Martial Cultivator

Moon’s Reflection in Water was one of the secret treasures of the Myriad Heaven Palace. Though it served no use in combat, its rank was actually exceedingly high. In fact, to a certain degree, it even surpassed the Temple Master’s Seal of the Infatuation Daoist Temple.

There were even rumors that this Moon’s Reflection in Water had been personally crafted by the Dao Ancestor. But a rumor was still only a rumor, it had never been proven true.

Even so, the Moon’s Reflection in Water had already proven its worth: there had indeed been people who saw their past lives within it.

But now, the daoist was stunned. Because when he looked at the Moon’s Reflection in Water, all he saw was a field of white mist, like lakewater rippling endlessly.

Aside from that, he could not see anything.

This had never happened before. No matter who came to this place, once they stood before the Moon’s Reflection in Water, some scene would always appear, if not from a past life, then at least from early childhood.

Just like the scene the daoist had borrowed the mirror to view earlier.

But at this moment, there was nothing at all.

And yet, he noticed that Chen Chao was not stunned like him. On the contrary, he continued to stand before the Moon’s Reflection in Water, eyes fixed steadily upon it.

He was completely focused, as if he were seeing many things.

The daoist sighed softly. This young martial artist was already far too strange. That he could now see what the daoist could not, it no longer surprised the daoist.

He shook his head and turned away from the Moon’s Reflection in Water. Walking to the window, he reached out and pushed it open, letting the white clouds drift in.

He grabbed a wisp of cloud qi and tugged lightly. Within his hand, that wisp turned into a string of snow-white candied hawthorns.

Then the daoist waved his hand and scattered the candied hawthorns, feeling it all a bit boring.

To live too long, to see too much, in the end, even the interesting would become boring.

He did not know how much time had passed, but suddenly he noticed: the young man standing over there was now in tears.

He did not know what that young man had seen, only that, at this moment, he must be very sad.

The daoist sighed once more, but his mood remained rippleless like an ancient well. At his level, there was little left in this world that could stir his heart.

He was like a bystander, watching this world, and also watching the version of himself who had been born into it.

They were all outsiders.

He did not know how much time passed, but eventually the Moon’s Reflection in Water rippled again. The white mist dispersed and everything returned to normal.

Chen Chao came back to himself and wiped the tears from his face.

The daoist glanced at him but did not ask what he had seen. Since the Moon’s Reflection in Water had refused to let him be the observer, then it was Heaven’s will, why should he force it?

When the young man had composed himself, the daoist looked at him with a smile and said, “Anything you’d like to ask? You’re the first person in this sixty-year cycle to reach this place. According to the rules of the mountain, you may ask three questions. But since you’re not someone who’s from the mountain, you may only ask two questions.”

Chen Chao looked at the daoist, remained silent for a moment, and asked, “Senior, if I may ask, does the Three Thousand Storeys truly have three thousand levels?”

The daoist looked at him and nodded. “That’s right.”

“Then what is there on the three-thousandth level?”

Ever since reaching this place, Chen Chao had felt something above was attracting him.

That feeling was familiar, but he could not quite say what it was. The only way to find out was to climb higher.

The daoist looked at him and said, “Someone, perhaps it’s a skeleton, perhaps still alive. As for anything else, I don’t know.”

Chen Chao had just opened his mouth to ask again when the daoist shook his head and said, “That’s already two questions.”

Chen Chao could only keep quiet.

After a moment of thought, the daoist smiled and said, “It’s been years since I’ve seen someone reach this place. I’ll make an exception this once.”

Chen Chao gave a respectful bow and smiled. “Many thanks, Senior.”

The daoist nodded and said, “There was once a senior who ascended to the very top of the Three Thousand Storeys. That was about three hundred years ago. Afterward, he remained on the top floor in seclusion, and there’s been no word since. Naturally, no one knows if he’s still alive.”

“That’s why I said, it could be a person, or it could be a skeleton.”

The daoist sighed with emotion. “Three hundred years... Three hundred years ago, Great Liang didn’t even exist, right?”

Chen Chao nodded. Great Liang had only been founded a little over two hundred years ago. Three hundred years ago, it had still been the previous dynasty, Great Qi.

“A Nepenthe cultivator living to three hundred is already nearing their limit. Even cultivators at the end of Nepenthe can only extend their lifespan by a few more years. That senior was already two hundred when he reached the top, so whether he’s still alive now... it’s hard to say.”

The daoist murmured, “The higher one climbs, the colder it gets. Who knows, maybe in these three hundred years, that senior never managed to meet a single kindred spirit.”

Many cultivators had tried to ascend the Three Thousand Storeys, but in these past three hundred years, none had reached the highest level.

Chen Chao fell into silence.

The daoist looked at Chen Chao and asked, “You want to go to the top?”

Chen Chao said, “I want to take a look.”

The daoist said straightforwardly, “Then allow me to ask you a favor.”

Chen Chao nodded. “Please speak, Daoist.”

“Back then, that senior took a copy of the Jade Court Scripture up with him. It’s one of the secret classics of our Myriad Heaven Palace, calling it the most profound daoist technique wouldn’t be an exaggeration. There’s only ever been the single copy. If you can make it to the top and bring it down, the Myriad Heaven Palace will owe you a favor.”

The daoist sighed. If the Jade Court Scripture had not been taken to the top, perhaps over the years Myriad Heaven Palace would have produced many more Nepenthe cultivators, and it would not have declined so steadily.

