Chapter 52: The Microscopic World

Year three of the Zhen Guan era, May.

In the regions of Jiangnan, the weather was gradually growing hotter. Across the great Tang empire, drought afflicted many prefectures and counties. Officials from various locales submitted petitions to the imperial court, requesting assistance from the Ministry of Revenue to distribute funds and grain for disaster relief, thereby strengthening the foundation of the dynasty.

The Emperor Taizong, seeking rain for the people, personally journeyed to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to Heaven. At the White Dragon Pool, he scattered ten thousand strings of copper coins. The next day, he issued an edict exempting all drought-stricken regions from taxes for one year. This act deeply won the people's hearts, and the prestige of the Tang court and Emperor Taizong was unparalleled.

However, Raozhou, being close to Lake Poyang, remained blessed with favorable weather and was unaffected by the drought. Its villages and towns were nestled in scenic mountains and waters, enjoying a particularly pleasant climate.

Huanggang Village lay in the southeast of Raozhou, less than a hundred miles from Lake Poyang. The village was backed by two large mountains, with a great river flowing before it and vast wetlands to the west.

At dawn, Lu Xin awoke from unconsciousness, finding himself lying on an old wooden bed. He looked around; the room was bright and spacious, with only a few chairs neatly arranged in the corners.

The door was open, and two windows let in sunlight and gentle breezes, creating a comfortable atmosphere. The scene caused Lu Xin to freeze in surprise. In that moment, it seemed as if he had returned to two years ago, to Grandpa Tu's home in Xiaoxi Town.

Lu Xin shook his head, still feeling pain. He tried to sit up but could not muster the strength. His memories before fainting were unclear; he only recalled that Yue Buhei seemed to have transformed into a fox demon at the last moment, stirring up monstrous waves in the river. He himself had fallen into the water from the broken seabird ship.

Though he did not know what had happened, he was certain this place was not the Shangxuan Heavenly Sect.

“It seems I was rescued. I wonder how the fox and the Yang sisters are, whether they escaped Huang Yu Yi’s pursuit…”

Lu Xin’s heart jolted at the thought, and he turned to search for the Wandering Immortal Sword. Yet neither on the bed nor anywhere in the room could he find it, causing his expression to darken as he struggled to rise.

The Yin-Yang Wandering Immortal Sword was a divine weapon coveted even by the sect master of the Shangxuan Heavenly Sect and other masters of the Divine Realm, who would set aside their dignity to seize it. Its importance was beyond question. Moreover, as a swordsman, nothing in the world attracted Lu Xin more than a divine sword.

“Are you looking for it?”

A voice, tinged with age and melancholy, sounded from outside the door. Lu Xin looked up to see an elder with white hair and youthful features, holding the Wandering Immortal Sword and walking slowly toward him. In his other hand, he carried a bowl emitting a rich aroma of herbal medicine that soon filled the room.

“Grandpa, was it you who saved me?”

“No, it was the sword that saved you.”

The elder wore a green robe, his face radiant, betraying no definite age. After putting down the sword, he sat by the bed and gestured for Lu Xin to drink the medicine.

“You were poisoned and unconscious for nine days and nights. Fortunately, there was an immortal herb in these mountains that can cure all poisons. This is the last bowl. Drink it, and in an hour, you’ll be able to rise.”

“Thank you, elder. But… why do you say it was the sword that saved me?”

The medicine the elder brewed was not bitter; instead, it carried a faint fragrance of fresh grass. Lu Xin drank it in one gulp and began to ask about his rescue. According to the elder, nine days ago, heavy rain fell throughout Raozhou. As the river in the village swelled, he went to set bamboo traps at the river's entrance to catch fish. Along the way, he discovered a youth floating on the water, and the only reason the boy had not sunk was that a floating divine sword was supporting his body.

During their conversation, Lu Xin noticed the elder’s demeanor was utterly calm, showing no emotion. His voice, besides its melancholy, held a serenity and detachment as if he had seen through worldly affairs. When speaking of the floating sword, his tone was not even tinged with surprise—clearly not an ordinary villager.

Shortly after Lu Xin finished the medicine, the elder departed, saying he needed to travel afar. He warned Lu Xin, still recovering from illness, not to undertake long journeys, advising him to stay in the village for a few days. Lu Xin wished to ask about the elder’s identity but could not find the chance. After another hour, his strength returned, just as the elder had said, and he was able to get out of bed.

Stepping outside, he saw a vast green meadow surrounded by dense bamboo groves, fragrant flowers, and birdsong. The house was clearly built on the mountain, with a steep path leading down to the left.

Though he could walk, Lu Xin was still weak. He decided to recuperate in the mountains for a few days before searching for the scholar and the fox.

