Chapter 750: Shu Prince Enters Liang, Taoist Ascends the Mountain, Liang King Descends the Mountain.

Shunlong Academy

Xu Fengnian, Xu Yanbing, Huyan Daguan, Tantai Pingjing, and Tiemu Die'er.

Five riders journeyed south to Lingzhou.

Among them, three were ranked among the fourteen top martial artists. Tantai Pingjing was currently the most distinguished Qi practitioner grandmaster in the world, and another was Beimang's most promising young sword genius, whose inclusion in the rankings was merely a matter of time. This lineup, which could be described as unprecedented and unparalleled, far surpassed the Wu family's Nine Swords, who had shattered Beimang's ten thousand cavalry. Tiemu Die'er did not know why he had to undertake this southern journey, and deep down, he harbored considerable resistance toward the young vassal king. However, since Huyan Daguan told him to come along, Tiemu Die'er could only obediently follow. Rumors in Beimang claimed that the man named Xu had not only inherited Li Chungang's Green Dragon Twin Sleeves but also learned flying sword techniques from Deng Taia. Although Xu Fengnian always appeared with a sabre, Tiemu Die'er had no doubt that if Xu Fengnian truly used a sword, he would be no match at all. Tiemu Die'er remained silent throughout the journey, repeatedly wanting to ask Huyan Daguan, whom he never acknowledged as his master, whether he could ever surpass Xu Fengnian in swordsmanship. Tiemu Die'er himself did not realize that he, who had rarely cared about victory or defeat since he began practicing the sword, had changed. The five riders galloped along the post road in Lingzhou, a region known as the "Jiangnan of the Borderlands." Tiemu Die'er carefully observed Xu Fengnian's words and actions, and he did not fail to notice subtle clues. For instance, although Xu Fengnian wore his Liang sabre on his left hip, the King of Beiliang was actually a concealed left-hander; whether he used his right hand or left hand when facing an enemy would undoubtedly make a world of difference. Furthermore, while Xu Fengnian's vital energy appeared to flow slowly and dryly, like a river during a low-water period—shallow and almost at its bottom—Tiemu Die'er knew that if his own vital energy circulated like a river in flood, appearing formidable at first glance, then Xu Fengnian was like Liyang's Guangling River. The less water it seemed to have, the more imposing it became, its depths and breadth alarming.

The five riders stopped in the northernmost part of Lingzhou, turning off the main road onto a small path that led into a mountain range. Along the mountain path, sturdy Liangland laborers, escorted by Beiliang soldiers, continuously transported stone strips, blocks, and slabs out of the mountain. Leading the five riders was a Fushui Chamber spy who had been waiting at the mountain entrance. He was an unremarkable middle-aged man, lacking the typical shrewdness of a spy and exuding the rugged aura unique to those who live near mountains. The man, surnamed Liu, was a low-ranking spy in Fushui Society's Second Chamber. He only knew he was to meet someone, but not who, until he encountered the five riders, whose accents varied. The spy couldn't quite figure out their background, but since the chief eunuch of Fushui Society's Jia-zi Chamber, who oversaw intelligence in Lingzhou, had uncharacteristically uttered some grave words, he cautiously accompanied the five into the mountains. Along the way, the man carefully chose his words to introduce them to the history of this quarry. He explained that locally it was called Jianyu Mountain, but scholars in Lingzhou preferred to call it Dayu Dongtian (Heavenly Grotto of the Great Isle). Ever since the Dafeng Dynasty established the Protectorate General of the Western Regions further west of Beiliang, most of the stone used for constructing military garrisons like Qingcang and Linyao was quarried here. The construction of the Qingliang Mountain Prince's Estate later followed suit, as did Hutou City (Tiger Head City) on the Liangzhou border, which took six years to build.

Xu Fengnian and the four others eventually had to lead their horses, arriving at a mountaintop to overlook the peaks. After spring, the landscape was lush and green, but as far as the eye could see, the peak beneath their feet, Yizhi Peak (One Branch Peak), was already an empty shell. Since the Dafeng Dynasty, after nearly five hundred years of quarrying, Dayu Dongtian, listed as one of the thirty-six blessed lands in Daoism, had truly become a literal "grotto," composed of sixteen large cave systems and nearly a thousand individual caves. From the side peak, Yizhi Peak, winding plank paths covered the mountains, and occasionally, Daoist temples with upturned eaves were nestled in the green foliage on the main peak. Day after day, year after year, tens of thousands of Beiliang quarry workers toiled here for their livelihood, while those seeking immortality cultivated Dao.

