Great Love for All Heavens Begins with Huang Yaoshi

Chapter 255 Someone has to be the loser, so why can't it be me!

Liujia Village lies nestled among mountains and rivers, like a paradise forgotten by time.

The old houses in the village are scattered, with moss covering the steps, red peppers hanging from jujube trees, millstones lying on the stone paths, and cooking smoke mingling with the morning mist, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

Outside the village lies a lake with gently rippling blue waters, like an emerald embedded in the ground. On the shore stands a handsome man in white robes, with a refined and elegant appearance.

He knelt down and used a folding fan to fan a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy who was in a coma.

Beside the two was a black, short-haired slender dog that appeared very well-behaved and obedient.

Before long, the boy slowly woke up. The moment he opened his eyes, a strange look flashed in the depths of his eyes.

He sat up, looking utterly bewildered, seemingly extremely surprised to find himself outside the village. He had clearly demonstrated his ability to pass through walls at the school earlier, so he went straight to the question:
"How did I get here? And who are you?"

"I"

The man in white smiled slightly as he saw the boy awaken, but he didn't know how to introduce himself.

He stood up, turned sideways, and said:

Didn't Liu Yanchang tell you what kind of relatives you have?

The boy stood up and casually brushed the dust off his robes:
“I have a fourth aunt who comes to visit me during holidays and festivals.”

He looked the man in white up and down:
“Brother, the material of your clothes is very expensive, and your demeanor is even more noble than the rich man in our village. Don’t tell me you’re my relative.”

“My family sells lanterns, and it seems that none of my ancestors for eighteen generations have ever been wealthy.”

The boy paused, then stretched:
"I already have a fourth aunt who is either rich or noble. If another wealthy relative comes along, coupled with the magical power that has been awakened in the past few days, I'm afraid I'll have to think more about it."

The man in white narrowed his eyes slightly.

What would you overthink?

"Either their background is extraordinary, or they are born with divine abilities, destined to become immortals in this life."

The boy mimicked the white-robed man's stance, turning sideways, and coughed lightly:
"Ahem, I think I'm most likely the latter, and there will also be some distant relatives. There's a phrase that describes it very well: 'even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.'"

He casually patted the man in white on the shoulder:

"Regardless of whether you are actually my relative or not, your appearance has a resemblance to mine."

"If I ever become an immortal or an ancestor, I will never forget you. Even if you die and go to the underworld, I will find a way to get you out."

The man in white said expressionlessly:

"Should I thank you again?"

The boy waved his hand:

"No need to be polite. I, Liu Chenxiang, value loyalty above all else. If I ever gain power, even if it's just a dog in our village, I'll take good care of it."

The man in white was speechless, truly not expecting that the young man in front of him would be such a boastful, arrogant, and reckless person.

A burst of snickers suddenly erupted from the crowd. Upon hearing this, the young man looked around nervously and said:

"Brother relative, did you hear that laughter?"

"You're laughing at yourself. I've heard of Liu Yanchang; he's said to be quite learned. Yet you're in school but have no interest in studying. What can someone who can't even study well achieve, let alone become an immortal!"

The man in white said solemnly:
"It should be known that before Xu Xun, the Celestial Master, slew the dragon, he served as the magistrate of Jingyang. Before Lü Dongbin abandoned his official post and entered the mountains, he had already experienced the mortal world. And which of the immortals who attained the Dao in past generations did not first enjoy worldly wealth and honor before attaining immortality?"

"My father is quite learned?" The boy's expression was slightly strange.

"Do you think he's very learned?"

The man in white remained calm.
"From what I've heard, he is indeed a very learned man."

"Sigh, can someone who failed the imperial examinations and can only make a living by selling lanterns really be full of learning?" the young man said lazily.

"Rumors can be deadly. If my father were truly learned, I wouldn't have lost interest in studying. There's also a saying, 'teaching by example.'"

He paused slightly:
"I almost forgot to mention, since I was born a celestial being, why should I concern myself with worldly wealth and status? I'll just be a wealthy man in our village for now."

"Master?" The white-robed man's face showed an indescribable expression. This kid's words just now implied that he could become the Heavenly Emperor who reigns supreme over the Three Realms, but it turns out that his future ambition is just to become a master.

If he had said he wanted to become a wealthy man in the county, I might have thought more highly of him. But he's only a wealthy man in the village, so there's really nothing I can say.

The boy nodded excitedly:
"Yes, a wealthy man who owns dozens of acres of land, seven or eight farmhands, and several maids."

The man in white, suppressing his indescribable emotions, said:
"Is this how Liu Yanchang taught you? It seems he's completely unfit to be your father!"

The boy waved his hands repeatedly:

"That's too much. I've never been rich or noble since I was a child, but I've never had to worry about food or clothing. My father even had spare money to send me to school. All things considered, he has fulfilled his responsibilities as a father."

“Even if Liu Yanchang was not very learned, he still tried hard to take the imperial examinations and knew how to improve himself. But he raised you to be the way you are now. How could I not blame him?”

The man in white suppressed his sudden anger and said again:
“Even if I don’t blame him, if your mother saw you like this, she would not only blame him, but she would probably never forgive him.”

"Mother?" The boy smiled and said:

"What an unfamiliar term. When I annoy people, they call me a wild child who was born of a mother but raised without one."

A flicker of emotion crossed the white-robed man's eyes, and he sighed softly.
Do you miss your mother?

The boy picked up a stone and skipped it across the water, saying:
“I am a real man now, I would never act like a little girl.”

The man in white pressed further:

"Don't you want to see her?"

The boy turned around and looked at the man in white:

"Judging from your tone, my mother is still alive. So the question is, is her life in danger?"

"Not yet."

"Are you well-off with enough to eat and wear?"

"No worries about food and drink."

"Is anyone forcing her to do any work?"

"Nothing."

"That sounds so enviable. I also want to live a carefree life without worrying about food or clothing."

The boy spread his hands:
"I bet she must be some rich heiress who fell for my dad, a poor scholar, and ended up being cruelly separated from him."

"That's why I have relatives like you who are all rich and powerful. You and your fourth aunt mostly come to Liujia Village to see me secretly."

The man in white said softly:

"Though you may not succeed, you're not far off. You're clearly very intelligent, so why do you lack any ambition?"

"If I insist on getting ahead, I will definitely encounter many obstacles, such as being harassed on the path of the imperial examination, or being threatened and killed by the people who are watching over my mother."

The boy crossed his arms behind his head and said:

"There's no need to go through all that trouble. Isn't the current situation one where everyone benefits?"

"After all, nothing matters more than life and death. Now that my mother is safe and sound, my only goal in this life is to take care of my father in his old age and see him off in his final days, and incidentally fulfill my dream of becoming a wealthy man."

The man in white frowned slightly:

"Didn't you say you wanted to become an immortal or an ancestor?"

"Don't underestimate me just because I haven't read many books. I do have some insights, such as the saying 'Think thrice before you act.'"

The young man said leisurely:
"The so-called 'three considerations' means: if you can avoid doing it, then do it; can you do it later; can you let someone else do it?"

He laughed and said to the speechless man in white:

"Someone has to be the loser, so why can't it be me!"

(End of this chapter)