Chapter 849: Nothing Exists Outside the Mind

Voices echoed.

The Moon-Watching Tower was heavy with silent stillness.

No one spoke.

Long moments passed.

Someone whispered softly, as if complaining, as if asking: "Who is this Lord Baron Xingyi? What's so impressive about advancing to Zhen Xiang? Why should we not compete for it?"

"Shh!"

Someone tugged his sleeve. "Lord Baron Xingyi is twenty-three this year!"

"No, no, not twenty-three." Another shook his head, counting on his fingers. "I remember clearly—the year the beacon fire rose to Grand Martial Artist, my brother returned home that same year, went to the Grand Court, and comes back once every five years; he won't return until next year, so it's been less than four years total. He entered the Tiger's Maw at eighteen and a half. This year he's truly twenty-one and a half; next summer he'll be exactly twenty-two."

Twenty-one!

The questioner suddenly snapped awake, realizing who the Tower Master meant by Lord Baron Xingyi.

A few whispered among themselves, sparking more murmurs in smaller circles.

"Master Bai entered Xiang at thirty. What's the earliest age any Grand Master in Great Great Qian achieved it?"

"Twenty-six, exactly. Four years earlier."

"Thirty to twenty-six, twenty-six to twenty-two—all four-year gaps. How convenient…"

Everyone lowered their voices, merging into a low hum, as if a swarm of bees in autumn braved the cold to gather nectar in the vast, empty tower.

"Is there anyone confident enough to make the Moon-Watching Tower break its rules?"

The Tower Master spoke.

Silence returned again.

The noisy "bees" folded their wings, landed on petals, and crawled deep into the flowers.

Not to mention entering Xiang.

Of the twenty-two-year-old Tiger Hunters, not a single one was present in this hall today.

This man… is truly different.

"If no one has confidence, then there is no objection. This matter ends here." The Tower Master turned and left.

The Registrar exhaled, flipping through the register.

"Slots Jia Twelve and Thirteen are vacant. Is there anyone…?"

"Me! I reserved it!"

"I got here first! I got here first!"

The first floor erupted once more into chaos, as they scrambled for the hard-won cultivation chambers, fearing someone else would beat them to it.

Dusk fell.

The setting sun glowed orange-red; the pond's stagnant water shimmered faintly.

Those who failed to secure a cultivation chamber hurried back, gathering with family or a few close friends. They went to brothels and taverns—and the news of Lord Baron Xingyi's seclusion to enter Xiang spread like wings across the capital.

Great uproar ensued.

The beacon fire rose to Grand Martial Artist, its blood column stretching one hundred and twenty zhang—over four hundred meters.

Though none had seen Liang Qu face-to-face, no one was unfamiliar with his name; even villagers of the capital could name him with ease.

"Expected."

Those with insight reacted indifferently.

In early spring, Liang Qu opened the Mystic Light at the Pond of Stagnant Water, igniting a pillar of boiling water—everyone knew of it. Half a year passed; given his talent, refining a hundred scriptures was no surprise. By ordinary standards, his seclusion to enter Xiang might end before the New Year, and he would be seen at the Grand Court.

At the same time, inevitably:

Heroes in this world have heroes behind them.

This twenty-two-year-old prospective Grand Master, Liang Qu, was naturally compared to Bo Bai Guangyi.

Or rather—Bo Bai Guangyi was being compared to Liang Qu.

Splash!

Tea poured down the cup's rim, swirling the leaves; a few frothy bubbles floated on the surface, drifting with disdain.

Two Confucians, each wearing a white jade belt, leaned by the window, facing each other. They watched the scattered lantern lights, the night sky, the moon half-sunken, the entire capital bathed in silver light like a gauze veil.

The Confucian on the left, wearing a square cap, picked up a crab-yellow soup dumpling, dipped it lightly in vinegar, and swallowed it whole, the hot steam bursting forth.

"Phew~"

The torrent of hot vapor was extremely impolite, yet his companion showed not the slightest distaste.

"Lord Baron Xingyi had two strands of Xuan Huang before his seclusion. One strand's purpose is unknown—perhaps given to someone close. The second strand was used as a medium. With his talent, and Xuan Huang as medium, his entry into the Moon-Watching Tower is all but certain—only the duration remains uncertain. But I heard Lord Baron Xingyi say it might take half a year. Is that modesty, or is there another reason? Brother Bo, what do you think?"

Bo Bai Guangyi lifted his teacup, expression calm: "Only watch how the new waves push the old ones aside; understand that new people replace the old."

"Hahaha, Brother Bo, do you truly believe that?" The square-capped Confucian picked up another crab-yellow dumpling, unsatisfied with the first, pinched a hole in it, dipped it into the vinegar dish, and poured vinegar directly into the dumpling until it nearly overflowed. "There's no one else here. We've known each other for decades—speak plainly."

