Ji Xiang recited a Han poem:
"At fifteen, I joined the army, at eighty, I returned.
Meeting a villager on the road, who is left in my home?"
"From afar, it seems your home, with rows of pine and cypress.
Rabbits enter through dog holes, pheasants fly over the beams."
Indeed, upon hearing this poem, the female immortal's heart was stirred. Though her transcendence was not through war, the vast chasm of life passing like a dream made her emotional, her eyes welling up with tears.
Leaving in youth, returning in old age, meeting a fellow villager, asking who remained in the family?
From afar, it was his home, where the pines and cypresses were verdant, and the graves lay connected.
Before the gate, wild rabbits entered and exited through the dog hole, and pheasants flew about the roof ridge...
"Stop talking!"
The female immortal wiped away her tears. "At fourteen, I was to marry the King of Yan of the Great Han. But my clan elders were murdered. My brother was incompetent, and my younger brother ignorant. So I took up a knife and killed in the street. I was imprisoned by the authorities, but I had a clear conscience. Those who harm others will be killed by others. What does it matter if I die?"
"But later, as I was about to be beheaded, I was pardoned by the Han Emperor. I owed the Han Emperor a favor. I never expected that after I ascended to immortality, the heavens and earth would remain unchanged, but all my old friends would turn to dust!"
Ji Xiang was astonished. This story sounded familiar!
"Qin Nüxiu?!"
Ji Xiang asked tentatively, and the female immortal was surprised:
"You know me? Indeed, you claimed to be a Han immortal. It seems you are not mistaken; you did not lie to me."
The daughter of the Xi Men Qin clan, beautiful as a jade flower.
Wielding a white poplar saber, she killed her enemies in broad daylight.
Her silken sleeves were stained with crimson blood, her heroic spirit soaring to the purple clouds.
Ji Xiang certainly knew of her, for Cao Zhi's later poems mentioned her, "Both ascended to the ranks of immortals, escaping death and embracing life."
She killed people at fourteen and, after being pardoned by the Han Emperor, entered the path of immortality. She did not return to become the wife of the King of Yan. In fact, who this King of Yan was, even history books did not record.
"Do you know Liu Chen and Ruan Zhao?"
"Are they the Liu Lang and Ruan Lang who returned after seven generations of descendants in the mountains?"
The Daoist school recorded many deeds of ancient immortals clearly. Ji Xiang's previous incarnation was well-versed in scriptures, a veritable walking library. These famous figures who frequently appeared in the stories of immortals were naturally known to him.
Qin Nüxiu no longer held any reservations about Ji Xiang. In fact, she was not afraid of a sneak attack from this fake ascendant. The events that had just transpired had earned her a certain degree of trust.
"It is precisely that Liu Lang and Ruan Lang. These two are my masters. I do not know where they are now, nor if they have ascended to the ranks of immortals. I must go find them. If they are still in deep slumber, they need to be awakened."
Ji Xiang recounted the story as told in ancient texts: "Later generations say that in the eighth year of the Jin Dynasty's establishment, they disappeared from the mortal world. Perhaps they ascended to the Inner Mountains and Rivers."
Qin Nüxiu asked doubtfully, "The Jin Dynasty... that is?"
Ji Xiang replied, "Sister, you would not know. Since Emperor Ling of Han's time, the Yellow Turban Rebellion erupted. Sister and I are somewhat different. Specifically, Sister is an ancient immortal, a recluse in the mountains, while I am a person of the Daoist school. My previous incarnation was so, and this physical body is also so."
"The Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Way of Great Peace proclaimed that the Heavens are dead, and the Earth should rise..."
Qin Nüxiu's brows suddenly furrowed in anger. "You, did you kill the Han Emperor!"
"The Heavens are dead, and the Earth should rise! What arrogance! Do you think you can kill the Liu family's Son of Heaven at will!"
This was a serious matter. Her anger flared. Because she owed the Han Emperor a favor, if Ji Xiang was from the Yellow Turbans and had harmed the Han Dynasty, overthrowing the Liu family's rule, she would have at least struck Ji Xiang!
