A Perilous Escape Through Quick Wits! The Agricultural Path Crisis Looms as It Is Scattered

Cloudshadow Mountain, Lingjiang Temple.

Rear hall.

Sandalwood incense curled through the air, Dao resonance lingering all around.

The three men sat in a circle within the hall, exchanging glances in secret as they silently sized up the person before them.

Li Xiaobing knelt respectfully on the ground, not daring to show the slightest disrespect. "Disciple Li Xiaobing greets the Grand Elder, greets Master, greets Martial Uncle."

Fu Yangzi raised his eyes to look at her. His gaze was as distant as thin clouds, yet as deep as a great lake.

"No need for such formalities. I would ask you this: during these past years working around the outskirts of the Ancient Forbidden Land, what have you seen or heard?"

Li Xiaobing prostrated herself fully and did not rise, lowering her head as she answered, "Reporting to Grand Elder, in recent years, this disciple and Senior Brother Wang worked together with one heart and one purpose, transporting more Agricultural Path Cultivators into the outskirts of the Horn Sand Forbidden Land, doing our utmost for the revival of the Ancient Forbidden Land... We have labored diligently, never daring to slack off day or night."

"There have been no unusual sights, though. It has merely been a matter of fattening up the year's pigs, then driving the livestock in for slaughter. Everything has proceeded as normal."

"Over in New Dajiang County, Senior Brother Situ has personally continued carrying out the Three-in-One Strategy. Among the newly born Agricultural Path Cultivators each year, one out of every three is selected. On the surface, they are said to be cultivated and trained, but in truth, they are adding bricks and tiles to our Daoist Sect's great cause. The stakes increase every year, and every year there are more of them."

She kept her brows lowered and her eyes meek, even letting a fawning, ingratiating expression appear on her face.

"If you ask this disciple, it is the good fortune of those ignorant commoners... A bunch of mud-legged wretches with worthless lives—being granted such an honor, they are probably happy beyond measure. Even in their next lives, they should remember the grace bestowed upon them by our Daoist Sect!"

"Not bad."

Fu Yangzi nodded faintly. There was no movement at the corners of his lips, yet his words suddenly shifted, their edge concealed within.

"However, you have broken through to Eighth Grade for more than ten years, yet have never shown the slightest sign of advancing. You have spent a long time tempering your Dao heart while descending the mountain, gradually recognizing the divide between the human path and the Daoist path, and understanding that the Daoist Sect has always stood above all living beings. That counts as some gain... Yet you still have not broken through?"

Li Xiaobing gave a bitter smile and sighed mournfully. "Reporting to Grand Elder, this disciple can clearly see the gate to the Third Realm blocked right before me. It is within arm's reach, as though it could be shattered with a flick of the fingers, yet it remains unbreakable as a fortress, without a single flaw to exploit!"

"This disciple has searched through every method, yet still cannot find even a thread of a way to break through! Perhaps every step of Agricultural Path cultivation is harder than climbing to the heavens... If possible, this disciple truly wishes she were not an Agricultural Path Cultivator."

"If this disciple possessed the bones and roots of the Daoist Sect and obtained a Celestial-Human Dao Foundation, then she too could receive the Dao within the Daoist Sect, soar to the heavens in a single step, shed mortality and become immortal. Why would she be trapped in such hardship today, unable to see the light of day?"

After hearing this, Fu Yangzi turned and looked around at the two True Persons seated below him, amusement tracing itself across his lips.

There was no mockery in his expression, only calm composure.

His attitude spoke for itself.

Its meaning was perfectly clear—you were worrying that the sky would fall!

These so-called Agricultural Path Cultivators found even breaking through the gate of the Third Realm harder than climbing to the heavens. What threat could they possibly amount to?

And even if they truly did break through, so what?

The Third Realm alone would take several decades! What about the higher realms to come? Who knew how long those would take?

Our Daoist Sect possessed the foundation of the Fifth Dao Reception, far, far ahead of the Agricultural Path!

By the time they slowly grew strong, who knew whether you and I would still be alive? Given enough time, our Daoist Sect would always stand above the Agricultural Path, crush its ambitions, and enslave it for generations. What future was there even to speak of? Utterly laughable!

Qing Shuzi did not refute him directly. Instead, he asked Li Xiaobing, "Disciple, let me ask you! Even with Situ Zhang carrying out the Three-in-One Strategy below the mountain, the number of Agricultural Path Cultivators in New Dajiang County still grows by several hundred every year, perhaps even more? The increase rises steadily year after year, does it not?"

