Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1286 Dao Clan
The North Sea is bitterly cold, with ice and snow stretching to the horizon; Cangzhou is precipitous, with the Black Water flowing across it.

In this deep and dangerous place, a fairy mountain suddenly appears, one high and one low, one to the left and one to the right. The higher one is like a bull's horn, and the lower one is like a small dog looking back. Their breaths are connected and they are a perfect whole.

The sun had already set, and the rain and snow were tinged with color, with the evening glow faintly visible. There was only one lake on the high mountain, as black as ink. Snow covered the mountainside, and a lone fishing rod made of pure jade stood there. Beside it, a pile of ice and snow covered the blue stone, and a black-covered book was placed on it.

There was only a futon where people should have been sitting, and no one was in sight. The old man left his seat and leaned against the blue stone, wearing a straw raincoat and, unusually, taking off his bamboo hat, revealing his white hair covered with snowflakes.

The old man's two hands were old and mottled, holding a green bamboo hat. His fingers were very nimble. He held the hat with three fingers, turned up the bamboo frame with his thumb, and gently stretched out his index finger to pass the bamboo leaves that were stuck between his fingers... In no time, the two edges were wrapped tightly.

"Senior Xiao!"

A clear voice echoed through the bleak, cold wind, and a jade-like blue light descended, accompanied by the young man's laughter:

"Senior Xiao, something has happened in Xiangdi."

The old man folded a bamboo leaf and tucked it under his straw hat, making the rim perfectly round. Only then did a smile appear on his face. He tossed the extremely lightweight bamboo hat aside, picked it up with two fingers, and examined it against the backdrop of the evening glow in the cold snow. He whispered:

"It's Luoyang!"

Then a young man appeared in the rain and snow, dressed in white, handsome, with a smiling gaze. He bowed and said:
"Exactly."

The old man was still examining the bamboo hat in his hand—it was woven so tightly that not a single gap could be seen. It blocked the light of the sunset from penetrating him, casting only a round, black shadow on him, which gradually lengthened as the setting sun fell.

After the young man finished speaking, he stood quietly beside the old man, listening to him laugh:

"If Sect Leader Nian won't tell me, then I have to guess."

The young man shook his head and chuckled, replying:
"I've guessed most of it, let alone Senior Xiao. It must be that King Wei—who killed an unknown mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator as easily as killing a chicken."

Senior Xiao said quietly:

"The Yang family and the Song Emperor will naturally support it. They would love as many people as possible to achieve immortality. Back then, they also plotted to help Sima Boxiu break through, but this rotten wood was unwilling to compromise and insisted on taking the risk."

The young man nodded:

"If he had been more submissive, he could have held on until the founding of the nation and brought honor to the Yang family. Unfortunately... he had already made arrangements for his affairs after his death, and he was ultimately seeking enlightenment. He also knew that the Yang family would not hold a grudge against him."

"The underworld doesn't have the surname Yang."

The setting sun had dipped below the horizon, the evening glow had faded, and the bright moon was rising slowly. The rain and snow had stopped for a moment. Only then did Xiao Chuting put on his bamboo hat, stand up, brush the snow off his clothes, and say:
"Sect Leader Nian's supernatural abilities have improved; Qing Zhuo is probably no match for you now."

Upon hearing this, the master simply shook his head and smiled, saying:

“I am only on par with him, but my master has become a True Lord, and thus his blessings have been bestowed upon me. If I were placed on Changhuai Mountain, I might not be as good as him.”

At this moment, a hint of melancholy appeared in his gaze, and he chuckled:
"Furthermore, comparing these things is meaningless. Neither I nor he has a high chance of attaining high positions. Sometimes outsiders envy us, but we envy them instead."

"Just like Senior Xiao, as long as you can stand on the top of this huge wave of world events, you can reach the clouds with your hand and you will naturally have the opportunity to attain a position. We who seek the surplus and the leap years can only look up from the ground."

