Chapter 1: First Entry
Restore scroll position
Lu Jiangxian found himself immersed in a very, very long dream where he saw fields with rice paddies, the gleams of swords, an immortal sect, a woman, and a huge lake.
"Hand over the Supreme Yin Breathing Qi Sutra and the Moonlight Secret Decree, and we'll cripple only your cultivation."
A pleasant but cold female voice echoed in Lu Jiangxian's ears. He strained to discern a face within the haze, yet its features remained elusive and indistinct.
————
BAM!
The violent shaking jolted Lu Jiangxian awake.
Visions of light and strange colors swirled in his mind. He tried to open his eyes and rise, but his body refused to obey as if an unseen force anchored him to his bed.
All of a sudden, a brilliant white light pierced through the dense darkness before him. Though the darkness surged like a tidal wave, the column of light stood unyielding, as eternal as the sun.
Golden runes erupted from it, stretching into the darkness and scattering across the sky like a celestial shower of stars.
How beautiful, Lu Jiangxian thought to himself in a daze.
As more and more runes appeared, eventually reaching a pinnacle, Lu Jiangxian heard a sound akin to glass shattering resonating in his ears.
The world then burst into light.
Lu Jiangxian saw a sky as blue as the sea, a vast primeval forest, and nearby, a small crescent-shaped lake. A white stream of light cascaded into the sparkling water.
Below, thatched huts and rice paddies peppered the landscape.
Like a swallow, he swiftly soared over the small tawny villages, their smoke and fires, and a clear stream.
In a fleeting moment, he caught his reflection in the stream.
That looks like a round, shiny thing… he thought, perplexed.
A vague realization then surfaced…
Am I no longer human?
Suddenly, the violent shaking returned. Lu Jiangxian plunged into the water. The stream, too shallow to absorb the impact, led him to gently collide with a blue stone at the bottom.
The impact felt like a punch to his chest, knocking out the air in his lungs. With the stream's agitation and the force of the recoil, his body steadily righted itself, facing up toward the sun-dappled water surface.
"Wasn't I up all night in my rented room, revising my work?"
Lu Jiangxian gazed silently at the sun reflecting on the river, watching as turbulent waves twisted the light patterns beneath the water's surface.
His head throbbed relentlessly as he recalled fragments of the past. All he could remember was weakly collapsing onto the bed, with the smoke and glow of the neon lights in his rented room weaving around him.
He also remembered opening a can of beer and sitting down at his dim computer desk, feeling his heart racing and his breathing becoming progressively labored as the world around him began spinning even more.
Did I… die? Well, this isn't so bad. At least, I don't have to worry about my future or the burdens of living.
This thought, perhaps born from long-suppressed feelings, fluttered through his mind, surprisingly lifting his spirits.
Looking around, he observed the dark green treetops with their dangling aerial roots, nimble fish swiftly gliding overhead, and the soft splashes of water.
"But if this goes on, it's bound to drive me crazy with boredom," he added with a sigh.
He watched as the sun gradually descended from overhead, painting the sky in warm hues of pink and orange, and the water darkening beneath the treetops.
Two fish curiously circled him, and even a crab attempted to turn him over.
As the moon rose, its luminous glow gently bathed the river. Lu Jiangxian felt a cool qi flow penetrate the water, bringing a subtle sense of comfort.
As he watched the moonlight envelop his body, forming a mesmerizing white halo, he was rendered utterly speechless. This experience transformed his state of mind in an unexpected and profound way.
"What is this? Am I absorbing the essence of the sun and moon like an immortal from legends? Wait, does that mean immortals, divine abilities, demons, ghosts, and gods are actually real?" he wondered in awe.
"What have I become, an artifact spirit?"
Curiosity and excitement surged within him as the moon's halo seemed to gather strength, settling upon him.
A cool sensation enveloped his body before he slipped into a meditative state akin to drifting in and out of sleep.
Time passed. As the qi flow thinned, Lu Jiangxian awoke. The crescent moon had vanished, replaced by the sun peeking over the treetops, casting a warm morning light across the river.
"That was fast."
Lu Jiangxian could not help but feel a surge of joy. With focused attention, he sensed a stream of qi serenely flowing within his body, moving in circular motions around the edges.
If he concentrated hard enough, he could catch a glimpse of a bluish-gray mirror lying peacefully at the bottom of the river, nestled among various colored stones.
Fish swam nearby, feeding at the bottom, and a river crab busied itself with digging at the side. His vision was limited to about a meter around him. It was not particularly clear, but instead like the fuzzy and bulky television he watched in his childhood.
"This is my current form, isn't it?" Lu Jiangxian smiled wryly. He then consciously stopped the flow of qi and gathered it at the center of the mirror, which emitted a faint glimmer.
"It seems that it doesn't do anything other than glowing. I should absorb more moonlight, maybe that'll change something," he mused.
"I don't know what this mirror is made of, and I have no idea what the outside world thinks about sentient artifacts. Best stay hidden, just in case I'm found by an immortal cultivator who can destroy me without a second thought."
Chapter 2: Li Family
Restore scroll position
Li Mutian woke up in the early hours of the morning, his gaze fixed on the dilapidated roof of his house. A faint glimmer pierced through the darkness, a reminder of the small opening that had formed a few days ago.
He did not have the time to repair it, which led to three nights of restless sleep. Beside him, his wife lay deeply asleep, prompting a deep sigh from Li Mutian.
"She might not be aware of what's going on, but these past few days have been wild. Those immortals around Mount Dali are going crazy, turning the place upside down as if they're on some kind of treasure hunt. Everyone's terrified. All they can do is kneel and bow their heads to the ground whenever those streaks of light pass by…"
Frowning, Li Mutian's mind was fraught with worries. At the foot of Mount Dali, their small village had always been tranquil. However, recent events had cast a shadow of fear over everyone.
"The mountain roads are narrow and secluded. The imperial court is too far away to be concerned, and we're usually fine with that. But… a battle among immortals? Their immortal techniques could easily wipe out the entire Lijing Village without sparing even a single soul."
Unable to sleep any longer, Li Mutian got up and peered out the window into the dark night.
