Chapter 5: Rare Immortal Fate

"When we fought the Shanyue people back then, their shamans were numerous, unleashing miasma, snakes, and insects. Talismans like this were distributed in the army to counter their magic, and this very talisman saved my life. Now, its divine light has faded, and it's just like a piece of old paper. This is the second item."

"The Shanyue people liked to adorn themselves with animal bones, feathers, and glazed ware. I killed someone and scavenged these valuable items from their body. This is the third item."

"Tomorrow, I'll take this piece of glazed ware and tell your second uncle that Xiangping found it in the river. Whether Li Yesheng saw it or not, we'll insist it's just a broken piece of glazed ware that happens to sparkle in the moonlight."

Li Mutian took out a piece of broken glazed ware, put the items away, and spoke softly to Li Tongya.

"Father, you're very thoughtful," Li Changhu nodded. "Second Uncle is a magnanimous man who understands the bigger picture; he won't make a fuss about anything."

"It's a shame Li Yesheng is useless," Li Tongya said softly, turning his head to look at his father.

Li Mutian picked up the artifact, placed it on the wooden table, and shook his head. "Now we need to figure out how to use this treasure. If we don't, it could all be a wasted effort."

***

Lu Jiangxian had been listening the whole time from inside the mirror and had made his calculations. Trapped as he was, whether to protect himself or to escape, if he was to find a path he could follow on the long road to immortality, he would need to rely on the human and material resources of this land.

The Li family came from humble peasant origins, yet several of its members were exceptional. Father Li Mutian possessed excellent courage and insight; the eldest son, Li Changhu, was smooth in handling affairs and generous; the second son, Li Tongya, was brave, agile, decisive, and fearless in battle; Li Xiangping and Li Chijin were also clever and nimble. Truly, they were an excellent group to collaborate with.

What's more, he had no hands or legs, couldn't walk or run, so changing hosts was out of the question. Should he remain silent and be discarded like trash back into the river, imprisoned in silence for a hundred years?

"In any case, I should first go look to the east, even if it's just a distant glance." Thinking this, Lu Jiangxian activated the qi within him, making it surge towards the top-left corner of the mirror's body.

Inside the room, the Li brothers tinkered with the artifact for a long time but gained nothing. They were careful, afraid of damaging it and losing their chance at immortal cultivation. The lunar essence felt cool and comfortable like water to the touch, yet it couldn't be blown or absorbed.

It wasn't until Li Xiangping picked up the artifact and gently stroked its surface that Lu Jiangxian mobilized his qi, causing the top-left corner of the mirror to suddenly light up. Li Xiangping trembled in fright, calling out repeatedly, unsure whether to hold onto it or put it down.

Li Tongya came closer and saw a bright white arc of light glowing in the top-left corner of the mirror. It was thin at the edges and thicker in the middle, truly beautiful. It slowly dimmed after several breaths.

"Brother, it lit up!" Li Xiangping said excitedly, his voice suppressed.

Li Tongya took the artifact and, imitating Li Xiangping, stroked its surface. Sure enough, a white light appeared. He then handed the artifact to his father, gesturing for him to do the same.

Both Li Mutian and Li Changhu stroked the artifact, clicking their tongues in admiration.

Li Tongya, however, let out a soft exclamation. He took the artifact from his elder brother's hands and stroked it with his back to the others.

"Father, no matter where you stroke this object, the light that appears always points north. It's like..." Li Tongya began gravely, looking at the artifact in his hand.

"A Sinan," Li Mutian nodded.

Inside the mirror, Lu Jiangxian couldn't help but applaud loudly, marveling at the boy's quick understanding.

"Let's go to the village entrance first."

Li Mutian stroked his beard, then turned and went into the house, calling out to the children, "Fetch a string of cured meat. We're going to visit Mr. Han."

***

Li Yesheng entered his front yard, wiping his eyes and grumbling as he kicked pebbles along the path. "What treasure could they be clutching? A few simpletons treating it like gold! A bunch of idiots showing up in the middle of the night with knives—they've definitely got something to hide!" He sat on a rock, a thought stirring in his mind.

"Li Mutian has been wandering for over twenty years; he must have accumulated a lot of good stuff! He's definitely got treasures." He quietly began to scheme. "But those idiots are so stubborn, you can't get anything out of them. And the old man is just as old and obstinate; he won't say a word even if he dies. Otherwise, once Li Mutian is gone, we'd all get a share of his things!"

Li Yesheng tilted his head, looking at the courtyard gate. When his younger brother, Li Yesheng, timidly entered, he glared and cursed loudly: "Get over here, you brat!"

He grabbed his brother's clothes and flung him towards the front of the house. Li Yesheng rolled awkwardly on the ground, then curled into a ball, trembling with fear.

"I hear you're good friends with that brat, Li Xiangping. Tomorrow, you go to his house and steal two melons to eat," he growled viciously.

***

Li Mutian walked from one end of the village to the other with his three children. Along the way, villagers resting on their doorsteps greeted them with smiles: "Uncle Mutian! Where are you off to?"

"Bringing something for Mr. Han!" Li Mutian said, smiling and lifting the cured meat in his hand.

Upon reaching the village entrance, Li Mutian looked around, patted Li Tongya and Li Xiangping on the shoulders, and whispered: "Go."

The two understood, bent down, and quickly disappeared into the thick reed marsh.

Li Mutian looked worriedly into the distance, prompting his eldest son to remind him: "You should have instructed them earlier: if they encounter anything unusual, they should retreat after a distant glance and not linger."

"Tongya knows his limits."

Li Mutian narrowed his eyes, all his calculations flashing through his mind. He understood that tonight he might lose two of his children, yet he would still have Li Changhu as an heir. But the children might also return safely, bringing opportunities for the Li family's prosperity. He felt deeply pained and guilty, clenching his fists.

"Two hundred years."

For a full two hundred years, the Li family had toiled on this land, facing the yellow earth with their backs to the sky. Confronted with a potential opportunity, Li Mutian rationally made a choice that aligned with the family's interests, yet he was deeply tormented by it emotionally.

"Brother Li!"

The courtyard gate suddenly opened, interrupting Li Mutian's thoughts. Mr. Han Wenxu stood there, holding a small bowl, staring blankly at him.

"Mr. Han."

A hearty smile appeared on Li Mutian's face. He strode forward and placed the cured meat on the wooden platform.

"Oh, you shouldn't have," Han Wenxu said, nodding with a smile.

He took the cured meat, broke off a piece, and finely sliced it onto a small plate. He also stir-fried some pickled vegetables and served them on another small plate. The two men moved a small table, poured two small cups of rice wine, and sat by the gate, beginning to chat.

"It seems those immortals who come and go from the heavens won't be visiting us," Li Mutian said with a long breath, a relaxed expression on his face.

Han Wenxu shrugged, then replied with a click of his tongue, "Immortals!"

"When I was twelve, an immortal came to our town," he said wistfully, pressing his lips together. "He said he was looking for enlightened individuals. Among over a thousand young children in the entire town, he found only three and took them with him. Perhaps one of those immortals who now come and go from the heavens is from my hometown."

"Opportunities for immortal cultivation are hard to come by," Li Mutian said comfortingly after a long silence.

"Hard to come by, opportunities for immortal cultivation are truly hard to come by..."

Han Wenxu stared blankly at the moon in the sky, continuously repeating the phrase.

The two men, each preoccupied with their own worries, fell into a heavy silence.