Chapter 66: Looking Up

Song Jixin stood atop the mountain peak, his vision unburdened. After so many years confined to Mud Bottle Lane, his gaze met only mud walls. The youth savored this sensation, standing tall, overlooking a thousand miles of mountains and rivers, all beneath his feet.

Song Changjing adjusted his opulent, yet aged, fox fur coat. The princely vassal was uncharacteristically loquacious today, pointing towards a towering mountain to the west. "That mountain is called Cloud-Piercing Peak. It may one day be designated by the Great Li as one of the Ten Great Mountains, alongside the Five Peaks. According to ancestral customs, a Mountain God of considerable merit will be enshrined, granted a gilded statue and offerings of incense, to legitimately safeguard the fortune of this region for the Great Li, lest it dissipate elsewhere and enrich neighboring kingdoms. Only the common folk atop Cloud-Piercing Peak can glimpse this Dragon Head Mountain where we stand. Protected by a grand formation, its visage is concealed from ordinary eyes. This is a rare opportunity. According to imperial archives, a few individuals throughout history have ascended Dragon Head Mountain and successfully escaped this realm."

Song Jixin inquired, "Did those individuals rise to prominence? Becoming figures of renown in Great Li or the Eastern Treasure Bottle Continent?"

Song Changjing chuckled. "Two fared quite well in Great Li, separated by a mere thirty years, one scholarly, one martial. Posterity hailed them as the Twin Jewels of Great Li. The scholar was posthumously honored with the title 'Wen Zheng' (Cultured and Upright), while the warrior secured a hereditary title of Upper Pillar of the Realm for his descendants. Although I hold a poor opinion of their progeny, I must grudgingly acknowledge their contributions to Great Li. Had they not joined forces to turn the tide, the Song clan of Great Li would not have weathered that crisis."

Song Jixin, feeling the mountain wind caress him, experienced a sensation akin to ascending to immortality. He asked, "What of the others?"

Song Changjing exhaled softly, feeling refreshed. He suppressed the surge of his qi sea, as if forcibly holding down a rising sun with one hand. Song Changjing was now certain that stepping out that door would immediately propel him into the Tenth Realm, revered as the ultimate pinnacle of martial arts!

Any qi refiner below the Upper Five Realms would stand little chance against a Tenth Realm martial grandmaster, facing almost certain annihilation.

Composing himself, Song Changjing presented the youth with an unpalatable truth: "They all died. I personally slew one of them. I was but a Seventh Realm martial artist then. He was a rather troublesome sword cultivator, at the peak of his life. I hunted him across seven or eight hundred miles, finally cornering him in a small town called White Fox Pass, on Great Li's southern border. After shattering his protective talismans and lifebound flying sword, I snapped his neck. There was no other choice. Unwilling to serve Great Li, that was his fate. The Song family has always treated qi refiners well, but only if they are willing to serve the Song family, even if only superficially."

During the latter half of that deadly pursuit, Song Changjing broke through to the Eighth Realm.

Song Jixin was uninterested in the princely uncle's legendary exploits, merely asking curiously, "Did another dynasty offer a higher price? Compelling them to betray Great Li?"

Song Changjing smiled. "Prior to that sword cultivator, mostly so. Great Li, being remote and with a fierce populace, has always been a nation of martial prowess. Martial arts prodigies are common, almost worthless. It is the refined, weak qi refiners who are as rare as phoenix feathers. Each one who emerges is treated as a Bodhisattva by the emperors of Great Li. The current emperor, my esteemed brother, is no exception. On one occasion, that sword cultivator entered the palace to pay respects, carrying his sword, his nose held high, looking quite deserving of a beating. He had recently acquired a handy protective treasure through luck, and was at the zenith of his influence. Upon seeing me, he didn't even offer a greeting."

Song Jixin asked, "And then?"

Song Changjing glanced at his nephew as if he were an idiot. "And then he died, didn't he?"

Song Jixin was bewildered. "Uncle, you killed a great cultivator, a pillar of the nation, simply because he didn't greet you?"

Song Changjing said blandly, "Some people, you simply cannot indulge."

Song Jixin's eyes were suspicious, seemingly unable to comprehend how such an unruly, inconsiderate member of the Great Li imperial family had survived to this day.

Song Changjing laughed. "You may not know this, but in the entire Eastern Treasure Bottle Continent, only one dynasty requires its qi refiners, regardless of background or backing, to serve in the borderlands for three years, fighting for the emperor. If their merits are insufficient, they remain on the frontier, enduring hardship, until they have earned enough to return home and enjoy themselves."

Song Jixin was even more puzzled. "Didn't you just say that Great Li reveres qi refiners the most? How can there be such a rule? Furthermore, isn't Great Li afraid of these people dying on the battlefield?"

