Two months later, in Linhai City.

Built along the coast, Linhai City had been merely a small town a century ago. However, as the Great Qi Dynasty’s interactions with the island nation of Dongying across the sea became increasingly frequent in recent years, this place, being the court’s only seaport, naturally flourished. Merchants came and went constantly, goods of all kinds were on display, and the sound of vendors hawking their wares could be heard throughout the streets. The entire city brimmed with vitality and bustling activity.

It was now July, the season of flowing fire, with the sun high in the sky. The teahouses along the street were filled with people seeking refuge from the heat.

“I heard the immortals from Wufang Immortal Mountain have come to our city to recruit disciples,” one man said excitedly. “Ha! Many wealthy families are rushing to send their children there.”

“Indeed, who wouldn’t want their family to produce an immortal master? That’s the path to eternal life – everyone wants a piece of that fortune.”

“Ah, but unfortunately, Wufang Mountain requires an incense fee for accepting disciples. A whole tael of gold! If I had that kind of money, I’d send my daughter too.”

“Hey, just your daughter? What about your son?”

“My son needs to stay home to continue the family line and care for me in my old age. As for my daughter, well, she’ll belong to someone else’s family anyway, so wouldn’t it be better for her to become an immortal?”

The teahouse patrons burst into laughter. An old beggar passing by the entrance heard this and let out a strange laugh. Leading a young beggar of about ten years old, he continued walking while saying, “I don’t think being an immortal is all that great. Living a life devoid of desires – how can that compare to our freedom?”

The young beggar curiously glanced into the teahouse before turning to ask, “Then why do they all want to send their children there?”

“Immortals have great abilities to ascend to heaven and descend into earth. Who among mortals wouldn’t admire that?”

“Ascend to heaven… descend into earth.” The young beggar muttered, bright light flashing in their lively black eyes. “That way, finding someone would be easier.”

The old beggar sat down in a corner, placed his broken bowl in front of him, and looked at the young beggar: “You want to go too? But even if this old beggar sold himself, he wouldn’t be worth a tael of gold. You’d better give up that idea.”

This young beggar was Er Sheng. Two months ago, after leaving Dragon Valley, she had traversed a forest and finally reached an unnamed small town. Penniless and having grown up in an isolated village without learning any survival skills, she had nearly starved to death on the road. It was the kind-hearted old beggar who, seeing Er Sheng’s pitiful state, had shared a salvaged steamed bun with her. Since then, Er Sheng had followed the old beggar, begging their way to Linhai City.

Hearing the old beggar’s words, Er Sheng mumbled, “Beggar Grandfather is my benefactor, I won’t sell you.” Her eyes suddenly lit up as she clapped her hands. “I know – I can sell myself!”

Seeing her joy at the prospect of selling herself, the old beggar smiled, his face full of wrinkles. After thinking for a moment, he nodded: “That idea isn’t bad. This old beggar won’t live much longer anyway, and for a young girl like you, being sold to Wufang Immortal Mountain is certainly better than being sold to the pleasure district.”

Er Sheng knew what the pleasure district was. During her two months traveling with the old beggar, passing through numerous towns and villages, she had witnessed the painful darkness in which people at society’s bottom lived. Er Sheng gradually came to understand many things she hadn’t before and felt grateful that her previous home had been so peaceful and comfortable.

Er Sheng spent the day begging with the old beggar. The next day, after finding out where Wufang Mountain was recruiting, the old beggar gathered all his copper coins and gave them to Er Sheng, patting her head: “Just talk to the immortals properly about being a helper. They shouldn’t make things difficult for you just for that.”

“Don’t worry, Beggar Grandfather. The immortals are kind-hearted, they’re all good people.”

“You talk as if you know them,” the old beggar waved his hand. “Go on then. If it doesn’t work out, come back to find me. This old beggar will be waiting at yesterday’s corner.”

Er Sheng felt her heartache. She reluctantly waved to the old beggar: “I’ll come visit you in the future.”

Wufang’s recruitment site was at a large harbor, with a huge ship anchored offshore. Two tables were set up at the port, where people were collecting money. After paying one tael of gold, the young ladies and gentlemen would be taken for physical examinations. Those in good health were taken directly to the ship, while the weak or sick were returned to their parents, and refused boarding no matter what.

Perhaps because this recruitment was nearing its end, there weren’t many people on the shore. Er Sheng quickly found Wufang’s immortals, who wore white robes with blue patterns. Seeing such clothes reminded her of her time with Chang Yuan, making her nose tingle with emotion, which she quickly suppressed.

