I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

The moment cold sweat dripped into the mud, Li Bai felt his consciousness like a taut string, ready to snap at the slightest pressure. The mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood before him, the wailing and weeping around him, the stench of blood and acridity in his nostrils, the two cold questions in his mind… all of it transformed into heavy boulders, pressing down on his soul layer by layer. He could almost hear the faint sound of his Dao heart shattering. His hand gripping the sword trembled slightly from the excessive force, his knuckles deathly white. The hum of the Azure Lotus Sword grew rapid, the blue light on its blade flickering, as if it too were bearing the weight of the storm raging within its master. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no sound came out. Only his eyes remained fixed on the laughing figure of An Lushan in the distance, then abruptly shifted to the fawning faces of Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong in the Chang'an palace, finally settling on the closing door of the Buddhist hall at Mawei Slope. Through the crack in the door, a corner of a plain white dress was slowly disappearing.

Kill one to save ten thousand?

Kill the treacherous minister and preserve the prosperous era?

Each option was like a red-hot branding iron, searing his conscience.

He saw An Lushan wield his sword, slashing at an old man kneeling and begging for mercy. The blade fell, the head rolled off, and blood splattered onto the rebel army's armor. He saw Li Linfu write slanderous accusations against loyal officials in his memorials, his pen sharp as a knife, each word piercing the heart. He saw Yang Guozhong transporting cartloads of silver from the national treasury to his own residence, the wheels leaving deep ruts on Zhuque Avenue in Chang'an, while in a street corner, a frozen child huddled, clutching half a moldy cake in his hand.

in case……

If only the Azure Lotus Sword in his hand could overcome the barrier of this illusion.

One sword.

All it takes is one sword strike.

An Lushan's head would fall, and perhaps the eight-year catastrophe that wiped out a third of the Tang Dynasty's population could have been avoided. Those civilians being slaughtered, those refugees about to starve, those families who lost everything in the war... could all be saved.

What's the cost?

What is the "unknown backlash" that the grand voice spoke of?

Will it affect Yang Xiaohuan? Will it cause her already fragile soul to completely dissipate because she forcibly altered the cause and effect of history?

and also……

Would killing An Lushan really stop everything?

Was the root cause of the An Lushan Rebellion merely An Lushan's ambition? It was the corruption of the military system, the expansion of the power of the military governors, the depletion of the central treasury, the corruption of the court, and the senility of Emperor Xuanzong in his later years... It was an inevitable collapse of a vast system, a result of countless intertwined factors.

Li Bai was suddenly stunned.

system.

This word, like a bolt of lightning, cleaved through the chaotic darkness in his mind.

past life.

Department of Geology, Tianfu University of Technology

In the lab, on the computer screen, data curves flickered, and on the podium, the professor drew a complex system model with chalk: "Students, remember, nature and society are complex dynamic systems. A change in one part affects the whole. You think solving a key problem will make the system better? No, it could trigger an unpredictable chain reaction, even causing the system to collapse."

He recalled his own paper on systems thinking in geological disaster prediction. Landslides are not simply the loosening of a single rock, but the result of countless factors working together, including geological structure, hydrological conditions, vegetation cover, and human activities. Even if you reinforce one section of rock, the pressure might shift elsewhere, triggering a larger-scale collapse.

Brutal intervention.

Unpredictable consequences.

Isn't the illusion before us, this prosperous and crisis-ridden Tang Dynasty, just an extremely complex system?

An Lushan was merely a "symptom," a "breakout point," that emerged under specific conditions within this system.

Killing him is like cutting out a tumor with a knife.

But the "lesions" that breed tumors—the corrupt bureaucratic system, the unbalanced power structure, and the deeply entrenched social contradictions—remain. They may even be temporarily masked by the absence of An Lushan as an obvious "symptom," allowing even more terrible diseases to fester in deeper places.

Will another military governor rise to power?

Will the imperial court become even more arrogant after eliminating its biggest threat?

Where will history go from here?

he does not know.

Anyone who claims to know is arrogant.

