The Unruly Immortals

The half-old wooden boat sliced through the picturesque green water like a pair of scissors.

Seeing that they were about to reach their destination, Zhuge Yuan, sitting in the boat's cabin, couldn't contain his curiosity and anticipation. He carried his basket of books to the bow and gazed forward.

"Young man, be steady. If you fall in, it'll be this old man here who'll have to fish you out," the boatman said with a cheerful smile.

"Elder, have we not arrived yet?" Zhuge Yuan asked impatiently.

"Don't rush. We'll reach Baixia City in less than an hour. Once we round the bend ahead, you'll be able to see it. The prawn cakes in Baixia City are a true delicacy. But those prawns only come around during the Awakening of Insects, so I'm afraid you won't have the pleasure of tasting them at this time," the boatman replied.

Hearing that it would take another hour, Zhuge Yuan sat down at the bow, disappointed, his white shoes dangling over the water, tracing a line on the surface.

He raised his arms above his shoulders and stretched lazily, "No worries, I'm going to Baixia to study. I'll definitely get to taste them next year during the Awakening of Insects."

"Studying? You're going to study in Baixia City? It wouldn't be at the Bright Wheel Hall, would it?" the old man said, a look of surprise dawning on his face.

Hearing this, Zhuge Yuan nodded immediately. "Yes! It's the Bright Wheel Hall. My master spoke of Senior Wang Changxu from the Bright Wheel Hall."

"Oh my, how remarkable, how remarkable," the boatman exclaimed.

Hearing the admiration in his words, Zhuge Yuan smiled and saluted the old man. "Elder, you're too kind. May I ask if the Bright Wheel Hall is renowned here in Baixia City?"

The old man widened his eyes, "Oh, it's not just renowned in Baixia City; it's famous throughout all of Da Qi. You can enter it and still not know what the Bright Wheel Hall is about?"

"Uh..." Zhuge Yuan felt a bit awkward, unsure how to reply. He couldn't possibly say he had just emerged from the mountains.

However, the old man didn't think much of it and started to explain to Zhuge Yuan. "That Bright Wheel Hall is a place of great learning. If you can just get into Bright Wheel Hall, there's no need to take the imperial examinations. You can directly become an official!"

"But I heard that many people don't want to leave the Bright Wheel Hall to become officials, and only a few talents do."

"Oh? May I ask what the others stay and do in the Bright Wheel Hall if they don't enter the court?" Zhuge Yuan couldn't help but become curious about the place his master recommended.

"Engage in scholarly pursuits!" the old man said proudly.

"Engage in... scholarly pursuits? May I ask what kind of scholarly pursuits?"

The question left the old man stumped, "How would I know? I'm not a scholar. Look, there's Baixia City ahead. Once you're in Bright Wheel Hall, you can ask them."

Turning his head, Zhuge Yuan saw a magnificent ancient city gradually unveiling itself from behind the steep cliffs.

What first caught his eye was the pier, where both large passenger ships and cargo boats were maneuvering with difficulty in the crowded space, surrounded by the constant shouting of orders.

Zhuge Yuan's gaze moved upward from the pier, seeing the moss-covered walls with vines blending seamlessly with the surrounding green mountains and water. Accompanied by the light mist of the day, it truly resembled a scene from a painting.

As they drew closer, Zhuge Yuan noticed more details: the towering towers on the city walls, the ancient ornate sculpted beast heads on the wall, and the banners flying above.

"Wow, so this is Baixia City!" Zhuge Yuan exclaimed in awe. It was his first time seeing such a large city since he became aware of the world.

Once he landed on the pier, he ran toward the enormous city wall with the basket on his back.

Passing through the city gate, a bustling scene unfolded before him. The streets were crowded with people, lined with shops on both sides and various small vendors set up along the roadside.

For Zhuge Yuan, who had never seen so many people, it was overwhelming for his eyes to take it all in.

With his constant observation, he gradually came to understand the true appearance of some things he'd read about in books.

The wafting scent of incense drew Zhuge Yuan's attention toward a shrine inside a house on his left. There stood a mysterious statue of a snake-headed deity clad in White Jade Armor amid the swirling incense smoke.

In front of the statue was a black lacquered spirit tablet bearing seven large, wild cursive characters: The Shrine of Great General Yu Li.

Two old women were kneeling before the spirit tablet, muttering under their breath while shaking bamboo sticks from a bamboo tube.

"Huh... Do the people of Baixia City still believe in this? Didn't the books say that no one believed anymore? Master was right; it's true that reading ten thousand books is not as enlightening as traveling ten thousand miles."

Zhuge Yuan continued to walk forward, stopping occasionally to observe places that piqued his interest. The fascinating outside world made him regret not venturing out a few years earlier.

Observing while walking, Zhuge Yuan suddenly realized the sun was already half-set against the city wall.

"Oh no, oh no, I've forgotten what I came for." Zhuge Yuan quickly stuffed the fried tofu wrapped in a lotus leaf into his mouth, mumbling and chewing as he rushed toward the Bright Wheel Hall.

He had actually already asked about the location of the Bright Wheel Hall earlier but thought he still had time and decided to explore first.

It was only unexpected how fast time had flown by.

As dusk descended, the city walls of Baixia City grew dim with the sun's setting rays. Zhuge Yuan finally arrived in front of the Bright Wheel Hall just before the sky was completely dark.

Just as the squeaky large door was about to close with a bang, Zhuge Yuan's hand slapped heavily on the round brass nail of the gate. "Wait!"

When the puzzled gatekeeper pulled the door open, he saw a handsome young man with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath.

"Come back tomorrow, the hours have passed," the gatekeeper said firmly, about to close the door again.

"Brother, please don't! The curfew is about to begin. My master had an old friendship with Wang Changxu of the Bright Wheel Hall. Please make an exception," Zhuge Yuan pleaded, hurriedly fetching a letter his master gave him from his basket and handing it over.

The gatekeeper took the letter, paused while reading it, then scrutinized Zhuge Yuan.

"Wait here," he said, the heavy door slamming shut again with a thud.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, Zhuge Yuan let out a long breath. He looked up at the huge plaque of the Bright Wheel Hall above him, thinking to himself, "Will I really be studying at this place in the future?"

Glancing around and seeing no one about, he sneaked a peek through the gap in the door at the inside.

Through the crack, he spied a grand building with intricately placed eaves and clearly visible pillars and walls, surrounded by many Sword Bamboos swishing in the evening breeze.

"Ahem!"

A light cough behind him startled Zhuge Yuan. He quickly turned around to see an elderly man in black and white robes with his hair tied up, frowning as he stared at him.

Truth be told, the man's appearance was quite ordinary, less striking than the boatman on the vessel, but the brilliance in his eyes made it hard to meet his gaze directly.

"Young man, your master and Senior Wang Changxu were old friends?"

"Hm?" The astonished Zhuge Yuan glanced at the tightly closed door, then at the elder before him, hastily making a respectful bow.

But before Zhuge Yuan could speak, the elder's words left him speechless, "Senior Wang Changxu passed away a hundred years ago. Are you certain your master and Senior Wang Changxu were old friends?"