Chapter 463: Morality

Li Xuanfeng and Xiao Yongling walked all the way down the mountain. They had ascended in a hurry, without close observation, but now at the foot of the mountain, they found a small platform with six haphazardly placed lamp stands.

The lamp stands were ancient and dark gray, most of them shattered on the ground. It appeared that treasures had once been embedded in them, leading to fierce contention and leaving behind numerous signs of struggle.

The two reached the edge, then rode the wind together into the sea of clouds. Xiao Yongling sighed softly:

"This Green Pine Grotto-Heaven... its original name is 'Mirage Mirror'. It was established by the ancient immortal cultivator Yingze, and it is also the last lineage of the Green Pine tradition. My ancestor once said that this person possessed both the Yin and Yang, which is why he was called Yingze."

"When he established this Grotto-Heaven, his cultivation had already reached its peak. He sought the path of transcendence, hoping to forge a new path between Yin and Yang... In the end, he perished, and no further news was heard of him."

Li Xuanfeng gazed at the sea of clouds below, pondering for a few moments. The question was on his lips—he wanted to ask if the immortal's surname was Lu—but he hesitated, wary of the Golden Core presence above, and so he only asked:

"If, based on the appearance of this sea of clouds, there's a realm above and a realm below... if a treasure is taken from the upper realm, wouldn't there be another one in the lower?"

Xiao Yongling paused slightly, then explained:

"I had that very thought when I first arrived. I happened upon a small, uninhabited peak with a jade slip resting on top. I took the spell from it, and then I returned beneath the sea of clouds, but that peak was empty."

Li Xuanfeng considered for a moment, then quietly said:

"That means we are all in this lower realm, each seeking our own opportunities, while the upper realm is merely a projection..."

When Li Xuanfeng entered the Grotto-Heaven, he immediately dived into the sea of clouds, which, by his reasoning, placed him in the lower realm of this Grotto-Heaven. Thus, he made this deduction. As he finished speaking, Xiao Yongling, who was facing him, frowned:

"This is the lower part? I explored back and forth several times and always returned to where I started..."

Li Xuanfeng looked at him, and an expression of shock slowly appeared on his face. Xiao Yongling's demeanor also grew increasingly uneasy. Li Xuanfeng quietly said:

"Senior, please wait here; I'll go down and take a look."

He rode the wind and plunged into the sea of clouds. Only a breath later, he shot out from the lower end of the sea of clouds, seemingly inverted, then rose with the wind and looked back into the cloud mass.

Standing before him was a middle-aged man in white, with a sword at his waist—it was indeed Xiao Yongling!

The Xiao Yongling before him fiddled with his sleeve, looking at him with some confusion, and quietly said:

"I thought you were going to investigate for a while; I didn't expect you to dive down and immediately return... Have you discovered anything?"

Li Xuanfeng was horrified and whispered:

"Who are you...!"

Xiao Yongling frowned, immediately sensing something was amiss. Li Xuanfeng understood, silently stepped back, and sank once more into the sea of clouds.

It took him a breath to pass through the gray sea of clouds. He flew up on the wind, and indeed, there was another Xiao Yongling above the sea of clouds. Li Xuanfeng looked at the Xiao Yongling above with a complex expression and whispered:

"I'll stay here; Senior, please go down and take a look yourself..."

Xiao Yongling's expression turned grim. He nodded slightly and sank into the sea of clouds. Li Xuanfeng watched him intently and, sure enough, saw him rise from the cloud mass once more, turn around, and the magic sword he had just worn was still on his left side.

Xiao Yongling was silent for a moment, then said in disbelief:

"Could it be... that it's actually an illusion? It seems as if we're diving into these clouds, but we're actually being sent back by an illusory array... which creates the sensation of traversing two realms."

Li Xuanfeng shook his head and quietly said:

"Senior, ride the wind down and observe the stars in the lower realm again."

Xiao Yongling nodded and flew down on the wind. From beneath his feet, yet another Xiao Yongling rose, looking up at the sky, his face full of shock:

"The celestial phenomena in the sky are indeed completely opposite... It's no longer a single realm; upon entering this Grotto-Heaven, a shadowy counterpart is created in the lower realm..."

"Just now... everything on that mountain, beneath these clouds... was replayed exactly as it was!"

Li Xuanfeng remained silent. He had initially thought that the figures conjured by the Grotto-Heaven would have left and right distinctions, like the stars within it. But upon seeing them, they were completely identical. Waiting for Xiao Yongling to fully process his shock, Li Xuanfeng quietly said:

"But... how can we ensure... that we ourselves are not merely projected reflections created by this Grotto-Heaven?"

The two experimented for a while, traversing the sea of clouds. The two figures, one above and one below, were indistinguishable. When the upper figure flew down, the lower figure flew up; had they not made a prior agreement, it would have been impossible to tell the difference.

