In Wendeng County lived two men, Zhou Sheng and Cheng Sheng. They were desk-mates from their youth, their friendship as deep as sworn brothers. Cheng Sheng was poor, relying entirely on Zhou Sheng for food and lodging. Being younger, he accepted Zhou Sheng as his elder brother and Zhou's wife as his elder sister-in-law. The two families visited frequently, as close as one household.

Soon after, Zhou Sheng’s wife gave birth, but she died suddenly following the confinement. Zhou Sheng remarried a woman named Madam Wang. Because Madam Wang was young and beautiful, Cheng Sheng, always maintaining propriety, gradually reduced his visits to the Zhou household to avoid any suspicion.

One day, Madam Wang’s younger brother came to visit. Cheng Sheng happened to be there as well, and they gathered for a banquet. Just as the feast was being laid out, a servant rushed in with news: a servant of the Zhou residence had been severely beaten by the County Magistrate.

The cause of the incident was this: Old Master Huang’s cattle driver allowed his oxen to trample and ruin the crops belonging to the Zhou estate. When a Zhou servant went to argue, the situation quickly devolved into a confrontation, which ultimately ended up in court.

Because Old Master Huang had been a high official in the Ministry of Personnel before his retirement, the County Magistrate showed blatant favoritism, ignoring right or wrong, and ordered the Zhou servant to be thrashed with clubs and expelled from the yamen.

When Zhou Sheng learned the full story, he was enraged, cursing, “That surnamed Huang, that pig-herder, dares to push us too far! In the past, his ancestors were merely servants in my household. Now that he has risen to prominence, does he dare to look down on everyone? No, I must settle this score with him.”

Cheng Sheng tried to persuade him, saying, “In this world today, jackals and wolves run rampant, and black and white are indistinguishable. Officials are all impeccably dressed yet possess the hearts of beasts, worse than any robber. If you go, Elder Brother, it will be like striking a rock with an egg. Why invite unnecessary trouble?”

Zhou Sheng retorted, “Though what you say is true, I absolutely cannot swallow this insult. I must go and reason with the magistrate. The County Magistrate is an official appointed by the court; he ought to uphold justice for the people, not bark like a dog all day, only serving the powerful. I will go to the county yamen right now and file a complaint against the Huang family. Let’s see how the magistrate handles it.”

All the servants agreed, “That is exactly what should be done. Let’s go, let’s go file the complaint!”

Cheng Sheng pleaded earnestly, but Zhou Sheng was set on his course and would not listen. He personally drafted a formal complaint, accusing Old Master Huang of tyranny and lawless evil in the region. The County Magistrate, already bribed by Old Master Huang, tore up the document without even reading it upon receipt and ordered his guards to lock Zhou Sheng in the grand prison. Coincidentally, three great bandits were held in that same prison. The Magistrate and Old Master Huang conspired, secretly coercing and tempting the bandits to frame Zhou Sheng, falsely accusing him of being an accomplice to theft. They used this pretext to strip Zhou Sheng of his Xiucai scholar title and subjected him to relentless torture.

When Cheng Sheng heard the news, he visited Zhou Sheng in prison, where Zhou Sheng was filled with deep regret. Cheng Sheng advised him, “Things have reached this point, with the officials protecting each other. If you wish to obtain justice, you must risk your life and appeal directly to the Emperor in the capital city.”

Zhou Sheng sighed, “But I am trapped in this cage, without freedom. How can I appeal to the Emperor? I do have a younger brother, but he is weak in character and unlikely to achieve anything great. The only thing he can do is bring me food in prison every day; I cannot count on him at all.”

Cheng Sheng declared, “If Elder Brother is in trouble, it is my duty as a brother to help. Rest assured, I will travel to the capital to petition the Emperor on your behalf and restore your innocence.” With that, he set off alone for the northern Imperial City.

