Chapter 5: Casting the Elephant into the Mortal World |
“Third self-examination.”
Awakening once more from the searing agony of flames consuming his body, Li Shun gasped for breath. As usual, he completed the ritual of “I examine myself thrice each day,” then forcibly calmed himself and began his final plan.
“This is different from the previous two illusory cycles. Everything that happens this time will be real, set in stone, with no chance of reversal. If I die this time… the outcome is unknown. I must proceed with utmost caution.”
“Fortunately, the gains from the last awakening were significant. Not only did I uncover the true hiding place of the Lengshan Venerable, I also learned the identity of that bandit leader.”
“The rightful heir of Great Xiang… a direct descendant of the Xiong clan… Xiong Jin.”
The image of overwhelming flames still lingered in his mind. The arrogant and cold gaze of the Xiang remnant leader seemed to stare back at him across space. Li Shun let out a faint snort.
“In the past, when Great Qian’s emperor trampled the Seven Nations beneath his warhorses and unified the realm, the fates of the former royal families differed. Some groveled and submitted, rising to ranks among the nobility. Some fought to the death and had their entire bloodlines exterminated. Others concealed their identities and vanished from the world.”
“The Xiang royal family belongs to the kind that was ordered to be eradicated completely. Though rumors have long claimed that a few descendants still linger, none were ever confirmed. And yet, today… I have encountered one.”
“I wonder… if one were to capture or kill such a legitimate descendant of the Xiang royal line, what kind of reward would it bring?”
Xiong Jin’s strength was nothing short of terrifying. Even the elite Black Armored Army stationed in the county was crushed like chickens and dogs before him. It was far beyond anything Li Shun could currently contend with.
“Still… if not for his overwhelming power, it would be far more difficult for me to scheme for that Lengshan Venerable.”
Under the cold night sky, Li Shun mentally simulated the impending storm of bloodshed one final time.
“Snatching chestnuts from the fire carries great risk.”
“But time waits for no one.”
He paced back and forth inside the cramped room. After a long struggle, a ruthless resolve finally flashed in his eyes.
“Today is the second day of the second month, Year 572 of the New Calendar of Great Qian.”
“For reasons unknown, the Xiang remnants learned of the emergence of the Lengshan Venerable. Under Xiong Jin’s command, they launched a sudden assault on the county office. With defenses weak, Lengshan County suffered devastating casualties, and the Lengshan Venerable was successfully taken.”
“This… is how history originally unfolds.”
“Before such a catastrophic upheaval, a lowly laborer like me is nothing more than grass and dust. A mere aftershock would be enough to crush me completely.”
“But…”
“With foresight, even an ant can summon wind and rain.”
When the first rays of dawn pierced through the gloom once more, Li Shun dragged his lame leg as usual and entered the dim Jixia Bookshop.
This time, he made no mention whatsoever of the Lengshan Venerable, nor did he reveal that he already knew the shopkeeper’s name.
He simply followed routine and exchanged for another fragment of the Record of Emperor''s Exegesis.
[Jiang Taia first arrived at the Sacred Capital clad in coarse cloth, straw sandals on his feet. He was thin as a stick, his face dark and weathered, resembling a lowly laborer. At that time, the capital was prosperous, its nobles adorned in fine garments and riding grand carriages. Seeing Taia’s shabby appearance, many covered their mouths and laughed, some even mocking him openly: “From where did this dried-up wretch come, daring to set foot in the Sacred Capital?”]
[Hearing this, Taia’s expression did not change. “When the great peng prepares to soar south, it first lies hidden among reeds. A latent dragon, before revealing its brilliance, dwells in the mud. Though I am insignificant now, I am like a divine blade buried in sand, like thunder dormant in a deep valley, like tribulation fire concealed within cold ashes. True treasures conceal themselves and do not seek fame. A great merchant hoards his wealth, disdaining hollow reputation. You all see only the surface, unable to fathom the depths beneath. This is but the nature of the world. Why should I take offense?”]
[With that, he raised his head, gave a long bow, and departed. The nobles lining the street were left stunned, their expressions frozen in shock.]
…
Whether it was coincidence or some unseen pull of fate, the story recorded on this fragment of the Great Qian Right Chancellor perfectly resonated with Li Shun’s current state of mind.
He read the few lines repeatedly, his gaze flickering.
“The current Right Chancellor was once no different from a laborer… Who is to say that I, Li Shun, cannot accomplish great things?”
Suppressing his thoughts, he returned to his wooden hut and woke Feng Guan, who was still asleep next door.
“Cripple, what are you fussing about so early in the morning?” Feng Guan rubbed his sleepy eyes, muttering groggily.
Li Shun ignored his complaints. His gaze burned as he countered with a question:
“Old Feng, do you know… how great the reward is for reporting someone with ill intent to the authorities?”
“A criminal? Ill intent?” Feng Guan yawned. “What kind of criminal? If it’s just some petty thief stealing chickens and dogs, reporting him won’t amount to much.”
“A rebel.”