Song Changjing laughed heartily. "That unwritten rule was established after I took control of the military."

Song Jixin realized. "That sword cultivator refused to go to the front lines, embarrassing you? Causing other qi refiners to follow suit, undermining Great Li's military morale and popular sentiment? So you could only choose the lesser of two evils?"

Song Changjing shook his head. "That sword cultivator joined the military in his youth and earned enough merits in a year. He had a good reputation in Great Li."

Song Jixin was exasperated. "Then why?! Did he compete with you for a woman's affections? Or violate the Song family's taboos? Or secretly collude with the enemy?"

Song Changjing's answer was simple. "Although cultivators and martial artists are on different paths, the former are indeed more... well, to use that embroidered tiger's words, they are more 'golden branches and jade leaves'. Even if a martial artist reaches the Tenth Realm, that is the end of the road, but qi refiners can still climb the Upper Five Realms. The difference is indeed significant. If we take the most outstanding individuals from both sides, Upper Five Realms qi refiners are like standing on this mountain peak, while martial artists like myself can only stand on the peak of Cloud-Piercing Peak. Of course, martial grandmasters at the apex are not without a chance against cultivators in the Eleventh or Twelfth Realms, but ultimately, in the eyes of ordinary people, martial artists are just crude, violent brutes, and are considered inferior to cultivators. So, during that meeting in the palace, although he didn't greet me, he deliberately squinted at me and smirked, very provocatively. I just wanted to teach him a lesson."

Song Jixin was dumbfounded."Teaching a man his place is one thing, but at least leave him a chance to live! Did you really have to snap his neck?"

Song Changjing, however, was unwilling to dwell on the topic of the deceased. "Are you curious about the middle-aged man who fought me to the death?"

Song Jixin instinctively swallowed hard, remaining silent.

Although the three carriages had departed ahead, the ensuing clash between the two figures was earth-shattering. On one occasion, Song Changjing plummeted from the sky, creating a massive crater just dozens of feet from the carriages. Then, Song Changjing returned the favor, the young man, having climbed onto the carriage roof, witnessed the burly man, with the vigor of a land-roaming dragon, being pulverized into the side of a small mountain by Song Changjing's fist. The resulting spray of dust was a sight to behold.

Beyond human.

That was the young man's sole impression at the time.

In truth, Song Changjing's fight with the suddenly appearing man was far from ethereal and divine. It was a brutal exchange of blows, a fight of trading injuries for injuries, lives for lives! A contest of who was more unreasonable.

Suddenly, Song Changjing ruffled the young man's hair, his voice surprisingly gentle. "My imperial brother has grand ambitions. While the Emperor of Great Sui only has his eyes on Great Li, he has already set his sights on Old Dragon City at the southernmost tip of the Eastern Treasure Bottle Continent. Aren't you curious how I, a legitimate prince of Great Li, and a powerful regional king wielding the military might of a kingdom, whose prestige in the army and among the people is unmatched, can still maintain brotherly harmony with your father?"

Song Jixin smiled slyly. "Uncle, you can tell me if you want."

Song Changjing withdrew his hand and said in a deep voice, "Because the only thing I desire is to witness the martial arts landscape beyond the realm of the pinnacle. Only by reaching that place will my life, Song Changjing's life, be worthwhile."

At that moment, a torrent seemed to surge within the young man's heart. He asked in a trembling voice, "If I devote myself wholeheartedly, can I reach the height you have achieved today?"

Song Changjing shook his head and chuckled, "You? If you practice martial arts, you'll be lucky to reach the Eighth Realm. No future in it. You're better off being a Qi cultivator. You'll definitely achieve greater heights."

Song Jixin was somewhat unconvinced. "Why can I only reach the Eighth Realm of martial arts?"

Song Changjing said with a playful smile, "Only?"

Song Jixin blushed slightly.

Song Changjing did not take the young man's ignorance of his own limitations to heart. He squinted into the distance and slowly said, "Qi cultivators rely on the heavens for their sustenance. Good fortune is crucial. Today, you stumble upon an opportunity, tomorrow you pick up a magical treasure, the day after tomorrow you happen to meet a reclusive immortal, and the day after that you might comprehend something while admiring the scenery. It's as if anything can increase your cultivation. But we martial artists are very different. There are no shortcuts. We can only rely on walking step by step. It's incredibly dull."

Song Jixin's mood was complex and somewhat disheartened.

Song Changjing ignored his nephew and turned towards the carriage. After catching sight of the young girl's back, he hesitated for a moment, walked over to her, and together they looked up at the great gate.

Song Changjing murmured to himself, "The Qi of a True Dragon, condensed into a pearl. Among the various types of flood dragons in the world, pearls are considered precious, like a cultivator's Natal Soul."