It's like... trying to play God.

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

Almost simultaneously, another passage of text surfaced in his mind.

It wasn't from a modern textbook, but from the obscure and difficult-to-understand *Azure Lotus Sword Manual*, which he had obtained from the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom. While studying it in the Shu Mountain Secret Realm, he had pondered countless times a line from it: "The sword is a weapon. The one who wields the sword is the heart. One should control the weapon with the heart, not be controlled by the weapon. Protecting the Way is not about dominating, but about going with the flow and guiding its good course."

At the time, he only vaguely understood.

At this moment, amidst this illusion of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and amidst the clash of his past life's knowledge of systems theory, every word of that sentence was like molten iron, poured into his soul.

A sword is a weapon.

The one who wields the sword is the key.

It means to wield the sword with your heart, not to be controlled by the power of the sword, or to be dominated by the illusion that "having power means you can decide everything".

Protectors are not rulers.

It's not about using a sword to forcibly define the rules of the world, or to decide who should live and who should die.

It means "going with the flow and guiding it towards a positive direction".

It means recognizing the general trend and, while respecting its basic laws and complexity, doing our best to guide it in a better and more virtuous direction.

Just like controlling a flood.

Gun, the father of Yu the Great, used the method of "blocking," which was to dominate and forcibly change the natural laws of water flow. As a result, he failed and was killed.

Yu the Great used the term "guiding," which means to dredge and follow the natural tendency of water to flow downhill. At the same time, he dug river channels to guide the water away from villages and irrigate farmland.

Protecting all living beings is the same.

Killing An Lushan is a "blocking" action. It may seem satisfying, but it could actually trigger a more terrifying torrent.

What should we do then?

Li Bai's gaze swept over the illusion once more.

He saw a rebel junior officer grinning as he raised his knife and slashed at a woman holding a baby.

A flash of blue light.

It wasn't real sword light, but rather the condensation of his will.

The rebel colonel suddenly froze, his knife hovering in mid-air, a blank look on his face. He shook his head, as if suddenly remembering some urgent military matter, and turned to leave, cursing under his breath. The woman, clutching her baby, scrambled into the nearby ruins.

He saw an old man, starving and on the verge of death, lying by the roadside, reaching out to a passing Tang soldier in defeat to beg for food. The soldier himself was also emaciated and pale. After hesitating for a moment, he took out half a hard flatbread from his pocket, broke off a small piece, and stuffed it into the old man's hand.

He saw a young eunuch in the palace of Chang'an secretly slipping a true report exposing a local disaster onto the top of a stack of documents to be presented to Emperor Xuanzong, taking advantage of Gao Lishi's inattention.

He saw Mawei Slope, and just as the doors of the Buddhist hall were about to close completely, a silent, weathered old soldier suddenly stepped forward, slightly blocking the crack in the door with his body, and whispered something quickly to the desperate figure inside. Yang Yuhuan (in the illusion) abruptly raised her head, a faint but real look of astonishment and…hope flashing in her eyes.

These images are small and faint, almost negligible against the backdrop of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

But they truly exist.

Like a firefly in the dark.

Kill one to save ten thousand?

No.

It simplifies the complex world into an arithmetic problem. It treats living human lives as numbers that can be added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided. It places oneself in the position of a supreme arbiter.

That kind of "salvation" is essentially another form of arrogant "domination".

It is a disrespect for life itself, a contempt for the complexity of history, and a desecration of the word "protection".

His sword should not be wielded for such a "ruler".

So, what should he wield his sword for?

Li Bai's eyes gradually became clear.

It was a clarity that settled like a deep pool after experiencing extreme chaos and painful struggle.

He took a slow, deep breath.

The air was still thick with the stench of blood and acrid burning, but at this moment, he seemed to be able to smell a faint, fresh scent of grass and trees drifting from the distant mountains that had not yet been affected by the war.

His hand holding the sword no longer trembled.

