Chapter 205: Old Man

"Not bad," Li Tongya murmured. The old man's face immediately brightened. He lightly tapped his bamboo pole, bringing the boat closer to the small islet.

The old man, clad in a wet coir cape covered with morning dew, had a dignified face and a long white beard. His eyes, keen and energetic under his bamboo hat, twinkled. Seeing Li Tongya board the small boat, he let out a hearty laugh, then smoothly pushed off with his sculling oar, guiding the boat effortlessly towards the riverbank. He began,

"This humble one has been ferrying boats here for over ten years, sir. Rest assured, once we leave the lake and follow Big Fish Stream south, Pear River Estuary will be well within sight!"

Li Tongya's spiritual sense confirmed that the man before him was merely a mortal. As Li Tongya stood at the stern, observing the lake scenery, the old man, unable to wait, raised his hands and pushed off strenuously. The small boat began to move swiftly and steadily. The old man glanced at Li Tongya's expression and said with a smile,

"Sir, your dignified face and commanding presence suggest you are truly a kind-hearted man!"

"A kind-hearted man?" Li Tongya paused, almost laughing aloud. He suddenly found himself intrigued, and touching the sword at his waist, he said softly,

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, boatman. My entire family are naturally wicked, not good people."

Though he had been in seclusion for years, the number of people he had killed since he began cultivating was far from few, and those he had indirectly harmed were countless. How could he be considered kind-hearted?

The old man was taken aback. He hadn't expected such a reply from Li Tongya. He then let out a raspy laugh, continuing to pole the boat as he called out,

"You jest, sir!"

"Hmm." Li Tongya averted his gaze. He kept feeling the old man's face was somewhat familiar. He inquired,

"You seem familiar, boatman... have we met before?"

The old man put down his pole, scrutinized Li Tongya up and down, then turned back to pole the boat again, chuckling,

"Perhaps I have, sir. This humble one was also born into a prominent family, with no worries about food or clothing. In my youth, I roamed along the Ancient Li Road and met many notable figures."

"A prominent family?" Li Tongya's eyes narrowed slightly. His expression didn't change, yet an indescribable feeling suddenly emerged, his previously commanding and steady demeanor receding, causing a tremor in the heart of anyone observing him.

Fortunately, the old man, wearing his bamboo hat and poling the boat, did not look back. He continued to chuckle,

"My original surname is Lu; I was a member of the Lu family in the west. Later, when the Lu family's ancestor passed away and their connection with the immortal sect was severed, they were divided between the An and Li families. This humble one had no choice but to change my surname to Liu and make a living for myself."

"I see," Li Tongya replied, lowering his voice.

"From your appearance, boatman, life seems to be treating you reasonably well."

"Ah!" The old man shook his head, poling the boat and chuckling.

"Sir... there are three great hardships in this world: poling a boat, forging iron, and grinding tofu. They are all tiring!"

Having crossed the turbulent middle of the river, the small boat became increasingly steady as it followed the current. The Li family governed with strict discipline, setting exceptionally stringent demands for their descendants. There was no merging or monopolization of businesses, and with support from the Shanyue people, the common folk lived very well. The old man leaned his boat pole against the side, opened the stove in the middle of the boat, and surprisingly, pulled out a cup of warm rice wine.

He raised his head, took a sip, and exhaled comfortably before continuing,

"Every profession in this world has its hardships, and everyone has their own suffering. It's good to understand this principle."

He narrowed his eyes in reminiscence, speaking somewhat dreamily,

"Ah, in my youth, I had grand ambitions and was a wanderer. In middle age, I returned home to enjoy life, with my hounds and concubines, living like a master. But in old age, my clan was wiped out overnight, and I was forced to kneel like a grandson. The most wondrous thing about life's affairs is precisely this!"

"Sir, don't assume immortals live a carefree life; they also experience suffering. Have you heard that all the young masters of the immortal clans recently perished? Alas..."

