Chickens and Dogs Must Know Their Place

"Chen Jing, did Qiu Yan even hear what you said?"

In a pure white, colorless space, Tao Ying paced and circled, her face full of worry. From a distance, it looked as if she were walking in mid-air.

Beside him stood Chen Jing and sat Daoist Lu. The three of them were surrounded by pure white, without any other color or sound.

Tao Ying and the other two didn't even need to breathe, so there wasn't a sound of breathing, which added to the silence.

In the center of the three, a ball of light and shadow could be seen, revealing a man in his forties with a long, flowing beard and a composed demeanor. The road around him was constantly changing, and he was sitting in a carriage with two attendants on either side.

In addition, one can see dense black energy swirling around the person, lingering and subtly seeping into their flesh and blood.

"If he doesn't hear us, and doesn't realize what he should do, are we all going to be completely trapped here? Silent and colorless, utterly silent!"

Looking at the ball of light, Tao Ying became increasingly anxious, losing her composure and pacing back and forth, unable to calm down for even a moment.

Chen Jing didn't try to persuade him, but instead said, "Brother Tao, for now we can only trust Brother Qiu. His ability to sculpt Sage Worthies Clay Statues is enough to demonstrate his literary talent and thoughtfulness. He's currently engrossed in this Thought Projection Scene and has extricated himself from the tedious affairs of persuading the enemy to surrender, which shows that he has discovered something."

"That's true, but judging from Qiu Yan's appearance, he hasn't found the key! If he can't find it, wouldn't he be harming us all?" Tao Ying was still uneasy, her face full of worry, like an ant on a hot pan.

Chen Jing shook his head and said no more. He could understand Tao Ying. He was just an ordinary person who neither cultivated Daoism nor practiced martial arts. He only wanted to come to Scholar Forest to improve his literary skills and qualifications so that his father-in-law would look at him with new eyes. But he encountered so many unexpected events and suffered one after another. It was normal for him to lose his composure.

On the other side, Daoist Lu sat cross-legged.

This place is all white, with no ground, so at first glance, this seated figure seems to be floating in mid-air.

Just as Tao Ying was flustered and uttering incoherent words, the Daoist priest suddenly spoke up, "Benefactor Tao, you say that Benefactor Qiu harmed us, have you forgotten? If it weren't for Benefactor Qiu's Heart Path, neither of us would have had the chance to come here. Benefactor Qiu entered the Scholar Forest through his own merit, and we merely benefited from his success. Now he is trapped in Thought Projection Scene. This is the Scholar Forest's test for him; success will bring him rewards, failure will lead to ruin. We cannot intervene or help him; we can only watch from the sidelines. You cannot even remain silent, so why did you come here?"

Upon hearing this, Tao Ying stopped in his tracks, his face contorted with anger. He stared directly at the Daoist Lu, struggling to suppress his rage. "What do you mean by that, Daoist priest? Inviting Qiu Yan here was a transaction. He led us into the forest, and we provided the Sage Worthies Clay Statues! Otherwise, no matter how learned Qiu Yan is, he will be kept out of the Scholar Forest."

Tao Ying still retained a sliver of reason, knowing that Daoist Lu possessed Divine Ability and was not to be trifled with; otherwise, she wouldn't have spoken so politely.

But Daoist Lu was unmoved, instead saying, "My sect has records of our patriarch's ascension. He once asked all living beings about the Dao before the Heaven Gate, and those who answered all followed him into the Beyond Heaven. It can be said that when one attains the Dao, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. However, my patriarch devoted himself to cultivation, and his ascension was the true attainment. Those who went with him were merely fortunate enough to have a fortuitous opportunity, and did not necessarily attain the true attainment themselves. If we become complacent, we will be somewhat reckless. We are now in this predicament; how can we be sure that this is not the reward for our opportunistic behavior?"

The Daoist Lu stopped speaking here, closing his eyes in silence, but the meaning of his words was already very clear.

To achieve enlightenment by following others is not one's own ability; such a person is merely a chicken or a dog. One should have self-awareness!

This analogy caused Tao Ying's expression to change drastically. Although his body appeared normal, it was merely a manifestation of his Living Soul. As soon as his thoughts and emotions became disordered, his form immediately became blurred.

"Does the Daoist mean that Qiu Yan is a great sage who has attained the Dao, while you consider yourself, along with Brother Chen and me, as mere followers?" His voice trembled slightly, a result of his emotions. Without the constraints of a physical body, it was difficult to conceal his feelings and thoughts.

Seeing the debate about to reignite, Chen Jing suddenly interjected, "Let's not argue; it won't help. We should calm down, gather our thoughts, and then try to send a message to Brother Qiu. Just now, Lu Dao and I worked together to send a little bit of sound, and I don't even know if Brother Qiu heard it clearly. If arguing distracts us, then we'll be putting the cart before the horse."

As he spoke, he focused his gaze on the central ball of light.

"Brother Qiu has arrived at the Liang Kingdom's palace. We must be prepared at all times. As soon as a gap arises in the Thought Projection Scene, we must immediately gather our minds and send a message over!"

As he spoke, Chen Jing raised his hand and reached out to touch the ball of light. The instant his fingers touched it, his fingertips seemed to melt away like snowflakes, connecting with it, and his consciousness extended into it...

