Encountering Immortals

Yan Laodao said: "How should I address you? It is not that we are unwilling to let this person go; he has committed a major crime of stealing treasury silver in this locality. It is our duty to take him back." His voice, which was originally clear and resonant, trembled slightly as he spoke, and by the time he reached the words "we must take him back," his voice had become barely audible. The dark-faced youth replied indifferently: "That silver belongs to us and has nothing to do with this gentleman. Are you not leaving yet?" Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback, looking towards Yan Laodao for a cue. Yan Laodao, originally a skilled member of the Six Doors, was known for his irritable and domineering temperament. However, the miraculous way the youth had drawn a knife from thin air was too astonishing; retreating would certainly be embarrassing, yet he dared not step forward to challenge him. After hesitating for a long time, he did not know how to respond, his face alternating between red and black.

The emaciated man in black, after executing more than thirty moves, ceased his actions, tilted his head, and glanced at Meng Sheng, asking: "How does my swordsmanship compare to yours?" Meng Sheng sighed and replied: "Far superior to mine; I will follow you." The short, stout man in black, upon hearing this, became furious and shouted: "My son, it is too late for you to admit defeat now." Meng Sheng's mind was slightly distracted, and he felt a slight sting in his leg, having been pricked by the tip of his opponent's knife at a vital point, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground with a thud. The emaciated man in black said: "You have injured three of us; I will first sever your right arm, which is already a great mercy to you." Having said that, he did not allow Meng Sheng to respond and raised his knife to strike down upon him. Meng Sheng, unable to move, could only close his eyes and think: "Enough! I did not expect to die unjustly here today." As the blade flashed, there was a sound of "wah" and blood splattered.

As he was about to reach the mountain peak and look around, he saw nothing unusual. Meng Sheng thought to himself: "Qing Shang said that once I reach the peak, I would naturally know where they are, but I wonder if there is any sign... Ah, he told me to go to Zixu Peak at Yuanmen Mountain, but I do not know if the peak beneath my feet is Zixu Peak." At this moment, the sky was getting late, dusk was settling in, and the heavy snow was gradually stopping. While he was pondering, he noticed lights flickering in the distance between the mountains, resembling a temple. He thought: "I will go ask the monks in this mountain; they must know where Zixu Peak is." Thus, he stepped on the scattered jade-like snow and walked towards the temple. Upon approaching, he looked up and saw that the mountain gate of the temple was covered with moss, and amidst the withered grass stood a broken stele, on which the three characters "Zhixing Temple" could be faintly discerned. A gust of northern wind blew by, causing the bells at the corners of the hall to ring, startling a few cold crows that circled around the mountain gate, cawing as they flew away.

Upon hearing this, Meng Sheng felt as if he had awakened from a dream and hurriedly bowed down, saying, "Ziqi, save me!" Jia Ziqi extended his hand to help him up and said, "Meng Sheng, I have come precisely for this reason. You have attracted attention in Jinzhou, and many recognize your horse. It is likely that someone will come to capture you soon, so as soon as I saw that Wusun horse, I rushed here to inform you, so we can quickly devise a plan. It is often said, 'Of the thirty-six strategies, fleeing is the best.' We cannot stay here any longer." Meng Sheng replied, "How can I repay your great kindness, dear brother!" Jia Ziqi said, "We are brothers, there is no need to speak of gratitude. Quickly arrange to avoid disaster." Meng Sheng said, "The abbot of the Jian Pavilion's Yanxiang Temple is an old acquaintance of mine; I can go there to hide for a few days. However, my wife has gone to my father-in-law's house in Hanzhou, and if she cannot find me upon her return, she will surely be anxious." Jia Ziqi replied, "The situation is urgent; we cannot delay. I will take care of your wife here. Once you are settled, I will send her to Yanxiang Temple to meet you. You must hurry to Jian Pavilion and take care of yourself. I will return now and try to stall the pursuers if I encounter them." After saying this, he clasped his fists in salute to Meng Sheng and turned to leave, with Meng Sheng hurriedly seeing him to the door. As Jia Ziqi mounted his horse, he added, "I almost forgot one thing: when you leave, instruct your servants to say you are visiting friends, so that officials do not come here to fabricate a charge of fleeing due to guilt against you. From what you just said, those five individuals are quite skilled, and they will likely not be able to capture them either. I will find a death row inmate to take the blame. Once the case is settled and the storm has calmed, you can return." The two parted with tears, and Jia Ziqi mounted his horse again, saying, "I almost forgot one thing: when you leave, instruct your servants to say you are visiting friends, so that officials do not come here to fabricate a charge of fleeing due to guilt against you. From what you just said, those five individuals are quite skilled, and they will likely not be able to capture them either. I will find a death row inmate to take the blame. Once the case is settled and the storm has calmed, you can return." The two parted with tears, and after sending Ziqi off, Meng Sheng dared not be negligent. He hurriedly packed some clothes, money, and valuables, picked up a familiar copper staff, led his horse, and exited through the back door. Before leaving, he reminded the steward to say that he was out traveling if any visitors came, and that it was uncertain when he would return.

