Immortal Shackles

Qingyang Town was a barren little settlement nestled against the western edge of the Ten-Thousand Mountains, bordering the Wu Kingdom. Here, an unremarkable community of people went about their ordinary lives.

It was early summer, and as the sun crested the horizon, a faint coolness lingered in the morning air. Yet the residents of the town had long since risen, already bustling with the day’s work. Shop after shop along the street had thrown open their doors, their owners eager for business.

In a village within Qingyang Town, a group of children, seven or eight years old, chased one another with boisterous laughter. The clear, ringing voices of their playful banter carried through the air.

“Qiuhan, your clothes are filthy again today. Won’t you get scolded when you get home?” Among them, a taller, chubby boy pointed at a smaller, fair-skinned child—Qiuhan. His curious little eyes fixed on Qiuhan, and worry puckered his round, innocent face, making him all the more endearing.

“I won’t,” Qiuhan replied, grinning. “My parents dote on me. Besides, my father promised to buy me a picture book from town today!”

Unlike his worried companion, Qiuhan seemed entirely unfazed.

“That’s because you’re the smartest among us, and you’re an only child. No wonder your parents spoil you. I can’t compare. I’m the dumbest of the lot. Just yesterday, I broke a bowl while washing dishes and my father thrashed me with a cane, not even asking what happened.” The chubby boy’s face flushed with embarrassment and his eyes brimmed with grievance, as if he endured