As they walked out of Donglin Quarter, Zhong Zhengyuan saw Chen Changsheng constantly drinking from a gourd. The wine inside it seemed endless; he just kept drinking.

To be honest, Zhong Zhengyuan felt a bit confused too. He supposed that tempering one’s heart in the mortal world must be like this—things rarely went completely smoothly.

“That was both real and fake…” Zhong Zhengyuan shook his head and sighed. He followed Chen Changsheng as they walked into the distance.

The sky darkened. The last traces of light faded, and the bright moon appeared in the sky. Thin mist and layered clouds filled their view. Everything around them grew quiet.

They arrived at a Mountain God Temple.

The fire in front of them burned fiercely. The firewood crackled inside it, occasionally spitting out sparks.

Chen Changsheng added some firewood. He silently stared at the dancing flames, lost in thought.

Zhong Zhengyuan said, “Mr. Chen, you’ve been much quieter since we left Donglin Quarter.”

Chen Changsheng lifted his head. “It just feels a bit absurd.”

Zhong Zhengyuan replied, “Everything is absurd. Even knowing it’s an illusion, people still get trapped in it. It’s merely deceiving oneself. Still, the outcome now could be considered… perfect.”

Chen Changsheng added another stick to the fire. He took a swig of wine and said, “But how many things in this world are truly perfect? Actually, real perfection isn’t even good. When things are just a little bit incomplete, they last longer.”

Zhong Zhengyuan asked, “If Mr. Chen understands this, why let it trouble him?”

Chen Changsheng looked back at him and spoke frankly.

“It’s just… unpleasant.”

If it was an illusion, it was more like a Great Dream.

The dreamer knew it was a dream, but didn’t want to wake up.

Just like that line in the poem said:

Lost in a dream, mistaken for a visitor, greedily clinging to joy for a moment.

But how truly unpleasant could “unpleasant” be? What weighed on Chen Changsheng was this miserable world, these messy affairs where good and evil were impossible to tell apart.

Maybe after one night, he’d forget. Or maybe after a few mouthfuls of Autumn Moon Brew, sitting by this fire, he’d close his eyes… and forget everything clean.

…

Thin mist seeped through the forest. The fire in the temple had long gone out, leaving only wisps of white smoke drifting outside. It blended with the mountain fog, vanishing inside it.

The two gentlemen left the temple, walking through the mist.

Zhong Zhengyuan said, “This morning fog is quite blinding.”

“Blinding, perhaps,” Chen Changsheng replied, “but the path beneath our feet, isn’t it still there?”

Zhong Zhengyuan paused, then chuckled. “Mr. Chen is absolutely right. The Great Dao in this Mortal World… it’s as simple as this path underfoot.”

In the deep fog, the only thing clear was the road beneath their feet.

Even without knowing the direction, as long as they walked forward, they were treading the path of the Mortal World.

Zhong Zhengyuan increasingly thought this gentleman was a remarkable person.

Last night troubled by events, yet after one night, it seemed as if he had forgotten. Calm and witty as before, no longer bound by mundane worries. Clearly, the Great Dao lay ahead.

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By noon, the fog began to fade.

The two continued walking forward, but everywhere their eyes fell, they saw only desolation.

The tavern beside the Imperial Road stood with its door slightly ajar. Wild grass grew thick around the entrance. Peering inside, a thick layer of dust covered everything inside – it seemed abandoned for a long time.

In the distance, the once-tilled fields lay bleak and deserted, also untended for many seasons. After walking tens of miles, they saw no sign of people.

This world – it was too chaotic!

Scanning the area, they saw a small village just past the quarter, holding four or five houses. Upon entering, they found it long since empty. Inside, things were tossed about in chaos and disarray, as if smashed in a struggle.

“No one here…” Zhong Zhengyuan said quietly.

Chen Changsheng observed, “A chaotic age brings rampant bandits. This place likely met disaster.”

Zhong Zhengyuan raised his hand. Three Copper Coins fell into his palm. He shook them gently and glanced at the resulting trigrams.

“Mr. Chen hit the mark.”

Zhong Zhengyuan explained, “Not far from here lies Mount Tengxing. A group of bandits has set up camp there. Combined with recent warfare, the officials have no spare effort to manage such matters. Thus, this gang has grown even bolder. Sometimes, they even storm villages to loot money and valuables. Over time, this area lost all residents… and the fields became wasteland.”

Chen Changsheng mused, “We might even be drawing their notice if we keep walking.”

Zhong Zhengyuan thought for a moment. “What does Mr. Chen propose we do?”

Chen Changsheng also pondered briefly. “That depends on just how brave they are.”

Zhong Zhengyuan smiled knowingly. “Exactly. Exactly.”

The two continued forward.

The path ahead grew distinctly narrower. Lush forests pressed close on either side, the road itself squeezed between two thickly wooded hillsides. This dense cover was perfect for hiding.

Behind one particular tree among the forest, a pair of eyes peered towards the path. They watched two figures slowly approaching.

One looked rather shabby. The other wore a Blue Robe, seeming perhaps a well-off man. In truth, though, this Blue Robe fellow was the one completely devoid of silver.

“Second Boss, do we take them?” whispered one.

“Everyone passing through here carries some coin,” came the rough reply.

Chen Changsheng and Zhong Zhengyuan walked on.

Suddenly, movement rustled from the woods flanking the path.

“HALT!” bellowed a voice.

Chen Changsheng looked up. From the left woods, two brawny men holding Long Sabers emerged. At the same moment, two more stepped out from the right woods.

The way forward and back was now blocked.

Chen Changsheng and Zhong Zhengyuan exchanged a glance – precisely as expected.

CLANG.

Four gleaming Long Sabers pointed directly at the two of them.

The lead bandit curled his lips in an ugly smirk. “My brothers wait here on the roadside, looking for business. Seems you two walked straight into us. My apologies… for the inconvenience.”

Chen Changsheng asked calmly, “Good sirs, I, Chen, must confess… I forgot to bring money when I left home. I truly have no silver on me now.”

“No silver?” Bandit Second Boss – Qiao Laoer – frowned. He stepped forward, his saber lifting instantly to rest against Chen Changsheng’s neck. “Got money now?”

Zhong Zhengyuan looked at the bandit. Of everyone you could have threatened… you pick Mr. Chen? He watched Qiao Laoer, a sliver of pity in his gaze.

“If you, honorable one, doubt my word, you are welcome to search me,” Chen Changsheng said evenly.

Qiao Laoer kept the blade at Chen Changsheng’s throat but gestured for one of his men to proceed with the search.

Chen Changsheng cooperated fully, raising his arms and letting the fierce-looking bandit examine him thoroughly.

The ferocious giant patted down Chen Changsheng from head to toe. Finally, he produced… a single Copper Coin.

“You told us NO silver! What is THIS?!” screamed the bandit. He shook the coin in Chen Changsheng’s face, pressing the Long Saber harder against his neck as if ready to strike him down.

Chen Changsheng remained undisturbed. “Perhaps… I simply forgot about this one. Besides… a single coin? Having it or not makes little difference, wouldn’t you say?”

“Enough of your nonsense!” Qiao Laoer snapped. Seeing how utterly calm the man remained unsettled him. Travelers facing bandits should be terrified. This man stood unnervingly composed.

Qiao Laoer turned his attention sharply to Zhong Zhengyuan. “Search HIM too!”

Zhong Zhengyuan discreetly used his Daoist Arts to conceal his coin purse.

This was his teahouse money for the journey. There was no way he’d let this band of thieves steal it from him.