Xu Fengnian stood on the mountaintop, lost in thought. Since the beginning of the year, Dayu Dongtian had been brightly lit with lanterns, undergoing frantic quarrying, reaching its peak output. Even the Daoist masters from several temples, who usually stayed out of worldly affairs, could not remain idle, fearing that the young vassal king was truly adamant about completely hollowing out the entire mountain range. Where would they find heavenly grottoes and blessed lands then? On the eve of the Qingming Festival, three elderly masters jointly visited the Lingzhou Prefecture Governor's residence, subtly raising their objections to Xu Beizhi, even using the argument that such an act would harm Beiliang's fundamental destiny. Xu Beizhi treated them with courtesy, but the government continued quarrying at the same pace as usual. Xu Fengnian, as the mastermind, naturally knew the hidden secrets. He spread word that he intended to build another Hutou City beyond the third Chongzhong (Heavy Mound) defensive line, and in only three years. Strategic Commissioner Li Gongde and a Mohist Grand Master would serve as supervisors, while Xu Fengnian himself would be the deputy supervisor. The unnamed new city would abut the Hengshui River and face Mount Song, grander in scale than Hutou City, and would become the new largest city in the Northwest. Would the city be built? Of course. Xu Fengnian intended to use this to tell Beimang's Northern Court and Western Capital, especially Southern King Dong Zhuo, that even if they successfully destroyed Hutou City and the Liuyuan Fuling and Chongzhong lines, they would still need to conquer another city to enter Beiliang territory. Would Beiliang's already strained finances collapse as a result? The answer was also yes. But Xu Fengnian was making an all-out gamble. Everyone in Liangzhou, except for the three border armies and the garrison troops guarding passes, had to go to the Hengshui River and Mount Song area to contribute to the construction of the new city. All of this was actually a cover and a prelude for the decisive battle at Hulu Pass a year later. Xu Fengnian had to force Beimang to focus all its attention on the Liangzhou front. For this, Xu Fengnian even discussed with Chu Lushan a drastic plan where Liangzhou would win, but Liuzhou would lose. This was because only with victory or defeat would Liuzhou have strategic depth; under a stalemate, Liuzhou had no strategic value. Of course, even if Liuzhou lost, it would only be a Pyrrhic victory for Beimang and Liu Gui. Thus, Kou Jianghuai became a crucial chess piece. It was Kou Jianghuai's arrival that prompted Chu Lushan to conceive this ruthless idea—ruthless towards enemies, and even more so towards himself—and Xu Fengnian agreed.

This meant that the thirty thousand Dragon Elephant garrison troops, Liuzhou's three garrisons of Qingcang, and the hundred thousand displaced people who had not yet been moved into Beiliang's old three provinces, would definitely be in grave danger.

And Xu Fengnian's younger brother, Xu Longxiang, would bear the brunt of it.

So when Xu Fengnian agreed, Chu Lushan's expression was complicated. Later, in Wutong Courtyard in Qingliang Mountain, Xu Weixiong's cold shoulder towards Xu Fengnian was likely due to her deep-seated resistance to his decision.

Xu Fengnian pointed to a distant cave, then turned to Tantai Pingjing and asked with a smile, "Ever since I heard about the quarrying at Dayu Dongtian, I've wondered why the cave is so grand but its entrance is so narrow. I only heard my master say that quarrying inside the cave isn't as difficult as outsiders imagine; as the quarry workers who inherited their trade from fathers and masters would say, it's like cutting soft tofu with a knife. However, once the stone is hoisted out of the cave, it quickly becomes as hard as iron. Sect Leader Tantai, do you know the mystery behind this?"

Tantai Pingjing softly replied, "Many ancient artifacts from tombs, preserved intact for thousands of years, vanish into thin air when they see the light of day. The hardening of mountain stone once it leaves the mountain is likely the same principle, just presented differently—it's the result of matter and vital energy merging."

