Everything Has an End, Everything Has a Beginning (Part 10)

Cultivators who spend all their time among mortals are bound to be somewhat arrogant, but after Qingye made his move, the newcomer's arrogance vanished instantly.

Perhaps it was because Qingye was too young and his eyes were too clear that in the cultivation world, which is filled with hundreds of cultivators, it was difficult for anyone to be wary of him. As a result, Qingye shattered the cultivator's Dao heart with a single sword strike.

Having lived so long, he must know how to adapt to the times. The old man, who had originally looked like a sage, immediately slid to his knees and said, "Fellow Daoist, please wait. I am an outer disciple of the Jiexian Sect. Young friend, you are so young yet you have such cultivation. You must be a great disciple of a major sect."

"I don't know who your teacher is; there might be some misunderstanding!"

He had already begged for mercy, so Qingye didn't want to continue. He sheathed his sword, but his mood didn't improve.

"When we first met, you didn't ask me why. Now that I've failed, you're asking about my lineage. What, is my sect background more important than what I say or do?"

In the world of cultivators, strength is paramount. Even though Qingye appears so young, the old man dared not be arrogant, bowing respectfully and saying, "This junior is ashamed; my talent is dull and I acted rashly..."

His attitude in admitting his mistake was impeccable, without a single flaw. However, Qingye knew that he did not truly approve of her actions, but rather feared her power.

Qingye instantly lost interest in exchanging words and directly dismissed the guest: "Get lost! This land belongs to me, and no one has the right to interfere!"

The immortal master they invited was in such a state that the other ordinary soldiers dared not say anything and hastily withdrew their troops.

The people of Shin-Aoki Village immediately cheered and surrounded Aono. Ao-sen-jun had saved them once again!

But once it happens, it happens again; once it happens again, it happens a third time. When Lord Qingxian was around, the soldiers had some reservations, but once Lord Qingxian left, things went back to normal.

Grandma Guanwa, who was nearly a hundred years old, bowed tremblingly to Aono with the help of others.

“We, who are barely surviving, owe our lives entirely to the Immortal Lord. We should not be so greedy.”

"But we owe our current state entirely to the Immortal Lord's personal efforts. If the Immortal Lord were to leave, we would likely collapse in an instant."

"We dare not ask the Immortal Lord to take care of us for the rest of our lives, we only ask if we can go with the Immortal Lord."

"No matter where the Immortal Lord goes, we are willing to follow him without any regrets!"

The people below immediately agreed and were willing to follow!

Aono looked at the people kneeling on the ground. Their eyes still held the same expectation as when they first met. But Aono knew that it wasn't because she was someone worth following, but because their original circumstances were much worse. In order to escape that pain, they didn't even have time to think about anything else.

When Aono first saw that gaze, he was quite pleased with himself. Who doesn't have a desire to save others? Who doesn't like the admiring gaze of others? But when he saw it a second time, the situation was different.

The first rescue scenario involved a natural disaster. Human beings are always insignificant in the face of the power of heaven and earth. Mortals have no power to fight against natural disasters, so it is only reasonable to pray to gods and immortals who have such power. She was happy to help.

But the second time, the people of Shin-Aoki Village no longer needed to beg.

Aono and the others only did what ordinary people couldn't do; the rest was done by the survivors themselves—farming, weaving, carrying soil, building houses, and rebuilding.

Aside from the inescapable forces of nature, they have always been able to support themselves, yet they have still inevitably entered a state of begging. Why is that?

Aono wanted to talk to her friends about her doubts, but her friends were even more straightforward than her, completely uninterested in reflecting on the matter and immersed in the joy of victory.

The officers and soldiers who seize property by trickery and coercion are infuriating. Just drive them away; we'll beat them as many times as they come!

Even if things escalate to a huge point, at worst we'll just have to relocate people, just like these people are saying.

With more people, there are more people to eat and more people to work, making things a little easier.

With so many people joining the village, it's going to be incredibly lively!

Aono:……

Seeing his companions so optimistic left Qingye speechless, and he looked at his master with a melancholy in his heart.

Ye Xiqing was flipping through the book as usual; this action had become her standby action.

"I don't know, don't ask me."

Aono:……

The first time I tried to think straight, I encountered such an incomprehensible problem. I'm so angry! I'm going to go to the mountains and chop some stones for fun!

Fortunately, Aono is still a happy little dog at heart. If she can't figure something out, she just stops thinking about it. After venting, she's a brand new little dog again.