“Immortal Brothers!” Er Sheng trotted to the wooden table, smiling as she looked at the two men behind it.

The two men frowned, and one immediately stood up, waving Er Sheng away: “Where did this little beggar come from? This isn’t a place for you to beg. Go away!”

“Immortal Brother! Please listen to me, listen to me!” Er Sheng dodged his hand. “I know you require money to accept disciples, and I don’t have any, but I can come aboard to help with chores.” Er Sheng thought that if she couldn’t be a Wufang disciple, being a helper would do – she might even be able to secretly learn a few spells. She didn’t need to learn much, just enough to track people’s aura and fly with a sword.

The other man, still seated, laughed strangely: “We’re Wufang Immortal Mountain! What can’t we handle with spells? What need do we have for helpers!”

Er Sheng was stunned by these words. She scratched her head and thought for a long while: “Then I could serve the immortals instead.” Serving tea, and giving massages – she could learn to do these properly.

The two immortals exchanged glances before suddenly bursting into laughter: “Little beggar, you’re trying to disrupt our rules.” The man standing behind the table frowned as he looked Er Sheng over: “Looking closer, I see you’re a young girl, and your features aren’t bad.”

Er Sheng instinctively disliked the way he looked her up and down, and moved sideways to avoid his gaze. This movement revealed the sword on her back, causing him to shout: “What are you carrying?”

His sudden shout startled Er Sheng. She quickly hugged the One-Scale Sword to her chest, warily watching the man whose expression had suddenly turned fierce: “Why are you shouting! This is a love token from my husband!”

Love token – this was how Er Sheng had chosen to describe this spiritually powerful sword.

“What husband could you have at your age!” The previously seated man also stood up, his expression equally fierce as he stared intently at Er Sheng, as if on guard.

Er Sheng found it strange – the Wufang immortals she had met before were nothing like these two! Frightened by their threatening manner, she gathered her courage and shouted at them: “You’re not Wufang immortals! Real immortals would never act like this!”

Before she finished speaking, the two men’s expressions changed slightly. They exchanged glances, and killing intent simultaneously appeared in their eyes.

Er Sheng sensed danger and turned to run. But her speed was no match for theirs – after just two steps, her collar was grabbed from behind. The other man lunged forward, his nails suddenly extending as he aimed for Er Sheng’s eyes, clearly intending to blind her.

Terrified and breaking into a cold sweat, Er Sheng clutched the One-Scale Sword to block. She heard a scream, and when she opened her eyes again, the two men had been thrown back by some unknown force, landing one after another on the ground, blood pouring freely from their mouths.

Er Sheng was shocked twice over, staring in horror at the One-Scale Sword in her arms: “What… what kind of treasure did Chang Yuan leave me? I don’t want to kill anyone!”

“Hehe. You’re quite an interesting girl.”

A ghostly wind brushed past Er Sheng’s ear, like a spirit’s soft sigh. Still shaken, she turned around. Ten paces away stood a man in gorgeous clothing, waving a golden folding fan as he examined Er Sheng. He had long eyebrows sweeping into his temples and phoenix eyes that could capture souls. Contrasting with his splendid attire was his deathly pale complexion, like a sheet of crimson paper bleached white in one spot – a shocking sight.

Like a male version of a demon seductress.

This was Er Sheng’s first impression of him.

The man looked Er Sheng over a few times, then nodded: “Clear features, overflowing with spiritual energy – good material. Pity she’s a bit old.” He paused before continuing, “This sword… it’s no ordinary item. How did a little beggar like you obtain it?”

“I told you it’s a love token from my husband!” Er Sheng was angry that people kept forgetting her relationship with Chang Yuan. “And who are you?”

The man raised his eyebrows, seemingly surprised that anyone would dare speak to him this way. In truth, if Er Sheng had been more observant, she would have noticed that since this man’s appearance, the atmosphere had become very strange – even the two severely injured men groaning on the ground had fallen silent.

Er Sheng didn’t know that others felt an inexplicable pressure when facing this man, just as Chen Zhu had when first meeting Chang Yuan.

After his brief surprise, the man curved his lips into a smile and said: “My surname is Kong, and my given name is… Meiren (Beauty).”

Er Sheng had never heard such an awful name. She thought that while the names from her village like Liu Biting (Liu Snot) and Wang Xiaopangzi (Wang Little Fatty) weren’t elegant, they were at least somewhat acceptable to say out loud. They were much better than this self-absorbed “Kong Meiren”. So she said bluntly: “You are indeed beautiful, but for a man to take such a name is terrible.”

