Chapter 63: The Heart Holds Great Love

Flying swords flashed like lightning, arriving at Zhang Sheng’s cave dwelling in an instant. This was the first time Wei Yuan had ever come to Zhang Sheng’s residence. The courtyard was chaotic, with all sorts of strange tools and materials piled haphazardly—nothing like the celestial aura Wei Yuan had imagined, and nowhere near the abundance of precious artifacts found in Bao Yun Courtyard.

Zhang Sheng asked Wei Yuan to sit in the study, then brought out a chest. Inside was a thick stack of jade paper. Looking at the stack, Zhang Sheng was momentarily lost in thought.

“Ten years already…” Zhang Sheng sighed, closed the chest lid, then picked up the blank jade paper lying on the table and placed it before Wei Yuan.

“Sign your name, then drip three drops of blood,” Zhang Sheng said, expressionless.

“What is this?” Wei Yuan felt a creeping unease.

“This is the cost of your cultivation resources over the past decade. Now that you’re on the verge of establishing your Dao foundation, you must repay it. Your share as a disciple of Tianqing Hall has already been deducted.”

Wei Yuan found this entirely reasonable. By Tai Chu Palace’s custom, disciples of the same realm received roughly equal treatment, with minor differences between halls, but overall very similar. Their monthly silver allowance was modest—barely enough to sustain basic cultivation. To accelerate progress, disciples needed family support, like Bao Yun and Xiao Yu, who came from powerful clans.

Another path was for exceptional prodigies under special patronage; each hall would personally fund part of their resources—like Zhang Sheng, whose monthly silver rivaled that of a True Person of the Law Form.

Debts must be repaid—it was natural law. Though the jade paper was blank, trusting Zhang Sheng, Wei Yuan signed his name and dripped blood onto it. The blood was instantly absorbed; the jade paper recorded Wei Yuan’s Primordial Spirit aura—the contract was sealed.

Zhang Sheng pointed at the jade paper, and characters slowly emerged. Wei Yuan saw a long string of numbers—and his vision darkened.

Debt: 23,770,000 immortal silver taels…

The trailing digits didn’t matter; only the first two did. Wei Yuan never imagined he’d owe over twenty-three million immortal silver taels. As a novice disciple, even if he never ate or slept, it would take him two hundred thousand years to repay this—without interest. Even after establishing his Dao foundation, it made no difference: ordinary Dao Foundation disciples received a hundred taels monthly; Wei Yuan would still need twenty thousand years of total abstinence—longer than ten Law Form True Persons’ lifespans.

Fortunately, Zhang Sheng said this debt carried no interest; otherwise, Wei Yuan didn’t know if he’d have lost his Dao heart on the spot.

Wei Yuan finally steadied himself. He couldn’t blame himself—he’d owed Bao Yun only two hundred thousand taels, yet even that had forced him to act against his conscience. Suddenly burdened with such a colossal debt, even a True Sovereign would struggle to remain calm.

After the initial shock passed, Wei Yuan gradually grew composed, his mind serene—even more so than when he’d owed only ten thousand taels. Back then, he’d lain awake all night, feeling guilty for eating too much rice, nearly suffering qi deviation during cultivation several times.

Wei Yuan suddenly recalled a saying from childhood: “When lice are many, one no longer feels the itch; when debts are many, one no longer worries.”

After passing through the initial panic, Wei Yuan gradually grew calm, his mind serene—calmer even than when he owed only ten thousand taels. Back then, he had lain awake all night, felt guilt even eating too much rice, and nearly suffered qi deviation during cultivation several times.

Zhang Sheng took the jade paper and carefully placed it in a hidden alcove on the wall, then sealed it with multiple sword qi locks.

When he finished, Zhang Sheng returned to Wei Yuan and asked: “Do you think my few immortal swords are worth ten million immortal silver taels?”

Wei Yuan wanted to nod, but felt such flattery was excessive—too much is as bad as too little—so he answered honestly: “No.”

Zhang Sheng glared at him. “Not now!”