"My boys' appetite grows day by day. They eat more with every meal. I'll catch some fish and crabs at Meiche River tomorrow."
"No one can escape their fate, even if it means being killed by an immortal. The Li family has worked hard on these barren lands for over two hundred years. We can't just up and leave."
With a shake of his head, Li Mutian turned and left his house with hands clasped behind his back.
Outside the house, the brown dog was still sleeping. Li Mutian walked through the gentle morning mist, observing Lijing Village as it awoke—the sound of chickens, the barking of dogs, and the smoke rising from the houses.
"Xiangping—!" Li Mutian called out loudly toward the side house. He heard some noises inside before the door creaked open and a teenager burst out.
"Father!" Li Xiangping, a decent-looking boy with mischievous eyes, tilted his head as he looked up at Li Mutian and asked, "What will we be doing today?"
Li Mutian waved his hand and said, "We're going to Meiche River to fetch some river fish and crabs. There's not much work today. Let's bring some fresh flavors home for your mother."
"Yes, Father!"
Li Xiangping grabbed a rope basket and a long fork, ready to set off.
With a hearty laugh, Li Mutian headed toward the fields.
————
The Meiche River was both shallow and wide, its banks lined with large amounts of mudflats and reeds.
Rather than feeding their dozens, sometimes hundreds, of geese and ducks every morning, the villagers set them free to wander freely toward the river.
Later in the evening, someone from the village would make their way to the riverbank and call out to the birds. Familiar with their keeper's voice, the geese and ducks would then follow them back home.
Li Xiangping arrived at the Meiche River before the geese and ducks were released for the day. The river was quiet, with only two small rafts swaying on the shore. Rolling up his sleeves and kneeling in the mud, he blindly felt around with his hands, then fixed his eyes on a flash of green in the water.
"That's a good fish."
Li Xiangping held his breath and moved swiftly. With a firm grasp, he caught the green-tailed fish by its gills and pulled it up.
"Hehe."
He chuckled, tossing the fish into his rope basket. The fish in Meiche River were not usually this easy to catch. This green-tailed one must have carelessly swum downstream, and Li Xiangping was lucky to have caught it.
As he looked at the riverbed, Li Xiangping noticed something unusual. A spot under the water was too smooth, faintly reflecting a silver light.
Just as he was about to hold his breath again and dive in for a closer look, a loud voice called from the shore, "Brother Xiangping!"
Li Xiangping instinctively hid his rope basket and turned toward the bank, where a boy that looked just over the age of ten emerged from the reeds.
"Oh it's you, Little Brother Ye, are you here to watch over the ducks?" Li Xiangping asked, relieved.
He then held out the basket. "Look at this greentail, I caught it barehanded."
"Awesome!" Li Yesheng exclaimed, looking enviously into the basket.
Li Yesheng's father had been bedridden for years, and his elder brother was a freeloader at home, so they often struggled for food. They frequently relied on Li Mutian, their uncle, for meals. Li Xiangping, his first cousin, had always treated him like a younger brother.
After a brief exchange, Li Yesheng shook his head and said, "All right, brother, I better go check on the ducks. If I lose any, my brother will beat the crap out of me."
"Off you go, then," Li Xiangping urged, eager to investigate the mysterious object at the bottom of the river.
"All right!"
As soon as Li Yesheng left, Li Xiangping took a deep breath and dived into the riverbed. He groped around and, sure enough, his hands found a round object.
Emerging from the water, Li Xiangping gasped for air and wiped his face before examining his find.
The object was a palm-sized plate, with a bluish-gray center and a dark iron frame.
It was broken into several pieces, held together only by the frame. The back was engraved with strange symbols that Li Xiangping could not decipher.
"This looks a little like my aunt's mirror," he mused. His aunt, who owned the largest field in the family, was the only one in the village who could afford such a luxury. Ordinary village girls had to make do by looking at their reflection in the water.
Li Xiangping remembered his mother taking him to see it when his aunt first acquired it—indeed, it was more convenient than relying on water.
Yet the piece in his hands was a far cry from that mirror—murky and blurry. Shaking his head in disappointment, Li Xiangping tossed it into his basket and turned back to his fishing.
————
Lu Jiangxian had been submerged in water for nearly half a month. Starting from the third day, the moonlight's energy had stagnated, showing no signs of increase.
Despite a week of effort, there was no growth. He could only make himself glow.
One morning, as his gaze lingered absentmindedly at a large green fish, a hand suddenly pressed the fish into the silt. With a swift movement, the hand seized the fish by its gills and lifted it.
Lu Jiangxian, still grappling with the shock of seeing a living person for the first time, watched as a large hand scooped him up.
He caught sight of a rather handsome face and felt a flicker of nervousness. The boy uttered a few unintelligible words and tossed him into a basket, leaving him to stare at the wide eyes of the green-tailed fish inside.
It was at that moment, Lu Jiangxian realized a serious problem—he could hear, but he might not understand.
The local dialect sounded similar to the Fujian and Zhejiang dialects from his previous life, which were completely foreign to him. Even if he managed to speak, the likelihood was that the locals would not understand him either, thus complicating his integration into this new world.
Observing the fish being thrown into the basket one after another, Lu Jiangxian focused, probing his surroundings.
He watched the boy carefully raise the long wooden fork in his hand. From this vantage point, Lu Jiangxian had a rough idea of what this boy was thinking and the specific fish that had captured his attention.
Every time the boy caught a fish, Lu Jiangxian saw him murmuring to himself. In no time, Lu Jiangxian learned the specific pronunciations of numbers three to six and the names of different fish species. Each catch provided a valuable learning opportunity, all thanks to the boy's self-talk.
I guess I'll take it one step at a time.
Watching the boy get up and leave, he sighed. The child seemed to be from a farming family, so perhaps he would offer what he found to his parents.
Lu Jiangxian's plan was to engage with more people to gradually learn the local dialect. Meanwhile, he would seek ways to amass the energy of the moonlight while ensuring his own safety.
Chapter 3: Mirror
Restore scroll position
"Hey, Brother Xiangping."
