Li Yu's expression jolted at Lu Dan's words.
The Mystic Sects of the Eastern Lands placed immense importance on the inheritance of cultivation arts. Even passing the most basic Qi Refinement art to an outsider, once discovered, was punishable by death.
Yet now Lu Dan was saying that the arts of the Orthodox School could be passed on to anyone who cultivated virtue.
Li Yu fell silent for a moment, then asked a question. "What is virtue?"
The word "virtue" was rarely discussed in the Eastern Lands. He knew its basic meaning, but on closer thought, he realized he did not understand what it truly meant.
"To revere Heaven and protect the people is virtue." Having said this, Lu Dan poured himself another cup and raised it toward Li Yu.
Li Yu clinked cups with him and took a small sip, but deep down, he did not quite agree with Lu Dan's answer. "Ordinary people can only revere Heaven. Some cannot even afford food, so how could they protect the people? Does that mean they cannot cultivate virtue?"
Lu Dan set down his cup and pointed at the house where Shi Sang and her daughter lived. "Jin Ling is filial. That, too, is virtue. Beyond filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, loyalty, and forgiveness are all virtues."
Hearing this, Li Yu began to understand the Orthodox School's approach. It resembled Primordial Sage University over in the Galaxy Alliance: its central aim was to put all things in their proper places, teaching through virtuous conduct and setting standards through rules.
Li Yu asked again, "Then is the Orthodox School's Dao simply the practice of virtue?"
Lu Dan shook his head. "The Orthodox School's Dao was inherited from the Ancient Sage Kings of All Xia. It is the protection of the Dao of humanity."
"The Dao of humanity?" Li Yu asked. "Do you mean the Dao of upholding the Immortal Zhou Dynasty?"
In the present-day Mountain Sea, Immortal Zhou had united the four lands and stood supreme among humanity. To Li Yu, the so-called Dao of humanity was simply Immortal Zhou's rule.
Lu Dan fell into a rare moment of contemplation. The Orthodox School of the Western Lands was indeed the greatest pillar supporting the Immortal Zhou Dynasty's rule over the four lands. Moreover, the vast majority of its members believed their mission was exactly what Li Yu had described: maintaining Immortal Zhou's rule.
Even he, from the standpoint of his own background, supported that view.
Yet Lu Dan also knew perfectly well that this was not "virtue," much less the Orthodox School's original Dao.
"August Heaven favors no kin; virtue alone receives its aid. In the past, the Great Xuan Dynasty knew only to offer sacrifices to the gods above, believing that would preserve its dominion forever. Yet it lost the hearts of the people across the four lands. In the end, Heaven abandoned it, and the Mandate of Heaven passed to the Western Lands. Thus, only by practicing virtue can one receive the Mandate of Heaven. That is precisely why we must revere Heaven and protect the people." Lu Dan returned to his original point, which was also the Orthodox School's most fundamental belief.
The Mandate of Heaven was never constant; through virtue, one became worthy of Heaven.
"Are there truly gods in Heaven?" Li Yu, however, thought like an immortal cultivator and cared little about virtue.
"I have never seen them myself, but according to the texts of your Mystic Sects, there should have been gods in the past. Our Orthodox School, however, has always respected immortals and gods while keeping its distance."
Lu Dan's words made Li Yu frown.
"If revering Heaven and protecting the people is virtue, why do you not believe there are gods above?"
"It is not that we disbelieve. It is simply that our Orthodox School cultivates virtue and practices the Dao of humanity. We have no need to believe." Li Yu did not understand this at first, but after turning it over in his mind and considering the word "revere," he grasped a little of its meaning.
"Respect them, but keep your distance. Well said."
The Orthodox School did not concern itself with whether immortals and gods existed or were present. So long as they did not disturb humanity's peace, the school would respectfully offer sacrifices to Heaven. Its members believed that by fulfilling their own duties and bringing stability to all living people, they could preserve their realm forever.
Li Yu raised his cup and drained it.
"Since you understand, young friend, would you be willing to enter our Orthodox School? With your virtuous conduct, once you reach the Western Lands, I imagine you will be able to study and comprehend the ancient sages' texts-the Three Tombs, the Five Canons, the Eight Trigrams, and the Nine Mounds." Lu Dan poured the last two cups of wine and extended an invitation to Li Yu.
