Even more astonishingly, the Shangqing cultivation method could barely shake that strand of Taiyi True Qi. In his previous life, he had cultivated other methods before and had experience with them. This proved without a doubt that the "Shangqing Heart Sutra" he had yearned for was actually no better than the "Taiyi" method.
In his impression, Dongguo Haoran's cultivation had been so profound that it had left him awestruck. But what was going on? Could it be that the Shangqing Sect had not given him their true cultivation method?
However, after circling around Chen Guishuo and fishing for information, he discovered that this was not the case. The "Shangqing Heart Sutra" really was the Shangqing Sect's most orthodox cultivation method, and everyone throughout the sect cultivated it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the method. The only difference was that disciples of insufficient rank could not cultivate the other arts.
Damn it, what was going on? After thinking it over again and again, Niu Youdao realized that his progress cultivating "Taiyi" this time had far surpassed that of his previous life. Gradually, he came to understand something: perhaps "Taiyi" really was no weaker than the "Shangqing Heart Sutra." The true difference lay in the fact that the spiritual energy where he had lived in his previous life was far inferior to that here.
After reaching this realization, he was utterly speechless. He had gone through all that trouble only to come up empty-handed. If he had known this earlier, why would he have endured such hardship and risked his life to come to the Shangqing Sect? He had nearly lost his life, and now look at him—he had landed himself under house arrest without even knowing when it would end.
Yet there was nothing he could do about it. Without comparison, one could not know what was good or bad. Some losses were inevitable once they had been taken. What else could he say? He could only continue cultivating "Taiyi" with single-minded devotion.
Another month passed. One evening, he drank freely with Chen Guishuo beneath the peach blossom tree.
"Every cup of wine takes grain to brew. Who knows how many common mortals outside are going hungry, with starving corpses strewn across the land, while we're here enjoying fine wine. I wonder whether that counts as a sin..." Chen Guishuo's expression was slightly flushed from drink, and he wore a smile as he muttered on, seemingly in jest. Yet there was a heavy weight behind the joke.
A trace of gravity appeared in Niu Youdao's eyes, but he soon smiled faintly and lifted the jug to fill Chen Guishuo's cup. "Senior Brother, let me top you off."
The two of them continued eating and drinking until the sky darkened. Just as they were about to call it a night, a glowing mass drifted up from below the stone steps leading to the summit. It was a luminous butterfly, and the person following behind it was none other than Elder Tang Susu, accompanied by two attendant disciples.
Chen Guishuo and Niu Youdao were startled. Neither had expected Tang Susu to appear so suddenly. They hurriedly rose and saluted. "Elder Tang!"
Tang Susu's cold gaze swept over the mess on the small table. Her harsh eyes lifted, seemingly glaring at Chen Guishuo, who reeked of alcohol from head to toe.
Chen Guishuo was immediately terrified. His face filled with alarm as he lowered his head. Tang Susu was the Shangqing Sect's Law Enforcement Elder, normally in charge of punishments. On top of that, she did not have the best temper, and there was hardly a disciple in the Shangqing Sect who was not afraid of her.
Yet Tang Susu seemed relatively easy to speak with today. She merely said indifferently, "What kind of behavior is this? Why haven't you cleaned it up?"
"Yes!" The two answered in unison, as though pardoned from death. Niu Youdao was just about to help Chen Guishuo clean up.
Unexpectedly, Tang Susu said, "Niu Youdao, come here." With that, she turned and entered the courtyard first.
"..." Niu Youdao was stunned for a moment. He cast an inquiring look at Chen Guishuo, not knowing what was going on.
Chen Guishuo hurriedly tilted his head, signaling him to go in quickly and not keep Elder Tang waiting.
Niu Youdao had no choice but to follow quickly. He had no idea what Tang Susu wanted. Seeing her slowly stroll through the courtyard, he could only trail after her step by step, his attitude deferential. He had a deep impression of this Elder Tang. The first time they had met, she had shown him no courtesy at all and had gone straight for his life. If Dongguo Haoran had not planted a Protective Talisman inside him at the time, his little life would have been over already. Thus, he remained wary and cautious.
