Staring in disbelief, unable to counter
Meng Qi instinctively caught the sword and felt relieved when he realized it was Mo Li who had arrived.
Then, he noticed the strange look on Ancestor Qingwu’s face as he stared at the sword in his hand. Without thinking, Meng Qi blurted out, “Lord Zhao seems to have a broad knowledge, but do you not recognize the famous ‘Zhongqing Sword’?”
Look closely, this is the sword once wielded by the former leader of the Tianshan Sect, the one that fell into the Qing River. It’s definitely not some immortal flying sword that can be summoned and dismissed at will.
Ancestor Qingwu took a step back, his expression complex, and said, “Buried in the yellow sand, soaked in blood, and entwined with deep emotions. As the saying goes, a renowned sword has a spirit and can choose its master. I used to doubt it, but now it seems to be true. The lost sword of three centuries can still be found by Master Meng.”
“…”
No, how did you come to that conclusion?
Meng Qi couldn’t help but lose his composure. How did he come to that conclusion? Was it possible that the Zhongqing Sword had developed a spirit of its own, realized it had been sent away as a token of affection, and decided to abandon its original master for the esteemed Dr. Mo instead?
Dr. Mo must be quite exceptional if even the Zhongqing Sword found him appealing.
How irritating! He shouldn’t have given it away in the first place.
Wait a minute! Meng Qi suddenly snapped back to his senses. Why was he feeling jealous of his own sword?
He reached for his forehead and rubbed it. His illness seemed to be worsening, and his mental state was easily shaken. This wasn’t like him at all. When he was the royal advisor in the Chu Dynasty, he had seen all sorts of people and had been unimpressed by their boasts.
There were no celestial beings in the sky or demons on earth.
Talk of destiny and reincarnation was all nonsense.
Meng Qi thought to himself, trying to regain his calm and composure. Following the trajectory of the flying sword, he saw Mo Li.
Meanwhile, Mo Li had used his lightness skill to approach, and the closer he got, the heavier his heart sank.
Ancestor Qingwu’s strength was on par with Meng Qi, and perhaps even slightly superior due to the involvement of a weapon.
Mo Li grew anxious and immediately removed the soft sword from his waist, throwing it towards the battleground.
The soft sword, influenced by Mo Li’s inner energy, extended and effortlessly tore apart the whirlwind of energy produced by the two combatants. Meng Qi, familiar with that inner energy, immediately realized it was Mo Li.
The place where Qingwu Ancestor and Meng Qi stood was completely unrecognizable, and a large pit with a radius of three feet appeared.
The bottom of the pit was so flat that even the roots of the trees were lifted, but the vegetation three feet away was unharmed. This alone showed that the two fighting men had reached the pinnacle of control over their internal energy.
Although the dragon vein would not sense this level of damage, it was still painful to witness.
Mo Li couldn’t help but crouch down and touch the roots at the bottom of the pit. He found that only a few trees closest to the edge still had some vitality left, while the rest had withered completely.
In all their previous encounters and battles, they had never caused such extensive destruction.
Even when trees were shattered and stones flew, they had left behind some remnants.
In the world, all living beings have their ups and downs.
Mo Li did not feel sorrow for the deaths of animals in the mountains, nor did he find fault in woodcutters and hunters seeking a living. He used to believe he was a river monster, and Zhushan County had no one who recklessly destroyed the landscape. So he never thought much about these matters. Even after he discovered he was part of a dragon vein, he didn’t form any different opinions.
As long as it wasn’t excessive and deliberate destruction, it was just a matter of survival, no different from tigers eating rabbits or wolves preying on sheep.
What Mo Li cared about were the “sentient” beings, including spiritual herbs.
He still hadn’t given up hope for the existence of “monsters.” Gradually, he realized that this was a subconscious desire for the Qimao Mountain range to produce another branch. After coming to Shangyun Mountain, Mo Li finally understood just how far apart he and the dragon vein of the imperial capital were. It was likely that the small dragon vein had no hope.
He probably could only lead the small dragon vein of Shangyun Mountain back to health.
But as soon as he had this idea, he quickly dismissed it.
Listening to Meng Qi’s account, the little sand rat seemed foolish and lacked cleverness. It scurried around aimlessly. When he thought about it, it didn’t have the intelligence of Qimao Mountain’s white fox or the obedience of the giant python. It couldn’t even compare to the white ginseng plant. If he spent all his time chasing after the little sand rat to clean up its mess, how could he continue to treat illnesses and practice medicine? He’d have much less time to care for his teacher and junior disciple.
No, no, companionship was still better with Meng Qi.
Both were sand rats, at least they wouldn’t be afraid of being carried away by a cat…
With this thought in mind, Mo Li paid little attention to the small dragon vein for now. It could absorb the spiritual energy on its own and grow slowly.
Now, seeing Meng Qi and Ancestor Qingwu battling it out and inevitably causing some damage to the vegetation, even though it was just a drop in the ocean for the nineteen peaks of Shangyun Mountain, Mo Li couldn’t help but worry.
“Does the fluctuation in spiritual energy here affect that little guy on Dragon Horn Peak?”
Mo Li used a mental message to communicate with Meng Qi. When Meng Qi heard his voice, he was startled, and his expression darkened.
In theory, it shouldn’t affect it, but concern led to anxiety.
Mo Li sighed and said, “Brother Meng, I’m not blaming you. While it’s unavoidable, it’s better to endure the long pain rather than the short. Sooner or later, Ancestor Qingwu and his gang will cause even greater trouble on Shangyun Mountain.”
