The Innkeeper

"It's good to see you too, Gardener," Lex said, and took a look around the area. It was not farmland. No, the Gardener had loosened the soil, planted berry bushes, weeded everything, sprinkled a few layers of daisies. He saw, hidden within the grass, vines which he recognised as potato vines.

In the distance, he saw a few almond trees, covered in white flowers, and a few species of trees that grew crystals instead of leaves, also all white. It seemed like the Gardener had a color theme going on.

"I wish I could say that this was a social call, but unfortunately it is not. I have something of the utmost importance to talk to you about."

"Gardens," the Gardener said ominously, as if stating the topic of the conversation Lex wanted to have. From Lex, the Gardener's gaze wanders away to the vast vista before him. His hands, calloused from years of toil, rest upon the shaft of his mighty hoe.

"You come with burdens that weigh upon your soul," he said solemnly, his voice suddenly hoarse, as if he had not drank water in days. "I feel it in the air, in the tremble of the leaves and the whisper of the soil. The questions that bear heavy on your heart will change the very destiny of these lands.

"But know this - there is no graver matter in this world than the tending of a garden. Many, in their folly, speak of war, of conquest, of the might of steel and spell. But they know not the true peril that lies in the heart of the earth. For within the humble soil stirs a force both terrible and profound - and I do not refer to the bitter gourd planted near the Inn."

He went silent, though Lex noticed his grip around the handle of his hoe tighten. The Gardener's jaw clenched, as he thought back onto the countless horrors he had experienced.

"Gardening, you see, is no mere pastime, no gentle hobby to pass the fleeting hours. It is an act of creation, of shaping life from the chaos of the wild - it is an art! It is the bending of nature's will to the desires of man. And in that bending, there lies great danger. For what is a garden but a place of order imposed upon the untamed? And what is order but a fragile thing, always teetering on the brink of collapse?"

Tears trickled down the Gardener's tanned cheeks as he closed his eyes. "Beware, then, the art of the garden, for in its simplicity lies its threat. The roots grow deep, and with them, the darkness of the earth stirs. Seeds, once sown, take hold not only of the soil but of the soul. To till the land is to awaken the ancient forces beneath, forces that even the wisest dare not fully comprehend. And so I ask you, Lex, do you truly understand the peril you face when you tread unto such dangerous topics? For here, the battle is not of flesh and blood, but of life and death, of growth and decay. A war older than any kingdom, fought with the blade of the hoe and the shield of the seed. You may have faced a dragon head on, but have you tended a Hydrangea in the summer heat?"

The Gardener tried to speak some more, but he became too choked up to continue. Lex did not interrupt the heavy silence that had fallen between them, and waited till the Gardener recovered.

"I would not bother you if the matter were not urgent, and not as grave as this."

The Gardener nodded.

"Ultimately, you have done well. For what reason have I faced the crushing pain of failure, if not so that I can help my fellow compatriots avoid them? Come, follow me, and unburden yourself of your woes. These afflictions are not lightly carried."

Before Lex could elaborate, he saw a small creature pop its head out of a hole in the ground. As soon as he saw it, Lex suddenly understood why the Gardener had been speaking so grandiosely. It was a Drama-cat!

"Oh lawd!" it suddenly exclaimed, holding its hands with joy as it looked at Lex with teary eyes.

"Oh lawd! Lo, before my very eyes, another soul - yes, another blessed soul - has seen the sacred path! The path of soil, of seed, of stem! We give thanks, oh gracious lawd, that this mere mortal has chosen the way of the gardener, the way of life itself! Why are you so good to me lawd? Why?"

The Drama-cat burst into tears, covering its eyes with its hand as if it was too ashamed to let its state be seen. The Gardener bent down and placed a hand on its shoulder, as if giving it strength.

Lex coughed, and then quickly began the conversation before more Drama-cats appeared. Where there was one, there would be many more just behind.

"I have heard that the turtle is planting a special garden where he is planting Deity flowers. What can you tell me about it?"

"You have come to the right person. I have spent much time increasing my understanding over the deep and endless path of gardening, and have learned many of its secrets. Did you know, Lex, that gardens are ranked?"

"Not specifically, but I can imagine so. After all, a garden for a mortal and an immortal can scarcely be the same. No doubt, there are many levels between them as well, not to mention the many levels above them."

The Gardener nodded.

"Yes, just like the cultivation levels, gardens have levels too. There are gardens fit for mortals, for Qi Training cultivators, Foundation cultivators, for the Golden core and so on. There are, naturally, Immortal gardens too. But what do you think is above an Immortal garden? Would it be a Dao garden?"

Lex's expression suddenly went from lax to extremely serious. What had started out from a mere normal inquiry had gone on to touch levels of power he dared not tamper with. The more powerful he became, the more he understood just how vast the distance between the Dao level beings and everyone else was. Even thinking about it…

He was no longer as blindly arrogant as he once was, and had learned the necessity of caution. The Dao was not something he could ponder at his level.

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