Upon entering the temple, a monk came out to inquire. Meng Sheng asked for the monk's Dharma name, to which the monk smiled and replied, "I am called Huiming, and I am honored to be the elder of this temple. I was unaware of your visit on this cold night, and I apologize for not welcoming you properly; please do not take offense." Noticing the bloodstains on Meng Sheng's copper staff, the monk felt a twinge of fear, hence his polite demeanor. Meng Sheng said, "I apologize for disturbing you, elder. I am just a passerby; could you please tell me how to get to Zixu Peak on Yuanmen Mountain?" Huiming replied in surprise, "You are already at Yuanmen Mountain, but there is no peak called Zixu Peak here." Upon hearing this, Meng Sheng's expression changed, and he urgently said, "Think carefully; could it be that you are mistaken?" Huiming, seeing the sudden change in Meng Sheng's demeanor, was startled and stammered, "I... I have lived in this mountain for over twenty years, and I have indeed never heard of it... This... this Zixu Peak... there are peaks like Shenfu Peak and Xiangyue Peak in Yuanmen Mountain. If you wish to go up the mountain for sightseeing, Xiangyue Peak has excellent scenery..." Meng Sheng stood there in a daze, silent for a long time, and suddenly laughed loudly towards the sky, "So everyone has been deceiving me! Even immortals can deceive!" His laughter shook the dust off the altar, and after laughing for a while, his voice grew hoarse, turning from laughter to choking sobs, and finally into a wail. After a long silence, he suddenly laughed loudly towards the sky, "So everyone has been deceiving me! Even immortals can deceive!" His laughter shook the dust off the altar, and after laughing for a while, his voice grew hoarse, turning from laughter to choking sobs, and finally into a wail. Huiming, frightened, hurriedly fled outside, ran back to the monk's quarters, locked the door, and gasped for breath, thinking to himself, "This person must have gone mad."

Meng Sheng listened to her words, each one true, and could not help but feel a surge of regret, sorrow, anger, and grievance all at once. He wished he could rush in immediately, but he could not take a step forward. Jia Ziqi snorted, "That fellow, having both wealth and such a beautiful wife, is still not satisfied, always dreaming of becoming an immortal in his spring and autumn fantasies." Su San sighed and said, "But in the end... in the end, I still wronged him." She pressed her face against Jia Ziqi's chest and said, "In the future, I will be yours. I beg you, for my sake, just keep him under watch for a few days and then send him away, at least spare his life." Jia Ziqi laughed and said, "Indeed. You are so beautiful; rather than marrying him and letting others steal you away, it would be better to let you stay with others and let me steal you back." Su San pouted, "What are you saying?" Jia Ziqi reached out to stroke her hair and said, "Silly girl, you are so confused. If he does not die, how can you and I have a long future together? Besides, you do not know how ruthless my strict master is; by now, he is probably in pieces. Even if I wanted to save him, it would be too late. Moreover, he usually seeks immortality; if I send him on his way, he might even thank me when he reaches the Western Paradise." Su San looked up at Jia Ziqi with deep eyes and said, "If he goes to the Western Paradise, we will end up in the Avici Hell together." Jia Ziqi laughed heartily and said, "Even if we go to Avici Hell, we will still be a pair of happy ghosts." After saying this, he suddenly lifted her up and pressed her down on the couch. At that moment, they suddenly heard a loud bang at the window, startling both of them. Jia Ziqi shouted sternly, "Who is it?" He hurriedly pushed open the window to look outside, only to see flying willow fluff filling the sky and broken jade scattered on the ground, with no sign of a person, just the window frame cracked into several pieces.

At that moment, a rapid sound of hooves approached, and a burly constable clad in a black cloak urged his horse, passing through the city. The steed galloped to a large residence in Lantern Alley to the south of the city and came to a halt. The constable dismounted hastily and rushed to knock on the door. Shortly after, an elderly man dressed in a steward's uniform came out to answer the door. Upon seeing the constable, he quickly said, "Ah, it is Captain Jia. A heavy snowstorm is imminent; please come inside." Captain Jia did not respond and walked straight towards the inner hall.

Meng Sheng had not eaten or drunk anything for most of the day, and after a fierce struggle, he had traveled a considerable distance. After crying for a while, he felt exhausted. He found a few worn-out mats in a corner of the main hall, laid them on the ground, and stuffed his robe into a ball to use as a pillow, then lay down. However, his troubled mind made it impossible for him to sleep. In a state of half-dreaming and half-waking, he first dreamed of the time when he was newly married to Su San, then he dreamed of rushing back to kill both Jia Ziqi and Su San, and at another moment, he had some strange thoughts and dreamed of peeking through the window at Su San and Jia Ziqi being affectionate, which he found increasingly enjoyable to watch. In a daze, he lost track of time until he suddenly heard a sound from the beam above. As a martial artist, Meng Sheng immediately became alert and glanced over. He saw a shadow crouching on the beam, moving slowly. The person reached the side of the beam, lightly leaped, and pressed against a pillar, then wrapped their limbs around the pillar and slid down to the ground.

