The World in the Eyes of Immortals

"Li Bai not coming this time—he's gone off seeking immortality with that Young Master Jiang. That's a good thing too."

Yuan Danqiu and Meng Haoran stood in an inconspicuous spot at the back, listening to the guests' chatter, watching them compose their expressions again.

The two exchanged a wry look.

Yuan Danqiu lifted his gaze, surveying the residence.

The Lu family's old manor had fallen into decline. Many decorative screens and vessels had been sold off; the reception hall stood empty, as if ransacked by bandits. Yet one could still tell the feng shui had once been excellent, the family's ethos upright in years past.

In the courtyard stood a locust tree. After all these years, its crown was lush and full, though the trunk and roots were half-withered. Still it offered shade to those beneath.

"This tree is already dead, yet its branches still flourish," Meng Haoran said.

Yuan Danqiu's eyes were sharp.

"There's an anthole beneath it too."

Meng Haoran looked down to see. "An anthole is nothing special. Come, let's go offer birthday wishes to the Grand Matriarch. Since Li Bai didn't come this time, we'll need to add a gift on his behalf."

Yuan Danqiu asked, "What did you prepare?"

Meng Haoran was three parts more worldly than Yuan Danqiu the Daoist and Li Bai the wild scholar.

He said, "Some gold and silver odds and ends, a modest token."

Yuan Danqiu nodded.

"That works too."

They registered their gate gifts, saw the page boy busy dealing with guests, and walked through the reception hall on their own to the Grand Matriarch's receiving room to pay their respects.

"Last time we came, there were four servants here. Were the other three all sold off?"

Meng Haoran looked around and couldn't help shaking his head.

"The family fortune withers; the descendants are unworthy."

"Pitiful and lamentable."

Today was the Grand Matriarch's birthday banquet. Though it wasn't yet time for the evening feast, she was already fully dressed and groomed, draped in a stone-blue gold-threaded shawl, wearing hairpins in her coiffure—not of gold or silver, but of a slightly aged white jade, likely old pieces saved from the bottom of a trunk.

Though the Lu family had declined, this old matriarch refused to show weakness before her guests.

When the old lady saw the two, she was delighted, her tone warm and familiar.

"It's Haoran who's come."

Meng Haoran—given name Hao, courtesy name Haoran—smiled and nodded, bowing to the old lady.

"Greetings to the Matriarch. May your years be long and peaceful, as bright as the enduring moon, as steadfast as the unmoving mountain."

The old lady smiled and returned the greeting, saying there was no need for such humble words, but in her heart she was pleased. She looked past the two, her gaze falling empty.

"Has that boy Li Bai come? Where is he?"

Meeting the old lady's slightly expectant eyes, Yuan Danqiu inwardly cursed Li Bai for slipping away and leaving them to deal with the Grand Matriarch, but kept a smile on his face.

"Li Bai wanted to come with us to visit the Matriarch, but the rain made the road slippery, and he took a fall. He's a bit hurt, so I sent him to see a doctor."

"Another day, I'll have him come in person to offer his congratulations."

The Grand Matriarch asked with concern, "Was the fall serious?"

She said, "I still have some medicinal oil here, made from the late Immortal Sun's prescription—most effective for bruises and sprains. Xiuxiang, go fetch a bottle for these two guests."

Immortal Sun referred to Sun Simiao, who had passed away forty years ago. His disciples and their disciples still practiced medicine across the Tang Land. Many prescriptions had been passed down or attributed to him in this way.

Lu Grand Matriarch was eager to play matchmaker for Li Bai, truly trying to save her family.

But her concern at this moment was also genuine.

"True feelings—they're the most complicated thing."

Jiang She said this, turning his head to glance at Li Bai.

They stood right in the hall, among the guests, watching Meng Haoran pause for two breaths when faced with the Matriarch's question, deliberately letting Yuan Danqiu step forward. They also saw Yuan Danqiu shoot Meng Haoran a dark look before answering.

Inside the room were six or seven guests, two or three servants, with Meng Haoran and Yuan Danqiu standing before the seat, and the old Matriarch sitting in her chair, receiving guests and congratulations.

Twelve people in all—yet none of them sensed Jiang She and Li Bai's presence.

Unknown.

Unnoticed.

Li Bai looked around in wonder, finding that even their speech went unheard by those in the room. He had no idea what profound immortal art was being used.

