In the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain in Shujun, there was an unknown hermit who lived by collecting herbs. One day, he stumbled upon a giant sweet potato herb in the mountains, and upon digging deeper, he discovered that its roots had become even thicker, the size of a jar. As the excavation deepened five or six feet, the ground suddenly collapsed, trapping him in a deep pit. Looking up, he could only see a faint light as distant as stars, between life and death.
However, blessed by the God of Fortune, there was a hidden cave next to the pit wall. He struggled along the narrow tunnel, and after a few dozen steps, his eyes suddenly opened up, as if guided by light. Continuing for about a mile, the cave became increasingly bright and spacious. Finally, as he walked out of the cave entrance, he saw a strange and peaceful scene before him: a wide river ran through his eyes, and a peaceful village was located on the shore. There were about dozens of households, surrounded by lush flowers and trees, full of spring vitality. The residents’ clothing was quaint and different from ordinary people.
A villager was surprised to see the situation and asked about its origin, and the hermit told the truth. The villagers immediately crossed the river with small boats and entertained him with sesame rice, cypress soup, and various pickled vegetables. A few days later, the hermit felt unusually light and asked the villagers for details about the place and his way back. The villagers smiled without answering, only saying that this was a fairyland and that they had a connection with immortals when they encountered this opportunity. They should temporarily stay here to practice and promised to introduce them to the Jade Emperor for worship.
The next day, on the third day of the third lunar month, was the day of paying respects to the Jade Emperor. The hermit rode the clouds and cranes with the villagers, crossed the sky, and arrived at a magnificent city. The palaces in the city are all built of gold and jade, shining brightly, with residents arranged in an orderly manner, except for hermits who are left outside the palace. There is a red giant cow standing outside the palace, with a strange shape and closed eyes spitting. The villagers guided the hermit to worship the cow and informed him that the treasure vomited by the cow was the key to immortality. The hermit followed his words, went through many twists and turns, and finally swallowed a black pearl. Subsequently, he was summoned by the Jade Emperor, bestowed with immortal fruits, and encouraged to diligently practice in order to enjoy the joy of the immortal family.
In the Jade Emperor’s Palace, there are exotic flowers and fruits, exuding a fragrant aroma. The hermit yearns for beautiful scenery, and the Jade Emperor laughs at him for not losing his worldly heart. However, he still gives his three maidservants and a place to live, allowing him to practice with peace of mind. Although a hermit enters a fairyland, he is concerned about dust and especially misses his wife and daughter at home. After years and months, he finally received the Jade Emperor’s permission to return home and visit relatives. Before leaving, the jade maiden presented gold and elixirs, and guided her on her way back. The hermit flew with the flock of swans, went through hardships, and finally arrived on earth, which was already past the end of the Kaiyuan period. There is no hope of returning home. Fortunately, I met an old man and found out that I have been away from home for nearly a hundred years, and my family has gone through several generations. The hermit found the Hammer Clothes Stone in the ruins of his old residence, took out the elixir according to the jade maiden’s words, and swallowed it. His heart suddenly became clear and his memories flowed like a tide.
At that time, the great master of Shu, Luo Gong, heard of his adventure from afar and analyzed that this was the fifth cave of the Nine Room Immortal Wonderland. The Jade Emperor was actually the emperor, and the Red Bull was the incarnation of a dragon, with each bead having a fairy lifespan. The black beads worn by hermits, although not the most precious, can extend their lifespan by five thousand years. As for the seven people under the Jade Emperor’s throne, they were transformed by the Big Dipper. After taking the elixir, the hermit entered Qingcheng Mountain again. He did not know what to do, or he has returned to the cave and continued his journey of immortality.