It would be better to go directly and deal with them.
However, things don’t always go as planned, and Ancestor Qingwu turned out to be quite stubborn.
With his finger slipping into a gap in his sleeve, the bladeless knife smoothly slid into his palm. Although Mo Li was speaking, he remained vigilant. Even though he appeared sluggish and ignorant of martial arts to the casual observer, every vital spot on his body was subtly protected, and his palm was turned outward with his fingers slightly gathered, clearly gripping something.
Ancestor Qingwu’s expression shifted rapidly. He hadn’t expected another expert to appear.
Leaving aside everything else, just throwing a weapon through an invisible barrier of inner energy was already quite remarkable. His two disciples couldn’t accomplish it; otherwise, he wouldn’t have briefly suspected that it was the legendary flying sword.
Not to mention, the Zhongqing Sword was still a soft sword.
The newcomer was undoubtedly someone acquainted with Meng Qi. Although he couldn’t hear any sound in their mental exchange, he could still see their lips moving. After all, Zhao Cangfeng wasn’t blind.
Seeing that the newcomer had stopped at the edge of the pit, forming a triangle with Meng Qi and himself, Ancestor Qingwu couldn’t help but furrow his brow. He raised his whisk and politely inquired, “I apologize for any offense, but I never expected to encounter such a skilled martial artist besides Master Meng. May I ask where you come from? Are you a hermit from the mountains?”
Mo Li was momentarily stunned. The term “hermit” was quite subtle. Old Master Qin was a hermit, and Mo Li himself could be considered one, albeit reluctantly.
Why did Ancestor Qingwu suddenly assume that they were hermits?
Meng Qi could tell from Mo Li’s expression that the doctor had misunderstood, and he couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. He angrily retorted, “Zhao Cangfeng! Your wild and nonsensical words aside, do you really think everyone is obsessed with cultivating immortality like you and other Daoists?”
“Cultivating immortality?” Ancestor Qingwu couldn’t help but laugh, disdain evident in his voice. “There are no true immortals in this world.”
Meng Qi was somewhat surprised and replied calmly, “If not sword immortals, then what are those who can take someone’s life from a thousand miles away?”
Ancestor Qingwu burst into laughter at Meng Qi’s words.
Mo Li was completely bewildered and had no idea what they were talking about.
After his laughter subsided, Ancestor Qingwu spoke slowly, “Peng Zu lived for eight hundred years, and he still died in the end, didn’t he? In the previous dynasty, there was a mysterious hero who appeared every fifty years, performed great deeds, and was revered by everyone. People are still talking about his exploits in the marketplace to this day.”
Meng Qi retorted, “What’s so extraordinary about different generations of sects sharing the same name? Not to mention, there’s Li Kong’er from the Empty Door Sect. Don’t tell me you’re not aware of him?”
“Since Master Meng doesn’t recognize them, why not explain to this old Daoist?”
Ancestor Qingwu raised his whisk and pointed it at Mo Li and Meng Qi, smiling mockingly. “You both have maintained the same youthful appearance and have inner strength that doesn’t match your external appearance.”
“Zhao Cangfeng, you possess two-thirds of a century of inner strength but will likely not live past sixty. Is that normal?” Meng Qi calmly responded, “Different life experiences, different talents, and different cultivation methods—what’s so unusual about that?”
Ancestor Qingwu furrowed his brow and became impatient, convinced that Meng Qi was being stubborn.
He turned to Mo Li, feigning an air of elegance and asked, “I haven’t had the pleasure of knowing your name yet, sir.”
In the past, Mo Li might not have been able to distinguish someone like Ancestor Qingwu, who was very skilled at pretending, but now he had seen Meng Qi too much.
Even if the latter were a genuine Daoist, he couldn’t compare to Meng Qi’s extraordinary and otherworldly aura.
“Respectful and polite exchanges are expected when making friends. However, since you and I are not on those terms, you may skip the pleasantries,” Mo Li replied without giving him an inch.
Ancestor Qingwu’s mouth twitched slightly, and he squinted. He said with a hint of sarcasm, “Sir, you seem rather unaccommodating. They say that there’s no limit to martial arts, but in reality, it’s a lie! When martial arts are practiced to our level, we can feel an invisible barrier that cannot be broken through no matter what. We will linger at this stage for our entire lives. This is what is called the limit of human strength, the maximum power that the human body can bear, which is what we look like now.”
Leaving aside Ancestor Qingwu’s character, what he said was correct.
Human strength did have its limits, just like how a container could only hold a certain amount of water before overflowing.
Strictly speaking, both Meng Qi and Mo Li were not human, but they had human-like forms, and their martial arts had limits too. Their current abilities were close to their limits.
Even after a hundred more years, their internal strength would not continue to grow. Despite the vast difference in spiritual energy between Qimao Mountain and Shangyun Mountain, Meng Qi’s strength was only slightly superior to Mo Li’s.
“What are you trying to say?” Mo Li still didn’t understand Ancestor Qingwu’s theory of cultivating immortality from his martial arts perspective. He furrowed his brow and asked, “Do you believe that there’s some treasure buried in Emperor Li’s tomb that can help you transcend your mortal state? If it’s such a great opportunity, why not do it discreetly? Why broadcast it to everyone? What’s your intention?”
“Rebellion and treason,” Meng Qi explained to Mo Li in a timely manner.
