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

In the blink of an eye, those knights had gone far away, disappearing at the end of the main road, so even if Zhang Sheng wanted to vent, he couldn't. With this change, Zhang Sheng's mood was completely ruined, so he buried his head and hurried on his way, without a word along the way, and finally arrived at the prefecture city of Luyuan Prefecture a few days later.

As a local of Yongzhou, Wei Yuan naturally read the geography and history of Yongzhou thoroughly. Luyuan Prefecture was built five hundred years ago, and currently has about 100,000 registered households, and 50,000 to 60,000 unregistered households, totaling 500,000 people, which is considered a large city.

Arriving at the city wall, Wei Yuan saw that the city wall was low, built of rammed earth mixed with stone strips, less than two zhang high, with many patches on the wall surface, revealing the masonry inside, and the parapets and gate towers also had traces of long-term disrepair.

After entering the city, the houses in the city were all earth houses with grass roofs, everywhere revealing an atmosphere of decay. Most of the pedestrians on the street were in rags, with sallow complexions, empty eyes, and slow movements, looking worse than the servants in the Wei mansion. The road surface was also muddy, full of potholes, and filth floated in the mud. If it weren't for the two riding mules, they would have stepped on the mud and filth.

Zhang Sheng didn't walk fast, taking Wei Yuan slowly through the urban area. After passing the South City and going to the West City, the situation gradually improved.

After walking for a while, a large residence appeared in front of him!

This large residence occupied an entire ward, surrounded by red walls one zhang high, and one couldn't see inside at all. In the center was a vermilion gate, tightly closed at this moment, with two huge stone-carved golden toads at the gate, and a burly retainer standing beside each toad, staring at passersby with tiger-like eyes.

Above the gate was a plaque with the words 'Xu Mansion' written on it. The gate tower was carved with beams and painted rafters, extremely luxurious. Just this one gate could buy the entire Wei residence.

Zhang Sheng took Wei Yuan out of the West City gate, and after walking not far, a green immortal mountain appeared in front of him.

This mountain was not big, and its shape was part of the original rolling mountain range. But at this moment, it was green all over, full of green trees, and clouds and mist were rising in the mountains, making the immortal mountain appear and disappear. Between the two peaks, a waterfall could be faintly seen, falling like a piece of silk. Below was a clear lake, with a small island in the center of the lake, dotted with jade trees full of flowers.

In front of the mountain was a river, the water clear and moist like jade, flowing around the mountain and then merging into the rolling Tong River. What was miraculous was that the upper part of the Tong River was originally yellow and turbid, but after entering the immortal mountain range, it suddenly became clear, and then after leaving the immortal mountain, it became yellow and turbid again, continuing to flow northeast.

Between the mountains, water, clouds, and rosy clouds, there were also large pavilions and towers appearing and disappearing, truly a fairyland on earth!

A small tender yellow bird flew over, circled a few times above the two, and landed on Zhang Sheng's shoulder. Zhang Sheng then said to Wei Yuan: "Now you can save some strength."

The mule continued to move forward, but at this time, every step taken, the surrounding scenery would retreat for a distance, and in the blink of an eye, the two arrived in front of the Tong River. At this place, the Tong River was like green jade, flowing forward slowly. The mule didn't seem to see that there was a big river ahead, and walked directly into the river. With one step, the two had entered the river for ten zhang!

The mule stepped steadily on the water surface without splashing any ripples, continuing forward, and crossed the vast Tong River in a few steps, arriving at the foot of the immortal mountain. The journey that usually took a whole day only took a quarter of an hour at this time.

After crossing the Tong River, an immortal gate appeared out of thin air in front of Wei Yuan. When he was still on the water, Wei Yuan saw that the opposite bank was a gentle grassy slope, but after crossing the river and stepping on solid ground, the scenery in front of him suddenly changed.