He even reached out and touched a fruit plate on a nearby table, finding that he could actually make contact.

His heart marveled even more.

Li Bai collected himself. "The Lu Grand Matriarch is a kind person. Only stubborn in temperament."

Jiang She asked with interest.

"If it were you, Li Bai, what would you do?"

Li Bai said, "Scholar Lu has an eldest son who can be raised to maturity and used to plan for the future. The Grand Matriarch manages the household affairs, and will later hand them over to her granddaughter, ensuring Scholar Lu never touches the family's money."

"As for Scholar Lu himself..."

"Whether it's madness, possession, or life and death."

"What business is it of mine?"

His tone was indifferent, clearly displeased with the Lu Family's conduct and even more disdainful of the eldest son's behavior, all laid bare before Jiang She without concealment.

Having spoken, Li Bai fixed his gaze on Jiang She, waiting for his reaction.

Though he was unrestrained and aloof, viewing ordinary mortals as dull-witted, he cared greatly about Jiang She's opinion.

After all, he had seen it with his own eyes.

This was an immortal.

Just then, a sound came from within the room, near the doorway.

A servant boy approached and whispered into the Grand Matriarch's ear.

Jiang She's finger lifted slightly.

The servant's murmurs, guided by that gesture, grew loud in the small space, clear and distinct for both to hear.

"Grand Matriarch, the eldest young master requests your presence..." The servant hesitated, stammering, then added as a reminder, "The eldest young master wants to sell the last eighty mu of farmland."

The Grand Matriarch's face went deathly pale, then flushed red with rage.

Mindful of the guests filling the room, she did not explode on the spot but instead grabbed her maid's sleeve and was helped to her feet.

The moment she stood, the Grand Matriarch's fury surged, a blaze of anger overwhelming her heart, and she collapsed to the ground in a faint.

The crowd gasped in alarm, unsure what the servant had said to cause the Grand Matriarch to fall, and scrambled to help her up.

"Grand Matriarch!"

"Careful!"

"What happened?"

Jiang She and Li Bai stood off to the side, aloof. Compared to the other guests, they understood the matter best, having already heard the servant's words.

"Let's go. We'll go see this Scholar Lu," Jiang She said.

Li Bai carried the bamboo basket gifted by the Old Deer Mountain God and followed him out.

As he walked, a thought stirred lightly in his mind.

The Lu Family's affair was hardly rare in the world—nothing more than an unworthy son squandering his family's legacy. He had heard of many such cases.

But linked to the mountain god and earth spirits...

Scholar Lu, who had made a pact with the Deer Mountain God back then, had died eight hundred years ago. At that time, the world was still the Han Land.

Mortals could not see the karmic ties of that era; they only saw today's declining fortunes.

This was, being blind to the truth.

This strangeness made Li Bai keep stealing glances at Jiang She as they walked.

What did the mortal world look like...

in the eyes of an immortal?

A small courtyard.

"I seek immortality!"

"I have already met an immortal master!"

"You, call for Grandmother—that immortal master has agreed that once I have another hundred and fifty strings of cash, he will accept me as a disciple! Do not ruin my timing or obstruct my immortal fate!"

A man in his early thirties, wearing a gauze cap and a white robe, looking like a scholar, was tightly restrained by the servant boy beside him. Around them came waves of sobbing and constant pleas.

"Master, do not be deluded!"

The servant knelt and begged, "We have never seen any immortal fate, and the immortal master is nowhere to be found. We have already thrown away so much money for nothing... Master! Those eighty mu of land are the last of our Lu Family's fields. For farming and studying in the future, we still need these eighty mu."

"You absolutely cannot sell them."

"You absolutely cannot sell them..."

Scholar Lu shouted loudly.

"Once I become a disciple of the immortal master, what family property can I not acquire? Do not begrudge these external possessions! At that time, never mind passing the imperial exams—becoming an official, a minister, or even marrying a princess would be only fitting!"

Hearing his words, the servant kept wiping his tears, rubbing his face with the back of his hand.

Scholar Lu finally broke free, shoving him hard to the ground, and steadied himself against the table.

"Do not block my path to immortality!"

"Go quickly and invite Grandmother here—"

"I have important matters to discuss with Grandmother!"

Glancing at the weeping servant on the ground, Scholar Lu tilted his head slightly and murmured.

"Once I gather enough money, once I gather enough money..."