Mo Li, after hearing Ancestor Qingwu’s plan to ambush Gong Jun, divert the attention of the Imperial Guards, and incite a palace coup, found it even more unbelievable.
Mo Li couldn’t comprehend the connection between supporting an emperor’s rise and martial arts proficiency.
Could it be that Ancestor Qingwu’s rambling was a way to stall for time?
As Mo Li looked at Ancestor Qingwu’s fanatical gaze, he suddenly had an uneasy feeling.
It seemed like the old master genuinely wanted to convince him, and he had a lot of confidence in doing so.
“Throughout history, emperors have been considered true dragon emperors. While not all may be true dragons, the dragon vein is indeed real!”
Ancestor Qingwu exclaimed, which startled Mo Li. He instinctively looked at Meng Qi.
Seeing that, Ancestor Qingwu realized that the other person probably knew something about the dragon vein. Ancestor Qingwu stroked his beard and continued, “I have read numerous ancient texts, encompassing folklore and historical anecdotes. Although I cannot claim to have knowledge spanning three thousand years, I have discovered some things. In ancient times, ordinary people had no martial skills, but there were many legends of immortals. However, after the Zhou Dynasty, the immortals suddenly disappeared, and they were replaced by beings like Peng Zu and Lü Dao Ren, who were earthly immortals. Since the Tang Dynasty, there have been no more stories of earthly immortals. Haven’t you ever wondered why?”
“…”
What could be the reason? If you believe in the myth, the War of Conferring Gods is over and the gods are no longer allowed to descent to the lower world.
To him, the disappearance of immortals was simply because people had stopped believing in myths and legends. It was a sign that humans had become less superstitious and more rational.
“Brother Meng, do these Daoists always speak in such cryptic and convoluted ways?” Mo Li furrowed his brow.
Doctors and Daoists were never on good terms. For example, when someone was ill, Daoists insisted on giving them talisman water, which Mo Li found ridiculous.
He had always found Ancestor Qingwu unpleasant, especially since the old master had a disciple named Si Zhan, who was the young master of the Si family fortress.
Given Mo Li’s personality, he would rather not engage in idle chatter with Ancestor Qingwu and would prefer to take direct action.
However, when Ancestor Qingwu mentioned the dragon vein…
“What does this have to do with immortals and the dragon vein?”
“We need to start with the origin of immortals,” Ancestor Qingwu began. “During the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, there were mentions of destiny and immortals, but it was all vague and ethereal, mere words. Even the title of an immortal master like Guang Cheng Zi was later added by subsequent generations. Many immortals first appeared during the Shang Dynasty. What were they doing before that? Could it be that they all became immortals during the Shang Dynasty?”
“…”
Seeing that neither Meng Qi nor Mo Li opened their mouths, Qingwu Ancestor thought that his words had shocked them both.
In fact, what Meng Qi wanted to say was that it’s unreliable, and the folklore was even less reliable.
Many immortals in the past had no names, and their stories were created later. For instance, the idea of Huang Di having a teacher named Guang Cheng Zi was added to his story, and later generations mistakenly believed that immortals had existed before the Shang Dynasty.
For example, Zhuang Zi wrote a story about Huang Di asking Guang Cheng Zi questions, explaining his own thoughts and reasoning. However, few people could comprehend his ideas, and the story of Huang Di having a teacher named Guang Cheng Zi was more widely circulated.
Zhuang Zi had never imagined that he would be credited with another teacher in addition to Lao Zi. If Huang Di knew that his story had been changed in such a way, he wouldn’t know how to react.
Moreover, there was a novel called “Fengshen Yanyi,” which was said to have taken place at the end of the Shang Dynasty. In this novel, a multitude of characters appeared, and every deity and mountain god took part.
Even characters like the “Mother of Lightning,” who gave birth to Lei Zhen Zi, had roles to play.
To make the story fit this grand gathering, a “Fengshen List” was created, and the positions of the twenty-eight constellations and the mountain gods of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks were all filled one by one.
This led to the illusion that the end of the Shang Dynasty was a bustling time when immortals freely roamed the world, and everywhere you looked, there were people who wanted to cultivate immortality or mythical creatures, and every mountain had a cave with a Daoist living inside.
Ancestor Qingwu’s extensive knowledge seemed to be drawn from a variety of sources, perhaps including folk legends.
Meng Qi was tempted to make a sarcastic remark about it, but when he noticed Mo Li’s puzzled expression, he decided to continue listening to see what kind of story Ancestor Qingwu would concoct next.
Indeed, many practitioners of Daoist arts believed wholeheartedly in their own theories and concepts, often disregarding common sense or logical reasoning.
At this point, it was clear that Ancestor Qingwu’s actions, such as disrupting the spiritual caves and altering the Feng Shui, were somehow related to the dragon vein. However, his intentions appeared to be more focused on achieving some form of “martial pinnacle,” which seemed to align, albeit vaguely, with the realm of martial heroes and immortal cultivators.
Despite Meng Qi’s intellectual prowess and broad knowledge, he struggled to make sense of the logic behind Ancestor Qingwu’s actions.
But he decided to withhold judgment for now, as trying to understand the reasoning of a madman was often an exercise in futility.
Meng Qi took pride in categorizing himself as “normal” in contrast to Ancestor Qingwu’s eccentricities.
