Bang!
As soon as their conversation ended, a loud sound resonated. It sounded like a strong wind battering against the woodshed door. Next door, a watchdog startled a nest of sparrows, causing a cacophony of bird chirps and barks from the dogs.
Xu Gongming and Tian Zhongqing both felt a chill down their spines and looked at each other, their eyes wide with fright. Xu Gongming gritted his teeth and whispered, "We shouldn't have said that."
Tian Zhongqing's face turned slightly pale. He nodded stiffly, trying to calm himself. They exchanged a few strained pleasantries, but their desire to converse had vanished.
Tian Zhongqing personally escorted Xu Gongming out of the courtyard and watched him ride away before he stamped his foot in frustration and muttered, "Loose lips bring unnecessary calamity!"
He went back inside his house, took two large gulps of tea, and reassured himself, "It should be fine... It should be fine! The main family has not punished anyone just for speaking out..."
The neighbor's dog barked again, this time quietly, but it still disturbed Tian Zhongqing's peace of mind. He called out sharply, "Somebody!”
"Yes, my lord?" a servant responded, rushing over quickly.
Tian Zhongqing waved his sleeve and instructed in a low voice, "Take that dog and give it to a household further away... do not let it cause more noise."
"Yes," the servant quickly replied and soon the barking faded into the distance. However, Tian Zhongqing's heart still simmered, he felt almost like there was a heavy stone pressing down on it.
He sat back at his desk, pondering whether the noise was just a coincidence or if it was caused by a spy from the main family. Sipping his tea silently, Tian Zhongqing thought, If Young Master Yuanxiu were in charge, this noise would most likely have been made by a spy. But now that the household is run more leniently, it seems more like an unintentional coincidence...
As he ruminated, Tian Zhongqing eventually blamed his own loose tongue, silently scolding himself, "It is easy to speak too freely with a good friend, and lapses are inevitable... Who can be vigilant every single day for ten years?"
Meanwhile, Xu Gongming rode his horse through the forest, ridden with regret and guilt. Old Master Xu had repeatedly warned him not to associate or speak too much with anyone from the prominent families, yet unconsciously, he had violated every taboo.
Overwhelmed with regret, Xu Gongming rode around the woods aimlessly, unable to think of a way to make amends.
"Old Master is gone now; no one is here to give me advice..." Xu Gongming muttered as he traveled for several li, recalling the words of his late uncle. He found a flat spot in the fields and sat, staring blankly as the raindrops continued to fall.
————
Li Tongya watched for a while and then took a few sips of wine. Seeing that he remained silent, and considering the presence of the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators on the platform, those sitting nearby gradually began to converse more freely; emboldened by a few drinks of spirit wine.
The atmosphere at the event warmed up quickly and the cultivators toasted and joked around with each other, creating a lively and noisy scene. Observing that Li Tongya did not mind their behavior, the cultivators around him grew more relaxed and began to boast and banter more freely.
The white-haired cultivator to Li Tongya’s left raised his cup and asked with a smile, "Brother, from which prefecture are you from, and at which immortal mountain or spirit vein do you cultivate?"
Another cultivator cupped his fist in response, "I am under the Yue Cultivating Sect in the Northern Yue Prefecture, training at a small temple on a hilltop—it can hardly be called an immortal mountain, it is just a small hill!"
"You are too modest." The white-haired elder chuckled with a hint of envy and sighed. "I am a few years older than you and know more about the affairs of Yue State. Those under the Yue Cultivating Sect live the most enviable lives, truly blessed, probably enjoying a carefree existence like the cranes in the clouds!"
The younger cultivator chuckled bitterly and shook his head repeatedly, taking a sip of his wine before whispering, "There is no such thing as a carefree immortal life! The mundane world is just needless strife... Even the small temples compete for benefits, which is both tiring and taxing. Moreover, being close to Xu State, from time to time, there are followers of Buddhism persuading people to head north. It's not as easy as you think. Ordinary people always envy cultivators, thinking that once one becomes an immortal, they are above all worries and concerns... but we know what it's truly like!"
