Chapter 142: Chapter 122: Feeling for the [Immortal Dao] to Cross the River, the So-called Manifesting the Dao and Valuing Life

’The Dan Yuan Dharma Assembly is too far off. I should focus on my Cultivation and develop until I can at least handle the North and South Dipper Sword.’Jiang Yi’s heart surged with excitement, but he quickly calmed down.That was a True Monarch Bureau affair, a gathering of elites and a convergence of Dao Materials.He, on the other hand, was merely at the Peak of Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer Great Perfection.The distance between the two was like traveling from the Nanzhan Continent to the Dongsheng Continent; even a Foundation Establishment True Master using an Escape Technique would need to fly for eight to ten years."Let’s go, Cat Master."Jiang Yi glanced down at the comfortably lounging True Master Xuanmiao. With a stir of his Divine Thought, his Ding Fire Essence transformed into a rosy mist and shot out from the crown of his head. A surging blaze enveloped his body as he lifted off the ground and rode a cloud toward Guanlan Peak.He first had to go to the Qi Gong Institute to accept the mission from the board, register, and receive his assignment, then meet up with Xu Yan to descend the mountain together.This was how Magic Lineage Cultivators did things; there was always a process to follow.According to Senior Brother Han, this was a "perverse trend" some big shot from an Ancestral Sect had learned from the Immortal Dao, euphemistically calling it "standardization."Those below imitated those above, and it spread like wildfire.The Branch Sect and Inner Sect Dharma Lineages underneath scrambled to follow suit.Jiang Yi grumbled inwardly:’It looks like this Demon Dao is also crossing the river by feeling for the stones of the Immortal Dao, copying everything they do.’About half an incense stick’s time later, he landed halfway up Guanlan Peak. Just as he reached the Qi Gong Institute, he saw Li Ruohan sitting on the threshold.Her silk dress covered her legs, which were pressed together. One hand propped up her cheek, and her eyelids drooped softly as if she were dozing off."Junior Sister Li, what are you doing here?"Jiang Yi asked in a low voice."Senior Brother Jiang! I finally caught you!"Li Ruohan looked up, her eyes still a bit sleepy. She had clearly been waiting for a long time, having arrived before dawn.She quickly pulled a package from her robes and handed it to Jiang Yi, saying:"Marshal Yang asked me to give you these two Magical Artifacts. He said he spent the night refining them. They’re about forty to fifty percent attuned, so you can use them right away!"Jiang Yi took the package and weighed it in his hand. His Dao Embryo trembled slightly as it sensed the Fire Spirit Qi, and he understood in an instant:"These must be Elder Sui’s Bright Flame Mirror and Divine Fire Circle."Since he was traveling with Xu Yan this time, and because the Bright Flame Mirror and Divine Fire Circle were Sui Liushu’s most prized Magical Artifacts, both of them Fifth Grade or higher...using them openly would be far too conspicuous.Therefore, Jiang Yi hadn’t planned on using them. He had figured he would wait until after he returned to the sect, after the news of Sui Liushu’s death had spread, after Grandpa Yang Xun had taken control of Observing Fate Peak, and after the dust had settled before divvying them up.He hadn’t expected Grandpa to put in so much effort, roughly refining both Magical Artifacts in a single night.’I wonder how much of his Cultivation Grandpa exhausted last night.’With a brief thought, Jiang Yi passed the package to the Cat Master, who had scampered up to his shoulder to squat, letting it serve as a hand-warmer for the creature."Thank you for waiting so long, Junior Sister."Li Ruohan shook her head repeatedly, her bright eyes fixed on Jiang Yi.Although the Black Shadow Magical Robe was right before her eyes, the person wearing it felt as distant as the horizon.’Senior Brother Jiang’s aura is becoming more and more transcendent.’She could only urge him softly:"Senior Brother Jiang, you have a long journey ahead. Please be careful in all things."Jiang Yi nodded."You should head back and rest, Junior Sister. Keep up your diligent Cultivation."After watching Li Ruohan’s figure recede into the distance, Jiang Yi turned and stepped into the Qi Gong Institute. The Daoist on duty was still Zhou Fan."Greetings, Senior Brother Jiang."He bowed with hands clasped, already holding the assignment register, and presented it respectfully."Traveling to Lujiang to eliminate the disruptive local clans and purge the gathered Loose Cultivators will earn two great merits. Senior Brother Jiang, please take a look."Jiang Yi took a brush, dipped it in vermilion, and drew a small circle on the line for that assignment in the register, thus accepting it.Putting the brush away, he sat down in the Qi Gong Institute to wait for Xu Yan to arrive.However, he waited for hours, well into the morning, until the sun was high in the sky, yet Xu Yan still hadn’t