The dark-faced youth waited for a while longer, and seeing that the other party still did not speak, he said, "Let me see you off." The dark-faced youth stood still, reached out his hand into the air, and with a grab and a lift, he surprisingly lifted Yan Laoda off the ground, despite the distance of several zhang. Then, with a swing of his arm, Yan Laoda was thrown like a dart, soaring high and drifting away for several dozen zhang, eventually becoming a small black dot rapidly descending. It seemed he was about to crash to the ground and turn into a pulp. The dark-faced youth extended his arm and lifted that black dot several zhang again, halting its descent, before finally letting go. The crowd looked up, and Yan Laoda finally landed on the ground, stirring up a flurry of snowflakes that soared into the air, creating a stunning sight

Jia Ziqi said, "But why is that?" Meng Sheng replied, "The four of them stood up and greeted me and that woman, then each began to demonstrate their skills. One person leaped into the air, astonishingly remaining suspended for a long time, resembling a flying bird. Another walked along the wall as if it were flat ground, running and jumping with the speed of the wind. The other two moved to the courtyard as if to spar, yet they stood about ten steps apart, merely striking at the air. " Jia Ziqi remarked, "Surely these two are afraid of close combat and mutual injury, so they only compare techniques, not strength." Meng Sheng said, "I initially thought so too. After exchanging thirty moves, one declared defeat, and they both returned to their seats. The other two moved to the courtyard as if to spar, yet they stood about ten steps apart, merely striking at the air. " Jia Ziqi remarked, "Surely these two are afraid of close combat and mutual injury, so they only compare techniques, not strength." Meng Sheng said, "I initially thought so too. After exchanging thirty moves, one declared defeat, and they both returned to their seats. At this time, the two had actually torn their cotton garments into shreds. It turns out that by performing their punches and kicks in mid-air, they could exert force that could injure others. At this moment, that woman said to me that these four individuals were of average talent, with limited skills, and would not catch the eye of the Fang family, and she wanted to ask me to demonstrate. After observing the skills of the four, I thought to myself, could these people be anything but extraordinary? Otherwise, how could they possess such abilities? Moreover, these four were merely attendants, and the woman was likely even more formidable. How could my rudimentary martial arts dare to show itself? I quickly declined several times. The woman did not insist further, sat for a while, then stood up to take her leave. When I accompanied these five to the door, the woman said that the horses harnessed to her flower carriage were exhausted and wished to borrow my Wusun horse for a while. I lent her the horse, and the five expressed their thanks before leaving. Unexpectedly, a case of stolen treasury silver arose.

Jia Ziqi nodded after listening and said: "I see, this case must have been committed by those five individuals. I had my suspicions, but since you are not lacking in wealth, why engage in such a desperate act?" Meng Sheng replied: "Do not make it difficult for the constable; you first lock me up, and I will go to the magistrate to clarify things. " Jia Ziqi said: "In that case, I will first visit the Zhao family in the west of the city." Meng Sheng asked in surprise: "What do you need to go to the Zhao family for?" Jia Ziqi sneered: "You have no idea about the depths of the public office. This case is too significant and has already alarmed the governor; everyone is eagerly awaiting its resolution. Now that there is physical evidence, and you have considerable wealth, once you arrive at the magistrate's office, there will be no room for your defense. You will first be subjected to a round of military punishment, then coerced into gathering the one hundred thousand taels of silver. After you have paid the silver, they will find a pretext to send you on your way, claiming you died of illness in prison. The Zhao family has been in the coffin business for generations and is on good terms with me. I will first help you select a good coffin, so you do not rot in prison, and it will not be in vain for our friendship."

Meng Sheng seized the upper hand, his spirit lifted, and just as he was about to break through to seize a horse, he suddenly heard the leading thin man in black shout: "Everyone step back, I will duel with him." The surrounding attackers, upon hearing the command, immediately halted and made way. Meng Sheng noticed that the speaker had been standing outside the circle with his hands behind his back, and now he slowly approached without drawing his weapon. Meng Sheng asked, "Since you want to duel, where is your sword?" The thin man in black sneered, "It is in your hand." As soon as the words fell, Meng Sheng felt a numbness in his grip, his hand trembled violently, and when he looked again, the sword was already in the opponent's hand. This startled Meng Sheng, who thought to himself: "This person took my weapon as if it were plucking something from a bag, his martial arts are far superior to those I just fought, how can I be his match?" Just as he hesitated, he saw that the thin man in black did not attack but instead raised the sword and slowly demonstrated two moves, which were precisely the first two moves of the one-armed sword technique that Meng Sheng had just used. Then he executed all thirty moves of the sword technique flawlessly, but he became faster with each move, and by the last ten moves, he was as swift as a storm. The sound of the steel blade cutting through the air was deafening, truly overwhelming. Meng Sheng was both astonished and in admiration, thinking: "This person's sword technique is likely even above that of Ziqi, I am far from his equal. Moreover, this person has an excellent memory, having only seen these thirty moves once, he can execute them without a single error; I must invite him to my home for a thorough discussion on martial arts..." In the midst of these thoughts, he couldn't help but chuckle: "Right now, I am engaged in a life-and-death struggle with him, what am I thinking about discussing martial arts for?"

