This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 343 The person you're talking about, could it be yourself?
“What a pitfall…”

Xiang Yuan stood with one hand on her hip, looking up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, feeling so tired and wanting to die.

He didn't need to ask to guess that the time when the idiot broke through the Golden Dragon of Fortune that sealed off the capital of Northern Qi was probably around February of this year. He had just broken the formation in the capital of Western Chu, and the idiot destroyed the Dragon-Locking Formation of Northern Qi right afterward. The two sides acted at the same time, and the mastermind behind the scenes was extremely wary, which is why the capital of Southern Jin was deserted.

With this explanation, the logic immediately becomes much clearer.

If they were even bolder, the mastermind behind the scenes would only be wary of someone who lacks common sense; whether he or Xiang Xiang exists would be the same.

So why did this old man have to dig a pit and wait for his disciple to jump in after saving the Northern Qi's golden dragon of destiny?

You'll die if you don't betray your own people, huh?
Xiang Yuan was exasperated. As innocent as a white flower, he had a master who was constantly digging holes and causing trouble. He was bound to be ruined or corrupted.

If one day he turns into a bottomless pit, it will all be because he was stupid.

Xiang Yuan exclaimed that the trap was too deep, and Liu Che felt the same way. He believed that since the old Taoist priest could foresee the return of the mastermind, he should also have foreseen that the geomantic map of mountains and rivers could not subdue the opponent. Knowing that he was bound to lose, why did he remain silent and not warn him? Could it be...?

The old Taoist priest with a lack of conscience was hiding nearby, waiting to help him when he was about to be beaten to death.

Both were lost in their own thoughts, and the air suddenly fell silent; no one spoke for a long time.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiang Yuan staggered out of the deep pit, took out a Taoist robe and put it on. He sat cross-legged on the ground and looked expressionlessly at Liu Che lying on the ground: "The great formation that seals the dragon vein is not limited to the capital of Northern Qi, but also exists in Western Chu and Southern Jin."

"I had foreseen this!"

Liu Che closed his eyes, and the mastermind behind the scenes began to recount the conspiracy, seemingly intending to let him die knowing why.

"You know this, so why aren't you informing the other two companies?"

Xiang Yuan curled his lip. Li Yuanrong had once said that there was absolutely no possibility of the three families joining forces, and the Li family would not inform the Liu family. At the time, he thought the Li family was short-sighted, only caring about immediate gains and losses, and that with such a bunch of scoundrels in Southern Jin, it would perish sooner or later.

It seems that all three companies are in the same boat; they themselves suffered a huge loss, and the other two can forget about getting ahead either.

The matchmaking system in the Qianyuan region is indeed excellent!

Seeing that Liu Che remained silent, Xiang Yuan continued, "It doesn't matter if your Liu clan doesn't inform us. There are always those in the world who care about the world. There was such a person who saw the evil formation sealing the dragon vein beneath the capital of Western Chu. He risked his life to fight against the demons, rescued the golden dragon of destiny, and pulled the common people back from the brink of misery..."

"Although he was from Chu, he had no concept of national boundaries. Whether it was Western Chu, Southern Jin, or Northern Qi, they were just regimes that rose and fell."

"The world, after a long period of division, will unite; after a long period of unity, will divide. The root cause of this lies with the common people!"

"He was in Western Chu in February and in Southern Jin in March, breaking through two major evil dragon-locking formations in succession. He dared not delay for a moment. In April, he arrived in Northern Qi, where he was framed by villains and turned into a heretical sect that overthrew the common people. He had no way to express his suffering and was very troubled."

"..."

You're not talking about yourself, are you?

Liu Che opened his eyes and stared at Xiang Yuan with an expression as if he were looking at an idiot.

First of all, there is no such great benevolence and sainthood in the world. Even if there were, they would be benevolent and righteous in public, but scheming and despicable in private. It's all business, and they are all about exchanging benefits.

Secondly, from the moment Xiang Yuan appeared until now, his cultivation techniques and tone of voice have been completely contrary to the principles of justice.

If it's acting...

Forgive my poor eyesight, but it doesn't look like acting at all.

If someone can really pull off this effect, they'll find it hard to go back once they start acting.

