Chapter 5: Human Affairs, Immortal Affairs (Part 2)

In the blink of an eye, the riders vanished into the distance, disappearing at the end of the road, leaving Zhang Sheng with no chance to react. The incident shattered his mood completely, so he buried his head and pressed on, saying nothing for days until they finally reached Juncheng Lu Yuan Prefecture.

As a native of Yongzhou, Xiang Weiyuan had naturally studied Yongzhou’s geography and history. Lu Yuan Prefecture had stood for five hundred years, with about one hundred thousand households registered, and another fifty to sixty thousand unregistered, totaling half a million people—making it a major city.

At the city’s gate, Xiang Weiyuan saw low walls built of packed earth mixed with stone slabs, less than two zhang high, their surfaces chipped and flaking, exposing the inner masonry; the parapets and watchtowers bore clear signs of long neglect.

Inside the city, all houses were earthen walls with thatched roofs, radiating decay. The streets were filled with people in tattered clothes, their faces gaunt, eyes hollow, movements sluggish—worse off than even the retainers of the Wei household. The roads were muddy, pitted and rutted, with filth floating in the sludge. Had they not been riding on Ding Luos, they would have sunk ankle-deep in filth.

Zhang Sheng walked slowly, guiding Xiang Weiyuan through the district. After passing Nancheng and heading toward Xicheng, the scene gradually improved.

After walking further, a grand mansion loomed ahead!

The mansion occupied an entire Fang district, surrounded by a two-zhang-high vermilion wall that concealed everything within. At its center stood a massive vermilion gate, tightly shut, flanked by two enormous stone carvings of golden toads, each guarded by a stout, well-fed retainer, glaring fiercely at passersby.

Above the gate hung a plaque inscribed with “Xu Fu.” The gate tower was carved and painted in lavish detail—just this one gate could buy the entire Wei residence.

Zhang Sheng led Xiang Weiyuan out through Ximen. Not far beyond, a lush green immortal mountain appeared before them.

The mountain was small, clearly a fragment of a continuous range. Yet now it glowed emerald green, covered entirely in trees, mist rising from its slopes, making it seem half-hidden. Between its two peaks, a waterfall cascaded like a silken ribbon. Below lay a jade-green lake, its center dotted with a small island adorned with jade trees blooming in full flower.

Before the mountain flowed a river, its waters clear and smooth as jade, winding around the mountain before merging into the roaring Tonghe River. The strange thing was: the upper stretch of Tonghe was muddy yellow, but as it entered the immortal mountain’s domain, it turned crystal clear—then reverted to yellow once it left the mountain, continuing northeast.

Amidst the mountains, waters, and clouds, pavilions and terraces flickered in and out of view—truly a paradise on earth!

A small yellow bird flew over, circled twice above their heads, then landed on Zhang Sheng’s shoulder. Zhang Sheng said to Xiang Weiyuan: “Now you can save your strength.”

The Ding Luos continued forward, but with each step, the surroundings receded—before long, they stood before the Tonghe River. Here, the river flowed like liquid jade. The Ding Luos, as if unaware of the river ahead, stepped straight into it. With one step, they were already ten zhang into the water!

The Ding Luos walked steadily on the water’s surface, not ruffling a single ripple, advancing a few more steps until they reached the foot of the immortal mountain. A journey that normally took a full day had taken only a moment.

After crossing the Tonghe, an immortal gate appeared before Xiang Weiyuan’s eyes. While still on the water, he had seen a gentle grassy slope across the river—but the moment he stepped onto solid ground, the scene changed utterly.

The immortal gate stood twenty zhang tall, supported by two colossal vermilion jade pillars, translucent and glowing, carved with mountains, rivers, flying birds, and strange beasts. Above them hung a white jade plaque bearing three enormous characters: “Chichao Sect”—each character two zhang square!

Such grandeur left the young Xiang Weiyuan, who had never left Ye County, utterly stunned. He gazed up at the gate, then turned to look back. Beyond the Tonghe, Lu Yuan Prefecture was still faintly visible—now it appeared even more lowly and dilapidated, its rammed-earth walls starkly poor and desolate, its people numb and listless, daily wading in mud and filth, living only to fill their bellies.

Separated by but a single river, they were already two different worlds.

At that moment, a young cultivator stepped out from the immortal gate, radiating purity and an ethereal aura.

The cultivator stepped forward in an instant, standing before Zhang Sheng and Xiang Weiyuan, his gaze sharp as lightning. He scanned Zhang Sheng from head to toe, then smiled warmly: “It truly is Brother Zhang…! Last time we met was ten years ago.”

Zhang Sheng sighed, dismounting the Ding Luo: “It’s Brother Sun Yu. I’m ashamed—I’ve accomplished nothing in ten years.”

“Nonsense! I’ve long heard you’ve taken a remarkable disciple—it’s the envy of us all!”

Zhang Sheng laughed heartily: “It’s fate—I merely had good fortune!”

Sun Yu had already sized up Xiang Weiyuan; now he studied him closely and said: “Indeed, extraordinary!”

He glanced again at the Ding Luos and smiled: “Brother Zhang, you’ve returned to simplicity—I sense great progress in these years.”

Zhang Sheng sighed: “My spiritual power is sealed—I can’t leave Yongzhou, so I rely on mundane transport. But these years, with no distractions, I’ve gained some insights.”

Sun Yu’s eyes lit up: “Then I must ask for your guidance later! Our Master already knew of your sealed power and divined the heavens—he sent me with a bottle of Li Quan Powder. Take it, cultivate quietly for three days, and your power will restore.”

Zhang Sheng bowed northward and said: “Thank you, Master Ning Xi.” Then he pointed to the immortal gate and asked with a smile: “It’s just a minor provincial exam—barely ten candidates. Why such a spectacle? Is Chichao Sect preparing to ascend to a Blessed Land?”

Before Sun Yu could answer, a patch of cloud and rosy light blazed across the sky. Two nine-colored Xuan Deer pulled a radiant jade boat down from the heavens, landing before the immortal gate.

Each nine-colored Xuan Deer stood three zhang tall, wreathed in nine-hued auroras, walking on clouds. The jade boat was over five zhang high and thirty zhang long—taller than Lu Yuan’s city tower! Its hull bore a massive character: “Yan,” glowing with shifting light.

The jade boat glided straight through the immortal gate without pause; even the two Xuan Deer ignored Zhang Sheng entirely, treating them as if they were invisible.

Zhang Sheng stared at the jade boat vanishing into the gate, then at the three-zhang Ding Luo beside him, his expression darkening.

Sun Yu quickly laughed: “Don’t mind them! People from the Eastern Sea always love to show off—even for an exam, they need grandeur. So pretentious!”

Zhang Sheng was startled: “The Yan family of the Eastern Sea is here to take the exam?”

“Well… this year, Feng Yuanjun has more candidates than usual… Brother Zhang, keep your composure.”

Zhang Sheng said nothing more, pulling Xiang Weiyuan through the immortal gate. The instant they passed through, their surroundings shifted entirely.

Before them stretched a vast red jade square, crowded with mounts and carriages like clouds. Immortal qi spewed from precious vehicles and auspicious beasts, intertwining in the air until it thickened into swirling, ever-renewing auroras.

The Eastern Sea’s jade boat struggled to find a place to park.

(End of Chapter)