Xu Fengnian hesitated, suppressing his laughter, and after a long pause, he finally couldn't help but say, "When I was young, I was ill-behaved and spoke without restraint. After pondering for a long time, I finally came up with an explanation. I thought those stones turning from soft to hard were just like a novice in a brothel, after experiencing the world, dropping their pants. When I went to Tingchao Pavilion and said this, my master punished me by making me copy tens of thousands of characters of the classics of the sages. At that moment, I felt like dying."

Tantai Pingjing, dressed in white like an immortal, took a deep breath.

Huyan Daguan chuckled mischievously, conveying the general meaning to Tiemu Die'er, who was a genuine "novice," and the latter rolled his eyes.

Xu Fengnian turned and asked, "Sect Leader Tantai, may I ask one more question?"

The Qi practitioner grandmaster sneered, "Can I choose not to answer?"

Xu Fengnian shamelessly asked, "Is it possible for a person to stay at the bottom of a lake for ten or twenty years without eating or drinking? Can the highest forms of Daoist fasting and vital energy absorption, or Buddhist wall-facing meditation, achieve this? Do your Qi practitioners have similar divine powers or methods?"

Tantai Pingjing remained silent.

It was Huyan Daguan who spoke up, "As long as it's not at the bottom of a lake, anything is possible."

Xu Fengnian fell into thought. How did Chu Kuangren, with his sabre chained to his collarbone, manage that? This had been a mystery to him ever since he went to Wudang Mountain to practice his sabre. At the time, he thought it was just his low cultivation realm, not understanding the power of a first-rank martial grandmaster. But when he reached the Vajra realm, he realized that even at that level, it was utterly impossible. Later, after continuously advancing to the Zhixuan (Profound Finger) and Tianxiang (Heavenly Phenomenon) realms, Xu Fengnian still couldn't find a reasonable answer. It was only after Gaoshulu lifted the mountain blockade and they fought, and he achieved the state of "Heaven and Man," that he realized to reach Chu Kuangren's level, only an Earthly Immortal skilled in nourishing vital energy could barely achieve it. Yet, in Xu Fengnian's current view, Chu Kuangren's martial arts realm wasn't actually that profound; it was first-rank, but definitely not at the Tianxiang realm. This left Xu Fengnian completely bewildered. Back then, Old Huang had provided the strength to subdue the dual-sabre elder who, like Helian Wuwei, the Commissioner of Hexi Province, hailed from Beimang Princess's Tomb. But the true mastermind was his master behind the top floor of Tingchao Pavilion, yet his master gave no clues until his death.

Xu Fengnian suddenly mused, "The wise employ their schemes, the brave exhaust their strength, the benevolent spread their grace, and the faithful demonstrate their loyalty. When civil and military officials strive together, and monarch and subjects live in harmony, the realm can be governed by merely letting things take their course. Govern by merely letting things take their course, huh, it sounds easy. Yet, throughout history, apart from those lucky, pleasure-seeking emperors who lived in times of great peace, rulers in prosperous eras aimed to expand territory, while those in chaotic times sought to defend their ancestral lands. Stepping back, even if one genuinely achieved the balance of civil and military, then for whom do the wise scheme? For the emperor, or for the common people? Was Zhang Julu's death not the price of the adage 'the people are precious, the monarch is insignificant'? Will the brave, after exerting their strength, become insatiably greedy, like 'getting Long and then craving Shu,' or a snake trying to swallow an elephant? Would they also desire the thrill of sitting on the dragon throne? As the benevolent cultivate their reputation, with the good and bad mixed together, is there not also an element of seeking fame, like Old Master Song secretly keeping copies of yearly memorials to ensure his name in history? And as for the faithful demonstrating loyalty, will there be subjects whose foolish devotion actually brings disaster to the country?"

