Xu Ziqing paused, then laughed. “I’m no immortal. I’m only a cultivator.” Seeing that the boy was no longer brimming with wariness, he took him by the hand and led him back into the room.
He said, “In ancient times, true immortals used overwhelming power to divide the world in two, creating the eighteen great continents of the Upper Nine Continents and Lower Nine Continents. The two sets correspond to one another, separating cultivators from Southerners.”
The boy was gradually drawn in by Xu Ziqing’s explanation and quieted down to listen.
Xu Ziqing continued, “Between them lies the Heaven-Sealing Chasm. Cultivators do not cross to the other side, and Southerners cannot cross here. As for how you came here… I do not know. I can only guess that it had something to do with the strange phenomenon at sea.”
The boy stared blankly, then asked, “If you aren’t an immortal, how could you fly into the sky? Can cultivators fly too? You’re a cultivator, so are there many cultivators? Are there people even stronger than you?” The questions tumbled out one after another in genuine urgency.
Seeing him so excited, Xu Ziqing hurriedly pressed him down to sit at the bedside. “Just listen to me. Don’t move around.”
By now the boy was filled with awe toward Xu Ziqing. He could only feel that this man was no different from an immortal, truly someone far beyond his reach, and that he ought to show him the utmost respect.
Xu Ziqing smiled gently. “Cultivators are not immortals. We are people who pursue the Dao by drawing in and refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to increase our cultivation, which is why we possess magical arts, like what I showed you earlier. As for flying, that was the Wind-Riding Art. There is nothing particularly remarkable about it. If you ask whether there are people with higher cultivation than mine, of course there are countless such people. I have cultivated for only a short time and am merely a junior. How would I dare act so self-important?”
“I have told you everything I can. Whether one can cultivate is decided by Heaven. Those of you who live in the Lower Nine Continents cannot set foot upon the path of cultivation. Knowing too much, therefore, may do you more harm than good.”
None of this was a lie. Ancient records stated that when the great powers divided the world, they moved all cultivators and all those possessing spiritual roots into the Upper Nine Continents. The spiritual energy in the Lower Nine Continents was thinner, and as the years passed, heavenly materials and earthly treasures became far scarcer there than in the Upper Nine Continents, while people with spiritual roots became extremely difficult to nurture. Those who had known of cultivators in the earliest days gradually vanished into the long river of history with the passage of time. Later generations came to regard cultivators as immortals and their existence as nothing more than legend.
After listening to Xu Ziqing’s patient explanation, the boy finally calmed down. He now believed Xu Ziqing and, remembering that this man had saved his life, bowed deeply with an apologetic expression. “This boy is Dongli Zhao. I behaved very rudely toward you just now. I hope you will forgive my impetuous offense.”
Xu Ziqing had already understood the boy’s suspicious nature after seeing the great calamity he had suffered, especially given his unusual identity. Now that the child showed such proper manners, Xu Ziqing’s gaze softened even further. He quickly pulled him upright and laughed. “Why would I blame you?” Then he asked, “Your name is Dongli Zhao?”
Dongli Zhao said, “Yes.”
Xu Ziqing smiled faintly. “You are a Southerner, and you are also a member of the imperial family.”
Dongli Zhao started violently and immediately looked up. Seeing Xu Ziqing still smiling and speaking calmly, he lowered his eyes again. “Yes.”
Xu Ziqing sighed and reached out to stroke the top of his head. “Don’t worry. I only knew because I saw that you possess dragon qi.” He explained the matter of the dragon qi, but when he saw alarm appear on Dongli Zhao’s face, he understood that the boy was uneasy about being in a land of cultivators and reassured him again. “I have temporarily sealed your dragon qi now. You need not worry.”
Only then did Dongli Zhao relax, gratitude showing on his face. “Thank you…”
Xu Ziqing suddenly thought of someone, and his smile deepened. “Speaking of that, I’m not actually the one you should thank. There is someone else you ought to thank instead.”
