Chapter 1630: Mountains Of Desire (II) |
Li Suining could not help but sigh as well. In his previous life, he had spent this period in seclusion and held too low a status to know much about these events. Still, he knew quite a bit about what happened afterward, and silently pieced everything together in his mind.
I heard the Great Desire Dao split from the Great Mahayana Dharma Realm in ancient times. Although it also preaches the Buddhist land of the present age, its doctrine is vastly different. It proclaims, 'Where there is no suffering in the world, there is the Buddhist land.'
It does not require its followers to endure hardship before entering the Buddhist land. One simply enjoys life from birth until the next reincarnation… The [Great Benevolent Golden Lotus] absorbs all sorrow. Under its influence, there truly isn't the slightest trace of suffering…
What was even more absurd was that, among the Seven Daos, the people of the Great Desire Dao suffered the most population losses, yet they also had the highest birth rates. Since all pain was absorbed by the [Great Benevolent Golden Lotus], giving birth meant bringing another person into the world to enjoy a life of bliss, an act considered a great merit. Everyone rushed to have children, fearing only that they might not be women capable of bearing them.
But absurd as it all sounded, Li Suining knew full well that once the Great Desire Dao left this region, the people they left behind would become a hopeless mess that no one could ever fully sort out.
This disaster swept across the entire northern region of Yue State. If the Song Emperor were to uproot the [Great Benevolent Golden Lotus], the lifespans of millions would likely be drastically reduced, and most wouldn't survive another decade. No wonder they sealed the mountains and outlawed its worship first. They had to cut off its influence before issuing new scriptures and spend years slowly restoring people's hearts and minds.
After giving it considerable thought, he silently calculated, By the time I emerged from seclusion in my previous life, this turmoil was nearly over. The family didn't suffer too many losses, so this shouldn't become a major issue… My priority is to meet the old elder.
Standing within the wind carried by his Granduncle Li Zhoufang, the two soon descended onto the island. The man shook his head with a smile and said, "Let's not dwell on that… You'll be traveling all over the island. How can you not have someone to run errands for you? Besides, you'll be devoting much of your time to studying formations, so your time is even more valuable. I happen to have someone available, and you've already met him. Let him stay by your side and handle those errands.
"The family has always had a rule that a personal attendant's cultivation should not exceed that of the direct descendant they serve. But you're about to reach the Qi Cultivation Realm yourself, so it's hardly premature."
Just keep him. Aunt Minggong arranged this herself. Your Uncle Chengzai has no head for these matters, and the people of the Eastern Residence are even more shameless. Since he's acting under her orders, he can fend them off on your behalf. Otherwise, if you have to refuse each of them personally, it'll inevitably sour relations with the family.
She's far too busy to wait for your return, so she entrusted this matter to me.
A complicated look crossed Li Suining's face. In his previous life, he had not risen to prominence nearly this quickly, so there had been little profit to be gained from associating with him, and Li Chengzai had been too proud to curry favor. Things were clearly very different this time.
He could only cup his fists and say, "Thank you, granduncle!"
With Du Dou leading the way, there was no need for Li Zhoufang to escort him any farther. As Li Suining made his way toward the pavilion atop the hill, his gaze drifted absentmindedly across the surrounding buildings until something caught his eye.
His eyes widened slightly as he saw a man in gray hurry up the path. Upon reaching the pavilion, he knocked on the door with visible apprehension before cautiously stepping inside.
Fourth granduncle…
The man was none other than his fourth granduncle, Li Zhouluo!
Li Suining's heart tightened as he thought, Was fourth granduncle at Moongaze Lake in my previous life?
This fourth granduncle, Li Zhouluo, was no ordinary man. He had long enjoyed the Song Emperor's favor, serving as Prefect of the Capital from the very day the emperor ascended the throne. Even as the Li Clan declined, his own position only continued to rise. After the Wei King's death, although he received no additional noble title, he was appointed Profound Holder of the Purple-Gold Hall, serving constantly at the emperor's side and enjoying unbroken imperial favor. His prestige had been immense.
Had Li Zhouluo not repeatedly pleaded the Li Clan's case, Li Suining still would not have known how to face him. Even so, his feelings remained incredibly complicated.
