After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 165: Chapter 166: Chaos upon Chaos

Hee Chunhua and the others were all moved. "For real?"

"You bet." Hee Lingchuan flexed his hand, looking smug. "What can I say? I’m just exceptionally gifted."

No one could really argue with that. The Emperor’s Liquid had fallen from the sky last night, and everyone had received a share. But aside from a few exceptionally lucky individuals, the amount of essence most living beings obtained was pitifully small—hardly a drop.

Even the luckiest among them had only gained a few dozen days’ worth of Cultivation, yet Hee Lingchuan had used that minuscule amount of Emperor’s Liquid to successfully establish his foundation in one fell swoop. If that wasn’t exceptional talent, what was?

Hee Chunhua stroked his chin and smiled. "You’re young, so your body has fewer impurities and is easier to cleanse. At my and Vice General Wu’s age, even with three or four times the amount of Emperor’s Liquid, we still wouldn’t be able to undergo Bone Marrow Cleansing."

Wu Shaoyi let out a long sigh. "Alas, such is the nature of opportunity!"

The last time the Emperor’s Liquid had appeared was sixty years ago. He was already luckier than most people to have encountered it at all, but being over fifty, how could he compare to the Hee Brothers, who were in the prime of their lives?

To be young was to have more opportunities.

To be young was everything.

Hee Yue’s envy was written all over his face. "Brother, how much did your Cultivation increase?"

"At least three to five years’ worth, I’d say?" Hee Lingchuan turned to press Hee Chunhua. "Dad, what about that Cultivation Technique you promised me?"

His foundation was becoming more and more solid, but without a suitable Cultivation Technique, he was just wasting time. Now that he had found a glimmer of hope from Panlong City, he wanted to test his father’s intentions.

Hee Chunhua chuckled. "None of them are suitable for you. We’ll collect some when we get to Xiazhou! Who could have predicted your sudden and rapid progress?"

Hee Yue offered a suggestion. "I’ve heard that the Cloud-Piercing Pavilion in Xiazhou is quite famous. They encourage their disciples to cultivate both Magic and Martial Arts, and they’ve produced many brilliant talents over the years. Big Brother, why don’t you give it a try there?"

Hee Lingchuan’s interest was piqued. "You’re saying I should join a Daoist Sect?"

"Why not?" Hee Yue’s eyes were shining. "Grand General Wu Di, the man who crushed Woling Pass, is a disciple of the Jianyang Sect and studied under the Qianyun Ascendant. All the royal courts have people from Daoist Sects among their ranks, and quite a few at that."

The teachings of the Daoist Sects are broadly divided into two paths: Magic and Martial. In chaotic times, martial ability is prized, and many famous generals have entered the Dao through martial training, dedicating themselves to the Martial Dao. As for Mages, it goes without saying that they are important; even the children of aristocrats dabble in it, at the very least cultivating some Divine Techniques to prolong their lives.

In this world, if one properly used Divine Techniques to nourish the body, living to be a hundred and thirty or forty was no problem at all.

Of course, the poor were not afforded such opportunities.

The Hee family’s retainer, Mozhe Jingxuan, clapped his hands in agreement. "The Second Young Master is right! A Daoist Sect like the Cloud-Piercing Pavilion has been entrenched in Xiazhou for a long time and has deep roots. If the Eldest Young Master were to join their sect, it would be a great asset to you, my lord!"

Hee Lingchuan thought to himself, ’This guy lives off my family’s generosity. Of course he’d look at everything from my old man’s perspective.’

Hee Chunhua was about to assume his new post in Xiazhou, where he had no foundation whatsoever. All his connections would have to be built from the ground up. If he could secure the support of a powerful local Daoist Sect, he would undoubtedly be able to establish a foothold much faster.

"Furthermore, in the future, the talent Your Lordship needs under your command might also have to be recruited from Daoist Sects like the Cloud-Piercing Pavilion."

Hee Chunhua listened with downcast eyes, his expression noncommittal.

Hee Yue and the others couldn’t read their father’s attitude, but Hee Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so I can help Dad out just by joining a Daoist Sect! By that logic, should I also carefully screen my future wife? As long as she has power and influence, it’s fine even if she weighs three hundred pounds, right?"

