Watching the Mountain

Chapter 37: Chapter 32: The Ten Thousand Laws of Xu Ran

As Xu Ran rushed over, Qing Xuan Master spoke before he could say a word:

”When my child was born, witnessing her arrival into this world stirred something within me. The opportunity for a breakthrough has come. I must go into seclusion.”

Xu Ran was taken aback. He then asked, puzzled, ”Isn’t that a good thing? Teacher, why do you look so grim?”

Although Qing Xuan Master had the appearance of a middle-aged man, he was actually over seven hundred years old.

In the Immortal Ancient Cultivation Realm, the lifespan for the Qi Cultivation Stage is one hundred fifty years; Foundation Establishment, three hundred; Purple Mansion, six hundred; Golden Core, one thousand two hundred; Nascent Soul, three thousand; and Divinity Transformation, ten thousand years.

Of course, these were general figures, not absolute guarantees. A Cultivator’s lifespan was influenced by many factors.

For instance, without taking any Longevity Elixirs, some at the Qi Cultivation Stage would reach the end of their lifespan after just a hundred and ten or twenty years, while others could live to two hundred. Some Golden Core Cultivators passed away at a thousand years old, while others lived to be one thousand five hundred. Such situations were not rare in the Immortal Ancient Cultivation Realm.

Someone like Qing Xuan Master, at over seven hundred years old, was still considered ”young” for the Golden Core Stage.

To have reached the Golden Core Late Stage at his age, on the very threshold of the Nascent Soul Stage, already marked him as a prodigious talent.

Yet he didn’t seem happy at all, which Xu Ran found very puzzling.

In response to Xu Ran’s question, Qing Xuan Master fell silent for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

”If I had sensed this opportunity before, I would have roared with laughter. But now... my state of mind is flawed. To sense the breakthrough at this particular moment... I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse.”

The path he originally walked was one of upholding justice, fearless of any obstacle. But seeing Little Xiyue had stirred his heart, making him long for a child of his own.

Now he had a Dao Companion and a child. His heart was filled with attachments, and he could no longer uphold his ideals of justice as fearlessly as before. This left him feeling lost and afraid.

Xu Ran’s expression tightened. As a Cultivator, he naturally understood how perilous it was to attempt a breakthrough with a flawed state of mind.

After a moment of thought, he asked hesitantly, ”Then can’t you postpone it, Teacher? Wait until you’ve mended your state of mind before attempting the breakthrough?”

Qing Xuan Master glanced at him and asked, ”Let me put it this way. If an opportunity arose for you to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, but it involved some danger, what would you choose?”

”I’d give it up, of course,” Xu Ran answered without hesitation. ”Ordinary danger might be fine, but if my life was on the line? I would never risk it just for a breakthrough.”

Qing Xuan Master’s expression froze. He swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. He thought about Xu Ran’s personality and realized his analogy had been a complete waste of breath.

He mulled it over for a moment before saying, ”The further one progresses in cultivation, the rarer the opportunities for a breakthrough become. At my Realm, if I miss this chance, I don’t know when the next one will arrive. I might never get another such opportunity in this lifetime.”

He sighed and shook his head, a bitter smile on his face. ”Besides, mending one’s state of mind is hardly a simple matter. This is a conflict in my Dao, a negation of my very self. I may never be able to resolve it in this lifetime.”

Then his expression hardened with resolve. ”No matter how dangerous it is, I have to try. My mind is made up. I called you here today for another reason.”

With that, he flipped his hand over, retrieving a Jade Scroll from his Storage Ring and handing it to Xu Ran.

Xu Ran accepted the Jade Scroll and looked at Qing Xuan Master, puzzled, awaiting an explanation.

Qing Xuan Master looked at him, his expression complex, and said:

”I can tell that you seem to possess an unusual thirst for all the world’s Daoist Techniques, perhaps due to your own aptitude for cultivation.

I imagine that’s why you’ve been staying in the Instructor Hall.”

Xu Ran nodded slightly. It was just as Qing Xuan Master suspected. He had always loved to study the world’s Cultivation Techniques, even the ones he couldn’t practice himself.

He felt that since he possessed an endless lifespan, he should set a goal to pursue throughout the endless years. The process of pursuing it would keep his life from feeling dull.

He didn’t know what the future held, but for now, his goal was to collect all the Daos and techniques in the world.

This idea had first formed back when Yue Qingyu told him he wasn’t suited for cultivation.

He figured that if the world’s existing Daos and techniques weren’t suitable for him, then he would study every last one, absorb them as nourishment, and eventually create a Daoist Technique that was.