Perhaps after Uncle Jiangchun died, fourth granduncle was left without any grandchildren under him. That, coupled with his service as Profound Holder of the Purple-Gold Hall at the emperor's side, was why he ended up being elevated so highly…
Li Zhouluo's branch of the family had played an extraordinarily peculiar role throughout the course of events. Li Xizhi, one of the senior among the four Xis, had displayed a Rainbow Mist technique during the Changhe Rebellion that had astonished the entire realm, only to vanish without a trace after the war.
As for Li Zhouluo's father, Li Chenghuai, he was someone whose name everyone knew but whom almost no one had ever seen. Back then, Li Suining had never given much thought to this elder. The entire clan had simply grown accustomed to his endless travels and prolonged absences. Looking back now, however, the whole matter seemed rather strange.
Still, there was no denying that fourth granduncle had benefited greatly from both the Wei King and the latter's grandfather. When the imperial decree appointing him as Profound Holder of the Purple-Gold Hall was proclaimed, it contained one particular line, 'His father and elder brother served with unwavering devotion, purging evil and pacifying the prefectures.'
Fourth granduncle… should know something.
His eyes darkened with thought as a palace guard stepped forward to stop him. "My lord is currently receiving another guest. Please wait a moment, young master."
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The pavilion was dimly lit. The elderly man set down the scroll in his hand, and carefully examined the gray-robed man kneeling in the hall. A look of realization crossed his face. He quickly rose, walked down, and personally helped him to his feet.
Li Zhouluo was both flattered and uneasy as the old man led him to a nearby seat. Rather than returning to the seat of honor, Li Xuanxuan sat down beside him instead, took his hand, and asked, "How have things been lately?"
Back then, after Li Zhouluo had returned to Moongaze Lake, he had remained by Li Jiangchun's side. Later, when the Azure Pond Sect had issued its summons, he escorted Pang Yunqing back to Simin Prefecture. Returning to the lake now was clearly a considerable risk.
Lowering his head, he replied with a trace of uncertainty, "I don't really know what's happening. The Azure Pond Sect suddenly fell, and Yunqing was sent into the mountains. I was worried about the clan, so I came back to take a look."
Li Xuanxuan shook his head, his aged voice heavy. "Your grandfather has been at Xia Mountain for fifteen or sixteen years now. We still received word from him during the earlier years, but his letters became fewer and fewer. Five years ago, he wrote that he was entering seclusion to verify a Dao lineage. Since then, there has been no news… Has your grandmother written to you? Have you heard anything about your father?"
Li Zhouluo was momentarily at a loss for words. He rose from his seat, bowed, and answered softly, "There were a few letters… They only told me to focus on my cultivation. My grandmother's family also wanted to provide me with cultivation resources, but I politely declined every time… Though a few relatives from her side of the family did occasionally come to see me and offer guidance regarding cultivation…"
Li Xuanxuan nodded, and Li Zhouluo continued respectfully, "I also received some news from the south. Lord Yang has granted me one or two tracts of land in Simin. They're in excellent locations…
"I was thinking that the clan could use them as a foothold, and perhaps establish a small market there. It would give us some influence farther south."
Li Xuanxuan withdrew his gaze from him, took a sip of tea, and replied, "That's not the right way to think about it. Those lands were bestowed upon you by Lord Yang himself. How can you simply hand them over to the clan? Aside from Jiangliang, who serves directly under his command, no one else in the family enjoys such an honor. You should treasure it."
Li Zhouluo did not know how to respond. Instead, Li Xuanxuan lowered his voice and asked, "Is there any news from the south? How are they planning to deal with this overwhelming Karmic Fire?"
Li Zhouluo immediately straightened up, his expression turning solemn as he answered, "Que Liyu will soon arrive at Simin. No matter what, one of the great lords is certain to take action! There have been all sorts of rumors circulating throughout Simin. From what I've seen, Que Liyu won't be able to run rampant for much longer!
"The clan only needs to remain cautious. Once Que Liyu withdraws from Simin, seize the opportunity immediately to reclaim our territory."
"Oh?" The old man raised an eyebrow and studied him for a moment before smiling. "Was that the Yang Family's intention?"