After the soldiers left, the group from Qingmu Village neither led the survivors to relocate nor left immediately. Instead, they decided to observe the local ruler to see if he would make any new moves.

As expected, the government troops did not stop their actions, but this time they did not send more people to seize the land; instead, they sent the king's decree.

The king greatly admired Qingye and wanted to invite her to the palace to discuss the Dao. If Qingye could assist him, he was willing to offer her the position of Grand Preceptor!

Those villagers were then placed under her rule, governed by her, and would never be disturbed again.

Upon receiving this news, the survivors were overjoyed. This was truly wonderful news, whether it was to reconcile with the king or to be placed under the rule of Qingxianjun.

They still lacked the courage to defy the king, so this arrangement was a win-win situation.

One cannot hit a smiling face. The envoy who came to Qingmu Village this time was unusually respectful, so the people of Qingmu Village softened their attitude and began to look curiously at the gifts brought by the king.

The king's envoy looked at Qingye with eager eyes, and Qingye looked at the gifts they presented, seemingly lost in thought, before glancing at Ye Xiqing.

Ye Xiqing put her hands behind her back and said indifferently, "Why are you looking at me? If you want to go, then go. It's not like you'll never come back."

Upon hearing this, Qingye's previous frustration vanished. That's right, what was she worrying about? With a sword in hand, she could fight her way out of even the most dangerous places!

Turning to his companion, he asked, "Are we going to the capital?"

The remaining men, in their haste, swarmed forward, shouting, "Go!"

Those who were curious about the king's gifts could no longer restrain themselves and took them to look at them.

The wealth of a nation is quite remarkable; there are many things that people have never seen before, and everyone finds them fascinating.

However, after seeing a stack of painted ceramic plates, she started scratching her head, wondering why such things could be considered treasures. Didn't they use these to feed chickens in their village?

The King's Envoy: ...

As expected of an immortal, he's truly different. Even when feeding chickens, he uses such a high-end painted plate. Wait, what is an immortal doing feeding chickens?

The crowd was puzzled but dared not ask. When the fairies agreed, they immediately stepped aside to let them into the carriage. To show their respect, the king gave up his own carriage.

Qingye waved his hand, saying he didn't need it, and turned to Ye Xiqing: "Master, may I borrow your boat?"

What could Ye Xiqing say? She was just a warehouse manager.

He pulled a "walnut" out of his pocket, and the moment it hit the ground, it grew in the wind and instantly transformed into an unimaginably large ship.

The king's envoy was dumbfounded. The people of Qingmu Village leaped onto the deck and looked at the rest of the people: "Aren't you coming up?"

Before, when people talked about gods, no one had ever seen one. Now they were truly convinced, and all the envoys became obedient, not daring to breathe too loudly.

What would take mortals several months to travel on horseback, a celestial vessel could cover in half a day. The gap in productivity was even greater than that between modern people and primitive people.

Upon seeing this scene, the king immediately went out to greet them personally, bowing with his hands clasped in greeting to the group of immortals.

Aono and his party received the most lavish hospitality. To welcome them, the king held a three-day grand banquet and even built the Liuxian Palace to keep them there.

Aono stopped him, "Come on, her villagers all say that it's because you like building palaces that you've taken away a lot of labor from them."

If you rebuild it, I'll be in trouble again and need your help.

monarch:……

If someone else said that to his face, he would have gotten angry long ago, but if it were a deity, then whatever they said would be true.

The king completely went along with Qingye, knowing that she liked frugality, and immediately arranged for everyone to cut back on food and clothing to cater to the fairy's preferences.

At the same time, they arranged for Aono's "fellow villagers" to serve him, even though Aono was not a local.

The newcomer was an elderly palace maid. Qingye didn't know the names of the women who had been conscripted, so he tentatively mentioned Granny Guanwa, who was the oldest and might be known by some.

When the woman heard the name of Guanwa Granny, she immediately burst into tears. That was her mother!

Qingye suddenly realized: "You are Aunt Su'e?"

Su'e had been in the palace for decades and thought she would never hear news from her hometown. Upon hearing this, she immediately nodded, grabbed her, and begged the fairy to take her home!

Qingye naturally agreed, saying that he would take her with him when they returned.

Upon receiving news from her hometown, Su'e was full of energy, and the relationship between the two progressed rapidly.

Seeing that the situation was very favorable and the king's goal had been achieved, he came to Qingye's residence and earnestly asked if he could be taught the way of cultivating immortality.

Unexpectedly, Aono did not refuse: "Of course I can. I will not only teach you the Dao, but I will teach everyone in your country."