Li Xiangping was walking home with a basket on his back when he spotted a girl approaching from a distance. She had a round face with plain features, but her broad smile lent a certain charm to her appearance.
"Little Sister Yun," Li Xiangping greeted her with a smile, turning around to offer her a view of his basket.
"Look at these fish I've caught. You should take a few home to try," he offered.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly," Tian Yun demurred, smiling shyly and looking down. The girl had matured early; at eleven, she was already taller than thirteen-year-old Li Xiangping.
In Lijing Village, men and women usually marry around thirteen or fifteen. Of all her peers, Tian Yun had long set her heart on Li Xiangping as a future husband as they were closest in age.
"Please take them, I insist!" Li Xiangping insisted, pushing two fish into Tian Yun's hands. He had no ulterior motives; Tian Yun's father was the most generous in the village, and Li Xiangping naturally wanted to treat his daughter better.
After parting ways with Tian Yun, Li Xiangping hurried home, lowering the basket into the small pond.
He thought for a moment, then took out the mirror he had found earlier and pocketed it. Taking along the three wooden boxes from the table, he headed toward the fields where his father and two elder brothers were working.
The Li Family had four sons—Li Changhu, Li Tongya, Li Xiangping, and Li Chejing. In Daya Village, the Li brothers were highly respected.
Every time the topic of the Li Family's four sons came up, Tian Yun's father would often comment enviously, "Li Mutian is one lucky man!"
However, Li Mutian, the only one in Daya Village to have traveled far and wide, did not share this sentiment. As he watched his sons toil in the fields, he felt a sense of regret.
"A good man should pursue studies or military service. Working the fields is nothing to be proud of!"—he would say this while pointing at Uncle Tian.
Alas, life had its own designs; those who had seen the world beyond often found their return to simpler lives the hardest.
Li Mutian, a former soldier who had killed in battle, returned to his village after the age of forty with his military salary. With that money, he bought land and became a prominent landowner. Yet, this was the life he found least fulfilling.
Arriving at the field's edge, Li Xiangping found his eldest brother, Li Changhu, already waiting under a tree. At seventeen, Li Changhu was already sporting a beard.
"Watch where you go, Third Brother. There's no need to rush," Li Changhu called out.
"I heard from Uncle Tian that you had quite the catch today." Li Changhu smiled and affectionately tousled Li Xiangping's hair, looking at him with a gentle expression.
"Absolutely, Big Brother! We're gonna have a great meal tonight!" Li Xiangping laughed heartily.
"That's great," Li Changhu smiled while he wiped away the sweat on Li Xiangping's face.
He then picked up a wooden box and shouted across the field, "Second Brother!"
"Coming!" The second brother, Li Tongya, hurried over with his hoe, sitting down and addressing Li Changhu respectfully as "big brother" before turning to Li Xiangping with a smile.
"You guys go ahead and dig in, I'll head back now," Li Xiangping said. Famished from the morning's work, he promptly made his way home.
————
Inside Li Xiangping's rope basket, Lu Jiangxian sensed an inexplicable force drawing him closer. As they neared his house, the sensation intensified.
Passing the large acacia tree at the village entrance, Lu Jiangxian felt his chest tighten and his breathing quicken. The mirror in the basket trembled, emitting a faint red glow.
"That must be a part of me, or at least something important to my existence." Lu Jiangxian realized.
"It's to the north, toward that large lake!" The pull faded as Li Xiangping moved away from the village entrance, and Lu Jiangxian mentally marked the direction.
Staying close to Li Xiangping and observing life around the village, Lu Jiangxian began to understand the locals' speech by combining his own mental perceptions with observations of their movements and tone.
The village appeared ordinary, with no signs of martial arts experts or flying immortal cultivators.
The people followed a simple routine—work at sunrise, rest at sunset. The tools they used and size of the fields they tended to were nothing out of the ordinary.
"This seems to be just an ordinary village. Even the largest house is only a two-story building made of wood and mud. There's no way immortal cultivators would live in such modest homes, right?" Lu Jiangxian mused.
"Great powers usually bring about great productivity, but this village seems way too old-fashioned," he concluded.
With some of this stuff figured out, he began formulating a plan, envisioning a framework for his future actions.
Meanwhile, the Li Residence bustled with activity. The mother and two youngest brothers were busy preparing dinner.
Li Xiangping had come home with a full basket, and his youngest brother, Li Chejing, had triumphantly brought back a horde of fat voles caught in a grain bag while he was out gathering mulberry leaves in the back mountain for raising silkworms.
Their father, Li Mutian, patted them on the back and showered them with praise.
At fourteen and fifteen, the boys were growing rapidly, and the food on the table barely sufficed to fill their hungry stomachs.
Li Mutian had only a quick bite, and Liu Linyun, the mother, watched her four sons with a smile. Only the big brown dog under their table seemed anxious, weaving between the legs of the six family members.
After dinner, the moon began its ascent over Mount Dali.
Leaning against the corner wall with a straw in his mouth, Li Xiangping watched his father frown at the sky as if searching for something.
"By the way, Father," Li Xiangping said, tugging the leg of his father's pants to get his attention, then pulled out the mirror from his chest pocket.
"I found this in the river this morning."
Li Mutian took the object and then examined it closely. "This isn't made of iron or copper. What exactly is this thing?"
The moonlight, casting its glow in front of the house, suddenly seemed to come alive as it converged above the mirror, forming a captivating halo.
Li Xiangping, unable to believe his eyes, rubbed them, transfixed by the most stunning moonlight display he had ever witnessed in his entire thirteen years of existence.
"Father!" he whispered urgently.
"Quiet!" Li Mutian, visibly paled, forced himself to look away from the moon halo. He shakily pushed the mirror back into Li Xiangping's arms and whispered, "Keep it hidden. Tell your brothers to grab their sabers and come out."
For the first time, Li Xiangping witnessed a look of murderous intent in his father's eyes. They were narrowed and piercing, resembling those of an eagle, sharp and focused.
"G-Got it…" His voice quivered as he stumbled back into the house.