Xiao Chuting had already turned around and quietly said:

"Fellow Daoist Nian Yi... Over the past thirty years, we have developed a friendship. Do you have any advice for me, Xiao, on my journey across the land?"

His tone was already very serious, and he formally used the title "fellow Daoist." Nian Yi also put away his smile, his expression calm, and said quietly:

I wouldn't dare say I'm offering advice.

He said:

“Senior’s supernatural powers are now restrained, and I cannot see clearly, so it is difficult to guess. However, Kan is the correct position, and the intercalary path is difficult to walk. Fortunately, there is joy. There is no need to think about ‘He Shui’ or ‘Lu Shui’. There are only three paths in front of you, Senior.”

He held up three fingers and sighed:

“If you cultivate the ‘Kan Water’ method, you will achieve the right result; if you retreat, you will become a partial result. If you don’t go either way, you might as well try the ‘Female Water’ method.”

Nian Yi turned to look at him, and Xiao Chuting chuckled:
“I am unwilling to learn from Sima Boxiu, nor am I qualified to learn from Sima Boxiu.”

A glint gradually appeared in Nian Yi's eyes, and she said:

"Senior, is there any path to enlightenment? But... that True Lord..."

Xiao Chuting laughed again, but didn't elaborate; his voice was hoarse.
"It might be worth a try."

Nian Yi pondered for a moment and said:
"When the True Lord attained enlightenment, he fought with the heavens at the Dao Ruins. He returned after many years, and his responses became less frequent. I visited Xuanzhen Mountain and received some enlightenment from him."

Nian Yi's gaze was intense as she said:

"Although I don't know what other trump cards or backers Senior Xiao possesses... or whether he came to Beihai because of this person from Cangzhou, if Senior Xiao can obtain 'Kan Water,' 'True Lord Feng Yue of the Mysterious Chaos and Dark World' will surely be extremely pleased..."

"True Lord Xiu Yue..."

Xiao Chuting was not surprised at all and said:
“I am not Jin Yi, nor do I have the means to be reborn. If I obtain the ‘Kan Water,’ I will surely do something terrible to quell the dragons. Fellow Daoist Nian need not mention it again.”

He gazed quietly at the young man:

"Fellow Daoist Nian should also know that what I want to ask about is not the Sun Dao lineage."

Nian Yi stood with his hands behind his back, a hint of hesitation in his eyes, and said:

“I believe that besides this person from Cangzhou, there must be others. If Senior Xiao is willing to tell me who is willing to help Senior Xiao, Nian Yi will certainly not hesitate to explain in detail.”

The old master stepped forward, looked down at the pitch-black lake water, and said:
"impossible."

The moonlight was clear, and the mountains fell silent. Nian Yi's expression changed slightly, and she said softly:

"In that case, I regret that I cannot obey your command."

The old man chuckled hoarsely and said:
"I won't send you far."

Nian Yi stared intently at the old man before her, remaining motionless. The Xiao family master had already reached the lakeside, raised his fishing rod, and casually said:
"In my early years, I was troubled by the political situation. In order to protect my clan, I had to spend my days refining elixirs and governing. Later, I suppressed the various families of Tiaoyun, recovered Yushan, and planted the Wu family's chess pieces. I was already three hundred years old when I attained enlightenment, and I have come to where I am today step by step."

"Whether these great beings in heaven support me or not, it's a done deal. Does anyone dislike my attainment of enlightenment and therefore refuse to prove it? Of course not."

His eyes showed no sign of tension or anxiety, but rather a calm composure. He smiled slightly and said:
"Since they need my certificate whether they support me or not, it doesn't really matter whether they know or not. It's just something new to hear, something to be prepared for. Even if Xue Yang is waiting for me in Badger County, I'll still go."