Of course, that was only the end goal, and it was still far too distant. He wasn’t in any hurry, just as he had been willing to spend years in the Mortal World accumulating wealth when he first started to cultivate.

With his endless lifespan, he could afford to set any goal and savor the unhurried process of pursuing it.

Seeing Xu Ran’s affirmation, Qing Xuan Master nodded slightly and said:

”I don’t care if you want to cultivate or if you simply wish to encounter as many Daoist Techniques as you can in your lifetime. Since you call me Teacher, I cannot simply ignore my student’s aspirations.”

”This contains my Cultivation Technique. Take it. However, you should know that my Dao is not suitable for you to practice, so...”

”If I fail to conquer my inner demons during this seclusion, then I want you to find a successor in my place.”

”Teacher...” Xu Ran’s face fell. He knew all too well what this sort of talk signified. ’Making these arrangements right before seclusion... Isn’t he just tempting fate and making things harder on himself?’

Seeing his reaction, Qing Xuan Master cut him off. ”Don’t worry. You’re not the only one I’ve given it to. I’ve made arrangements with my family, my friends, and the Sect’s Scripture Pavilion.”

Xu Ran’s eyes widened. ’There are more?’ he thought in disbelief. ’Just how much is he stacking the odds against himself?’

As Xu Ran was thinking this, Qing Xuan Master pondered for a moment and continued:

”Also, you’ve probably heard about the battlefronts in the Evil Domain and Demon Realm. In a short while, the vast majority of our Sect’s disciples will be heading off to war. The Sect will recruit a new batch of disciples, but we will be shorthanded. I’ve spoken with the Sect. If you’re willing, the Instructor Hall will be temporarily left in your care.”

”That many people are going?” Xu Ran was stunned. Then, his expression changed slightly. ”Surely people aren’t still thinking about infighting at a time like this?”

Qing Xuan Master shook his head. ”It’s not like that. Although conflict is common in the Cultivation Realm, few would dare to make trouble at a time when we must present a united front against an external threat.

Each Sect’s quota for contributing to the war effort is determined by the territory and resources it controls. Our Sect suffered some... setbacks recently, and the number of our Disciples has plummeted. If we can’t send the required number of people, we will have to give up some of our territory and occupied resources.

That is something the Sect is naturally unwilling to do.”

’So that’s how it is.’ Xu Ran nodded in sudden understanding. He could see the logic in it. It was only reasonable that the contribution required was proportional to the resources one controlled.

Then he asked, uncertain, ”But are you sure there’s no problem with leaving the Instructor Hall to me? I’m only at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer.”

After many years of practice and insight, Xu Ran’s Cultivation had finally broken through to the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer. Every time he considered his age and his Cultivation level, he couldn’t help but lament internally, ’Cultivation is so difficult.’

This only strengthened his determination to collect and encounter all the Daos and techniques in the world. He would use the world’s Ten Thousand Laws to nourish his own technique. He refused to believe that if he could achieve immortality, mere cultivation could possibly defeat him.

Hearing Xu Ran’s question, Qing Xuan Master shot him a look. ”You’re in the Qi Cultivation Late Stage. What’s the problem with you teaching people who haven’t even been exposed to cultivation yet?”

He paused for a moment before continuing, ”Besides, during your years by my side, you must have felt it yourself. In the process of guiding others, one can draw parallels and gain new insights. The process of teaching others is, in itself, a process of seeking Enlightenment Dao.”

Xu Ran nodded. That much was true. A large part of the reason he had been able to break through to the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer was due to his years serving as Qing Xuan Master’s assistant instructor.

He had gained a great deal of inspiration while guiding the other disciples.

”Then that’s settled. I’ve already spoken to the Sect. The choice is up to you.”

After saying this, Qing Xuan Master didn’t say anything more to Xu Ran.

Xu Ran offered Qing Xuan Master a few words of blessing and then took his leave.

His feelings were complicated as he left Qing Xuan Master.

Ever since he had joined the Sect, Qing Xuan Master had taught him impartially, which was the only reason he had gotten as far as he had.

He was naturally grateful to Qing Xuan Master beyond words, and the thought of the dangers inherent in his teacher’s impending breakthrough filled him with worry.

He prayed this wouldn’t be the last time he ever saw him.

Then he recalled what his teacher had said. If the vast majority of the Sect was heading to the battlefield, then Yue Qingyu would probably be going as well, wouldn’t she?

At this thought, he couldn’t help but quicken his pace. It looked like he needed to speed up his research and plans.

His research was nearly complete, with just a little more to go. He didn’t know if he would have enough time to hand the results to Yue Qingyu before she departed for the war.