Dongli Zhao was looking thoroughly confused when he saw Xu Ziqing close his eyes, seeming filled with delight. Then Dongli Zhao abruptly felt his entire body turn cold, as though he had suddenly been thrown into a world of ice and snow, the chill piercing to the bone.
The next moment, he saw a person.
Or perhaps that figure was not truly a person. He wore broad robes with wide sleeves, his garments white as snow, yet his form was illusory, seeming to exist and not exist at once.
Dongli Zhao had only just raised his head to look when the man’s gaze swept across him. In an instant, killing intent pierced to the bone and pressed down upon him. Every hair on his body stood on end. It was as though countless steel needles had entered his flesh, sending pain through his entire body and leaving him unable even to cry out.
It seemed to last only an instant, yet also as though ten thousand years had passed. Cold sweat streamed from Dongli Zhao. Never in his life had he experienced such fear and terror. Every moment felt as though he were wrapped in killing intent, struggling and rolling between life and death with no hope of escape.
And all that had come from a single glance…
Xu Ziqing saw Dongli Zhao’s knees weaken and realized at once what had happened. Since he knew his friend was testing the boy, however, he did not help him up. He merely said, “Brother Yun, don’t frighten Zhao’er too badly.” Having addressed the boy so familiarly, he gave Dongli Zhao another gentle smile. “You are much younger than I am. May I call you that?”
When Dongli Zhao saw Xu Ziqing’s smile, it truly felt like finding life again after disaster. For a moment, he felt as though a spring breeze had washed over him, and he grew even closer to his savior. He could not help saying, “For Sir to call me that is naturally Zhao’er’s good fortune.”
Xu Ziqing accepted the form of address with a smile, then turned his head. “Brother Yun, what do you think?”
Yun Lie no longer oppressed him with his imposing pressure. He merely seemed cold and aloof now, no longer causing Dongli Zhao such pain. His expression remained stern, and his judgment was merciless. “Weak constitution. No.”
Xu Ziqing laughed. “Zhao’er has not fully recovered yet, so naturally his constitution is poor. Brother Yun, don’t be too harsh.”
Yun Lie glanced at him. “You have decided?”
Xu Ziqing sighed softly. “Yes.” He looked toward Dongli Zhao and asked, “What does Brother Yun think?” Yun Lie said, “It is acceptable.”
Xu Ziqing’s brows relaxed. “If even Brother Yun says so, I feel much more at ease.” He then turned to Dongli Zhao. “Although I was the one who sealed your dragon qi, Brother Yun was the one who warned me about it, and he also taught me the Spirit-Sealing Art. You should thank Brother Yun.”
Dongli Zhao was quite fearful of Yun Lie, and his heart trembled at those words. He quickly steadied himself, stepped forward, and bowed. “Dongli Zhao thanks Senior Yun for his assistance.”
Yun Lie flicked his sleeve, and Dongli Zhao found himself rising against his own will. By the time he recovered his senses, warmth had returned to the entire room. The man had already vanished.
Seeing Dongli Zhao’s expression shift as though he had finally relaxed, Xu Ziqing could not help laughing. “Brother Yun is my closest friend in this life. Though he is always strict, he is cold on the outside and warm within. You need not fear him.”
Dongli Zhao already respected Xu Ziqing deeply and immediately replied with a solemn expression, “Zhao’er understands.” Then he raised his head. “What Sir was discussing with Senior Yun just now…”
Xu Ziqing smiled faintly. “Nothing more than my decision to send you back to Lower Qi Continent.”
Dongli Zhao was instantly overjoyed. “Sir, y-you’re so kind!” But then his gaze dimmed again. “But that would be far too much trouble for you. I’m afraid it may put you in a difficult position…”
Xu Ziqing’s tone was reassuring. “There is nothing difficult about it. Since I saved you, naturally I should see the rescue through to the end. But when I found you, you were so badly injured. You should tell me what happened.”
Hearing this, Dongli Zhao silently lowered his head. “Sir’s kindness to Zhao’er is as weighty as a mountain. Zhao’er… will not hide it from you.”
Having said that, he began recounting everything that had happened before.
