Fusheng was a fangshi.
He had been abandoned as a child, with no knowledge of his parents or hometown. He was picked up by a master who was also a fangshi, and thus began walking the same path as his teacher.
In the eyes of the common people, fangshi were mysterious and strange. They were seen as disciples of immortals, learning immortal arts, refining elixirs, able to turn stone into gold and condense water into ice, living long lives and enjoying high respect…
But those within the trade knew the truth.
Fangshi themselves were well aware that all this talk of being disciples of immortals, cultivating immortal techniques, and refining elixirs—was fake!
It was all just trickery to fool the world!
Those so-called immortal arts were nothing but rumors they deliberately spread to craft the image of being transcendent figures.
As for turning stone into gold and condensing water into ice—once you knew the tricks and had a little showmanship, even a child could be made into a little “immortal boy”!
Fusheng had been such a “little immortal boy” in his youth.
But back then, he didn’t actually know any “immortal arts.” His master kept everything secret, worried that if he taught the disciple everything, the master would starve. He said he’d wait until Fusheng was of age before teaching him.That kind of thinking was actually quite normal.
In this world, anyone wanting to learn real skills from a master often spent seven or even ten-plus years waiting for the master’s approval before getting access to real knowledge.
But Fusheng was the exception.
Because he was truly an exceptionally clever person.
All those “techniques” his master had hidden away and refused to teach—Fusheng had already secretly figured them out on his own by the age of ten!
Why adding saltpeter to water made it freeze, why cinnabar when burned became mercury, and then changed back to cinnabar again, why igniting saltpeter produced purplish-blue smoke instead of yellow-orange… Fusheng didn’t understand the scientific principles, but he had learned all the “immortal arts” and their uses nonetheless.
Fusheng had a good memory and liked to think. After his master’s death, Fusheng, who had fully digested all of his master’s life’s work, compiled all the materials, processes, and results of these “immortal arts” into records.
He clearly understood there were no real immortals in the world, yet he was obsessed with these so-called “immortal arts.”
In order to preserve them from being lost—and to obtain more resources for further research—Fusheng took in many disciples.
The place where he taught these disciples and carried forward the “immortal arts” was Mount Lu Fushan.
—
In Ziyang County, inside the County Magistrate’s office, Wei Yu was having a lively chat with two so-called immortal masters.
Or rather, it was a one-sided conversation from Wei Yu.
The two “immortal masters” were so annoyed their faces had turned green.
As soon as they entered the office, Wei Yu pointed at the pale-looking Xiao Anzi and asked the two masters:
“This is my page boy. He’s been sick lately and is in poor health. What do you two immortal masters think?”
The two glanced at Xiao Anzi.
One, with white hair and a childlike face, called herself Yuan Qiuzi; the other, with salt-and-pepper hair, was named Xuan Lingzi.
Yuan Qiuzi immediately declared that Xiao Anzi was possessed by evil spirits, and should not take medicine. With one of their pills and a talisman-infused drink, he would recover.
She spoke with such conviction and structure that it all sounded very plausible. If Wei Yu hadn’t known Xiao Anzi was just exhausted from overwork, he might have actually believed it.
Yuan Qiuzi went on at length, but Wei Yu didn’t respond. Instead, he asked if there was a way to achieve immortality.
This was a question every fangshi encountered. When asked, Wei Yu keenly noticed a slight relaxation in both their expressions.
Ah—more nonsense incoming.
The two masters began their performance.
Yuan Qiuzi said: “To seek immortality is extremely difficult. The path is perilous—it goes against the heavens, seizing the essence of creation, stealing the secrets of the sun and moon. Even spirits and gods cannot tolerate it…”
Xuan Lingzi added: “To refine an elixir of immortality is harder than ascending to heaven. Once the elixir is completed, heavenly thunder will strike you. If you survive, your life will match the heavens; if not, you die instantly…”
They spoke back and forth, with lofty, ethereal airs. Aside from Wei Yu, everyone else present—including Fang Sheng—had fallen under their spell. Judging by Xiao Anzi’s expression, he even seemed somewhat convinced.
Wei Yu smiled.
He didn’t ask whether their elixir could really grant immortality. He simply had someone bring over the pair’s small wooden box, then asked for the medicine they claimed could cure Xiao Anzi.
His manner was too direct, his eyes too clear. He showed none of the reverence of someone begging for a cure. He was nothing like the desperate commoners who had come before.
Yuan Qiuzi and Xuan Lingzi knew this young man wasn’t easily fooled. They didn’t understand why he was asking for medicine even though he clearly didn’t believe them. Still, they had no choice but to maintain their lofty airs and pulled out a bottle from the wooden box and placed it on the table.
Xiao Anzi took the medicine and handed it to Wei Yu.
Wei Yu opened the bottle and poured out the pill inside.
There was only one—and as soon as it dropped out, it gave off a strong smell of heavy metals.
Wei Yu’s brows lifted slightly. He picked up the pill and examined it, then asked, “Did you two personally refine this?”
Before they could answer, Wei Yu sniffed the pill and smiled, “This contains galena and saltpeter, doesn’t it? Maybe even gold dust, silver powder, perhaps a bit of arsenic or mercury?”
The two “immortal masters”: !!!
Xiao Anzi and the others were stunned.
Yuan Qiuzi stammered, “You… how do you know that?!”
Wei Yu put the pill back in the bottle and smiled without replying.
Didn’t ancient fangshi always refine pills like this?
Their goal was immortality. They believed that minerals used in metallurgy were solid and enduring, far more long-lasting than any living thing. So they turned them into medicine to “refine the human body.” It was similar in concept to the still-popular saying: “You are what you eat.”
Wei Yu’s words, exposing the pill’s contents, left the two “immortal masters” flustered.
The ingredients used in pill-making were usually closely guarded secrets. If someone could identify them, they were either in the trade—or out to ruin it.
As if he hadn’t noticed their discomfort, Wei Yu continued casually, “I often hear people say fangshi can turn stone into gold. I never believed it—because I can do it too.”
Everyone: …?
“Oh, not turn stone into gold exactly—that’s a bit much. But I can turn silver into gold. Mix lime, sulfur, and boy’s urine, boil it into water, then dip silver in it. After a while, you get gold. Isn’t that right, Master?”
Yuan Qiuzi, who actually could turn silver into gold: !!
Facing her shocked expression, Wei Yu added with a smile, “Oh, actually, it’s not really turning silver into gold. If you cut it open, it’s still silver inside.”
Yuan Qiuzi: …
Crumbling.
It was just silver sulfide oxidizing and changing color—a basic principle of alchemy.
Then Wei Yu turned to the uneasy Xuan Lingzi and asked with a grin, “Master, not only can I turn silver into gold—I can catch ghosts too. If I spit some water on the ground, red footprints will appear. Want to see?”
The red footprints were drawn beforehand with turmeric water. Spit on them with wood ash water and the alkaline solution turns the turmeric red—a simple pH indicator trick.
Xuan Lingzi, who also knew one color-changing trick: equally crumbling.
The two “immortal masters”: Is this guy trying to destroy our livelihood or what?!