Su San gently broke free from Jia Ziqi's embrace and fell to the ground, playing with the auspicious silver hairpin in her hands, and lowered her head to say: "Do you really want his life?" Meng Sheng recognized that the silver hairpin was the one he had given to Su San on the day of their engagement, but he saw Jia Ziqi snatch the hairpin away and grasp her hands, saying: "Do you perhaps regret it?" Su San replied softly: "A day spent with you is far better than a year with him. He only knows how to practice martial arts every day, or else he recites scriptures and seeks enlightenment, slowly speaking a few words, and throughout the day, I can't even see his face..."

Meng Sheng was known for his generosity and righteousness. He often welcomed wandering heroes and would also provide assistance to down-and-out martial artists. Those who received his kindness, seeing his fondness for martial arts, naturally imparted to him some of their prized techniques. As a result, Meng Sheng had a wide range of experiences and a diverse set of skills. When he saw several men in black rushing towards him, he immediately wielded a well-crafted copper staff, employing a technique known as the Little Yaksha Staff Technique, which he had learned from a traveling monk. His movements were swift yet composed, adhering strictly to the principles of the technique, as he firmly defended the entrance.

Soon, Huiming rushed in, holding a razor and panting. Upon seeing the scene, he sighed, "Well done, well done. The Buddha is compassionate and will surely guide the benefactor to be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss." He then said to Xu Guan, "Xu Guan, this connection you have is rooted in our temple. The silver and gold are quite abundant, and you should leave half for the temple's incense offerings. Do not go against the benefactor's wishes; set off early to take the examination."

The eight men in black have gathered in a semicircle, slowly closing in. The leader said, "Your theft of the treasury has been exposed; do you still wish to flee in fear of punishment?" The speaker had a gaunt face and deep-set eyes, yet his voice was strong and resonant, echoing through the valley and causing one's eardrums to throb. Meng Sheng replied, "Could it be that you gentlemen are officials? I, Meng Sheng, am merely out to seek a friend and am unaware of any theft of silver." Another man said, "Quickly throw down your weapons and surrender, lest we be forced to take action." Having received a warning from Jia Ziqi, Meng Sheng thought, "Indeed, once one enters the public domain, it is as deep as the sea. If I had not dodged in time just now, that arrow would have pierced my head. They are merely capturing a suspect, yet they act so ruthlessly. If I were to be captured by them, there would be no hope. It would be better to seize the opportunity to steal a horse and escape early, and later find someone to help me negotiate my way out." With this in mind, he said, "Since you gentlemen do not believe me, what harm is there in me visiting the government office? However, my horse is injured, and this place is remote and mountainous; what shall I do?" The gaunt man in black coldly replied, "You verbally agree to comply but refuse to part with your weapon, what trick are you trying to play? Seize him!"

Meng Sheng bowed three times towards the heavens, affixing the Wave Moon Stone to his chest. He felt light and agile, with his entire body invigorated and blood circulating smoothly, and the acupoints in his legs naturally unblocked. He tried to leap lightly and surprisingly found himself five or six zhang above the ground, filled with both astonishment and joy. Glancing over at the white horse left by Old Yan, he thought, "I wonder how it would feel to ride with this treasure?" He took the familiar copper staff, mounted the horse, and gently flicked the reins. The horse neighed loudly and galloped away, with Meng Sheng only hearing the wind roar in his ears. After a while, he pulled the reins sharply and noticed that the surrounding scenery was quite familiar. In just a short time, the horse had actually galloped back to the land of Jinzhou, passing through states and counties.

Before him sat a woman dressed only in a sheer garment, her face flushed with a rosy hue, lowering her head with a gentle smile. She reached up to remove the silver hairpin shaped like a ruyi from her hair, letting her long, dark tresses cascade down her shoulders as she sat sideways on the lap of a robust man. This man, bare-chested, reclined on a couch, one hand embracing her slender waist while the other held a small wine cup, his eyes closed and a smile gracing his face. In the corner of the room, a copper brazier glowed with red-hot charcoal, filling the space with the warmth of spring. However, Meng Sheng felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, for the woman was none other than his wife, Su San, and the man was his close friend, Jia Ziqi.

Just as he was about to ride across the pass, a sharp sound of wind suddenly came from behind him. Meng Sheng quickly crouched down, and with a whoosh, a wolf-tooth feather arrow flew past, barely missing his head. Turning to look back, he saw four riders on horseback, thirty zhang away, galloping through the snow, all dressed in black, making them quite conspicuous in the wind and snow. Meng Sheng's heart sank in fear: "Could it be that the officials have come to arrest me?" Just as he was filled with doubt, his horse suddenly let out a long neigh and knelt down, having been struck by arrows in its hind legs and rear. In a moment, the four pursuers had closed in, and the leader whistled, prompting four burly men to emerge from the mountain path behind, also dressed in black short garments, each wielding a broadsword and a short spear, their cold gleam blinding. Meng Sheng hurriedly dismounted, leaning against the mountain wall, grasping a familiar bronze staff across his chest, and called out loudly: "I am Lu Mengsheng from Jinzhou. May I ask for your esteemed names and why you have harmed my steed?"

