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墨書 Inktalez
In the Dunhuang Desert, the yellow sand swirled around as the tall figure of Li Fugui approached me against the strong wind.
"What do you mean by surrounding me with people?" I asked.
Li Fugui chuckled and said, "I never expected that the child I once picked up like a chicken would grow so much in just a year. Truly worthy of being Yang Sanqian's son, the host of the Book of Life and Death."
I replied, "After all this time, you still know how to annoy people with your words."
Li Fugui let out a laugh. "Ever since the Hua Shan Uprising of the Daoist Sect, I've been looking for you. These people are under orders from above. Luckily, I came along; otherwise, we would have faced a fierce battle."
"What do you want with me? If it weren't for Huzi, I wouldn't bother with you," I said.
Li Fugui replied, "I’m only looking for you to drink and reminisce, but those above want to talk to you about something."
"Those above? Your superior?" I asked in confusion.
Li Fugui nodded. "That's right, my direct superior."
After a while, at a military base in the imperial capital, I followed Li Fugui to a secluded courtyard.
"This doesn't look like a military camp," I remarked.
"Indeed, it's not a military camp. It used to be a research facility that was destroyed during the Dark Turmoil. Later, when the imperial capital was rebuilt, they renovated this place. The master felt nostalgic and returned here," Li Fugui explained.
We turned a corner and entered a spacious courtyard filled with pavilions and towers, a lotus pond, and carefully trimmed flowers and plants. Behind a high wall, the sounds of bustling streets could be heard.
An elderly man dressed in simple white stood by the lotus pond, watching dragonflies skim across the water. Li Fugui stepped forward to shoo away the dragonflies, but the old man gestured for him to step back.
"Mr. Yu," Li Fugui said softly, "Yang Hao has arrived."
I had never seen Li Fugui show such respect to anyone before.
The man known as Mr. Yu nodded and glanced back at me. He wore glasses, his hair was gray, and his face looked quite aged, appearing to be at least a hundred years old. However, upon my inspection, I found no traces of Dao Qi emanating from him.
"There's no need to check," Mr. Yu said. "I do not practice Daoist Arts."
"My apologies," I replied.
Mr. Yu seemed unconcerned and invited me into the Pavilion. We sat across from each other at a stone table, while Li Fugui stood behind Mr. Yu. I noticed that Mr. Yu's left fingers twitched slightly from time to time, a common symptom of aging.
I took the initiative to ask, "Mr. Yu, you summoned me here; I wonder what matters you wish to discuss. Given your status, it seems we have little in common."
"It appears that Yang Shao Xia is a straightforward person," Mr. Yu replied. "Then I won't beat around the bush. The reason I had Fu Gui invite you here is simply to chat."
"And what would you like to chat about?" I inquired.
"About life, or perhaps other things," Mr. Yu said.
"You don't expect me to engage in a conversation about life with a stranger, do you?" I asked sternly.
"Yang Hao!" Li Fugui interjected sharply. "Mr. Yu is advanced in age; mind your words."
"It's fine," Mr. Yu said, resting the back of his hand on the teapot on the stone table. "The tea has cooled; Fu Gui, please have someone brew another pot."
Li Fugui's demeanor was respectful as he held the teapot, casting a warning glance at me.
After Li Fugui left, Mr. Yu continued, "Fu Gui worked under me when he was younger. Later, I sent him back to Futu Ridge to monitor the Dragon Vein Forbidden Area, but as I expected, it ended in failure."
I asked, "It seems you have a keen interest in Daoist Sect matters?"
Li Fugui nodded and said, "Indeed, I've been interested since the previous generation of Dao Sovereign was young. From there to the Daoist Dark Turmoil and now with the rise of the Five Major Sects."
Mr. Yu's words startled me; how many years had it been since the last Dao Sovereign? Moreover, the history surrounding the Dark Turmoil was nearly blank for a century.
"Throughout history, whether during the prosperous times of the Daoist Sect or its periods of decline, there have always been extraordinary talents emerging. Regardless of whether the rulers supported or suppressed the Daoist Sect, it has never been extinguished," Mr. Yu said.
"Please speak plainly, sir," I sensed that Mr. Yu's words had a deeper meaning.
"The people of the Daoist Sect are often solitary. Because of this, they possess a mad and obsessive drive to control their own destinies, aspiring to become Daoist Grandmasters and to rise above others," Mr. Yu continued.
"Indeed, most people think this way. Don't ordinary folks also desire to be on top, to be superior?" I replied.
Mr. Yu nodded. "Yes, to be superior means there will inevitably be those who are inferior. Ordinary people are the same; however, when it comes to breaking the law, regardless of status, they fall within the control of those in power. If a member of the Daoist Sect were to indiscriminately kill innocents, no one would intervene. Once they reach the Foundation Establishment Realm and kill a dozen ordinary people, they can hide in any sect, and even if the police wanted to catch them, they would be unable to do so. If their cultivation reaches the Mahayana Realm or Tribulation Realm, with even a slight malicious thought, it could lead to chaos—mass slaughter affecting millions."