The white-haired elder laughed appreciatively and nodded, yet he had a slightly different view and added, "You seem to take it too lightly. The conflicts under the Yue Cultivating Sect are just about power and profit; if you lose, you just pack up your sect and leave, without it coming to a fight for life... Now, turn your head and look at the other sects."
He paused slightly, lowering his voice considerably, "I will not even mention the Azure Pond Immortal Sect... Just look at the Golden Tang Gate—how many families and temples do they destroy each year?"
The young cultivator nodded softly in response, saying, "Not just in Yue State... but is it not the same in Wu State and Xu State? Without Purple Mansion Realm cultivators to protect them, they are just playthings and tools, easily slaughtered. Once a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator appears in a sect, everyone celebrates, and that is when disciples under your sect are truly seen as human beings!"
The white-haired elder, seasoned by his experiences, felt a deep resonance with these words. The young cultivator seemed well-versed too, and his speech made even Li Tongya nod slightly in agreement.
Realizing that the current setting was not suitable for such discussions, they quickly changed the topic.
"You mentioned that Buddhists often appear in the Northern Yue Prefecture? "When I was younger, I had also visited Xu State... Even in the farthest north, there were no traces of them. How has it come to this?" the elderly cultivator expressed in surprise.
The young cultivator sighed deeply, replying somewhat resentfully, "Xu State has shallow spirit veins, weak national power, and a small territory... There are not any major sets or renowned mountains; just a few minor sects stationed in Xu, guarding it. How could they hold it? I have heard from the elders in the temple that a hundred years ago, these people were unseen, only increasing in number over the past fifty years."
The old cultivator fell silent for a moment before responding, "Those Purple Mansion Realm Daoist masters and exalted immortals of the Golden Core Realm... are they just watching as Xu State falls?"
The young cultivator hesitated for a moment before speaking in a hushed tone, "There have been battles... The powerful figures from the Buddhist sect have taken action. I heard they were called the Merciful Ones and Maha. It is said that their battles were so fierce that everyone in the seven mountains turned vegetarian, and many ferocious animals starved to death. The tales are truly terrifying!"
The old cultivator sighed repeatedly, as a nostalgic look appeared on his. "I have also encountered Buddhists; one was a Master Monk who was very insightful and wise. I thought about converting, but the master hit me with his staff. It was quite painful, so I had to give up," he said.
At these words, everyone wore strange expressions. Each wanted to laugh but felt it was impolite to do so—except for the young cultivator who laughed heartily, "Senior, we cultivate for this life, while his teaching focuses on the next life... Conflicts are inevitable! If you are not fully enlightened, of course, it feels painful."
The old cultivator didn’t take offense to this, and the others around them began to chuckle softly, easing the atmosphere.
Li Tongya listened with great interest. His family had risen to power too quickly and had a shallow foundation, so he was less knowledgeable about these matters. He remained silent, listening intently, feeling his horizons broadening.
Then, he heard the old cultivator say, "There are many paths in this world... Whether it is the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao or Buddhism, all is acceptable. There are also those that involve dangerous curse arts and strange sutras, and the Diverse Mansion Unified Furnace that had long vanished from the world... Whichever path you find viable, that is the one to follow!"
This statement stirred up a whirlwind of responses among the cultivators, some approving and others disdainful, each voicing their opinions.
"My fellow Daoist, you err... If in cultivating one loses their true self, what is the point?"
"The practice of combining different techniques is a path of devil cultivation; your words are too extreme..."
The discussion became noisy, causing Li Tongya to frown and lose interest. He opted to drink alone, but just then, a middle-aged man clad in animal leather approached.
There was a smile on his face as he spoke, "Drinking alone, Senior? Do you have something troubling your mind?"