Chapter Nineteen: I Fear There Really Is a Monster
As Zhuang Lin and the others entered the city with Yu Jingxuan, a group of constables had already discovered the bodies of the bandits beneath the earthen mound where they had just intervened against injustice.
The young guide, covering his mouth, cowered timidly to one side while the constables inspected the corpses.
Besides the three bodies by the roadside, the one hidden in the grass had also been carried out and arranged in a row on the ground.
“All the heads are here. That lad said they were highway robbers, but all four are dead!”
“Nonsense! Can’t you see they’re dead?”
The leader of the constables, a middle-aged man with a short beard, cursed and then furrowed his brows as he stared at the bodies.
These four had met an even more brutal end than any they had seen before; one even had his face split open...
Around them, animal cries echoed eerily—whistles and wails that sent chills down the spine. The evening glow was fading fast, and visibility was rapidly diminishing.
The lead constable shivered and immediately gave orders.
“Night is falling. We shouldn’t linger outside after dark. Carry the bodies up—we’ll head back first!”
“Yes!” “Understood!”
-----------------
At the Drunken Wind Pavilion, business was thriving. Many dined on the second floor, and Zhuang Lin’s party occupied a corner.
The pillar lamps, wall sconces, and table lamps all combined to create a bright, warm glow.
A long, rectangular table composed of several joined pieces stretched over ten feet. Plates of food and bottles of wine were laid out, with eight people seated—four on each side.
Zhuang Lin and Yu Jingxuan sat opposite each other, their attendants seated some distance away.
Master Mu and the others ate quietly, speaking only in hushed tones, occasionally exchanging a few words with the young attendant.
The six from the Hidden Immortal Valley were filled with wonder, often glancing around. Witnessing such lively scenes inside an ancient-style building felt unreal, as if they had truly stepped back in time.
A deep sense settled in their hearts: I am truly in ancient times.
Of course, Zhuang Lin exercised more restraint than the others.
The so-called fine food and drink here, in the eyes of the Hidden Immortal Valley residents, was neither unpleasant nor exquisite—just fresh and natural in flavor. The wine, however, was rather unremarkable.
Yu Jingxuan was an easy man to read—at least to Zhuang Lin. Their conversations flowed comfortably, making exchanges effortless.
Yu Jingxuan inquired about the various scenic wonders Zhuang Lin had seen on his travels. Zhuang Lin responded with selected stories from previous trips or from what he had read online, enough to pique Yu Jingxuan’s admiration.
At the table, Yu Jingxuan’s attendant and the others quietly ate, not disturbing their masters’ conversation. After all, in name, these two were the principals, the rest mere servants.
Still, their ears were keenly attuned.
As the meal progressed, the two men grew familiar with each other, exchanging courtesy names as they deepened their acquaintance.
Zhuang Lin no longer felt the need to constantly mention his outsider status and asked whatever questions came to mind. Naturally, he carefully framed his words when mentioning the purpose of their visit.
...
“Tao Yuanming?”
Yu Jingxuan’s face showed confusion. Seeing this, Zhuang Lin realized he had never heard of Tao Yuanming.
Sure enough, Yu Jingxuan’s next words confirmed Zhuang Lin’s suspicion.
“Forgive my ignorance, but I have never heard of this person. Brother Zhuang, you have come specifically to seek him? Is he someone remarkable?”
“It’s a long story. He once traveled to my hometown, and during his stay, we took to each other immediately and had a lively conversation. But when he left, a junior from my hometown, admiring his wanderlust, secretly followed him with a written message...”
At this, Zhuang Lin sighed involuntarily, recalling Liu Hongyu’s pitiful scrawl—a letter so messy it was hardly worthy of the name.
“Ah! That junior’s departure worried the elders deeply. Knowing my fondness for travel, they entrusted me to find him... Recently, I heard that Mr. Yuan Liang had reached Wuling, so I hurried here!”
“I see... Allow me to inquire with my father and acquaintances in the city. If I learn Tao Yuanming’s whereabouts, I will surely inform you!”
“Thank you kindly!”
While expressing gratitude, Zhuang Lin glanced at his companions, exchanging silent looks.
Could it be that Tao Yuanming never returned to Wuling or had already left, since he was only passing through after all...
At that moment, a nearby table caught their attention. The restaurant staff and some guests were chatting excitedly, their exclamations drawing the group’s interest.
“Ah... really?” “Absolutely!”
“Is there truly such a place?” “You know, the world is vast and full of wonders. I don’t think they’re making it up!”
