A Mortal’s Immortal Gourd
Chapter 8: Master Li the Half-Immortal

Ergouzi found everything in town interesting and full of novelty.

At this moment, he wandered to a fortune-telling stall.

Seated behind the stall was an old man with a white beard, half-squinting at passersby. Beside him stood a flag with three large characters written on it.

"Mu Banshan."

Ergouzi read the words on the flag softly.

"You there, young man, I can see that you have exceptional bones. You’ll achieve greatness in the future!"

The old man behind the fortune-telling stall spoke while still squinting, sitting as steadily as a mountain.

"Sir, are you talking to me?"

Ergouzi looked around and confirmed he was the only one there.

"However, despite your fine bones, you lack the guidance of a true master. I'm afraid you’ll accomplish nothing."

Hearing the old man speak so eloquently, like a private school teacher, Ergouzi felt a surge of respect.

"Please, master, enlighten me!"

"Today, I shall first teach you to recognize two characters."

"Look here, the three characters on the flag—the first has a child under a tree, it's pronounced 'Li'; the last has a person on a mountain, pronounced 'Xian'."

The old man pointed to each character on the flag, explaining them to Ergouzi.

"Li Banxian!"

Ergouzi repeated softly, his face flushing with embarrassment. He realized he had misread two out of three characters.

"So you’re the famous Master Li the Half-Immortal!"

Li the Half-Immortal was a learned man who could write and calculate. His reputation was well-known in all the villages within ten miles.

Whenever people suffered headaches, crying babies, weddings, funerals, or needed an auspicious date, they’d come to him. It was said he was truly mystical.

"Just an empty title, not worth mentioning."

"Youth, I see that your forehead is full and your facial features are balanced. You were meant for wealth and status, but alas… sigh!"

Master Li stopped mid-sentence, stroked his beard, and let out a sigh with a mysterious expression.

Ergouzi felt deeply moved—he was spot on. No wonder people called him a living immortal.

If his parents hadn’t died suddenly, and if the family’s dozens of acres of land remained, he’d at least be considered moderately well-off.

Sigh!

Just as Ergouzi was about to continue asking Master Li for guidance, a drumbeat sounded from the end of the street.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The sound came closer. Ahead, gongs and drums roared, and the crowd buzzed. Many rushed forward to join the commotion.

Ergouzi, being a curious youth, immediately set aside thoughts of fate and followed the crowd.

More and more people gathered, packing the street. Even Master Li stood on his stall, tiptoeing to watch.

From the crowd’s conversations, Ergouzi gathered what was going on.

It turned out that the martial exam results were out today, and someone from Sanchazi Town had passed the military xiucai exam.

Ergouzi had limited knowledge but knew that a xiucai was a very impressive official, not just an ordinary person. Shexi Village hadn’t produced one in a hundred years.

As for what kind of person it was exactly, as someone who fed pigs, chopped firewood, and farmed, he’d never had the chance to meet one.

"I wonder which family’s ancestral tomb is smoking green smoke—they got a xiucai!"

"A xiucai doesn’t kneel to officials, is exempt from corvée labor, pays less tax, and brings glory to the family…"

At this moment, the onlookers tiptoed eagerly, faces full of envy.

Naturally, some dreamers among them even entertained thoughts of taking the martial exam themselves.

"I want to learn martial arts too! I want to take the exam…"

"Keep dreaming. The first test in the martial xiucai exam is to lift a 500-jin stone. Do you think you have that kind of strength?"

Ergouzi listened from the side, feeling envious and full of yearning. Carrying one shi of rice nearly killed him; who could possibly have such strength?

Curious, he squeezed into the crowd and stood on tiptoe to look.

"Bang! Bang bang bang…"

The gong led the way, followed by a group of people surrounding a youth.

The youth had a broad face and big ears, a large red flower on his chest, and walked with high spirits!

It was none other than his older male cousin, Zhang Youliang!