Those two light words fell like a basin of icy water over his head. Feng Guan jolted violently, all traces of drowsiness vanishing.
He swallowed nervously and glanced around instinctively. “Old Cripple, don’t scare me this early in the morning! In broad daylight, in this miserable backwater, where would rebels even come from?!”
“Think carefully. That Liang Zhou fellow, has he shown anything unusual lately?” Li Shun did not answer directly, continuing to guide him step by step.
“Liang Zhou?” Feng Guan frowned, his aged face wrinkling as he tried to recall.
Liang Zhou was just another laborer in Lengshan County. He was not particularly close to their group of seasoned drifters.
“Now that you mention it…” A trace of suspicion surfaced in Feng Guan’s murky eyes. “That brat does seem a bit off!”
“He’s always poking around asking questions when he has nothing to do. And in this hellish place, I’ve never once heard him complain about the hardship of labor!”
Such was the human heart. First set up a target, then loose arrows of conjecture. Even if Liang Zhou had no real issues, under such biased scrutiny, every word and action of his seemed suspicious.
The more Feng Guan thought about it, the colder his back felt. “Should we… report this to the authorities right away?”
“Foolish!” Li Shun immediately snapped, cutting him off. “As the saying goes, to catch a thief you need stolen goods, to catch adultery you need both parties. Right now, we have nothing but empty claims. If we report this without any solid evidence… aren’t you afraid they’ll turn it around and accuse you of false reporting?”
“Then… then forget it.” Feng Guan shrank back at once, the greed that had just risen within him instantly extinguished. He immediately retreated.
“Aren’t you skilled in those novelist tricks? Send one of your insects to keep an eye on him. If you can uncover real evidence…”
Li Shun lowered his voice, his tone laced with irresistible temptation.
“Then it will be a fortune beyond measure for the two of us.”
“Alright… I’ll do it!” Feng Guan hesitated for a long while, but in the end, his desire to escape his life of labor overcame his fear. He nodded fiercely.
Moments later, an inconspicuous tiny gnat wobbled into the air, silently flying toward Liang Zhou’s residence.
Li Shun waited patiently.
About an hour and a half later, Feng Guan’s tightly shut eyes snapped open. His face was filled with frenzied excitement.
“Cripple, you guessed right! That bastard Liang Zhou really is hiding something!”
“The moment I flew into his room, I saw him looking nervous, restless, constantly glancing toward the door like he was waiting for someone. Not long after, that kid Sun Bo sneaked in as well. The two of them huddled together, whispering. I vaguely heard things like ‘soon’ and ‘be prepared’…”
“There’s no mistake in grabbing them! Even if they’re not rebels, they’re definitely hiding something shady!”
The more Feng Guan spoke, the more excited he became. His gaunt face flushed red, as if he could already see the boundless road to reward and redemption.
Li Shun’s expression turned grave.
“Since we’ve confirmed it, go report to the authorities immediately! Remember, do not go to the county office directly. Instead, secretly seek out Supervisor Sun!”
“I understand! It’s to avoid alerting their informants, right?” Feng Guan suddenly realized, nodding repeatedly. He lifted his robe and rushed out in a hurry.
Just as he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and turned back. “Right, Cripple, what about you?”
Li Shun gave a bitter smile and pointed to his crippled leg. “Time is of the essence. With this broken body, I’d only slow things down. Just go quickly.”
“Don’t worry, Cripple. I won’t forget your share of this great merit!” Feng Guan thumped his chest in assurance before disappearing into the street.
Watching his figure vanish completely, the helplessness on Li Shun’s face instantly faded, replaced by an extreme coldness and solemnity.
His consciousness fell like a meteor, crashing into the Fangcun space, overlooking from above the puppet that was tirelessly performing the Spirit Division and Life Transformation technique.
“The mind arises within Fangcun…”
Li Shun’s will let out a low roar as it plunged downward, merging seamlessly with the puppet’s body in an instant.
At the same time, in the real world, Li Shun suddenly opened his eyes. A deep, eerie light flared within his pupils. He raised his right hand, fingers forming a sword, pointing into the void as he shouted:
“Cast the Elephant into the Mortal World.”
Buzz—
With that sharp cry, the space ahead rippled like the surface of a lake struck by a massive stone. Waves of transparent distortion spread outward as something heavy and strange tore through the invisible barrier, struggling to descend into reality.
When the ripples finally subsided, a figure identical to Li Shun stood before him.
Its height and build were exactly the same as his own. Yet its face and body seemed shrouded in layers of mist, wavering between illusion and reality, impossible to see clearly.
Meanwhile, within the Fangcun space inside Li Shun’s body, the puppet that had labored tirelessly day and night had completely stopped moving. It stood frozen, as if sealed in eternal ice. Even its once solid form had become faint and translucent.
In the real world, Li Shun’s true body turned pale as paper, devoid of any color. Large beads of cold sweat poured down his face like rain.
And yet, as he gazed at this perfect substitute, forcibly dragged out from the [Fangcun] space and brought into the mortal world, a faint smile curled upon his cracked, bloodless lips.
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