A spring breeze swept across the fields. Barefoot children sat upon the ridges between the paddies, clutching wet mud and molding little clay figurines. Every now and then, one of them would wander too far away and be loudly scolded by their parents, who had just straightened up to take a drink of water, sending the child obediently back.

As they wiped the sweat from their brows, they saw a party of more than twenty people coming down the road from the mountain and onto the muddy path leading into the village.

“Who are these people? They don’t look like fish merchants.” “Oh my, look! They’re carrying weapons!”

“They seem like that group from last time.”

“Erniu, hurry and tell Lu Pan and the others that outsiders have come to the village!”

In the surrounding fields, the people of Lu Family Village and North Village all looked over warily. Someone climbed out of the field and, barefoot, ran along the ridges and onto the muddy road, hurrying into the village.

“Uncle Pan, another group carrying weapons has come to our Lu Family Village!”

The eight men who had been training on the drying ground put down their stone locks and millstones and slowly turned around. The muscles on their arms and chests tightened and bulged.

Lu Pan rolled his neck and glanced at his seven brothers.

“Let’s go take a look.”

He also ordered Erniu to inform Liangsheng. Then he tossed the millstone in his hand aside.

Bang!

It smashed heavily onto the ground.

Patting the dust from his hands, the eight men lined up shoulder to shoulder and strode toward the village entrance with the bearing of dragons and tigers.

In the distance, along the muddy road outside the village, a long trail of dust surged toward them.

“Those approaching, dismount!”

Standing in the middle of the seven men, Lu Pan let out a thunderous shout. His deep, resonant voice startled the approaching party, causing the horses to neigh and slow their pace.

“Whoa!”

Yang Su pulled on the reins and brought his horse to a halt. Seeing the eight men standing in a line at the village entrance, he cupped his hands and said, “I am Yang Su. At the invitation of Lu Liangsheng of Qixia Mountain, I have come here specifically to answer his summons.”

“Whether that’s true or not can wait until our Liangsheng confirms it himself.”

Ever since those three centipede demons had come charging into the village last time and nearly broken in, Lu Family Village had adopted a rule: unless accompanied by a villager, outsiders were forbidden to enter, ensuring that any danger remained outside the village.

Among the party of more than twenty people, Yu Juluo had a fiery temper. He swung himself down from his horse and strode forward, his tiger eyes wide with anger. “Insolence! Do you know who we are?!”

“Who cares who you are? Wait here!” The seven men behind Lu Pan also began shouting in agreement.

“You lot—!”

Yu Juluo roared in fury. The memory of that old donkey was still vivid in his mind. He dared not provoke the donkey, but could it be that he could not even deal with a group of mountain villagers?

He did not dare act rashly, but still stepped forward half a pace, his hand closing around the hilt of his saber. Opposite him, Lu Pan and the others showed no fear. They too stepped forward, letting out a sharp, “Ha!”

The muscles all over their bodies swelled, their bronze-colored skin taut as iron, the flesh twitching and jumping.

“Do not be rude!”

Seeing matters growing tense, Yang Guang quickly spoke from atop his horse. At the same time, a voice sounded from within the village. “Uncle Pan, let them come in.”

At these words, the eight men at the village entrance did not even glance behind them. They simply stepped aside to make way.

A young scholar in green robes and a white gown was walking over from within the village. Beside him was an elderly man with grizzled hair and beard, leaning upon a cane. His cloudy eyes were half-closed and unfocused, like an ancient well of unfathomable depth.

A smile appeared on his inscrutable face.

“Master, why trouble yourself with such a trivial matter? This disciple would have sent them away.”

“It was I who invited them, so naturally I cannot neglect proper courtesy.”

Lu Liangsheng replied with a smile and slowly approached the village entrance together with Wang Cheng’en. Upon seeing the newcomers, he smiled, shook open his broad sleeves, and cupped his hands in greeting.

The hearing of his eldest disciple was exceptionally keen. Hearing the rustling of his master’s sleeves, he also cupped his hands in salute, not a moment slower than his master.

Yu Juluo’s gaze swept straight past the refined and scholarly young man and landed on the elderly man in gray robes beside him, whose cloudy eyes were tilted slightly upward.

So this fellow is Lu Liangsheng? He certainly has the bearing of an immortal.

Behind him, the Prince Jin, Yang Guang, had once seen Lu Liangsheng from afar on the long street that day. He recognized the familiar figure at once. Without waiting for Yang Su to make introductions, he swiftly dismounted and returned the salute with cupped hands.

“Guang greets Mister Lu.”

The surrounding guards all dismounted in unison, cupping their hands and bowing toward the village entrance.

Yu Juluo dared not be negligent either. Without noticing the actions of those behind him, he cupped his hands and lowered his head, offering a respectful salute toward the old man.

“The young one is our Liangsheng.” Standing to one side, Lu Pan jerked his chin toward him and quietly reminded him.

