the chapter there supports them.

Master Sanle smacked his lips, a few drops of drool, as if in dream tasting fine food.

In the temple, the cicada-song rose again.

…

In a mountain forest outside Yuzhang.

The Yellow Immortal's true body opened its eyes, a look of deep fright; the next moment he spat a great mouthful of blood, somewhat spent.

"That fat monk… what in the world is his origin?"

"Too terrifying!"

He muttered, still with a pounding heart, endless after-fear.

Though that was but his avatar, it had held part of his mana, with early Yin-Spirit cultivation — already a great demon.

Yet before that fat monk all so-called mana and divine powers were useless; that helplessness was etched in his memory.

Looking at Yuzhang City, he seemed to look upon a fearsome beast, chilling to the bone.

One Lady in Green was already dread enough; now a bottomless fat monk was added — Yuzhang absolutely must not be entered!

"It seems I can only wait for that little Daoist to come out, and strike at the chance!"

…

Li Daoxuan sat upright on the bed; wary long with no strike, he at last relaxed a little.

Perhaps the hidden hand was more patient than he thought.

He pushed open the door and surveyed the temple under the night; his gaze fixed — in the courtyard was a great pit in the ground.

"Strange — was there not a tree there…"

Li Daoxuan knit his brows; he felt something had happened here.

As he prepared to go in and cultivate, immortal music sounded by his ear; in the distance clear light appeared, immortal mist filled the sky.

Li Daoxuan instinctively pinched a Five-Thunder Talisman and looked warily that way.

Before long, three snow-white celestial steeds drew a carriage descending on the clouds; the carriage was pure white as jade, flowing with faint light, as if carved of glass and crystal, adorned with rosy pearls, cloud-cloth and the like — each no mortal thing.

Driving was a bright-eyed immortal maiden, some sixteen or seventeen, in a white dress, ethereal, her gaze clear and lively; she tossed Li Daoxuan a winsome smile with two shallow dimples.

Around the carriage trailed golden boys and jade girls, treading cloud, walking on wind — the immortal music just now was their singing.

Such a procession — could it be a deity traveling?

The celestial steeds stopped before Li Daoxuan; the white-dress maiden smiled bewitchingly and lightly leapt down, blinking at Li Daoxuan.

Li Daoxuan was a little puzzled — do we know each other?

Such a pretty woman, had he seen her he would not forget.

The white-dress maiden first bowed far toward Master Sanle's direction and said, "By the Lady's command, I come to fetch Daoist Li to the Blue Netherworld banquet; intruding upon your precious place, may the master forgive."

Her voice was clear and lively, like a lark.

Li Daoxuan's eyes flashed — Master Sanle was no ordinary man indeed; the Lady in Green's people showed him such respect!

The snore went on, as if noticing nothing.

The white-dress maiden smiled faintly, then extended a hand to Li Daoxuan.

"Here, little Daoist — my gift?"

"Gift?"

Li Daoxuan was surprised; a light dawned and he cried, "You are that little skylark!"

The white-dress maiden's pretty face fell at once.

"No — Fairy Que!"

Li Daoxuan took from the Three-Realms Gourd the jar holding the bugs and placed it in her hand, smiling. "Fairy Que's gift — how could this poor Daoist forget? Long prepared."

The white-dress maiden's face bloomed with a radiant smile; she glanced at the number of bugs within, swallowed, and nodded most satisfied.

"Hee, you are a fine one — sweet of tongue and generous of hand; this immortal likes you!"

So saying she actually took Li Daoxuan's hand.

"No dawdling — into the carriage with us!"

Li Daoxuan, pulled by her, felt his body grow light as a feather and drifted into the carriage.

Within, the carriage was comfortable and tidy, dust-free, with a faint delicate fragrance.

The white-dress maiden released his hand and cried, "Good horses — homeward!"

The three celestial steeds neighed and soared, vanishing into the clouds.

In the bedchamber, Master Sanle slowly opened his eyes and showed a smile; he rubbed his round belly and said, "Zhang Qianyang, this time I have saved your disciple; you smelly bull-nose, how will you thank me?"