The Immortal Way Values Life, Granting a Measure of Fairness

The white-robed cultivator spoke with an open expression, showing no shame.

The Qi-Refining Grand Rite had long since ended. As a steward of Sky Treasury, he had the authority to dispose of idle spiritual materials within the treasury.

This was both the right granted to him as a steward and a privilege due to a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Moreover, he had not taken the materials for himself without cause. He had exchanged for them with [Light-Clasping Mirror Sand] and added one or two spiritual materials to replenish the treasury. He had not embezzled anything.

Nor had he overstepped his bounds.

He simply had not expected someone to succeed in the Second Grand Rite and come for materials again, so he had not recorded the compensatory items in the treasure register.

Of course, the Second Grand Rite itself was not the issue. The key was... how had this newly promoted disciple, who was not born into a great lineage, learned of the treasures stored in the treasury?

How did he know there was supposed to be a piece of [Primordial Fire Sword Sand]?

The white-robed cultivator raised his head and looked at Yue Chenzhou before him.

It was probably this man.

Yet Yue Chenzhou knew full well that he had not done this.

But he did not explain, because the Flowing-Light Flying Talisman had already stated that this disciple had just succeeded in the Second Grand Rite, and the spiritual division he had chosen was—the Sea-Calming Bureau.

There was no need to think further. It must have been Senior Brother Lin Shanhai's doing.

Senior Brother Lin must have known that Lu Xuan had chosen to enter the Sea-Calming Bureau, and that he himself was presently at Sky Treasury. That was why he had informed this boy about the [Primordial Fire Sword Sand].

If the boy caused a commotion, he ought to offer him some protection.

"The Immortal Way values life, its grace reaching all living things. Senior Brother Lin was thoughtful indeed..."

Yue Chenzhou sighed inwardly.

The Immortal Way values life. This was the core tenet of the Heaven-Gazing Sect, and the root from which the Immortal Cult had been founded.

Yet as time passed, these four words had come to bear differing interpretations.

One faction believed that since the Immortal Way valued life, one must naturally value oneself first. Only once one's own path had reached great completion could one extend grace to life. And even then, one should first favor one's family, lineage, and sect before all under heaven.

But another faction believed that the Immortal Way valued life, and thus one should save countless people.

So long as it lay within one's own capabilities and within the territory under one's care, all living beings ought to be allowed to live. How could one turn a blind eye?

The two factions differed somewhat, yet both still upheld the words [Life-Valuing Principle]. Thus, there was no great ugliness between them, though the differences could still be seen in their everyday conduct.

Just as Senior Brother Lin had known that the newly promoted disciple ought to receive [Primordial Fire Sword Sand], which was why he had told him of it and had him hurry to Sky Treasury.

Meanwhile, once the Grand Rite ended, Junior Brother Xie had directly used his steward's privilege to take the [Primordial Fire Sword Sand], wishing to extend its benefit to descendants of his lineage.

He could not say that Junior Brother Xie had done anything wrong. After all, as a steward of Sky Treasury, he truly did possess some authority to act as circumstances demanded.

The Immortal Way, the Immortal Way—it sought transcendence. If one truly had not even a shred of freedom, not even the right to be unrestrained, then what was the point of cultivating immortality?

The Heaven-Gazing Sect was not the Heavenly Justice Sect, seeking absolute impartiality.

But since he had run into this matter, and since that newly promoted disciple would be a man of his Sea-Calming Bureau, he naturally could not ignore it.

"Junior Brother, as a steward of Sky Treasury, you may naturally dispose of idle spiritual materials. After all, among the thirtieth-generation disciples of our sect, only a handful succeeded in the Second Grand Rite."

"But since this man has gathered qi and entered our inner sect, he should naturally receive what is due to him."

"Since Junior Brother has taken the [Primordial Fire Sword Sand], then give him a spiritual material of equal grade. Why make things difficult for him?"

Yue Chenzhou looked at Xie Zhenshi and said with a smile.

Seeing that Yue Chenzhou had not come to hold him accountable, Xie Zhenshi's expression eased somewhat.

He too agreed with the principle that the Immortal Way valued life.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to cultivate within the Immortal Cult.

If not for the special cultivation art practiced by his own nephew, he would not have acted this way.

It was simply that... compared to the descendants of his own family, an ordinary inner-sect disciple still fell somewhat short.

"It is not that I am unwilling. Grade-A spiritual objects are rare to begin with, and mid-grade Grade-A items are rarer still. With the strength of our sect, we obtained only seventy-three in total. I thought that would be enough for this Grand Rite, but I never expected there to be one more anomaly."

