Master of Kaidan-Chapter 500 Western Incident

Within the bustling streets of Chao Ge City, Feng Xue strolled leisurely, although the existence of the City God Temple had harmed the interests of many people, the fact that King Zhou, the issuer of the order, was addicted to the virtual world meant that these spineless fellows lacked the courage to truly stand against the Heavenly Court, which managed affairs even after death.

What? Someone with a backbone?

The last person with a backbone seemed to have charged headlong to his death.

However, as for these matters, Feng Xue had no intention of getting involved. The rise and fall of dynasties followed its own cycle; the world still adhered to the feudal system, which in itself was a rather twisted structure. Even if he were indeed capable of extending the national fortune of the Great Shang, without a complete reform of the system, this situation of strong vassals and a weak king would not change.

But even with the assistance of the Nine-tailed Fox, Feng Xue did not plan to start with King Zhou; not to mention whether this anime-obsessed King Zhou could be persuaded, the first issue was that top-down reforms were never thorough.

Only by turning all the vassals and the royal power upside down was there a possibility of achieving a great unification.

Of course, he would not immediately step into systems like a parliamentary or constitutional monarchy. As for going even further, that would be creating his own opposition. Wasn’t the divine right of kings to a great unification also quite good?

Playing with a treasure jade carved with the eight characters "Granted by Heaven, may you live long and prosper", Feng Xue’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he promptly locked onto an old man selling bamboo sieves; this was precisely his target since returning to Chao Ge from the East Sea.

Of course, this bamboo sieve was really just a bamboo sieve, nothing weird or peculiar. It’s just that the old man neither hawked his wares nor displayed any signs. When others asked him about it, he was indifferent, naturally doing little business.

Actually, Feng Xue had thought that Jiang Ziya had already descended from the mountain, but it was only because the death of the Taiyi Real Person triggered the Heavenly Court’s screening mechanism that he learned that this figure destined for Divine Enthronement had just come down from the mountain.

(The original timeline is a complete mess; according to the order of events in the book, first Nezha reincarnates from the lotus, then Jiang Ziya descends from the mountain.)

However, this also worked out well. As he watched the old man’s slightly swollen shoulders, a barely suppressed chuckle arose in his heart, yet he stepped forward and asked:

"Fellow Daoist, I see that you are not walking the mundane paths of cultivation. Why have you fallen so low as to sell bamboo sieves? Have you encountered some difficulty?"

Jiang Ziya originally did not want to pay attention to anyone, but upon hearing the phrase "Fellow Daoist," his face immediately flushed with embarrassment. However, when he looked up, he felt that although this person appeared young, there was an aura of a truly accomplished person about him. His heart couldn’t help but beat faster in shock. Although his own cultivation had not succeeded, being in Kunlun, he had seen more than a few Immortals, yet the only one who gave him such a feeling was that distinguished figure from Yuxu Palace.

But Yuanshi Tianzun was such a figure, and in the world, only a few Great Cultivators could be ranked alongside him. How could it be such a coincidence to encounter one?

Jiang Ziya felt a sense of marvel inside him, thinking that it must be due to his own low level of cultivation that he mistook the person before him, but reasoned that even if this person was not one of those Great Cultivators, he must be out of the ordinary, so he did not dare to neglect him and said:

"I have cultivated in search of immortality for forty years and have not achieved the Way, hence I have descended from the mountain."

As these words came out, Jiang Ziya felt a wave of embarrassment, yet unexpectedly the other party slightly frowned and spoke a sentence that took him completely by surprise—

"How can this be?"

"Junior speaks nothing but the truth, not daring to speak rashly," thought Jiang Ziya, "Could this eminent cultivator be making fun of me?" But inwardly, he felt that the other’s tone was sincere, not feigned, and promptly responded.

Hearing this, Feng Xue reached out and pinched out a spell, and Jiang Ziya immediately felt a gentle breeze blowing by his side. Before he could say anything, the senior cultivator before him immediately said:

"I see, you have taken a wrong path, what a pity for your innate talent."

"What do you mean by that, Senior?" Hearing this, Jiang Ziya couldn’t help but frown. Although his cultivation had not succeeded, his heart still cherished the teachings of the Chan Sect, and he immediately retorted.