“…Emperor Yu’s flood control efforts, spanning thirteen years, took him across the mountains and valleys of the Central Plains, where he discovered the true method of flood control: ‘clearing is better than blocking.’ With this insight, he led people to dig through mountains and widen river mouths, allowing floodwaters to flow more freely. He also dug new river channels to redirect the waters to lower areas. While these drastic actions resolved the issue of flooding, they irreversibly transformed the landscape of the Nine Provinces,” Ancestor Qingwu explained cryptically. “He destroyed the dragon vein.”
Mo Li and Meng Qi exchanged puzzled glances.
It did sound somewhat plausible.
“The dragon vein is the earth’s qi,” Ancestor Qingwu continued. “It takes the form of mountains and rivers and contains immense power. Throughout history, emperors often proclaimed themselves as true dragon emperors. Even though damaging the dragon vein does not affect the transfer of power from one emperor to the next, calling it the ‘dragon vein’ is merely a conventional expression.”
Mo Li frowned, not entirely convinced by Ancestor Qingwu’s narrative. As a Daoist practitioner, wasn’t he supposed to believe in the importance of Feng Shui and the dragon vein?
Or was Ancestor Qingwu adhering to a peculiar and unorthodox set of beliefs?
“Calling them dragon veins is simply a customary term,” Ancestor Qingwu continued. “In reality, these interconnected veins, the energy pathways of the Nine Provinces, were broken by Emperor Yu, causing them to lose their unity. The world eventually stabilized, and people finally found their footing on this land.”
Mo Li:”…”
It sounded as if the prosperity of humankind was built upon the destruction of the dragon veins.
Moreover, Ancestor Qingwu added, “Heavenly disasters and human calamities are the result of the dragon vein manifesting itself. The rapid growth of spiritual herbs and the flourishing of living creatures are all consequences of the dragon vein’s interruption. Even animals, plants, and trees benefit greatly from the release of spiritual energy. Why should humans be excluded from these benefits?”
Mo Li was left speechless.
For the first time, he found himself unable to refute the absurdity of someone’s words.
Indeed, even if the dragon vein were intact, humans seemed to receive no special benefits from the spiritual energy.
The dragon vein of Taijing cannot be seen yet. There are many talented people in the capital, and they have the flavor of outstanding people. However, Qimao Mountain has nothing to do with these four words. The people of Zhushan County neither live long nor have many children. Compared to a dragon vein, it is better to say that Magistrate Xue has given them a good life.
“I can’t help but wonder, do the dragon veins hold a grudge against humans? Are they unwilling to share their spiritual energy with our kind?”
Mo Li: “…”
Meng Qi: “…”
Absolutely not! Impossible!
“As I delved into ancient texts,” Ancestor Qingwu was full of energy and his eyes were bright, “I finally discovered the truth. Humans can indeed absorb spiritual energy; it’s just that the method has been lost to time!”
“Wait a moment!” Meng Qi finally processed the information.
He asked incredulously, “Do you actually believe that those martial heroes and immortals are just people who absorbed spiritual energy?”
“Not only martial heroes and immortals but all so-called immortals throughout history! There are no real immortals or heavenly courts! Only long-lived individuals like Pengzu and Lü Daoist, who possessed unique skills, have been misinterpreted by common people!”
Ancestor Qingwu’s eyes gleamed with fanaticism, causing Mo Li to take a step back involuntarily.
“Emperor Yu’s flood control, Emperor Qin unifying the Six Kingdoms and building the Great Wall, the construction of the Qijia Road, and the Sui Dynasty’s Grand Canal! These are the three most destructive acts against the dragon veins throughout history, causing the outflow of dragon energy! This is why the subsequent Shang Dynasty, Han Dynasty, and even the Tang Dynasty were filled with countless tales of immortals and heroes, and strange incidents were rampant! Although the method of absorbing spiritual energy has been lost, the concept that martial prowess is the way of Dao still persisted in the martial world until about a hundred years ago, when it gradually declined. All of this happened because there was not enough spiritual energy in the world, and people stopped believing in it! Countless martial arts predecessors failed to realize this and were ultimately trapped in their peak realms until they died. In reality, changing all of this is not difficult. All it takes is one significant event to alter the Feng Shui of the Nine Provinces, sever the dragon vein, and martial arts will flourish once more. Our lifespans could reach a thousand years, and our strength would no longer be confined to this realm. We could roam the four seas, just like the ancient immortals!”
Ancestor Qingwu described his vision with great enthusiasm, spreading his hands as if he had already transcended into an immortal being.
Mo Li struggled to find his voice for a long time. He moved his lips, emitting only a single emphasized syllable.
Meng Qi’s expression mirrored his confusion.
Their minds were blank, torn between outrage and amusement.
The absurdity was overwhelming, akin to a tsunami that swept away any trace of rational thought.
If Ancestor Qingwu hadn’t spoken or if they hadn’t waited for him to finish, they might not even have guessed his true intentions and plans.
It was just too ludicrous!
It was so preposterous that there were no words to counter it.
Meng Qi had encountered many Daoist practitioners who boasted grandiose claims, but none like Ancestor Qingwu.
While they were never swayed by such talk, they also could never refute it!
There were few dragon veins left in the world, and only they could take on a humanoid form. What about the other dragon veins?
Author’s Note:
Ancestor Qingwu: Surprised, aren’t you? I’m not superstitious at all! I don’t believe in immortals! Humans will conquer all!
Ancestor Qingwu: All we need to do is get rid of the dragon veins! Our martial arts script can turn into a cultivation script!
