Ever since Shi Feiyang had come to this world, he had never lived a normal human life. First came Dinghu Peak, then Hollow Space Island, Great Roc Bay... and finally Heaven Beyond Divine Mountain. After returning from Heaven Beyond Divine Mountain to the Central Land, he had lived either beside the Yuan River or in the Ming-Yu Immortal Market, almost always far from ordinary people. The Ming-Yu Immortal Market counted as a bustling place, but he never took part in transactions between mortals.
A life beyond the world suited only methods beyond the world; only a life within the world could suit worldly methods.
He lived in the Dai family's rear courtyard. As the estate head, Dai Hengyu had to handle every village matter, large or small. Every day, people came looking for him as soon as dawn broke: villagers fighting, missing cats and dogs, quarreling couples, unfilial children, and so on. Anything they could not settle privately had to be brought to Dai Hengyu for judgment.
Those trivial matters were one thing. The major affairs were the year's spring planting and autumn harvest, allocating farm tools, arranging mutual help between households, and distributing water. These were especially critical. During the busy farming seasons, Dai Hengyu went out beneath the stars and moon to direct everything, staying away from home all night.
Shi Feiyang lived on his hospitality, receiving three meals and tea each day.
Everything Dai Hengyu brought him was the best the village had to offer. To Shi Feiyang, even an emperor's fare would have counted as coarse tea and plain food, yet eating it now gave him a feeling of home.
The villagers lived and farmed according to a calendar devised from the movements of the sun and moon. The solar calendar comprised the twenty-four solar terms,