The Unruly Immortals

After listening to the other person's words, Zhuge Yuan couldn't help but feel shocked, his mouth slightly agape. Everything Li Jinshu said completely overturned his previous understanding; what the other person said was entirely different from what he had learned from his Master.

There are actually five worlds, and they are interlinked? And are they still five worlds that have evolved from one world?

"Is it... so?" Zhuge Yuan asked after a pause, expressing doubt. Compared to the other person's statements, he still found his own Master's words more trustworthy.

Upon hearing that the other person didn't believe him, Li Jinshu felt displeased, "What, you don't believe me?"

"Senior Li, it's not that I don't believe you, but when you say those monks' words are false, isn't it possible that what the Bright Wheel Hall says is false too?"

"You kid, you truly are fearless like a newborn calf, daring to think of anything, do you think it's some kind of child's play? Speaking without evidence? Whoever is louder is right?"

"Do you know that all the etiquette of Da Qi is established by the Bright Wheel Hall? This set is acknowledged by both the Official and the Astrological Bureau."

Since he needed to explain clearly, Li Jinshu didn't mind wasting a bit more time.

It was fine to question himself here, but if this guy dared to question this in front of other senior members of the hall, he would definitely be in trouble.

"Kid, do you know what it means to defy the celestial to follow men?" As he spoke, Li Jinshu's third hand extended from under his left armpit, gesturing towards Zhuge Yuan under the eaves of the house.

"This hand is what defying the celestial to follow men is. Put simply, it's another self from a different world that can assist the disciples of the Bright Wheel Hall through learned techniques."

Hearing this, Zhuge Yuan believed a bit more in what the other person said. "Really? Then what were those people inside doing just now?" Images of those black-robed figures sitting among piles of books flashed through Zhuge Yuan's mind.

"Those people you saw at the Jiezi Retreat were consulting and conversing with their alter egos from other worlds, writing the Historical Records of those worlds."

"As the foremost school of Confucianism, the Bright Wheel Hall naturally takes it as its duty to maintain the world's rightful path, recording as much as possible even the events from other worlds."

"Though it's quite difficult, as the farther the worlds are apart, the more ambiguous the messages from the alter egos become, making consultation very challenging. But the existence of Bright Wheel Hall disciples is to emulate the ancestors, establishing rules with their pens, preserving the cosmos, and never letting the lifelong efforts of the forefathers go to waste."

This passage instantly stirred Zhuge Yuan's blood. The practices of the Bright Wheel Hall aligned perfectly with his values; isn't this exactly what he set out to do?

Seeing the other person's expression, Li Jinshu couldn't help but smile, "So, do you believe it now?"

"Yes! Then, Senior Li, when can I learn these techniques?" Zhuge Yuan was immediately eager and impatient.

Whether he entirely believed it was another matter, but he was very keen on learning the Bright Wheel Hall's knowledge.

"In a rush now? Just a moment ago, weren't you keen on debating with me? What are you standing there for, let's go, it's not far ahead. Once you enter the Bright Wheel Hall, there will naturally be someone to teach you more."

Zhuge Yuan quickly caught up with the other person's pace, walking deeper into the garden.

It was apparent that, beyond the Jiezi Retreat, the path became much easier and required no sneaking around. Clearly, the place was secure outside yet relaxed inside.

After walking for half a stick of incense's time, Zhuge Yuan smelled a faint incense aroma. As the scent intensified, a two-story building adorned with ceramic ridge beasts appeared before them.

"Inside are the senior members of the hall; mind your manners." After saying this, Li Jinshu discreetly opened the door and led Zhuge Yuan inside.

As soon as he entered, Zhuge Yuan was stunned, rooted to the spot by the sight of a giant wall filled with human heads.

All the heads bore solemn expressions, eyes seemingly half-open, as if looking down at the two of them.

In this secluded and serene environment, the sudden appearance of this scene instantly left Zhuge Yuan feeling breathless.

His right index finger trembled, just about to point, but was pressed down by Li Jinshu, "Don't point recklessly, it's highly disrespectful to the elders."

Li Jinshu bowed a few times with Zhuge Yuan's head facing the wall of heads, then continued along the base of the wall. "I've told you before, many Bright Wheel Hall disciples entered the court as officials; these are the historians from successive dynasties."

"Senior, why are their heads all displayed here?"

"It's not us who wanted their heads chopped off; it was His Majesty."

"Then why His Majesty wanted their heads to be chopped off?"

"Because every reigning emperor of Da Qi has done foolish things they didn't want recorded, wanting to fabricate the Historical Records. The historians wouldn't allow it, so they faced execution."

"These seniors once said, 'Your Majesty, you might as well destroy the Bright Wheel Hall, for no matter how many heads are chopped off or how many people are sent, the history books can never be fabricated in the slightest. This is the duty of the Bright Wheel Hall.'

"The Historical Records are the constants of heaven and earth; if the rules are disturbed, all that was accomplished by the ancestors over countless generations would be for naught."

Zhuge Yuan suddenly understood, his fear of the wall of heads gradually diminishing as he began to hold it in reverence, even slowing his steps a bit.

Through these heads, his comprehension of the Bright Wheel Hall's duty grew, and he also understood why his Master instructed him to come here instead of somewhere else.

"Oh." Zhuge Yuan nodded, half-understanding, realizing there was much he still needed to learn.

As the two continued onward, behind the wall of heads lay rows of plaques. Black lacquer with white characters, the spiritual tablets stood solemnly like gravestones in the misty incense smoke.

Zhuge Yuan realized that the incense smell outside emanated from here.

Before the various plaques were all sorts of offerings, creating an extra sense of solemnity.

Although there wasn't a single person around, Zhuge Yuan felt as though people were everywhere.

He hadn't forgotten the purpose of bringing him here, and immediately lit some incense with a white candle and paid his respects to the surrounding plaques, then began searching for the friend of his Master who passed over a hundred years ago.

"Senior Li, approximately where is the plaque for Wang Changxu?" Zhuge Yuan's voice was notably softer in this place.

"Keep looking ahead, I remember it's inside. I don't come here often, only during the Qingming Festival twice."

The two walked along the rows of plaques, and as they went further, the plaques became more sparsely placed, and the varieties of offerings started to diversify, extending beyond just pigs, cows, and sheep.

After half a stick of incense's time passed, Li Jinshu suddenly brightened, swiftly heading left, "Look! Found it! Wang Changxu!"