"Sister, do not be alarmed! The Han Emperor was not harmed by me, nor was he destroyed by the Yellow Turbans! It was a warlord in the late Han named Dong Zhuo..."
Ji Xiang naturally could not say that the Yellow Turban Rebellion had provided prerequisites for many people to accumulate experience for leveling up. From a purely objective perspective, the Yellow Turban Rebellion had indeed failed. The legitimate Great Han did not perish by the Yellow Turbans, but by the division of warlords, beginning with Dong Zhuo and ending with Cao Pi.
Of course, Liu Bei's Shu Han was also a continuation of the Han, but unfortunately, Cao Wei forced Emperor Xian of Han to abdicate. Old Liu did not defeat Cao Wei, so legally, he could not seize the initiative.
"The late Han and Three Kingdoms... the world divided into three. Did Cao Wei dare to usurp the Han? Where is its capital!"
"Fortunately, the Han lineage did not cease, with Shu Han continuing..."
Qin Nüxiu's expression changed erratically, almost to the point of drawing her sword and heading to Xuchang. But she also knew that the existence of Cao Wei was predicated on the absence of the dynasty called "Jin."
"The Three Kingdoms unified under Jin..."
Qin Nüxiu, after briefly hearing the outline of the Three Kingdoms history, fell into a long sigh.
Although it was quite interesting... it seemed the stars were brilliant, and heroes and immortals emerged endlessly.
But what about now!
"So, is the world now under the rule of that dynasty called Jin? It destroyed the state of Wei. Although I should be grateful, it was ultimately a minister of Wei. Where is its capital? I will go..."
Ji Xiang quickly added, "Sister, do not be in a hurry. It is not the Jin Dynasty either..."
Qin Nüxiu immediately felt awkward, then annoyed. "You should say everything at once, do not make me angry for nothing! If I cannot find my enemy, how can I avenge the Liu family's Son of Heaven!"
Ji Xiang chuckled, "Where is there any need for revenge... ah, I mean, the targets of revenge might be in the Inner Mountains and Rivers, not in the Outer Mountains and Rivers."
"Dynasties changed in the mortal world. After the Jin Dynasty, the Sixteen Kingdoms arose during the chaos of the Five Barbarians, followed by the period of division between the Northern and Southern Dynasties..."
"Later, the Sui unified the world, but the Sui fell after thirty-seven years, and the Great Tang was established..."
As Ji Xiang recounted each dynasty, Qin Nüxiu listened. Countless heroes and beauties, immortals and ghosts, kings and generals, all appeared frequently during the transitions, only to turn to dust and become words in history.
The passage of time was like a fleeting glance, until it reached the current era, the world of the sun and moon's brilliance, with the national title "Ming."
"Ming, the sun and moon's light... is this the sun and moon's light?"
Qin Nüxiu pointed to the calm river water. The King of Zhenjiang was a divine general of the Ming court, yet he consorted with demons. These so-called righteous individuals were also not good people.
Ji Xiang further explained the existence of the Inner Mountains and Rivers, which Qin Nüxiu found unheard of.
Since the Qin and Han eras, she had never heard of the concept of Outer and Inner Mountains and Rivers.
"So, if I want revenge, I must enter the Inner Mountains and Rivers and seek out cultivators of the Cao Wei lineage to kill? The world is so vast, and there are so many sects. Can you recognize all of them? Can you tell me?"
"Do not fear their retaliation. Although your cultivation is damaged and not a complete ascension, I can protect you when something happens!"
Qin Nüxiu sighed. "Although we are not well acquainted, and you are from the Yellow Turbans, you are the only other old friend left in the world. How can I not help you? From now on, you are my younger brother. We were born in the era of Huan and Ling, meeting after a thousand years, it is like an old friend returning from afar... No wonder you could hear my call."
"When youth departs, how can it be held back!"
The years of youth pass easily, gradually aging without recourse. This is a poem by Emperor Wu of Han.
Ji Xiang breathed a sigh of relief!
It's done! He had secured this powerful ally! With a genuine Han immortal backing him, Old Zhang and Emperor Wanli would likely have no further doubts.