The king was taken aback: "Why should everyone hear it?"

Aono replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, it's because practicing Taoist magic can grant one greater power."

“Mortals die from natural disasters, but cultivators can roam thousands of miles. Even if the land is barren for thousands of miles, they can migrate to a safe place without any hindrance.”

"Mortals die from colds and illnesses, but cultivators can strengthen their bodies and will not be infected by minor illnesses even without medicine."

"Moreover, the art of geomancy and observing qi can also reveal the flow of earth veins, clearly discern their limits, foreshadow natural disasters, and give the earth veins a chance to rest and recuperate, thus avoiding harm to nature."

"If everyone cultivates the path of immortality, there will be no more sorrow and suffering in the world, and people will not die in the face of natural disasters. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

monarch:……

The scenario she described is indeed very good, but if everyone cultivates immortality, who would still respect him as the king?

The king stammered and couldn't give a coherent explanation, so Aono couldn't help but burst into laughter. "So that's how it is!"

Immortals will certainly save people and relieve their suffering, but that's all they do.

Even if immortals are exhausted from saving people, they will not give up the power to exhaust themselves and to give mortals the power to save themselves.

Cultivating immortality is not easy, but spreading the Dao is not difficult. Even just learning the basics of Daoist techniques can elevate the lives of mortals to several levels.

Not everyone in their village can cultivate anything; simply changing their bodies and learning to utilize the earth's veins has already made life in the village much easier.

If something could benefit everyone but isn't being implemented, then the difficulty might lie in someone blocking it.

In an instant, Aono understood what his master meant, and his mind became clearer than ever before.

In the instant her mind became clear, her heart suddenly began to heat up: What path does that master cultivate?

The moment this thought crossed her mind, a familiar voice appeared in her mind: "If you ask me, I was born into a great sect, and like all my fellow disciples, I was born to cultivate the path of immortality, until one day, I cultivated the path of all living beings."

"Hearing this name, you can see how much I took the well-being of all people as my responsibility and how much I longed to save the world from all calamities."

"Unfortunately, the suffering in this world can never be completely saved. As soon as one is saved, another will appear. There will always be someone who needs to be saved."

"So one day, I stopped looking at the land full of suffering and looked up at the sky that reigns over all living beings."

Do you know what I was thinking back then?

Aono was completely absorbed in his master's voice and asked attentively, "What?"

Ye Xiqing chuckled lightly: "The way of Heaven is to take from those who have more and give to those who have less, so our Heaven is wrong."

As soon as she finished speaking, it felt as if several thunderclaps had exploded in Qingye's ears. She seemed to want to grab the shadow in the darkness: "Then what path should I cultivate?"

Ye Xiqing did not give her any specific instructions, but simply smiled and said, "No matter what path you cultivate, in the end, it is nothing more than cultivating your mind."

“You have a great teacher hidden in your heart; ask him, he will be more accurate than asking me.”

Upon hearing this, Aono couldn't help but look up, but he couldn't see the sky; it was blocked by the luxurious roof.

Looking down at the ground, one cannot see it; the earth is obscured by exquisite red steps.

Aono felt a surge of anger and an urge to smash everything, and indeed, a murderous intent was brewing behind her.

Countless shouts of battle shook the heavens, creating a scene of fierce fighting between the two sides.

Above the battlefield, a powerful hand suddenly reached out and seized both armies, a testament to the saying, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand."

Upon seeing this, the king was so frightened that he scrambled away. Somehow, as they were talking, the man suddenly went wild.

The people of Qingmu Village were stunned for a moment, then instantly realized that this was the legendary enlightenment!

Aono is the most accomplished cultivator in Aoki Village, but he has always been stuck at the peak of mortal cultivation, just one step away from truly comprehending the Dao and entering the immortal realm. But now he has suddenly broken through.

The others were puzzled, wondering what had happened and how the conversation had suddenly taken such a leap.

Ye Xiqing, who was in the distance, suddenly opened her eyes.

When she was about to leave the sect to scan the hundred books, she not only read the celestial books and Taoist books, but also the books of the human world, and thus gained some insights into Qingye's situation.

A certain philosopher once said, "He who subdues others with virtue is a king; he who uses force to feign benevolence is a tyrant."

Aono, a happy little dog living in the village of King's Way, had always received the education of the King's Way, but at the last moment of enlightenment, he achieved the Way of Hegemony.

-----------------------

Author's note: Qingqing: Why is that? It's so amazing.

It's no longer a happy puppy, it's a domineering puppy [doge emoji].