Plundering the Dao of the Immortal Journey

Yuanqing Village, Wei Family

Yuanqing Village leaned against a backdrop of mountains. However, there was a long stream a short distance away from the village, it flowed down and was often used to bathe in. Looking down at the stream from the temple, it could be seen meandering a long way. Although there weren’t any large ships on this stream, there were small merchant boats.

To the side, at the back of a yard near a willow tree, someone whispered anxiously.

"Master, today someone asked for details of any household who moved into the county over the past 20 years." This person was Grandma Li and she spoke with a severe expression.

At this point, another middle-aged man ran into the yard and glanced up to see Grandma Li who stood there as well. He was rather surprised, but turned his gaze to speak to the young man. "Young Master, someone came to the magistrate’s office and asked for records of citizens over the past two decades. The news came to me."

The young man was lying down in the yard, sun tanning. He was a good-looking man with angular jaws and thick eyebrows. His nose bridge was high, he had a calm and reassuring look to him. He wasn’t old and was somewhat skinny. When he heard all this and didn’t reply, Grandma Li then asked, "He was a young man, but had an air of authority around him. He even looked like he’s killed people before?"

"Yes, grandma!"

"Was he someone from the Imperial Court?" The young man asked.

The middle-aged man was around forty years of age and had a pair of bushy eyebrows. He had a fearsome look on his face. At this point, he waited for several moments before speaking, "No he doesn’t look like he was from the Imperial Court. He was a Top Scorer, and I heard that he’s a Sect Leader, and is very popular."

The young man drew his lips into a line and pondered for several moments before he said, "Spy on him secretly. See what he wants."

"Yes, Young Master." The middle-aged man responded.

Inn

Outside the inn, many merchants sold an assortment of food and products. Produce, noodles, buns, and meat that stewed in pots. Pei Zi Yun walked around quietly before he halted right beneath a shelter. He allowed the wind to blow past him, as he held onto his documents and stood still.

"Something isn’t right!" Pei Zi Yun suddenly recalled the old lady who had dropped in on him earlier. How could she not know of the movements of people into the county. When he flipped through the records, he saw that she was one of the few people who moved into the county during the reign of chaos. Then why didn’t she mention this?

Feeling slightly uneasy, he flipped through the documents further as he continued to stroll along. He then noticed that only Grandma Li had remained in the entire Wei Village. When he looked further, he saw a name, "Eh, Fang Yong Jie?"

His face fell at once, "Fang Yong Jie, this is a familiar name. Could he be the person from the original owner’s memory? That was a normal man but had been kept within a cultivator’s prison. He also served that man all his life?

"Fang Yong Jie. His surname is Fang! It’s so familiar."

Pei Zi Yun stared out the widows at the old tree swaying in the wind. He shook his head and fell deep into thought. All of a sudden he felt a flash of light resound in his head, "The person who killed the Imperial Tutor, his name was Fang Hao. Could they be related?"

"And Fang Hao probably killed the Imperial Tutor to exact revenge on him for dissipating the dragon veins. It was very possible that he had acquired the map as well."

"Dragon Veins, Fang family, Xie Cheng Dong’s prison!"

"Could it be that Fang Yong also has something to do with the Immortal Dragon Veins?" As soon as this thought flashed past like a bright light, it almost seemed to illuminate the entire dark sky. Pei Zi Yun paced for several steps as he gritted his teeth, "Even if it’s not, I have to investigate further."

Just as he was about to move, a memory appeared in his mind. He then halted and took another look at the documents which he had received earlier and started to look for the map.

This map was an ancient secret of the dynasty and was a tightly guarded secret. A normal household found in possession of something like this would be liable to severe punishment.

"Wei Family’s household is located within Yuanqing Village and more than half of the people from Wei Family had relocated here during the chaos."

"The reason Wei Family was established here, was to protect themselves."