Finally, although the old Taoist priest was indeed a scoundrel, he genuinely provided guidance and saved the Northern Qi's destiny. This is an undeniable fact, and he had no reason to believe Xiang Yuan or suspect that the old Taoist priest was deceiving him.

It's so hard! It's so hard to be a good person these days!
Xiang Yuan could tell from Liu Che's eyes that the dim-witted old Taoist had dug too deep a pit, and even if he had a lot of mouths, he couldn't explain it clearly. He sighed and said, "Actually, my name is not Li Xianyuan. My real name is Xiang Yuan, and my Taoist name is Wentian. You can send people to the Xiao family in the capital and the Li family in Shangyuan to ask the masters for clarification. They will prove my innocence."

As they spoke, they returned to their original appearance.

What else could he do but kill the emperor and empress of Northern Qi, leaving no way to prove anything?
"Heh, if you're such a good person, why hide your face and change your name? You're clearly..."

"Because there is a reputable and righteous sect called Benxindao in Northern Qi, I am afraid of being scammed, so I dare not publicize my good deeds."

"..."

This statement sounds illogical, but when considered in light of reality, it is reasonable, well-founded, and convincing, leaving Liu Che unable to refute it for the time being.

"Furthermore, the old Taoist priest told His Majesty that the mastermind behind the scenes would return, and asked His Majesty to set up an ambush. In reality, it was a trap to make us fight each other."

Xiang Yuan sighed deeply and said, "Your Majesty thinks I'm the mastermind, and I think Your Majesty is the mastermind, which is why we're always at odds. Your Majesty, think about it carefully. When I beat you to your knees... when you were knocked down, didn't you immediately ask about the mastermind's power?"

Liu Che's expression was strange. Xiang Yuan had indeed asked that question, and he had preconceived notions that the other party was faking madness.

But if Xiang Yuan is truly a good person, why doesn't the old Taoist priest reveal the truth and deliberately mislead people? What is his intention?
It can't be that they're just bored and have nothing better to do than make fun of him and plot to get him beaten up, can it?

Well, I have to say, the Benxindao sect really is capable of doing such a thing!

"In the end, the old scoundrel did this just to have fun with people," Xiang Yuan said through gritted teeth.

"I... am starting to believe it; that person is me."

"No, it has nothing to do with you. He's just making fun of me."

Xiang Yuan blushed and said shyly, “Benxin Dao, Xiang Wentian, my master is indeed Quexin Daoren.”

"puff!"

Liu Che spat out a mouthful of blood, which fell freely and smeared his face. His complexion alternated between pale and flushed, and finally turned completely black. He then dryly uttered two words.

"Senior brother."

"???"

After a while, the two brothers sat down cross-legged facing each other.

One looked solemn, the other had a heavy expression; the oppressive atmosphere was like that of visiting a master's grave.

Liu Che began, "Last year, during my inspection tour of the eastern suburbs, I was tricked by the Taoist Que Xin. I do not wish to stoop to his level..."

"There are no outsiders here, so I'll tell you the truth."

"When I drew my bow and shot the arrow, it was stolen by a clueless Taoist priest who appeared out of nowhere and stuck it in my body. He claimed that I was a tyrannical and immoral ruler who shot good people for his own amusement..." Liu Che recounted the whole story with a dark face.

Liu was unwilling to provoke the old Taoist priest with a heartless heart, so she could only endure being framed by him and was served good food and drink for a year.

The old Taoist priest said that Liu was able to admit his mistakes and correct them, and that his sincerity had moved Heaven. According to Heaven's will, he could accept Emperor Liu as his disciple and promised him another benefit.

This Liu could not tolerate. She refused to become his apprentice on the spot and subtly told him to get lost.

The old Taoist priest, despite his lack of interest, broke the Dragon-Locking Formation in front of the Liu Clan Master and rescued the Golden Dragon of Fortune, which had been sealed away at some unknown time.

The great kindness outweighed the great fault, and Liu Che reluctantly accepted the heartless old Taoist as his master. However, the latter suddenly put on airs and said it was too late; Liu Che was only fit to be a nominal disciple.

Outrageous!

Endure it!

(一`一)x2
Well, to scheme against two apprentices at once, this is definitely a brainless move.

