I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 18: It's Not Impossible to Leave a Name in History
Jiang She picked up two perch from the stream. He saw that the fish were still jumping violently after leaving the water, and they were very strong. He wondered where the Old Deer Mountain God had found these fish.

It must taste quite good.

Not far behind him, Meng Haoran and Yuan Danqiu had already built a makeshift stove with stones and branches and lit firewood.

Yuan Danqiu looked into the distance and saw an immortal who was trying to string fish with a willow branch, looking relaxed and possessing profound Taoist skills.

Looking again, not far away, there was a mountain god sitting cross-legged, looking like an old immortal.

He looked down and nudged the person next to him with his elbow.

Together with Meng Haoran, they surrounded Li Bai, who was trying to make the fire in the stone stove burn even brighter.

Yuan Danqiu lowered his voice and asked him.

"That one..."

"Is he truly an immortal?"

Li Bai laughed loudly, then lowered his voice and said, "Master Meng, Master Danqiu, I have finally met a true immortal this time."

Yuan Danqiu's eyes flickered a few times.

He pressed on, asking, "Taibai, what did you see while you were with the True Immortal?"

What did you see...?

Li Bai stopped laughing and thought for a moment.

He appeared at the Lu family with Jiang Langjun. First, he saw an immortal, then he saw a magic trick that could blind him. His eyes seemed to have some kind of supernatural ability, and when Mr. Jiang touched them, they became able to see ghosts and gods.

Even more so, there were seven days in a dream.

He saw these nineteen people live for forty years.

Following Jiang Jun and the Old Deer Mountain God, they witnessed how these nineteen people gained wealth and status, their grand wedding ceremonies, their official positions, and also the arrival of troops. Once the border conflict began, lives were cut like grass by a sickle, with people rushing to their deaths. Among them was Yuan Danqiu.

It is also evident that the king is suspicious; the former glory and favor have vanished in a single day.

Upon seeing Lu Sheng's remains, they were gradually transported out of the Ancient Huai Kingdom.

The place where people spend their lives, whether enjoying wealth and glory or upholding the Way for forty years, is actually an anthill. The so-called "neighboring country" may just be another anthill under a locust tree.

See Ronghua.

Witnessing life and death.

I thought about it for a long time.

I didn't know how to answer that question for a moment.

Recalling what he had seen and heard in his dream, Li Bai shook his head and answered Yuan Danqiu with the same question he had asked Jiang She, the young master, in his dream:

"Bai Yuxing."

"To witness the fate of life and death."

"The change from honor to disgrace".

"It all depends on a single thought."

As Li Bai spoke, he looked towards the mountains. This was the foot of Mount Lumen, not far from the city gate of Xiangyang County. Li Bai had been here many times before, and he and Master Meng had climbed Mount Lumen many times.

Only this time did I look up.

A strange shadow could be vaguely seen within, flashing by in an instant.

Is that a mountain spirit?

Or perhaps a spirit or demon that attained enlightenment in the mountains?

Or a wild beast?

Li Bai stared at the strange figure in the mountains, squinting as he tried to make it clear, but he couldn't. He then spoke slowly.

"I am also fortunate."

"I witnessed the legend of ghosts and gods with my own eyes."

"I saw a spirit beast that seemed to understand human nature but was different from others, I saw the promise made eight hundred years ago, and I saw that in a few breaths, the mountains and fields were covered with wildflowers like embroidery."

After hearing what Li Bai had said...

Yuan Danqiu's breathing became labored.

"you……"

Only then did he notice and raise his head to look at Mount Lumen—

The azaleas have bloomed all over the mountain at some unknown time, covering the entire mountainside. The red and purple wildflowers are in full bloom, like the clouds on the horizon, dazzling and magnificent.

A gust of wind blew by, and the mountain flowers surged, as beautiful as clouds.

Azaleas are common wildflowers in the mountains, blooming in both spring and summer. Meng Haoran recalled that at this time last year, only a few blossoms had opened, and the occasional glimpse of red on the mountain was quite delightful.

He lived in Xiangyang for generations and studied Taoism at Mount Lumen.

But I have never seen such exotic flowers blooming all over the mountain.