Xiao Yongling fell silent, not speaking for more than ten breaths, then looked at the sea of clouds, somewhat crestfallen:

"The divine powers of ancient cultivators... are truly unfathomable!"

Tu Longjian stormed into the hall, grabbed something, and flew through the sea of clouds for a while. Li Yuanjiao had already revealed himself; he hadn't gone into the mountain at all, but had been waiting in the sea of clouds.

He stood in the sea of clouds, not descending to contend. Instead, he observed Yu Muxian closely and clearly perceived the formidable aura of the person beside him, feeling a strong sense of suppression in his heart.

"Two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators... and who knows what protective items Yu Muxian has..."

Tang Shedu remained constantly by Yu Muxian's side. If he were to kill Yu Muxian, he would likely have to contend with Tang Shedu as well, and he felt his own strength was still insufficient.

His expression was somewhat grim. Tu Longjian, returning triumphantly, saw Li Yuanjiao's demeanor and asked:

"What's wrong, Senior?"

The worry on Li Yuanjiao's face was genuine. He said in a deep voice:

"I saw an enemy... He's already in the late Foundation Establishment stage, and I'm quite worried about what lies ahead."

Tu Longjian glanced at him, saw the fine cold sweat on his forehead, and thoughtfully lowered his head. After they had flown for a while, he quietly said:

"Senior... Tu Long has always remembered your kindness from back then. Perhaps you could tell me more about it?"

He paused, then saw Li Yuanjiao bow in thanks. He continued to ask:

"Who is it?"

"Yu Muxian of Yuanwu Peak."

After Li Yuanjiao finished speaking, Tu Longjian fell silent abruptly. It was a long while before he finally spoke:

"That person has Purple Mansion spirit artifacts, and more than one."

Li Yuanjiao's eyelids twitched. He silently pressed the sword in his hand, thinking to himself:

"This is troublesome..."

Tu Longjian seemed to hesitate, staring for several breaths, then quietly said:

"Senior... why is it necessary to kill him?"

Li Yuanjiao briefly recounted the enmity between the Yu and Li families. After a moment of hesitation, he added:

"My Li family must advance further in the future... for territory, for connections... this person must die. If we can't kill him and he reaches the Purple Mansion realm, then given my family's current situation... we will never be able to rise. Yu Muxian is ruthless and heartless; he will show no mercy."

Tu Longjian pondered for a moment, his expression somewhat thought-provoking, then quietly said:

"Ultimately, it's still a conflict of interests—taking lives for profit."

Li Yuanjiao was silent for a breath, his voice somewhat hoarse:

"Indeed... Yu Muxian entered Qingchi at the age of eight and has always been in secluded cultivation. I've never heard of him harming anyone..."

Li Yuanjiao's vision blurred slightly, his immortal foundation trembled, and a sense of fear welled up within him. Feeling powerless, with increasing beads of cold sweat on his face, he couldn't help but speak:

"We are different from you. In this life... most of the time, we walk on thin ice, and the things we do are not always honorable... sometimes we kill for wealth, sometimes for self-preservation, sometimes for the family... some people didn't deserve to die."

"I don't know how many have died by my hand. I don't fear death, nor do I ever claim to be righteous, or weigh the gravity of actions. To be frank, my family has killed many people at Wangyue Lake, and many of them were innocent."

"The path of cultivation stretches endlessly; are those who block the way always heinous villains? It's never simply about living off the dew of heaven and earth, radiating immortal energy, and ruling effortlessly... My family... we are, in the end, merely struggling to survive."

Li Yuanjiao stood with his hands clasped behind his back, the Azure Edge sword at his waist humming softly. A coolness spread through his Yang Ascension Palace, and his expression gradually became peaceful as he quietly said:

"I'm not making excuses. I was never a good person to begin with. My family treats common rogue cultivators kindly, and we don't cultivate using blood essence. I rarely harm anyone without cause, but when it truly concerns our future survival, please forgive Yuanjiao for not being able to yield."

Tu Longjian stared at him blankly and replied:

"Senior, you've misunderstood me..."

He was silent for a few breaths, seemingly with more to say, but then a dull drum sound echoed between heaven and earth.

"Dong!"

Both simultaneously looked up at the sky, where a white light illuminated the vast expanse of stars. A patch of cloud and mist dispersed, and a jade stele vaguely rose amidst the shimmering starlight.

The jade stele was covered in dense patterns and inscribed with countless names of various sizes, appearing quite blurry within the surrounding mist. Several streaks of light rose from the horizon and flew towards the stele.

"Dong!"

The second dull drum sounded, and Tu Longjian hastily said:

"Senior! The Three Drums Stele has descended! Let's go observe it first; we can discuss this matter later!"

The two rode the wind and flew up. Tu Longjian's hand gently stroked the black and red token, and his spiritual consciousness subtly stirred:

'What are you doing, going mad! Why are you using your divine power to influence him for no good reason!'

