Seeking the Tao in the Mortal World - Chapter 20: Li Qinglin

A broken prince, a shadowy scheme, all that amidst a bloody fight for a throne wrongly succeeded. Join a group of youngsters as they take their first steps into the martial world, towards the grandest adventure of their lives. It all begins in a certain inn, set against verdant mountains and facing a scenic lake.

“Bring us your finest wine and best meat!” Yelled a hulking man who seemed to be the leader of the dozen strong group.

“How much?” The waiter anxiously nodded his head.

“As much as you have!” The hulking man yelled back.

“That’s…”

“HUH?” The hulking man shot the waiter a furious glare.

“Dear guests, our inn operates on the principle of ‘pay first, dishes later’. As such, it will be better if you tell us exactly how much meat and wine you need.” Xiao Se returned their furious stares with a thin smile.

“Who are you supposed to be?” The hulking man eyed him with bulging eyes.

“This humble one is known as Xiao Se, the owner of this inn, the Fallen Snow Villa.” Xiao Se replied with the same smile and with a level of courtesy worth a solid 12/10.

“Well, we have no money.” The hulking man stabbed his blade into one of the nearby tables.

“Oh?”

“But I’m sure you have some!” The man pointed his finger at Xiao Se.

At that, Xiao Se furiously shook his head. “I’m sorry to break it to you but our little inn hasn’t made a single sale in almost a month. I’m about to owe them salaries myself…”

“Like hell if I care!” The hulking man smashed his palm down on the table. “Even if you have no money, that fur coat of yours should at least be worth a hundred odd silvers.”

“NONSENSE!” Yelled Xiao Se, eyes wide open and gaze as sharp as daggers.

The hulking man was stunned, his body even shivering involuntarily for that split second.

“I, Xiao Se, ride only the finest horse and wear only the richest threads! This fur coat of mine was specially sewn by some of the finest seamstresses in the imperial capital in the August Threads. Just sewing it took three whole months, shipping it, another one. Hmph, a hundred silvers? That’s not even enough to buy the sleeves of my coat!”

[WSA 2025 Entry]Ivan Mendoza, a world-renowned robotics engineer, met his end at the hands of those who feared his genius. But death was not the end. Awakening in the body of Kael Valtieri, heir to a destitute border territory in the magical kingdom of Ardania, Ivan finds a second chance in an unfamiliar world driven by arcane forces.In this realm, magic reigns supreme, yet it is woefully inefficient and bound by antiquated traditions. Armed with the knowledge of advanced robotics and engineering from his past life, Kael sets out to merge science with sorcery, aiming to revolutionize the very fabric of magic. His quest? To uplift his impoverished territory and safeguard it against the lurking dangers beyond the border.But Kael’s journey takes a thrilling turn when he stumbles upon the remnants of an ancient, forgotten civilization. Hidden within their ruins lies golem technology—astonishing constructs far superior to anything Earth’s science could fathom. Driven by curiosity and ambition, Kael deciphers their secrets, melding ancient ingenuity with his modern intellect to forge unprecedented defenses.As Kael uncovers the dark history of this world, he learns of rifts that once unleashed monstrous beings from other dimensions, nearly annihilating humanity. Though a powerful artifact sealed these rifts, its strength is waning, and an impending cataclysm looms.Now, with time running out and the continent teetering on the brink of another monstrous invasion, Kael must wield his hybrid mastery of science and magic to confront the rising tide of darkness. Can one man, armed with the knowledge of two worlds, avert a catastrophe and carve out a new destiny?Prepare for an epic tale of innovation, mystery, and survival in a world where the past and future collide.

In this world, there exist Confucians, Daoists, Buddhists, Demons, and Arcanists.Xu Qi’an, a police academy graduate, suddenly finds himself waking up in a prison, set to be exiled to the frontier three days later…His initial goal was to protect himself in this world with no human rights and to be able to live a leisurely life as a rich man.…Many years later, Xu Qi’an looks back on the past, with long-dead enemies and friends, as well as the numerous bones he has left behind.As the Yangtze River flows eastward, the waves wash away the heroes; right and wrong, success or failure will all turn into nothing but history.However, just like the sun’s rays gleaming over the towering mountains, after each sunset, a new sun will rise.

What do you mean by you only accept female disciples?Zhang Yuan glanced at the Emperor of a powerful Dynasty kneeling in front of him and his son, the prince is also kneeling beside him.“Master Yuan, please accept my son as your disciple. I am sure that under your care, my son will reach the pinnacle of the Heavens.”Pinnacle of the Heavens? Zhang Yuan turned his gaze to the so called Prince. Talentless, weak physique and sh!t cultivation technique.Tch, worthless.Zhang Yuan then turned his eyes to another Dynasty Emperor “Master Yuan, please accept my daughter as your disciple.”Seeing the gorgeous woman kneeling in front of him, Zhao Tian smiled faintly.Talentless? I will make you the most talented mortal entity this world has ever seen.Weak physique? I will give you a physique that will break even the limitations of the heavens and earth.Sh!t cultivation technique? Don't worry, choose the best divine technique you want.Sorry but I only accept female disciples!