The person climbing the mountain was Lu Mengsheng. Upon hearing the playful banter of the two outside the window, Mengsheng could no longer contain himself; he struck the window frame with a fist and, filled with sorrow and anger, turned to leave. He carried a wave moonstone with him and, with a leap, vanished from sight. Mengsheng ran wildly, his heart in turmoil, as the scene he had just witnessed replayed in his mind over and over, making him feel as if everything in the world had been turned upside down. Suddenly, he recalled that the dark-faced youth, Qing Shang, had asked him to meet at Yuanmen Mountain. He thought to himself, "This world has lost all its joy; why not hurry to find him and attain liberation sooner?" Thus, he made his way north toward the city.

It turns out that the Lu family in northern Sichuan was originally a prominent household. In the generation of Lu Mengsheng, although the family's fortunes have declined, they still remain a wealthy family. Mengsheng has no great ambitions and is not eager for fame and fortune; throughout his life, he has only been interested in martial arts and seeking immortality, and he particularly enjoys befriending some heroes of the rivers and lakes and reclusive masters. The constable Jia Ziqi is a skilled swordsman from Jinzhou and has known Mengsheng for a long time. Suddenly, Jia Ziqi took action, and Mengsheng thought he was just playing a prank, laughing and saying, "Ziqi, it turns out you enjoy sparring in the snow; let's go to the backyard and practice a bit more." However, Jia Ziqi replied seriously, "Is this matter truly something you did?" Seeing his resolute expression, which did not seem like a jest, Mengsheng said, "What exactly is the matter? I genuinely do not know." Jia Ziqi stared into Mengsheng's eyes, and after a while, he slowly released him and said, "Recently, a major case occurred in this area; the government office lost a thousand taels of silver from the treasury." Mengsheng was shocked and said, "Such a thing happened! But why suspect it was me who did it?"

The man stealthily approached the Buddha hall, shaking out a cloth bag to collect the offerings of fruits and pastries placed before the Buddha. Meng Sheng thought to himself, "So he is a thief of offerings." After the thief had taken the offerings, he noticed a person lying in the corner of the hall and was startled. Meng Sheng closed his eyes, pretending to doze off. Seeing that he did not move, the thief grew bolder and crept closer, bending down to search. Just as the thief reached nearby, Meng Sheng shouted loudly, raising his copper staff, which struck the thief's left arm. The thief let out a cry of pain and attempted to flee, but Meng Sheng had already seized him by the chest. By the light of the oil lamp in the hall, Meng Sheng saw that the thief had a pair of narrow eyes, a face full of wrinkles, and sparse white beard under his chin; he was indeed an old man. The thief grimaced in pain, yet his eyes were filled with a lazy expression, continuously pleading, "Your Majesty, spare my life! I have a ninety-year-old mother at home, with no one to support her. I beg Your Majesty to spare my life!" Meng Sheng was taken aback and said, "What Majesty? I am merely a passerby. You came to this temple to steal, and you should be confronted by the monks in the courtyard." He then dragged the thief to the monks' quarters in the back courtyard. Meng Sheng did not know which room belonged to Master Huiming, so he shouted loudly, "Master Huiming, please come out, I have something to discuss with you." Huiming had already gone to bed, and upon hearing Meng Sheng's call, he could not help but groan repeatedly. After reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha several times, he trembled as he came out to greet Meng Sheng, saying, "Benefactor, you have not yet rested." Meng Sheng replied, "Come and see, I have captured a thief of offerings in the temple." With that, he pushed the thief out.

The crimson clouds hang low, and the north wind cuts across the face. In the city of Jinzhou along the Jianan Road, many shops have already closed their doors, and the streets are sparsely populated.

Xu Guan brought in the medicine and handed it to Wang Si, saying, "Sir, at your advanced age, how can you still engage in this line of work?" His words were spoken lightly, yet Meng Sheng seemed to recall something of great importance upon hearing them, though he could not articulate what it was. Hui Ming, noticing his dazed expression, grew concerned and thought, "This man is likely to go mad again." He took a step back and said, "Benefactor, it is already late at night, perhaps we should..." Meng Sheng gestured for him to remain silent, closed his eyes, and focused intently. After a moment, he suddenly asked Xu Guan, "Do you know of a peak called Zixu in this mountain?" Xu Guan replied, "There are three peaks in Yuanmen Mountain, but none named Zixu." Meng Sheng interjected, "Zixu, Zixu... Hehe... An old man cannot rely on his strength and bones; how can a foolish person ascend to immortality? Could it be that this is all just an illusion..." He mumbled to himself, slowly walked outside the hall, sat on the ground, and pondered deeply for a long time. Suddenly, he looked up at the sky. At that moment, the heavy snow had just stopped, the world was quiet, and a cold moon hung in the sky, illuminating everything with a chilling light, washing away all mundane thoughts. With this gaze, he attained enlightenment and could not help but burst into hearty laughter.