His knuckles were still white, but that was from exertion, not fear or hesitation. The hum of the Azure Lotus Sword became steady and long, and the azure light on the sword no longer flickered but flowed steadily, like a clear spring reflecting his clear state of mind at this moment.

He raised his head.

Their focus was no longer limited to An Lushan, Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong, or the door at Mawei Slope.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the layers of illusion, reaching deeper into the world, where he saw the millions of lives that made up the Tang Dynasty, the ceaseless flow of history, and the countless coincidences and inevitabilities, glories and sufferings, light and darkness.

He spoke.

The voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and firm, carrying an unyielding power that echoed through the illusion of mountains of corpses and seas of blood:

"My sword—"

He paused, as if to confirm the weight of each word.

"Not to wield power over life and death."

"If you see injustice, you should draw your sword!"

As he finished speaking, images flashed through his mind of the dagger thrust by Liu Han's gang thugs, and the deep sorrow hidden in Yang Xiaohuan's eyes. A sword should be wielded to eradicate injustice and tyranny.

"If you encounter danger, do your best to help!"

He thought of the woman holding the baby, and the old man begging by the roadside. A sword should be wielded to protect the specific lives in need before one's eyes.

"If there is a major trend, then trace its underlying mechanisms and guide it towards good!"

He gazed at the vast and complex torrent of history. The sword is not meant to forcibly sever or reverse it, but rather, like Yu the Great controlling the floods, like a gardener pruning trees, it seeks out the points where influence can be exerted, guiding it away from the worst path and towards a wider, more fertile channel, while respecting its fundamental laws. This requires wisdom, patience, and responsibility; it is far more difficult than simply slaying it with a single sword stroke.

"Killing one person to save ten thousand may seem like a shortcut, but it's actually a wrong path!"

He resolutely rejected the seemingly tempting but actually dangerous option.

"I am willing to shoulder the burden and undertake the difficult task!"

He straightened his spine, as if an invisible weight was pressing down on his shoulders, but he steadily accepted it. This weight was the weight of a clear understanding of the complexity of the world, the determination to choose a more difficult path, and the courage to bear all the consequences of his choices.

"With the sword in my hand, I will protect those I can protect, and change the course of events I can change!"

He practically shouted the last sentence.

The sound waves spread through the illusion, temporarily drowning out the endless wails and cries.

This is not an arrogant declaration, but a clear understanding and a firm commitment. Protect those I can protect—acknowledging the limitations of my power, not attempting to save everyone, but doing my utmost to protect those I have promised to protect. Change what I can change—acknowledging the inertia of history, not attempting to overturn everything, but striving to change those unjust and tragic situations within my capabilities and influence.

The words fell.

The world fell silent for a moment.

Then, that grand, cold voice rang out again.

There was no judgment, no praise, only a long, drawn-out echo that seemed to travel through endless years.

"Buzz——————————"

The voice was no longer cold; instead, it carried an indescribable complexity, like relief, a sigh, a sense of relief, and a kind of ancient acceptance.

As the echo resounded, everything around them began to change.

An Lushan's maniacal laughter faded away slowly, like ink being washed away by water.

The extravagant lights in the Chang'an palaces were extinguished one by one.

The Buddhist hall at Mawei Slope, that door, that white hem of clothing, all turned into specks of light and dust, drifting away.

Burning flames, desolate fields, displaced people, piles of corpses... all the tragic scenes began to twist and spin, like a giant vortex, shrinking towards the center—the place where Li Bai stood.

The thick, dark red mist began to thin and fade, eventually transforming into countless tiny, shimmering particles, like fireflies on a summer night, dancing lightly around him.

The sticky mud underfoot disappeared, replaced by a firm, smooth, and slightly cool feeling.

The illusion of mountains of corpses and seas of blood receded like the tide.

As the last trace of blood faded into the distance, Li Bai found himself standing in absolute nothingness.

There was nothing in the four directions except for a soft, pure light that spread evenly, not dazzling, but enough to illuminate everything.

There is no sound, no smell, and no temperature change here.

Only absolute tranquility.

And the Azure Lotus Sword in his hand, its azure light seemingly resonating with his heartbeat.