"The old woman who came to me earlier seems like she’s a part of the Wei Family as well." Thinking this way, Pei Zi Yun wrote a note down on the document, next to the Wei Family’s details. He then realized that the Wei Family had strategically built their homes right behind the mountain, and that meant that they could slip away anytime they wanted to."

"Indeed this family comprised of people who know about military strategies. What have they got to do with the Dragon Veins? Looks like I shall find out soon." Pei Zi Yun was rather pleased with his new discovery as he turned to leave.

Imperial Palace.

The sun shined brightly down upon the golden plated palace and cast an immense shadow on the ground. A group of armed soldiers stood under the hot sun, sweat dripped down their brows.

Within the main hall, several eunuchs and serving maids waited upon the Emperor, who looked much worse than before. A eunuch fed him some medication.

"Cough cough" The Emperor sputtered violently and he had trouble eating. After he struggled for several moments, he sighed, "My health is getting poorer and poorer."

"Your Majesty, continue eating your medication, and your health will return." The eunuch consoled him.

"Who doesn\'t have to die? I’ve fought countless battles and finally became the Emperor. I’ve experienced a great deal in this life and I am now old." The Emperor shook his head and realized that his entire head was filled with white hair.

Looking at the old and frail Emperor, the eunuch seemed to be rather upset himself. He wanted to comfort the Emperor further, but he was waved off, "I’ve dedicated my entire life to fighting wars, all this in the hopes that my sons and grandsons could live in a peaceful land."

"Ai, but at the end of the day, my heart is still filled with worries." The Emperor spoke as he drank his medication. Another eunuch walked in and saw that the Emperor was being fed. He fell to his knees.

"Speak, what’s the matter?" The Emperor spoke plainly.

"Yes. The report on King Lu’s travels has arrived. He’s safe and well, and everything went smoothly. It’s just that…."

"Just that what?" The Emperor looked at the eunuch, who prostrated himself at this point, "Just tell me everything. This isn’t your fault as well."

"Yes!"

The Emperor drank his medication from a teacup and listened attentively. When he heard the start of the report, he was still smiling and at ease. Once the report reached the part that King Lu ate stale fish and the matter about the relay station attendant who talked trash, the Emperor’s face swelled and turned red. Once he heard King Lu’s sad remarks, he started to cough violently, as the cup of medication spilt.

The entire cup fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. The pair of eunuchs who stood beside him jumped in shock and hurriedly fell to their knees. The Emperor ignored them, his face was now drained of all color as he repeated the words which King Lu said, "I wonder if my sons and grandchildren will be able to eat this stale fish!"

When he was done mumbling to himself, he started to tear up, "For a mere attendant to bully my son, that’s my negligence."

More tears started to stream down his face, as humiliation gripped his heart. He leaned heavily against the side of his dragon throne and felt a heavy feeling upon his body. He shut his eyes for a long time before he opened them, as if he had made a decision. "Send an edict, reinstate King Lu to his original title of a Prince, and place him back in the line of succession."

The eunuch beside him didn’t even dare to speak as he touched his head to the ground, still crouched. Just before he stood up to leave and prepare the edict, the Emperor spoke again, "Control of three Prefectures. You can add that into the edict as well."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Go now, don’t delay!" The Emperor’s expression was cold as he shouted.

King Lu’s entire entourage comprised of thousands of people with many oxcarts. There were also the horses and cavalry troops. Since it was a huge group of people, the distance to which they could travel was limited to 40km a day. Xie Cheng Dong was within a carriage as he looked out of the window.

The sound of footsteps beside him, the sound of hooves on the ground, and of wheels moving were all heard by him. The sky was slightly dark and overcast as they continued onward. The land which he peered out at looked vast and endless.

"Ai, with the mountains and rivers here, the Imperial Qi is dense. If one doesn\'t step out and walk by himself, he wouldn’t ever experience this for himself." Just as he thought this, he felt something hot glow beneath his robes.