Meng Sheng, after listening, was stunned for a moment before saying, "The horse is indeed not at home; it was borrowed three days ago." He noticed the ambiguous smile on Jia Ziqi's face and sighed before continuing, "It is indeed hard to convince others. That day, I was at home studying the 'Nan Hua Jing' when suddenly I was informed that a guest had arrived. Upon going out to greet them, I saw a flower carriage with a rolled-up curtain, adorned with an unknown number of jingling ornaments. In front of the carriage stood four young men dressed in hemp shirts, who looked at me with great respect. When the curtain of the flower carriage was lifted, a girl aged around seventeen or eighteen stepped out." Upon hearing this, Jia Ziqi frowned and interjected, "What did the girl look like, and how was she dressed?" Meng Sheng replied, "The girl was tall and slender, with a refined appearance, but her complexion was extremely pale, as if she had not seen the sun for many years. Her hair was styled in a double bun, adorned with many floral hairpins, and despite the cold winter weather, she wore only a sky-blue dress and shawl, seemingly unbothered by the chill. After the five of them took their seats, the girl said to me that she admired my connections with heroes and virtuous individuals from around the world, and had specially come to meet me." Jia Ziqi remarked, "They are just a bunch of youngsters, yet they dare to call themselves heroes and virtuous individuals of the world." Meng Sheng responded, "At that time, I thought the same, wondering where these children had heard that I often welcomed and entertained heroes, and I assumed they were here to seek some money, but their carriage did not seem like that of poor families." Jia Ziqi nodded and asked, "What happened next?"

The Sichuan Basin, with its fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles, is nestled between the Qinling and Bamin mountains. The only land route connecting it relies on the treacherous Shu Road, which spans several hundred miles. The ancient Jinniu Road was constructed during the Warring States period for the military campaigns between Qin and Shu, serving as the main route of Shu. From Zitong heading north, the Jinniu Road becomes increasingly steep and difficult to traverse. As Meng Sheng gazes out along the mountain path, he sees cliffs resembling eagle claws and stones that appear like ghostly faces. At this moment, the north wind intensifies, heavy snow falls, and the landscape is filled with desolate skies and frozen ground.

Su San only heard Jia Ziqi laughing and saying, "So it turns out that Jia Tou has come, only knowing how to steal wine, without any sense of shame." Jia Ziqi opened his eyes, grinning as he glanced at her and said, "If one steals people, what is there to fear in stealing some wine? Who knows who was shameless just now?" Su San reached out and scratched Jia Ziqi's face, spitting, "I am not ashamed, but I was seduced by a scoundrel." Jia Ziqi laughed heartily, put down his wine cup, and tightly embraced her, saying, "You are probably going to be with the scoundrel all day long." Outside the window, Meng Sheng felt as if the sky was spinning, nearly fainting, and he struggled to adjust his breathing to stabilize his mind. Then he heard Jia Ziqi say, "Heaven pities me for longing for you every day; starting today, I can be with you forever. Do you know that this time I even invited a master from my sect, the Flying Leopard, Master Yan, to deal with him? My master’s knife skills are unmatched in Shu, even ten Lu Mengshengs are no match for him." Upon hearing this, Meng Sheng realized the origin of the black-clad man he encountered on the Zitong Shu Road, feeling a chill run down his spine, unable to express his fear.

Jia Ziqi snorted, "In the past two days, we have been searching for the thief without daring to rest for a moment, yet we have found no leads. Until today, at the hour of the rabbit, one of my brothers discovered an unclaimed horse in the north of the city, and it was carrying two wooden boxes sealed with silver from the treasury. However, the boxes... heh heh... are naturally completely clean. As for this horse, I recognize it. This horse is tall and long-bodied, with a white mark on its head and tiger stripes on its back; it is not an ordinary Sichuan horse. There is only one within a hundred miles, and it is indeed your Wusun horse. If this matter has nothing to do with you, then quickly bring the horse out for me to see!" After saying this, he fixed his piercing gaze on Meng Sheng.

As they spoke, the three had already entered the back hall. They saw a young man sitting on the ground in front of the Buddha, engrossed in a book under the light of the glass sea lamp. It was not until the three approached that he noticed them. Huiming called out, "Xu Guan, come and greet the benefactor." The young man hurriedly stood up to pay his respects. Meng Sheng observed that he appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a broad nose and wide mouth, and an unattractive appearance. However, his pair of eyes were clear and calm, making him quite endearing to behold. Xu Guan noticed that Wang Sige was holding his arm, his face showing signs of pain, and said, "Sige, have you been injured again? I will fetch some wound medicine for you." After saying this, he quickly walked outside. Huiming remarked, "You have a heart like a Bodhisattva; the thief getting beaten is a form of retribution in this world." Meng Sheng asked, "This young man is so fond of reading; why does he not submit an application to seek an official position in the capital?" Huiming replied, "He passed the preliminary examination last year. However, the journey to Chang'an involves considerable expenses for transportation and lodging; how could he afford to go to the capital to take the examination?"

In the Lu family mansion on Lantern Alley, Jia Ziqi felt a sense of unease and doubt in his heart, so he put on his clothes and went outside to inspect the surroundings of the house. At that moment, a figure appeared at the foot of Yuanmen Mountain in the north of the city. Yuanmen Mountain is located by the Fu River, with towering cliffs standing like a screen, and at this time, the ice and snow accumulated in the rocks made it even more perilous. This person faced the cliff directly and leaped up, able to ascend several zhang with just a slight push against the rock wall, moving even more nimbly than a monkey.

