Chapter 20: The Vast Divide Between Heaven and Earth

Early the next morning, three of the six men appeared clearly sleep-deprived, sporting dark circles under their eyes or bloodshot whites.

Tang Bin, the bachelor, had not slept a wink, hearing every restless toss and turn of his companions. Fu Zeyang had been equally restless, his mind haunted by the events of the previous dusk; the shock of his first kill and the suspected encounter with a supernatural being kept him wide awake.

Zhuang Lin had also barely rested. He shared in the others' insomnia while his mind raced with a myriad of thoughts. In his hazy state, caught between wakefulness and reflection, he had drifted into shallow, fragmented dreams: memories of his attempts to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth as Liu Hongyu had described; the chilling, sweat-inducing encounter with the monster while trying to right a wrong the previous evening; and deep, lingering questions about the nature of this world.

Of course, once he rose, Zhuang Lin forced himself to shake off the fatigue. Old Master Mu, being a practitioner of traditional medicine, had slept soundly, well-versed in the arts of self-preservation. The Li brothers had fallen asleep the moment their heads hit the pillows, enjoying an incredibly high quality of sleep. Yet, Zhuang Lin distinctly remembered that when someone got up in the middle of the night, the brothers had reacted instantly, clearly jolted awake, only to appear bright-eyed and energetic this morning.

Yu Jingxuan had promised to arrive at the inn by the hour of the Dragon (7:00–9:00 AM), but Zhuang Lin and the others were hardly about to wait that long. By the hour of the Rabbit (5:00–7:00 AM), when the sky was just beginning to pale, they were all up. After a simple wash using the inn’s services, they headed downstairs.

As they stepped out, greeted by the innkeeper, the sight before them was eye-opening. Wuling City had awakened before them; despite the early hour, the streets were already bustling. People hurried about with purpose, some carrying loads on shoulder poles, others tending to stalls, their voices rising in a constant chorus of hawking. Though spring had arrived, the air remained chilly, and the steam rising from the various food stalls cast a veil of warmth and human vitality over the street. The entire thoroughfare was noisy and brimming with life—this was the real, authentic ancient world!

The group stood in a row at the inn’s entrance, looking left and right, completely mesmerized by the bustling street. In a sense, it felt as though they were watching a hyper-realistic period drama from across a line, with the inn’s eaves serving as the boundary. Their unusual appearance, however, drew frequent glances from passersby.

It was Zhuang Lin who finally snapped out of it. He nudged the person beside him and offered a few reminders, causing the others to regain their composure.

"Wait a moment, I need to exchange some proper currency!"

Zhuang Lin went back inside, exchanged a few small silver ornaments for a bag of copper coins after a brief chat with the innkeeper, and then the group stepped onto the street.

The feeling today was vastly different from yesterday. When they arrived the previous day, the sky had been dark, the streets were deserted, and their nerves had been frayed. Now, all six were relatively relaxed, finding everything around them novel and intriguing. Having such an experience once in a lifetime was enough to leave an indelible mark. Though the Hidden Immortal Valley was designed to imitate antiquity, it wasn't the real thing. As actors finally coming into contact with the ancient city of Wuling, they felt deeply immersed in its authentic historical atmosphere. Gradually, their movements lost their stiffness, becoming natural.

They stopped at a roadside stall to sample bowls of soup noodles that resembled wontons, accompanied by flatbreads for breakfast. The seasoning was simple, but the warmth and freshness were a novel delight. After wandering for a while, they found themselves on the street where Zhao Chenyu’s residence was located.

They didn't rush to ask for the specific house or confront anyone immediately. Instead, they walked back toward the inn, whispering among themselves about how to proceed.

"How are we supposed to bring Young Master Liu back?" "Exactly, he might not be willing to go with us!"
"Should we tie him up?" "What if he struggles and makes a scene?"
"Gag him!"
"But if something goes wrong and the local authorities take us for thieves, what then?"
"Then what do we do? Knock him unconscious?"
"Master Zhuang, do you have any good ideas?"

Zhuang Lin remained silent, deep in thought. He was not merely pondering how to take Liu Hongyu away; his mind was wandering further afield. He had long suspected that Tao Yuanming’s arrival in the Hidden Immortal Valley might be related to Liu Hongyu, or perhaps even to himself—such as the disturbance he caused when trying to sense the spiritual energy. And if they were truly in the ancient past, and had even encountered a monster, did that mean the legends of ghosts, gods, and the path to immortality were real as well?

"Master Zhuang... Master Zhuang!" "Master Zhuang?"

"Oh, apologies. I was considering our strategy. Do not be alarmed; I have a plan. Let us meet Young Master Liu first!"

Hearing this, the others felt a slight sense of relief. As they neared the inn, Zhuang Lin noticed a fabric shop across the street and felt a sudden inspiration. He walked toward it, leaving the others to watch the inn for Yu Jingxuan. Zhuang Lin entered with Old Master Mu.

A middle-aged man with a short beard greeted them with a beaming smile and a bow. "Greetings, travelers! Are you looking to buy fabric or have clothes made?"

Although he addressed both, the shopkeeper kept his smile fixed on Zhuang Lin. Zhuang Lin returned the bow, looked around, and then picked up a ruler and a piece of twine from a wooden table.