Then, recalling Li Bai's words, "Life and death, honor and disgrace, are but a thought away," and his mention of "the tales of ghosts and gods, like spirit beasts that understand human nature, a pact made eight hundred years ago..."

Eight hundred years ago.

That was during the Han Dynasty, specifically the time of Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan's restoration.

Both of them were a little dazed.

Jiang She finally prepared the fish quickly and brought it up. As soon as he sat down, he saw two people who seemed stunned. He looked them over carefully, met their gazes, and understood what had happened. He looked at Li Bai.

Li Bai lowered his head and fiddled with the firewood.

Jiang She smiled and said to the mountain god.

"One fish can be grilled, and the other steamed. What does the mountain god think?"

He has been here for a long time and has to take care of many things himself. Over time, he has also learned many things that people in his previous life did not know, such as how to cook in the mountains.

The mountain god had already overheard their conversation.

Even if the voice is kept very low.

How could this possibly be kept secret from the owner of this mountain?

The old deer mountain god stroked his beard, looked at the young men who were dumbfounded and somewhat lost in thought, and laughed.

"Excellent!"

The fish raised by the Old Deer Mountain God are incredibly delicious; they only require simple seasoning to release their aroma.

The fish was still a little hot when it was taken off the heat.

took a bite.

"It tastes excellent."

"Wow, what a fresh fish!"

"Sir, you have such skill."

……

……

Although a wise man had said that today's events were not to be told to outsiders, the county town was small, and rumors still circulated in the shadows.

Besides the nineteen people who had entered the dream, the people in the courtyard that day included other servants of the Lu family, the county magistrate, seven or eight constables brought by the county magistrate, and several relatives of the missing persons who rushed to the scene upon hearing the news.

How can we keep so many people from telling anyone?
Things involving immortals are extremely rare.

When it happens to someone close to you, it makes you even more concerned.

Even when Magistrate Cheng Zhi returned to his office, he was still somewhat distracted. Facing the documents he had been reviewing, he couldn't concentrate and kept thinking about what had happened that morning.

His cousin-in-law, Wang Er, said that he dreamt of living for forty years and even becoming an official. When he woke up, seven days had already passed.

How can a person survive for seven days without food or water?
Cheng Zhi couldn't help but ponder.

More and more thoughts kept popping into my head. The more I tried not to think about it, the more I kept thinking about it.

Half an hour had passed, and he hadn't even read a few pages of the case file. He simply threw the file aside and ordered his servant to go home and fetch two volumes of Taoist scriptures and a copy of "Biographies of Immortals".

Now, I'm reading what's inside.

I could barely understand it.

After reading for a while, various thoughts kept popping up, so Cheng Zhi rubbed his forehead and called over his advisor.

Tell the advisor what you have seen and heard today.

Finally, he said, "I only learned today that there is an old mountain god on Mount Lumen in Xiangyang. The mountain god seemed to have great respect for that gentleman, so he must be a highly accomplished immortal."

He added.

"A dream lasting forty years, and upon waking, only seven days have passed in the world. Have you ever heard of such a thing? I'm afraid even the 'Biographies of Immortals' has not recorded such a thing."

"Biographies of Immortals" was written by Ge Hong during the Jin Dynasty. It describes the biographies of eighty-four immortals. Cheng Zhi's family has this book in their collection, but they haven't read it much before.

After recounting what he had heard that morning, the magistrate was still moved and reminiscing.

"There are such divine beings in the world."

"you say……"

The advisor looked surprised upon hearing this.

After a long while, he finally came to his senses. The clerk suppressed his surging emotions, thought for a moment, softened his tone, and carefully reminded him.

"Judging from what you say, Your Excellency, this master is merely traveling around. It's uncertain how long he will stay."

"Such a master does not readily open his doors to knowledge."

"It's rare to find a master-disciple relationship."

The magistrate seemed to have been doused with cold water.

"You have a point."

"Then I..."

Seeing this, the clerk said, "We could also have someone write an article about today's events, specifying that this extraordinary encounter occurred under the magistrate's jurisdiction. What do you think?"

Cheng Zhi's eyes gradually brightened.

he murmured.

"This way."

"Is it not possible for this official to leave his name in history?"

(End of this chapter)