Since he was near King Lu, the enchanted talisman was somewhat affected by his presence, for it turned hot and simmered down almost immediately. Xie Cheng Dong then got off his oxcart, he walked to a nearby forest where the vegetation was thick and the trees were tall. He then retrieved the talisman, where a shadow formed and informed him of Pei Zi Yun’s current movements.

When Xie Cheng Dong heard these reports, he was shocked. After he asked several more questions to gain a clearer understanding, he was enraged. With a palm on the tree, the entire tree trembled, as he left a deep handprint on the bark of it.

"Outrageous, he actually approached the new Census Official. Could it be that he knows the source of it all? No, I have to rush off now." Xie Cheng Dong stood still before he took several paces, his brows were creased, "But King Lu is here at a critical point. Without his success, it would be hard for me to progress further in my cultivation as well."

Plenty of birds chirped up on the trees and it was extremely vexing for someone who was trying to think.

Within the oxcart, King Lu ate some bird’s nest porridge. His face was slightly flushed. He had yet to recover completely from the bout of sickness and was still weak.

Xie Cheng Dong returned to the entourage, the look of struggle was apparent on his face and he seemed very distracted.

King Lu placed the bowl of porridge down and looked at Xie Cheng Dong before he laughed, "Mister Chen, you look very vexed, what’s the matter?"

Hearing King Lu’s words, Xie Cheng Dong was taken aback but replied him, "King Lu, I am indeed worried about some matters. Some things which were supposed to be taken care of weren’t properly taken care of. I now wonder what is going to happen."

When King Lu heard this, he took some time to process it before he laughed again, "Some things are within our control, but others we have to leave to the Will of Heaven. You’ve already done a great deal for me, and I am very grateful. Whether things succeed for us or not, would have to depend on Heaven’s Will."

At this moment, a horse ran fast towards them. They were both surprised, but disembarked from the oxcart to take a look.

A eunuch rode atop a horse at breakneck speed and several imperial guards surrounded him. As he rode towards them, he shouted, "King Lu, please make way, there’s an edict for you."

As soon as they heard this, Xie Cheng Dong smiled, "Congratulations to King Lu, we’ve succeeded."

King Lu stood up, "Quick, accompany me to receive the angel of edicts."

The incense offerings had been prepared and King Lu was dressed in proper immaculate robes. He did look rather frail still, but he started to look more healthy. He fell to his knees before the eunuch, who smiled pleasantly. "Son of the Emperor receives the edict!"

The eunuch then unrolled the scroll as he started to read, "The Emperor’s words: King Lu had done a great deal for the nation and bears the welfare of the nation in his heart. He is thus exonerated from past crimes and restored to his original rank of Prince. He has also been returned to the line of succession and controls three Prefectures."

Hearing this edict, King Lu trembled as tears rolled down his cheeks. He had planned so long and so hard for this day to come. King Lu then shouted, "Son of the Emperor shall obey the edict, thank you for your benevolence."

Xie Cheng Dong looked at the entire procession. When the edict had finished, he could hear the sound of the dragon roar as it charged towards King Lu and wrapped around him. At that point, King Lu’s aura became stronger once again.

When he was demoted, a layer of black fuzzy aura had surrounded him. Now that he had been restored, the black aura had dwindled and the dragons grew powerful claws around him. He had also been reinstated of the mighty aura he possessed.

Seeing such a change, Xie Cheng Dong sighed, "After cultivating for so long, my powers can’t even compare to a mere piece of paper, an edict. And yet the freedom of being a cultivator surpasses all else."

He then looked towards King Lu, who escorted the eunuch off. Xie Cheng Dong then thought, "Now he has the authority of the dragon. Next, I have to continue serving him and wait till he bestows a title on me. When that happens, I would be able to become an Earth Immortal."

King Lu rewarded the eunuch with gold as he watched him leave. He stood under the sun with the edict in his hands, he exhaled deeply. Xie Cheng Dong then stepped towards him, "Congratulations Your Majesty."