Chapter Sixty-Four: The Grand Preceptor of Great Yu

An invisible thread of fate stretched from Guo Yuanlin’s body to the little jade tree. As the sapling gently swayed, five more luminous jade leaves of spiritual energy unfurled upon its boughs.

Lin You could not help but glance sideways—a mere child, yet the feedback he brought was nearly equal to that of Zhang Yuanyi, a grandmaster of the highest order! Was this what it meant to be favored by great fortune?

A trace of understanding dawned in his heart. Such figures are blessed by Heaven and Earth; to form a bond with them is to receive far more from the world’s feedback than ordinary folk ever could.

Both Zhang Yuanyi and Guo Yuanlin bore this great destiny upon them. One had broken through to become a martial grandmaster, leaving an indelible mark upon the martial world of the Yu Kingdom. The other, with his peculiar fate, would surely become a favored child of destiny in the era to come.

Yet even so, the little tree had only grown eleven spiritual jade leaves…

Gazing at those eleven leaves shimmering with a cool radiance, Lin You was suddenly enlightened. Indeed, the pride of an era could never represent the myriad lives of the times. Instead, it was the support of the countless masses that allowed such paragons to rise amidst the tides of history.

Thus, his path of cultivation must first begin by connecting with all living beings, and only then with the entirety of Heaven and Earth; only in this way could he hope to attain the Dao.

Lin You looked toward the apricot grove in the valley, where several hundred young apricot trees stood poised, bathed in moonlight.

A single tree cannot make a forest; only in gathering can one achieve the Way.

The first step on his path must begin here!

“Zhang Yuanyi.”

“Disciple present!”

Hearing his teacher’s summons, Zhang Yuanyi quickly responded.

Beneath the bright moon, Lin You extended his right hand. The pine ancestor swayed gently, shedding two pine needles. He produced two more soul fragments and placed them within the pine needles to nurture them, then handed them to Zhang Yuanyi, nodding as he spoke:

“These are the remaining two souls from the Demon Banner. Much of their fortune has been drawn by Guo Yuanlin, thus forging a bond of cause and effect. You must return them to their families to fulfill this karmic tie.”

Zhang Yuanyi promptly received them. The two red jade pine needles glimmered with a faint golden light, as if tiny human figures flickered within.

He stowed away the pine needles and said solemnly, “Rest assured, Teacher. Your disciple will not fail this task. I will find their families.”

At these words, the little tree within Lin You’s sea of consciousness sprouted yet another spiritual jade leaf.

“Very good! In time, the pine needles will guide you. In this, a bond will be fulfilled,” Lin You nodded approvingly.

These two were also figures of uncommon fortune, and after their entanglement with Guo Yuanlin, their destinies had become supportive to his own. If Guo Yuanlin was to accomplish anything in the future, he would need their aid.

Because Cang Erzi had already been gravely injured by Zhang Yuanyi, Zhang did not suggest that Guo Yuanlin remain behind to recuperate. Instead, he hurried down Chisong Mountain with him—partly to bear the good news to Guo Yi, partly to protect her.

Once they departed, Lin You picked up the jade casket resting on the table. This was meant to be the prize for the champion of the Grand Medical Gathering, and now it sat quietly before him.

This renowned assembly, famous throughout the province, was but a framework of rules established by others. Now, Lin You himself had risen beyond such constraints.

He opened the jade casket slowly. Inside was a lump of eight-colored jade clay, the size of a baby’s fist, badly cracked and rather unremarkable in appearance.

He let the little tree try it first; the tree showed no interest. But this did not mean the item was worthless. The little tree was discerning, rarely intrigued by anything that did not contain Daoist essence. Perhaps this jade clay had another use.

He tried channeling a wisp of true qi into it. The unassuming eight-colored clay immediately absorbed it, like parched ground drinking long-awaited rain.

Lin You shook his head. This Eight Treasures Meritorious Clay seemed yet another glutton for spiritual energy.

Still, if it could revive a dying spiritual herb, might it not also coax the half-dead gourd seed to sprout? If so, it would be worth cultivating.

With this thought, Lin You looked toward the valley’s spiritual spring. With a toss of his hand, the lump of jade clay fell into the spring’s source, bobbing up and down in the water.

From all directions, the spring’s spirit water surged to nourish the Eight Treasures Meritorious Clay. If this naturally blessed spring could restore it, so much the better; if not, Lin You suffered no loss.

He withdrew his gaze, turning again to the apricot grove near the spring. Under the moon’s silver glow, hundreds of sparse young apricot trees stretched their branches and leaves, greedily absorbing the abundant spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth.

…

Jing Prefecture.

Capital of the Great Yu Kingdom.

A city that had stood for a thousand years, its ancient walls, over twenty zhang high, tightly encircled the very heart of the imperial realm.

Atop the city gate towers, the patrolling generals were all martial masters; those who could found sects in other provinces were commonplace here.

At the very center of this mighty stronghold stood the imperial palace of Great Yu.

Across thousands of acres, palatial halls and terraces rose in dense profusion, resplendent in golden brilliance, a testament to the majesty of the dynasty.

Most striking of all was a soaring platform that pierced the clouds.

Immortals ascend—this was the Platform of Dew for the Immortal, yet unfinished.

At this moment, an elderly man in coarse hemp robes and bare feet was stargazing atop the incomplete platform.

On his rough cloak bloomed a vivid, blood-red lotus.

“Grand Preceptor, His Majesty invites you to discuss the Dao!”

Abruptly, a palace attendant hurried up the platform. Moving with ghostly speed, his martial abilities were clearly extraordinary.

Yet upon seeing this kindly-faced old man in hemp, he could not help but hold his breath and deliver the emperor’s edict in a soft, respectful voice.

The old man slowly turned. In his deep-set eyes shone a strange, compassionate gleam.

“What is your name?”

The attendant’s heart tightened and a chill crept over his scalp. He quickly replied, “Replying to the Grand Preceptor, this servant’s name is Liu Mu!”

“Do you know that today Heaven’s fate is aligned with metal?”

“This… This servant does not know!” The attendant swallowed, a sense of dread rising within him.

“Metal overcomes wood. You have met with a calamity. It is your fate to suffer this misfortune!” The old man formed a deathless mudra with his hands and sighed.

The attendant collapsed, kowtowing and begging for mercy, “Spare me, Grand Preceptor! Spare me!”

But before he could bow a few times, his flesh and blood seemed to be sucked dry in an instant, leaving behind only a withered husk.

“It is not that I would not spare you, but that you are doomed by fate. You should not have disturbed this poor Daoist at this hour!” The old man inhaled from the withered skin, his complexion growing even more rosy than before.

After disposing of the unwitting attendant, he gazed at the brightest star in the sky, his eyes deep and filled with longing.

At last, he withdrew his gaze, muttering to himself, “To have my soul imprint erased—has a Dao Foundation cultivator emerged in this world of waning law? Or is it some remnant survivor from the lesser paradises?”