The token shifted slightly, and a faint spiritual message was transmitted:

'You're the one who's mad! Why provoke that Yu Muxian for no reason? I know people like you still cling to notions of kindness. Wouldn't it be perfect if I cast a spell to make him retreat of his own accord?'

'It's just that my power has declined... and this person's Dao heart is remarkably firm... he actually managed to break free on his own...'

Tu Longjian was seething with anger, but it wasn't the right moment to vent. He could only sullenly ascend into the clouds to observe the distance.

Numerous figures already occupied the clouds; several old acquaintances stood among them, silently watching the jade stele and waiting quietly. Tu Longjian quietly said to Li Yuanjiao behind him:

"This is an opportunity for everyone... Senior, please wait a moment."

The two stood in the air for a while. The hazy mist on that patch of cloud slowly dispersed, revealing a jade stele covered with densely inscribed characters. All were ancient seal scripts, and as far as the eye could see, they were names of cultivation techniques.

The scene within the clouds was magnificent. Practically everyone in the entire Grotto-Heaven was concealed within this cloud realm, clad in a vibrant array of Taoist robes and Dharma garments. Magical artifacts and spiritual items each radiated their own light, and all cultivators stood, forming hand seals, gazing intently.

"Dong!"

The third drum sound finally rang out. No one moved immediately as two figures actually appeared before the jade stele.

One figure was tall and slender, dressed in ancient white robes that draped down, with two white sashes hanging. Their face was hazy and indistinct, and behind their head, golden and white halos appeared in concentric circles, clearly indicating an extraordinary being.

The other figure appeared to be a youth, sitting on the cloud with his feet dangling, his back resting against the Three Drums Stele. One hand held a jade pot, from which he slowly poured something into his mouth, his face similarly indistinct, while his other hand rested on his knee.

The youth quietly said:

"This junior has always had a question, and I wonder if Senior could enlighten me."

The standing figure nodded slightly, and the youth quietly said:

"Is there truly morality in this world?"

"I've traveled throughout Jiangnan and the East Sea, seen many people and events... Worldly disputes arise, first from self-interest, second from emotion, and only third from morality."

He asked:

"Disregarding whether one is good or evil, is killing someone to aid one's cultivation considered moral?"

The white-robed figure shook his head definitively. The youth chuckled and continued:

"If killing for cultivation is unacceptable, then is killing to seize treasure considered moral?"

The white-robed figure shook his head slightly, and the youth continued:

"Then, is harming others to seize their Dao lineages or magical treasures considered moral?"

"If killing and harming others to snatch their possessions is immoral, then forcing people into servitude is immoral. If making people into servants is immoral, then leasing out land and collecting rents and stipends is equally an act of coercion and plunder! Buying low and selling high, and swindling vast sums of money are also immoral!"

The youth's voice was light and airy:

"If that's the case, then I ask, Senior, since humans began to gather, when have those in power ever displayed morality? Have those who obey ever truly had it?"

The white-robed figure gently shook his head:

"Precisely because human hearts are consumed by greed, we who are blessed with the powers of heaven and earth must intervene to rectify the ways of the world, to guide humanity, and to uphold our own morality... We cultivate within the world to set it right."

The youth straightened his back, staring at him intently, his voice gradually growing stern:

"If it's according to Senior's words, the Wei Kingdom is still practicing the Mingyang method. Not to mention their three wives and four concubines, they've established a complete system of imperial hierarchy, concentrating all power in one person, and dictating a path of reverence from top to bottom. Where is the meaning of effortless rule in that? When have the immortal cultivators of today's world ever possessed morality?"

He sneered:

"So this is what you mean: immortal cultivators are inherently sinful for simply existing without acting! As long as there is any injustice or inequality in the world, it can all be blamed on me. So what? What difference does it make? What does it have to do with me!"

His tone was icy. Although he addressed the figure as "Senior," there was little reverence in his demeanor, revealing an audacious spirit. The white-robed figure quietly said:

"In primordial times, men and women mingled freely, unashamed of nakedness, and cohabitation was considered moral. In ancient times, heaven and earth were without order, and spiritual treasures were acquired by the capable, which was also moral. Now, in an age ruled by emperors and eunuchs, the sovereign's will is also morality. Morality changes like a Dao Fruit; it is not a fixed concept."

"Oh?"

The youth burst into roaring laughter, swaying back and forth. The white-robed figure watched quietly until the youth reined in his mirth and replied:

"So, Senior's morality is like willow catkins in the wind, changing with the times! You just stare longingly at the heavens, believing whatever the heavenly tribulation dictates, led by these two reins through your nose, like an old ox plowing a field, going wherever it's pointed!"

His tone grew chillingly grim:

"Then Senior, remember this well: perhaps one day, killing for cultivation will also be considered moral! After all, the fault won't be mine; the fault will lie with the times, the fault will lie with Heaven!"