Chapter 230: Words of the People

A loud bang!

No sooner had the two men finished speaking than a gust of wind slammed against the wooden gate. The dog next door startled a nest of sparrows, triggering a chorus of chirps and barks. Both Xu Gongming and Tian Zhongqing felt a chill run down their spines from the commotion, looking at each other in trepidation. Xu Gongming gritted his teeth and whispered, "I spoke out of turn."

Tian Zhongqing's face was also slightly pale. He managed to nod calmly and, after exchanging a few pleasantries, no longer felt like talking. He personally escorted Xu Gongming out of the courtyard. Watching him ride away, Tian Zhongqing stomped his foot in annoyance, regretting, "My loose tongue has invited unnecessary trouble!"

He returned to his room, poured himself two large gulps of tea, and murmured to himself, "It should be fine, it should be fine. The master hasn't punished anyone for loose talk yet."

The dog next door began to bark softly again. Tian Zhongqing, disturbed by the sound, said in a deep voice, "Someone!"

"My lord!" The steward rushed over. Tian Zhongqing waved his sleeve and whispered, "Take that dog away. Send it to a family far from here; don't let it make noise again."

"Yes, sir," the servant quickly replied. The subsequent barks faded into the distance, but Tian Zhongqing's heart remained restless, burdened by a heavy weight.

He sat back at his desk, pondering whether the noise was a mere coincidence or caused by the master's spies. Tian Zhongqing silently sipped his tea, thinking to himself, "If Young Master Yuanxiu were in charge, this would most likely be the work of spies. But with the current master being more lenient, it seems like an unintentional coincidence."

After much thought, Tian Zhongqing ultimately blamed himself, secretly regretting, "I don't notice it when I'm careful day-to-day, but it's easy to speak carelessly when talking with friends. After all, it's unavoidable... Who can be cautious everywhere, day in and day out, for ten years?"

Meanwhile, Xu Gongming rode his horse in a daze, filled with both regret and shame. His grandfather had repeatedly warned him not to associate with or speak much with those of the prominent family, yet he had unknowingly violated every taboo. Overwhelmed by boundless remorse, Xu Gongming let his horse wander aimlessly through the woods for several circles. He couldn't think of any way to make amends.

"Grandfather has passed away," he thought. "There's no one left to advise me." Xu Gongming rode for several miles, carefully recalling his grandfather's words. He found a flat spot in a field and stared blankly as the raindrops trickled down.

Li Tongya watched for a while, then took a few sips of wine at the lower end of the table. Seeing him silent, and with several Purple Manor cultivators observing from above, the people beside him drank some spirit wine to embolden themselves. They slowly began to chat about everything under the sun.

The atmosphere in the hall grew lively. Cultivators toasted each other, laughed, and generally made a boisterous scene. Seeing that Li Tongya paid them no mind, the surrounding cultivators gradually grew bolder and began to boast and bicker.

The white-haired cultivator to Li Tongya's left raised his cup and asked with a smile, "Brother, what county are you from? And where do you cultivate, on which immortal mountain or spiritual vein?"

The cultivator on the other side cupped his hands and replied, "I'm from Yuebei Commandery, under the Xiu Yue Sect's jurisdiction. I cultivate in a small temple on a hilltop—hardly an immortal mountain or spiritual vein, just a humble mound."

"You are too modest, fellow Daoist," the old white-haired cultivator chuckled, a hint of envy in his voice. He sighed, "I'm a few years older than you and know more about the State of Yue. Those under the Xiu Yue Immortal Sect's rule fare the best. You truly have good fortune, fellow Daoist; I imagine you live the carefree life of an immortal, like a wild crane and a floating cloud."

"Alas!" The young cultivator gave a bitter laugh, shaking his head repeatedly. He took a sip of wine and whispered, "Where is this immortal life you speak of? The mortal world is inherently full of pointless struggles. Even among small temples and Daoist monasteries, the competition for resources is exhausting, both physically and mentally. What's more, Yuebei Commandery borders the State of Xu, and Buddhist practitioners often appear, leading people northward. It's not as easy as it sounds... Don't mortals always envy cultivators for their freedom, thinking that once they become immortals, they'll have no worries? But you and I both know what it's truly like to be in this life!"