The night was still young. Li Xiangping pushed open the bedroom door.
"Brothers… Father said to grab your sabers and head out," Li Xiangping tearfully relayed his father's message to his two elder brothers, who were lounging on their beds.
"What?!" Li Changhu stood up abruptly, gripping Li Xiangping with concern. "Is father in trouble? What's going on?"
Li Tongya, meanwhile, sprang into action, retrieving two sabers from under the bed and taking down the rattan armor and a long pole from the wall.
He peered out the window somberly and quietly said, "It must be an enemy seeking revenge."
Keeping the long pole for himself, he handed the saber and rattan armor to Li Changhu, then patted him on the back. "Take these, Big Brother. Third Brother, you go get Mother and Youngest Brother to the backyard."
After acknowledging his instruction, Li Xiangping rushed to find his mother. Li Changhu quickly calmed himself down and donned the rattan armor. With a saber in hand, he moved toward the door.
Outside, Li Mutian stood silently, surveying the melon field in front of the house.
Once his two sons joined him, he took one of the sabers and instructed, "Look around the house, one on the left and one on the right. Make sure no one's lurking around."
The brothers hurried off to their assigned tasks.
Meanwhile, Li Mutian walked to the front of the house. With surprising agility, bent down in the melon field and, astonishingly, pulled a person out from its depths.
Chapter 3: Mirror
Restore scroll position
"Hey, Brother Xiangping."
Li Xiangping was walking home with a basket on his back when he spotted a girl approaching from a distance. She had a round face with plain features, but her broad smile lent a certain charm to her appearance.
"Little Sister Yun," Li Xiangping greeted her with a smile, turning around to offer her a view of his basket.
"Look at these fish I've caught. You should take a few home to try," he offered.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly," Tian Yun demurred, smiling shyly and looking down. The girl had matured early; at eleven, she was already taller than thirteen-year-old Li Xiangping.
In Lijing Village, men and women usually marry around thirteen or fifteen. Of all her peers, Tian Yun had long set her heart on Li Xiangping as a future husband as they were closest in age.
"Please take them, I insist!" Li Xiangping insisted, pushing two fish into Tian Yun's hands. He had no ulterior motives; Tian Yun's father was the most generous in the village, and Li Xiangping naturally wanted to treat his daughter better.
After parting ways with Tian Yun, Li Xiangping hurried home, lowering the basket into the small pond.
He thought for a moment, then took out the mirror he had found earlier and pocketed it. Taking along the three wooden boxes from the table, he headed toward the fields where his father and two elder brothers were working.
The Li Family had four sons—Li Changhu, Li Tongya, Li Xiangping, and Li Chejing. In Daya Village, the Li brothers were highly respected.
Every time the topic of the Li Family's four sons came up, Tian Yun's father would often comment enviously, "Li Mutian is one lucky man!"
However, Li Mutian, the only one in Daya Village to have traveled far and wide, did not share this sentiment. As he watched his sons toil in the fields, he felt a sense of regret.
"A good man should pursue studies or military service. Working the fields is nothing to be proud of!"—he would say this while pointing at Uncle Tian.
Alas, life had its own designs; those who had seen the world beyond often found their return to simpler lives the hardest.
Li Mutian, a former soldier who had killed in battle, returned to his village after the age of forty with his military salary. With that money, he bought land and became a prominent landowner. Yet, this was the life he found least fulfilling.
Arriving at the field's edge, Li Xiangping found his eldest brother, Li Changhu, already waiting under a tree. At seventeen, Li Changhu was already sporting a beard.
"Watch where you go, Third Brother. There's no need to rush," Li Changhu called out.
"I heard from Uncle Tian that you had quite the catch today." Li Changhu smiled and affectionately tousled Li Xiangping's hair, looking at him with a gentle expression.
"Absolutely, Big Brother! We're gonna have a great meal tonight!" Li Xiangping laughed heartily.
"That's great," Li Changhu smiled while he wiped away the sweat on Li Xiangping's face.
He then picked up a wooden box and shouted across the field, "Second Brother!"
"Coming!" The second brother, Li Tongya, hurried over with his hoe, sitting down and addressing Li Changhu respectfully as "big brother" before turning to Li Xiangping with a smile.
"You guys go ahead and dig in, I'll head back now," Li Xiangping said. Famished from the morning's work, he promptly made his way home.
————
Inside Li Xiangping's rope basket, Lu Jiangxian sensed an inexplicable force drawing him closer. As they neared his house, the sensation intensified.
Passing the large acacia tree at the village entrance, Lu Jiangxian felt his chest tighten and his breathing quicken. The mirror in the basket trembled, emitting a faint red glow.
"That must be a part of me, or at least something important to my existence." Lu Jiangxian realized.
"It's to the north, toward that large lake!" The pull faded as Li Xiangping moved away from the village entrance, and Lu Jiangxian mentally marked the direction.
Staying close to Li Xiangping and observing life around the village, Lu Jiangxian began to understand the locals' speech by combining his own mental perceptions with observations of their movements and tone.
The village appeared ordinary, with no signs of martial arts experts or flying immortal cultivators.
The people followed a simple routine—work at sunrise, rest at sunset. The tools they used and size of the fields they tended to were nothing out of the ordinary.
"This seems to be just an ordinary village. Even the largest house is only a two-story building made of wood and mud. There's no way immortal cultivators would live in such modest homes, right?" Lu Jiangxian mused.
"Great powers usually bring about great productivity, but this village seems way too old-fashioned," he concluded.
With some of this stuff figured out, he began formulating a plan, envisioning a framework for his future actions.
Meanwhile, the Li Residence bustled with activity. The mother and two youngest brothers were busy preparing dinner.
Li Xiangping had come home with a full basket, and his youngest brother, Li Chejing, had triumphantly brought back a horde of fat voles caught in a grain bag while he was out gathering mulberry leaves in the back mountain for raising silkworms.
Their father, Li Mutian, patted them on the back and showered them with praise.
At fourteen and fifteen, the boys were growing rapidly, and the food on the table barely sufficed to fill their hungry stomachs.