Mo Li: …
Meng Qi: …
Staring in disbelief, unable to counter
Meng Qi instinctively caught the sword and felt relieved when he realized it was Mo Li who had arrived.
Then, he noticed the strange look on Ancestor Qingwu’s face as he stared at the sword in his hand. Without thinking, Meng Qi blurted out, “Lord Zhao seems to have a broad knowledge, but do you not recognize the famous ‘Zhongqing Sword’?”
Look closely, this is the sword once wielded by the former leader of the Tianshan Sect, the one that fell into the Qing River. It’s definitely not some immortal flying sword that can be summoned and dismissed at will.
Ancestor Qingwu took a step back, his expression complex, and said, “Buried in the yellow sand, soaked in blood, and entwined with deep emotions. As the saying goes, a renowned sword has a spirit and can choose its master. I used to doubt it, but now it seems to be true. The lost sword of three centuries can still be found by Master Meng.”
“…”
No, how did you come to that conclusion?
Meng Qi couldn’t help but lose his composure. How did he come to that conclusion? Was it possible that the Zhongqing Sword had developed a spirit of its own, realized it had been sent away as a token of affection, and decided to abandon its original master for the esteemed Dr. Mo instead?
Dr. Mo must be quite exceptional if even the Zhongqing Sword found him appealing.
How irritating! He shouldn’t have given it away in the first place.
Wait a minute! Meng Qi suddenly snapped back to his senses. Why was he feeling jealous of his own sword?
He reached for his forehead and rubbed it. His illness seemed to be worsening, and his mental state was easily shaken. This wasn’t like him at all. When he was the royal advisor in the Chu Dynasty, he had seen all sorts of people and had been unimpressed by their boasts.
There were no celestial beings in the sky or demons on earth.
Talk of destiny and reincarnation was all nonsense.
Meng Qi thought to himself, trying to regain his calm and composure. Following the trajectory of the flying sword, he saw Mo Li.
Meanwhile, Mo Li had used his lightness skill to approach, and the closer he got, the heavier his heart sank.
Ancestor Qingwu’s strength was on par with Meng Qi, and perhaps even slightly superior due to the involvement of a weapon.
Mo Li grew anxious and immediately removed the soft sword from his waist, throwing it towards the battleground.
The soft sword, influenced by Mo Li’s inner energy, extended and effortlessly tore apart the whirlwind of energy produced by the two combatants. Meng Qi, familiar with that inner energy, immediately realized it was Mo Li.
The place where Qingwu Ancestor and Meng Qi stood was completely unrecognizable, and a large pit with a radius of three feet appeared.
The bottom of the pit was so flat that even the roots of the trees were lifted, but the vegetation three feet away was unharmed. This alone showed that the two fighting men had reached the pinnacle of control over their internal energy.
Although the dragon vein would not sense this level of damage, it was still painful to witness.
Mo Li couldn’t help but crouch down and touch the roots at the bottom of the pit. He found that only a few trees closest to the edge still had some vitality left, while the rest had withered completely.
In all their previous encounters and battles, they had never caused such extensive destruction.
Even when trees were shattered and stones flew, they had left behind some remnants.
In the world, all living beings have their ups and downs.
Mo Li did not feel sorrow for the deaths of animals in the mountains, nor did he find fault in woodcutters and hunters seeking a living. He used to believe he was a river monster, and Zhushan County had no one who recklessly destroyed the landscape. So he never thought much about these matters. Even after he discovered he was part of a dragon vein, he didn’t form any different opinions.
As long as it wasn’t excessive and deliberate destruction, it was just a matter of survival, no different from tigers eating rabbits or wolves preying on sheep.
What Mo Li cared about were the “sentient” beings, including spiritual herbs.
He still hadn’t given up hope for the existence of “monsters.” Gradually, he realized that this was a subconscious desire for the Qimao Mountain range to produce another branch. After coming to Shangyun Mountain, Mo Li finally understood just how far apart he and the dragon vein of the imperial capital were. It was likely that the small dragon vein had no hope.
He probably could only lead the small dragon vein of Shangyun Mountain back to health.
But as soon as he had this idea, he quickly dismissed it.
Listening to Meng Qi’s account, the little sand rat seemed foolish and lacked cleverness. It scurried around aimlessly. When he thought about it, it didn’t have the intelligence of Qimao Mountain’s white fox or the obedience of the giant python. It couldn’t even compare to the white ginseng plant. If he spent all his time chasing after the little sand rat to clean up its mess, how could he continue to treat illnesses and practice medicine? He’d have much less time to care for his teacher and junior disciple.
No, no, companionship was still better with Meng Qi.
Both were sand rats, at least they wouldn’t be afraid of being carried away by a cat…
With this thought in mind, Mo Li paid little attention to the small dragon vein for now. It could absorb the spiritual energy on its own and grow slowly.
Now, seeing Meng Qi and Ancestor Qingwu battling it out and inevitably causing some damage to the vegetation, even though it was just a drop in the ocean for the nineteen peaks of Shangyun Mountain, Mo Li couldn’t help but worry.
“Does the fluctuation in spiritual energy here affect that little guy on Dragon Horn Peak?”
Mo Li used a mental message to communicate with Meng Qi. When Meng Qi heard his voice, he was startled, and his expression darkened.
In theory, it shouldn’t affect it, but concern led to anxiety.
Mo Li sighed and said, “Brother Meng, I’m not blaming you. While it’s unavoidable, it’s better to endure the long pain rather than the short. Sooner or later, Ancestor Qingwu and his gang will cause even greater trouble on Shangyun Mountain.”
