Chapter Thirty-One: Such Is the Way of the World in Luoyang (Please Support the New Book!)

The duel between the two ended quickly; Wu Yue vanished without a trace, while the monk remained where he stood. Yu Zui and Yu Gu had managed to glean some understanding of what had transpired, but the dozen or so children were blissfully unaware that they had skirted the very edge of life and death several times over. Yu Zui dismissed the group, apologetically beginning, "Just now, I didn’t manage to help—" but his words were cut short by the monk.

Though his expression stayed serene, a sudden crimson spot appeared on the monk’s brow, lengthening in an instant to form a thin line of blood from forehead to chin. It was a wound!

"Brother Sanwang?! Brother Sanwang!" Yu Zui called out.

The monk waved his hand, indicating he was unharmed, and wiped the blood from his face with his ample robes. The gash no longer bled, yet the fine scar remained. Yu Zui and Yu Gu felt a deeper sense of guilt; this was never their friend’s problem, and though he had stepped in out of righteousness, they had failed to assist and only let him suffer injury.

Meeting their shameful gazes, Sanwang appeared utterly unconcerned, stating calmly, "Since a monk encountered this, it’s only right to intervene. Besides, your efforts would have been futile. Your souls are only temporarily united, and the path you wield is at its nadir. For ordinary cultivators at the Soul Confluence stage, it's formidable, but for someone of his awareness, it’s rather ineffective."

Seeing Sanwang apparently unharmed, the two pressed their embarrassment aside. After all, as cultivators, their curiosity about the Dao outweighed all else. Yu Zui asked, "What does ‘awareness’ mean?"

"Simply put, awareness is knowing—knowing one’s own path."

Yu Zui and Yu Gu remained puzzled.

Sanwang sighed, "Those who understand, understand. Everyone has their own desires, their own needs, their own path. Words cannot clarify any further."

"Was it the sword energy?" Yu Gu ventured.

Sanwang shook his head. "That sword energy is indeed terrifying—anyone below the Transcendent stage would retreat before it. Yet it’s not his. His path is the cicada’s song. Fascinating, truly fascinating. I cultivate Zen, he cultivates the cicada." Sanwang patted his head and suddenly broke into hearty laughter.

Yu Zui and Yu Gu exchanged bewildered glances.

Wu Yue fled in haste, only relaxing once he realized no one was pursuing him. Although his second consciousness had borne most of the burden from the swift sword technique, his own spiritual energy was nearly depleted. Yet even so, Wu Yue sensed that the monk hadn’t exerted his full strength.

Now, he understood he had been like a frog at the bottom of a well, underestimating this world. The monk’s cultivation was only at the Soul Confluence stage, yet his abilities seemed unfathomably profound—two of himself would hardly be a match.

As Wu Yue meditated to restore his energy, he pondered recent events. He had awakened long ago, but his body had been commandeered by his second consciousness. Thinking of this sent a chill through him. Regardless of whether it was himself or not, he resolved that he could not let it remain.

But for now, control eluded him; he could only watch helplessly as the second consciousness acted recklessly. Its thoughts were simple: whoever provokes me, I kill; whoever I dislike, I kill; whoever might provoke me, I kill; whoever is beneficial to kill, I kill. These violent impulses unsettled Wu Yue.

Yet, since the events had already transpired, Wu Yue chose to face matters proactively.

“Ah, it’s been months since we parted. Brother Wu, you’re as impressive as ever,” said a young man in brocade, smiling warmly.

Wu Yue regarded Zhou Qilin with indifference. Were it not for Zhou Qilin, he wouldn’t have attended the Jade Bowl Banquet, wouldn’t have come to Luoyang, and wouldn’t have ended up in his current predicament. Though Zhou Qilin wasn’t truly at fault, resentment lingered.

Zhou Qilin smiled, “I had hoped to show you the wonders of Luoyang, but upon your arrival, you became the talk of the city. I dared not appear too hastily.”

“Oh? What reputation have I made?” Wu Yue asked coolly.