The immortal gate was twenty zhang high, supported by two red jade giant pillars, the pillars were crystal clear and transparent, carved with mountains, rivers, flying birds, and strange beasts. Above was a white jade gate plaque with the three large characters 'Chichao Sect', each character being two zhang in circumference!

Such a magnificent scene naturally left little Wei Yuan, who had never left Ye County, dumbfounded. He looked up at the immortal gate and suddenly looked back. At this time, crossing the Tong River, he could still faintly see the Luyuan Prefecture city. Looking at it again, Luyuan Prefecture was even lower and more dilapidated, the rammed earth city wall only showing barrenness and desolation, the people in the city were muddled, living with mud and filth every day, only seeking to fill their stomachs in their lives.

Separated by a river, it was already two worlds.

At this time, a young cultivator walked out of the immortal gate, full of clear Qi, with the style of an immortal.

The cultivator arrived in front of Zhang Sheng and Wei Yuan in one step, his eyes like electricity, first looking Zhang Sheng up and down, gradually having a smile, and joyfully said: "It's truly Master Zhang... younger brother! The last time we met was ten years ago."

Zhang Sheng was also emotional, got off the mule, and sighed: "It's Sun Yu, Senior Brother Sun. I'm ashamed, ten years have passed, but I have still achieved nothing."

"What are you saying! I have long heard that Master Zhang has recruited a high disciple, which really makes me and my peers envious!"

Zhang Sheng laughed and said: "Actually, this is heaven's will, I'm just lucky!"

Sun Yu had long looked at Wei Yuan, and at this time looked at him seriously for a while, and said: "Truly extraordinary!"

He looked at the mule the two brought again and smiled slightly: "Master Zhang has returned to his original nature, I think you have gained a lot in these few years."

Zhang Sheng sighed: "My Dao power is sealed, I can't get out of Yongzhou, so I can only use some mortal things to travel. However, I have been focused these years and have gained some insights."

Sun Yu's eyes lit up and said: "Then we must ask for advice later! Master already knows that younger brother's spiritual power is sealed, and after calculating the heavenly secrets, he specifically asked me to bring a dose of Lixuan Powder, which will restore you after three days of quiet cultivation."

Zhang Sheng first bowed to the north, said 'Thank you, True Person Ningxi', and then pointed to the immortal gate, asking with a smile: "It's just a unified examination in a remote small prefecture, with only a dozen people, why make such a big battle?"

Before Sun Yu could answer, a piece of rosy clouds suddenly lit up in the sky, and a brilliant jade boat pulled by two nine-colored deer descended from the sky and landed in front of the immortal gate.

The two nine-colored deer were each three zhang high, surrounded by nine-colored rosy clouds, walking on clouds. The white jade boat was even more than five zhang high and thirty zhang long, actually larger than the gate tower of Luyuan City! A huge 'Yan' character was carved on the boat, flowing with light and color.

The white jade boat landed and went straight into the immortal gate; even the two deer pulling the cart didn't look at Zhang Sheng, treating the two as air.

Zhang Sheng looked at the white jade boat disappearing into the immortal gate, then looked at the three-foot mule beside him, and his face didn't look very good.

Sun Yu hurriedly smiled: "Don't pay attention to him, younger brother! Those people in the East Sea have always liked to show off, even coming to take an exam and making such a scene, it's simply extravagant!"

Zhang Sheng was surprised: "Is the Yan family of the East Sea here to take the exam?"

"This, the number of candidates in Feng Yuan Prefecture this year is a bit large... younger brother, stay calm."

Zhang Sheng didn't say much, pulled Wei Yuan and walked into the immortal gate. The moment he passed through the immortal gate, the world in front of the two changed instantly.

On a huge red jade square, mounts were in groups, and boats and carts were like clouds. The immortal Qi sprayed by various treasure carts and auspicious beasts entangled in the air, already so thick that it turned into groups of rosy clouds, living and dying, repeating without end.

The white jade boat from the East Sea was moving with difficulty, wanting to find a place to park.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 6 =====