Li Mutian had only a quick bite, and Liu Linyun, the mother, watched her four sons with a smile. Only the big brown dog under their table seemed anxious, weaving between the legs of the six family members.
After dinner, the moon began its ascent over Mount Dali.
Leaning against the corner wall with a straw in his mouth, Li Xiangping watched his father frown at the sky as if searching for something.
"By the way, Father," Li Xiangping said, tugging the leg of his father's pants to get his attention, then pulled out the mirror from his chest pocket.
"I found this in the river this morning."
Li Mutian took the object and then examined it closely. "This isn't made of iron or copper. What exactly is this thing?"
The moonlight, casting its glow in front of the house, suddenly seemed to come alive as it converged above the mirror, forming a captivating halo.
Li Xiangping, unable to believe his eyes, rubbed them, transfixed by the most stunning moonlight display he had ever witnessed in his entire thirteen years of existence.
"Father!" he whispered urgently.
"Quiet!" Li Mutian, visibly paled, forced himself to look away from the moon halo. He shakily pushed the mirror back into Li Xiangping's arms and whispered, "Keep it hidden. Tell your brothers to grab their sabers and come out."
For the first time, Li Xiangping witnessed a look of murderous intent in his father's eyes. They were narrowed and piercing, resembling those of an eagle, sharp and focused.
"G-Got it…" His voice quivered as he stumbled back into the house.
The night was still young. Li Xiangping pushed open the bedroom door.
"Brothers… Father said to grab your sabers and head out," Li Xiangping tearfully relayed his father's message to his two elder brothers, who were lounging on their beds.
"What?!" Li Changhu stood up abruptly, gripping Li Xiangping with concern. "Is father in trouble? What's going on?"
Li Tongya, meanwhile, sprang into action, retrieving two sabers from under the bed and taking down the rattan armor and a long pole from the wall.
He peered out the window somberly and quietly said, "It must be an enemy seeking revenge."
Keeping the long pole for himself, he handed the saber and rattan armor to Li Changhu, then patted him on the back. "Take these, Big Brother. Third Brother, you go get Mother and Youngest Brother to the backyard."
After acknowledging his instruction, Li Xiangping rushed to find his mother. Li Changhu quickly calmed himself down and donned the rattan armor. With a saber in hand, he moved toward the door.
Outside, Li Mutian stood silently, surveying the melon field in front of the house.
Once his two sons joined him, he took one of the sabers and instructed, "Look around the house, one on the left and one on the right. Make sure no one's lurking around."
The brothers hurried off to their assigned tasks.
Meanwhile, Li Mutian walked to the front of the house. With surprising agility, bent down in the melon field and, astonishingly, pulled a person out from its depths.
Chapter 5: Rarity of an Immortal Destiny
Restore scroll position
"During the battles against Mount Yue, their shamans often used miasma, plagues, snakes, and insects as attack. The army issued these talismans as protection against such witchcraft. This particular talisman had saved my life, but now its power has faded, and it's no more than a scrap of paper. That's the second item."
"People of Mount Yue were skilled in using animal bones, feathers, and glaze. I scavenged these valuable items from those I defeated in battle; these are the third."
"Tomorrow, I'll present this piece of glaze to your uncle, claiming it's something Xiangping found in the river. Whether Yecheng saw it or not, we'll insist that it's just a piece of broken glaze that happens to shimmer in the moonlight."
Li Mutian, holding a fragment of glaze, carefully packed the item and whispered his plan to Li Tongya.
"Father has a good eye for things." Li Changhu nodded in agreement. "Our second uncle is a reasonable man. I'm sure he won't fuss over such a small matter just to keep the peace."
"It's just unfortunate that Yecheng is a piece of trash," Li Tongya commented softly, glancing at his father.
Li Mutian placed the mirror on the wooden table, shaking his head slightly.
"Now, the value of this treasure depends on how we use it. It might turn out to be useless if we don't use it right."
Lu Jiangxian, listening from within the mirror, began formulating his own plan. Trapped in the mirror, he pondered how to protect himself and find a way out.
He realized he might need to rely on the resources and help of the people in this village to navigate the long path of immortality unless he could escape from the mirror.
The Li Family, though of humble peasant origins with shallow roots, had remarkable members.
Li Mutian, the father, was courageous and perceptive. Li Changhu, the eldest, was mature and magnanimous. The second son, Li Tongya, was brave, keen, and decisively bold. Li Xiangping and Li Chejing were also quick-witted and agile. Together, they formed an impressive and formidable family unit.
What's more, Lu Jiangxian was helpless, lacking both hands and feet, unable to walk or run. How could he even think of escaping or hope to be in the possession of someone else?
Was he doomed to be discarded like trash in the river, imprisoned in silence for a hundred years?
Whatever the case, I must at least take a look East, even if it's from a distance, Lu Jiangxian thought, channeling the qi within his body toward the mirror's upper left corner.
Inside the house, the Li brothers fiddled with the mirror, cautious not to damage it and lose their chance at an immortal destiny.
The moonlight felt cool and soothing upon touch, but the moon halo remained unaffected by their efforts to influence it, whether by blowing on it or attempting to manipulate the surrounding airflow.
It was only when Li Xiangping picked up the mirror and gently caressed its reflective surface that something changed.
Lu Jiangxian's efforts catalyzed a reaction, and the upper left corner of the mirror suddenly illuminated, startling Li Xiangping so much that he trembled and yelped, unsure whether to hold on to it or set it down.
Li Tongya leaned in for a closer look. The mirror's upper left corner glowed with a bright white arc, thin on the sides and thicker in the center, a sight that gradually faded after the space of a few breaths.
"It lit up, brother!" Li Xiangping exclaimed in a hushed, excited voice.
Li Tongya took the mirror, mimicking Li Xiangping's actions. Indeed, a white light illuminated the mirror. He then passed it to his father, gesturing for him to try.
Both Li Mutian and Li Changhu stroked the mirror, expressing their admiration for the phenomenon.
However, Li Tongya, after a soft exclamation of surprise, took the mirror from his elder brother and stroked it while turning away from the others.
