Volume One: The Dragon Rises from the Wild Chapter 84: The Vanishing World of Wanderers

“To cultivate the Dao—is it merely about secluding oneself and training behind closed doors?”

“Walking, sitting, lying down—all these are forms of cultivation. The scriptures say, ‘Refine the mind in movement, refine the life-force in stillness.’ Daily meditation is the tempering of one’s nature. Only when the spirit does not wander outward, the heart is unmoved by external things, appearances do not intrude, and inner thoughts do not project out, can one truly reach attainment. Refining the life-force involves nurturing true essence within, through methods such as preserving the spirit, maintaining unity, inner observation, and embryonic breathing. Though the paths differ, they all lead to the same truth.”

“And what does cultivation achieve? Isn’t it still just fighting and struggling, vying for gain? In my eyes, the Daoist and Immortal sects are no different from the world of wandering heroes and rogues!”

“Hmm, your understanding is superficial, and this is precisely the shackle that binds many low-level cultivators. As you said, even a kitchen knife can kill. Know that the path of cultivation, when used for oneself, can transcend life and death, freeing one from the cycle of reincarnation, allowing one to roam the vast world and savor the wonders of heaven and earth. Applied to others, it can uphold virtue and righteousness, bring benefit to the world, save lives, and ensure peace and prosperity in one’s land. But cultivation and attainment are not everlasting. Every time you use talismans or arts, or even unleash sword energy, you consume your essence. So you must train diligently, never daring to slack off for even a day. As for the world of heroes you mentioned, I do not fully understand it, but perhaps, wherever there are people, there is such a world…”

“Brother Yu, the food and wine are ready!”

As the call rang out from outside, Yu Ye slowly opened his eyes from meditation.

He found himself in a spacious, bright room, with all amenities at hand—even the bedding on the couch was brand new.

This was the residence Tianbao had arranged for him.

A few nights earlier, after the three of them left Chenling Mountain, they turned north, left the main road, and plunged into the mountains and forests. By dusk the next day, they arrived at a secluded manor in a valley three hundred miles away—the Tian family estate.

Yu Ye settled in the back courtyard, both as a result of Tianbao and his brother’s warm invitation and, naturally, to lie low for a while.

During those days hiding out, when not cultivating, Yu Ye would mull over all that had happened at Chenling Mountain, speculate on the movements of the Qizhou cultivators, or discuss his doubts and experiences in cultivation with Jiao Ying. As Jiao Ying said, this was called “discussing the classics and the way”—quite a common practice among immortals, where companions exchange and verify their understandings, greatly aiding their progress.

“Brother Yu…”

Again came the call from outside.

“Coming!” Yu Ye replied, swinging his legs off the couch. With a flick of his hand, he tossed a handful of spirit stone fragments out the window.

He had killed a Qizhou cultivator on Chenling Mountain and obtained five spirit stones.

So far, it seemed killing was still his only way to obtain spirit stones.

Opening the door, he found Ren Liang waiting outside.

“Big Brother Ren…”

“Second Brother, just call me Second Brother!” Ren Liang, though tall and sturdy like Tianbao, was less brash.

Yu Ye smiled slightly.

Ren Liang gestured, leading the way as he spoke, “How have you found your stay these past days?”

“It’s been good.”

“Haha! If there’s anything amiss, just say so. We’re all brothers here—no need to stand on ceremony!”

Outside was a small courtyard in the back of the manor, separated from the front so the two didn’t interfere with each other. Beyond the courtyard gate was a dry pond, with a wooden footbridge leading to a grassy pavilion in the center. Past the pond lay a valley several miles across, surrounded by rivers, crisscrossed fields, and dense forests. Beyond the valley to the south, mountains rose in great waves, peaks towering.

“Who would have thought Big Brother Tianbao’s family would be so prosperous—truly a grand estate!”

“In times like these, you can’t roam the world without silver!”

“Oh?”

“To help others, you need money. To befriend fellow cultivators, you need money. To settle grievances, you need money. Forging swords, buying mounts—it all takes money! They say ‘reason takes you through the world,’ but without money, the road is hard to travel!”

“True enough, but not everyone in the world of heroes is wealthy.”

“Of course there are poor folk in our circles—they risk their lives just to survive, bowing for a bowl of rice. Once their heroic spirit wanes, they’re no longer heroes. How, then, can they talk of roaming free and championing justice?”

“I stand corrected.”

Ren Liang’s words were simple and direct but not without truth. Yu Ye, having once become an outlaw out of desperation, could never forget the humiliation and hardship of those days.

“Brother Yu, are you mocking me?”

“I’m a poor man myself!”

“Ah, but you can’t compare the two. You may be poor, but your sword is sharp enough. With just a sword, you could win wealth and fame. Of course, you’re a man outside the world…”

“What kind of expert am I, hiding here like a rat?”

“Haha…”

As they talked, the two entered the grassy pavilion.

It was midday, but the sky was shrouded in gray.

Tianbao was already there, rising to greet them, “Third Brother, please sit—”

Brother Yu had become Third Brother?

The pavilion contained a stone table and stools, with wine and meat set out.