Upon arriving in the capital, Cheng Sheng learned that the Emperor resided deep within the inner palace, and ordinary folk had no chance of an audience. Dejected, he resorted to seeking redress from the various government departments. However, every official in the capital had some connection to Old Master Huang—either former colleagues or protégés—and none would accept his case. Cheng Sheng was repeatedly rebuffed. When his travel funds ran out, he was forced to wander the streets of the capital, desperately waiting for an opportunity.

After ten months, he finally waited for the Emperor to leave the palace for a hunting excursion. Cheng Sheng was overjoyed. He intercepted the Emperor along his mandated route and laid out the grievances before him. The Emperor proved to be relatively benevolent; after hearing the situation, he immediately commanded the relevant ministry officials to reopen the trial.

Meanwhile, Zhou Sheng, languishing in prison, was subjected to daily harsh interrogations and beatings until he confessed, forced to admit guilt. The County Magistrate secretly instructed the jailers to withhold food from Zhou Sheng, and even forbade his own younger brother from visiting.

By the time the ministry convened for the retrial, Zhou Sheng was weak from starvation. Old Master Huang secretly bribed the chief judge with several thousand taels of silver to plead his case. The judge readily accepted the silver and, to avoid offending either side, smoothly shifted all blame onto the County Magistrate, resulting in the Magistrate's demotion and exile to the frontier, while Zhou Sheng was judged innocent and released on the spot.

Having survived this ordeal, Zhou Sheng became even more respectful of Cheng Sheng. Cheng Sheng, however, was disheartened and resolved to retreat into the mountains to seek enlightenment and the Dao, inviting Zhou Sheng to accompany him before leaving. Zhou Sheng, unable to let go of earthly wealth and the affections of his family, declined.

Cheng Sheng said nothing, departing silently for the deep mountains.

After Cheng Sheng left, no news arrived for several years. Zhou Sheng missed him dearly and sent people everywhere to search, combing through secluded valleys and temples, but found no trace of him. As time passed, the fervor for the search gradually cooled. Remembering that Cheng Sheng had left a son, Zhou Sheng took the boy in, caring for him diligently as repayment for Cheng Sheng’s life-saving kindness in the past.

Eight or nine years later, Cheng Sheng suddenly returned to his hometown, clad in a yellow-hooded cloak, and paid a visit to the Zhou residence. Upon their reunion, Zhou Sheng, seeing his old friend possessing an air of immortal cultivation, was overjoyed and asked with a laugh, “Where have you been all these years, my dear brother, that you caused me such trouble searching for you?”

Cheng Sheng chuckled, “A vagabond cloud, with no fixed abode. Seeing Elder Brother hale and hearty today is cause for joyous celebration.”

Zhou Sheng prepared a banquet and said, “Now that you have returned, my dear brother, you must settle down. It is time to take off that Daoist robe.”

Cheng Sheng smiled without speaking. Zhou Sheng urged him, “Brother, you must not be foolish again. You have a family; how can you disregard old ties and cast aside your wife and child like old shoes?”

Cheng Sheng laughed, “Elder Brother speaks incorrectly. It is that all others abandoned me, not that I abandoned all others.”

Seeing that he would not heed advice, Zhou Sheng changed the subject and asked, “Where have you been cultivating the Dao all these years?”

Cheng Sheng replied, “The Shangqing Palace on Mount Lao.”

After the meal, as dusk settled, the two men slept side-by-side. In the middle of the night, Zhou Sheng dreamt that Cheng Sheng was pressing down on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He hurriedly asked, “What are you doing?” Cheng Sheng offered no reply.

He woke with a start. Looking around the bedroom, the surroundings were utterly still. Cheng Sheng had vanished into thin air at some unknown time. He rubbed his eyes and focused his gaze: he was clearly sleeping on the outer side of the bed, but he had somehow flipped to the inner side—which should have been Cheng Sheng’s place. He muttered to himself, “I wasn't drunk last night, what sorcery is this?”

He grabbed a mirror and looked: his features were completely altered. He had taken on Cheng Sheng’s appearance. He cried out, “Alas! Cheng Sheng is here, but where have I gone?” Frowning in thought, he finally grasped the cause: Cheng Sheng must be playing tricks. He clearly intended for him to follow him into ascetic life, so he was using illusionary arts to torment me, forcing me into a dead end.