On the bright side, they're brothers, so there's no need for reconciliation.

Xiang Yuan's act of beating the Northern Qi emperor to his knees is a serious matter, but beating his own junior brother to his knees can be seen as a matter of teaching on behalf of the master, or simply as a playful interaction within the sect. It's not a big deal.

Xiang Yuan flirting with the Empress in front of the Emperor is a serious matter. Even if it were his fellow disciples, it wouldn't be acceptable. A "nine generations of relatives elimination" game must be arranged. However, since the "nine generations of relatives" includes the Dao of the Original Mind, there is no solution. The junior brother didn't mention it, the senior brother didn't speak up, and they kept quiet as if nothing had happened, thus avoiding any further discussion.

“Junior brother, based on my understanding of Master, he wouldn’t just take on a disciple for fun, unless he’s made another bet with so-and-so.”

Xiang Yuan complained, then said, "There's another possibility: your Liu family offended him before. He's straightforward and can't keep secrets, so he came here specifically to make fun of you."

“It is indeed related to the bet. I have a son named Liu Xiu…” Liu Che began to recount.

The first sentence he uttered left Xiang Yuan speechless. He wanted to complain about the confusing generational hierarchy, but since no one understood his joke, he gave up.

According to Liu Che, he was sixty years old this year. Because of his successful cultivation, he looked young. He had a son named Liu Xiu, who was accepted as a disciple by Huixing, the abbot of Dajue Temple in Western Chu, more than ten years ago. His Dharma name was Lingxiu.

It was that tall donkey who insisted on teaching Xiangyuan the Dharma.

Lingxiu forcefully imparted Buddhist teachings, then left without a care for Xiang Yuan's fate. Now, Xiang Yuan has beaten his father to a pulp, a fitting retribution, a father paying for his son's sins. The old Taoist priest with the missing heart accepted Liu Che as a disciple not because he valued Liu Che's talent for cultivation, nor because of Liu Che's status as emperor. If he truly had such intentions, he would have acted decades ago, instead of waiting until now.

The key reason is that he lost a bet to Huixing and was so angry that he wanted to get revenge by asserting seniority.

Huixing took Lingxiu as his disciple, but the simple-minded one took Lingxiu's worldly father as a nominal disciple. Over time, the simple-minded one's seniority rose.

As long as he's happy, that's all that matters.

Of course, there was another reason: he was naive enough to foresee that Xiang Yuan would come to the capital of Northern Qi. Under his plan, there would inevitably be misunderstandings when the two sides met, which would lead to a fierce battle.

Fighting the emperor is interesting, but it always feels like something's missing. If it's changed to a fight between fellow disciples, hey, his image as a brilliant and resourceful master teacher immediately comes to life.

Don't ask, the answer is your true feelings.

Of course, being clueless doesn't mean being a prophet who can foresee everything. For example, he didn't foresee the part where Xiang Yuan flirted with the Empress—no, I mean, Xiang Yuan flirted with his sister-in-law.

Otherwise, the old man would definitely be hiding in the bushes, watching the spectacle from the front lines.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The capital city, the imperial palace.

The vermilion gates and palaces are simple and solemn, with houses arranged in a well-organized manner. The courtyards are filled with exotic flowers and plants that are evergreen all year round. The corridors are connected, and the palace lanterns are bright, showcasing the luxury of the royal family everywhere.

This palace is very close to the imperial city. The Liu family used it specifically to entertain distinguished guests. Some time ago, an old Taoist priest lived here for a year.

After clearing up the misunderstanding, Liu Che dispelled the Golden Dragon Array of Fortune and arranged for Xiang Yuan to stay at a temporary palace near the imperial city.

Unfortunately, Xiang Yuan cleared up the misunderstanding with Liu Che, but not with the Empress. After waking up, the Empress suddenly developed an eye disease, and Xiang Yuan was no longer in her sight. When she looked at him, it was as if she were looking at thin air.

Her smile was elegant and appropriate, but it was simply invisible.

When Xiang Yuan introduced himself and revealed his identity as his senior brother, the Empress's smile vanished.