"Father, regardless of where it's stroked, the illuminated area always points north. It's just like…" Li Tongya paused, pondering as he held the mirror.
"A compass." Li Mutian nodded in agreement.
Inside the mirror, Lu Jiangxian was cheering internally, impressed by Li Tongya's quick thinking!
"Let's head to the village entrance first."
Li Mutian stroked his beard thoughtfully after saying that, then turned back into the room to address his children, "Grab a chunk of cured meat, we're going to visit the scholar first instead."
————
Li Yecheng, with tears still in his eyes, stomped into his front yard, cursing under his breath and kicking at the stones on the path.
"Why are they acting as if a few melons are some great prizes when they've got a real treasure on hand? Raising sabers in the middle of the night, those idiots must be hiding something!" he muttered, sitting down on a stone, his mind racing with thoughts.
"Li Mutian spent twenty years wandering around; he must have collected some valuable things! There's no way he doesn't have treasure hidden around somewhere," he mused.
"But those stubborn fools are so tight-fisted, I couldn't coax even a speck of mud from their hands. The old man is just as obstinate, always keeping his secrets closely guarded. If only Li Mutian was out of the picture, we'd get a share of whatever treasures he's hiding!"
Li Yecheng glanced toward the courtyard door as his younger brother, Li Yesheng, timidly entered.
His glare intensified, and he barked at the boy, "Get over here, you brat!"
He grabbed his brother's collar and flung him toward the front of the house. Li Yesheng tumbled to the ground, curling up in fear.
"I know you're chummy with that runt Li Xiangping. Tomorrow, you're going to sneak into their house and steal a couple of their melons," he snarled viciously.
————
Li Mutian, accompanied by his three sons, walked from the end of the village to the entrance, receiving smiles and greetings from villagers resting at their thresholds.
"Uncle Mutian! Where are you off to?"
"Just delivering something to the scholar!" Li Mutian replied cheerfully, hoisting up the cured meat in his hand.
At the village entrance, he scanned the surroundings, then patted Li Tongya and Li Xiangping on the shoulders and whispered, "Go ahead."
The two nodded in understanding and quickly vanished into the dense reeds with a swift turn.
Li Mutian gazed into the distance with a look of concern.
Li Changhu, sensing his father's unease, offered a reminder. "We should have told them earlier to keep their distance if they encountered anything unusual. It's better to be safe than sorry."
"I'm sure Tongya knows what he's doing," Li Mutian reassured, squinting as a myriad of thoughts flitted through his mind like fleeting shadows.
He was acutely aware of the risk posed to his sons tonight; the possibility of losing them, leaving Li Changhu as the sole heir. However, their safe return could elevate the Li Family to new heights. Clenching his fists, he grappled with the weight of his decision.
"For two hundred years…"
The Li Family had toiled on this land for two hundred years. Now, faced with a potentially life-changing opportunity, Li Mutian had made a rational decision that aligned with the best interests of his family, although it was an emotionally excruciating one.
The courtyard door suddenly opened, interrupting his thoughts. Han Wenxu stood there, a small bowl in hand, looking perplexed.
"Brother Li!"
"Master Han," Li Mutian greeted, his face breaking into a broad smile as he stepped forward and placed the cured meat on a wooden table.
"How generous of you," Han Wenxu said with a smile and a nod.
He sliced off a piece of the meat, finely chopping it onto a dish, and served some pickled vegetables alongside it.
The two then pulled out a small table made of eucalyptus wood, poured two cups of rice wine, and sat by the door to chat.
"Those flying immortals have finally ceased their visits." Li Mutian sighed as a sense of relief washed over him.
Han Wenxu shrugged and clicked his tongue. "Immortals, eh? When I was twelve, an immortal visited our town."
With a nostalgic look on his face, he continued, "He claimed to be looking for enlightened individuals. Out of over a thousand children, he found only three and took them away. Who knows, some of these immortals we see today might be those very townsfolk."
"Such opportunities to encounter immortals are truly rare!" Li Mutian responded after a pause, consoling the scholar.
"Indeed, rare and elusive…" Han Wenxu murmured, staring at the moon, lost in thought.
Both men sat in contemplative silence, each burdened with their own worries.
Chapter 6: Jade
Restore scroll position
As Li Tongya and Li Xiangping made their way through the reeds, parting the layers gently, the grayish-blue mirror in their hands emitted a warm, pulsating white light.
Li Xiangping looked in the indicated direction and whispered, "This way leads to Moongaze Lake. It's about half an hour's walk from Guli Road."
Li Tongya shook his head and said, "We can't use Guli Road. Let's cut through the reeds."
Li Xiangping murmured his agreement and followed his brother.
Lu Jiangxian sensed the pulling force growing stronger. As they ventured deeper into the reeds, the light in front of him brightened, revealing an image of a serene, crystal-clear lake, where a flock of white gulls stood one-legged along the edge, resting.
The mirror in Li Xiangping's hand grew increasingly hot, filling him with apprehension. Looking up at Li Tongya, he saw his second brother's expression was stern and silent. Only concern filled his eyes.
Is immortality really within the reach of us mortals…? Li Xiangping pondered, seemingly oblivious to the burning sensation in his hand.
"Hang in there, mirror. We're almost there," he muttered, clutching the grayish-blue treasure.
Soon, they emerged from the dense reeds to find Moongaze Lake shimmering before them, with a startled flock of gulls taking flight.
Lu Jiangxian's gaze was fixed on a rocky sandbar in the middle of the lake. Among those moss-covered stones, a piece of jade was wedged firmly in a crevice, glowing with a white light.
As the mirror emitted a beam of brilliant white moonlight, Li Tongya and Li Xiangping could faintly discern the glowing white jade that lay wedged between the rocks before them.
Exchanging looks of amazement and excitement, Li Xiangping eagerly began to remove his clothes, preparing to enter the water.
"Wait!" Li Tongya cautioned, pulling him back.
"I'll get it. You stay here with the mirror. If the moon reaches that position in the sky and I'm not back…"
He pointed upward, indicating the moon's trajectory before continuing, "Then, hide the mirror in the reeds and head toward the Guli Road. Don't go back home right away," Li Tongya instructed, looking earnestly at his brother.