"I searched in every direction and found only this [Light-Clasping Mirror Sand]. The other spiritual objects are even worse."

Xie Zhenshi shook his head helplessly.

There were only five grades of spiritual objects in the world. Only a mighty righteous sect like the Heaven-Gazing Sect could use so many mid-grade Grade-A items to nurture its disciples. Ordinary small sects would not even dare dream of it.

Though his Xie Clan was an aristocratic lineage, it was merely a minor clan within the sect. Such spiritual objects were difficult for them to acquire as well.

"However, since he knows about the [Primordial Fire Sword Sand], I do not wish to take advantage of him either. I will give him the three bottles of [Morning Sun Pills] that I used to replenish the treasury, along with another thousand spirit stones. What do you say?"

Xie Zhenshi proposed.

Yue Chenzhou merely smiled faintly. "Why ask me, Junior Brother? It is not I who wants the spiritual object."

Hearing this, Xie Zhenshi said no more. With a flick of his finger, the Flowing-Light Flying Talisman flew out of the room and headed toward Heavenly Granary Hall.

Yet before long, the Flowing-Light Flying Talisman flew back into the room and landed in Xie Zhenshi's palm.

Xie Zhenshi swept it with his spiritual sense, and his brows furrowed. "What an unyielding temperament. Could he be from some profound sect lineage? Was he not born an ordinary mortal in Mountain-Lifting Prefecture?"

A mere Qi Refining cultivator kept demanding, again and again, to inspect the treasure register. Did he truly think Foundation Establishment cultivators had no temper?

If this had been some ordinary sect within Mountain-Lifting Prefecture, he would have been swallowed whole long ago.

Yet Yue Chenzhou burst into laughter. "The disciples of our Immortal Cult gather True Qi and enter the Dao, carrying hearts bright and resplendent. Such a temperament proves precisely that our sect's principle of valuing life has already taken root."

"I think he has received guidance and found himself a backer." Xie Zhenshi spoke coolly. "Senior Brother, did you come here today for this boy?"

Yue Chenzhou shook his head. "No, no. I came today to seek a Dharma Rite on behalf of the living beings of the East Sea, and Sky Treasury must allocate more spiritual materials."

"But I happened upon this matter. Since I have encountered it, and as one of the three division chiefs of the Sea-Calming Bureau, I am willing to seek what is 'due' for him as well."

Xie Zhenshi gave a cold snort. "Due, due—does that mean I was wrong? Once the Grand Rite ended, as a steward, I had the right to dispose of idle spiritual materials. That too was what was due to me."

"Do not be angered, Junior Brother. You waited until the Qi-Refining Grand Rite had ended before taking the [Primordial Fire Sword Sand], so it was naturally due to you," Yue Chenzhou soothed him. "But this boy is innocent as well."

"It is merely one object exchanged for another, so fairness must naturally be observed. Let me ask you this: if this boy had succeeded in a single attempt during this Grand Rite and taken the [Primordial Fire Sword Sand] beforehand, what would you have done?"

Yue Chenzhou was highly experienced and went straight for the heart of the matter.

Xie Zhenshi immediately fell silent.

Yue Chenzhou did not press him. He merely sipped his tea slowly and toyed with a chess piece.

After a while, Xie Zhenshi shook his head and sighed. "How can the world ever be utterly impartial? Though the Immortal Way indeed values life, how could everyone become immortal?"

"Junior Brother speaks reasonably. But those who can enter our inner sect should at least be granted fairness, a chance at life."

"The disciples of our sect are like dragons, able to climb the Great Dao. How could the great lineages and clans not rise alongside them?"

Yue Chenzhou said with a smile.

This was the truth. If disciples of the Immortal Cult could attain the Great Dao, the great lineages and clans would benefit alongside them.

The Heaven-Gazing Sect was a great tree. No matter what ideals one held, the first life to be valued was that of this tree.

This was also why Xie Zhenshi had waited until the Grand Rite was over before taking the [Primordial Fire Sword Sand].

"Very well. Since that is the case, I shall grant him fairness."

"But there is risk within that fairness as well. Whether he can overcome it will depend on his own fortune."

Xie Zhenshi sighed softly and took out a gilded token.

"Good. We seek only fairness. If his methods are insufficient, then he can only blame his ill fortune."

Yue Chenzhou clapped his hands and laughed. He pressed no further and approved of this method.

Xie Zhenshi immediately tossed it out. The gilded token and the Flowing-Light Flying Talisman flew out of the room together.