"It's been cleaned fairly well." After walking through the inside and outside, Tang Susu entered Peach Blossom Hall and spoke up. She stopped before the seated statue of the Patriarch and respectfully bowed. Once she straightened, she stared at the Patriarch's statue and slowly said, "Back then, the Patriarch came here to found the sect with nothing but the clothes on his back. This Peach Blossom Spring was his first place to settle. To be able to live here is the same as benefiting from the Patriarch's blessing. It can also be considered your good fortune."
"Yes!" Niu Youdao replied respectfully. "It is this disciple's good fortune." In his heart, however, he muttered, What good fortune? You've clearly put me under house arrest.
Tang Susu turned around and looked over the room. As she did, she asked, "Have you gotten used to living here?"
Niu Youdao replied, "Reporting to Elder, it's very peaceful."
Tang Susu ignored the other meaning in his words and asked expressionlessly, "Are you engaged back home? For example, did you have a betrothal arranged?"
"Uh..." Niu Youdao looked up in astonishment, not knowing what had prompted the question. He answered carefully, "I'm still young and have never been engaged. My family has nothing, and we couldn't afford to arrange a betrothal."
"You certainly speak in polished phrases. You don't sound like someone from the mountains." Tang Susu let slip a remark that was impossible to tell whether it was praise or mockery, then returned to the main topic. "A true man strives for a future. If one talks about one's origins, that would be petty-minded. As it happens, there is now a fine match for you. You could say your good fortune has arrived."
"..." Niu Youdao stared blankly at her. What did she mean? He wanted to hear what came next.
Tang Susu instead glanced back at the Patriarch's seated statue. In front of the Patriarch, she seemed somewhat wary of saying certain things aloud. She motioned for Niu Youdao to leave Peach Blossom Hall with her, and the two walked together through the rear courtyard. Only then did she speak again. "Sect Master Tang Mu has passed away. His daughter Tang Yi—your Senior Sister Tang, whom you've met before. What do you think of her looks?"
"..." Niu Youdao was uncertain and alarmed. Judging by her words before and after, could this so-called fine match be referring to Tang Yi and himself? Surely she was not joking? After hesitating, he said, "Senior Sister Tang is naturally very beautiful."
"Mm!" Tang Susu nodded. She stopped and smiled. "This fine match is your Senior Sister Tang. I'm her closest grandaunt, and I have the authority to decide this. I'm preparing to betroth her to you. What do you think?"
"Ah!" Niu Youdao cried out. What he had feared had truly come to pass. Last time, they had said they wanted him to become Sect Master, and now they wanted him to marry Tang Mu's daughter. What in the world was the Shangqing Sect plotting? He hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no!"
The smile vanished from Tang Susu's face in an instant. Her expression darkened. "What's wrong with it? Your Senior Sister Tang has the looks and the figure. You're still young and don't understand certain things. Once your body grows a little more, once you become a grown man capable of knowing good from bad, you'll naturally understand your Senior Sister Tang's virtues."
How could Niu Youdao agree to something so inexplicable? It was far too suspicious. "Elder, I'm still young. I'm not worthy of Senior Sister Tang..."
Before he could finish, Tang Susu cut him off bluntly. "You're not that young anymore. In your village, there are probably plenty of people your age who already have children. There's no question of being worthy or unworthy in this matter. Before your master died, he and Sect Master Tang Mu agreed to a marriage alliance. The two sides agreed that Tang Mu's daughter would marry Dongguo's disciple. Now, you're the only disciple Dongguo has left. Who else could this marriage belong to? They say that once someone is your teacher for a day, he is your father for life. Marriage is decided by one's parents, and besides, a master's orders cannot be disobeyed."
They arranged a marriage alliance? Niu Youdao's eyes widened. More like a ghost story. They can even force a marriage like this? What does Tang Mu and Dongguo Haoran's agreement have to do with me?