Xu Fengnian scoffed at himself, "Who doesn't want to be an emperor? When I was young, I often thought about it. Besides my now-defunct dream of being a great hero, next came the emperor dream—once I had power, I'd kill all the annoying dogs in the world, and all women would be mine, how wonderful! But as time passed, I realized that being an emperor is truly not easy. Zhao Zhuan's grandfather wanted to kill Xu Xiao; Zhao Zhuan's father killed the Han family of Jizhou, and even on his deathbed, he had to kill Zhang Julu to close his eyes in peace. Zhao Dun and Liyang did not accept Li Dangxin's new calendar from Liangchan Temple, choosing not to grant the world sixty more years of peace, but merely to extend the Zhao family's dynasty by a few years. I think it was at that moment that Zhao Dun and Zhang Julu, this pair who could have been an enlightened ruler and renowned minister remembered for a thousand generations, truly began to go their separate ways. Only then could Zhang Julu resolve to seek death, and Zhao Dun grimly allowed 'Green Eyes' to die. Asking myself, if I were to finally become emperor one day, facing so many choices, would I increasingly feel guilty? Would I kill Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang, kill Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuozong? Would I disband the Beiliang border army, forcing those old men who wished to die on horseback beyond the frontier to instead die on their beds in the misty Central Plains? In the future, will my descendants, the men, infight over a chair—swearing oaths and laughing together as children, but as adults, hiding knives in their smiles and turning into enemies? Will the women marry men they don't love at all?"

Xu Fengnian looked at Xu Yanbing and asked with a smile, "Uncle Xu, does this count as womanly compassion?"

Xu Yanbing nodded, but said, "There's a saying that 'compassion is not fit for military command,' but it doesn't mean a commander must be stone-hearted in all matters. The four renowned Spring and Autumn generals on par with the Great General—whether it was Ye Baikui or Gu Jiantang—were both very approachable and genial in their daily command of troops. 'To raise an army for a thousand days and use it for a single moment,' the truly ruthless moments are when one uses the troops. Chu Lushan excels at this."

Xu Fengnian quietly gazed south. There, someone did even better than Chu Lushan.

The five dismounted and led their horses down the mountain. The spy surnamed Liu, who had been standing some distance away, continued to lead the way. At the foot of the mountain, they happened upon a large team of quarry workers emerging from deep within the mountain. The crushed stone path was wide enough for only three or four people to walk abreast. Smaller stones were heavily bundled onto single-wheeled carts and transported out of the mountain, while larger stones were placed on donkey carts and ox carts. Many quarry workers carried heavy stones on their backs, moving in groups. Compared to royal woods like Nanzhao's red sandalwood and nanmu, which were worth an inch of gold per inch and could be transported by river, stone transportation was far more cumbersome. As Xu Fengnian was about to remount his horse to leave the mountain, he saw an old quarry worker, white-haired but tall and robust, lose his footing. The long stone slab on his back abruptly tilted, and the old man tumbled onto the crushed stone path with the stone. Fortunately, the old man was still sturdy and did not suffer any broken bones or torn ligaments; he simply sat on the ground, a little embarrassed, with a wry smile. A Lingzhou quarry supervisor, clad in armor and with a sabre, turned a blind eye. Unlike the haughty government lackeys within Liyang territory who would crack their whips, he allowed a dark-skinned young quarry worker to secretly stop and hand the old man a flask of strong liquor. Nearby Beiliang soldiers were about to intervene, but the supervisor, who looked like a deputy captain, gently shook his head, using his gaze to stop his subordinates from stepping forward.

However, as Xu Fengnian approached, seven or eight soldiers simultaneously placed their hands on their sabres, eyeing them ferociously. This quarry was currently not open to outsiders. Any non-locals allowed in were close to the government and had clean family background records with the Fushui Chamber. After all, the various Daoist temples, large and small, in Dayu Dongtian still needed to be sustained by incense offerings. With the war between Liang and Mang already begun, more and more people sought blessings. Naturally, the prosperous Lingzhou was thriving with incense offerings, and both rich and poor sought peace talismans or similar items. Xu Beizhi had established an unwritten rule for the large and small Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries within Lingzhou: the incense money that previously did not need to be submitted to the government would now be taxed at varying rates of two, three, or four parts per ten. For incense money from a restricted area like Dayu Dongtian, because the government made an exception for them, the tax was four parts per ten. Thus, after earning the moniker "Rice-Buying Governor," Xu Beizhi also gained the "fine reputations" of "Greedy Governor" and "Skinning Governor." It was only when the spy surnamed Liu intervened that the Lingzhou soldiers responsible for quarrying and transport retreated, though their gazes remained wary and alert.

