Volume One: Youths Meet in Humble Times Chapter Thirty-Eight: Those Who Bring Trouble Upon Themselves
Upon returning to the Temple of Renewal, the Daoist instructed Li Yu to settle himself and then retreated to his own meditation chamber.
Li Yu, after cleaning himself up, went back to his room and picked up the Daoist scripture he had read during the day. The thick darkness of night enveloped everything in a profound silence, yet from within this quiet, the soft sound of Li Yu reciting the scripture could be faintly heard, echoing from his chamber. The deeper he read, the more absorbed he became, until he completely forgot himself, his entire mind immersed in the Daoist text.
Thus, the scene from the day repeated itself. Ripples of the Great Dao spread outward, resonating not only through the entire Heaven Gate Town but also throughout the surrounding sea. The Daoist in his meditation chamber opened his eyes and smiled helplessly, saying, “It seems the Dao resonance from earlier was no accident. This little disciple I picked up truly is one in a million.”
Having said this, he concealed himself and entered Li Yu’s room. He gazed deeply at Li Yu, yet could discern nothing unusual, so he shook his head and sighed, “Well then, no matter who you are or what you may be, since you are now my disciple, for as long as I live, I will provide you with the safest environment to grow, so you may develop without distraction.”
With these words, he formed a seal with his hands, muttering incantations, and placed a Daoist seal upon Li Yu. Now, the Daoist was certain that the resonance Li Yu had triggered earlier was not a coincidence, but rather a result of Li Yu’s unique nature combined with the innate Daoist energy within the Temple of Renewal. The interplay of these two elements had caused the resonance. If this resonance caught the attention of others, it could bring much trouble to Li Yu; thus, the seal was placed to sever the connection between Li Yu and the temple’s energy.
To the Daoist, Li Yu’s ability to trigger the Dao resonance was not entirely a blessing; while it could benefit others, for Li Yu at this stage, it would only bring endless trouble. Once the seal was set, all resonance vanished.
Li Yu was oblivious to all of this, deeply immersed in a state of unity with heaven and man as he read the Daoist scripture. The Daoist watched him, moved, thinking, “If he begins to cultivate, surely no one in the world could match his speed!”
Suddenly, his gaze shifted outward, as though piercing through walls to distant places. His attention lingered briefly at several locations before he sneered, “This is but a minor warning. Next time, should you repeat this offense, I will not be so lenient.”
As soon as his words fell, the white-haired old woman at the paper effigy shop spat blood, her face ashen, her eyes filled with hatred and a trace of fear. Reluctant and resentful, she muttered, “I never imagined his power would be so formidable. It seems I must make plans early, or else I’ll be trapped when the time comes.”
The chef at the tavern fared better than the old woman. When the Daoist’s gaze swept over him, he sensed it in time and withdrew his spiritual consciousness, but the Daoist’s rebuke still echoed in his heart, causing his blood to surge and his soul to waver. He calmed himself, whispering, “That old immortal has finally taken that step!”
At the academy, the two scholars were playing a game of chess. Unlike the others, they refrained from spying on the Daoist. The elder scholar placed a piece and asked, “What do you think his intention is?”
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The scholar in the blue robe before him pondered deeply, brow furrowed, eyes fixed on the board. After a long silence, he finally placed a piece and said, “Perhaps it is related to him, or perhaps not.”
The elder scholar looked up at his companion, reflecting on the words. Related or unrelated—it diminished the significance of the event itself and focused instead on the person who caused it. “In that case, I will investigate the child he brought back. If that child truly has an extraordinary background, perhaps we can bring him to the Academy.”
The old fisherman had already returned to his thatched hut by the sea. When the resonance arose again at night, he considered investigating, but recalling the other’s identity, he suppressed his curiosity and gave up, sighing, “Forget it. He has ignored me for so many years; why should I bother him now? After all...”
The man in the brocade robe and the town lord were each in their own chambers, but their states differed greatly. One was flushed with joy, seemingly having benefited from the resonance, now exploring his path to the next realm. The other, pale as death, spat a mouthful of blood onto the dark floor tiles, blooming like a sinister flower. He cursed, “No matter how strong you are, there are things that cannot be stopped just because you wish it!”
The blacksmith was unaffected. He was not particularly curious about the resonance, but rather intrigued by the repeated provocations against the Daoist. He wondered how the Daoist would handle those people, so he simply watched from afar. The Daoist did not trouble him, and when he saw those people get their comeuppance, he felt a touch of schadenfreude, saying, “Serves them right. They thought he was easy to provoke, but they won’t even know how they died.”
