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January 31 - February 21, 2023
Your Highness, I’m telling you, I don’t believe a word he said at the Palace of Divine Might. Who here in the Royal Holy Temple doesn’t know that when the State Preceptor plays cards, he hears and sees no one? He had to pick that time to pass on the message and stubbornly refused to clarify under whose orders he was sent. It’s like he was purposely trying to screw things up.”
Highness, I really don’t understand why you think so highly of him.” Xie Lian grinned. “Feng Xin, did you know—there are so many people in this world that are nothing but rocks in my eyes.” Feng Xin didn’t understand. Xie Lian walked with his hands clasped behind his back. “There are rocks everywhere, but precious jades are hard to come by. When it comes to martial arts, I’ve only ever seen two people who could be called jades. One is you. The other is him.”
“I genuinely think that Mu Qing is extremely gifted. How could I let such a precious jade be left to collect dust, denied from showing its beauty simply because of its background and temper?”
“Your Highness.” “What is it?” Xie Lian asked. “Why must you always show up at times like these?” Xie Lian only made a sound of confusion, but Feng Xin grew upset. “What do you mean? Is it wrong to come and save you?” Mu Qing cast him a glance and took the basket.
Regarding Xianle culture: First, they loved gold. Second, they loved precious stones. Third, they loved beauties. Fourth, they loved music. And fifth, they loved art. The Palace of Xianle was thus the most distinguished place, where all that they loved coalesced.
“It’d be better to instead find him a good teacher and restrain that temper. He can’t keep going on like this.” The queen sighed. “And what teacher can restrain him? He only ever listens to you. And we could hardly have him go to the mountain to cultivate with you. The State Preceptor would die before taking him on as a disciple.”
He whipped his head around and saw that there was something being dragged along behind the golden carriage, attached with a long, thick hemp rope. At the end of the rope was a large sack that appeared to have something struggling inside. It looked like there was a person in that sack. At that moment, Xie Lian could only feel his blood run cold.
“Feng Xin! Arrest Qi Rong!” He could not believe that something like this could happen in the Kingdom of Xianle. Under the light of day, on the main street, a member of the nobility stuffed a live human in a sack to be dragged behind a horse carriage! If he hadn’t seen and stopped it, this small child would’ve been dragged to death this day!
Looking at this little face, half-covered with only one eye to be seen, Xie Lian suddenly realized he might’ve seen this child somewhere. He squinted as he thought. Qi Rong saw his upset face and explained, “Cousin Crown Prince, that little non-croaker ruined your grand ceremony yesterday, so I avenged you. Don’t worry, I was careful, he won’t die.”
I have never seen anyone so tenacious. He has five broken ribs and a broken leg, and many other injuries big and small. But despite all of that, he’s remained conscious this entire time and can even hold a conversation while sitting upright. Even adults would find that difficult, never mind a ten-year-old child!” Hearing how severe the injuries were, Xie Lian inwardly became even more furious at Qi Rong.
By and large, all fathers and sons in the world must go through this change. When the son is young, he idolizes his father as the greatest hero on earth, his own personal role model, and his worship is clear. However, when the son matures to a certain age, he starts to question everything his father does. This can even brew revulsion, until, in the end, neither side will acknowledge the other.
The so-called “Dao” of cultivation meant exactly what it said: “to walk the path.” As long as one’s heart was set on the path with a singular mind, then training could be done anywhere. He didn’t need to follow any dictated norms, nor enter the Royal Holy Temple. But there was another reason why Xie Lian had begged and pestered them to let him train on Mount Taicang, and that was because he didn’t really get along with his father.
As the years went by, Xie Lian saw more and more that his father wasn’t only a father, but also the ruler of a kingdom, and many of their beliefs and actions no longer agreed. For example, the so-called Royal Authority was one of the things Xie Lian loathed.
The queen had always liked Feng Xin. She sighed. “My child, we’ve wronged you.” “Please don’t say that, Your Majesty. This was my duty,” Feng Xin replied. Hearing this, Mu Qing’s eyes flickered, and he seemed to sneer soundlessly. Xie Lian, however, closed his eyes.
“Feng Xin, I’m sorry.” Once the others had gone, Feng Xin immediately changed face and clicked his tongue. “This is nothing. I dared to hit him, so why would I be scared of his revenge?”
During an upheaval, Qi Rong’s mother lost her life saving the queen. Before she passed, she asked Xie Lian’s mother to look after Qi Rong. Of course, the queen did her utmost. However, it was still awkward raising someone else’s son. Discipline was difficult—too strict and it would appear to be abuse, and considering familial affections, she could hardly be so harsh. But too lax, and it would lead to the kind of behavior seen today, and without restraints it would only worsen in the future. The queen often wondered—she raised Xie Lian and Qi Rong almost the same, so why were their characters
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If he had no home to return to, they couldn’t possibly leave him at the palace or throw him out on the streets. Xie Lian pondered for a moment, then said, “If that’s the case, then let’s bring him with us back to Mount Taicang.” Unexpectedly, Mu Qing suddenly spoke up. “He’s lying.”
“Besides, there are sewn patches on his clothes,” Mu Qing added. “Judging by the needlework, it must have been done by a grown-up sometime recently, so there’s at least someone of age in his household. His family situation might not be the best, but he’s definitely not a beggar.”
The entire way, that small child was extremely docile in Xie Lian’s arms. They told him to be quiet, and he uttered not a single sound. Feng Xin glared. “This brat kicked me yesterday, but look at him now. He really knows how to pick ’em.” “It’s His Highness the Crown Prince. Of course he’s liked more than most people,” Mu Qing said.