There's no other reason than that the Empress's surname is Jiang, and her given name is simply "Wang". She comes from the Jiang clan of Bozhou. She attended the Hundred Flowers Poetry Gathering in Wuyou Valley with her elders and met Miaoqiong, the head of the Ziguang Sect. She was very fond of her and was taken in as her personal disciple.

The sect leader, Miao Qiong, is still imprisoned in Benxin Dao. Regardless of whether the rumors about the sect's treasure are true or false, the fact that her master has been imprisoned for over ten years means that the Empress must be crazy to give Xiang Yuan a kind look.

The fact that she didn't use the pillow whip as a pretext and repeatedly mentioned Xiang Yuan's flirtatious words was already a dignified and generous act.

Therefore, when the two brothers met today, the Empress did not come along.

I get annoyed when I see people from Benxindao, especially their dim-witted disciples!
Liu Che was an exception. He had been married to his wife for many years and had a deep affection for her, which was enough to suppress his dislike and disgust for Benxindao.

Getting back to the main point, at the dinner table, Xiang Yuan was in low spirits because he had stepped into a pit, and Liu Che was also in low spirits because he had been beaten up for stepping into a pit, so the atmosphere was somewhat silent.

Soon, Jing Xiangyuan transmitted his voice, taking the lead in cursing the two brothers for being mindless and inhuman. They found common ground, and the atmosphere immediately became cheerful.

“Junior brother, it’s only because it’s you. If it were anyone else, I would have given up drinking long ago.”

"Senior brother, your cultivation has already reached the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage, and you can step into the Grandmaster realm at any time. Why haven't you broken through yet?"

After exchanging toasts, Liu Che voiced the question that had been lingering in his mind.

Perhaps because he was a disciple on the side of honor, having only recently become an apprentice, Liu Che was not as treacherous as the other disciples of the Benxin Dao sect. He was upright and serious, and spoke and acted in a very methodical manner. Or perhaps it was because he was too upright to stray from the right path that the old Daoist with the lack of conscience refused to accept him as a personal disciple, lest he tarnish the orthodoxy of the sect.

In short, Xiang Yuan and Liu Che could only have awkward conversations when they sat together. They were not on the same wavelength, and apart from being a bit dim-witted, they could hardly find any other common topics.

In comparison, the interactions with Senior Brother Tongming were much more interesting.

“Junior brother, you know that even though I am only at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage, I am still capable of traveling the world and everyone is very easy to talk to wherever I go.”

Xiang Yuan raised his wine glass: "Suppress your realm if you can. Let things take their natural course. It will break through on its own. It's all beneficial and harmless. There's no need to rush it."

Liu Che deeply admired him. After several meetings, he roughly figured out Xiang Yuan's background. He became a disciple during the Qi Refining stage, and his cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds. He reached the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage in just two years. Not only could he break through to the Grandmaster stage at any time, but he could also easily defeat the Tongyou Grandmaster with his Nascent Soul stage. Wherever he went, he could make Grandmasters sit down and speak to him politely.

If you're not going to sit, then lie down.

Liu Che never doubted Xiang Yuan's strength. If he was already so strong at the Nascent Soul stage, his cultivation must be incredibly powerful to reach the Grandmaster level.

Because it was the Way of the Heart, he couldn't help but feel a chill for all the masters in the world.

"Senior brother, do you intend to visit Benxin Dao and Old Daoist Quexin during your trip to Northern Qi?"

"..."

Seeing that Xiang Yuan remained silent, Liu Che guessed that he was refusing, so he changed the subject and continued, "If you intend to stay in the capital for thirty to fifty years, I am willing to give you this palace."

“Thirty or fifty years is an exaggeration. It won’t even take three to five months. I’ve only come here for the evil formation below the capital. Now that the formation is broken, I won’t stay long.” Xiang Yuan shook his head and refused, explaining his ambition to travel the world.

"Senior brother, after traveling the world, will you choose to cultivate quietly in Benxindao, or will you come to the capital to live permanently?"

That's a really clever question; multiple-choice questions just aren't interesting!

Xiang Yuan glanced at Liu Che: "We're brothers, we became friends after our fight, so feel free to speak your mind, there's no need to go through all this trouble."