appeared.Just as Jiang Yi was about to get up and go ask in person, he heard footsteps outside the courtyard. Looking up, he saw Han Li dressed in a brocade robe.The man wore a smile and called out from a distance:"Junior Brother Jiang, are you waiting for Senior Brother Xu Yan? He can’t make it. I’ll be accompanying you down the mountain for the assignment this time."A trace of astonishment flickered across Jiang Yi’s brow. He then cupped his hands and said:"With Senior Brother Han accompanying me, I feel much more at ease. But I wonder, what happened to Senior Brother Xu?"Han Li walked closer, his tone carrying a faint hint of schadenfreude."They say Senior Sister Zhou came out of seclusion yesterday and, for some reason, insisted on sparring with Senior Brother Xu."Then they started fighting for real, almost tearing down Guanlan Peak!"Jiang Yi’s eyebrow twitched. ’It seems the Sect Leader gave the order, telling Zhou Fu of Observing Sun Peak to stop Xu Yan and prevent him from getting involved and causing complications.’’Senior Brother Xu is a descendant of a Duke of Ye Country and hails from the Zhu Heng Xu Clan. A Foundation Establishment True Master appeared among his ancestors seven or eight generations ago.’’The Sect Leader probably didn’t want to create more enemies, so he had Zhou Fu step in and restrain Xu Yan.’Jiang Yi asked casually:"Is Senior Sister Zhou alright?"Han Li’s expression immediately turned peculiar, and he teased:"Junior Brother Jiang, you’re so considerate. Why not ask about Senior Brother Xu? The Merit Supervision Institute is right next to Observing Sun Peak’s Supreme Merit Institute. Don’t tell me you’re taking advantage of your prime location?""Senior Brother Han, you jest."Jiang Yi said seriously:"Since Senior Brother Xu couldn’t make it, he must not have gotten the better of the exchange and is likely in his Meditation House nursing his injuries."Considering Senior Sister Zhou was the one who initiated the challenge, I was just asking."Han Li laughed heartily."Indeed. Senior Brother Xu injured his Inner Mansion and lost a great deal of Merit, and while Senior Sister Zhou got the upper hand, she also exhausted a great deal of energy and has returned to Observing Sun Peak for secluded cultivation."But she still came out slightly ahead. After all, her Contest Star Sword is a Fourth-Grade Magical Artifact. Its Xin Metal nature is perfectly compatible with her Kui Water, doubling its power!"Jiang Yi cupped his hands and bowed slightly, his tone humble:"Senior Brother Han is experienced and knowledgeable. For this trip down the mountain, I will defer to your judgment."Han Li didn’t decline, accepting readily. He immediately asked:"Is there anything else you need to prepare, Junior Brother? If everything is in order, let’s set off.Lujiang is only eight hundred li from here. Traveling by cloud, we can arrive in a few hours."In my opinion, there’s no need to summon any other junior brothers. The two of us will be enough."Jiang Yi pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement."Alright, I’ll follow Senior Brother’s arrangements."With that, the two left the Qi Gong Institute and walked to a wide, flat area on Guanlan Peak. Each released their True Qi, enveloping their bodies as they soared into the air on clouds.Both of them cultivated Ding Fire. Thousands of streams of flame gathered around them, resembling the vibrant colors of a sunset cloud. Like an expanding crimson cloud, they shot dozens of zhang in an instant."Senior Brother Jiang has such fine style!"The old Daoist who had received him several times looked up at the vast sky. The blazing light of the flames had already vanished into the distance without a trace....「Past the midpoint of shen shi, the sun tilted westward.」It was Jiang Yi’s first time leaving the sect to undertake an assignment, and he found it quite novel.It was different from the last time he went out with Grandpa and He the Venerable, riding a Land Ship to Sanhe District.This experience of speeding along on a cloud, flying with the wind, was much more interesting.Looking down from above, he saw scattered cities and endless rows of houses, bustling populations and dense countryside.The sight surprised Jiang Yi. To think that the common people living under the rule of a Demon Dao Dharma Lineage could show such vibrant, flourishing signs of life.Combined with the "many faces of Lower Cultivators" he had witnessed in Sanhe District, it gave him the false impression that "it’s better to be a mortal than a cultivator."Han Li slowly reduced the speed of his flame cloud, looking like a young master from a local clan inspecting his family’s property, as he started commenting on the scene below:"Not bad, not bad. Zhao Country’s governance of the people’s livelihood is quite effective. For the Dharma Lineage assessment the year after next, our Qianji Sect should have nothing to worry about."Jiang Yi asked curiously:"Our Demon Dao’s Dharma Lineage assessment actually includes ’the people’s livelihood’ as a category?"Han Li didn’t find it