Chapter 251: Immortal Impressions

She slowly chewed her Tuckahoe pastry. "Are you thinking of becoming a thief? Let me be clear, I don't know you. Whatever you've said or done, I know nothing about it!"

"Are you really so heartless?" she asked, still eating the pastry he had bought.

"Breaking the law in Panlong City requires considerable courage."

"Is it really worth it for a few books?" He Lingchuan said honestly. "I've been spending the last few days at the Literary Pavilion, and I've found that the collection of books isn't as extensive as I'd imagined. Even travelogues and local chronicles are scarce."

Sun Fuling kicked a small stone on the ground. "Although the Chapa Plateau is fertile and habitable, Panlong City used to be just one of many cities in the Panlong Wasteland. While many merchants and travelers passed through, few stayed. Moreover, the people here are fierce and prioritize martial arts. How many do you think would actively read books?" She added, "If few people are literate, how can the collection be rich?"

He Lingchuan thought about it, and it seemed logical.

Had his expectations been too high?

"Commander Zhong has only been in charge of Panlong City for fifteen years. Even if he taught people to compile books and establish public schools, the Literary Pavilion's stock wouldn't increase significantly in a short time. As for travelogues and local chronicles, I heard that merchants and travelers used to specifically bring them to Panlong City for sale, and they sold very well, often being snatched up as soon as they were displayed." She continued slowly, "Later, Panlong City prohibited the circulation of such books."

He Lingchuan was greatly puzzled. "Why?"

"If you learned from these books that the outside world is vast and fascinating, wouldn't you want to see it?"

He Lingchuan hesitated, then nodded. He knew what Sun Fuling was getting at.

"But you can't go there," Sun Fuling said with a wry smile. "When people yearn too much for things beyond their reach, it turns into an obsession."

"Having too many such people is not what Panlong City desires." She sighed softly, as if to herself, "Sometimes, ignorance is bliss."

The Panlong Wasteland was an exclave of the Xiluo Kingdom, isolated beyond its borders and surrounded on all sides by unfriendly nations.

This geographical environment destined the people of Panlong City to be trapped, unable to go anywhere. The more they were drawn to the vibrant outside world, the more easily they would fall into the quagmire of unfulfilled desires.

He Lingchuan had heard an old saying, "The more you know, the more you suffer." He was silent for a moment before asking her, "You've read these travelogues; what are your thoughts?"

"I just want to see the ocean," Sun Fuling said, her voice full of longing. "I heard it's thousands, tens of thousands of times larger than a lake, with never-ending tides. And then I'd taste the seawater, to see if it's as salty and bitter as the legends say."

The word "yes" lingered on He Lingchuan's tongue for a long time but wouldn't come out. What right did he have to say yes? His identity here was also a resident of the Panlong Wasteland; it was equally impossible for him to see the sea.

"There will be a chance," he said, lacking conviction. Even though everyone else was oblivious, he knew very well the ultimate fate of Panlong City.

Everyone here wouldn't live past twenty years!

Including the bright-eyed girl in front of him.

Not only in life, but even after death, they would be trapped in the wasteland by the Great Square Pot, endlessly.

Sun Fuling's almond-shaped eyes curved into crescent moons. "I'll take that as a good omen."

"And also..." He Lingchuan pressed on. "Have you seen any works on divination in the Literary Pavilion?"

Sun Fuling thought for a moment before asking, "What kind of divination?"

"Divining fortune and misfortune, predicting the future."

"There wouldn't be any."

He Lingchuan was startled; her "wouldn't" was quite precise. "Why not?"

Sun Fuling replied calmly, "Knowing too much only adds to one's troubles. Drifting with the current suits most people."

He Lingchuan was utterly speechless.

There was another saying: the clearer one is, the more painful life becomes.

Sun Fuling glanced at him. "Why are you curious about that?"

He Lingchuan scratched his head. "Someone told me I'm plagued by misfortune and will soon die a violent death."

"And you believed him?"

"His divinations have a pretty high success rate," He Lingchuan said with a wry smile. "He even accurately predicted things from my past."

"Sounds like the spiel of a charlatan," Sun Fuling said, clearly unconvinced.

But she immediately added, "While there are no such books in the Literary Pavilion, Commander He has an advisor named Wen Daolun who seems to be an expert in this field. He has lectured at the Shumin Academy twice and casually mentioned a few principles of divination. I hear Commander He relies on him greatly."

He Lingchuan immediately perked up. "Will he come a third time?"

"That I don't know," Sun Fuling chuckled. "Such a busy person is too far removed from us. Instead of hoping he'll return to Shumin Academy, you'd be better off seeking him out at the official residence."

He Lingchuan's eyes darted. "Where does he live? How about I just go and wait for him?"

"I don't know that; you'll have to find out yourself." Sun Fuling changed the subject. "By the way, there are many handwritten copies of Immortal Language texts in the Literary Pavilion. Have you looked at any of them?"

She had previously taught He Lingchuan how to utilize the Literary Pavilion, which indeed contained many books written in Immortal Language.

"Uh, not yet," He Lingchuan scratched his head. "I'm just starting out; it's too difficult to read."