"Alas, senior brother, you are unaware of the internal and external troubles plaguing Northern Qi. If I had no other choice, I would not have disturbed your peace..."

Liu Che sighed and looked out the window, smoothly transitioning to the sob story phase, recounting the hardships of the Liu family and the difficulties faced by the Northern Qi, such as the annual incursions from the western border regions and the watchful eyes of the Southern Jin and Western Chu.

Xiang Yuan almost fell asleep after listening to that long and tedious speech.

Having traveled extensively throughout the Three Kingdoms period, Xiang Yuan gained some understanding of the general situation of the world. In terms of the difficulties faced by the states, the Northern Qi was the least troubled by internal and external troubles.

Leaving aside external threats, the three kingdoms faced largely similar situations during the Three Kingdoms period.

Northern Qi was plagued by incursions from the Western Regions, Western Chu had a persistent problem in its southern border, and Southern Jin was blocked by a small country in the East China Sea. In addition, the three other countries were on guard against each other. The eldest brother was not the second brother, and none of them were in a worse situation than the others.

Speaking only of internal troubles, the Southern Jin Dynasty had six powerful clans, and its court was in complete chaos; within the Western Chu, the three Tianzong families were unruly and faced difficulties, but could be barely controlled; within the Northern Qi...

After much thought, it seems there is only one path: the Original Heart Path. Moreover, the Original Heart Path is not only directed at the royal family; it treats everyone equally and bullies anyone when it feels like it.

Compared to the other two, the Jianghu forces within Northern Qi kept a low profile, fearing that making a big fuss would attract the attention of Benxindao. Such favorable conditions and so many simple and honest Jianghu people were making Western Chu and Southern Jin envious.

Therefore, no matter how much Liu Che said, Xiang Yuan could not empathize with him.

Keep bragging, keep playing the victim, this stuff is good with rice!

Liu Che spoke for almost half an hour, and the banquet had been held three times. Seeing that Xiang Yuan was eating in silence, his face darkened, and he thought to himself that this was indeed a difficult situation.

He bluntly stated, "With your talent, Senior Brother, reaching the Grandmaster realm is as easy as taking candy from a baby. Why not enter the court and become a general, thus earning a place in history?"

"Junior brother, have you lost your mind? That's my true intention!"

Xiang Yuan widened his eyes and pointed at his pretty boy: "If you recruit me into the court, in less than three months, the entire court will be shouting to purge the corrupt officials, and then I will beat them all up, force them to retire and return to their hometowns, and finally write books to portray you as a tyrannical and warlike ruler."

"..."

Liu Che's eye twitched; he could already picture it in his mind.

He took a deep breath and persisted in recruiting, believing that Xiang Yuan was different from other members of the Benxin Dao sect. He was a person who cared about the common people, had great virtue and kindness, and was also his senior brother, so he was trustworthy.

Most importantly, Xiang Yuan is not even eighteen yet, so his future achievements are limitless.

If we don't win over such a promising talent now, are we going to wait until they've become famous before humiliating ourselves by coming to them?
Liu Che was a man of few words, speaking his mind directly and emphasizing sincerity.

The fact that he immediately called me a general stunned Xiang Yuan, who said speechlessly, "Junior brother, I am a man of the martial world and know nothing about military campaigns. If you really want to recruit me, you should let me start from the bottom and gain some experience first."

"Senior brother, you really don't understand the affairs of the imperial court."

Liu Che replied calmly, "It is precisely because you, my senior brother, know nothing that you must become a high-ranking official. When you are in charge, you have to deal with people with real skills and courage. If you do a bad job, there is no one to take the blame. It is different for those in charge. People below will flatter you, fawn over you, and give you advice. If things go wrong, you can blame the people below."

So this is the imperial court. Sounds nice...

No, is this something I can hear?

Xiang Yuan remained silent for a while before saying, "We are fellow disciples, so I won't lie to you about being from Chu. After all, I became a disciple of Benxin Dao, so I am considered a cultivator from Northern Qi. I can only say that you're too late, junior brother. I've been chosen as a son-in-law by the Xiao family of Shendu and am engaged to a princess of the Xiao family."

Bang!
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Che slammed his fist on the table and stood up, his eyes wide with anger.

(End of this chapter)