“Not now!” Wei Yuan repeated, emphasizing “now.”

Zhang Sheng nodded, satisfied, then asked: “What about your Grandmaster’s Law Form of Fire Boiling the Sea? Could that be worth ten million?”

Wei Yuan wanted to shake his head, but after thinking, he nodded.

“Of course not—not even close!” Zhang Sheng gave him a look of utter disappointment. “That old… your Grandmaster’s Law Form is worth less than my swords—and he spent that money long ago.”

Wei Yuan, quick-witted, instantly understood: “So it’s your Grandmaster’s reputation…”

Regardless of the amount owed, simply securing twenty-three million immortal silver taels was an achievement in itself. Wei Yuan, despite ranking first in the entrance exam, could barely borrow ten thousand. Even Zhang Sheng’s swords couldn’t cover ten million. Only the prestige of Xuan Yue True Sovereign could command such value.

As for Zhang Sheng and Burning Sea True Person—their reputations weren’t large enough.

“So if you dare to produce a Heavenly Foundation,” Zhang Sheng said sharply, “you won’t need Xuan Yue Grandmaster to act—I’ll purge you from the sect myself!”

He’d just said a Earth Foundation disciple was enough to execute a traitor… Wei Yuan mentally scoffed, but dared not show it.

“Go pack your things. In three days, the sect’s airship departs for Ganzhou. I’ll accompany you.”

Three days later, Wei Yuan boarded the airship, finally leaving Konggu Xuanqing, where he’d lived for ten years.

This airship was vastly different from the one Wei Yuan had taken when he first arrived at Tai Chu Palace. It stretched one hundred and fifty zhang in length, thirty zhang in height, with nine-tiered pavilions on deck and seven lower decks. Its entire hull was deep azure, forged from ten-thousand-year spiritual wood, capable of carrying ten thousand people—but this journey to Ganzhou carried only a few hundred cultivators; most of the space held cargo. The vessel, it was said, could carry a million shi when fully loaded.

The giant airship flew much slower; the journey to Ganzhou would take seven full days. Wei Yuan could finally enjoy the scenery. Ten years ago, the airship had been too fast, and he had been too young—outside the window, only streaks of bizarre light had blurred past.

Whenever he had time, Wei Yuan went to the deck. He loved standing at the prow, watching the rolling sea of clouds rush toward him, then sweep beneath the vessel. At such moments, gazing upward at the vast sky and downward at the world below, no feeling stirred his heart more powerfully.

Day by day, watching the boundless heavens and earth, his heart seemed to expand, capable of holding all creation.

On this day, Wei Yuan stood once more at the bow. Zhang Sheng appeared beside him, gazing at the endless clouds, and said: “Tomorrow we reach the battlefield. Aren’t you afraid?”

Day by day, watching the vastness of heaven and earth, his heart seemed to broaden too, capable of holding heaven and earth.

“This is a killing ground against alien races. Anything can happen—even the Divine Mechanism Sect’s soothsayers can’t predict it. In short, anyone might die—you, me, everyone. Even the Three Immortal Grandmasters of old perished one after another after a great battle.”

Wei Yuan, still young at heart, felt no fear—only eagerness. He suddenly asked: “May I ask you a question?”

Zhang Sheng chuckled. “A great battle looms, yet you still think of such trivial things. Very well—ask.”

“I’ve noticed many in the palace have Dao companions. What kind of Dao companion would you seek?”

“You child…” Zhang Sheng shook his head, unusually calm, and pointed toward the boundless sea of clouds. “The heavens and earth hold great love. The human world holds great love. My love is for the heavens, for the earth, for all beings—not for the petty affections between man and woman.”

“I’ve noticed many in the palace have cultivation partners—what kind of partner are you looking for, Master?”

"You child..." Zhang Sheng shook his head, rarely losing his temper; instead, he pointed toward the endless sea of clouds ahead and said, "Heaven and earth hold great love; the human world holds great love. My heart holds love—not romantic affection between men and women, but love for heaven and earth, love for the human world."

(End of Chapter)