Chapter 51 Times Have Changed

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By now, Zhuang Lin could freely control the formation protecting Hidden Immortal Valley, allowing the little boat to speed swiftly across its waters. With but a thought, heaven and earth shifted, and the waters around him became fully connected to ancient Jin.

Compared with the mist that had once drifted outward from the formation on its own, everything along the route was now exceptionally clear wherever Zhuang Lin passed. If he wanted mist, mist would appear; if he did not, there was no need for the whole landscape to remain shrouded in clouds and fog.

Along the way, Zhuang Lin could still see some of the marks Tao Yuanming had left behind. Yet some had inevitably grown blurred as the trees along the banks matured and their bark healed over. If one searched solely by those marks, it would easily lead people to the wrong conclusions.

Of course, without some additional factor interfering, virtually no one would be able to find the Peach Blossom Spring in the first place.

The little boat soon left the bounds of Hidden Immortal Valley and truly entered the waters of Wuling as they had been in ancient Jin.

Once there, Zhuang Lin no longer stood at the bow. He needed to move to the stern and take up the oar.

Even so, his rowing was largely symbolic. Although he had yet to fully investigate the principles of the five elements, he had already gained considerable insight.

Moreover, his cultivation in the Star-Moon realm and his attainment as a True Adept were there for all to see. Judging from the surviving information regarding his lineage, even during the golden age of the ancient immortal path, he might not have ranked among the great powers, but he would at least have been someone capable of establishing a foothold between heaven and earth.

Thus, with a thought, the water flowed in harmony with him, and the little boat surged forward at tremendous speed.

And even setting aside the fact that his art of controlling water was still rather clumsy, Zhuang Lin’s present physical strength was formidable enough in its own right.

Riding the current downstream, he continued at full speed until other boats gradually began appearing nearby. Only then did the little boat’s wild dash slowly subside.

Once he entered the main channel, he periodically passed other vessels going in the opposite direction.

Zhuang Lin was in excellent spirits, observing everything around him with the carefree mood of a traveler out sightseeing.

Although he had come here once before, that journey had been far too hurried. He had been constantly anxious, and even after finding Liu Hongyu, he had rushed straight back.

This time, however, his state of mind was entirely different. He was no longer worried that he might never return, nor was he concerned for his safety or his life.

If possible, he would like to wander through the mountains and rivers of ancient Jin and take a proper look around. Even if he encountered no fortuitous opportunities and solved none of his lingering mysteries, scouting the way for the people who would one day live in the valley would still be worthwhile.

With Hidden Immortal Valley—a blessed grotto-heaven—under his command, and with a passage connecting it to antiquity, he naturally could not simply stand by and do nothing. Both cultivation and daily life could benefit from this connection.

There was, however, one thing he needed to avoid as much as possible: altering the great currents of history. The consequences were beyond what Zhuang Lin could presently gauge.

A fishing boat approached slowly from the distance. When it drew near Zhuang Lin’s little craft, the fisherman aboard looked him over and called out with a laugh.

“Hey—the young gentleman over there! You’re looking for the Peach Blossom Spring too, aren’t you?”

Zhuang Lin’s heart stirred. Of course. So much time had passed; news of the Peach Blossom Spring must have spread far and wide by now. He went along with the current and called back with a smile.

“Yes—I came in high spirits, only to find that the Peach Blossom Spring cannot be found. What a pity!”

As the fisherman rowed past, he teased him.

“I saw that smile on your face and thought you’d actually found it! If you truly had, you’d become famous overnight!”

“Though I have not found the Peach Blossom Spring, the mountains and waters of Wuling are like a painting. To come here in high spirits and leave with the same cannot be called a disappointment.”

Zhuang Lin smiled as he replied. The two boats had already passed one another.

Hearing those words, the old fisherman briefly lowered his oar, turned sideways, and bowed toward the little boat with his hands clasped.

“Well said, young gentleman!”

“You are too kind!”

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Zhuang Lin also set down his oar and returned the salute.

Afterward, the two boats continued in their respective directions, gradually drawing farther apart.

A smile lingered on Zhuang Lin’s face as he let out a quiet breath. Exchanges like that—without profit or ulterior motive, arising only from the brief boredom of a journey—could sometimes lift a person’s spirits.

The little boat seemed to remain somewhat faster than an ordinary vessel. By early afternoon, it was already nearing Wuling Harbor.

Zhuang Lin casually brought it alongside a small pier at the edge of the harbor. Three youths who looked scarcely more than boys were already running alongside the boat, calling out as they went.

“Good sir, are you looking to moor your boat?”

“Young gentleman, I can find you a proper berth!”

“Good sir, let me watch your boat for you! If you’d rather sell it and use it as payment, that can be arranged too!”

When Zhuang Lin’s little boat came to a stop beside the steps, several young attendants hurried to help—some pushing the boat in, others pulling the mooring rope. Their eagerness was almost excessive.

Zhuang Lin slung his book chest onto his back, took up his brown sandalwood staff, and climbed the steps. The voices from the shore did not stop.

“Why not choose me, young master?”

“My price is fair!”

“I’m willing to negotiate!”

The youths continued their barrage, each recommending himself in turn.

Looking at them, Zhuang Lin asked curiously, “How did you know I might need someone to help moor or sell my boat?”

The three exchanged glances, and one of them smiled before answering.

