His words doused Liu Jingtian like a bucket of cold water. He lowered his head sheepishly, still unwilling to give up, but no longer daring to ask.
Seeing him hesitate on the verge of speaking, Lu Xuanji suddenly changed tack.
"However... Your Majesty need not lose heart."
Liu Jingtian abruptly raised his head.
"There are three thousand paths of the Great Dao in this world, each with its own methods. Confucianism governs the world, Buddhism delivers the heart, the military schools wage war, medicine preserves life... The hundred schools each uphold a single path, but our Daoist school alone is the gateway to all mysteries, the source of every art."
He extended a finger and slowly traced a circle in the air. Wherever his fingertip passed, a pale golden trail appeared, lingering without dispersing.
"The Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things. Trace any principle between heaven and earth to its source, and it springs from the Dao. Above, it reveals the mysteries of Heaven's Way; below, it reaches the transformations of the netherworld. Within, it cultivates spirit and life; without, it subdues yin and yang."
He smiled faintly and continued, "How far this humble Daoist can guide Your Majesty depends entirely upon your fortune. At the lowest level, you may strengthen your body, prolong your life, and remain untouched by a hundred ailments. At the middle level, you may have crane-white hair yet a child's face, reversing age and returning to youth. At the highest, you may ascend in broad daylight, live as long as heaven, roam the eight directions, and enjoy boundless freedom."
He paused, lowering his voice. "As for realms higher still... You may attain divinity, shelter the common people, cast your