Understanding this, he laughed heartily and walked into the bedroom to discuss countermeasures with his wife, but due to the change in his appearance, his wife would not let him enter.

Helpless, he saddled his horse and rode towards Mount Lao to find Cheng Sheng and have the illusion lifted. Arriving at the foot of Mount Lao that day, he encountered a Daoist priest and inquired, “Reverend Sir, have you heard of a man named Cheng Sheng?”

The Daoist smiled, “I seem to recall the name. He is said to be cultivating at the Shangqing Palace.”

A short while later, he met an old classmate who greeted him, “Brother Cheng, long time no see! I heard you climbed the mountain to seek immortality, yet you still wander the mortal world?”

Zhou Sheng quickly corrected him, “Brother Li, you have mistaken me. I am your old friend, Zhou Sheng.” He briefly recounted his strange experience. The man laughed, “So that’s it. By the way, Brother Zhou, why have you come to Mount Lao?”

Zhou Sheng replied, “I am looking for Cheng Sheng. Have you seen him?”

The man replied, “Yes, now that you mention it, I remember. Just now, someone who looked exactly like you, Brother Zhou, went up the mountain. That must have been Cheng Sheng. He left only a short while ago; you should be able to catch him.”

Zhou Sheng thanked him profusely and, without another word, hurried up the mountain to pursue. After walking for some distance, he saw a young Daoist boy sitting by the roadside and asked, “Little one, have you seen Daoist Master Cheng Sheng?”

The boy laughed, “Daoist Master Cheng is my master. You are looking for him, aren't you? Follow me.” The boy led the way with brisk steps, turning sharply—descending the mountain, not heading towards the Shangqing Palace.

They walked incessantly over rugged paths for three days, arriving at a place where it was already early winter, the air growing cold, yet this location was blooming with a hundred flowers, their fragrance filling the air. The boy ushered Zhou Sheng into a grand hall. Cheng Sheng emerged to greet him, setting out a banquet. All around them sat birds and beasts, remarkably unafraid of strangers, occasionally chirping softly, their sounds like melodious music, some even jumping onto the table to play.

Zhou Sheng was inwardly astonished but still clung to the mortal world and did not wish to linger. After drinking, they sat before two meditation cushions on the hall floor. Cheng Sheng invited Zhou Sheng to sit. They sat until the deep hours of the night. When all was silent, Zhou Sheng grew drowsy and dozed off. In a hazy state, he vaguely felt his body and Cheng Sheng’s body swapping places. When he awoke, he touched his chin—a few inches of beard—and he had regained his original appearance.

A few days before dawn, Zhou Sheng rose to take his leave. Cheng Sheng said, “I will escort Elder Brother home. Please close your eyes.”

Zhou Sheng obeyed. He only heard Cheng Sheng say, “I have already prepared your luggage for Elder Brother; let us depart now.” He pointed toward a fork in the path, saying, “This is a shortcut. Elder Brother, follow closely behind your humble brother, don't get lost.” The two stepped onto the path and moved with incredible speed. In less time than it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the Zhou residence was visible in the distance.

At the gate, they found the main door tightly shut. Zhou Sheng invited Cheng Sheng in, but Cheng Sheng refused, saying, “I will wait by the roadside; Brother need not concern himself with me.”

Zhou Sheng nodded and reached out to knock, but there was no response for a long time. Cheng Sheng laughed, “Elder Brother, stop knocking. Sister-in-law is currently engaged in exquisite pleasure and has no time to attend to you. Just walk through the wall.”

Zhou Sheng shook his head, “The wall is solid; how can one pass through?”

Cheng Sheng smiled, “What harm is there in trying?”

Zhou Sheng tested it as bidden, and with just one touch, he passed straight through the wall and into the inner courtyard. Outside his wife's bedroom, he suddenly heard tender words, gasps, and moans. He quickly poked a hole in the window paper and peered in. He saw his wife, Madam Wang, completely naked, having an affair with a servant.