Nian Yi remained silent. He too harbored a desire to attain enlightenment, and facing Xiao Chuting before him, he genuinely wished to help him achieve his goal. He simply whispered:
“Since you have made up your mind, I have no way to persuade you otherwise. As for our personal relationship, I will not say a word if I can say even a little bit.”

His eyes were bright, and after hesitating for a long time, he finally organized his thoughts and said:
"The mountain will not like the Water Virtue position being occupied. The Metal element alone has already given them such a headache... Moreover... Master Xiao himself must understand that the senior has never been a content person!"

He didn't mention which mountain it was, but the mere mention of a mountain made Xiao Chuting instantly understand. He laughed heartily, a rare occurrence for him, and said:
"You didn't even mention the dragons first. Do they fear my ascension to the throne more than the dragons themselves?"

Nian Yi nodded very slightly.

Xiao Chuting's eyes gradually showed understanding, but he seemed quite interested, using his jade-like fishing rod to poke at the surface of the lake. Nian Yi paused slightly and said:
"As for the South, it's none of their business, so they don't care much, but they're not particularly interested either. Otherwise, the Yang family wouldn't have had the opportunity to secretly pull things out today."

He sighed softly, as if realizing he had said too much, and chuckled:
"Of course—they all thought the senior could succeed, and they all watched coldly."

Xiao Chuting raised his eyebrows and looked at the moonlight, but ultimately remained silent. The young man stood with him by the lake for a long, long time. As the night was about to end and the morning glow was about to rise, he raised his hand to say goodbye.

He walked all the way to the edge of the great formation, then finally turned back, bowed, and said:
"I wish that Senior Feng Jinyu will ascend to the throne and become a true immortal. When he attains his rightful position, the whole world will know. I will definitely pray to the True Lord from Qingyu Cliff."

Xiao Chuting nodded:
"I accept your good words."

Then the last murmur of noise disappeared. After an unknown amount of time, as the sun and moon changed, someone was seen coming up the mountain. Upon approaching, they bowed and respectfully said:

"I've met my ancestor!"

This man, with white hair and beard, looked very kind. He held a wooden cane in his hand, from which hung a swaying medicine pouch. He knelt in the snow and respectfully said:

"Ancestor, a letter has arrived from the Li family."

Xiao Chuting stood up, turned to look at him, and was truly taken aback before saying:
"Yuan Si, you're getting old too."

Xiao Chuting always spoke calmly, like ancient ice, calculating everything clearly. Even when using and scheming against Xiao Yuansi, he did so without making a sound, leaving Xiao Yuansi to understand only after a long time.

This was the first time Xiao Yuansi had spoken in such a tone that she fell silent and choked up.

Xiao Yuansi should have been deeply moved by the True Person who saved the Xiao family from a life-or-death situation and helped them break through to the Purple Mansion realm and reach the peak. However, he was truly cold-hearted. The events of that year had caused him great sorrow and regret. Of course, he knew that there was nothing he could do, but he would rather have died in some calamity than live a wretched life until now.

Facing Xiao Chuting, Xiao Yuansi felt extremely conflicted, as if she had understood something. She burst into tears and said:
"May the ancestor's divine powers endure forever."

Xiao Chuting chuckled, gently helped him up, and said:

"No supernatural power lasts forever; even a golden position cannot be called permanent."

This old master was unusually enthusiastic and said:
“I know you still resent me. Over the years, you have experienced many ups and downs in life, and you have felt guilty because I have hindered most of your progress. I bear part of the responsibility for your current situation.”

Xiao Yuansi wept and said:
"How could I have any complaints? I understand that you were only trying to save my life!"

Xiao Chuting shook his head:
"Actually, over the years, there have been many children in the family, but few have become successful. I had the highest hopes for you... I thought you could achieve great things later in life like me, but unfortunately... you are not as ruthless as Li Ximing."

The alchemist kneeling before him choked back tears as he said:

"I am far from being capable of attaining enlightenment!"