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious the matter seemed. No matter how he looked at it, there seemed to be a pit waiting for him to jump into. Good things certainly never came his way. He braced himself and said, "This disciple's age and Senior Sister Tang's truly don't match..."
Tang Susu was forceful and would not let him finish. She interrupted him again. "Do you know what the consequences are for disobeying a master's orders in the Shangqing Sect? It is disloyal, unfilial, inhumane, and unrighteous. The Shangqing Sect absolutely does not allow such scum to exist. As the Law Enforcement Elder, I will never sit by and watch such a disciple remain alive! If you truly wish to disobey your master's orders, I'm unwilling to dirty my own hands. The cliffs outside are waiting. Go jump off yourself!"
The Moon Butterfly above her head flapped its wings in midair, its flickering soft light illuminating her grim, merciless face.
"..." Niu Youdao was utterly speechless. Was there any reason left in this world? She was directly telling him to jump off a cliff and kill himself? He did not know whether that damned marriage agreement even existed, but he knew now that there was absolutely no reasoning with this old woman. He swallowed dryly and said, "This disciple would like to ask Senior Sister Tang what she thinks. Could you allow me to discuss it with her in person?"
Tang Susu said indifferently, "There's no need. You don't have to worry about your senior sister's side. I'm asking you only one thing now: will you obey your master's orders or not?"
In the end, Niu Youdao sent Tang Susu out of Peach Blossom Spring in a daze. He could not even remember how he had made his way back.
The result went without saying. Tang Susu had been overwhelmingly domineering, leaving no room for discussion whatsoever. She had made it plain that if he refused, she would kill him, without the slightest attempt at concealment. Niu Youdao had no room to refuse at all. He instinctively realized that something had to be wrong. What kind of situation was this? Under normal circumstances, never mind him—would Tang Yi agree to such a thing?
After coming back to his senses, he quickly went outside again, hoping to ask Chen Guishuo about the situation. But Chen Guishuo was gone. He then ran down the mountain along the stone steps, only to be stopped halfway down by the two disciples who had accompanied Tang Susu earlier.
Back in Peach Blossom Spring, he took a mirror from inside Peach Blossom Hall and repeatedly examined himself beneath the moonlight. With such a tender, youthful face, he was supposed to get married?
Setting everything else aside, he was not unaware of Song Yanqing's background. The power of the Song Family was probably something even the Shangqing Sect could not afford to provoke. Song Yanqing had taken a fancy to this woman, and he dared to stick his foot in? Wasn't that courting death? He strongly suspected that Song Yanqing would never let him off!
But right now, he could only take things one step at a time. He had no choice!
When he lowered the mirror in his hand, his eyes suddenly caught sight of the water vat beside him. Five posts were arranged throughout the courtyard, each with a water vat beside it. They were usually used to water the flowers and plants, and each vat was filled with clear water. Just now, it seemed that something had flashed across the surface.
He slowly raised the mirror in his hand again. In the water inside the vat, the outline of the Bronze Mirror was reflected. It was difficult to see clearly in the night, but as he shifted the angle of the mirror and its surface faced the moonlight directly, nine hazy points of light suddenly appeared in the reflection of the Bronze Mirror in the water.
Niu Youdao let out a soft "huh," then retreated several steps. The front of the mirror was still facing the moonlight and its back was facing the ground, yet there were no points of light in the shadow on the ground. He raised the mirror above his head and looked at its back toward the moonlight, but there were no points of light on the back of the mirror either.
He moved closer to the water vat, and the nine hazy points of light appeared on the water's surface again. He looked up at the sky, then at the mirror in his hand, and gradually began muttering to himself.
"Heaven is yang, the mirror's surface is yang; earth is yin, the mirror's back is yin. Heaven is the heavenly disk, the mirror separating yin and yang is the gate, thus the gate disk; earth is the earthly disk. Heaven, gate, earth—the three disks..." After muttering a string of words, Niu Youdao suddenly revealed an expression of dawning realization. His eyes fixed on the mirror abruptly shone with light, and he blurted out, "Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams!"
Before you continue