After hearing Daoist Fang's remarks, Zhang Yu said, "Supreme Venerable Fang is mistaken."
Daoist Fang smiled. "Oh? Where am I mistaken?"
Zhang Yu said, "My fellow cultivators can cultivate in the Upper Layer, receive the nourishing infusion of upper-layer clear qi, and enjoy eternal life precisely because they are part of Celestial Xia. The promises made in those days were made for that very reason. Over all these years, the fact that they could remain untouched by worldly dust and ignore affairs beyond their doors was entirely because Celestial Xia had continuously protected them from without.
"Now that Celestial Xia faces peril, as cultivators of Celestial Xia, should they not contribute their strength? If they are willing only to reap benefits but unwilling to safeguard Celestial Xia, then why should Celestial Xia shelter them?"
Daoist Fang said, "That is well said. But the reason we can enjoy what we do today is because we rendered merit in the past. What we received was not Celestial Xia's charity."
As he spoke, he smiled again. "And Fang will not conceal it: the human heart has always been partial to itself. In the eyes of my fellow cultivators, they have long since given what they ought to give. On the contrary, Celestial Xia's demand that they emerge from seclusion violates the promises made back then."
Zhang Yu shook his head. "There is still an error in Supreme Venerable Fang's words."
"Oh? How so?"
Zhang Yu said, "My fellow cultivators have always believed that Celestial Xia intends to enslave and command them. Yet in truth, many have taken the wrong turn. Celestial Xia and my fellow cultivators have never stood in opposition; they have always existed in mutual benefit.
"When the Profound Court asks my fellow cultivators to exert themselves for Celestial Xia, it