The old quarry worker, who had taken a gulp of strong liquor, looked up at the handsome young man in a fur coat before him. He showed no nervousness; perhaps he was naturally a talkative person, as he proactively smiled and said, "Young master, are you going to Chongshan Temple to burn incense? It's not me speaking well of Chongshan Temple, but their fortune sticks for marriage are truly effective. Over the years, I've seen many young gentlemen and ladies return to fulfill their vows after making wishes there. Even my unruly grandson, after drawing a medium-to-good fortune stick at the temple, truly found me a very good granddaughter-in-law. Now in Lingzhou, they say that while Wudang Mountain's fortune sticks are the most effective for everything else, when it comes to marriage, Chongshan Temple ranks first."

Getting excited, the extremely hospitable old man instinctively raised his hand as if to offer the young master a drink, but quickly withdrew it. He clearly realized that while he and his fellow quarry workers cherished every drop of this "green ant wine," which cost twenty *wen* per *jin*, a young master from such a prominent family would find it unpalatable.

Xu Fengnian was about to take the flask, but when the old man withdrew his hand, he had no choice but to give up. He squatted down with a smile. Soon, Xu Yanbing took a flask from his horse and tossed it over. Xu Fengnian caught it and handed it to the old man. "Elder, drink mine. If you don't mind, take it all."

The old man did not stand on ceremony. He took the flask, twisted open the cap, and sniffed it hard, then laughed heartily, "Both are green ant wine, same name, but young master's wine, just by its smell, I can tell it's more valuable. I've loved drinking my whole life, and if someone offers wine, I won't refuse. But just pour a few mouthfuls into my grandson's flask, that'll be enough. I wouldn't have the cheek to ask for more."

The old man indeed poured a few taels of wine into his own flask. After pouring, he shook his crude flask, then returned the delicate flask to Xu Fengnian. The old man did not forget to say, "Elder, let me say something extra, young master, don't be offended. Although you look like a rich person from a big family, when it comes to daily life, you shouldn't be so extravagant. No matter how grand your family fortune, you still need to be frugal. If you don't like to hear it, just consider it an old man's fart, and please don't take the wine back."

The dark-skinned young man was a little nervous. Unlike his grandfather, who had spent his entire life in the deep mountains dealing with stones and spoke without inhibition, he had visited more prefectural and county cities in Lingzhou and knew better what was important and what was not. He had also seen many dandies in fine clothes and on spirited horses, and heard many rumors of overbearing behavior from sons of generals. Although everyone in Lingzhou now knew that more embroidered-robed cavalry had arrived and many sons of wealthy families had been imprisoned, this young quarry worker was still quite nervous facing a peer from such an exalted family background up close.

Xu Fengnian smiled, "A household head certainly needs such a way of managing. By the way, Elder, I heard that at your Dayu Mountain quarry, each person's daily stone output is eighty *jin*, and with two trips in and out of the mountain, though it's twenty-five *li* of mountain road, it shouldn't be too strenuous. Why do you carry about a hundred *jin* of heavy stone at once?"

The young quarry worker didn't want his grandfather to say too much to outsiders, so he spoke up to remind him, "Grandpa, we need to get going."

With his grandson's help, the old man squatted down to re-tie the ox-hide ropes binding the stone. Slowly standing up, he turned to Xu Fengnian and said with a frank laugh, "Governor Xu did set that rule. But young master, you might not know, the quarry also said that after completing the hundred and twenty *jin* quota, carrying an extra ten *jin* of stone earns one *wen* of reward money. My grandson and I, plus my two sons ahead, that's four of us together. Two trips a day for the family, we can carry an extra four or five hundred *jin*, which is forty or fifty *wen* a day. For our family, that's a significant amount! I still have some strength, and my sons and grandson are dutiful, only letting me carry one trip. So I thought I'd carry an extra twenty or thirty *jin* of stone per trip. I'll walk slower, but earning an extra two or three *wen* is still good. The government side has always been prompt with payments, so we're motivated to work."

Xu Fengnian nodded with a smile.