...
Though not possessing exceptional hearing, Zhuang Lin and his companions were sensitive to certain keywords and caught the words “Peach Blossom Spring.”
The excited chatter piqued Yu Jingxuan’s curiosity, and he looked toward the shore.
The others glanced at Zhuang Lin and gave him a subtle signal. He nodded slightly and quickly called over a passing waiter.
“Hey, young man, come here for a moment!”
The waiter hurried over, bowing slightly with a smile.
“Master Yu, esteemed guests, how may I assist you?”
Yu Jingxuan glanced at Zhuang Lin, unsure of his intent, but Zhuang Lin had already put down his chopsticks, smiling as he asked.
-----------------
“Young man, I overheard your lively conversation just now but only caught bits and pieces. I’m itching to know more—is this some scenic spot?”
The waiter smiled.
“You’ve asked the right question. Earlier, a gentleman named Zhao was dining here. While attending to him, I heard his friend describe a chance boat trip that led deep into the mountains, where they found a wondrous place inhabited by people from the Pre-Qin era... That place is called Peach Blossom Spring!”
Zhuang Lin and the others’ hearts skipped a beat. Yu Jingxuan’s interest deepened, urging the waiter on.
“Peach Blossom Spring? People from Pre-Qin? Tell us more, please...”
Zhuang Lin, growing eager, gestured to Yu Jingxuan, then turned back to the waiter.
“Do you remember who told the story?”
“Well... uh, I think...”
“Was it Tao Yuanming?”
The waiter shook his head.
“No, that’s not what they called him. It was...”
Zhuang Lin’s heart stirred.
“Yuan Liang?”
The waiter’s eyes lit up and nodded eagerly.
“Yes, yes! The gentleman Zhao called him Yuan Liang—that’s his courtesy name!”
Zhuang Lin grabbed the waiter’s arm with more force than intended.
“When did they dine here? Did they leave together?”
“Just less than an hour ago. That gentleman was drunk and was helped out by Zhao and another person... Sir, may I ask...?”
Zhuang Lin quickly released the waiter’s arm and bowed apologetically.
“It concerns close friends and family. Pardon my rudeness...”
“Oh, no trouble at all! If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave...”
The waiter took his tray and left. Yu Jingxuan said nothing, watching Zhuang Lin, who met his gaze. Yu Jingxuan seemed to understand the question before it was asked and answered first.
“The Zhao gentleman in the city should be Zhao Chenyu. His uncle is a respected official in Wuling County!”
“Oh? Do you know where he lives?”
“Well... I know of the place but am not personally acquainted...”
Yu Jingxuan’s face showed slight embarrassment. Zhuang Lin didn’t press.
“Yu brother, just point out the general direction. We will visit him ourselves.”
Hearing this, Yu Jingxuan shook his head.
“How about this: you stay at a nearby inn for the night, and tomorrow morning I’ll accompany you to visit Master Zhao?”
Zhuang Lin frowned slightly.
“Could we not go after the meal?”
Yu Jingxuan smiled.
“Alas, it’s probably too late. Things have been unsettled recently, and a curfew will start soon!”
“Curfew? How long until then?”
“From the fourth quarter of the tenth earthly branch (around 7:30 pm) until dawn!”
Zhuang Lin frowned, glancing at his companions. The last patrol had passed not long ago; time was indeed tight...
“Very well...”
Yu Jingxuan smiled and couldn’t help but say,
“Perhaps we’ll learn more about Peach Blossom Spring then. The table next to us was quite animated just now! Come, Brother Zhuang, a toast!”
Zhuang Lin raised his cup in reply.
With the most pressing matter underway, he breathed a sigh of relief. The others also relaxed.
Yet, as the first concern settled, a second weighed on Zhuang Lin’s mind.
After a sip of wine, he suddenly asked,
“Yu brother, are there any monsters near Wuling City?”
“Hm?”
Yu Jingxuan looked at Zhuang Lin in surprise.
“Brother Zhuang, why speak of such supernatural nonsense?”
Just moments before, Yu Jingxuan had said this, but then added,
“Though, strange things are not uncommon these days. If you feel possessed or cursed, you can visit the city temple for a blessing. It’s quite effective. I can take you there tomorrow!”
“Oh, thank you very much!”
After expressing gratitude, Zhuang Lin ceased further inquiries, simply chatting and drinking with Yu Jingxuan. The meal was long finished.
-----------------
That night, Zhuang Lin and the other five stayed at an inn near the restaurant called the Courier’s Rest.