It would be better to go directly and deal with them.
However, things don’t always go as planned, and Ancestor Qingwu turned out to be quite stubborn.
With his finger slipping into a gap in his sleeve, the bladeless knife smoothly slid into his palm. Although Mo Li was speaking, he remained vigilant. Even though he appeared sluggish and ignorant of martial arts to the casual observer, every vital spot on his body was subtly protected, and his palm was turned outward with his fingers slightly gathered, clearly gripping something.
Ancestor Qingwu’s expression shifted rapidly. He hadn’t expected another expert to appear.
Leaving aside everything else, just throwing a weapon through an invisible barrier of inner energy was already quite remarkable. His two disciples couldn’t accomplish it; otherwise, he wouldn’t have briefly suspected that it was the legendary flying sword.
Not to mention, the Zhongqing Sword was still a soft sword.
The newcomer was undoubtedly someone acquainted with Meng Qi. Although he couldn’t hear any sound in their mental exchange, he could still see their lips moving. After all, Zhao Cangfeng wasn’t blind.
Seeing that the newcomer had stopped at the edge of the pit, forming a triangle with Meng Qi and himself, Ancestor Qingwu couldn’t help but furrow his brow. He raised his whisk and politely inquired, “I apologize for any offense, but I never expected to encounter such a skilled martial artist besides Master Meng. May I ask where you come from? Are you a hermit from the mountains?”
Mo Li was momentarily stunned. The term “hermit” was quite subtle. Old Master Qin was a hermit, and Mo Li himself could be considered one, albeit reluctantly.
Why did Ancestor Qingwu suddenly assume that they were hermits?
Meng Qi could tell from Mo Li’s expression that the doctor had misunderstood, and he couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. He angrily retorted, “Zhao Cangfeng! Your wild and nonsensical words aside, do you really think everyone is obsessed with cultivating immortality like you and other Daoists?”
“Cultivating immortality?” Ancestor Qingwu couldn’t help but laugh, disdain evident in his voice. “There are no true immortals in this world.”
Meng Qi was somewhat surprised and replied calmly, “If not sword immortals, then what are those who can take someone’s life from a thousand miles away?”
Ancestor Qingwu burst into laughter at Meng Qi’s words.
Mo Li was completely bewildered and had no idea what they were talking about.
After his laughter subsided, Ancestor Qingwu spoke slowly, “Peng Zu lived for eight hundred years, and he still died in the end, didn’t he? In the previous dynasty, there was a mysterious hero who appeared every fifty years, performed great deeds, and was revered by everyone. People are still talking about his exploits in the marketplace to this day.”
Meng Qi retorted, “What’s so extraordinary about different generations of sects sharing the same name? Not to mention, there’s Li Kong’er from the Empty Door Sect. Don’t tell me you’re not aware of him?”
“Since Master Meng doesn’t recognize them, why not explain to this old Daoist?”
Ancestor Qingwu raised his whisk and pointed it at Mo Li and Meng Qi, smiling mockingly. “You both have maintained the same youthful appearance and have inner strength that doesn’t match your external appearance.”
“Zhao Cangfeng, you possess two-thirds of a century of inner strength but will likely not live past sixty. Is that normal?” Meng Qi calmly responded, “Different life experiences, different talents, and different cultivation methods—what’s so unusual about that?”
Ancestor Qingwu furrowed his brow and became impatient, convinced that Meng Qi was being stubborn.
He turned to Mo Li, feigning an air of elegance and asked, “I haven’t had the pleasure of knowing your name yet, sir.”
In the past, Mo Li might not have been able to distinguish someone like Ancestor Qingwu, who was very skilled at pretending, but now he had seen Meng Qi too much.
Even if the latter were a genuine Daoist, he couldn’t compare to Meng Qi’s extraordinary and otherworldly aura.
“Respectful and polite exchanges are expected when making friends. However, since you and I are not on those terms, you may skip the pleasantries,” Mo Li replied without giving him an inch.
Ancestor Qingwu’s mouth twitched slightly, and he squinted. He said with a hint of sarcasm, “Sir, you seem rather unaccommodating. They say that there’s no limit to martial arts, but in reality, it’s a lie! When martial arts are practiced to our level, we can feel an invisible barrier that cannot be broken through no matter what. We will linger at this stage for our entire lives. This is what is called the limit of human strength, the maximum power that the human body can bear, which is what we look like now.”
Leaving aside Ancestor Qingwu’s character, what he said was correct.
Human strength did have its limits, just like how a container could only hold a certain amount of water before overflowing.
Strictly speaking, both Meng Qi and Mo Li were not human, but they had human-like forms, and their martial arts had limits too. Their current abilities were close to their limits.
Even after a hundred more years, their internal strength would not continue to grow. Despite the vast difference in spiritual energy between Qimao Mountain and Shangyun Mountain, Meng Qi’s strength was only slightly superior to Mo Li’s.
“What are you trying to say?” Mo Li still didn’t understand Ancestor Qingwu’s theory of cultivating immortality from his martial arts perspective. He furrowed his brow and asked, “Do you believe that there’s some treasure buried in Emperor Li’s tomb that can help you transcend your mortal state? If it’s such a great opportunity, why not do it discreetly? Why broadcast it to everyone? What’s your intention?”
“Rebellion and treason,” Meng Qi explained to Mo Li in a timely manner.