Li Xiaobing nodded repeatedly, not daring to falsify her answer.

"Indeed! Speaking of it, this Agricultural Path truly has astonishing vitality... No matter how much we harvest, more of them keep sprouting without end, crop after crop. They are simply the finest stepping stones for aiding our Daoist Sect!"

"The radiance of our Daoist Sect shines across ten thousand miles. Even the smallest leftover gleam is enough to let the Agricultural Path pass down its teachings in flourishing succession. This is the fortune of our Daoist Sect! The more Agricultural Path Cultivators born, the faster our Daoist Sect's great undertaking will grow!"

"This is the fortune of my honored master, the fortune of the Daoist Sect, and the fortune of all people beneath heaven!"

Qing Shuzi asked no more. He merely turned slowly to look toward the seat of honor.

His meaning was equally obvious.

Did you see that?

Even though we continually harvest them, the vitality of the Agricultural Path has never been extinguished. Instead, it has surged forward in song all the way!

Was this truly a good thing?

Not a word was spoken in that exchange, yet the clash of opinions between the two True Persons was exceptionally clear.

Fu Yangzi's smile faded slightly. He casually waved a hand, signaling for Li Xiaobing to withdraw.

Just as Li Xiaobing was about to leave, Dong Daozi suddenly spoke in a faint, eerie tone.

"Xiaobing, you have spent many years with that useless disciple of mine. Have you ever noticed anything unusual about him? As his master, I am always rather worried about that disappointing disciple."

Li Xiaobing halted, thought briefly, then answered truthfully, "Reporting to Martial Uncle, there have indeed been some abnormalities! This disciple has found that Senior Brother Wang is dull by nature and mediocre in talent, that much is true. It is also true that he has diligently served our Daoist Sect. Yet his cultivation has never advanced even an inch, as though he has never truly put his heart into striving!"

"This disciple secretly observed and followed him, only to discover that Senior Brother still retained the tastes and interests of an ordinary mortal. He enjoys lingering in flower-lined alleys, drowning himself in wine and women, and neglecting his cultivation!"

"Furthermore, this disciple discovered that he has secretly kept several households of delicate wives and beautiful concubines. That is why he has made no progress for so many years!"

"It truly is a pity. The human path and the Daoist path are different roads, yet Senior Brother Wang has abandoned his bright future for these worldly affairs of passion. He has thrown away a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed—how lamentable... What does the great inheritance of our Daoist Sect even mean to him?! Detestable, vile, contemptible! This disciple truly despises him!"

Dong Daozi raised a brow.

Rather than angering him, this answer actually eased his heart.

If the Wang Congyun in Li Xiaobing's account had been flawless, he would instead have needed to be wary.

That would have meant the two had certainly colluded in private to conceal something from him! No one could be flawless, no one could be without defects!

But indulging in wine and women while neglecting cultivation was in fact a common sight among disciples of the Daoist Sect. Five or six out of every ten disciples sent down the mountain for experience failed to restrain their mortal hearts, stagnated in their cultivation, and ultimately faded into the masses.

No wonder that brat had spent so many years wandering outside to handle matters for our sect without returning to the mountain, nor had he received the Dao a second time. He was afraid those little proclivities of his would be discovered!

Dong Daozi waved his hand. "You may leave."

Li Xiaobing bowed and withdrew. Her steps were steady and her expression respectful as she exited the rear hall, but after turning past the long corridor, her footsteps noticeably lightened.

Dong Daozi stroked the long beard beneath his chin, deep in thought.

Had that child seemed somewhat nervous while speaking just now? Yet after leaving, she had become lighter?

Never mind. What disciple did not have a few little thoughts of their own?

Whether it was her or Congyun, they had served the Daoist Sect deeply these past years and had long been tightly bound to it. No matter what, they would not dare betray it.

A long silence once again settled over the hall.

Qing Shuzi did not relax in the slightest, while Fu Yangzi slowly straightened in his seat, his eyes dark and uncertain.

"The vitality of this Agricultural Path truly warrants vigilance. In the future, it may indeed blaze into a prairie fire! In that case, perhaps our sect should alter its strategy."

Previously, the Daoist Sect had devoted itself to shaping New Dajiang County into a sacred land where the Agricultural Path originated, using that reputation to continuously draw more Farmers together.

The more people there were, the more Agricultural Path Cultivators would be born, and the more usable resources there would be.