“Haha. First, you slew Princess Youping; then Zhao Yulin, the scion of the Zhao family, along with nearly a thousand of the Senluo Army and Telesyr’s men; finally, in the street, you killed Yao Zhilon of the Yao family. Now you’re ranked thirty-seventh on the Ghost Soul List. To say you’re famous in Luoyang is no exaggeration,” Zhou Qilin recited, almost with admiration.

“It’s only three people. Hardly so dramatic,” Wu Yue replied, offering no explanation. He couldn’t very well admit it wasn’t he who killed them, but that he’d been possessed—or, worse, claim to suffer from split personality.

“More than dramatic. If someone kills you, even without the reward from the Ghost Soul List, the rewards from the Zhao and Yao families alone could secure a common family’s prosperity for a century,” Zhou Qilin said.

“So, you’re here to kill me?” Wu Yue asked. By now, his spiritual energy had recovered about one-tenth; he felt confident he could kill Zhou Qilin if needed.

Zhou Qilin forced a bitter smile. “I have no intention of courting death. I’ve come to invite you to the Jade Bowl Banquet.”

“I have no habit of seeking death, either. Speak your purpose plainly,” Wu Yue said, unconvinced that Zhou Qilin was here solely for idle conversation.

Zhou Qilin’s expression grew serious. “There’s been unusual movement in the Garden of Longevity, likely to open after this Jade Bowl Banquet. Entry slots are extremely limited: three from each of the five surnames and three sects, five from the royal family, and the top twenty of the Jade Bowl Banquet. That’s the maximum number allowed. Every power is desperate for as many slots as possible.”

“What is the Garden of Longevity?” Wu Yue asked.

“No one truly knows. Since the founding of Great Qin, it has existed, opening unexpectedly every few centuries. Each time, forty-nine may enter, with only one requirement: no older than one hundred years—one day over and you’re barred. The higher your cultivation, the greater your fortune within. Of those who both enter and exit, seventy percent attain the path of Transcendence!”

Transcendence! Wu Yue’s heart trembled; he was no longer ignorant of its significance. Transcendence meant a lifespan spanning millennia, the ability to traverse the void and roam beyond the realm. For Wu Yue, it meant he could return to the Primeval Realm and find her! This Garden of Longevity—he had to go.

“You mentioned entering and exiting?” Wu Yue asked, steadying his emotions.

“Indeed. The entrance isn’t only in Luoyang; there are others, but their locations are unknown—perhaps in the east, north, or south of the Immortal Spirit Realm, or even beyond the realm.” Zhou Qilin glanced at Wu Yue with admiration; when he first learned this, he had been shocked for a long time, barely noticing that brief phrase.

“So this Jade Bowl Banquet will be…”

“A storm of blood and hardship. Major powers with slots want more; families without will go mad,” Zhou Qilin sighed. Many things remained unsaid, but Wu Yue could guess at them.

“The previous pursuit and the involvement of mysterious experts—was that all your doing?”

“Just a diversion.”

“Are you overestimating me?”

“No. For a Soul Confluence cultivator your age, their estimation is not excessive.”

Wu Yue said, “Alright.” He had made up his mind: he would participate—he must.

Zhou Qilin was unsurprised by his answer and continued, “After the banquet, your name will be removed from the Ghost Soul List. The palace will settle matters with the Yao and Zhao families, erasing your debts. Truth be told, the court suffers most—nearly a thousand Senluo soldiers and dozens of Telesyr’s men, ha ha ha.”

Wu Yue suddenly asked, “Is it really that simple?”

Zhou Qilin neither affirmed nor denied it. “In the end, it’s only a few direct descendants—dead and gone. It’s a matter that can be large or small. For great powers, what matters most is their own interests. If you enter the Garden, granting you a princess’s hand would be no trouble at all.” Zhou Qilin smiled.

Wu Yue felt a sudden chill in his heart. So, for the sake of the great powers’ interests, all else was expendable? How was this any different from the blue planet he once called home? Must he bear misfortune solely because it served the interests of others?

“Wu Yue! What are you doing here? I’ve been looking for you for over two hours—I haven’t even eaten!” Yu Fu’s voice called out from afar.

The chill in Wu Yue’s heart suddenly melted away.