Emperor’s Domination

“I won’t be a businessman for long.” The old man smiled wryly.

“Oh?” Li Qiye asked.

“I was a farmer before.” He said: “Whenever I returned from the field, I looked up at the stars and somehow, here I am.”

“A farmer? I don’t think I’m old enough to have bad memories. You were a farmer?” Li Qiye smirked.

“I was in one life, and in my opinion, it was the best one.” He told the truth.

“So many paths and you don’t want to give the farming one up?” Li Qiye stared at him in confusion.

“Yes.” He nodded: “It was great then.”

“Your root is virtually peerless.” Li Qiye said: “Yet you cherish your farming life more than when you became an immortal. Interesting.”

“Being a mortal can be nice.” He sighed.

“There must have been someone that you couldn’t let go of.” Li Qiye said.

His hand holding the teacup trembled slightly as he spoke: “Yes, my wife.”

“A beautiful life indeed.” Li Qiye sighed.

“Can’t describe it any other way.” He stared at Li Qiye: “In this world, anything can be traded, right?”

“You should know this more than I do, old businessman.” Li Qiye said: “And I can’t answer because it is already in your heart.”

“Indeed it can, not just in the mortal world but also in the immortal world.” He said.

“There might be some exceptions due to limited knowledge or other factors.” Li Qiye stroked his chin.

“Right, knowing too much can be a bad thing. Just more suffering.” He said.

“The suffering of the wise or the happiness of the fool.” Li Qiye smiled: “You wanted to be a farmer but why did you look up at the stars?”

He stared silently at the teacup before answering: “One day, I thought I was missing something important in life.”

“You had many lives and this one was fulfilling enough to be remembered. What could be missing?” Li Qiye asked.

“Perhaps my life simply requires that missing piece, something so important that it is a part of my nature. I can never stop chasing it.” He said.

“Because you weren’t a farmer.” Li Qiye said with a smile: “You were never born to be one. Your fate didn’t lie in that tiny mortal world. You came into being naturally and merely passed through that life.”

“But… I truly wanted to stay.” He sighed softly and spoke with a trace of indescribable longing.

“Perhaps that feeling of happiness still lingers. Alas, nature is still nature. If you had tried to contain it, it might have driven you crazy.” Li Qiye said: “When you made a deal with Mang back then, was it out of greed and fear?”

He didn’t answer.

“That’s why you must become a celestial immortal. You’re no farmer, don’t go crazy again.” Li Qiye patted his shoulder.

“Why do you have so much trust?” He asked.

“In what?” Li Qiye asked.

“In everything, your disciples, your loved ones, your legacies… and all living beings.” He said.

“I wouldn’t put it that way.” Li Qiye shook his head: “I merely returned their fate to them, that’s all. Their outcome depends on their action, not mine.”

“And if the outcome isn’t what you want?” He asked.

“I already got the outcome I wanted by leaving it to them. In other words, I planted the seed for a tree. The fruits belong to the tree, not mine. So, is it the fruit of the farmer that you want, or the happiness fruit given to you by someone else?”

He didn’t respond again.

“Certainly not farmer material.” Li Qiye patted his shoulder again.

“If you thought everything could be exchanged, why the strong conviction?” He asked.

“My conviction is with myself, not anyone else. What I do applies to me, the rules I follow apply to me. If that’s fate, then it’s my fate. I do not ask others to give me anything, I simply obtain what I want.” Li Qiye said.

“Is there a difference?” He couldn’t help but smile.

“Asking others to give is being dependent on them. Obtaining is dependent on me alone and in the end, I’ll get what I want.” Li Qiye said.

“Haha, still a bastard like always. It’s deep in the bones even when you become a true immortal.” He laughed.

“I’ll take this as a praise.” Li Qiye smiled: “At the very least, I am true to myself instead of spouting nonsense about justice. Those who talk about living beings are always afraid of death and fall into the darkness. Yes, saviors don’t have good endings, they’ll be buried with their victims.”

“That’s a bit unfair.” He shook his head.

“Do you believe any immortal is working for the living beings instead of themselves? Impossible, if one does not care about themselves, they care about nothing else.” Li Qiye said: “Which choice did you pick back then for Golden Mortal World?”

His hand with the teacup trembled again.

“Why did I save the dead world? Was it because of your love for living beings? Not quite, it was because you worried about the karma and reaching the shore. The answer is clear.” Li Qiye said.

“You’re right.” He took a deep breath.

“And the same applied to me. I didn’t do it for free, there was something in it for me.” Li Qiye smiled.

“Yes.” He sighed.

“Therefore, a world without selfishness will be a dead world, perhaps not immediately but it’s only a matter of time. When there are no tangible personal benefits, the results matter not.” Li Qiye smiled: “Try not to be too dramatic. You’re one of the three stones, not a farmer. It’s fine to be sentimental, but stop these types of thoughts or you will go crazy again.”

“It’s tough arguing against a bastard.” He nodded with a wry smile.