Chapter 2: Li Family

Chapter 2: Li Family

Li Mutian woke up in the early hours of the morning, his gaze fixed on the dilapidated roof of his house. A faint glimmer pierced through the darkness, a reminder of the small opening that had formed a few days ago.

He did not have the time to repair it, which led to three nights of restless sleep. Beside him, his wife lay deeply asleep, prompting a deep sigh from Li Mutian.

“She might not be aware of what’s going on, but these past few days have been wild. Those immortals around Mount Dali are going crazy, turning the place upside down as if they’re on some kind of treasure hunt. Everyone’s terrified. All they can do is kneel and bow their heads to the ground whenever those streaks of light pass by...”

Frowning, Li Mutian’s mind was fraught with worries. At the foot of Mount Dali, their small village had always been tranquil. However, recent events had cast a shadow of fear over everyone.

“The mountain roads are narrow and secluded. The imperial court is too far away to be concerned, and we’re usually fine with that. But... a battle among immortals? Their immortal techniques could easily wipe out the entire Lijing Village without sparing even a single soul.”

Unable to sleep any longer, Li Mutian got up and peered out the window into the dark night.

“My boys’ appetite grows day by day. They eat more with every meal. I’ll catch some fish and crabs at Meiche River tomorrow.”

“No one can escape their fate, even if it means being killed by an immortal. The Li family has worked hard on these barren lands for over two hundred years. We can’t just up and leave.”

With a shake of his head, Li Mutian turned and left his house with hands clasped behind his back.

Outside the house, the brown dog was still sleeping. Li Mutian walked through the gentle morning mist, observing Lijing Village as it awoke—the sound of chickens, the barking of dogs, and the smoke rising from the houses.

“Xiangping—!” Li Mutian called out loudly toward the side house. He heard some noises inside before the door creaked open and a teenager burst out.

“Father!” Li Xiangping, a decent-looking boy with mischievous eyes, tilted his head as he looked up at Li Mutian and asked, “What will we be doing today?”

Li Mutian waved his hand and said, “We’re going to Meiche River to fetch some river fish and crabs. There’s not much work today. Let’s bring some fresh flavors home for your mother.”

“Yes, Father!”

Li Xiangping grabbed a rope basket and a long fork, ready to set off.

With a hearty laugh, Li Mutian headed toward the fields.

————

The Meiche River was both shallow and wide, its banks lined with large amounts of mudflats and reeds.

The object was a palm-sized plate, with a bluish-gray center and a dark iron frame.

It was broken into several pieces, held together only by the frame. The back was engraved with strange symbols that Li Xiangping could not decipher.

“This looks a little like my aunt’s mirror," he mused. His aunt, who owned the largest field in the family, was the only one in the village who could afford such a luxury. Ordinary village girls had to make do by looking at their reflection in the water.

Li Xiangping remembered his mother taking him to see it when his aunt first acquired it—indeed, it was more convenient than relying on water.

Yet the piece in his hands was a far cry from that mirror—murky and blurry. Shaking his head in disappointment, Li Xiangping tossed it into his basket and turned back to his fishing.

————

Lu Jiangxian had been submerged in water for nearly half a month. Starting from the third day, the moonlight’s energy had stagnated, showing no signs of increase.

Despite a week of effort, there was no growth. He could only make himself glow.

One morning, as his gaze lingered absentmindedly at a large green fish, a hand suddenly pressed the fish into the silt. With a swift movement, the hand seized the fish by its gills and lifted it.

Lu Jiangxian, still grappling with the shock of seeing a living person for the first time, watched as a large hand scooped him up.

He caught sight of a rather handsome face and felt a flicker of nervousness. The boy uttered a few unintelligible words and tossed him into a basket, leaving him to stare at the wide eyes of the green-tailed fish inside.

It was at that moment, Lu Jiangxian realized a serious problem—he could hear, but he might not understand.

The local dialect sounded similar to the Fujian and Zhejiang dialects from his previous life, which were completely foreign to him. Even if he managed to speak, the likelihood was that the locals would not understand him either, thus complicating his integration into this new world.

Observing the fish being thrown into the basket one after another, Lu Jiangxian focused, probing his surroundings.

He watched the boy carefully raise the long wooden fork in his hand. From this vantage point, Lu Jiangxian had a rough idea of what this boy was thinking and the specific fish that had captured his attention.

Every time the boy caught a fish, Lu Jiangxian saw him murmuring to himself. In no time, Lu Jiangxian learned the specific pronunciations of numbers three to six and the names of different fish species. Each catch provided a valuable learning opportunity, all thanks to the boy’s self-talk.

I guess I’ll take it one step at a time.

Watching the boy get up and leave, he sighed. The child seemed to be from a farming family, so perhaps he would offer what he found to his parents.

Lu Jiangxian’s plan was to engage with more people to gradually learn the local dialect. Meanwhile, he would seek ways to amass the energy of the moonlight while ensuring his own safety.