Three bronze doors.

The tribulations of greed and anger are about severing one's own desires and attachments.

The tribulation of life and death is about breaking through the fear of annihilation.

The calamity of the common people, what is clear... is the boundary between power and responsibility, between protection and domination.

Now, all three tribulations have passed.

Suddenly, points of light began to converge in the void.

At first, there were only a few scattered spots, like the earliest stars appearing in the night sky.

Then more and more, hundreds and thousands, tens of thousands... They flew in from all directions of nothingness, carrying light that was either bright or soft, either blazing or cool, and gathered into a huge, slowly rotating vortex of light not far in front of Li Bai.

At the center of the vortex, the light shines the brightest.

Those points of light were not random; they were interconnected and combined to form complex and mysterious runes. These runes were not static, but were constantly flowing, changing, and recombining, as if they were demonstrating some supreme principle.

The sword-shaped rune represents both killing and protection.

The lotus symbol represents purity and transcendence.

The mountain and water symbols represent nature and going with the flow.

The Human Heart rune represents emotions and will.

There are even more runes that Li Bai could not immediately comprehend, runes containing meanings of time, space, cause and effect, and the myriad aspects of the mortal world...

Together they constitute a magnificent, brilliant, and profound chapter of cultivation techniques.

The Red Dust Sword Manual.

It wasn't the fragmentary manual he obtained in the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom, which only contained basic mental techniques and some sword moves, but... the entire manual!

From Qi Condensation and Foundation Building to Golden Core and Nascent Soul, and even higher cultivation methods; from basic sword techniques to peerless sword arts containing all aspects of the mortal world and capable of drawing upon the power of heaven and earth; from nurturing the sword and refining the mind to using the sword to carry the Dao and ultimately achieving the ultimate mystery of body and sword as one... it's all here.

The words and patterns formed by the light were not printed on paper, but were directly imprinted into the depths of his consciousness. Each rune carried a wealth of information, insights, and even a kind of "intention" that pointed directly to the Great Dao. He could not fully understand them immediately, but they were already there, becoming a part of his soul, waiting for him to comprehend them one by one as his cultivation deepened.

At the same time, a clear and direct flow of information also flooded into his mind:

"When the calamity ends, the Dao heart is clear. Holding this scripture, go to the summit of the divine tree. Receive the final inheritance and gain the complete recognition of the Azure Lotus as its master."

The information also included a simple yet clear map—or rather, a route guide.

The void he currently inhabits is the core "intermediate layer" of the Bronze Labyrinth. From here, a path leads directly to the true heart of the secret realm, to the legendary tree that supports the entire Xiling Divine Kingdom secret realm and connects heaven and earth—

The Bronze Divine Tree.

Li Bai stood quietly, processing the flood of information that rushed into his mind.

a long time.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

This breath seemed to expel all the previous struggles, pain, confusion, and even the excitement after sudden enlightenment.

His eyes were calm and profound.

As if sensing something, the Azure Lotus Sword emitted a clear and melodious sword cry. The azure light on its blade suddenly receded, no longer radiating outwards, but completely merging into the sword's body, giving the entire sword a sense of inner divine brilliance and a return to simplicity. At the hilt, the azure lotus pattern, which had originally been just a relief carving, now seemed to come alive, its petals slightly unfurling, emitting a faint, refreshing lotus fragrance.

Li Bai looked down at the sword in his hand.

His fingers gently brushed across the blade.

It's cold.

smooth.

But beneath that cool, smooth surface, he felt an unprecedented, intimate connection, as if bound by blood. It was as if the sword was no longer just a weapon, but an extension of his arm, a vessel for his will, and an outward manifestation of his Dao heart.

"To protect, not to dominate." He repeated softly, a slight smile playing on his lips, revealing a sense of relief mixed with unwavering determination.

He raised his head and looked in a certain direction in the void.

Following the guidance in my mind, that place is the starting point of the road leading to the top of the Bronze Tree.

No hesitation.

He took a step.

forward.