Mo Li, after hearing Ancestor Qingwu’s plan to ambush Gong Jun, divert the attention of the Imperial Guards, and incite a palace coup, found it even more unbelievable.
Mo Li couldn’t comprehend the connection between supporting an emperor’s rise and martial arts proficiency.
Could it be that Ancestor Qingwu’s rambling was a way to stall for time?
As Mo Li looked at Ancestor Qingwu’s fanatical gaze, he suddenly had an uneasy feeling.
It seemed like the old master genuinely wanted to convince him, and he had a lot of confidence in doing so.
“Throughout history, emperors have been considered true dragon emperors. While not all may be true dragons, the dragon vein is indeed real!”
Ancestor Qingwu exclaimed, which startled Mo Li. He instinctively looked at Meng Qi.
Seeing that, Ancestor Qingwu realized that the other person probably knew something about the dragon vein. Ancestor Qingwu stroked his beard and continued, “I have read numerous ancient texts, encompassing folklore and historical anecdotes. Although I cannot claim to have knowledge spanning three thousand years, I have discovered some things. In ancient times, ordinary people had no martial skills, but there were many legends of immortals. However, after the Zhou Dynasty, the immortals suddenly disappeared, and they were replaced by beings like Peng Zu and Lü Dao Ren, who were earthly immortals. Since the Tang Dynasty, there have been no more stories of earthly immortals. Haven’t you ever wondered why?”
“…”
What could be the reason? If you believe in the myth, the War of Conferring Gods is over and the gods are no longer allowed to descent to the lower world.
To him, the disappearance of immortals was simply because people had stopped believing in myths and legends. It was a sign that humans had become less superstitious and more rational.
“Brother Meng, do these Daoists always speak in such cryptic and convoluted ways?” Mo Li furrowed his brow.
Doctors and Daoists were never on good terms. For example, when someone was ill, Daoists insisted on giving them talisman water, which Mo Li found ridiculous.
He had always found Ancestor Qingwu unpleasant, especially since the old master had a disciple named Si Zhan, who was the young master of the Si family fortress.
Given Mo Li’s personality, he would rather not engage in idle chatter with Ancestor Qingwu and would prefer to take direct action.
However, when Ancestor Qingwu mentioned the dragon vein…
“What does this have to do with immortals and the dragon vein?”
“We need to start with the origin of immortals,” Ancestor Qingwu began. “During the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, there were mentions of destiny and immortals, but it was all vague and ethereal, mere words. Even the title of an immortal master like Guang Cheng Zi was later added by subsequent generations. Many immortals first appeared during the Shang Dynasty. What were they doing before that? Could it be that they all became immortals during the Shang Dynasty?”
“…”
Seeing that neither Meng Qi nor Mo Li opened their mouths, Qingwu Ancestor thought that his words had shocked them both.
In fact, what Meng Qi wanted to say was that it’s unreliable, and the folklore was even less reliable.
Many immortals in the past had no names, and their stories were created later. For instance, the idea of Huang Di having a teacher named Guang Cheng Zi was added to his story, and later generations mistakenly believed that immortals had existed before the Shang Dynasty.
For example, Zhuang Zi wrote a story about Huang Di asking Guang Cheng Zi questions, explaining his own thoughts and reasoning. However, few people could comprehend his ideas, and the story of Huang Di having a teacher named Guang Cheng Zi was more widely circulated.
Zhuang Zi had never imagined that he would be credited with another teacher in addition to Lao Zi. If Huang Di knew that his story had been changed in such a way, he wouldn’t know how to react.
Moreover, there was a novel called “Fengshen Yanyi,” which was said to have taken place at the end of the Shang Dynasty. In this novel, a multitude of characters appeared, and every deity and mountain god took part.
Even characters like the “Mother of Lightning,” who gave birth to Lei Zhen Zi, had roles to play.
To make the story fit this grand gathering, a “Fengshen List” was created, and the positions of the twenty-eight constellations and the mountain gods of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks were all filled one by one.
This led to the illusion that the end of the Shang Dynasty was a bustling time when immortals freely roamed the world, and everywhere you looked, there were people who wanted to cultivate immortality or mythical creatures, and every mountain had a cave with a Daoist living inside.
Ancestor Qingwu’s extensive knowledge seemed to be drawn from a variety of sources, perhaps including folk legends.
Meng Qi was tempted to make a sarcastic remark about it, but when he noticed Mo Li’s puzzled expression, he decided to continue listening to see what kind of story Ancestor Qingwu would concoct next.
Indeed, many practitioners of Daoist arts believed wholeheartedly in their own theories and concepts, often disregarding common sense or logical reasoning.
At this point, it was clear that Ancestor Qingwu’s actions, such as disrupting the spiritual caves and altering the Feng Shui, were somehow related to the dragon vein. However, his intentions appeared to be more focused on achieving some form of “martial pinnacle,” which seemed to align, albeit vaguely, with the realm of martial heroes and immortal cultivators.
Despite Meng Qi’s intellectual prowess and broad knowledge, he struggled to make sense of the logic behind Ancestor Qingwu’s actions.
But he decided to withhold judgment for now, as trying to understand the reasoning of a madman was often an exercise in futility.
Meng Qi took pride in categorizing himself as “normal” in contrast to Ancestor Qingwu’s eccentricities.