Mr. Yu's perspective aligned with mine. Although cultivators have rules against wantonly killing ordinary people, there are always some who refuse to listen. They may hide among the mundane and when faced with worldly conflicts, their solutions often do not involve troublesome legal means or enduring humiliation but rather making their opponents disappear—sometimes even their entire families. When one's power becomes too inflated, it can lead to tyrannical thoughts; members of the Daoist Sect might kill ordinary people as easily as crushing ants, causing turmoil in the world. Human hearts are fickle; even without actively seeking to kill, once provoked by certain events, things can spiral out of control.
"What does Mr. Yu mean by this?" I asked in confusion.
At that moment, Li Fugui returned with tea. Mr. Yu cleaned the cups on the table and first poured me a cup before pouring one for himself. "Back when you were forced to jump off Mount Hua Summit, you once said something."
"The Unfeeling Earth. Treating all things as mere fodder; The Sage Is Unkind, treating commoners as mere fodder. If there is a next life, I Yang Hao wish to transform into a demon and slay every member of the Daoist Sect without distinction between good and evil; I alone will bear all the consequences." Mr. Yu and I spoke in unison.
I felt uneasy; it was clear that Mr. Yu was fully aware of what had transpired when I was coerced by the Five Major Sects and Underworld Sect into surrendering everything I had on me, leading me to utter those words in a mix of grief and anger.
Seeing that I remained silent, Mr. Yu asked, "Let me pose a question: Among a thousand people entering the palace to meet the emperor, one is an assassin targeting him. If you were an official, how would you go about identifying that assassin?"
"I would kill them all," I answered.
Mr. Yu replied, "That is indeed the most effective way to solve the problem. The ancients preferred to wrongfully execute a thousand rather than let one escape; this isn't necessarily due to malice but rather to eliminate any possibility of assassination against the emperor. Historically, royal families have always acted this way. However, every life matters; each person is born from their parents' toil. A just official might believe in finding someone capable of sensing Dao Qi and murderous intent to identify the killer; righteous individuals would argue that it's better to let a thousand go than mistakenly execute one innocent; while those from demonic paths would think exactly opposite yet find it most practical."
"Are you suggesting that we should eliminate the Daoist Sect?" I tentatively asked.
Mr. Yu did not respond directly but sighed instead: "For thousands of years now, both the Daoist Sect and Buddhist Sect have been among the greatest factors influencing stability. Throughout history, emperors have feared assassination by members of the Daoist Sect; there have even been instances where divine authority overshadowed imperial power. A century ago, while the Buddhist Sect retreated into obscurity, the Daoist Sect continued its development until it reached an uncontrollable level where countless innocents have died at the hands of cultivators who learned Daoist Arts and Divine Abilities. Ordinary firearms are ineffective against these assailants; local officials have been assassinated by cultivators—these incidents have never been publicly disclosed, including murders committed before your entrance into the Dao."
"You may feel justified in rising against scum who oppress you; society might view you as a hero eliminating tyrants but this society does not need heroes—people's stability does not require heroes either."
"What does Mr. Yu intend to do then? Start a war?" I asked.
Mr. Yu shook his head and said, "After experiencing Dark Turmoil, I have come to terms with the fact that no matter how many troops are deployed, the Daoist Sect cannot be eradicated. If we were to engage in a mutual destruction this time, it would benefit neither side. The Dao is impermanent; there is both yin and yang."
"Since that is the case, what is your purpose in calling me here?" I asked.
Mr. Yu replied, "Every century, a person who defies fate emerges in this world. You possess the Book of Life and Death, and later learned the Martial Dao Classic, mastering various Daoist Arts from different sects. If nothing unexpected occurs, you will be the one to dominate the Daoist Sect in the future. I hope you can put an end to all the chaos within the Daoist Sect, destroy the Taoist Classics, and burn all Daoist Arts."
I looked up at Mr. Yu and said, "Mr. Yu, my parents and friends are all members of the Daoist Sect now. Isn't your request a bit excessive?"
Mr. Yu responded, "Don't be too quick to refuse. I'm merely making a suggestion; how you think and act is still up to you. To establish peace does not require deities or superhuman heroes; what is needed is strict law. That's all for now; I am tired. Fugui, assist me back to my room and properly entertain Yang Shao Xia; do not neglect her."
"Yes," Li Fugui replied and helped Mr. Yu back to his room.
As I watched Mr. Yu's aging figure in the Pavilion, I couldn't help but ask, "May I ask for your esteemed name?"
Mr. Yu stopped and solemnly said, "I am Yu Xuanliang."
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