The Quest for Immortality

The Pavilion Elder originally did not wish to say much, yet considering the master-apprentice bond, though not a direct disciple, there is still some sentiment between them, he sighed slightly:

”You are the Supervisor, and may be the Pavilion Elder in the future.”

The middle-aged cultivator serving as ”Supervisor” hurriedly bowed and said, ”I dare not.”

The Pavilion Elder glanced at him indifferently and continued:

”The higher the position you sit in, the greater your perspective must be. A broad perspective allows you to stand high, see far, and know where to go. A narrow perspective leads to errors in direction, and the higher you stand, the harder you fall.”

”People only know to seek fame and fortune, power and authority. But they do not realize that fame, fortune, and authority require a great perspective to bear. They must be controlled with a steadfast Taoist Heart. Without a broad perspective and a strong Taoist Heart, one will be consumed by fame and fortune, inviting disaster upon oneself...”

The Pavilion Elder pointed upwards and asked the Supervisor, ”What truly is the Emperor?”

The Supervisor furrowed his brow and replied, ”The Taoist Monarch lineage honors the Heavenly Dao above and carries the vitality of living beings below, is the Emperor.”

The Pavilion Elder shook his head, pointing to the Supervisor, ”You are the Emperor.”

The Supervisor instantly felt cold sweat pouring, tremblingly said, ”Pavilion Elder...”

The Pavilion Elder pointed to himself, ”I am also the ’Emperor’.”

The Supervisor was taken aback.

”Not just you and me...” The Pavilion Elder pointed around at the cultivators of varying realms and wealth, ”...These people are all ’Emperors’.”

The Supervisor was stunned, deep in thought.

The Pavilion Elder said, ”Every person living in this world, none do not tread the ground and touch the sky.”

”In this world, all are born from the harmony of heaven and earth, and thus everyone is an ’Emperor’, each is a master of this world.”

”All cultivators in the world seek the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, this heaven belongs to the people of the world, not to the Taoist Court...”

The Supervisor furrowed his brow tightly, after pondering for a moment, felt helpless, silently thought the Pavilion Elder was old after all, and kept speaking these unrealistic, broad and empty words.

The Pavilion Elder glanced at the Supervisor, sighed within.

The atmosphere became somber, no one speaking.

Cultivators around came and went, noisy and bustling, but seemingly no one noticed the Pavilion Elder and the Supervisor.

After a moment of silence, the Supervisor asked again, ”Pavilion Elder, why do you raise Taixu Gate so highly this time?”

The Pavilion Elder said indifferently, ”The first in Tao discussion, they won by themselves, how is this raising them?”

”Pavilion Elder, being the leader of the Four Sects and having the title ’Three Mountains and Four Sects’, are completely different in meaning...” The Supervisor whispered.

”That is determined by the Heavenly Right Pavilion, what does it have to do with me?” The Pavilion Elder said.

The Supervisor felt helpless, ”The predecessor of Taixu Three Mountains was...”

The Pavilion Elder shook his head, ”It’s old history, why bring it up now?”

The Supervisor had nothing more to say.

The Pavilion Elder looked indifferently at the Supervisor, asked, ”Have you arranged everything well?”

The Supervisor was stunned, then his face turned pale, ”I...”

The Pavilion Elder said, ”You have the skill, background, and connections, all of these are good, and indeed, no one is more suitable for the position of ’Pavilion Elder’ than you. But as I’ve said before, before you seek something, first see if you can hold it, you need to have the capacity to sit in this position.”

The Supervisor bowed and said, ”Yes...”

The Pavilion Elder sighed, ”I’m old, lacking energy, and couldn’t serve much longer as Pavilion Elder anyway.”

”This game of Qianxue is also the last chess game I set.”

”Many are clearly not satisfied with the outcome of this game. Since they are unsatisfied, they naturally want to find another person who can make them satisfied to continue...”

The Pavilion Elder looked toward the Supervisor.

The Supervisor showed a guilty expression, lowering his head.

The Pavilion Elder had nothing more to say, he waved his hand, ”Alright, the hour is about right, you go back... If you want something, then go fight for it, once you have it, then do it well. This is not wrong, no need to hesitate or avoid losing face.” .

The Supervisor bowed his head, ”Yes.”

Then he looked up at the Pavilion Elder, ”Then you...”

The Pavilion Elder said indifferently, ”I’m old, can’t bear the noise, let me have a moment of peace...”

The Supervisor saw the Pavilion Elder’s weary face, sighed, rose and gave a deep bow, ”Take care of yourself.”

The Pavilion Elder responded with a faint ”hm”.

The Supervisor maintained his bowed posture, his figure gradually faded away as he left the tea house.

Only the Pavilion Elder remained at the scene, along with the chessboard before him.

Seeing the Supervisor leave, the Pavilion Elder’s previous weariness disappeared, his expression became relaxed instead.

He began idly tidying up the chessboard before him, glancing towards the distance, staring at the gates of Cloud Crossing City.

In front of the gates, the hustle-bustle of people and vehicles flowed like tides.

Half an hour later, within the crowd, indeed appeared a thin figure of a young boy.

The Pavilion Elder raised his brow slightly, his heart stirred.

This was his first time seeing this child up close.

At first glance, he found him quite striking, with features warm as jade, eyes clear as water, eyebrows and eyes refined like a painting.

”What a handsome child...”

But at the second glance, he felt a chill.

The life chart was fierce, great malice gathered, the Qian Path upon him, earth resonating, great good and great evil interwoven, mixed with various inscrutable god and demon’s aura of karma.

These karmas coexisting within one ”person”.

Even the Pavilion Elder slightly gasped.

”Who indeed nurtured this little monster...”

The Pavilion Elder was startled, silently gazing at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua mingled in the bustling crowd, entered Cloud Crossing City, walked straight to the ferry, looked up at the sky, likely seeing there was still time, found a diner nearby to eat noodles.

Sitting amid bustling market crowds, Mo Hua ate the noodles alone.

He appeared just as a young cultivator who left home, wandering alone, without a hint that he was the Junior Brother of Taixu Gate, the first major sect of Qianxue, twice Formation Leader, First in Qianxue Sword Discussion, slayer of countless demon monsters, destroyer of the Desolate Heaven Blood Sacrifice Formation.

”Merging with light and dust...”