Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation
Chapter 777 - 465: A Thousand Miles Journey

Chapter 777: Chapter 465: A Thousand Miles Journey

July 22, 2014, in the afternoon.

Two electric carts set off from the river dam, with Xue Yuantong riding in Jiang Ning’s electric cart and Xue Chuchu seated in Aunt Gu’s.

Yu Zhou Railway Station.

Jiang Ning carried a travel backpack, while Xue Yuantong had a small backpack that held both their ID cards, wallets, tissues, and other everyday items.

"Mom, Chuchu, we’re leaving now!" Xue Yuantong laughed, showing no sorrow of parting.

Aunt Gu sighed inwardly, ’a mother worries when her child travels far,’ and indeed, their journey was more than a thousand miles.

"Jiang Ning, take good care of Tongtong," Aunt Gu instructed.

Jiang Ning nodded.

Xue Yuantong raised her little head, "Mom, I should be taking care of him!"

Aunt Gu stroked her daughter’s head, leaving Xue Yuantong to complain, "I won’t grow taller now."

Even though it was a farewell, Xue Yuantong kept the atmosphere lively, so her mother wouldn’t feel so sad.

However, eventually, it came time to part.

On the station square, Aunt Gu watched her daughter enter the station until she could no longer see her silhouette, then she withdrew her gaze.

"Chuchu, go off to school."

Xue Chuchu: "All right."

...

Two days later, sunny, three o’clock in the afternoon.

Guangling, slender west lake.

The dragon-headed cruise boats floated on the lake’s surface, with countless drooping willows planted on both banks among the pavilions and towers.

Xue Yuantong sat on the boat, gazing out the window at the sparkling clear lake water, which was incredibly beautiful, with leisure boats drifting on the surface.

As the cruise boat moved on, the lake widened and narrowed, prompting Xue Yuantong to exclaim in surprise,

"Isn’t slender west lake a lake? Why does it look like a river?"

In her fixed impression, lakes were supposed to be round.

At the bow, a tour guide with a microphone gestured towards a pavilion ahead and explained,

"We’re approaching the Fishing Platform now. When the Emperor visited the south, he suddenly felt like fishing here, which worried the local salt merchants. What if the Emperor couldn’t catch any fish?"

"A clever salt merchant had sailors dive into the lake and attach lively fish to a dragon hook. The Emperor caught many ’dragon fish,’ leaving him rather perplexed, but then he heard the salt merchant say, ’How could common fish dare to approach the Son of Heaven? Your Majesty’s golden hook is meant only for dragons,’ a remark that delighted the Emperor immensely."

After listening, Xue Yuantong was filled with emotion, "Being an Emperor must have been great!"

Another tourist laughed, "What’s so good about being an Emperor in ancient times? No air conditioning in the summer, not as comfortable as the rich people today!"

"Being an Emperor today would be cool," said the tourist.

Xue Yuantong: "There are no Emperors today."

Jiang Ning took in the beauty of slender west lake, a garden built by numerous salt merchants in Guangling, not for their own enjoyment but to please the Emperor.

He pondered that when he had spare time in the future and after Evergreen Liquid launched a few more products, he might build a similar private garden.

There weren’t many attractions in Guangling, apart from slender west lake, only a few gardens worth seeing. The famous Grand Canal Museum of later times was only beginning to be conceptualized, and its opening would be seven years away.

...

July 27th, Nan City, a five-star hotel.

The opulent and elegant 46th floor offered a panoramic view of Nan City’s hustle and bustle.

At the hotel’s buffet breakfast, Xue Yuantong chose the famous large meat buns, duck blood vermicelli soup, brined duck, beef gyoza, and an assortment of fruits, stacking up three or four plates.

Ever since she found out that a night in the hotel cost 1000 yuan, she vowed to eat enough to get her money’s worth.

As Xue Yuantong devoured her food, at the next table, an immaculately dressed city beauty had only ordered a cup of coffee, sitting quietly, savoring it with unspeakable grace.

In contrast, it was as if they were from two different worlds.

Xue Yuantong slowed her eating pace, feeling influenced in her Dao Heart.

Seeing her, Jiang Ning said, "Go on, eat. It’s 269 per person. Don’t you want to get your money’s worth?"

Instantly, Xue Yuantong was filled with motivation.

Over the next few days, they toured all the sights in Nan City: Xuanwu Lake, Qinhuai River, Old Mende, Confucius Temple...

Xue Yuantong also tasted all the local delicacies: Eight Wonders of Qinhuai, honey lotus root, Lantern Festival, Plum Blossom Cake, braised duck, Stinky Tofu...

...

August 7th.

The train was heading towards Huangshan, in the soft sleeper compartment.

The view outside was picturesque, with thick blue clouds, distant mountains like ink paintings, layer upon layer, and Huizhou architecture nestled among the lush mountains.

"We’re climbing the mountain tomorrow!"

Xue Yuantong was full of fighting spirit, wanting to conquer Huangshan just as effortlessly as she did Taishan.

That night.

The dancing pine branches filtered the moonlight in specks and spots on the winding steps.

Walking in the moonlight, Jiang Ning made his way to Bright Top.

Xue Yuantong ran behind him, brimming with energy, which caused nearby exhausted tourists to begrudge internally.

Under the gusty night wind, Sunset Platform was crowded with people. Jiang Ning found a spot, hands in pockets.

The sunrise over Huangshan was even more beautiful than over Taishan, but it couldn’t match the first time because that time Xue Yuantong had had hotpot, and this time she didn’t, making it feel somewhat lacking.

After watching the sunrise, Xue Yuantong looked radiant.

They visited several more scenic spots.

Arriving at a gorge, the distant sound of a waterfall thundered, flanked by towering forests.

A site farther away featured vivid azaleas in full bloom, clustering like bells, creating a lively and appealing beauty against the backdrop of the peculiar pines on the peaks.

"Jiang Ning, it’s so beautiful!" Xue Yuantong hopped and skipped.

Many tourists took out their phones to photograph the azaleas, marveling at the beauty of the flowers.

A child clamored, "Dad, I want the flowers!"

His father looked at the azaleas on the cliff with a worried frown, as if thinking that his child didn’t just want the flowers, but his very life!

Monkey shadows flitted around, their agile movements enlivening the mountains, traversing with ease, often passing in groups with a whoosh.