Chapter 97: Choice

On his first day of cultivation, Wei Yuan felt he could no longer continue—he was constantly watched by the full moon, and every half-breath he took disrupted his meditative state; if he kept this up, he would surely suffer qi deviation. But soon Wei Yuan learned that the entire mountain’s Spirit Gathering Array had malfunctioned; dozens of cultivators from the Heavenly Engineering Hall and Heavenly Mechanism Hall had arrived to inspect and repair it, creating a massive commotion, and it was said it would take at least ten days or even weeks to fix.

After hearing the news, Wei Yuan understood: the spirit vein had dried up because the Spirit Gathering Array had broken down.

With cultivation temporarily impossible, Wei Yuan planned to visit Bosi Hall to borrow a few cultivation insights for the Foundation Establishment realm—but before he could leave, two young Daoists arrived at his cave dwelling and said the Palace Master wished to see him.

The two Daoists looked very young, yet their cultivation was extraordinarily high—just a hair’s breadth from the Manifestation realm. They used a magic treasure to carry Wei Yuan through the clouds, and moments later arrived at a sheer peak at the edge of Konggu Xuanqing.

The peak was slender and towering, with rolling clouds hundreds of feet below. The two young Daoists led Wei Yuan to the cliff’s edge, then quietly departed.

On the cliff’s edge sat a man holding a fishing rod, fishing calmly toward the sea of clouds. He wore simple cloth robes, utterly ordinary in appearance—yet this return-to-nature aura made it clear he was no ordinary man.

Though he felt no aura or spiritual energy at all, Wei Yuan felt so tense he could barely breathe. Arriving behind the man, he bowed respectfully: “Wei Yuan greets the Immortal Lord!”

Pei Tinghai, one of the two Immortal Lords of Tai Chu Palace, had been the pillar holding up the palace during the Master’s long seclusion.

Pei Tinghai did not turn around, speaking calmly: “Wei Yuan, I heard that when you entered the palace, you asked: ‘If the Immortal Path is so wondrous, why do people still starve to death in the mortal world?’ Do you have an answer now?”

Wei Yuan shook his head: “No, I only understand a little.”

Pei Tinghai did not press further, but said: “I have three questions of my own. Listen well. First: Upon achieving Unity and entering the Immortal Gate, all power becomes your own. Why then must one study history?”

This question Wei Yuan had pondered many times—not just him, but most young cultivators entering Tai Chu Palace had the same doubt. Among the seven core courses taught collectively, three were history; though the Know the Ancients Sect did not attend collective instruction, history was still required in every hall’s teachings, without exception. Many disciples wondered: studying history adds no spiritual power, grants no new Dao techniques—what use is it?

“Second question: You’ve been to Liaoyu—you know what that realm is like. Dao follows nature; heaven and earth have always existed, with inherent reason. Yet humans must survive by defying heaven. So—is heaven wrong, or are humans wrong?”

“Third question: A flying vessel sails above the Abyss of Darkness, about to crash. Only by throwing half the passengers overboard can it cross. Who should live? Who should die?”

Wei Yuan had some thoughts on the first question, but the latter two were entirely new to him—he had no answers, not even a single line of reasoning. Especially the last one: no preconditions, no context—just choose half to die. How could one answer that?

After posing the three questions, Pei Tinghai said: “You may choose one of these three to ask me.”

Wei Yuan pondered a moment, then decided to ask why one must study history. At least this question he had some thoughts on; the Immortal Lord’s answer could confirm or challenge his own, yielding the greatest insight.

Pei Tinghai replied: “For the vast majority of cultivators, studying history truly is useless.”

Wei Yuan was startled—he had not expected this answer.

But Pei Tinghai continued: “Yet once you reach the Yu Jing realm and forge a Mind-Realm, history becomes useful. When the Human King founded Da Li, the Immortal Lord was the Human King, and the Human King was the Immortal Lord. The first several emperors of Da Li ascended through abdication. Over the next hundred thousand years of rise and fall, countless dynasties rose and vanished. Da Li eventually became Da Tang, which split into nine states and feudal lords, until the Son of Heaven grew increasingly hollow. Entering the Immortal Gate, every action and word entangles countless karmic threads—every decision determines the life or death of countless others. And power does not merely affect the present and future—it alters the past as well.”

“Studying history allows you to know how to handle matters like imperial in-laws meddling in governance, eunuchs monopolizing power, regional warlords carving out territories, or pure scholars misleading the state.”

Wei Yuan felt deeply instructed, yet he sensed Pei Tinghai’s words carried hidden meaning—he just could not yet perceive its depth.

Suddenly, Pei Tinghai’s fishing rod trembled, then bent into a crescent shape. He pulled upward with visible effort, as if a great fish in the sea of clouds was struggling violently.

Yet Wei Yuan clearly saw no fishing line on the rod.

After several attempts, Pei Tinghai suddenly lifted the rod high—a withered branch flew out of the clouds and landed in his hand. He examined the foot-long branch, smiled faintly, and said: “A branch from the ancient Moon Osmanthus Immortal Tree. Quite suitable for you. Since you ranked first in the Great Examination and have nothing else to be rewarded with, I give you this branch—see if you can keep it alive.”

Pei Tinghai tossed it casually—the branch vanished into Wei Yuan’s spiritual sea and planted itself in the ground beside Yushan.

Before Wei Yuan could thank him, he felt an odd stir in the book recording his merit list—some important message had arrived, but with the Immortal Lord before him, he naturally dared not pull it out.

After catching the Immortal Tree branch, Pei Tinghai laid down his rod and rose, walking to a jade basin beside him. He washed his hands in its clear water. His hands had looked ordinary—but once washed, they were suddenly covered in blood, and the water in the basin turned crimson!