"I hail from the Chan Sect’s Yuxu Palace, under the tutelage of Yuanshi Tianzun, cultivating the splendid and righteous path. How could I have strayed?"

Feng Xue heard these words but was not annoyed, only calmly replying,

"Your words are true, as all things in heaven and earth can be considered the Tao, and there should never be talk of the right path or forks in the road, only that the Tao and people also care about a concept of ’fate.’ If someone with a pure Yin elemental body is cultivating a moderate and harmonious Tao, naturally, the effort will be doubled for half the result, not because the Tao is flawed, but simply because it might not suit you."

"So you mean to say that the way of Yuxu Palace is not suitable for me?"

Jiang Ziya was somewhat skeptical and retorted. Feng Xue, however, shook her head and said,

"You’re putting the cart before the horse. The path of Yuxu Palace is Yuanshi Tianzun’s path. It can only be said that it doesn’t suit you. How can you say that you’re not suited to it?"

"Please enlighten me!" Jiang Ziya was something of a novice in immortal cultivation, and although he had come down from the mountains, he never forgot his fervor for cultivation (as the original text would always think of returning to the mountain to cultivate immortality). Now, hearing such profound views from the senior before him, he grasped at it like a lifeline and urgently inquired further.

Upon hearing this, the smile on Feng Xue’s face remained unchanged, just a slight wave of her hand, and the Chao Ge City street in front of them twisted and transformed, ultimately becoming a tea room. On the table, a small stove blazed with flames, and inside the kettle on top, the water boiled like dragon eyes, obviously freshly heated.

Feng Xue picked up the tea kettle, poured the water into another, and once the fragrance of tea wafted out, she served a cup to Jiang Ziya.

Jiang Ziya, stunned by the honor, hurriedly took it with both hands, not minding the scorching heat of the tea. After thanking Feng Xue for her gesture and taking a sip, he only felt the tea’s aroma assail his senses, followed by a surge of spiritual energy rushing into his throat, causing a sudden and complete relaxation throughout his body, even the red swellings on his shoulder from carrying a heavy burden were alleviated.

"This tea is even better than the Spiritual Tea from Yuxu Palace!" Jiang Ziya was astonished internally, and his suspicions about Feng Xue’s identity increased. As for Jiang Ziya’s reaction to drinking this fantastical tea, Feng Xue didn’t particularly care, for "settings overcome all" – a fantastical tea with the setting of being the "world’s best tea" might be simply store merchandise in Babylon Tower, but as long as one chooses the right world, it inevitably becomes a rare treasure.

Of course, this wasn’t just for show. Seeing that Jiang Ziya had begun to associate her with an "enlightened senior," Feng Xue too relaxed and said,

"The Tao that can be explained is not the eternal Tao; it’s inherently difficult to convey. Naturally, there will be obstacles in teaching it. The teachings of the Chan Sect I have heard are about choosing the elite, never accepting anyone who isn’t truly gifted. Since you were able to enter, surely your talent is exceptional. How then could there be no success in forty years?"

"Yes, indeed!" Jiang Ziya felt as if clouds had cleared, and the sun shone through. It was common knowledge that Yuxu Palace only admitted geniuses. Since he was accepted in, how could he be considered useless?

The fire of his desire for cultivation, which had been suppressed with difficulty, now leapt fiercely once more, and he looked at Feng Xue with blazing intensity, almost as if to shoot fire from his gaze.

Seeing his fervor, Feng Xue simply gestured with her hand,

"Aside from cultivation, are you proficient in medicine collection, alchemy, medical divination and star observation, or any other arts of mathematics?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ziya was somewhat excited but managed to hold back his desire to boast and candidly replied,

"While cultivating in Kunlun, I did some work in medicine collection and alchemy."

"In that case, do you understand medicine?" Feng Xue followed up upon hearing the answer.

Jiang Ziya nodded,

"Naturally."

As his words ended, Feng Xue took out a small booklet and placed it on the table, smiling,

"Everyone has their own path. My Tao may not suit you either. This book was written before my own enlightenment. In your spare time, you might flip through it and perhaps, understand your own path."

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