A dim yellow oil lamp flickered on the table, illuminating several pairs of eyes fixed intently on the surface. Li Gengye tossed an old talisman, long devoid of spiritual energy, casually to one side. From his bosom, he fished out several colorful beast bones and feathers, and finally, with great care, retrieved a shard of glazed glass that refracted a faint glimmer under the lamplight.
"This talisman saved my life in the army years ago, but now it's nothing but waste paper; these bones and feathers are ornaments from a Mountain Barbarian Shaman and are worth some silver." Li Gengye lowered his voice, his finger pressing on the glazed shard, his expression solemn. "As for this piece of glazed glass, if Second Uncle asks about it tomorrow, just say Xiang Ping found it in the river. No matter what that scoundrel Li Yesheng saw, we insist it's just a pretty stone."
Li Tongyan took the glazed shard his father handed him, rubbed it between his fingers for a moment, then swiftly stowed it away.
"Rest assured, Father. Second Uncle is a reasonable man; he won't bicker over such a small matter," Li Changhe chimed in from the side, his tone carrying a hint of relief.
"That Li Yesheng, on the other hand, is a good-for-nothing rascal," Li Tongyan scoffed, a flash of disdain in his eyes.
Li Gengye didn't respond. Instead, he reached out and placed the ancient, simple Xuanjian squarely in the center of the table. The mirror's surface was deep and obscure, as if hiding endless secrets, reflecting the grave faces of everyone present.
"The items are all here, but the key lies in how to use this treasure. If we can't figure out the trick, all this fuss will be like drawing water with a bamboo basket—a waste of effort."
Inside the mirror world, Lu Chenyuan heard the conversation outside clearly. Though trapped here, unable to move, his mind had long since calculated the situation clearly. To escape his predicament, to seek a sliver of hope on this long road of immortality, he could only rely on the manpower and resources of the Li family for now.
Although the Li family were farmers of humble origin with shallow roots, the father and sons were all exceptional. The father, Li Gengye, was bold and resourceful; the eldest son, Changhe, was smooth and generous; the second son, Tongyan, was brave and decisive; even the two younger ones showed a clever spark. For him, currently without hands or feet, they were simply the best possible partners.
Should he give up just because of a little difficulty, let himself be thrown back into the river like trash, and fall silent for another hundred years?
"Regardless, let's guide them north to scout the path, even if it's just a distant glance." Lu Chenyuan moved his thoughts, directing the airflow within his body to surge toward the upper left corner of the mirror.
Inside the room, the Li brothers had gathered around the Xuanjian, fiddling with it for a long time, but they couldn't find the key. The mirror surface felt cool to the touch, like moonlight, but it could neither be blown nor sucked; it felt like nothing more than a cold iron plate.
It wasn't until Li Yunping reached out and gently stroked the mirror surface that Lu Chenyuan cooperated by channeling spiritual power. Suddenly, a beam of light lit up in the upper left corner of the mirror. Li Yunping jumped in fright, his hand shaking so much he nearly dropped it, crying out in alarm.
Li Tongyan was quick-eyed and quick-handed; he leaned in for a closer look. He saw a bright white arc of light rise in the upper left corner of the mirror—thin on the sides and thick in the middle, extremely wondrous. It only faded slowly after several breaths.
"Brother, it lit up! It really lit up!" Li Yunping lowered his voice, unable to hide his excitement.
Li Tongyan's heart stirred. He took the Xuanjian and, imitating his brother, stroked the mirror surface. Sure enough, the white light lit up again. He then handed the Xuanjian to his father, signaling him to try as well.
Li Gengye and Li Changhe stroked the mirror surface in turn, marveling at the miraculous light.
Li Tongyan, however, was lost in thought. He took the Xuanjian back from his eldest brother, turned his back to the crowd, rotated the mirror, and stroked it again.
"Father, something isn't right." Li Tongyan stared at the fading light in his hand and said in a deep voice, "No matter the angle from which it is stroked, the glowing light seems to always point north. It's like..."
"A compass." Li Gengye's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he uttered these two words.
Inside the mirror, Lu Chenyuan couldn't help but applaud in his heart; this kid was indeed smart, understanding it instantly.
"Since it points the way, let's go take a look at the village entrance." Li Gengye stroked his beard, made a prompt decision, turned around, and ordered, "Bring a slab of cured meat. We're going to visit Mr. Han."
The night grew deep. Li Yesheng rubbed his sleepy eyes, cursing and kicking stones as he walked into his family's front courtyard.
"In the middle of the night, mysteriously hiding some treasure? Those brats treat it like a prize, waving knives around everywhere. I think they have ghosts in their hearts!" He sat down heavily on the grindstone at the entrance, his heart itching like a cat scratching.
"Li Gengye has been fooling around outside for twenty years; who knows how many good things he's hiding! There's definitely a treasure." He calculated secretly, a greedy light flashing in his eyes.
"But those turtle grandsons are as stubborn as donkeys; you can't squeeze a drop of oil out of their fingers. That old man is old and stubborn; he won't loosen his lips even if he dies. Hmph, once Li Gengye dies, how can my share of the family belongings be missing?"
Just as he was thinking, the courtyard gate was pushed open, and his younger brother walked in timidly. Li Yesheng glared, barking viciously:
"You little brat, get over here!"
He grabbed his brother's collar and shoved him violently to the ground. The brother rolled around in a sorry state, terrified and curling into a ball, daring not to make a sound.
"I heard you're pretty close with that dog Li Yunping? Tomorrow, go to his house and steal two melons for me. If you don't do it, I'll break your legs!" Li Yesheng pointed at his brother's nose and cursed viciously.
The night breeze was slightly cool. Li Gengye led his three children through the village alleys, traveling from the tail of the village to the head. Beside the road, a few households that hadn't slept yet had people leaning against their doorframes to rest. Seeing them pass, they greeted them with a smile:
"Uncle