Wei Yuan’s heart trembled—he felt an instant urge to turn and flee. Yet his lifelong composure kept his expression unchanged.

Pei Tinghai clearly saw Wei Yuan’s inner turmoil, and smiled: “Fishing in the mortal world—whoever does it doesn’t get their hands clean? You can’t avoid blood—only whose blood you spill.”

Pei Tinghai washed his hands for a long time—the water in the basin grew redder and redder, yet the blood on his hands did not lessen. Finally, he picked up a nearby cloth and wiped his hands—the cloth turned instantly bright red, but his hands were now clean.

Pei Tinghai set the cloth down and said: “Xuan Yue has staked his entire fortune on you, and you have not disappointed him—you possess extraordinary potential for the Dao Foundation. The palace should now tilt its support toward you. Here are two choices—you may choose freely.”

“First: The palace grants you one million merit points to cover all your cultivation needs. For the next ten years, remain within the palace and cultivate in earnest. I will assign you a dedicated peak for cultivation until you reach Su Sheng realm. Only then will we discuss your descent for trials.” Before Pei Tinghai finished, Wei Yuan said: “Disciple chooses the second option!”

Pei Tinghai asked curiously: “You haven’t even heard the second option—how did you decide so quickly?”

Wei Yuan replied: “I have forged my Dao Foundation—I must act, must give back to the mortal world. The first option is good, but to remain within the palace for ten years is no different from being a rice worm. In the Great Examination, I witnessed the Liaoyu barbarians. Though I cannot yet expand territory, I am confident I can hold my own. So I wish to join trials involving foreign tribes—gaining experience to know both enemy and self, and if I can use them to hone my blade, all the better!”

Pei Tinghai smiled: “Your spirit is rare indeed. There happen to be several matters suited to you right now—but I must still deliberate which to entrust to you. Return to your cultivation. When the time is ripe, someone will come to notify you.”

The two young Daoists reappeared and escorted Wei Yuan back to his quarters.

After Wei Yuan left, Pei Tinghai walked slowly to a stone table and sat. On it lay a chessboard with a half-finished game. He picked up a piece, pondered long, then placed it gently. He murmured: “With this move, you cannot swallow it nor spit it out—surely it will draw that thing back?”

After placing the piece, he did not move again, merely gazing at the board in thought.

After a long while, a young Daoist in black robes appeared atop the peak, standing beside Pei Tinghai: “The Western Jin has sent an envoy. He has just left the capital, seeking to accuse Wei Yuan.”

Pei Tinghai replied coolly: “If they want to pick a fight, one Assistant Regional Commander isn’t enough. They’d need two Provincial Military Commanders and a Duke at least to make it sound credible. Lü Ming is growing stingy—such a trivial matter warrants an envoy?”

“How should we handle this?”

!.

“Have Yan Shi redirect the envoy’s fortune—arrange some natural disaster or calamity to deal with him. If the envoy vanishes inexplicably en route, and Lü Ming hasn’t lost his wits, he’ll know what to do.”

The young Daoist hesitated: “Isn’t the cost of redirecting fortune too high? Why not let me go? I’ll toss them all into the Eastern Sea—guarantee clean karmic ties.”

Pei Tinghai’s lips curled into a faint smile: “This time, there is no cost.”

The young Daoist bowed and vanished.

Moments later, in the humble courtyard, the young Daoist stared at the spot where the black-robed Daoist had disappeared, lost in thought. Then he pinched the lid of his teacup between two fingers and gave it a gentle twist—it spun effortlessly.

He pondered a moment, then said: “Liu Li, come to me.”

Moments later, Ji Liuli entered the courtyard, bowed, and asked: “Master, what do you need? Another complaint? Who’s stupid enough this time? Is it Xu Henshui?”

Yan Shi Zhenjun chuckled: “All you ever think about is revenge—you never learn to win with virtue.”

Ji Liuli replied: “My martial virtue is abundant—isn’t that winning with virtue?”

Yan Shi Zhenjun rubbed his temples: “Stay away from those people in Tianqing Hall! All you’ve learned is how to talk fast!”

Ji Liuli stuck out her tongue but dared not say, “And how to fight.”

Yan Shi Zhenjun grunted: “Today I’m in a good mood. Come, let’s go drink tea with Xuan Yue.”

Ji Liuli’s expression changed: “Tea? He doesn’t have any good tea!” She knew her master was obsessed with tea and extremely picky—he would never touch a single drop of ordinary tea.

Yan Shi Zhenjun suddenly remembered: “You reminded me—I was so eager to visit Xuan Yue I forgot. Go to the third shelf in the room and bring down a box of tea leaves. We’ll go drink tea with Xuan Yue!”

“We have to bring our own tea to drink with him? Your teas are all Immortal-grade!” Ji Liuli was even more astonished.

Yan Shi Zhenjun said: “What matters is visiting Xuan Yue—not the tea. Oh, tea matters too. Fine—when we get there, you brew the tea, then drop two leaves on the ground.”

Ji Liuli was stunned again—these Immortal teas could enhance insight and strengthen foundations, even shift fortune; they couldn’t be bought with Immortal silver or exchanged for heavenly merit! Intentionally drop two leaves on the ground?

Yan Shi Zhenjun grunted, exasperated: “Look at you—so unambitious! I want Xuan Yue to see: I drop two Immortal tea leaves and don’t even pick them up! I, your master, possess all this skill—if only you’d…”

As the young Daoist began lecturing, Ji Liuli had already vanished into the room to fetch the tea.

(End of Chapter)