"Wait until sunrise, then return to see how things stand."
"Got it…" Li Xiangping's voice broke, betraying a hint of sadness. He wiped his eyes and gazed at his second brother.
With a reassuring laugh, Li Tongya stripped off his clothes, revealing his lean and muscular arms. He then turned and swam toward the lake, leaving Li Xiangping concealed in the reeds, watching him intently.
Years ago, he swam in Moongaze Lake numerous times during visits with his father and brothers. Drawing on this familiarity, he effortlessly made his way to the center of the lake.
Li Tongya thoroughly examined the rocky crevices on the island. After spending what felt like the time needed for an incense stick to burn, he let out a sigh.
"Nothing," he muttered with a frown. As he checked once more, he inadvertently pulled out five or six small river crabs.
Then, his fingers brushed against something smooth and cool. With a gentle tug, he extracted a jade piece about two fingers thick.
This cylindrical shaped jade had characters engraved on it, which Li Tongya strained to read under the moonlight.
"Supreme… Qi… Meridian Nourishment…"
He could recognize only a few words. Though he had learned to read at a young age from the scholar in the village, the intricate patterns on the stone made it difficult to decipher.
Glancing back at the shore, he clutched the jade and swam back.
"Third Brother!" he called out softly as he neared the reeds.
Li Xiangping emerged, and Li Tongya reached out to show him the jade. But as soon as he opened his hand, the jade transformed into a beam of white light and whooshed into the mirror.
The brothers watched in shock at the white light above the mirror and moonlight swirled together, before merging into the glass.
Inside the mirror, Lu Jiangxian felt as if struck by lightning. Knowledge flooded his mind so rapidly that he cried out in pain and lost consciousness.
After the jade's absorption, the white light in the mirror gradually faded.
As the golden-red sun cast its first rays, they illuminated Li Tongya's bare torso, revealing golden lines that glowed.
He turned to face his younger brother and suggested, "Let's head home first."
Li Mutian sat at the red lacquered wooden table, attentively listening as his two sons recounted the events.
He nodded approvingly at Li Tongya and said, "Well done."
He and Li Changhu had spent a restless night, fraught with worry. Now, seeing his two sons return safely, his anxiety finally eased.
"Our home is spacious, with the backyard against the mountain and two melon fields in front. I've been thinking of expanding, building two more houses there and a courtyard with a secure front gate to prevent prying eyes," Li Mutian shared thoughtfully.
He had contemplated this for some time, anticipating the day his growing children would need their own space.
The Li Family was well-respected in the village, thanks to Li Mutian's savings and the land he had bought after leaving the army—over ten mu. This, combined with an additional five mu inherited from his father, brought their total landholdings to approximately twenty mu.
The fertile land of Lijing Village, along with the valuable reeds and mudflats, sustained them well.
In a prosperous year, the yield from their twenty mu of land could comfortably sustain more than ten people. Such productivity had the potential to elevate the Li family from mere farmers to the status of landowners[1].
Despite their wealth, Li Mutian insisted his children engage in both academics and farming, preparing them for independent lives.
"We need to keep the family together. When it comes to finding spouses, they should be connected to the Li Family," he mused, reflecting on the opulence of the city's elite families, where multiple generations lived under one roof, engaged in scholarship or military service. In contrast, poorer families often split up, each member fending for themselves.
"I've made my decision," Li Mutian declared with conviction, turning to his sons.
"Call your eldest brother from the fields. We'll level the foundation and rent them out. The tenants can manage the fields from now on. Your youngest brother doesn't need to gather mulberry leaves this afternoon. From now on, he'll spend his days studying with Master Han."
"All right," Li Xiangping replied energetically, despite a sleepless night, and hurried outside.
Li Tongya, after a moment's contemplation, addressed his father, "Are you thinking of adopting the ways of the clan? Establishing ancestral halls, opening a clan residence, focusing on education and military training?"
"The Li Family has been saving for two hundred years. It's time," Li Mutian affirmed with a smile, waving his hand dismissively.
"As for pursuing academics and martial arts, traveling the Guli Road is filled with danger, and venturing in and out of Mount Dali is a life-threatening journey. There's no need to go all the way to Yue State to study or train in martial arts. We only want to build a legacy for our family business and to ensure our survival."
"I agree, who knows we may find something more interesting than academics and martial arts," Li Tongya responded softly.
"Don't say such nonsense." Li Mutian laughed heartily, patting Li Tongya on the shoulder before strolling out with his hands clasped behind his back.
1. Translator's Note: 1 mu equals around 1/15 of a hectare, so 20 mu would be 1.33 hectare, or 13,333 square meters. (Thanks, Inanis) ☜
Chapter 7: Spell
Restore scroll position
The morning sunlight burst forth from Mount Dali, bathing Moongaze Lake in a golden glow. The wind whispered through the reeds, carrying the distant sound of children laughing along the Meiche River.
Chen Erniu sat on a ridge, his gaze heavy with worry as he surveyed the crops in his field, his mind clouded with thoughts about his bedridden wife.
Born in Lichuankou Village on the eastern side of Mount Dali, Chen Erniu had witnessed a severe drought there ten years ago. The ground had cracked, emitting white smoke, sending the villagers into a panic.
As a young boy lost in the chaos, he fled to Lijing Village, where the farmer Li Genshui took him in. The following year, he was given a plot of land to farm.
As he grew older, he rented another plot of land, built a house, married Li Genshui's daughter, and settled down in the village.
However, his wife's sudden illness weighed heavily on him. Thankfully, he had some savings and sought the help of the scholar who lived near the village entrance.
The illness was minor, treatable with a few doses of medicine. However, he was still worried about the potential financial strain if her condition were to worsen.
"Uncle[1]!" Lost in thought, Chen Erniu was startled by a cheerful voice.
Looking up, he saw a handsome young man at the courtyard entrance, smiling warmly in greeting.
"Ah, it's you, Changhu! Please, I hardly deserve such respect!" Chen Erniu replied modestly, bending over slightly. As a tenant farmer married to a concubine's daughter of the Li Family, he felt undeserving of such honor.