The white-haired old cultivator chuckled, nodding approvingly, yet he held a different view. He spoke again, "You see it too lightly. The struggles under your Xiu Yue Sect are merely about power and profit. If you lose, you simply pack up your heritage and leave obediently. Lives are not taken unless it's a battle of life and death. Now, turn your head and look at the other sects."

He paused slightly, his voice dropping significantly as he whispered, "I won't even mention the Azure Pond Immortal Sect. Just look at the Dangjin Gate—how many families and Daoist temples do they wipe out every year?"

The young cultivator nodded gently and replied, "Not just the State of Yue; aren't the States of Wu and Xu the same? Without a Purple Manor cultivator guarding them, they're merely playthings and tools, easily slaughtered. Only when a sect suddenly gains a Purple Manor cultivator does everyone offer congratulations, and then your disciples are finally treated as human beings!"

The white-haired old cultivator, having experienced much, was deeply moved by these words. The young cultivator also seemed quite experienced; his remarks even made Li Tongya nod slightly. After speaking, both realized that the current setting was not ideal for discussing such matters, so they quickly changed the topic.

"You said Buddhist practitioners often appear in Yuebei Commandery?" the old cultivator asked, changing the subject with a touch of surprise. "When I was young, I also visited the State of Xu, and I never saw a single Buddhist practitioner, not even in the northernmost parts. How has it come to this?"

"Ah!" The young cultivator sighed immediately, speaking with some indignation. "The State of Xu has shallow spiritual veins, weak national power, and a small territory. There are no major sects or famous mountains, only a handful of sects guarding Xu. How can they possibly defend it? I heard from my temple master that these people weren't seen a hundred years ago; they only started appearing more frequently in the last fifty years."

The old cultivator fell silent for a moment, then replied, "Those Purple Manor Immortals, Golden Core Sages... Did they just let... the State of Xu fall like that?"

The young cultivator paused slightly, then whispered, "There were battles... powerful Buddhist figures also took action, like Liaomin and Mohe. I heard that their fighting caused all the birds and beasts on seven entire mountains to turn vegetarian, and many fierce beasts died of starvation. The various rumors about it are truly terrifying."

The old cultivator sighed repeatedly, his face full of reminiscence, and whispered, "I've also met Buddhist cultivators. One was a Dharma Master, enlightened and possessing great wisdom. I once considered converting, but the Master insisted on striking me with his Zen staff. It was too painful, so I had to give up."

At his words, everyone present looked strange, wanting to laugh but too embarrassed to make a sound. Only the young cultivator burst out laughing and replied, "Senior, we cultivate for this life, while their teachings are for the next. The two conflict. Since your enlightenment wasn't sufficient, of course you felt pain."

The old cultivator didn't mind, and so all the cultivators chuckled softly, making the atmosphere much more harmonious.

Li Tongya listened with great interest. His family had risen too quickly, with a weak foundation, and he knew little about such information. Therefore, he remained silent, listening carefully, feeling that his horizons were being broadened. Then he heard the old cultivator say, "There are many paths in the world. Cultivating Purple Manor and Golden Core is fine, and cultivating the Mahayana Dharmakaya is also acceptable. There are also strange scriptures with destructive curses that harm enemies, and the elusive practice of combining different spiritual residences into one furnace. Whichever path proves viable, that's the one to follow!"

These words caused a ripple, with cultivators expressing either approval or disdain, speaking up one after another. "Fellow Daoist, your words are mistaken. If one loses their true self through cultivation, and 'I' am no longer 'I,' what's the point?" another interjected. "Combining different spiritual residences into one furnace is a demonic cultivation path. Fellow Daoist, your words are too..."

The ensuing commotion made Li Tongya frown slightly, losing interest. He simply continued to drink alone, when unexpectedly, a middle-aged man draped in animal hide approached. He stepped forward and asked with a smile, "Senior, are you drinking alone because you have something on your mind?"