The minor disturbance of the night soon faded away. Everyone was lost in thought, destined for a sleepless night. But this did not mean Li Yu would be the same. After finishing the scripture, feeling he had memorized it, he put it aside and went to sleep.
The next morning, he woke early, went to the library to find a new Daoist scripture, then cleaned the courtyard, watered the flowers and the large ginkgo tree, prepared breakfast, and delivered it to the Daoist’s meditation chamber. The Daoist looked at the simple yet refined meal, feeling a profound appreciation in his heart. As he ate, he asked, “Did you read the Daoist scripture today?”
Li Yu nodded, “I took a new one to read today.”
The Daoist asked, “Have you memorized yesterday’s?”
Li Yu replied, “Yes, Master.”
The Daoist was not surprised. Li Yu had expected him to test his memory, but the Daoist seemed unconcerned, prompting Li Yu to ask, “Master, aren’t you going to quiz me?”
The Daoist replied, “Why should I?”
Li Yu said, “Aren’t you afraid I might be careless? When I studied at the academy, the teachers always quizzed me.”
The Daoist chuckled, “Reading the scriptures is your own affair. If you wish to be careless, you only harm yourself in the end. Besides, I don’t believe you would be careless with me. Moreover, you have a photographic memory. I am not surprised at all. If you acted too ordinary, I would find it strange.”
Li Yu felt a bit shy, not expecting his master to praise him so frankly, leaving him at a loss.
Then, he heard the Daoist say, “However, with such ability, you must also learn to conceal it at times. Remember, ‘A man without guilt is guilty for possessing treasure.’ Until you are strong enough, hide your talents whenever you can, or you may bring disaster upon yourself. Do you understand?”
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Li Yu nodded in agreement. He then heard the Daoist ask, “Where are you going to play with the Shen siblings today?”
Li Yu replied, “Shen Xun said he would take me to visit a person named Zhou Ce.”
The Daoist was not surprised. He smiled thoughtfully, “Ah, him! He’s not bad. Have fun. The Shen siblings are pure-hearted and sincere. I am at ease when you play with them.”
Li Yu, ever perceptive, immediately noticed something different in his master’s words. Though three people had been mentioned, the Daoist commented only on the Shen siblings, avoiding mention of Zhou Ce. After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Master, is there something wrong with this Zhou Ce?”
The Daoist smiled, “The world is full of strange and diverse people. Each is different, like flowers each pleasing to different eyes—some love peonies, some love peony roses, some love lotus blossoms. None can say which is best. Ultimately, it comes down to whether tastes align. If they do, it is good. If not, it is best to keep a respectful distance. There’s no need to judge harshly. At the end of the day, you must meet people yourself to form your own conclusions and opinions. Hearing too much from others only leads to prejudice.”
At this, Li Yu realized yet another trait of his master: he was adept at deflecting questions. But was he wrong? Not really. His grandmother had told him much the same: friends with shared interests are wonderful, but if someone isn’t to your liking, there’s no need to comment excessively before others. Relationships often change with the tides of life.
Thinking thus, Li Yu grew curious about Zhou Ce.
Soon, the Shen siblings came to find Li Yu. After bidding farewell to the Daoist, they set out to find Zhou Ce.
The inhabitants of Heaven Gate Town were divided into four directions: east, south, west, and north, with a massive stone stele at the center, said by the elders to be the Pillar of Heaven. As long as the stele remained, the town would stand firm.
The east was led by the Town Lord’s residence, home to the wealthy and those with official status, as well as some prominent families. The south was largely for cultivators, including sects stationed outside the town. The west was for ordinary people, those without official status or cultivation, just common folk—the Shen family and the Temple of Renewal were located here. The north was mostly home to itinerant cultivators and those of dubious nature.
Shen Xun and his companions were traveling from west to east, as he explained the layout of Heaven Gate Town and the different residents to Li Yu.
Of course, the Shen siblings lacked cultivation and the ability to discern spiritual energies, so as they walked, Li Yu quietly sensed the aura of each area.
In their words, the eastern residents were proud and aloof, with an air of superiority. To Li Yu, the east carried a majestic, imperial aura. The south was mixed but upright, full of righteous energy—perhaps due to the academy’s presence there. The north felt uncomfortable to him, cold and sinister. As for their own west, it was balanced and harmonious, fitting perfectly the identity of ‘human.’
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