Perhaps having drunk a few mouthfuls of good wine, the old man, still unsatisfied, his face radiating simple joy, finally said to Xu Fengnian, "But I'm an old man now; earning an extra two or three *wen* isn't a big deal. It's just that I heard the Prince wants to build a great city north of Liangzhou to fight the Beimang barbarians. I thought, although I won't have the chance to go north in this life, while I still have some strength left, carrying an extra twenty or thirty *jin* every day, not only can I earn a few copper coins, but I also feel that when that city is built in the future, perhaps the little bit of stone I carried might just help it withstand a few more arrows from the northern barbarians. When I think of that, my heart feels at ease. Many young lads in the village don't quarry with their fathers anymore; they've seen a lot of the scenery in Lingzhou's cities, and their ambitions have grown. They dislike digging stones as having no future and have all gone to join the border army. If we old men carry tens of thousands more *jin* of stone and build the city sooner, maybe a few more of them can return home for the New Year."

The old man suddenly paused, gazing at the distant sky, and softly murmured, "I heard the officials and soldiers at the quarry say that half of the three hundred thousand stone tablets behind the Prince's residence are made from our Dayu Mountain stone. Those old folks whose children joined the army say that if one day someone from their family doesn't return, and their name is to be carved on those tablets, then using stone from our hometown here would also be good."

The old man had already started walking when a call suddenly came from behind him, from the young master of the wealthy family, "Elder, wait a moment!"

Then, the young quarry worker watched in surprise as the man took off his fur coat, handed it to the tall, man-like but divinely beautiful woman in white, and then walked over to his grandfather. Without a word, he untied the ropes and hoisted the stone onto his own back. He didn't look like a young master who would do rough work, yet he carried over a hundred *jin* of stone with remarkable calm and composure. The four people behind him, each with an extraordinary demeanor, leisurely led their horses, making the fellow seem... a bit mentally unstable? What was going on? The dark-skinned young stone worker was momentarily distracted. Could it be that Beiliang's spoiled young masters were now so easygoing? The old stone worker, however, was more at ease than his grandson. Having lived over seventy years, though he had spent his life dealing with inanimate stones, perhaps the longer one spent with inanimate objects, the clearer one could see the good and bad in human hearts. The old man didn't know if the young master who gave him wine was a great person, but he believed he was at least not a bad one. As for why this young master would help carry stones out of the mountain, the old man couldn't understand and didn't bother to think about it. Just like the generations of quarry workers at Dayu Mountain, who passed down tales of caves in the mountains, pools hidden in the caves, and fish-like or snake-like spiritual creatures within the pools waiting for the day they transform into dragons—though no one had ever seen them with their own eyes. While the younger generation, with their increasingly broad horizons, were less inclined to believe, the older generation was still willing to believe.

After the group carried the stone out of the mountain, the old man, who had chatted with the strange handsome young man all the way, patted his chest and said he would introduce the prettiest girl in the village to him. With the old man, whose words still carried weight in the village, acting as matchmaker, it was sure to succeed! Unfortunately, the handsome young man said he already had a wife, which made the old man very regretful. Finally, after unloading the stone, the young man said something baffling to the old man, telling him he would do his best. The old man didn't understand what he was talking about and could only smile and nod.

Tiemu Die'er had initially thought this was merely Xu Fengnian, the King of Beiliang, bored and with nothing better to do, trying to win people's hearts among the quarry workers. He expected the Lingzhou spy to "accidentally" reveal their identities. He never imagined that Xu Fengnian, after putting his fur coat back on, would simply leave the mountain directly, with the spy completely kept in the dark from start to finish, utterly unaware of their true identities. In the end, Tiemu Die'er could only conclude that this young vassal king was truly bored; otherwise, it made no sense.

The five riders had come to Dayu Dongtian, but four of them left the mountain first. The tall woman who had previously joined forces with Xu Yanbing to cause deadly trouble for Tiemu Die'er's group, for some unknown reason, said she needed to return to the mountain.

Tantai Pingjing rode alone into the mountain, eventually leading her horse to the halfway point of another side peak in Dayu Dongtian. However, she did not enter the cave; she simply stood at the entrance, waiting. Through dusk, night, and dawn, she finally waited for two Daoist priests from out of town.

One was a young Daoist priest, and the other a young Daoist boy. Their Daoist robes were distinctly different from the attire of the Dayu Mountain Daoists that the quarry workers often saw.

The young Daoist priest gently bowed to Tantai Pingjing and said, "This humble Daoist, Li Yufu of Wudang, greets Senior Tantai."

