A Biographies of Immortals Passed Down Through the Ages

Chapter 45: A Biographies of Immortals for the Ages

"Sir..." Zi Bofeng looked like a wronged little daughter-in-law, crouching in the corner with his head bowed, drawing circles on the ground with his toe. He had already been scolded soundly by the Prefect yesterday, and he had no desire to be scolded by his teacher again today.

"You, oh you, what am I to say about you?" The Old Scholar sat to one side, watching a small pot bubble away. Inside was a fragrant porridge. After getting dead drunk yesterday, Zi Bofeng had been throwing up everything he ate today; it was more troublesome than being three months pregnant.

After being berated by the Prefect, he had been brought here by his teacher. Although he hadn't been lectured on the way, he couldn't avoid a sharp rap on the forehead from the teacher: "Clonk!"

The Old Scholar looked at Zi Bofeng and shook his head, truly at a loss for words.

He had thought this student had turned over a new leaf, but who knew he was still the same hot-headed youth who would explode at the slightest provocation, refusing to suffer even a minor loss or make any concessions? Now that he had poked such a massive hornet's nest, what was to be done next?

However, seeing Zi Bofeng's dejected appearance, the teacher stepped forward, reached out, and patted his forehead, laughing, "No bump."

Zi Bofeng let out a snort of laughter.

Seeing Zi Bofeng laugh, the teacher chuckled as well. "In the future, whatever you do, think thrice before acting. Fortunately, you haven't caused too much trouble this time..."

"Alright, actually, I'm quite resilient." Seeing that the teacher didn't intend to scold him further, Zi Bofeng immediately started acting cute. "Luo Qianshan is the one who's truly pitiful."

"You still have the nerve to say that!" Zi Bofeng hadn't been punished, only reprimanded—but Luo Qianshan had actually been penalized.

At the military camp, Luo Qianshan was doing push-ups, sweat pouring off him like rain. Beside him, his young orderly was counting loudly: "Five hundred, five hundred and one, five hundred and two... General, are we really doing a thousand? ...Five hundred and eight... six hundred..."

The orderly, feeling pity for his general, secretly added a few extra counts.

Zi Bofeng took a small sip of the thin porridge handed to him by the teacher, smacking his lips to savor the taste. The teacher's cooking was truly excellent; even if he weren't a teacher, he could probably make a living just by opening a porridge stall.

After finishing the porridge, Zi Bofeng felt warm, both in his body and his heart. There were many things he couldn't complain about to his father or ask others for advice on, but the teacher was different. It seemed the teacher only needed to listen silently.

The teacher now didn't look at all like the stern instructor in the classroom, but rather like a reliable elder listening to Zi Bofeng vent his grievances.

"This Feijianzi is simply being unreasonable! By what right does he come to seize our jade?" Zi Bofeng grumbled indignantly.

"If a cultivator requires jade, nine times out of ten it is to repair the Spirit Gathering Array on their mountain," the teacher explained with airy indifference.

"How do you know that, Sir?" Zi Bofeng's eyes widened as he stared at the teacher.

"It is no secret. It is just that in recent years, cultivators have gradually declined. Most keep their mountain gates shut, focusing on their cultivation, and few walk the world. Meanwhile, the lives of the common people have become increasingly arduous as they struggle to survive, leaving them no time to discuss such esoteric tales. That is why most young people today don't know much about it."

"Is the Spirit Gathering Array the kind of array that gathers spiritual energy?" Zi Bofeng asked, eyes wide. The name was indeed familiar; so, this thing wasn't just something made up by novelists.

"It does indeed serve that purpose." The teacher smiled. "However, spiritual energy is so thin now that even a Spirit Gathering Array can hardly collect the dense energy of the past. Thus, the effect of the Spirit Gathering Array is worrying, and the cost is becoming increasingly high. The people at Bird-Mouse Temple are still struggling, refusing to face reality and abandon that ethereal path of immortality to enter the world and cultivate their hearts. Why bother?"

"Wow, Sir, could it be that you are a hidden master?" Zi Bofeng's eyes widened instantly.

"A master?" The teacher shook his head with a smile, turned, pulled out a book, and handed it to Zi Bofeng. "Here, read this and you will understand."

"Biographies of Immortals?" Zi Bofeng felt quite helpless upon seeing the title. However, when he opened it, the first chapter wasn't about Guangchengzi, but a general outline, and he immediately became interested, reading with great relish.

The teacher said, "You didn't come here just to drink porridge and listen to me tell stories, did you?"

"Of course not." Holding the porridge and slurping it down made him very unconvincing, but Zi Bofeng still asked, "Sir, I came to ask how the students from our village fared in their exams?"

"Ha, you little rascal, you really do have the air of a village head now." The teacher smiled and shook his head. "Rest assured, they all did quite well."

"How many passed?" Zi Bofeng asked, eyes wide.

"You will know that when the results are posted." The teacher shook his head, feigning mystery.

"The posting is still several days away, just tell me now!" After finishing the porridge, Zi Bofeng felt much better and began to act cute. "They are all anxious waiting for it."

"I cannot tell you now. If I told you, you would surely be unable to resist blurting it out, and telling only you would be unfair to others." The teacher shook his head. "So, you had best not ask. Once you finish your porridge, go on back."

