The horsemen outstripped them in just the blink of an eye. A few seconds later, even their backs had disappeared into the distance, leaving Zhang Sheng with no avenue for outburst. The scholar’s mood was utterly ruined after this incident as a matter of course, so he clamped up and focused on traveling.

A few days later, the duo finally reached the administrative center of the commandery, the city of Luyuan. As a Yong Province native, Wei Yuan was familiar with the local geography and history as a matter of course. Luyuan had been founded five centuries before. As of now, it held approximately 100,000 registered households and somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 unregistered households. In total, the city population numbered around 500,000 people, so one could say that it was a big city.

Upon reaching the city, Wei Yuan immediately noticed that its walls were low—less than two zhang tall to be exact—and made from dressed stones mixed with loess[1]. Their surface was riddled with cracks and spalling that exposed the underlying masonry. The parapets and gate towers bore signs of long neglect as well.

Upon entering the city, he saw that the houses were all earthen houses with straw roofs and earthen walls. A sense of decay permeated the whole place. The passersby mostly wore rags and looked ill. Their eyes were blank, and their movements were sluggish. They looked worse than even the servants of the Wei estate. The roads were muddy and pitted, with filth floating in the muddy water. Had they not been riding on mules, they would have inevitably stepped in the filthy mud.

Zhang Sheng didn’t rush. He slowly made his way through the southern city district with Wei Yuan like they were sightseeing. It wasn’t until they put the southern city district behind them and entered the western city district that things began to improve.

They continued a little further until they came face to face with a massive estate. The estate was the size of an entire district and surrounded by vermillion walls that were a zhang tall. It was impossible to see what was behind them. At the center of the estate was a large, vermillion-pinated gate that was flanked by two massive golden toad statues. The gate was currently shut tight. A stocky servant was standing next to each statue and watching the passersby closely.

A signboard with the name “Hsu Residence” was hung above the gate. The gate tower was ornamented so richly as to be almost too opulent. This gate alone was worth the entire Wei estate.

Zhang Sheng and Wei Yuan passed through the western gate. They didn’t go far before a lush green immortal hill came into view.

The hill wasn’t huge, and it looked like it was a part of a mountain range. Right now though, the whole hill was covered in green trees. Not a speck of yellow could be spotted anywhere. Occasionally, the clouds would pass through the mountain and add an air of mystery to it. If someone were to squint hard enough, they would see a waterfall pouring down between its two peaks like an endless roll of white cloth. Beneath the waterfall was a blue lake with a small island at the center. It was filled with jade plants in full bloom.

Before the mountain lay a river with clear, refreshing water. It encircled the mountain before pouring into Tong River. Strangely, the upstream stretch of the river was murky yellow, but it turned pure and clear when it entered the range of the immortal mountain. Once it exited its range, it turned back to murky yellow and resumed its endless march toward the northeast.

Large clumps of pavilions and kiosks could be spotted among the living paintings of mountains, rivers, and clouds as well. It was a true paradise!

A light yellow-colored bird flew over and circled around their heads several times. Then, it landed on Zhang Sheng’s shoulder. The scholar looked at Wei Yuan and said, “Now we can save some energy.”

The mules continued moving forward, but every time they took a step, the surrounding scenery would zoom past them like they were moving very, very quickly. They had reached the edge of the Tong River in the blink of an eye.

The river water looked like liquid green jade that flowed slowly but constantly toward somewhere. Strangely, the mules kept walking forward as if they couldn’t see the river in front of them. Another step later, the duo and their pack animals were ten zhang into the river!

The mules’ hooves stepped on the river water like it was solid ground. They failed to elicit even the slightest ripple. A couple more steps later, they had successfully crossed the vast Tong River and arrived at the foot of the immortal mountain. The journey should have taken them a whole day, and yet they had completed it in just fifteen minutes.

Out of nowhere, an immortal gate appeared before Wei Yuan’s eyes. When they were still on the river, Wei Yuan clearly saw gentle, grassy slopes on the opposite bank. However, the scenery before him had suddenly changed the moment he set foot on solid ground.

The immortal gate was twenty zhang tall and supported by two gigantic red jade pillars. They looked sparkly and translucent. Images of mountains and rivers, birds and beasts were engraved on their surfaces as well.

The signboard of the gate was made from white jade, and the name, “Scarlet Tide Sect” was written on it. Each word was two zhang in radius!