Xiao Chuting chuckled:

“Indeed, I act ruthlessly. Yong Ling… I taught Yong Ling to cultivate ‘Dongyu Mountain’ in order to escape Jiangnan. He was very promising, but ultimately failed. If he had cultivated the Water Virtue, he would have succeeded by now.”

"And what you called saving your life was actually just to maintain your relationship with the Li family; it wasn't as honorable as you thought..."

Xiao Yuansi wept and said:
"That was also for the sake of the Xiao family!"

"you are wrong."

Xiao Chuting said quietly:

Do you know how your father, Zhongfu, died?

Xiao Yuansi raised his head abruptly, his pupils filled with shock.

Xiao Chuting's father was Xiao Xianyou, the undisputed number one genius in the history of the Xiao family. Not only Xiao Yuansi, but the entire Xiao family has been investigating the cause of his death for hundreds of years!
When Xiao Xianyou was mentioned, a complex emotion finally flickered in Xiao Chuting's eyes:

“You don’t know, but I do. When he went to Xiuyue back then, he only told me. I never told them. Later, when he became a Purple Mansion, he asked Nian Yi and only then did he understand the whole story.”

"Such a genius, he was branded with the infamy of murdering his benefactor, yet he listened to Chi Wei's threats. I heard that Xiu Yuezong took the [Buyue] to Leiyun Temple Grotto-heaven. This item can discern one's heart and protect one's reputation."

I advised him: "The Chi family is treacherous and ambitious; do not trust them easily." But he replied: "The Chi family may be wicked, but the Nian family is upright. I have a clear conscience. If I don't go, rumors will spread, the clan's reputation will be ruined, and there will be no future."

"So he went overseas, little did he know that the Chi family father and son had already planned it. The pills he exchanged for were actually blood pills. He understood this in his heart, but his full magical power could not make him understand. He died without uttering a sound under the illumination of [Buyue]. Shangmiao Zhenren, out of consideration for their old friendship, stopped talking about it and never heard from him again."

"In reality, what the Xiao family wanted was not for him to protect his reputation, but for him to achieve enlightenment and leave, only caring about his own path and not proving himself. Who could harm him?"

Xiao Chuting said coldly:

"I won't follow his example."

"If it were for the sake of the Xiao family, things wouldn't be like this now. My Xiao family would have at least two True Immortals by now, and we wouldn't have to hide in the ends of the earth. If we stayed in the Song court, we would be a powerful force, if not at the height of our power!"

“Yuan Si, I am doing this for my own path.”

The old man remained calm and said:

“If I didn’t have the ambition to prove myself, perhaps your situation today would be completely different, and I would have devoted all my energy to paving the way for you…”

“But I have ambition. I’ve always been willing to believe in myself. Rather than hoping that you will do well in the future, I’d rather believe that I can prove my worth and elevate you all to heaven.”

He turned around:
"It was for my path that Yong Ling perished, and Ru Yu and Gui Tu wasted their time. Because if my Xiao family had another young Purple Mansion cultivator, it would be impossible to resolve the karma and escape. Only I could leave."

"Those of you who are left behind will become a burden to me."

Xiao Yuansi stared blankly.

Xiao Chuting said quietly:

"Protecting the Xiao family is merely a secondary choice for me during my cultivation. I can protect you as much as possible. With you following me, where can't you survive? But this is only for now; we can't talk about the future."

"There is no turning back in the pursuit of truth, and I will not discuss the future with you."

As the snow fell in abundance, like goose feathers, an old man wearing a straw raincoat stood with his hands behind his back, his voice tinged with a smile:
“My path is first, and yours is second.”

Xiao Yuansi stood there, stunned. He had followed this elder for over two hundred years, and it seemed that only today did he truly understand him. The old man burst into tears like a child, and only stopped after a long while, saying hoarsely:
"I regret that I was born three hundred years earlier, so that I could serve my country and help others, and achieve both the ideal of a true person and the ideal of a true person."

(End of this chapter)