It seemed as if a long time had passed when suddenly a thought struck Meng Sheng's mind: "Why does this cut not hurt at all? I did not speak, so who is it that is calling out?" Slowly opening his eyes, he saw a thin man in black opposite him, his face pale and filled with fear. The short, stout man in black had a horizontal knife firmly embedded in his right shoulder, looking utterly bewildered. Unbeknownst to him, two boys in hemp clothing had appeared, standing with their arms crossed on either side of him. The thin man in black was still pale and terrified, while the stout man in black had the knife embedded in his shoulder, looking completely astonished. The two boys, one with a ruddy complexion and the other with dark skin, appeared quite relaxed. Upon closer inspection, they were indeed the two attendants of the woman who had borrowed a horse three days prior. Seeing Meng Sheng open his eyes, the two boys bent down to help him stand up, each performing a bow. The ruddy-faced boy said, "We arrived a moment too late, causing the young lord to be startled, and we truly feel sorry for that." The dark-faced boy said, "Please wait a moment, let things calm down before we discuss further." Saying this, he stepped towards the group of black-clad men and addressed them, "My master has given orders for us to invite this young lord; you must not make things difficult for him, and leave at once."

Under the dripping eaves outside the hall, a young boy was rubbing his hands while brewing wine on a small stove. Captain Jia lifted the warm curtain and stepped inside, noticing a man sitting on a soft couch made of rosewood in the eastern corner, approximately thirty-four or thirty-five years old, with a fair complexion and three strands of beard beneath his chin. He was leisurely pouring himself drinks from several dishes. Upon seeing Captain Jia, the man was overjoyed, stood up to greet him, and said, "Ziqi, what brings you here? In this weather, I was just worried about not finding anyone to drink with. Come, sit down and have a few cups to warm yourself up." Captain Jia Ziqi replied, "There is no rush to drink; I have an important matter to discuss, but I fear there may be ears on the other side of the wall." The man then led Captain Jia to a small side hall. As they turned around, Captain Jia quickly grabbed his wrist and whispered fiercely, "Lu Mengsheng, you are quite bold!"

Meng Sheng said: "That woman also mentioned that she had heard of my exceptional martial arts skills and wished to spar a little. I thought it inappropriate to play around with these children, so I suggested that it might be better for us to demonstrate our skills instead. The woman agreed, and had four young boys in cotton shirts perform a demonstration. To my surprise, as soon as these four boys made their move, I was left utterly astonished.

Everyone was left in a daze, stunned for a while, and only a few remaining figures in black rolled and crawled away in panic. In a moment, only Meng Sheng and the two young boys were left on the mountain path. The black-faced boy bowed to Meng Sheng and said: "Last time, I was much obliged for your hospitality. Since then, my master often says that your bone structure contains the aura of the Dao, and that we may meet again someday, so he instructed us to invite you to our humble abode for a discussion." Seeing his ability to throw people from a distance, and hearing him say this, Meng Sheng thought: "That woman in the carriage must be a celestial being, who has come to guide me because of my sincere desire to seek the Dao. Surely, it is because I have been reciting scriptures and performing penance without interruption that I have finally obtained this opportunity." He hurriedly returned the courtesy and said: "I dare not. I forgot to ask the names of the two celestial youths and where your celestial realm is located?" The black-faced boy replied: "I am called Qing Shang, and this is my junior brother Zi Chun. Please follow us on our journey, and you will know when you arrive." Meng Sheng was both surprised and delighted, forgetting to ask the names of the two celestial youths and where their celestial realm was located. The black-faced boy said: "I am called Qing Shang, and this is my junior brother Zi Chun. Please follow us on our journey, and you will know when you arrive." Meng Sheng was both surprised and delighted, just about to agree, when he suddenly remembered a story from ancient records about Wang Zhi encountering a celestial being during the Jin dynasty. He thought: "Wang Zhi was greedy to watch the celestial beings play chess on Lankao Mountain, and as a result, he only stayed in the mountain for one day, but a thousand years passed in the world. My wife is still at my father-in-law's house at this moment; if I go, I fear I will never see her again. Why not ask them to guide my wife as well?" He then said: "However, my wife is unaware of this matter; may I call her to go with me?" The red-faced boy Zi Chun clapped his hands and laughed: "So you are indeed deeply affectionate, but I fear it will be difficult for you to be carefree and at ease now." The black-faced boy Qing Shang took out a pendant and handed it to Meng Sheng, saying: "This is a treasure for swift travel and ascension; carry it close to you, and it will be like riding a fine steed or a swift swallow. The Zixu Peak on Yuanmen Mountain, north of Jinzhou City, can connect to our cave heaven. Only by wearing this pendant can you reach the peak, and then you will know where we are." The Zixu Peak on Yuanmen Mountain, north of Jinzhou City, can connect to our cave heaven. Only by wearing this pendant can you reach the peak, and then you will know where we are.

Meng Sheng rode northward at a gallop, taking the Golden Bull Road towards the direction of Sword Pavilion. Suddenly faced with an unexpected incident, he was filled with frustration and only focused on raising the whip to strike his steed fiercely. The poor horse cried out in pain, running wildly, and within less than an hour, he arrived at the Wako Pass in the Zitong region.