“…Emperor Yu’s flood control efforts, spanning thirteen years, took him across the mountains and valleys of the Central Plains, where he discovered the true method of flood control: ‘clearing is better than blocking.’ With this insight, he led people to dig through mountains and widen river mouths, allowing floodwaters to flow more freely. He also dug new river channels to redirect the waters to lower areas. While these drastic actions resolved the issue of flooding, they irreversibly transformed the landscape of the Nine Provinces,” Ancestor Qingwu explained cryptically. “He destroyed the dragon vein.”
Mo Li and Meng Qi exchanged puzzled glances.
It did sound somewhat plausible.
“The dragon vein is the earth’s qi,” Ancestor Qingwu continued. “It takes the form of mountains and rivers and contains immense power. Throughout history, emperors often proclaimed themselves as true dragon emperors. Even though damaging the dragon vein does not affect the transfer of power from one emperor to the next, calling it the ‘dragon vein’ is merely a conventional expression.”
Mo Li frowned, not entirely convinced by Ancestor Qingwu’s narrative. As a Daoist practitioner, wasn’t he supposed to believe in the importance of Feng Shui and the dragon vein?
Or was Ancestor Qingwu adhering to a peculiar and unorthodox set of beliefs?
“Calling them dragon veins is simply a customary term,” Ancestor Qingwu continued. “In reality, these interconnected veins, the energy pathways of the Nine Provinces, were broken by Emperor Yu, causing them to lose their unity. The world eventually stabilized, and people finally found their footing on this land.”
Mo Li:”…”
It sounded as if the prosperity of humankind was built upon the destruction of the dragon veins.
Moreover, Ancestor Qingwu added, “Heavenly disasters and human calamities are the result of the dragon vein manifesting itself. The rapid growth of spiritual herbs and the flourishing of living creatures are all consequences of the dragon vein’s interruption. Even animals, plants, and trees benefit greatly from the release of spiritual energy. Why should humans be excluded from these benefits?”
Mo Li was left speechless.
For the first time, he found himself unable to refute the absurdity of someone’s words.
Indeed, even if the dragon vein were intact, humans seemed to receive no special benefits from the spiritual energy.
The dragon vein of Taijing cannot be seen yet. There are many talented people in the capital, and they have the flavor of outstanding people. However, Qimao Mountain has nothing to do with these four words. The people of Zhushan County neither live long nor have many children. Compared to a dragon vein, it is better to say that Magistrate Xue has given them a good life.
“I can’t help but wonder, do the dragon veins hold a grudge against humans? Are they unwilling to share their spiritual energy with our kind?”
Mo Li: “…”
Meng Qi: “…”
Absolutely not! Impossible!
“As I delved into ancient texts,” Ancestor Qingwu was full of energy and his eyes were bright, “I finally discovered the truth. Humans can indeed absorb spiritual energy; it’s just that the method has been lost to time!”
“Wait a moment!” Meng Qi finally processed the information.
He asked incredulously, “Do you actually believe that those martial heroes and immortals are just people who absorbed spiritual energy?”
“Not only martial heroes and immortals but all so-called immortals throughout history! There are no real immortals or heavenly courts! Only long-lived individuals like Pengzu and Lü Daoist, who possessed unique skills, have been misinterpreted by common people!”
Ancestor Qingwu’s eyes gleamed with fanaticism, causing Mo Li to take a step back involuntarily.
“Emperor Yu’s flood control, Emperor Qin unifying the Six Kingdoms and building the Great Wall, the construction of the Qijia Road, and the Sui Dynasty’s Grand Canal! These are the three most destructive acts against the dragon veins throughout history, causing the outflow of dragon energy! This is why the subsequent Shang Dynasty, Han Dynasty, and even the Tang Dynasty were filled with countless tales of immortals and heroes, and strange incidents were rampant! Although the method of absorbing spiritual energy has been lost, the concept that martial prowess is the way of Dao still persisted in the martial world until about a hundred years ago, when it gradually declined. All of this happened because there was not enough spiritual energy in the world, and people stopped believing in it! Countless martial arts predecessors failed to realize this and were ultimately trapped in their peak realms until they died. In reality, changing all of this is not difficult. All it takes is one significant event to alter the Feng Shui of the Nine Provinces, sever the dragon vein, and martial arts will flourish once more. Our lifespans could reach a thousand years, and our strength would no longer be confined to this realm. We could roam the four seas, just like the ancient immortals!”
Ancestor Qingwu described his vision with great enthusiasm, spreading his hands as if he had already transcended into an immortal being.
Mo Li struggled to find his voice for a long time. He moved his lips, emitting only a single emphasized syllable.
Meng Qi’s expression mirrored his confusion.
Their minds were blank, torn between outrage and amusement.
The absurdity was overwhelming, akin to a tsunami that swept away any trace of rational thought.
If Ancestor Qingwu hadn’t spoken or if they hadn’t waited for him to finish, they might not even have guessed his true intentions and plans.
It was just too ludicrous!
It was so preposterous that there were no words to counter it.
Meng Qi had encountered many Daoist practitioners who boasted grandiose claims, but none like Ancestor Qingwu.
While they were never swayed by such talk, they also could never refute it!
There were few dragon veins left in the world, and only they could take on a humanoid form. What about the other dragon veins?
Author’s Note:
Ancestor Qingwu: Surprised, aren’t you? I’m not superstitious at all! I don’t believe in immortals! Humans will conquer all!
Ancestor Qingwu: All we need to do is get rid of the dragon veins! Our martial arts script can turn into a cultivation script!
Mo Li: …
Meng Qi: …