Yu Jingxuan had long since gone home. The six from Hidden Immortal Valley shared a large dormitory-style room, now all settled and lying side by side.
Exhausted in body and spirit, their intense first day in ancient times was finally ending.
Yet none of them could sleep. Except for Zhuang Lin, the other five had remained deliberately silent during dinner but now discussed the evening’s events—the killing at dusk and, of course, Liu Dashao and Tao Yuanming.
This was their first time taking a life, but since it was to punish evil and uphold justice, they felt nervous but not overly disturbed.
Still, as they lay down and listened to Zhuang Lin and Fu Zeyang recount details, a chill gripped them.
“Master Zhuang, you mean that person was killed by that woman, and his death was gruesome?”
Before Zhuang Lin could answer, Fu Zeyang, a robust man trained in martial arts since childhood, spoke up, his skin crawling at the memory.
“Yes. Now that I think about it, the victim’s carotid artery was cut, yet so little blood flowed. Around him was a faint animal stench, oppressive and unsettling. Master Zhuang noticed it too! We wanted to leave immediately...”
The Li brothers exchanged uneasy glances. When they first arrived, they had noticed a similar smell but hadn’t thought much of it. Later, during their escape, the atmosphere had been tense and unsettling.
“...Master Zhuang, what do you think this is...?”
Zhuang Lin lay on his side, clutching the blanket tighter around his neck, meeting the wide-eyed gazes of his companions as he voiced a strong intuition.
“This ancient time is different from what we imagined. I fear there are monsters here...”
“Gasp...!”
Several drew in sharp breaths. In Hidden Immortal Valley, or even in their hometowns, during times of revival after decay, any such talk would be dismissed as feudal superstition.
But here, in the Jin Dynasty of ancient times, and especially coming from Master Zhuang after all they had experienced together, the words sent shivers down their spines.
“Moreover... it’s not just monsters. Some information seems off. Earlier, when chatting with Master Yu, he mentioned wanting to visit Mount Tai but said it was over four thousand li away, too distant to dare travel...”
“Is that a problem?”
They looked at Zhuang Lin in confusion. He nodded slightly.
“It’s a big problem.”
Zhuang Lin did not expect his modern geographical knowledge to match perfectly, as many differences existed between before and after their time travel.
But precisely because of these discrepancies, he had studied various details in his initial adaptation period. Geography was among them, and recalling it now, things became clearer.
Certain historical and geographical names before his time travel vaguely corresponded to those after, similar yet not identical, which aided his understanding of this world.
After organizing the information in his mind, he continued.
“My knowledge of geography is limited, but I roughly know that ancient Wuling could have been located in two places: one, Jingzhou, where Hidden Immortal Valley lies; the other, Xiangzhou...”
“What’s the problem?” “Quiet, listen to Master Zhuang!”
Zhuang Lin nodded and proceeded.
“Jingzhou is about two to two and a half thousand li from Mount Tai; Xiangzhou is even closer, at most around one to one and a half thousand li.”
He left room for uncertainty, knowing his memory was imperfect, but those large figures were indisputable.
“Yet Master Yu said it’s over four thousand li from here to Mount Tai...”
The others were stunned. This was not a minor discrepancy; it was almost a twofold difference, even starting from Jingzhou!
Zhuang Lin began to suspect that the Jin Dynasty they had arrived in was not simply the ancient past on a linear timeline but possibly a parallel world altogether.
At that moment, Master Mu seemed to recall something.
“I remember now, Master Zhuang, perhaps it’s not as you think.”
“Oh?”
Zhuang Lin was startled and looked at the elderly man, who lay back stroking his beard in thought before speaking.
“I’m quite old and have learned much. Upon reflection, I recall a version of the textbooks from my youth mentioning that ancient units of measurement varied greatly over time, often quite inaccurate compared to ours today. That might be the cause. But modern texts don’t seem to mention this?”
“Is that so? I haven’t seen such notes...”
Zhuang Lin said this but remained puzzled. The textbooks he had seen lacked this information, though they mentioned other aspects.
They stated that today’s measurements, aside from international units, still followed ancient Chinese standards. Could this ancient be a different ancient?
He decided to inquire further tomorrow.
Thinking this, Zhuang Lin looked at the others.
“All right, let’s sleep. We have matters to attend to tomorrow.”
“But the monsters...”
“Don’t think too much about that. The city should be safe.”
“Maybe we’re overthinking it?”
“Ah, rest now, rest. Today in this ancient time has been exhausting enough...”