“Young sir, you look unfamiliar. You must be an outsider who came after hearing about the Peach Blossom Spring, yes? We’ve seen plenty of distinguished visitors like you!”

“That’s right. You probably bought this boat outright. If you had rented it, the owner would certainly be waiting here to greet you when you reached the harbor! Since there’s no owner, you naturally need someone to moor and watch it for you. And if you still intend to travel by boat for sightseeing, you can hire me to row for you. It’ll save you the effort…”

The last youth, unwilling to be outdone, hurriedly added, “Exactly! Besides, visitors like you come to Wuling, search for the Peach Blossom Spring, and then leave. It wouldn’t be convenient to take the boat along. Rather than abandon it, you might as well sell it to me and recover some of the cost!”

Zhuang Lin understood at once. Though the three were young, they had clearly been making their own way in the world for some time. Antiquity was not a backdrop on a stage or a scene in a play; it was the interconnected reality of countless individual lives.

As for selling the boat for cash, the three of them probably had no capital of their own. They were essentially half-brokers, earning a little from the difference in price.

“Then I’ll choose you. Find me a berth and watch the boat for me. How much do you charge?”

Zhuang Lin pointed to the youngest of the three. The boy’s face lit up.

“Ten coins in advance, young master, which covers three days. That’s the starting price, even if you stay fewer than three days. After that, it’s five coins a day, with any fraction of a day counted as a full day. If you have business elsewhere and don’t return, there’s no need to worry. Just settle the amount by the number of days when you come back!”

Zhuang Lin did not know the going rate, but when the other two attendants gave an embarrassed smile and walked away after hearing the price, he realized that it was fair. He nodded and took two large copper coins from inside his robe.

He had exchanged those coins at an inn during his previous visit. He had not had enough money to buy the boat then, so he had simply kept them. Now they had come in handy.

“Very well. Here is the deposit. But how will I find you later?”

Zhuang Lin held out the coins and asked another question.

“Don’t worry, young master. Whenever you return to Wuling Harbor, I’ll be watching for you!”

“Good, good. That will do nicely!”

With another smile and nod, Zhuang Lin placed the copper coins into the boy’s eagerly raised hands. He then climbed the steps with his book chest on his back and left.

“Take care, young master! Oh, by the way, my name is Doggie!”

The boy’s shout came from behind him. Zhuang Lin glanced back, nodded, and continued on his way.

This time, Zhuang Lin’s impressions were more detailed. From the moment his little boat entered the harbor until he moored and stepped ashore, he noticed that many people around him looked at him with a measure of awe.

Of course, this was not directed at Zhuang Lin alone. It was the ordinary people’s instinctive reverence toward the class of educated men.

In later ages, even commoners would have access to education. Here, however, the ability to study and read already placed a person above the common social strata. There was even a considerable chance that such a person came from a prominent family. Even those said to be from impoverished scholarly households were usually not ordinary commoners without connections; they had merely fallen into decline.

Since he would have to return sooner or later, Zhuang Lin had made some preparations during this period. He understood that in an age when neither modern technology nor an established system of institutions had yet emerged, a scholar who might be able to devote himself wholly to study was far beyond the reach of an ordinary household. Even when such a person existed, he was an exception.

The identity of a scholar brought Zhuang Lin many conveniences without his having to ask for them.

Now and then, when constables from the local authorities passed by, their eyes lingered mostly on the common people. Even when they looked at Zhuang Lin, the moment he turned his calm gaze toward them, they instinctively avoided his eyes.

With somewhat complicated emotions, Zhuang Lin walked toward the Wuling city gate farther ahead.

This time, he also carried a folded slip of paper bearing nothing more than the single word “Pass.” Any constable who inspected travel documents would accept it as a genuine pass.

The guards at the city gate did occasionally inspect the passes of strangers, but no one asked Zhuang Lin for his.

He felt as though he had prepared all those things for nothing, like throwing a punch into empty air. He had not even been given the chance to test the simple illusion technique he had devised.

Yet just as he began laughing at his own state of mind, the corner of his eye caught sight of a notice posted beside the city gate. His forward step halted involuntarily. He moved around the people beside him and approached the notice, studying it closely.

A few people passed through the gate, but no one stopped. Clearly, the notice had been posted for some time, and everyone already knew its contents.

Perhaps Zhuang Lin himself, standing there reading it, drew more attention from passersby than the notice did.

He, however, was reading with complete concentration.

Wuling County Notice:

“Because bands of marauders and evil spirits have recently returned and caused loss of life, the various offices of the county have joined with martial instructors, hunters, and other able men from the villages to pursue them. They have not yet been captured. Several experts have also performed rites to dispel the evil, but without success.

“All residents, travelers, and merchants passing through are advised not to remain outdoors before dawn or after late afternoon, lest they be harmed by bandits or evil spirits. Let all take heed…”

Zhuang Lin’s brows drew together slightly. He had seen a similar notice during his previous visit, but this one was clearly not the same.

After all this time, had the matter still not been resolved?

Images from that earlier encounter passed through Zhuang Lin’s mind: the robbers, the woman, and that unsettling aura that had filled the air.

As his thoughts turned, Zhuang Lin raised his head and looked toward the sky. It was still midday, with the sun hanging high overhead.

There was still plenty of time. He would enter the city first and find out what was happening.

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