But looking at things now, gathering the Agricultural Path in one place was not the best move... It could develop too quickly and become difficult to suppress in the future!

Moreover, the Agricultural Path centered on the Inheritance Method. It grew rapidly only when crowds gathered to pass down the teachings. Once scattered apart, it would instead be harder to develop!

Qing Shuzi's gaze shifted slightly. "Could the Grand Elder mean..."

Dong Daozi also suddenly understood. "Scatter them! Divide the Agricultural Path of Dajiang County among the four directions, and the deeply rooted problem of New Dajiang County can be resolved."

"Furthermore, this would allow the seedlings of the Agricultural Path to spread into other parts of Jiang Prefecture, raising more resources for our sect while further widening the gap between Meizhou Prefecture and our sect. Let the Agricultural Path spread throughout Jiang Prefecture rather than remain confined to a mere single region—killing several birds with one stone!"

Fu Yangzi nodded slowly. "Correct! Does Dajiang County not already have more than two hundred and eighty Second Realm Field Stewards? Send all of them to cities and towns throughout Jiang Prefecture, with outer-sect disciples of our Daoist Sect and local communications officers secretly monitoring their movements."

"From now on, whenever new Second Realm Field Stewards are born in New Dajiang County, divide and relocate them one by one as well. Do not allow the Agricultural Path's strength in any single place to become excessive!"

"Let First Realm Farmers be born in every region, yet remain unable to gather together and pile themselves high. That is the wondrous strategy for balancing and controlling the Agricultural Path!"

Dong Daozi clapped his hands. "An excellent method. Scatter the freshly kindled fire of the Agricultural Path and break it apart, greatly slowing its development and keeping it under control at all times."

Qing Shuzi considered the matter for a while and also felt that the method was sound, though concerns still lingered in his mind.

"Grand Elder, this plan of dispersal may be effective for the next hundred or thousand years, but if we discuss the future over several thousand years, Agricultural Path Cultivators may spread in continuous stretches across the wilds. Perhaps one day they may yet pull the rug out from beneath our Daoist Sect..."

Dong Daozi could not help laughing. He threw back his head and laughed freely.

"Future matters shall have future plans. Why must you and I think so far ahead? Perhaps a hundred years from now, our Daoist Sect will already have grasped the Immortal Legacy, seized supremacy over the ten prefectures, and soared into the sky in one bound. At that time, what could this so-called threat of the Agricultural Path possibly count for?"

Qing Shuzi pondered in silence and did not argue further.

That was indeed the logic of it!

How could the world offer a method that satisfied both sides? Fish and bear's paw could not both be had. They wanted more flesh and blood from the Agricultural Path to fill the Forbidden Land, yet also wanted the Agricultural Path not to develop at all—where could they find such a bargain in this world?

As long as they ensured that the Daoist Sect's development always remained far ahead of the Agricultural Path, no great disaster would arise!

From then on, waves of discussion rose from the rear hall as they carefully debated plans for dispersal and resettlement.

Cicadas chirped in waves outside the hall.

Li Xiaobing strode swiftly through the corridor, turned into a secluded corner, and let out a long breath of foul air. The robes on her back were already soaked through with cold sweat, chilling against her skin like blades pressed to her spine.

Everything she had said earlier had been discussed and arranged with Wang Congyun beforehand.

They had fabricated the image of him indulging in wine and women, both to avoid arousing the Daoist Sect's suspicions and to conceal his true movements.

But upon hearing that the two True Persons would soon descend the mountain and head for the Horn Sand Forbidden Land, she had to warn Senior Brother Wang of the danger here in advance. Just as she was about to summon her Insect Spirit, green light suddenly flashed before her eyes.

Whoosh!

An Insect Spirit landed in her palm and opened its mouth to spit out a letter.

Li Xiaobing's pupils contracted.

This was Wang Congyun's Insect Spirit!

She unfolded the letter and swept her eyes over it. Its surface contained nothing but ordinary daily greetings.

Yet hidden within were the coded words they had agreed upon beforehand. The message written in code was—return at once! Great matter! The Third Realm is within reach!

Li Xiaobing's heartbeat instantly quickened, and wild joy surged through her!

The Third Realm!!

Could the Third Realm that had trapped her for more than ten years truly be broken through?!

She took a deep breath to calm herself. Her heart had already flown home like an arrow, and she raised her hand to crush the letter in her palm. The scraps scattered away, vanishing without a trace—