Long ago, Emperor Tianyi had led the Mystic Sects of the Eastern Lands into the Central Lands. Emperor Shiri, the Tianxia Dynasty's final emperor, had also lost the people's support. The factions with the oldest legacies in the Central Lands, descended from the ancient sages and former kings of All Xia, had their descendants take their treasured texts to the Western Lands to escape the calamity.
After founding the Great Xuan Dynasty, Emperor Tianyi refrained from exterminating them in order to win over the four lands. These factions then joined together in the Western Lands, pooled the texts of their various traditions, and established the Orthodox School.
For this very reason, the Orthodox School of the Western Lands possessed almost all the finest legacies of the Tianxia Dynasty.
The Three Tombs, the Five Canons, the Eight Trigrams, and the Nine Mounds!
Each of these texts could lead to the immortal Dao pinnacle. They were even said to contain supreme mysteries for becoming gods and transforming into immortals.
By comparison, each of the Five Lotus Sect's Five Primordial Spirit Cultivation Arts could, at most, produce a primordial spirit. In the ten thousand years since the Ancestor of Five Lotus, not a single person had reached the immortal Dao pinnacle.
Thus, Li Yu was deeply tempted by Lu Dan's offer.
Still, he knew even better that pies did not simply fall from the sky. Besides, he had the Galaxy Alliance backing him, and had now even enrolled in Dayan Academy, greatly broadening his horizons when it came to cultivation arts. He could therefore resist the temptation of the Orthodox School's legacy.
"Fellow Daoist, you are merely at Qi Refinement. Can you really arrange for me to enter the Orthodox School?" With the yellow wine in his belly and tipsiness lending him courage, Li Yu directly voiced the question on his mind.
"As it happens, there is an opportunity now. If you can seize it, entering the Orthodox School will be no trouble," Lu Dan said.
"What opportunity?" Li Yu asked.
Lu Dan pointed at the northern sky and spoke two words. "Kun Lun!"
Li Yu sobered up instantly!
The rebellion? Was this old fellow an imperial envoy?
"I am slow-witted and do not understand what you mean, fellow Daoist. Please explain," Li Yu said.
Lu Dan spoke of something known only to the upper ranks of the great sects of the Mystic Sects. "In ancient times, the Tianxia Dynasty gathered the legacies of ancient sages from every race in Mountain Sea, even those of demons and ghosts. Besides the Three Tombs, the Five Canons, the Eight Trigrams, and the Nine Mounds, there was one other crucial chart. That chart was last in Emperor Shiri's possession, so it could not be taken to the Western Lands. After Tianxia fell, it passed into Emperor Tianyi's hands. A hundred years ago, when Immortal Zhou destroyed Great Xuan, the chart mysteriously vanished. Now there are reports that the Heavenly Change Sect's legacy was comprehended from this very chart."
Li Yu's curiosity stirred as he listened. "What is the chart called? What use does it have?"
"The chart is called 'Mountain Sea.' It is the origin of the Dao of humanity. Only those who possess it can claim to be humanity's legitimate successors. Even if you merely offer a relevant clue, fellow Daoist, Immortal Zhou will grant you a substantial reward," Lu Dan said.
"What could I do, then?" Li Yu asked again.
"That I do not know. In any case, this is the opportunity. Whether you can seize it depends on you, fellow Daoist." Lu Dan had finished his wine. He stood, brushed the dirt from his clothes, and headed home, hiccuping.
Li Yu watched Lu Dan's retreating figure, his brows drawn tight.
Could any random disciple of the Orthodox School know such a secret? Or was there more to this old fellow's identity than met the eye?
Li Yu recalled Jin Ling saying that the old scholar had arrived in the Eastern Lands a long time ago, and in recent years, he had
remained in the Zhao Kingdom without ever leaving. Yet news of the Heavenly Change Sect's planned rebellion had only emerged recently.
All the signs suggested that Lu Dan was very likely a covert agent of the Immortal Zhou Orthodox School in the Eastern Lands.
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