"Truth or falsehood—what's the point? It's not the first time. My abilities are insufficient; I cultivate and train alone. What does it have to do with others?"

"A gentleman is cautious even when alone, even in darkness. The world says you possess the talent of a Heavenly Dragon, Brother Bo…" The square-capped Confucian swallowed the sour dumpling whole, raised his teacup like a wine goblet, and clinked it against his companion's. "Nothing exists outside the mind."

"Nothing exists outside the mind…"

…

November 21.

Morning.

The sunlight was perfect.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—hot, hot, hot~"

Steam billowed from the kitchen. Long Yao, enduring the heat, carried out a porcelain dish, pinching her earlobes. Long Li used chopsticks to remove all the prominent fish bones, then packed the remaining flesh into a lunch box, arranging vegetables, rice, meatballs, and fruit neatly into eight boxes, wrapping them all in cotton cloth to retain warmth, and handed them to Teta Kai.

Teta Kai lifted the basket, slung it over Wu Long's neck, and led the big black dog toward the Moon-Watching Tower.

The pond rippled gently; soft waves lapped against the shore through cracks in the rocks. One otter and one dog walked along the riverbank when suddenly they heard a commotion before the palace—crowds of commoners gathered, doing something unknown.

Wu Long lifted his head to look.

Teta Kai suppressed his curiosity, tugged the collar, showed his small badge, and took a side path straight to the Moon-Watching Tower.

"Captain, back again with food?"

The Gate Guard of the Sky Feather Corps smiled.

For several days, Teta Kai had been delivering meals; the rotating Sky Feather Guards had grown familiar with him, especially since they learned he was called "Captain." They found it amusing and teased him every time they saw him.

Others had three deputy badges, all held by maids or trusted servants. Only Lord Baron Xingyi sent a highly intelligent river otter—truly an extraordinary person doing extraordinary things.

Teta Kai pointed southeast.

The Sky Feather Guard understood: "You're asking why there are so many people at the palace gate?"

Teta Kai nodded.

"Because today is the first day of the tenth month. By tradition, His Majesty announces the next year's calendar. The ceremony opened this morning, and copies were sent to all provinces. At noon, any commoner who kneels before the palace may take home a copy of next year's calendar. Hence the crowd."

Teta Kai reached into his waist pouch, pulled out eight copper coins, weighed them, then returned three.

The Sky Feather Guard laughed: "No payment needed—it's free. Go and take one. You get one too, Captain."

Teta Kai stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, and slapped the copper coins into the guard's palm. Then he took the bamboo basket from Wu Long's neck and walked alone into the tower.

"Ah, this…"

The Sky Feather Guard stared in shock at the coins in his hand.

His comrades were stunned, then burst into laughter: "Fei, the Captain gave you a tip!"

Wu Long lay in the grass, flicking his tail.

Floor twenty-five.

Jia Three Cultivation Chamber.

Liang Qu devoured his meal, set down the lunch box: "Starting tomorrow, light incense twice daily—meals reduced to once every two days."

Teta Kai nodded, placed the empty box into the basket, and lit the incense.

Simple digestion.

The cultivation chamber returned to quiet.

"Huff!"

Liang Qu drew a deep breath.

Days of cross-legged meditation had aligned him with heaven and earth.

He rested at sunset, drew forth the Purple Radiance, and simultaneously absorbed the sunlight and moonlight within the chamber, nurturing the Divine Seed.

His essence, energy, and spirit had finally reached peak perfection!

Divine light retracted inward; the precious sword lay hidden in its sheath!

He communed with the Inside Ze Ding.

【Obtained one strand of Heavenly Dew. If fused with one hundred fifty thousand units of Water Essence, a Spirit Fish will be born—its function is mysteriously profound.】

【Water Essence: 497,000】

【Creation Seed: 3】

【Dew Seed: 1】

A thought stirred.

The tide plummeted.

The azure aura contracted and transformed.

【Water Essence: 347,000】

Radiance faded.

A spirit fish, its body several times larger than all previous spirit fish, drifted silently!

If the previous spirit fish were all "sharks," then Tianlu was a "whale"!

To be honest.

I really hate to let it go.

【Tianlu】 is a top-tier treasure even if unused.

Consuming it to gain qi will impart some of its traits, but not all traits can be fully retained; similar to the stable annual yield of one dewdrop per season, whether any effect remains after digestion is still unknown.

The arrow is already on the string.

The "whale" floated in his palm; Liang Qu gripped its tail, tilted his head, opened his mouth, and swallowed it whole.

Plop!

The fish's tail splashed.

All three dragons stirred.

Inside Liang Qu's body, a chaotic void erupted instantly; the three small dragons circled one another, entwining the "whale"!

(End of Chapter)