In the Tang Dynasty, the broadsword, although a short weapon, was often wielded with both hands due to its long handle and thick spine. This particular style of swordsmanship, however, is executed with a single arm, requiring extraordinary arm strength to be effective. Once mastered, it offers even more variations than a two-handed sword. Meng, who had not neglected his physical training amidst his daily recitations and pursuit of enlightenment, unleashed this one-armed sword technique with great vigor, each move advancing with ferocity. After thirty moves, he had already injured two opponents. The short, stout man in black, who had been wounded, watched the battle unfold and grew increasingly anxious as the situation for his side worsened, cursing incessantly.

Meng Sheng respectfully received the pendant with both hands. This pendant was crystal clear and pure white, feeling slightly cool to the touch, then gradually warming, as if carved from jade, yet it was heavy, weighing several times more than ordinary stone. Holding it in his hands and looking down closely, he saw that one side was engraved with a galloping horse, its four hooves off the ground, one foot stepping on the back of a flying swallow, the carving vivid and lifelike, capturing the essence of both the galloping horse and the flying swallow soaring through the clouds. Turning it over to the other side, he found only two seal characters inscribed: "Bo Yue," with an ancient and solemn style. Holding it in his hands and looking down closely, he saw that one side was engraved with a galloping horse, its four hooves off the ground, one foot stepping on the back of a flying swallow, the carving vivid and lifelike, capturing the essence of both the galloping horse and the flying swallow soaring through the clouds. Turning it over to the other side, he found only two seal characters inscribed: "Bo Yue," with an ancient and solemn style. Meng Sheng recognized it as an extraordinary object, examining it for a long time before exclaiming: "Indeed, it is a treasure of the immortals." After a while, no one spoke, and when he looked up, he saw only the empty mountains, silent and vast, with no trace of a single person.

Meng Sheng was just about to urge his horse towards Hanzhou when he suddenly thought: "I have sought immortality and the Dao, and now I have finally achieved results. It would be better to return home and tell the steward and the servants to disperse, for with this treasure in hand, I can go anywhere in no time." He then turned his horse back towards Lantern Alley. In the blink of an eye, he arrived in front of his residence, and without dismounting, he pressed his feet against the stirrups, leaping several zhang into the air, entering through the wall on the wind, landing silently in the courtyard, truly resembling an immortal descending to the mortal realm. Just as he was about to call for the steward, he faintly heard a woman's voice coming from the inner hall, which made him feel delighted: "Could it be that my wife has returned?" He hurriedly rushed forward, but suddenly he heard a man's laughter coming from the room. Meng Sheng's heart stirred, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived in front of his residence, and without dismounting, he pressed his feet against the stirrups, leaping several zhang into the air, entering through the wall on the wind, landing silently in the courtyard, truly resembling an immortal descending to the mortal realm. Just as he was about to call for the steward, he faintly heard a woman's voice coming from the inner hall, which made him feel delighted: "Could it be that my wife has returned?" He hurriedly rushed forward, but suddenly he heard a man's laughter coming from the room. Meng Sheng's heart stirred, and peering through the window gap, he was shocked to see something that nearly made his heart stop beating.

As the number of opponents increased, Meng Sheng felt that each of them wielded their weapons with considerable force, none of them being ordinary fighters. Although Meng Sheng initially did not wish to harm anyone, he thought to himself: "With so many opponents, if I only defend and do not attack, I will eventually exhaust my strength. I must first launch an attack to injure a few of them, allowing me to escape, and I can explain myself later." Thus, he feigned a weakness, pretending to be at a disadvantage. A short, stout man in black, wielding a broadsword, thought there was an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and rushed forward, swinging his sword horizontally at Meng Sheng's waist. Meng Sheng was quick to react; he transferred the staff to his left hand and, as the sword approached, his right hand swiftly executed a technique to disarm the opponent. This technique of empty-handedly seizing the blade had been taught to him by a renowned martial artist, emphasizing "stability, skill, ferocity, and precision." In a swift motion, he had already disarmed the opponent, and with his left hand, he brought the copper staff down forcefully. The short, stout man, realizing his sword had been taken, tried to retract his arm but was still a moment too late. With a crack, he felt a sharp pain in his right arm, knowing it had been broken. Despite the pain, he jumped back and shouted, "You bastard, how dare you use trickery!" Meng Sheng discarded the staff and took up the sword, his hands, feet, shoulders, and back all moving in unison with the blade, executing slashes and cuts with ease, employing a one-armed sword technique taught to him by Jia Ziqi.

The group of black-clad men exchanged glances upon hearing this, when suddenly a strange cry pierced the air. Following the sound, they saw that the short and stout man in black had pulled the knife out from his shoulder, disregarding the blood that flowed incessantly from the wound. He raised the knife with his left arm and waved it a few times, raising his head and shouting loudly: "Today is my lucky day; even my farts are landing on my heels. You two little brats, what kind of sorcery did you use to send Yan Laoda's knife flying? If you have the guts, come face me and fight a few hundred rounds!" The thin black-clad man, Yan Laoda, shouted, "Xiao Wu, shut your mouth!" The man called Xiao Wu did not dare to resist; he merely wore a disgruntled expression and continued to mutter curses under his breath.