Zhou Sheng was filled with uncontrollable rage, wanting to rush in and catch the adulterers, but fearing he was outnumbered against the illicit pair, he rushed back outside to ask Cheng Sheng for help.

Cheng Sheng readily agreed, drew his sword, and together they kicked open the bedroom door and rushed in to punish the wrongdoers.

The servant, seeing the shining blade, tried to flee but was struck by Cheng Sheng’s swift down-stroke, his arm severed by the sword. Zhou Sheng seized his wife and interrogated her. Only then did he learn: Madam Wang had been licentious from the moment she married in, having secretly enjoyed many trysts with the servant beforehand.

Zhou Sheng stamped his foot in fury, snatched the long sword, sliced off his wife's head, ripped open her belly, and hung her intestines on a tree branch. Afterward, with a bitter smile, he left with Cheng Sheng.

Suddenly, he heard a rooster crow, and Zhou Sheng awoke abruptly on his couch—it had all been a feverish dream. He turned to Cheng Sheng and said, “I had such a nightmare for no reason; it terrified me.”

Cheng Sheng laughed, “What is real in a dream may or may not be real; you will know when you go back and look.” He then showed the sword by his side; bloodstains remained on the blade. What did this signify?

Full of suspicion, Zhou Sheng hurried back to his residence. Cheng Sheng pointed at the front door, saying, “I was waiting for you right here yesterday. I am still waiting for you now. If you do not return after the Shen hour passes, I will have to return alone.”

Zhou Sheng pushed open the door and entered. The rooms were desolate, not a soul in sight. Recalling that his younger brother lived nearby, he hurried to visit. Upon seeing Zhou Sheng, his brother burst into tears, “Elder Brother, since you left home, robbers suddenly arrived last night. They killed Sister-in-law, cutting open her abdomen and tearing out her intestines—a brutal act. I have already reported it to the authorities, but the culprits are still at large.”

Zhou Sheng remained silent for a long time, then sighed, “There is no need to report it. Your sister-in-law was unfaithful, and I killed her. Speaking of which, where is my son?”

The younger brother ordered the wet nurse to bring out the young master. Zhou Sheng instructed, “This child is from my first wife. He is not yet ten years old. I have killed my wife, accumulating much sin, and cannot remain here. I must leave immediately. I entrust the child to you, Second Brother. Remember: live honestly and be patient in all matters. I am leaving now.” With that, he strode out the door.

From that day forward, Zhou Sheng and Cheng Sheng lived in seclusion in the deep mountains, diligently practicing the Daoist arts, until they finally understood life and death and achieved immortal status.

Meanwhile, Zhou Sheng’s younger brother raised the child. Because he was an honest man, unskilled in managing affairs, the family fortune soon declined, leaving them destitute, so poor that they struggled to afford food.

One day, Zhou Sheng’s younger brother entered the study and suddenly found a letter left on the desk, inscribed with the four characters: “For Second Brother’s Personal Reading.”

Mr. Zhou felt strange, “Did Elder Brother return?” Opening the envelope, he found inside a single fingernail, several inches long, gleaming with a golden light, quite unique.

Curious, Mr. Zhou lightly tapped the fingernail against the inkstone. Instantly, the room was filled with a dazzling golden light, and the black inkstone shone brilliantly, having transformed into a large piece of pure gold.

Mr. Zhou was ecstatic. He then found a piece of copper and a piece of iron and tapped them successively with the fingernail. Without fail, the copper and iron immediately turned into gold as well.

With such a magical artifact, Mr. Zhou soon became wealthy beyond measure. Drinking from the source, he knew the nail had been gifted by Cheng Sheng and Zhou Sheng. He therefore took meticulous care of the descendants of the two friends, treating them as his own children.

From then on, the Zhou residence possessed an inexhaustible supply of gold. The common people spread the word throughout the region: this family possessed the art of transmutation.