Li Genshui, though intelligent and capable, had a wandering eye. Unsatisfied with just one wife, he took two concubines.
With his first wife, he fathered two sons. From his concubines, he had three sons and four daughters.
Li Genshui was dying of old age, and the youngest son to his first wife who remained by his side suddenly died. Meanwhile, the children born to his concubines were eyeing the family's fields.
Li Mutian, who had been away from home, returned with a saber in hand, alongside his men. This formidable veteran ruthlessly killed the housekeeper who conspired against the family. No one from the prominent family who poisoned his younger brother was spared for poisoning his younger brother, not even their dogs.
Li Mutian, flanked by his two men, his saber still dripping with blood, dragged the dead bodies away on a cart through the village. From one end to the other, they left a trail of blood, sending a clear message. The villagers shuttered their homes, sensing the danger.
Li Mutian's illegitimate younger brothers, were initially terrified, thinking that they would have no share of the fields now that the Li Genshui's legitimate heir had returned.
To their surprise, Li Mutian gathered them together. He declared that regardless of status, they all shared the same blood. He then generously distributed the family's lands—two mus[2] to each of the family members, and four mus to each of the two men he brought here.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, everyone addressed him as the head of the family, solidifying his leadership within the Li Family.
As Chen Erniu gazed at Li Changhu's gentle smile, he could not help but recall Li Mutian's face, starkly marked by blood splatters in jarring contrast. Even under the warmth of the sun, this haunting image sent a shiver down his spine.
Nevertheless, he respectfully asked, "Changhu, what brings you here?"
"Uncle, you're being too formal with me. I heard Auntie is unwell. My father figured you might be too busy to cook, so he sent me to invite you and Little Ze over for a home-cooked meal prepared by my mother," Li Changhu replied with a smile.
"Oh… I can't possibly impose…" Chen Erniu replied with an embarrassed smile, looking clearly torn.
"It's settled, then! Mother has already prepared everything," Li Changhu insisted, patting Chen Erniu's shoulder before taking his leave.
"All right," Chen Erniu agreed, shaking his head in amusement.
He called into the house, "Little Ze, get changed. We're going to your uncle's house for dinner tonight."
The Li Family had renovated their mansion two years prior, expanding it significantly. The estate stretched from north to south in a rectangular shape. The front yard, paved with stone bricks and adorned with stone locks[3], looked like a martial arts training ground.
Chen Erniu could not help but admire the heavy stone locks, remarking, "The Li Family sure keeps up with their martial arts training. Those look really heavy."
Entering the main courtyard, they were greeted by a pond in the middle, which was home to several blue fish. The courtyard branched off to the side houses of Li Changhu and Li Tongya, located on the left and right. Various rooms lined the connecting corridors. The grandeur of the estate was further accentuated by the meticulously laid stone paths and steps.
Li Tongya, now eighteen and yet unmarried, greeted them as they entered. Li Changhu had recently married the second daughter of the Ren Family in a grand ceremony.
After dinner with the Li Family, Chen Erniu sat in the courtyard chatting when he noticed Li Chejing rush into the yard to whisper something to Li Mutian.
Although only nine years old, Li Chejing possessed a strikingly handsome appearance and displayed clear signs of intelligence. He was a favorite among all the relatives and his siblings.
Li Mutian, who had been casually watching his children, leaned in to hear Li Chejing's hushed words—"Father, the mirror... it's glowing!"
Nodding, Li Mutian patted his legs and addressed the group, "This old man needs some rest now. Please, don't mind me and carry on with your conversations."
With that, he turned and headed to the backyard. After the group acknowledged Li Mutian with nods and murmurs of understanding, Chen Erniu rose promptly. He bowed respectfully and announced his intention to leave.
There were several rooms in the backyard. Li Mutian entered the central ancestral hall, the most spacious of them all.
In there, offerings of fruits and melons were presented to their six generations of ancestors, whose histories were traced through the village records.
Pushing on one of the walls, he revealed a hidden room behind the hall.
The roof window above was open, allowing moonlight to bathe the bluestone platform below. Resting upon it, a grayish-blue bronze mirror emitted a bright, watery white light.
"It's been three years... Jing'er, go get your brothers over here," Li Mutian said, staring at the mirror with a furrowed brow.
"Right away," Li Chejing responded energetically before hurrying off to find his siblings.
————
Upon waking, Lu Jiangxian's mind overflowed with newfound knowledge. He paused, taking as long as an incense stick would take to burn, to compose his thoughts. Then, he began to carefully explore the wealth of information contained within the jade.
The Supreme Yin Breathing Meridian Nourishment Sutra!
The doctrine focused on manipulating the spiritual qi of heaven and earth through the human body's "orifices". It involved stirring up the supreme yin energy of the moonlight, ultimately cultivating it into the six chakras of Embryonic Breathing.
Mastery of these chakras could prolong life, nurture one's spirit, and enable the casting of various spells. Once the six chakras were fully developed, akin to a full moon, one could progress to the Qi Cultivation realm.
Additionally, the scripture outlined several minor spells, such as the Golden Light, Purify, Water Avoidance, Exorcism, and the Mind Net.
These could be practiced once the six chakras were cultivated, harnessing the spiritual qi in accordance with the scripture's teachings.
Furthermore, the scripture delineated the six realms of immortal cultivation—Embryonic Breathing, Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul.
The jade recorded the Embryonic Breathing Meridian Nourishment Technique from Moonlight Origin Mansion of Yue State and distributed to disciples from the Moonlight Immortal Mansion at the Embryonic Breathing realm.
After absorbing the jade's knowledge, Lu Jiangxian experienced a profound transformation. His divine sense expanded to 66 meters, and the capacity of his moonlight energy increased exponentially.
With sufficient moonlight energy, he could perform the various minor spells recorded in the Supreme Yin Breathing Meridian Nourishment Sutra, anywhere within three meters of the mirror.
Most importantly, a specific spell from the mirror's memory emerged prominently in his mind—the Profound Pearl Sacrificial Spirit!