The young Daoist boy also followed his master, bowing in a proper demeanor, "This junior Daoist, Yu Fu of Wudang, greets Senior Tantai."

Tantai Pingjing looked at the master and disciple, who had journeyed from Wudang Mountain into Dayu Dongtian, and calmly said, "Sect Leader Li has also perceived the great opportunity?"

Li Yufu smiled faintly, "This humble Daoist also wishes to thank you, Senior, for waiting."

Tantai Pingjing appeared to be standing at the cave entrance, but in reality, she was blocking it. Her tone was not particularly friendly. "This karmic connection began with us, master and disciple. We watched the white snake journey down the river and transform into a flood dragon, then watched it ascend the river. And now, it is us... it is he, who has personally triggered the anomaly."

The young Daoist boy solemnly declared, "The Grand Dao beneath our feet is open to everyone."

Tantai Pingjing smiled, looking at the child who was mimicking the words of a grand master.

The young Daoist boy, being stared at, blushed slightly, his confidence significantly waning. He quietly said, "My master told me to say that."

The young Daoist priest, the current Sect Leader of Wudang Mountain, had a warm gaze. He raised his hand and stroked his disciple's head, "You said it."

Looking at the master and disciple, a complex expression flashed in Tantai Pingjing's eyes. After concealing it, she said, "Difei Mountain, by the Guangling River—you also formed two karmic connections along a single destined path there, but..."

Li Yufu gently waved his hand and smiled faintly, "Sect Leader Tantai can rest assured. We have not come to Dayu Dongtian to contend for anything. This humble Daoist merely wishes to take Yu Fu to see more of the world."

Tantai Pingjing shook her head, "Your Daoist non-contention is the greatest contention."

Tantai Pingjing looked at the unhurried and calm young Sect Leader of Wudang and slowly said, "Before the Great Qin, it was always believed that Heaven and man were of the same kind. Your Daoist sages were the first to propose the theory that Heaven and Earth are unkind. My master once commented, 'The true meaning is that Heaven and Earth harbor neither benevolence nor malice towards humanity,' and 'it truly could be called a thunderbolt from Heaven and Earth.' Later generations, with their shallow understanding, misinterpreted it based on their preferences, believing that by becoming a sage, one could view all things in the world as mere straw dogs. Towards the end of the Great Qin, Confucian sages advocated that human nature is inherently good and that there is an interaction between Heaven and Man. Its roots, however, showed a tendency to return to the idea that Heaven and Man are of the same kind. Huang Sanjia called this 'parting the clouds to see the moon,' not 'parting the clouds to see the sun.' As for Buddhism, it is an foreign religion, so let us not discuss it."

Tantai Pingjing's gaze suddenly sharpened, fixing on the Wudang Sect Leader. "You, Li Yufu, presume to make decisions for all common people based on your own will. Do you truly dare claim you are without fault?"

Li Yufu calmly replied, "To act on one's own, whether acting rightly or wrongly, is more justifiable than having 'others' tell you what is good or bad."

Li Yufu no longer looked at the Sect Leader of Guanyin Sect, but instead looked up at the sky, seemingly speaking to Heaven. "Heaven and Earth give birth to humans without sorrow or joy; Heaven and Earth receive the dead without worry or concern. Between this life and death, how can it be controlled by those 'superior beings' who have already transcended life and death? Born of Heaven and Earth, dying to Heaven and Earth, one should not ask how to achieve longevity. One should rather ask, why was I born, and how to live a better life... Confucian propriety, Daoist tranquility, or Buddhist compassion. In this century of self-reflection and self-questioning throughout one's life, some will gain, and some will lose. Later generations will ultimately possess self-knowledge, self-respect, self-reliance, and freedom. Although life is short, righteous spirit will endure."

Tantai Pingjing gazed in a daze at the young Daoist priest who dared to "question Heaven," then smiled helplessly, stepped aside from the cave entrance, and walked away.

It was as if there was something that, no matter how precious, if she could not possess it exclusively, she simply would not look at it.

The young Daoist boy politely bowed towards her retreating figure and said, "Thank you, Senior."

Tantai Pingjing looked back, and asked with a smile, "Lu Dongxuan? Qi Xuanzhen? Hong Xiang?"

The young Daoist boy was momentarily stunned. "Senior, my name is Yu Fu."

