There are in fact not a lot of inhabitants in this mountain vige, with only twelve households. However, the amount of fruit and vegetables produced is enormous. Cabbage, lettuce, leeks, winter melons, pumpkins, apples, longans, pineapples, cranberries, watermelonsthe sheer variety truly made Huo Zaiyuan dumbstruck. Naturally, not every kind of fruits and vegetables have reached their harvest time, which is why he intends to stay here for a certain period in order to purchase a few goods when they first ripen.


    At the same time, he has not forgotten that within his space, he has a lot of different seeds. Regarding the him who has never farmed before and doesn''t have the faintest clue where to begin from, since he is already here, he can ask for guidance from the vigers.


    Once he finds out that Huo Zaiyuan will be staying in the vige temporarily, the vige chief searches right away for a house with arge courtyard that is currently unupied. Because the previous owner moved away to the city long ago, the house has been vacant for a while. Under the direction of the vige chief, the vigers busied themselves by cleaning and sweeping the entire ce, enabling Huo Zaiyuan to live there.


    Together with the vigers, he spends an entire afternoon strolling through the ntations. When that is done, he roughly knows which household have what fruits and vegetables, and from the vigers'' mouth, has gotten a fair idea of how much each product would cost. Taking out a notebook from his backpack, he begins to pen a list, then gives the slip of paper to the vige chief.


    After looking at the fruits and vegetables written on the list, the chief and vigers are insanely happy.


    ~~~


    It has been half a year since Huo Zaiyuan decided to stay in the vige. In these six months'' time, he not only purchased various kinds of fruits and vegetables grown in all four seasons, he also managed to get his hands on numerous dried and pickled goods and eggs. As for water, he filled his hundred-odd stic containers with fresh water drawn from the deep well in the vige, and learned how to nt various seeds and fruit trees. Under a few aunts and grandmothers'' guidance, he learned how to cook too. It really can be said he benefitted greatly from this stay.


    Compared to before, when he had to rush everywhere in order to buy bulks of necessary items, Huo Zaiyuan spent a lot of time in the vige cultivating. In this six months'' time, he is close to breaking through the first level. His entire being feels as though he has shed his mortal body, bing even more extraordinary.


    Every day, besides meditating to practise the Taoist arts, he spends even more time harvesting peach bark and carving them to create talisman. After half a year of practice, he gradually understands just how to employ the warm current of spiritual energy in his body, and ording to the "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven", he studied how to carve talisman and how to utilise them efficiently inbat.


    "Little Yuan[1]."


    Just as Huo Zaiyuan is sitting cross-legged in his space, carving the peach wood talisman in his hands with rapt attention, a loud shoutes from outside the room. The movements of his hand pause, causing the entire coin-size talisman to discharge smoke and crumble into fine dust.


    Although he just wasted a piece of wood, but seeing as he still has arge pile of it stacked up next to the bamboo house, he doesn''t take the failure to heart. As soon as he wills it, he has already exited the space.


    "Elder brother Shuozi (the cabbage-selling old man''s son), is something the matter?" Huo Zaiyuan opens the door to find a sturdily-built youth with a simple and honest disposition standing there.


    "It''s like this. Today is thest day of the year. The vige chief has gathered all the vigers for amunal meal. My father allowed me toe over in order to call you to go together." Looking at the slim and attractive young man just behind the door, Shuozi can''t help the thumping of his heart.


    "Communal meal" Huo Zaiyuan''s expression turns distracted for a second, before returning to his usual calm and tranquil look. Then he says lightly, "ButI am not a resident of this vige."


    In these six months, maybe it is due to getting used to living alone, or because of cultivating, he feels his personality has undergone some changes. His mental state has be more calm and quiet, and he began to feel that silently cultivating or carving without interruption is, in fact, a very soothing task and great for passing time.


    "Little Yuan, you are the benefactor of our vige. If it wasn''t for you during that time, the vige''s mountain road wouldn''t be cleared so quickly." Shuozi''s face reveals a slight blush. "Alsoif you don''te, then the vige chief just mighte over to invite you in person."


    "Ehall right." Huo Zaiyuan nods in agreement, his gaze passing over Shuozi''s head to the gathering ce bustling with noise, the vigers currently in an uproarious mood. "I will also take this opportunity to bid everyone farewell."


    "You are leaving?!" Shuozi exims in shock.


    "That''s correct. It has been half a year, it is time for me to depart. Let''s go." Walking slowly pass Shuozi, Huo Zaiyuanpletely missed the mournful look that surfaced in the taller man''s eyes.


    Footnotes:


    [1] Huo Zaiyuan''s nickname. Xiao Yuan = Little Yuan. Since I typed "little" instead of "Xiao" in the previous chapters, I''ll just stick to this.