After all, he had only been studying for a few days. He could recognize individual ancient characters, but when they were densely packed together, it made him feel flustered and breathless.

"Never mind," Sun Fuling shook her head. "I've read a lot of books; you can ask me first."

"Where did those manuscripts come from?" He Lingchuan didn't hesitate to ask. "Were they really written by Immortals?"

"They were likely written by Immortals and their disciples," Sun Fuling explained. "These copies are transcribed from ancient texts. And ancient texts... either they were preserved and circulated by the Daoist sect or unearthed from Immortal caves and ruins. Didn't you also obtain rubbings from an Immortal cave?"

"Circulated by the Daoist sect?" He Lingchuan recalled something. "I heard that the Immortal Sect was the predecessor of the Daoist sect."

"Indeed," Sun Fuling nodded. "That's a widely accepted fact. After the Immortals disappeared from the world, the 'Immortal' character in 'Immortal Sect' could no longer be maintained. So, its status was downgraded, and it reluctantly changed its name to the Daoist sect."

"While reading at the Literary Pavilion these past few days, I found some books that praised the Immortals for their noble character, diligently educating the remaining mortals after the great cataclysm, helping them resist beast attacks, and preserving the flame of civilization, so that future generations would not fall back into ignorance."

"However, many other books fiercely condemn the Immortals for enslaving mortals, accusing them of treating commoners like ants, holding absolute power over life and death." He Lingchuan shrugged. "Both types of books offer extensive evidence. For instance, there are accounts of Immortals testing poisons on themselves for the sake of the people, or subduing demons and monsters. Then there are also accounts of Immortal disciples slaughtering tens of thousands just to extract souls for banner refinement."

"If you understand the ancient scrolls left by the Immortals and their disciples, you'd know that both statements are correct, yet both are also partial." The two left the main street and walked towards the wooden house, where the flow of people began to thin. "After the cataclysm that changed everything, the spiritual energy in the world rapidly weakened, but the Immortals' abilities didn't immediately vanish. Do you understand why?"

He Lingchuan thought for a moment. "They still had their cultivation, and there were still profound crystals in the world?"

"Yes, it's like walking in a desert. Even if the environment is dry and hot and you can't find water, if your water skin is mostly full, you can last longer." Sun Fuling said slowly, "Based on the Immortal notes I've read, at least for two or three hundred years after the cataclysm, Immortals still possessed the ability to ascend to the heavens and descend into the earth."

"But this was water without a source; it couldn't last forever." He Lingchuan recalled the true form of Madam Zhu Er he had seen in the burrow spider's nest. "That female spider in the Ghost Needle Stone Forest was also an ancient demon. It constantly shed its heavy old shell, replacing it with a smaller, weaker form to survive until today."

Maintaining an Immortal or Immortal-demon body required an immense amount of spiritual energy. After the cataclysm, this was like a giant whale beached on the sand; without the tide's help, it was doomed to die.

"Immortals and other Immortal-demons couldn't 'cut their feet to fit the shoes' like the spider demons; once their stored spiritual energy was depleted, their only path was extinction." Sun Fuling continued, "Immortals also originated from mortals, and humans have always valued inheritance. Knowing their time was limited, it's not surprising they educated commoners and passed on their knowledge, is it? Look at Shumin Academy, look at me – aren't we doing exactly that now?"

"As for what you read in books about the Immortal Sect enslaving mortals and committing all sorts of evil deeds—" She sighed, "That certainly happened, and it was recorded. But consider, when the spiritual energy of the world declined to the point where Immortals could barely sustain themselves, what would the Immortal Sect do to secure the last remaining resources?"

He Lingchuan didn't hesitate. "If it were me, I'd stop at nothing."

"Exactly," Sun Fuling smiled faintly. "Immortals were originally otherworldly and noble because they were free from desires. But when they, too, had to exert all their strength just to cling to life, what difference was there between them and us mortals?"

He Lingchuan also sighed.

When the mighty Immortals fell from the clouds, the darkness of human nature could no longer be hidden.

In the end, all beings suffer.

"I still have one thing I don't understand."

"Go on," Sun Fuling said, showing no impatience.

"Where exactly did primal energy come from?" He Lingchuan had read many books but couldn't figure it out. "I've seen some say it was passed on by Immortals to help humans resist beast attacks. Other records state it was a method taught to humans by gods to fight against Immortal oppression, and, of course, against beasts."

"The earliest records of primal energy seem to be from over two thousand years ago. Unless earlier evidence is unearthed, it was likely a power discovered after the cataclysm." Sun Fuling shrugged. "There's still no consensus on the true origin of primal energy. The old scholars at Shumin Academy, Panlong City, and Wentai Pavilion argue about it daily, but they can't agree."

"Setting aside others, what's your view, Miss Sun?"

"Me?" Sun Fuling tilted her head, considering. "I lean more towards it being a method taught to humans by gods."

He Lingchuan's heart stirred; her thought aligned with his own. "Why?"

"Primal energy can only be aggregated when thousands of mortals unite their efforts. If Immortals taught this to humans, it would be like shooting themselves in the foot, creating a way for mortals to fight against them."