“Oh? What would you suggest instead?”

“Something more imposing, like Kong Dananren (Kong Big Man) would be good.”

Beauty’s face instantly showed utter disgust: “Little beggar, though your features are quite delicate, how can you be so crude? You’ve chosen an even worse name than mine. Never mind – considering this is our first meeting, I’ll overlook your offense this time.”

Before Er Sheng could fully process his words, he continued with renewed interest: “You want to cultivate at Wufang?”

“I want to learn magic.”

“Magic.” Beauty pondered for a moment. “I can teach you too. Given your innate special ability, I can take you as my disciple. Come, bow to your master.” As he spoke, he assumed the pose of one expecting a disciple’s kowtow.

But Er Sheng scratched her head and said: “I don’t have any special abilities.”

“Not being afraid of me is the greatest special ability.”

“Beggar Grandfather told me that in this world, things that are too ugly are frightening, and things that are too beautiful are also frightening. But speaking of ugliness, you’re not as ugly as demons, and speaking of beauty, you’re not as beautiful as my husband, so why should I fear you?”

“Not as beautiful as your husband?” Beauty picked out these jarring words and repeated them, his tone shifting several times as anger rose in his expression. “Little beggar, you’re the first one who dared say someone is more beautiful than me.” His form flickered, and he instantly floated to Er Sheng’s side, lifting her chin with a jade-white finger. “Call your husband out then, let him compare with me.”

Er Sheng froze: “I can’t find him.”

Beauty, now burning with anger, grabbed Er Sheng’s collar and walked toward the large ship: “If your husband could give you this sword, he surely can come to save you. I want to see who dares compete with me in beauty!”

Though they couldn’t hear what was being said, when the common people saw the Wufang immortal rough-handling a small beggar, and two immortals injured by the beggar, the parents who had brought their children became hesitant. They formed a distant circle, held back by Beauty’s imposing manner, not daring to approach or speak, but the crowd’s agitated atmosphere was obvious.

Beauty’s eyes turned cold as he called out: “I’m merely capturing a demon who has transformed into human form. What are you afraid of? Watch me subdue her.”

Er Sheng glared at him: “I’m not a demon!”

Beauty smiled, releasing a wave of dark energy: “If I say you are, then you are.”

“You… you’re not a Wufang immortal! None of you are!” Er Sheng finally realized what was wrong. The Wufang immortals she had met before, though different in temperament, were all righteous and proud. They would never call a deer a horse or arbitrarily deceive people.

“Whether we are or not doesn’t matter now – you’ve realized too late.” Beauty smiled maliciously.

Er Sheng, realizing she had been deceived, grew angry. Remembering how Chang Yuan had taught her to use spiritual energy for protection, she gathered golden light at her fingertips, ready to strike at Beauty. Suddenly, the hand gripping her collar turned cold, and the chill ran down her spine and throughout her body. The golden light at Er Sheng’s fingertips dispersed, and she could no longer gather any strength.

Kong Meiren’s expression remained unchanged as he said: “How dare you wave such trivial tricks before this… young master. You’re truly courting death. Consider yourself lucky I won’t punish you since it’s your first offense.”

Only then did Er Sheng realize she had gotten herself into serious trouble.

Kong Meiren brought Er Sheng aboard the ship and threw her into a dark cabin, saying quite willfully: “Wait for your husband to save you. After I compare beauty with him, I’ll let you out, and then you can come kowtow to me as your master.”

His words left no room for discussion – he had already decided everything for Er Sheng.

But this greatly distressed Er Sheng. If Chang Yuan could save her, he would have come already. In the past two months, she had encountered life-threatening difficulties more than once on the road, each time surviving through a combination of luck and desperate measures.

Er Sheng firmly believed that Chang Yuan wouldn’t have abandoned her without reason – he must have encountered some trouble! She had planned to quickly learn magic and then find Chang Yuan to help him.

But now, captured by this person of unknown identity, heaven knew how long she would be delayed!

Just as she was anxiously thinking of ways to escape, suddenly there came a rustling sound from behind her. Er Sheng looked back and, in the light filtering through the cabin window, saw a large burlap sack among a pile of wooden boxes, moving continuously.

Er Sheng blinked at it for a while, and curiosity finally overcame fear. She walked forward and undid the rope tying the burlap sack.

“Ah…” Er Sheng’s eyes widened. “It’s you!”