The four of them had nowhere to run, and they watched as they were surrounded by countless pairs of wide eyes. Xie Lian braced himself and thought, If anything, I’ll just let them beat us down without fighting back. But unexpectedly, although the crowd poured in, it didn’t pulverize them. Instead, a number of hands reached out and threw him into the air with cheers of, “YOUR HIGHNESS!” Xie Lian was thrown into the air multiple times but still maintained his calm and composure.
Xie Lian couldn’t help but find it both funny and reassuring, and he thought to himself, The people and the State Preceptor have completely opposite sentiments. It looks like I was in the right.
“The first method,” the State Preceptor said, “is to find the child who disrupted the procession, and then we shall conduct a ceremony. At the very least, one of his five senses must be sealed as penance.”
“The second method,” the State Preceptor said, “is to have Your Highness publicly repent before the people of Xianle, ask the heavens for forgiveness, then face the wall in reflection for a month.”
Today they think one way, tomorrow they’ll think another. There’s no need for you to mind the small details; trust me, people will carry on doing what they need to do and will not be touched by your actions nor use you as an example. It’s best if we focus on carefully serving the ones above.”
“Is it really right for us to worship and prostrate before the gods like this?”
“When humans ascend, they become gods. To humans, gods are elders, teachers, everlasting light, but they are not our masters. Therefore, we should be full of thankfulness and admiration but never groveling worship. Just like the Shangyuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, I believe the correct attitude is thankfulness and shared joy—not fear, not ingratiation, not intimidation, and certainly not putting oneself in a position of servitude.”
The State Preceptor cast his gaze elsewhere. “Then, Your Highness, let me ask you. What if the heavens really do condemn you? Will you apologize then?” “If that should happen, then the heavens are wrong. I am right. I will stand against the heavens and defy them until the end.”
Each of those soul-sealing containers had a demon or ghost who once caused havoc sealed within. A black pagoda like this existed in the back of every single temple on Mount Taicang, utilizing the mountain’s pure, saintly qi to keep them subdued. However, something had happened to cause this sudden insurgence, and they had all escaped!
On top of Mount Taicang, heavy, thick smoke emerged from countless temples across innumerable peaks and rolled over to form an enormous whirlpool above the Palace of Xianle. “What’s going on in that Palace of yours?! The evils are all being lured over—what exactly did you put inside?!” the State Preceptor demanded. Xie Lian was dumbfounded too. “Nothing! Just…” Just what? Xie Lian suddenly remembered: that child!
In a situation where a large swarm of resentful spirits gathered in the same place, they usually followed the lead of the strongest one. Once that one was caught, the spirits would lose direction without their leader. At that moment, Xie Lian had instantly recognized the strongest one and choked it, leaving it no chance.
But not long after he arrived on the mountain, as soon as he came inside the Palace of Xianle, a bunch of those black things suddenly flew over from the other peaks. They were all barreling this way, swarming around him, gathering more by the minute. We couldn’t get out.”
While the State Preceptor looked like no more than a tender thirty-something young man, Xie Lian knew better than most just how powerful his shifu was, as the one ruling over the Royal Holy Temple. The Chief State Preceptor of Xianle, Mei Nianqing, was famed throughout the land for his divination.
That child is toxic! He bears a fate of extinction, the sign of the Star of Solitude!17 He is destined to bring destruction to all save for himself—truly the kind that evil loves most! Whoever touches him will have misfortune befall them, and whoever gets close will lose their life!”
Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, encircling his small form. A voice came from above his head. “You’re not. I know you’re not. Don’t cry, now. I know you’re not.” The young child pressed his lips closed tightly, grabbing on to the pair of snow-white sleeves around his waist with a desperate grip. He forced himself to hold back for a long time, but in the end, he couldn’t.
Xie Lian embraced him from behind and reiterated with conviction, “It’s not you. It’s not your fault.” Honghong-er whipped around, buried his face in Xie Lian’s chest, and wailed.
“All fortunes in the world, good or bad, are limited. Just like this cup of water, there’s only so much. Once you’ve drunk your fill, there’ll be no more left for others. If one receives more, another must receive less.
You want to change fate? It’s difficult but not impossible. But if you change that child’s life, someone else’s life will also be changed, and more grudges will be created.
The State Preceptor continued, “You have the innate talent, the ambition, the heart, and you’re not afraid of hard work. You have a prestigious background but still have a compassionate nature. No one is more worthy of the title ‘Darling of the Heavens.’ Still, I am worried about you. I’m afraid there will be a trial you won’t be able to pass.”
The State Preceptor continued, “The things you spoke of today have already been said by others, decades or maybe centuries ago, but their words never gained momentum. Their voices were too small, so not many heard. Have you ever wondered why that is?” Xie Lian pondered briefly and replied, “Because even if they thought of it, they never acted on it, and weren’t determined enough.”
Xie Lian smiled. “Then just you watch, sir.” He pointed to the sky. “If one day I ascend, I will surely do all that I said today and become a power to behold!”
Let me ask you, what is The Path?” Xie Lian inclined his head. “As you have said, that which is walked is The Path.” “Indeed,” the State Preceptor said. “But you haven’t walked enough. So, I think it’s time for you to take a walk down the mountain.”
“When humans ascend, they become gods; when humans fall, they become ghosts.” Xie Lian gave it some thought. “Is there something wrong with that?” The State Preceptor replied, “Of course it’s wrong. Remember: when humans ascend, they are still human…when they fall, they are still human.”
