Starting with Acting, Immortal Life!

In an age of great upheaval, immortals and mortals dwell side by side. When the imperial court dispatches a surveillance inspector to the county, the local sheriff—a former bandit—is thrown into a panic. Desperate, he summons Li Ping, the most learned man in town, and orders him to stage a charade: a full rehearsal of begging for mercy to fool the inspector. Li Ping throws himself into the role, kneeling and pleading day after day. The sheriff is delighted—so delighted, in fact, that he decides to make the performance genuine by eliminating Li Ping once the real inspector arrives. But Li Ping remains blissfully unaware, still giving his all. When the inspector finally appears, however, he turns out to be Ren Jun, Li Ping’s old classmate. “Zi Zhi, why are you on your knees?” “Brother, they say they’re going to kill me.” Sheriff: “???”