At that moment, Zhang Youliang beamed with pride, surrounded by a dozen local gentry trying to curry favor.

While exchanging pleasantries with the gentry, Zhang Youliang suddenly spotted Ergouzi in the crowd.

Ergouzi had taken too many beatings since he was young and had recently retaliated against Zhang Youxin. When their eyes met, his first instinct was to shrink back.

However, with so many people around, Zhang Youliang clearly had no intention of settling scores. His gaze swept past Ergouzi, then he continued mingling with the others.

But Ergouzi could still feel the contempt in Zhang Youliang’s eyes—it was as if he no longer even deserved to be acknowledged.

He stood among the crowd, watching as Zhang Youliang was surrounded by gentry, paraded around town with gongs and drums, and then headed in the direction of Shexi Village.

"Master Li, I want to take the martial xiucai exam too. Is there a way…"

……

On the way home, Ergouzi balanced a large iron pot on his head.

He wore a brand-new cotton jacket and cotton pants—warm and comfortable—and had over 1,000 copper coins hidden at his waist.

In all his years, he’d never been this well-off. Normally, he’d be jumping three feet high with joy.

But today, no matter what, he couldn’t feel happy.

Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it was hatred. Either way, seeing his cousin become a martial xiucai made him feel deeply bitter.

His uncle had seized the land left by his parents. Dagouzi had died under mysterious circumstances. He himself was living on pig feed, barely surviving in his uncle’s house.

Now that his cousin had become a xiucai—an official—how could a mere tenant like him even compare?

But then again, if his cousin could pass, why couldn’t he?

He’d just asked Master Li in town—turns out the government held an exam every year. As long as you paid a fee, you could participate.

Ergouzi had even spent 10 copper coins to have Master Li read his fortune.

Master Li was so shocked by his fate that he tried to return the money.

He said something about divine secrets not to be revealed, and he’d rather not make the money.

Ergouzi said many good things and added another 20 copper coins.

Only then did Master Li take a huge risk, breaking his ancestral oath and revealing a bit of his fate.

According to Master Li, Ergouzi’s fate was extraordinarily noble.

With the guidance of a worthy master, his future would be limitless—far beyond just becoming a martial xiucai.

However, to pass the martial xiucai exam, he had to learn martial arts, and currently, he had no way to do so.

Zhang Youliang had only been admitted to Zhengwu Hall after spending a large sum of money and getting a recommendation.

Ergouzi had no choice but to beg repeatedly, even offering his pork, before Master Li finally gave a tiny hint.

It turned out Master Li himself was a reclusive master of hidden talents. He even knew immortal magic—mundane martial arts were child’s play for him.

But Master Li didn’t agree to teach him easily, saying divine secrets couldn’t be revealed, and the Dao couldn’t be lightly passed on.

He had to test Ergouzi’s sincerity—only with utmost sincerity could one move the heavens.

As for how to show sincerity, with Ergouzi’s limited life experience, he really didn’t get it.

Fortunately, Master Li was patient and didn’t mind his slowness. After dropping many hints, he finally made Ergouzi understand.

Though Master Li was a divine figure, above worldly concerns, he still needed an offering to measure one’s sincerity.

And for a commoner like Ergouzi, the best way to show sincerity—was to pay.

First, he had to present a formal apprentice gift and conduct a ceremony.

Then each year, he’d offer ten taels of silver, ten jin of top-quality fatty pork, two jars of fine wine, one shi of premium white rice, one fat chicken, and one large goose.

Master Li wasn’t greedy—he just wanted to see if his sincerity was enough.

But even this show of sincerity was more than Ergouzi could currently afford.

Not to mention, learning martial arts came with daily expenses.

Just look at Zhang Youliang—he ate three meals of white rice a day, each meal several bowls. Every few days, he’d need meat. Without a solid family background, he’d have starved long ago.

Now that he was back at Shekou Mountain, he needed to clear more land, grow more food, and then express his sincerity to Master Li.

Thinking of this, Ergouzi quickened his pace.