Chen Chao asked, “It’s been three hundred years. Didn’t Myriad Heaven Palace try anything?”

The daoist smiled. “Of course we did. But no matter how we thought it through, the only way is still to reach the top. Even I can only reach the 2900th floor, any farther is beyond me.”

Chen Chao gave a bitter smile. “If even someone of your cultivation cannot reach the top floor, then I’m afraid that this junior...”

He had long since seen that the daoist before him possessed a profound cultivation, a figure who had long stepped into the end of Nepenthe.

“Climbing the tower is both related to one’s realm and unrelated to it. Since you’re going to try anyway, it doesn’t matter.”

The daoist glanced at Chen Chao and smiled. “If that senior is still alive, please also bring back the Jade Court Scripture. I imagine after so many years of comprehension, he no longer needs the original. A daoist scripture like that shouldn’t be kept at the top, it should be placed on the first floor, for all disciples to read.”

“Sealed away on a high shelf, who’s it meant for?”

The daoist smiled at Chen Chao, as if asking him, but perhaps even more so asking the whole world.

Chen Chao praised, “Daoist, your way is truly in accordance with the Dao.”

Following the Dao comes naturally, returning to simplicity.

The daoist brushed it off with a smile.

Chen Chao was silent for a moment, then asked, “Daoist, are you the Junior Martial Uncle of Zhu Xia?”

“Zhu Xia?”

The daoist was taken aback for a moment, then said, “Ah, the little girl taken in by Senior Brother as his last disciple, right?”

He too had not descended the tower for many years, so he was not too clear on many things.

Chen Chao nodded his head.

The daoist smiled and said, “Senior Brother’s daoist attainments reach the heavens. It’s wonderful that he has such a successor. It’s a pity I’ve never met the little girl, otherwise, there are some words I would have liked to say to her.”

Chen Chao looked at the daoist and softly said, “This junior can pass them on in your stead.”

The daoist smiled and said, “Daoist insights, can you even understand them?”

Chen Chao remained silent.

He was just a martial artist.

The daoist said, “If you can reach the top floor and then come back down, I will explain the Jade Court Scripture to you.”

The Jade Court Scripture was the highest daoist classic of the Myriad Heaven Palace. Even those who were not daoist cultivators would likely gain many insights just from hearing of it.

There was an old saying in the world: though the Three Thousand Great Daos differ in form, they ultimately lead to the same destination.

Chen Chao asked, “Daoist, can you make that decision?”

The daoist smiled. “Even the current Palace Lord of the Myriad Heaven Palace has to call this penniless daoist Martial Uncle when he sees me. What right does he have to control this penniless daoist?”

Chen Chao said no more. After giving a bow, he turned and resumed climbing the tower.

The daoist stood behind him, watching the young man go, finding him quite interesting.

Though he did not know this young martial artist’s identity, just by looking at the official boots on his feet, he had already guessed most of it. But even if he were a military official of Great Liang Dynasty, so what?

......

......

At the source of a small creek in Mount Xi, there stood a quiet thatched hut.

Li Yu walked to the cold pool at the head of the stream. He stood there, looking at a snow-white fish swimming in the water, and remarked with a laugh, “Senior Brother, this snow fish of yours has grown so big. Honestly, it could make a fine pot of fish soup.”

The door of the hut was pushed open, and a daoist walked out, laughing and cursing, “Li Yu, if you dare lay a finger on that fish again, I’ll turn you into soup first.”

That was the Myriad Heaven Palace’s Palace Lord.

Li Yu looked at the Palace Lord of Myriad Heaven Palace, gave a respectful bow, and said solemnly, “Greetings, Palace Lord.”

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord shook his head. “Still bothering with all this ceremony?”

Li Yu smiled without saying a word.

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord asked, “He’s been on the mountain these past few days and still hasn’t come looking for you?”

Li Yu shook his head. “Seems like he’s dead set on waiting for Senior Brother to exit seclusion.”

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord sighed. “I never thought such a trick would fool him. I already know why he’s come, but I haven’t made up my mind yet.” ”People speak of Deercry Monastery as being detached from worldly affairs, aren’t our Myriad Heaven Palace the same? Now that he’s come up the mountain, he’s forcing me to make a decision.”

Li Yu smiled and said, “I’ve met him. Setting everything else aside, just speaking of first impressions, he’s pretty good. Nothing like the unsavory things the world says about him. There’s something about him that’s rarely seen.”

“With such high praise, why don’t you marry your daughter to him!”

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord rolled his eyes, clearly feeling rather helpless about this unreliable junior brother of his.

Li Yu always gave off the air of an immortal sage in front of outsiders, but only before this Senior Brother did he show this side of himself.

“Senior Brother, I don’t even have a dao companion, where would I get a daughter?”

Li Yu looked a bit aggrieved at his senior brother, but then asked softly, “Senior Brother, are you being so lenient with him just for him to go down the mountain himself after he obtained benefits?”

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord shook his head. “Martial Uncle once received great kindness from the dean of the academy. He’s never been able to repay it. I’ve always been looking for a chance. But the cultivators of the academy never come to Mount Xi, what can I do?”

“This guy may not be an academy cultivator, but he’s so close to the Dean’s final personal disciple. Treating him as half an academy disciple, there’s no real issue, is there?”

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord added softly, “Not to mention, he also saved Zhu Xia.”

Li Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Senior Brother, your accounting... is truly something.”

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord gave him a glance.

Li Yu raised his thumb in all seriousness.