Li Yufu led the young Daoist boy into the mountain cave. Lighting a pre-prepared torch, they walked for half an hour through winding passages until they reached the edge of a deep, jade-green pool. He placed the torch in a crevice in the cave wall, then took out several oil flasks and an ancient oil lamp from his travel bag. Sitting cross-legged, he bent down to light the lamp. Yu Fu also sat down.

After waiting for a long time, the young Daoist boy saw no movement in the mirror-smooth pool water. He could only look at the lamp wick and asked in puzzlement, "Master, what are we doing here?"

Li Yufu gently smiled, "If you're bored, recite a classic."

The young Daoist boy said, "Oh," and began reciting "The Pearl Satchel Catalogue." After about half an hour, his mouth and throat were dry, and he turned to Li Yufu with a pained expression.

Li Yufu softly said, "If you're tired, rest."

The young Daoist boy smiled happily.

Li Yufu later refilled the oil lamp once. During this time, Yu Fu, who had eaten some dried dates to fill his stomach, was already drowsy. Li Yufu let the child rest his head on his leg and slowly drift off to sleep.

Li Yufu also closed his eyes to rest.

Ripples gently stirred on the surface of the deep pool.

Then, a small fish, half crimson and half snow-white, leaped out. Its carp-like shape was faintly visible, and its whiskers were extremely long.

It swam to the edge of the pool, its whiskers swaying gently and gracefully. Its entire body of scales shimmered brilliantly, like dragon armor, radiating light.

Li Yufu opened his eyes and smiled faintly, "Since we parted ways by the Guangling River, we meet again."

It swayed its whiskers and white tail, its demeanor joyful.

Li Yufu softly said, "I wish to escort you down the river to the sea and help you transform into a dragon. If in future generations a severe drought is hard to endure, would you be willing to create clouds and bring rain for humanity? If there is an unkind ruler, would you be willing to warn on behalf of Heaven? If you feel lonely, will you still refrain from stirring up trouble? If you are free of any power that suppresses you, will you live in peace with the world?"

It remained still.

Li Yufu smiled, "As for Beiliang, the place of your ascendance, with him there, you don't need to worry. Where the people's will lies, Heaven and Earth lend their power."

It gently swayed its tail, breaking the water surface and hovering above the pool.

Li Yufu lightly calculated with his fingers, "Three days from now, you and I will descend the mountain together and enter the river. We will then part ways at the mouth of the Guangling River."

It seemed to nod, then slowly submerged back into the deep pool.

Li Yufu sighed softly, looking down at the young Daoist boy with saliva at the corner of his mouth, listening to the child's indistinct mumblings. He murmured, "Little Martial Uncle, when you awaken, before Li Yufu severs Heaven and Earth, I will invite her back. After that, there will be no next life."

Li Yufu closed his eyes, a smile on his lips. "Actually, if there were a next life, how wonderful it would be to call you Little Martial Uncle again. Alas, there will be none."

In the spring of Xiangfu's second year, two Wudang Mountain Daoist priests left Beiliang and began walking eastward along the Guangling River. Wherever they went, a spring rain, precious as oil, fell.

When Xie, the mistress of the Spring Tablet Thatched Hall in Western Shu, heard that the young vassal king's trip to Lingzhou was so timid that he needed to bring several martial arts grandmasters just to dare leave Liangzhou, she scoffed at it. Before even meeting him, she already looked down upon the young man named Xu, and naturally felt increasingly resentful and indignant about the man beside her, who had ridden into Shu alone back then.

However, when she accompanied the two most legendary men of their time and personally saw the five riders appear in her sight, this woman, for no reason, recognized that person at first glance.

At that moment, she realized that the young man truly had the qualification to make the current King of Shu return to Lingzhou, and the qualification for Master Xie to specifically travel through Shu to capture a flood dragon and raise a dragon just to deal with him.

Of course, she also grew to dislike the fellow named Xu Fengnian more and more.

But soon, Xie, a great beauty who had twice been ranked on the Rouge Ranking, her feelings went beyond simple hatred; she even entertained thoughts of murder.

Because the first thing that fellow said after dismounting was, "Aunt Xie, right? Why didn't you bring the children to Lingzhou? The red envelopes are all ready."