Yu Ye sat down gladly.

“Third Brother, have you been well these days?”

“Thanks to your care!”

“No need for such formalities. Why not stay here? If you have family, bring them too. In days to come, the three of us could spend every day together—wouldn’t that be grand?”

“Big Brother speaks my mind, but I fear we cannot keep such an expert as Third Brother with us for long!”

“Haha, let’s drink—”

Since the events at Chenling Mountain, Tianbao and Ren Liang had learned Yu Ye’s identity, but never asked about it. To them, he was a savior and a brother who would risk his life for them. This was the depth of their character and a reason why Yu Ye befriended them. The only downside was that both were fond of drink, so as a guest, he had to join in.

The three drank heartily.

The pavilion sat on the pond, surrounded by forests and mountains—a fine place to drink in the wind and savor a moment’s freedom.

After a while, they turned to serious matters.

“As you instructed, Third Brother, I went out these past days to gather news. It seems that only a few dozen escaped from that night—everyone else perished in the earthfire. Even the many disciples recruited by North Qi Mountain were not spared. The earthfire at Chenling Mountain still rages, laying waste to hundreds of miles. Just look up—the sky is dark as night…”

Yu Ye set his wine down and stepped out to look up.

The gray sky was not due to clouds, but to the ash spewed by the earthfire of Chenling Mountain. Such power of heaven and earth both awed and terrified him.

“The recruitment of disciples ended in disaster, but the founding of the Immortal Sect at North Qi Mountain is now a fact. Three months from now, on the eighth, the sect will hold its founding ceremony. By then, all cultivators and heroes across the Great Marsh are required to attend, or else they’ll be considered enemies of the sect and severely punished. Bah—”

Tianbao spat in disgust, cursing, “What twisted logic is that? Is it ‘submit and prosper, resist and perish?’ Even the worst bandits aren’t so lawless. To hell with their ceremony—I’ll just retire from the world of heroes!”

Ren Liang took a sip and sighed, “This is no longer the world we once knew—better to leave it behind.”

The world of heroes was chaotic, filled with grudges, scheming, violence, but also with codes of justice, sentiment, and chivalry. It was a place to be oneself, bold and unrestrained. But once manipulated by others and riddled with plots, it lost its true nature—it was no longer a world of heroes.

“Third Brother, what will you do?”

“I am not of that world.”

“But even if he’s an expert, he’s still part of it. Will he attend the founding at North Qi Mountain, or withdraw from the world altogether?”

“Third Brother…”

The two brothers looked to their “Third Brother,” at the young man standing with hands behind his back on the bridge.

Yu Ye gazed at the gray sky, silent for a long time.

This world of heroes had nothing to do with him. Even as he walked within it, he was only a passerby. Yet the current chaos began with the Qizhou cultivators—or perhaps, with the cave in Spirit Jiao Valley, with the Jiao Pill within him. He could hardly remain uninvolved.

Submit and prosper, resist and perish?

The ambitions of that man from South Mountain were now clear. Under the pretense of founding an Immortal Sect, he sought to dominate the Great Marsh. From now on, all would obey him or be doomed.

His ambition was boundless—did he seek to rule the marsh, or was there some deeper scheme? He and Bu Yi had both mentioned a treasure of the Immortal Sect.

What kind of treasure could it be, to draw wave after wave of Qizhou cultivators to the marsh, to drive both him and Bu Yi to such madness and ruthlessness?

“Third Brother?”

“Oh…”

Yu Ye returned from his thoughts, turning with a faint smile. After a moment’s reflection, he said, “Surely you both know who I am?”

The Tianbao brothers replied in unison, “Yu Zhongjian, of course!”

“My real name is Yu Ye, from Yu Family Village.”

After solemnly giving his true name, Yu Ye waited quietly.

The brothers looked at each other and said—

“Never heard of you.”

“Yu Zhongjian does sound better!”

Yu Ye scratched his head, sat in the pavilion, and said helplessly, “The affairs of heroes mean nothing to me. The Qizhou cultivators are my enemies—they framed and ruined my name, sent men everywhere to hunt me. I killed several of them, but more keep coming. Now they’re founding their Immortal Sect…”

“Oh, you’re…”

“The Kid Who Brings Death!”

The brothers slapped the table in excitement, “Haha, you should have said so earlier! We may not know your real name, but the whole world knows the Kid Who Brings Death!”

Yu Ye waved a hand, smiling wryly, “Since you know, I won’t hide it. The founding of the Immortal Sect is no small matter—whether I’ll go to North Qi Mountain, I haven’t yet decided.”

The brothers grew serious.

“Third Brother, you don’t expect us to accompany you to North Qi Mountain, do you?”

“That’s as good as suicide!”

“Forget it—brothers live and die together. We’ll go with you to North Qi Mountain.”

“Big Brother is right—”

“No.”

Yu Ye shook his head. “You needn’t go with me.”

The brothers stood up, indignant—

“How can we let you take all the risk alone?”

“What about brotherhood?”

Yu Ye hurriedly raised his hand to calm them. “Don’t be hasty—I have something to ask of you. Please, let me explain…”