Seeing Chen Jing's actions, Tao Ying found a way out. Without saying anything more, she walked over, her expression surprisingly calmer.

Upon hearing what the Daoist Lu said, the magistrate was consumed by anger, but he temporarily forgot his panic.

Daoist Lu glanced at the two of them, then his figure shifted, and he instantly appeared beside the ball of light.

The three people surrounded the ball of light, their eyes fixed on the light and shadow effects within it.

Standing in the Liang Kingdom's palace, Qiu Yan looked at the pavilions and towers in front of him, admiring the carved beams and painted rafters, and caught a glimpse of their dignified and noble air. He remained silent.

As the palace steps ascended and descended, squads of armored guards patrolled back and forth, while palace maids and eunuchs hurried about, presenting a scene of wealth and bustle.

From afar, this palace complex seemed to shimmer with light, radiating boundless authority and enveloping the sky.

"Throughout my journey, though not every place was littered with starving corpses, there were still years of famine. The common people were driven to desperation; some rose up in rebellion, while others resigned themselves to their fate. Anyone with a heart of compassion would feel their conscience troubled by such a situation. But once I arrived at the palace, it was as if I had entered another place, a place of boundless wealth and honor..."

Thinking this way, the palace changed in Qiu Yan's eyes, like a giant beast coiled in the center of the city, devouring the people's wealth and releasing a ferocious aura to intimidate the surrounding area.

Although Liang was a state, it could not be considered a large country in this world full of feudal lords. In terms of land area alone, it was only about a quarter of the size of Da Ruishan South Circuit.

Qiu Yan went to the rebel army's camp to offer amnesty, and then returned by carriage to report back. The round trip only took one day, which gives us a glimpse into the situation.

Right now, as he looked at the palace before him, he could feel an invisible authority enveloping the entire country.

Though the country is small, its power is immense!

"Brother, Eunuch Li has arrived," a young servant beside him called out, drawing Qiu Yan's attention back to him.

The newcomer was a fair-skinned, clean-shaven young man with a smile. He approached Qiu Yan, raised his arms in a gesture of respect, and said, "The Grand Minister of Agriculture has returned. Please follow me into the palace. His Majesty has been waiting for you for some time."

"Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Li." Qiu Yan returned the greeting and then left.

Eunuchs, also known as palace attendants, were usually trusted confidants of the king.

The eunuch Li led the group forward, up the steps, through a long corridor, and into a majestic hall. Two powerful guards stood before the hall's entrance. As Qiu Yan got closer, he could sense the fluctuations of their Qi and Blood, knowing they were cultivators with Life Cultivation.

When they were about ten steps away from the palace gate, Eunuch Li stopped, turned around, looked at the two attendants, and said with a smile, "Young men, please go and rest in the side hall while we wait for the master's return."

The boy and the other servant dared not disobey the order, and left with their hands clasped in respect.

Once the servants had gone some distance, the eunuch Li suddenly lowered his voice and said to Qiu Yan, "My lord, the king never expected you to succeed in sending you to pacify the common people. It was merely a show for the other feudal lords, to prevent the hegemon of Qi State from using this as an excuse to attack after he sent troops to suppress them."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice, saying, "Does Eunuch Li have something to say to me?"

"The Grand Minister of Agriculture now holds a high position and controls the nation's granaries. Countless people will try to curry favor with him in the future. I, a humble official, will not mince words; I genuinely wish to befriend you, Your Excellency," said Eunuch Li without pretense. "Today's events are also a reminder beforehand. With His Majesty in the hall and Minister Zhang Qin by his side, Your Excellency should carefully consider your words. Although Minister Zhang is an outsider, he now holds the position of Director of the Imperial Household Department, wielding considerable power and influence. It is best if Your Excellency does not oppose his proposals."

Looking at the person before him, Qiu Yan nodded and expressed his gratitude. At that moment, his name was announced from within the hall, summoning him to an audience.

Eunuch Li immediately composed himself, composed himself, and adopted a businesslike demeanor. He responded loudly and led Qiu Yan into the main hall.

Upon entering the hall, after taking a few steps, Eunuch Li hurried along with small, quick steps, while Qiu Yan stopped, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty!" As he spoke, he bowed deeply, then stood up straight and looked ahead.

The palace was magnificent on the outside, but the inside was very spacious. There were two steps leading to the innermost part, and a table was placed on the platform. The King of the Liang Kingdom was dressed in gorgeous clothes and sat behind the table, with gold and jade at his waist and a plump figure.

Beside the stage, there was a low table with a man kneeling behind it, exuding a refined and scholarly air.

In this era, there was no concept of kneeling as a sign of respect; kneeling was merely a posture.

"My dear minister, there's no need for such formalities. Having ventured into the lion's den, were you threatened by the rebels?" The King of the Liang Kingdom asked, feigning ignorance. After exchanging a few polite words with Qiu Yan, he got to the point, "What did these rebels demand? Did their leader reveal his purpose? If..."

However, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a man in the audience.

Being interrupted while a ruler is speaking is a serious offense, no matter where it takes place. However, the ruler of the Liang Kingdom simply remained silent and showed no intention of pursuing the matter.

Then, the man stood up and walked towards Qiu Yan, saying as he walked, "It seems that the Grand Minister of Agriculture's State of Mind has changed since his departure. He must have made some plans. Why don't you tell me?"

These words stirred something within Qiu Yan.