Mozhe Jingxuan’s expression faltered. "Eldest Young Master, such a sacrifice is hardly necessary."

Hee Lingchuan pursed his lips, and Hee Yue smiled.

Then, Mozhe Jingxuan continued, "Xiazhou is a land of beautiful landscapes. Among the local wealthy and influential families, there are plenty of young ladies who are raised to be as lovely as flowers, gentle and refined!"

"No three-hundred-pounders?"

Hee Yue couldn’t help but cut in. "Sir, you may not be aware, but my big brother isn’t fond of the slender and delicate type."

Hee Lingchuan shot him a sidelong glance. "Is that so? I’m not fond of them?"

’Heh, since when?’

He’d been in this world for so long, and forget about dallying with courtesans, he’d barely even held a girl’s hand!

’What a failed transmigration this is.’

"N-no, I suppose not," Mozhe Jingxuan said, realizing he had displeased the young master. He could only offer an apology. "Eldest Young Master, it was a slip of the tongue. Please don’t take offense!"

While they were bantering, Hee Chunhua remained silent. Only when everyone had finished speaking did he slowly open his mouth. "Even if Chuan’Er is to join a Daoist Sect, we must be extremely cautious. The Cloud-Piercing Pavilion has no more than two thousand members, and its reputation doesn’t even reach South Yuan. If his future is as limitless as it seems, joining only the Cloud-Piercing Pavilion would be a waste of his talent."

"Now that’s some big-picture thinking, Dad!" Hee Lingchuan’s eyes lit up. "The Capital City is where the real titans clash!"

"That’s right. Our Hee Family will return to the Capital City sooner or later; we won’t be confined to Xiazhou." Xiazhou was by no means their final destination. Hee Chunhua gazed at the distant mountains. "This is a matter where haste makes waste. We must choose with great care."

Wu Shaoyi chimed in, "The Martial Dao is vastly different from Magic. Heart Methods, stances, and Martial Arts are merely the basics; what’s most important is real combat. Magic and Divine Techniques can be cultivated in peaceful seclusion, but the Martial Dao must be forged amidst armies and proven through slaughter! Eldest Young Master, look at me and Lui Yao—neither of us came from a formal martial background, yet we’ve killed seven of the Yuan Kingdom’s Military Generals. Believe it or not, our fundamentals aren’t nearly as solid as theirs were."

No one else knew how to respond to that. After all, the man was talking about killing generals from his own kingdom.

"As they say, the Great Dao is Simple. All that matters is that you can win and you can kill," Wu Shaoyi chuckled. "We have Primordial Power protecting us, which is the bane of ordinary Magic and Divine Techniques. If an opponent’s Primordial Power isn’t strong, a Mage is a total pushover in front of us. Who needs all those fancy tricks?"

Hee Chunhua agreed. "Whether it’s military manuals or essays on governance, it’s always the same few texts being passed around. If simply reading and memorizing them were effective, how would people be distinguished by skill? The key lies in one’s own comprehension. Chuan’Er, don’t be hasty. We will figure something out."

At this, no one had any further objections, and Hee Lingchuan smiled to himself.

Next, Hee Chunhua instructed Zeng Feixiong and the others, "Any Emperor’s Liquid still left in the Mortal World will lose its efficacy by morning, which should make boat travel on the Hongchuan River less troublesome. We’ll set out at dawn and catch a boat at Fengling Ferry." He finished with a long sigh. "The Emperor’s Liquid appears only once every few decades. It really couldn’t have come at a worse time."

"What do you mean?" Hee Lingchuan didn’t get it. "The Emperor’s Liquid is a Celestial and Earthly Treasure. Its appearance is never a bad thing."

He pointed at Wu Shaoyi. "Look, even Old Wu gets to live a few more years."

When he had walked over just now, he’d noticed that Wu Shaoyi’s complexion was ruddy, and the ghastly green tint between his brows had faded considerably. The man had used a Secret Art to recover from a grievous wound, but he hadn’t escaped his fated death, merely postponed it for another three to five years.

But now the Emperor’s Liquid had arrived, and even a small amount was like a draught of fresh water poured into his withered Origin.

Wu Shaoyi nodded. "Yes, the heavens have been merciful. I might just get to live for another two years."