The maidservant, Zhigui, did not turn her head, but a hint of tension was revealed.

Song Changjing smiled. "The price Great Li paid for the four characters written on the corridor bridge plaque, 'Wind Arises, Water Rises,' is unimaginable to outsiders. Wind Arises, Water Rises, why must the water rise? Isn't it hoped that flood dragons can travel unhindered when traversing the river? I don't really care about these things. It's all the wish of your young master's ruthless father. Once you leave this Small Grotto-Heaven, I estimate that no one will dare to order you around except for the Embroidered Tiger in the capital."

Song Changjing turned his head and looked at the girl's profile. "Although your fate is intertwined with that of my nephew, Song Jixin, sharing both glory and disgrace, don't be too presumptuous. Don't give me a reason to take action. Well, for the sake of Great Li's empire and my nephew Song Jixin, I can make an exception and give you two chances to seek death, which coincides with the saying that things happen no more than three times."

The girl suddenly became enraged. She turned around, took two steps back, and glared fiercely at the terrifying regional king of Great Li. "I was never human to begin with, yet you want to use the rules of the world to constrain me. Who is being unreasonable? What do your human golden rules and regulations have to do with me?!"

Song Changjing laughed heartily. "Don't misunderstand. I will never be critical of you over trivial matters. On the contrary, I am your greatest shield."

Song Changjing stared intently at the girl, who possessed a pair of eerie eyes that shimmered with golden hues. He finally said, "After that fight, you and I are, in fact, allies on the same boat. Remember this, especially in the future, when you are qualified to make important decisions, remember this well."

Song Changjing turned and left.

Beside the carriage, a middle-aged coachman with the rugged aura of the battlefield, unable to restrain himself from looking at the gaudy snow-white fox fur coat worn by the regional king of Great Li, said with a smile, "Your Highness, when are you going to change to a new fox fur coat? It's been so many years. You might not be tired of wearing it, but we're tired of looking at it."

Song Changjing boarded the carriage, bent down, and lifted the curtain, dropping a blunt reply, "After conquering Great Sui."

The coachman laughed heartily, not showing the slightest bit of restraint in the face of this noble and powerful regional king of Great Li, who was second only to the Emperor.

In his twenty years of military service, Song Changjing, as a general and commander, could not possibly lead every battle himself. He spent more time strategizing in the command tent. However, whenever there was heavy fighting along the borders of Great Li, Song Changjing would always personally throw himself into the fray. The dignified regional king lived a life devoid of fine wines and beautiful women, almost to the point of being "without possessions."

After Song Changjing sat in the carriage, he crossed his legs and furrowed his brow. "That person wants me to not rush to the capital after leaving the Li Pearl Grotto-Heaven, but to 'wait at the foot of the mountain and look up'. Wait for what? Look at what?"

Song Jixin and the maidservant Zhigui also entered the carriage. The carriage was about to move through the great gate.

Song Jixin noticed Zhigui huddled in a corner, trembling. He asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

Zhigui said in a trembling voice, "I can feel it. On the other side of the gate, there are countless terrifying things."

Song Jixin smiled and comforted her, "With my uncle here, what are you afraid of? Don't worry, even if the sky falls, he can hold it up."

Unexpectedly, Zhigui became even more panicked, shrinking further into the corner. She cried out, "Even he can't hold it up!"A rare guest arrived at the largest tavern in town.

A schoolteacher with frost at his temples ordered a pot of wine and a few side dishes, drinking and eating contentedly.

It turned out the academy teacher wasn't giving lessons today.

The school children happily returned home one by one.

After finishing his last cup of wine and the last bite of food, he gently put down his chopsticks.

With a crisp snap.

The lesser world of a thousand miles of rivers and mountains fell into utter silence, everything still.

This entire world instantly shattered.

At that moment, every immortal on the mountains and mortal below throughout the entire Eastern Treasure Continent involuntarily looked up.

But the next moment, as if an immortal above immortals had used world-altering divine power to conceal the scene of the entire Li Zhu Grotto Heaven.

In the northern skies of the Eastern Treasure Continent, ten thousand miles of cloud seas churned and slowly descended.

A figure, entirely snow-white, with sleeves fluttering, seemed to be thousands or even tens of thousands of feet tall, sat upright, a shattered pearl the size of his palm floating before him.

The immensity of this figure made the Eastern Treasure Continent seem like a schoolroom in a private academy.

Above the boundless cloud seas, voices of majesty resounded like heavenly thunder.

"Qi Jingchun, you are reckless!"

"Utterly rebellious!"

"Turn back before it's too late!"

The scholar lowered his head, gazing at the pearl, slowly shifted his gaze, and finally looked up and said loudly, "The backlash of the Heavenly Dao accumulated by the small town over three thousand years, I, Qi Jingchun, will bear it all!"