It turned out that two kingdoms stood side by side in the Lower Nine Continents, each occupying one side. The kingdom in the southeast was the Kingdom of Chenghuang, which occupied five great continents and possessed vast lands, abundant resources, and a large population. Its capital was located on Lower Qi Continent. Dongli Zhao was the second son of the kingdom’s ruler and empress. He had one elder brother, Dongli Xi, who was the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.
The current ruler, however, was muddleheaded. He favored a woman of common birth and granted her the title of Phoenix Consort, allowing her influence to grow until it nearly rivaled that of the mistress of the Phoenix Palace. The Phoenix Consort also had a son named Dongli Zhang, as well as an elder full brother who controlled military power and had been enfeoffed as the Realm-Protecting Grand General. Thus, although Dongli Xi had the support of the civil officials and held the position of Crown Prince, the military might in the Realm-Protecting Grand General’s hands forced him to yield ground. In court, the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince, Dongli Zhang, could therefore be said to be evenly matched, with neither clearly superior to the other.
Several months ago, the ruler suddenly passed away without leaving a final edict. The Eastern Palace should originally have succeeded to the throne, but while Dongli Xi and Dongli Zhang were locked in their struggle, the Realm-Protecting Grand General suddenly made his move. He first killed the Second, Third, and Fourth Princes, then killed every other prince and princess apart from the two legitimate sons and the Fifth Prince. Every civil and military official who resisted the Grand General was slaughtered as well, and the Kingdom of Chenghuang was instantly plunged into rivers of blood.
The brothers Dongli Xi and Dongli Zhao had thought they too were certain to die. Unexpectedly, the Grand General instead turned his blade first upon his own nephew, Dongli Zhang, killing him while sparing the two brothers. The Phoenix Consort and the empress were then killed as well, followed by more than a hundred women of the imperial harem, all slaughtered by the same man!
At this point, Xu Ziqing immediately frowned. To unleash such a storm of blood and carnage, this man was far too deranged and sinister.
When Dongli Zhao spoke of the deaths of the empress and his brothers, pain and hatred also filled his face. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails pierced his flesh, and his entire body trembled without stopping. Only after a long while did he continue.
No one knew when the Grand General had gathered such enormous power, several times greater than anyone had previously believed. When he slaughtered the court and massacred the palace, his advance was like crushing dry weeds and rotten wood. Even Dongli Xi had no power to resist him.
Afterward, Dongli Xi was imprisoned in the Eastern Palace, while Dongli Zhao was thrown into the imperial prison and suffered every kind of hardship. The whip wounds covering his body had all been inflicted there under the jailers’ torture.
Dongli Zhao endured humiliation in the imperial prison for a full month before someone secretly entered at night, exchanged him for a substitute, and attempted to send him overseas to seek help from an allied neighboring kingdom. Yet he had escaped only several hundred li when pursuing archers and crossbowmen struck him with several arrows and bolts. Seeing that he would not survive, Dongli Zhao leapt from a cliff into the sea. Somehow, afterward, he was swept all the way to Upper Qi Continent.
After hearing the entire account, Xu Ziqing found the recent events in the Kingdom of Chenghuang extraordinarily strange. The Realm-Protecting Grand General had slaughtered the imperial sons and daughters, the consorts of the rear palace, and the court officials who supported the legitimate line. Logically, he should have been eliminating opponents so that he could usurp the throne himself, yet he had deliberately spared the two brothers with the strongest legitimate claim. It made no sense.
Could he have some other scheme?
From another angle, if the Grand General had preserved the legitimate bloodline in order to “hold the Son of Heaven hostage and command the lords,” he would have needed only to keep the young Dongli Zhao alive. Dongli Xi, who had already come into his own, should have been eliminated instead. Yet if that were the plan, there would have been no need to slaughter the court officials.
No matter how Xu Ziqing considered it, the Grand General’s actions simply could not be explained.
Since he could not make sense of it, Xu Ziqing stopped trying and only asked, “I said I am willing to send you back to Lower Qi Continent, but the situation there is so dangerous. Do you still wish to return?”