Li Tongya remained silent for a moment, then looked at the old man and said softly,

"The Li family isn't a good lot either... have you ever resented them?"

"Resentment?" The old man was stunned. He put down his pole, picked up the brazier to reveal the charcoal fire beneath, and then held up the rice wine for Li Tongya to see. He replied,

"This humble one is merely a small boatman. In spring, I can use charcoal to warm wine, and while I can't say I drink seasonal fine wine to my heart's content, I do enjoy it once every three days!"

The old man then picked up his pole again, stirred up a series of splashes, and pointed towards the Shanyue lands in the west, proclaiming,

"A tyrannical ruler, who slaughters without mercy, uses the might of the entire Shanyue clan to support his personal extravagance!"

His withered, wrinkled finger then pointed towards Lixia Commandery. The old man said,

"Clans wiped out, an entire commandery annihilated, while the immortal clans remained silent, watching from the sidelines!"

Finally, he pointed in the direction of the Yu family's Dense Forest Commandery, his voice grim and sharp as he cried out,

"The common people are displaced, resorting to cannibalism, while prominent families drink wine, play pitch-pot, and sing joyfully as they strike their oars. The common folk weep, butchers hang dog heads, but beneath them lies human flesh. This year, the price of human flesh has fallen even further; last year it was three *qian* per *jin*, now it's only two *qian*..."

The old man shed two streams of tears, lowering his voice.

"Having witnessed such suffering among the people, this humble one can still drink wine and burn charcoal. The dissolution of my old clan was merely the elimination of a harm. How could I still harbor resentment?"

Li Tongya was deeply moved. He sat down beside the old man, letting the small boat drift on its own. The old man took another drink, tears streaming down his cheeks, and said in a deep voice,

"Sir says the Li family isn't a good lot either, but one must distinguish between good and evil. This humble one has but a few years left to live, so I shall speak a few words that could cost me my head!"

He picked up his pole, his hair bristling, dew drops rolling down one by one. The old man gritted his teeth and said,

"Every single one in this world—demonic cultivators, immortals, sects, prominent families, powerful nobles, even the common people—if judged by their virtue, all deserve to be killed!"

Those words, spoken by a mere mortal, sent a slight chill through Li Tongya. The sounds of birds, beasts, and insects on the river vanished. Only then did the old man sigh softly, continuing,

"But this humble one has witnessed so much and seen so many people. I no longer consider treachery and malice as evil, nor uprightness as good. In this lawless world, the wicked survive, and the upright perish. If one truly wishes to discuss good and evil, one must look at only one thing."

"What is that?" Li Tongya asked softly. The old man drank his wine and replied,

"If the people under one's governance are joyful and well-fed, that is goodness. If they are displaced and resorting to cannibalism, that is evil."

"The Li family restrains its descendants and governs with great strictness, excelling in strategic planning. The common folk live lives akin to those of immortals, eagerly looking forward to each day. Haven't you seen that when a young master passed away, every household in town wore mourning white? If any hypocrite were to bark wildly, claiming their actions are improper, the common people would surely spit at him and denounce him."

As he finished speaking, Li Tongya pondered. The two sat opposite each other. After sitting blankly for over ten breaths, the old man finally picked up his pole again, wiped away his tears, and chuckled,

"This humble one has lost his composure."

"I am enlightened," Li Tongya said solemnly, cupping his hands. A sense of composure unexpectedly settled within him. He whispered,

"Before my father passed away, he insisted on establishing the clan elder. The old man's foresight was profound; our family has benefited immensely from it for generations."

The old man listened in confusion. He turned to look, only to find the stern of the boat empty. The river flowed calmly, with no sign of his passenger, leaving his heart feeling hollow. He then looked back at the small table, where a small piece of gleaming silver subtly reflected the light.

The wind picked up on the river, and the silver glittered brightly. The old man drained the remaining wine, slowly sat down, and broke out in a cold sweat.