"Alright then..." Zi Bofeng said, dejected.

Before he left, the teacher insisted that Zi Bofeng take back the items he had brought, saying that living alone, he had no need for such things. However, he did keep one set of the Legend of the White Snake that Zi Bofeng had written.

By the time Zi Bofeng rode his little donkey, Tauxue, swaying back to Lower Yan Village, the sun was already setting. Before he even reached the village, he heard a clamor of noise.

"If you dare say one more word, see if I don't kick you to death!" This was Si Gou's voice.

"Si Gou, you're bullying people again!" Zi Bofeng was immediately displeased.

"Scholar!" Seeing Zi Bofeng return, Si Gou immediately rushed over, took Tauxue's reins, and bowed. "You've finally returned!"

"What is going on here?" Zi Bofeng looked at Si Gou and another villager. The villager had several footprints on him; it seemed Si Gou hadn't just said it, he had acted on it.

"Scholar, this time it isn't me, Si Gou, bullying anyone. I already swore to my great-grandfather that I wouldn't bully people anymore," Si Gou said hurriedly. "It's this brat's foul mouth that was asking for a beating!"

Huh, this masochistic trait of having a foul mouth that asks for a beating—isn't that supposed to be my unique attribute? Others have it too?

Zi Bofeng looked closely and saw a villager he wasn't very familiar with, someone who was neither particularly good nor bad in the village—a bit of a non-entity.

There were a few others watching, all looking at Zi Bofeng with strange expressions.

"This bastard said that you, Scholar, offended an immortal in the city and are about to... about to..."

The man shrank back, but still stubbornly insisted, "You offended an immortal, and disaster is imminent. I was just advising everyone to stay away from you so they don't get caught in the bad luck. Is that wrong?"

Zi Bofeng was somewhat surprised. Had the news of his debate with Feijianzi spread to Lower Yan Village so quickly?

It had even caused a disturbance among the villagers; looking at their eyes, it was clear they were quite wary of him.

Zi Bofeng sighed inwardly, not knowing what to say.

Whether one called these villagers ignorant, snobbish, or cowardly, Zi Bofeng only felt they were somewhat pathetic. No wonder the books said the peasantry was a backward class—did they only know how to accept their fate?

And as for himself, the reason he had acted so recklessly—perhaps there were many reasons, but in the final analysis, wasn't it because he was seeking justice for them?

"Forget it, Si Gou, come back with me," Zi Bofeng said.

"Si Gou, don't go!" A loud shout rang out. Yan Lao Wu was standing by the stone tablet at the village entrance, watching them.

"Old Master," Zi Bofeng called out weakly. The old man's booming, vigorous shout had more authority than even Feijianzi's.

"Si Gou, you did nothing wrong today. You hit him well—hit him hard, hit him until he's half-dead, and if you kill him, I'll take the blame!" Yan Lao Wu strode over, glared at the villager who was trying to shrink away, and snorted coldly, "Kneel!"

The man looked left and right, hoping to garner some sympathy, but the others only retreated. These former allies were so unreliable that he could only sink to his knees weakly.

"You ungrateful, unappreciative wretch! Don't you think about why the Scholar offended the immortal? Wasn't it for the sake of us villagers in Lower Yan Village? Check your own conscience—who helped us in Lower Yan Village get our taxes waived last time? It hasn't even been half a year! You heartless cur!" Yan Lao Wu flew into a kick, slamming into the man and knocking him to the ground. He turned to Si Gou and said, "Si Gou, hit him, hit him hard!"

"You got it!" Si Gou chuckled, his white teeth bared like a beast eyeing its prey.

"Si Gou, forget it," Zi Bofeng stopped him, saying, "I've been walking all day and I'm tired. Come back with me, I'll treat you to dinner tonight."

"Scholar?" Si Gou was very confused. This man had offended the Scholar, so why stop the beating? It was such a good opportunity; Si Gou's hands and feet had been itching for a fight.

"Let's go," Zi Bofeng said, feeling somewhat dispirited.

"Bofeng, come eat at my place tonight. I caught a pheasant when I went up the mountain today; it'll be perfect for a feast."

"No need, my father will be worried." Zi Bofeng shook his head, waved at the old man, and pointed toward home. Si Gou led Tauxue, carrying him away.

Watching Zi Bofeng's back as he rode the donkey, Yan Lao Wu felt a complex mix of emotions. He suddenly took two steps forward and said, "If you're free tonight, I'll come find you. There's something I need to discuss with you."

"Then I'll wait for you at home, Old Master." Zi Bofeng waved his hand. The evening mist had already descended, and his silhouette was growing blurry.

"You bastard, get yourself home! If you spout any more nonsense, I'll slap you silly!" Yan Lao Wu scolded the villager kneeling on the ground once more, then turned and walked away with his hands behind his back.

Seeing that everyone around had left, the villager finally stood up and limped away—Yan Lao Wu's kick had certainly been no light matter.

Even so, the news had already spread throughout the village. As he traveled along the path, Zi Bofeng felt as if he had returned to the time when he had first passed the imperial examination and returned home. Under the evening mist, the village was very quiet, and he didn't know how many people were watching him ride the donkey through the alley from behind their doors.

Record of Raising Monsters