"Shopkeeper, is this ruler of yours accurate?"

Hearing the foreign accent, the shopkeeper replied with a smile, "Oh, sir, what a thing to say! If it weren't accurate, how could I hope to do business here in Wuling City?"

Zhuang Lin nodded, his gaze seemingly casual but taking in every detail of the ruler. In truth, the imitation rulers in the Hidden Immortal Valley were quite similar, but this one seemed a fraction longer. Zhuang Lin measured it against his palm, estimating it to be about thirty centimeters.

"Never mind, you don't have the color I want. I won't be buying."

Zhuang Lin turned to leave, and the shopkeeper followed, calling out, "Sir, what color or pattern do you need? Tell me, I might have it! Sir... if I don't have it, nobody in all of Wuling City will..."

Zhuang Lin waved him off and led his group away. The shopkeeper reached the doorway, saw the group standing outside, and decided against pursuing further; people like this were surely influential. Yet, he shouted one last, desperate attempt: "Sir, if you have any needs, do come back to my shop! I will surely satisfy you!"

Zhuang Lin, already across the street, merely gestured with a bow from afar and ignored him.

His companions immediately asked, "Master Zhuang, why did you go in there? Were you planning to buy cloth?"

Zhuang Lin shook his head without answering. Back at the inn, Yu Jingxuan had arrived with his page boy. Seeing Zhuang Lin and his group returning, he smiled and hurried over.

"Good morning, Brother Zhuang!"
"Brother Yu, you are indeed a man of your word!"

After exchanging pleasantries and discussing trivialities like breakfast, they decided to head straight to the Zhao residence. On the way, Zhuang Lin and Yu Jingxuan continued to chat, moving from the topic of traveling to the distances and dangers of the world. In the process, Zhuang Lin clarified one thing: in the Jin Dynasty—or at least the Jin Dynasty he was currently in—six feet made a pace, and three hundred paces made a li. This meant a li was actually tens of meters longer than in later generations! Could this be another parallel universe, or was the measure of distance in this world simply different?

***

In the guest room of Zhao Chenyu’s residence, some were not yet awake, like Tao Yuanming, while others had not yet slept, like Liu Hongyu. The oil lamp in the room had burned all night; now that the sky was bright, Liu Hongyu still stared intently at the bamboo slips.

To be honest, he couldn't understand them at all! Having only studied ancient texts for a short time, he lacked the ability to read them fluently, and the content of these slips seemed even more profound. He dared not disturb Tao Yuanming’s sleep, so he persisted in his study. In his mind, these were heavenly books; perhaps one didn't need to understand the words literally, but could instead grasp the immortal techniques through intuition.

The wick slid into the oil, and the flame flickered out, the resulting wisps of smoke causing Liu Hongyu to blink his dry eyes. "It seems a night of meditation is not enough..." he muttered, rubbing his eyes. He reached to relight the lamp but realized the room was already bright. Looking outside, he saw the day had dawned. *I am so diligent; I will surely move my Master and the Heavens!* A smile graced his lips; his conviction had never wavered.

Just then, he heard movement in the courtyard. He stood up, but after sitting cross-legged all night, his legs were numb and weak, and he nearly tumbled back down. Limping to the door, he opened it halfway and peeked out. He saw Zhao Chenyu adjusting his clothes as he walked toward the gate, followed by the sound of greetings.

A moment later, Liu Hongyu’s eyes widened in shock and joy, followed by a ripple of unease. The people Zhao Chenyu was welcoming were none other than Zhuang Lin and Yu Jingxuan’s group.

*Master Zi'an has come out of the valley? Why is he here? Surely not to fetch me back? No, I only entered the valley by mistake. Perhaps he is here to see my Master? Yes, that must be it!*

Thinking this, he rushed to Tao Yuanming’s bedside, shaking him regardless of propriety. "Master Yuanliang, wake up! Master Yuanliang, Master Zi'an is here, please wake up!"

Tao Yuanming, still groggy, woke with a start at the mention of the name. "What did you say? Who is here?"

"Master Zi'an is here!"

Tao Yuanming confirmed the news, threw off his quilt, put on his robes, and ran to the door, not even bothering with his shoes. He flung the door open. Indeed, Zhao Chenyu was leading a group into the courtyard, among them Zhuang Lin and Old Master Mu.

"Master Zi'an! Master Tingwen!" Tao Yuanming called out in delight. Behind him, Liu Hongyu saw Old Master Mu and shrank back slightly; having lived in the Mu household for so long, the old man felt more like a senior relative to him.

Zhao Chenyu, hearing the call, smiled at the others. "It seems your words were true; Yuanliang is so moved by the arrival of old friends that he hasn't even tidied his attire!"

Tao Yuanming, always carefree, ignored the teasing and stepped barefoot onto the cold ground. "Master Zi'an! Old Master Tingwen! It really is you!"

Zhuang Lin bowed, a relaxed smile on his face, matching the others. "Master Yuanliang, I trust you have been well?"

Liu Hongyu followed, bowing awkwardly. "Master Zi'an, Doctor Mu, and everyone else..."

He didn't recognize everyone, but they all looked at him with warmth.