He used to fight and kill without a second thought. But once the time he had left in this life began to count down, he found that every breath he drew into his lungs was wonderfully sweet.

"Among all creatures, only humans abide by laws and maintain order, and even then, many people died in Frost Union Town last night," Hee Chunhua said. "With the sudden appearance of the Emperor’s Liquid, Flying Birds, beasts, insects, and fish are all scrambling to consume it. I fear that before long, Da Yuan will be plagued by demons. Incidents like the Immortal Spirit Lake’s Water Spirit being killed and a New Demon taking its place will start happening one after another."

Just then, the cook came over with a platter. "My lord, the kitchen is low on ingredients. I only managed to make a few flatbreads."

In addition to a stack of griddled flatbreads, there was a small dish of bean paste.

Hee Lingchuan didn’t stand on ceremony. He grabbed a palm-sized flatbread, tore it, dipped it in the paste, and stuffed it into his mouth.

The cook was staring at him intently. "What are you looking at?" Hee Lingchuan said irritably. "You get a kick out of watching people eat?"

The cook gave a silly chuckle and ran off.

He had claimed they were low on ingredients, but he had clearly kneaded the dough repeatedly and had been generous with the oil. The resulting flatbreads were fragrant and crispy, with four or five distinct layers, and even contained a filling of minced meat and diced pickled greens.

Hee Lingchuan took a couple of bites. It was delicious, but he felt like something was missing.

He stood up and went to rummage around in the kitchen.

The moment he turned, the smile vanished from his face.

’Ever since he’d woken up, he’d been determined to learn a Heart Method from Panlong City. Bringing it up just now was just another test, and sure enough, his father had put him off again.’

’This wasn’t the first time. Why didn’t Hee Chunhua want his son to truly master the Martial Dao?’

Meanwhile, Hee Chunhua continued speaking. "The effects of the Emperor’s Liquid on beasts and Demons are immediate, far faster than on humans. Ignorant beasts will awaken to intelligence, and Demons with existing Daoist Practice will see their Cultivation surge. There’s no telling how much trouble this will cause the locals."

Wu Shaoyi considered this. "When birds and beasts first transform into Demons, they are wild and arrogant. They don’t understand the laws of the Human Kingdom and sometimes prey on people. When I was young, I lived on the Yunpo Continent. It wasn’t what you’d call peaceful, but the local Marsh Warden was diligent in keeping the Demons restrained, and Demons and humans coexisted peacefully for decades. But one day, several villagers on the continent were killed, their remains gnawed to the bone. The county sent investigators, who determined it was the work of a predator with fine teeth. So, the county organized a wolf-hunting party and wiped out dozens of wolves in the mountains. But not long after, more people were killed."

Hee Lingchuan, having composed himself, walked back over, a large, vibrant green scallion in his hand.

’Flatbread with a big scallion. Now that’s the stuff.’

He took a bite, KACHA KACHA, and asked nonchalantly, "So the wolves were innocent?"

"It happened four times in total. At first, the culprit only appeared at night, attacking in remote areas. After eating more people, it grew bolder and actually attacked a village in broad daylight. It was only when a survivor came back that people learned the man-eater wasn’t a wild beast, but a giant salamander from the continent’s marsh that had just attained a Demon Body! No wonder the Marsh Warden was of no use; it turned out to be a monster that lived in the water."

"The Emperor’s Liquid is a good thing, of course, but if you look at the historical records, there is always turmoil within half a year of its appearance—if not a man-made disaster, then a demonic one. This is what is meant by ’blessings and curses are intertwined,’" Mozhe Jingxuan said with a sigh. "If Da Yuan were still at its peak, its national destiny alone would be enough to suppress these forces and keep them from running rampant. But now..."

He didn’t have to finish his sentence. Everyone understood.

Hee Yue also whispered, "When a nation is in decline, monsters are sure to arise."

Among those present, only Hee Lingchuan was still eating and drinking with a carefree air. "Enough with the sighs. What does any of that have to do with us? The sun will rise in the east tomorrow, and if the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up."

This carefree attitude was pure Hee Lingchuan, and no one batted an eye—except for Hee Chunhua, who shot him a look. "I’m afraid this time, we’re the tall ones."