Qin Nüxiu touched her clothes. She was still wearing her fiery red wedding dress and had no tokens. After careful consideration, she infused some of her immortal power into the small knife Ji Xiang had used to awaken her.
Hum!
This ordinary bronze knife immediately emitted a pure white, jade-like luster. The material of the entire knife seemed to have been transformed!
"This knife, if you are in danger, use it to call me. Just tap it three times and write my name, and I will come, no matter how far."
"Good brother, I still need to find my two masters. Why don't you come with me?"
Ji Xiang replied, "I am still cultivating and need to accumulate thirteen hundred good deeds to return to the realm of ascension."
"Ascension? You mean the ranks of immortals?"
"Yes, the ranks of immortals are called ascension in this era, also known as Heavenly Immortals. To become a Heavenly Immortal, one must establish thirteen hundred good deeds. This is a method not known in the Han Dynasty."
Qin Nüxiu found it novel. She realized there were many things in the world she needed to learn. After fourteen hundred years, even the methods of cultivation had changed drastically?
To make a good impression on this elder sister, Ji Xiang invited her onto his boat and then gave her a sack of treasures.
After all, three sacks of goods were plundered from Milong's casino, and there were too many to carry.
Ji Xiang bid her farewell:
"Those who go are increasingly distant, those who come are increasingly close."
"Look straight ahead when you leave the city gate, you will only see hills and graves."
The dead become more distant with the passage of time, while the living feel closer with prolonged separation.
Walking out of the city gate to the outskirts, all one could see were desolate hills and wild graves.
"Sister, if you find your two masters, come visit Wudang Mountain together!"
Qin Nüxiu was somewhat touched. She hadn't expected her little brother to be so generous. Having nothing to give in return made her feel a bit awkward. Her face flushed slightly, she nodded, then laughed, and ran off carrying the sack.
Ji Xiang called out a couple of times from behind, seeing off this Han immortal and forging a great karmic connection. Looking at the white jade knife in his hand, he knew they would meet again.
Speaking of which, the hometown of her two masters was in Shanyin County, Zhejiang, which was downstream of the Grand Canal... perhaps they would meet again soon.
Beside him, Feng Menglong and the little fox watched the graceful female immortal carrying the sack away with stunned expressions. Feng Menglong's saliva was practically dripping. He patted Ji Xiang's back and whispered,
"Daoist priest, how old is your sister this year? Is she married?"
Ji Xiang glanced at him. "Fourteen hundred."
Seeing Feng Menglong's expression of disbelief, Ji Xiang laughed heartily. "There is a difference between immortals and mortals. Don't have any fanciful thoughts. Didn't you say you were devoted when we dealt with the fox spirit? Don't lose your footing just because you see a beautiful woman!"
Feng Menglong showed a look of regret, wanting to compose a poem for Ji Xiang's "sister" to express his admiration. Unfortunately, his cultural background was limited. The reason he couldn't pass the imperial examinations was evident.
The words he spoke had a strong flavor of episodic novels, making Ji Xiang shake his head.
"No wonder you can't pass the imperial examinations. Other scholars write essays for the examiners; you write novels for them! The examiner would have to hold your hand in the examination hall and tell you to come back next year, see you then, as he wants to read the next chapter, right?"
However, the speaker was unintentional, but the listener took it to heart.
"Yes!"
Feng Menglong had a sudden realization and said to Ji Xiang, "Yes! I can serialize it! I don't have to write the book myself!"
In the Ming Dynasty, besides the official news bulletin "Di Bao," there were also many private newspapers. Ming officials once wanted to ban them, but some influential figures rejected the idea, believing there was nothing in private newspapers that needed banning. After all, you, a government official, wouldn't read them, and if people lost their jobs and had nothing to do, they would rebel.
Therefore, various novels, storybooks, and copied newspapers flourished in the markets of the Ming Dynasty.
After all, even the imperial printing house dared to print propaganda leaflets for the White Lotus Society. If they dared to print illegal items, what about legal private newspapers!