Over there, Yu Juluo slightly raised his face and froze for a moment. He glanced behind him from the corner of his eye, then hurriedly shifted the direction of his salute, turning it toward the scholar.

“Your Highness Prince Jin and Duke Qinghe, there is no need for such courtesy.”

Lu Liangsheng smiled, then extended a hand in a welcoming gesture. “Please.”

He invited the two men into the village, while the guards and Yu Juluo were left waiting at the drying ground by the village entrance.

The Prince Jin himself had come to their home. Standing inside the kitchen, Li Jinhua and Lu Laoshi peeked outside through the crack in the door. Although their son was now a cultivator, they had spent their entire lives as ordinary commoners. Faced with someone of such stature, they could not help but feel nervous.

Cluck, cluck.

The woman gave the speckled hen poking its head through the doorway a light kick aside, then gripped the corner of her husband’s clothes and whispered while peering outside,

“This Prince Jin is really young—even younger than our Liangsheng. What do you think they’ve come here for?”

Lu Laoshi held it in for a long while without managing to say a single word.

Instead, Lu Xiaoxian, who was squatting below and secretly peeking outside, tugged at her mother’s trouser leg.

“Do you think they’ve come to ask Brother to become an official? Otherwise, why would they come here in person?”

“What Xiaoxian said does make some sense.”

The woman nodded.

Looking through the crack in the door, she saw mottled patches of sunlight falling upon the shoulders of those in the courtyard. The dense canopy overhead rustled softly in the breeze.

Lu Liangsheng wielded his brush, sketching the outline of a wine pot, which materialized out of thin air upon the stone table.

A fragrant jade liquor flowed forth, filling three wine cups. He pushed two of them before his guests, set down the wine pot, and lightly clinked cups with Yang Guang and Yang Su.

“I wonder what brings Your Highness and Duke Qinghe to Qixia Mountain?”

Yang Guang paused with the wine cup at his lips and looked at the man opposite him. A smile spread across his face.

“This time, I have been appointed supreme commander of the southern campaign. Throughout the march, I have kept the troops under strict discipline, treating prisoners well and forbidding any harassment of the common people. The capital of Chen, Tianzhi, has now fallen, but it will still take some time before the entire territory of Chen is fully pacified. “

“The true reason I have come is to invite you, Mister Lu, to leave the mountain and lend us your aid. If someone of your standing were to step forward, others would surely follow your example. That would be the best way to bring Southern Chen to peace as quickly as possible.”

On the other side, Yang Su stroked his beard and nodded slightly without speaking, his gaze remaining fixed upon Lu Liangsheng.

Lu Liangsheng chuckled softly and set down his wine cup. “Your Highness overestimates me. Lu Liangsheng’s reputation is not yet great enough to inspire others to follow my example and surrender. “

“However, I can recommend someone. Your Highness may wish to try persuading him instead. This man once served as the Minister of Personnel of the former Chen dynasty and possesses the prestige of having supported the young sovereign’s ascension to the throne. If Your Highness can persuade him to enter the service of the Great Sui, he will be far more effective than I could ever be.”

Yang Guang was momentarily stunned. Leaning forward slightly, he parted his lips, still intending to speak. “Mister Lu—”

Beside him, Yang Su set down his wine cup, smiled, and interjected, cutting off his words.

“By the way, Fellow Daoist Lu, yesterday the Dharma voice reached our ears. I wonder what important matter you wished to discuss?”

“It is not convenient to speak of it here. Duke Qinghe, please come with me.”

Lu Liangsheng rose to his feet and cupped his hands toward Yang Guang. “Your Highness, please wait here for a moment.”

“As you wish, Mister.”

Yang Guang had originally had much more to say, but now that his royal uncle had interrupted him, he could only give up. Sitting back down on the stone stool with some frustration, he looked up at the old tree overhead, its branches and leaves swaying gently.

How can I persuade Mister Lu to leave the mountain? Could it be that my sincerity is still insufficient?

As he pondered this, Lu Liangsheng invited Yang Su to accompany him. Using the technique of Shrinking the Earth to an Inch, the two arrived at Qixia Mountain west of the village and walked side by side.

Passing a tree that still had faded red cords tied around its trunk, Lu Liangsheng noticed Yang Su’s puzzled expression. He smiled, making no attempt to conceal his past.

“These faded cords were tied there by me back then, to keep myself from getting lost. At the time, Lu Liangsheng was nothing more than an ordinary youth from the village. Had I not encountered my master, how could I possibly have become what I am today?”

Looking toward the thatched cottage ahead, where three young boys sat in the courtyard with their heads lowered, diligently studying, he continued, “The reason I invited Duke Qinghe here is actually to ask you about something. Do you happen to know the art of separating the evil spirit from its host?”

The clear sound of the boys reading aloud drifted through the air. Just as Yang Su was about to answer, his gaze fell upon the side profile of one of the youths in the courtyard.

His eyes narrowed.

Why is Yuwen Tuo here?!