strange at all and answered as if it were a matter of course:"The number of potential cultivators, the output of Resources, and the population of mortals are all part of the assessment, and they carry significant weight."There used to be a ’Cyan Demon Sect’ in Beimang Ridge, I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, Junior Brother. Because their disciples cultivated the art of ’Raising and Taming Beasts,’ the toll on the mortal population was immense."They failed the major assessment three times in a row, so their Dharma Lineage was directly revoked and replaced by the True Gu Sect."The great figures of the Ancestral Sect Dharma Lineages take this matter very seriously."Jiang Yi thought for a moment, still somewhat puzzled:"Is there a particular reason for that?"Han Li had a show-off personality, loving to comment and express lofty opinions, so Jiang Yi’s question piqued his interest:"Opinions are varied and confusing. But I’ve read a few credible theories in the ’All Worlds - Earth Department’ compiled by the Wandering True Monarch."Some guess it has to do with the Five Elements arts, specifically the path of the Earth Element."As you probably know, Junior Brother, among all the various Techniques, those of the Earth Element are the rarest."Jiang Yi pondered. It was said that across the Yanfu Vast Land, even First and Second Grade Earth Element Techniques were rarely circulated, let alone a complete Dao Inheritance.Based on his rudimentary understanding of the Daoist Lineage, it seemed as if they were intentionally sealed away, forbidden for All Cultivators to study privately."That person speculated that the Earth Element is divided into the ’Wu’ and ’Ji’ branches, both of which possess the nature of nourishing, transforming, and bearing all things."Therefore, it is inextricably linked to the lives of mortals. If a Daoist Lineage is to be lifted to the celestial apex, to become supreme and revered, it absolutely cannot be without it."Jiang Yi chewed over these words, feeling there was some truth to them.’If I were to summarize this using a phrase from my past life, it would probably be "sustainable development." You can’t just drain the pond to get all the fish, can you?’"There’s another theory that’s more direct, and more in line with the style of the Upper Cultivators."Han Li continued with a smile:"Some speculate that a great figure at the top of a Daoist Lineage attained a Golden Position, and did so by ascending with the help of the Earth Element."To complete the grand vision of their Dao and to deepen its foundation, they need to maintain a constant number of mortals in the world."He paused, then added:"The reason for this conclusion is that the thousands of Dharma Lineages in the Nanzhan Continent have minor assessments every three, six, and nine years, and major assessments every ten, thirty, and sixty years."The major assessments are especially strict. Like how the Ancient Divine Court mandated rainfall in the four quarters, they meticulously regulate categories such as the ’total population of old and young,’ ’new births,’ and ’average lifespan’ among the mortals under their rule."Jiang Yi couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath. ’The major assessments are really that detailed?’It didn’t sound like a mere formality that could be easily dealt with."In Beimang Ridge alone, over the past five hundred years, no fewer than ten sects have had their Dharma Lineage stripped, their mountain gates dissolved, or were even publicly executed and eradicated for failing the major assessment."Han Li glanced up at the sky and said to Jiang Yi:"Junior Brother Jiang, let’s land first. Lujiang’s Hanyang Prefecture is not far ahead. The two of us should first get the lay of the land, ascertain the situation, and then make a plan."Jiang Yi nodded in agreement. The two blazing trails of fire streaking across the sky suddenly retracted, and they descended steadily to the side of a mountain path.Han Li took out two Yellow Talismans and summoned two magnificent Paper Horses, then continued their previous conversation:"Although some things aren’t said openly, everyone knows it privately. Among the Daoist Lineages of the four quarters, the Immortal Dao leads and the Demon Dao follows. Many of our laws and systems are copied from that bunch of Immortal Cultivators."But they are truly shameless. The ’Manifesting the Dao and Valuing Life’ originally spoken of by the supreme patriarchs meant that a manifest Daoist Lineage must also care for the common people, so as to avoid repeating the great calamity of the ancient past."Later, the Immortal Dao twisted its meaning, using it to glorify themselves by changing it to ’The Immortal Dao values life,’ while denigrating our Dao as ’disciples and grand-disciples of demons.’"’So that’s what it was, Manifesting the Dao and Valuing Life.’’No wonder so many Dharma Lineages in the Nanzhan Continent treat imitating the Ancient Demon Cultivators as a grave crime.’’It must be because it would affect the ’manifestation’ of the Daoist Lineage.’