From what the elder said, Huanggang Village was still within Raozhou, indicating it was not far from where he had fallen into the river that night. This area was still under the Shangxuan Heavenly Sect’s influence. Lu Xin dared not wander far, so after limbering up in the mountains, he returned to the house, retrieved the Wandering Immortal Sword, and practiced his sword techniques on the lawn.

Gradually, he noticed astonishing changes in himself. First, his perception of his surroundings was different. His eyesight was sharper, and his hearing keener. While practicing, he could even sense ants crawling beneath the grass at his feet—a phenomenon he had never experienced before.

Despite recovering from a serious illness, his sword forms now flowed smoothly, where once they had been awkward. His body felt lighter, and his arms and legs stronger.

“Uncle Wu once said that when the Miao Bi Sword Technique reaches perfection, inner strength opens the eight extraordinary meridians, sharpening the six senses and greatly enhancing sight and hearing. Have I broken through? Impossible… My swordsmanship is far from mastery. How could I possess such power?”

Lu Xin was both surprised and delighted. The changes in his body were clearly good, but he could not understand why.

Closing his eyes, he sat cross-legged on the grass and emptied his mind. Soon, his ears were filled with the sounds of insects and birds. These sounds were not unusual—any mountain would have them—but unlike before, Lu Xin could distinguish calls from more than a dozen bird species. The insect sounds too, at least dozens of different kinds hidden among the grass and trees.

This was clearly a kind of microscopic perception, not merely enhanced hearing, but an elevation of his insight into the world.

“What is happening? Even if I don’t look, the outline of the world appears in my mind. Ants beneath the grass, bees in the flowers, moths on the bamboo leaves…”

When he quieted his thoughts, Lu Xin could sense everything happening around him with a mere shift of intention. These images formed in his mind as easily as breathing.

“At the pinnacle of martial arts, all meridians are open, and one can sense the changes of internal organs and blood flow by thought… If I understood Uncle Wu correctly, what I see now should be the world within my body.”

When Lu Xin’s mind reached utmost stillness, an elliptical world appeared deep in his consciousness—dim and chaotic, like the dawn of creation. At its center, a pale azure vortex slowly rotated. Above it, a wisp of flame hovered, like a star in the night sky.

“Could this be the vortex of magical power the fox spoke of?”

Lu Xin opened his eyes, and the vision vanished. He could not explain what had happened to him, and could only wait until he found Yue Buhei and the others to seek answers.

Life in the mountains was leisurely and quiet. Huanggang Village was small, and the elder’s house, built high on the mountain, was almost untouched by visitors. Each day, Lu Xin hunted wild game for meals, cooked, and practiced swordsmanship, living freely. Five days passed, but the elder did not return. Seeing his health fully restored, Lu Xin decided to descend the mountain and search.

After all, the elder had rescued him from the water and cured his corpse poison. Though he could never repay such kindness, he wished at least to express his gratitude before leaving.

According to the previous plan, as long as Yue Buhei’s group escaped the Shangxuan Heavenly Sect’s pursuit, they would follow the Yang sisters toward Miao territory. Yet they had angered Huang Yu Yi, and Yue Buhei had transformed into his true fox form; a clash was inevitable. Once violence broke out, the sect would not rest, and Yue Buhei’s group could be recaptured and brought back to Longcheng in Dengzhou.

Lu Xin decided that after descending the mountain, he would visit Raozhou City, since it was the sect’s domain and perhaps he could learn some news.

After leaving the mountain, he searched the village but did not find the elder. He then took a boat to the town; the post station had carriages directly to Raozhou City, but Lu Xin was penniless and had to walk alongside the carriage. Strangely, after walking for two hours, he felt no fatigue, and his steps were swift, even faster than the horses.

He arrived at Raozhou City just at mealtime. Bringing two wild pheasants and a rabbit he had hunted to a tavern, the proprietor paid him thirty coins and served two side dishes and a pot of wine. Lu Xin ate while gazing from the second-floor window onto the busiest street in Raozhou, bustling with people from all walks of life. He hoped to spot disciples of the Shangxuan Heavenly Sect and perhaps learn the whereabouts of Yue Buhei and the others.

“Brother, we’ve reached Raozhou City. Isn’t it time you told us the location of the ancient tomb? And such an important tomb—where did you learn of it?”

“Yes, Senior Cao. It’s not that we don’t trust you, but the six of us traveled in secret all the way from Henan, crossing mountains and rivers. We can’t return empty-handed. But this tomb belongs to Qin Xiao, the chief disciple of Guan Lu, and concerns the whereabouts of the Sitiandu Inkstone. I feel there’s more to this than meets the eye.”

“Guan Lu? Sitiandu Inkstone? Is that the Sitiandu Inkstone, one of the Five Divine Weapons?”

Lu Xin had just taken a few bites and was about to pour himself wine when the conversation drifting to his ears abruptly froze him in place.