For someone who had never left Ye County until recently, the grandiose sight stunned Little Wei Yuan as a matter of course. He continued staring at the immortal gate for a couple seconds until suddenly, he turned his head and looked behind him.

Despite being on the opposite bank of Tong River, he could still vaguely see Luyuan from where he was. Now, more than ever, Luyuan looked small, shabby, and pathetic. Their rammed earth walls looked barren and miserable. Their people seemed muddleheaded at best, spending their whole lives wading through mud and filth just to fill their bellies.

He had thought that he was crossing a river, but no, he was really moving between worlds.

It was at this moment a young cultivator stepped out of the immortal gate. He looked refined and carried himself with an air of clarity.

It took the cultivator just one step to reach Zhang Sheng and Wei Yuan. His gaze flashed like lightning as he looked the scholar up and down. A smile gradually spread across his face as he exclaimed in delight, “It really is you, Junior... Brother Zhang! The last time we met was a decade ago.”

Zhang Sheng was filled with emotions as well. He climbed down the mule’s back and let out a sigh. “Greetings, Sun Yu, Senior Brother Sun. It really has been a decade, hasn’t it? And still, I have achieved nothing. I feel deeply ashamed.”

“What are you talking about? News of your brilliant disciple has long reached my ears! You have no idea how envious I am!”

The scholar replied with a bark of laughter, “It is the heavens’ will. I just got lucky!”

Sun Yu had examined Wei Yuan earlier, but now he looked at him again and declared a few seconds later, “He really is exceptional!”

The man then looked at the mules they rode and smiled. “You have decided to return to your roots, I see. You must have learned a lot in the past years, Junior Brother Zhang.” 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Zhang Sheng sighed. “My powers were sealed, and I couldn’t leave Yong Province. That is why I had to rely on mundane creatures to carry me. That said, I did gain a bit of insight thanks to the lack of distractions.”

Sun Yu’s eyes lit up. “I would be happy to receive your guidance! By the way, Master is aware of your sealed power. She instructed me to bring you a pack of Li Spring Powder[2] after she divined the heavenly mysteries. Simply take it and enter a restful cultivation for three days, and you shall recover.”

First, Zhang Sheng turned toward the north and performed a salute, saying, “Thank you, Trueman Ning Xi.” Then, he pointed at the immortal gate and said with a smile, “This is just the unified exam of a remote commandery. The number of attendees shouldn’t even exceed twenty people, so what’s with the fanfare? Is the Scarlet Tide Sect planning to become a blessed land?”

Before Sun Yu could answer the question, rainbow clouds suddenly spilled out of the horizon. Then, a pair of nine-colored profound deer drawing a brilliant jade boat descended from the sky and landed in front of the immortal gate.

The two nine-colored profound deer were three zhang tall. They ran on clouds while colorful ribbons of light circled their bodies. The white jade boat especially was five zhang tall and thirty zhang long. It was bigger than even the gate tower of the city of Luyuan!

The surname “Yan” was inscribed on the boat. It was also overflowing with colorful light.

The white jade boat passed through the immortal gate as soon as it descended to ground level. Not even the two profound deer had deigned to give Zhang Sheng a glance. It was as if he and Wei Yuan did not exist.

Zhang Sheng stared at the disappeared white jade boat for a moment. Then, he looked at the three chi tall mule standing next to him. His complexion didn’t look good.

Sun Yu hurriedly put on a smile. “Ignore him, Junior Brother! The people from the Eastern Sea always like to flaunt unnecessarily. Seriously, who in their right mind would put on airs for an exam?”

Zhang Sheng exclaimed in surprise, “Yan of Eastern Sea is participating in the exam?”

“Well, the number of candidates this year is higher than usual... Just stay calm, Junior Brother.”

Zhang Sheng didn’t say anything. He simply grabbed Wei Yuan’s hand and stepped through the immortal gate with him.

The moment they passed through the immortal gate, the world before their eyes changed instantly. They saw a giant red jade square that was overflowing with mounts, boats, and carriages. The immortal qi expelled by all kinds of precious carriages or auspicious beasts mingled in the air so much that they condensed into colorful clouds that bloomed and died endlessly.

The white jade boat from the Eastern Sea was just barely making its way through the sea of vehicles and beasts. It was trying to find a parking spot.

1. a loosely compacted yellowish-grey deposit of wind-blown sediment of which extensive deposits occur e.g. in eastern China and the American Midwest. ☜

2. Powder as in medicinal powder. ☜