The Universe and Fate

"The four directions and the space above and below are called the universe..."

Lying on the cold ground of the official street in Chang'an City, Rong Tianding murmured, repeating what Shi Wudao had recited.

As a practitioner of the Corpse-Crossing School, the content recited by Shi Wudao was useless to many people, but for him it was a different kind of sensory experience, and his senses were extremely strong.

The extensions of the universe and the cosmos constantly linger within his body, where destruction and life intertwine and unfold.

The capacity of space, and the forward and reverse flow of time, constantly evolve in the teachings of the Corpseless Way.

Does time flow backward?

Rong Tianding's eyes widened, the fear of death spreading through his mind.

No one can remain completely calm in the face of death, but to escape a death crisis, he may need to truly immerse himself in death.

Only death can rid him of the corpse's aura and the Southern Bright Fire, but because he still has a physical body, perhaps he has a chance to catch his breath.

Rong Tianding wasn't a peerless genius, but he was able to Realm Entry of enlightenment with only the rudimentary teachings passed down by the Daoist Mu, and he was also able to learn the Southern Bright Fire from Dong Zhongshu, so he was not a fool.

"Cousin... cousin... I... I want to... I want to die first!"

Rong Tianding opened his mouth.

A cultivator's self-salvation largely stems from within himself. When Zhang Xuezhou's various methods failed, Rong Tianding ultimately chose to gamble with his own life.

"Before the pure energy rises, before the turbid energy sinks, before the wandering spirit awakens, before the five colors are distinguished, there is something within, and in the the Unseen, its nature exists..."

He muttered incantations, and the Vajra talisman supported by his surging Law Power gradually faded away.

The corpse's aura still lingered in his body's pores, and then the Southern Ming Fire seeped into the gaps and burned.

But with Rong Tianding's abandonment, the flame of Nanming gradually died out.

"Cousin? Cousin?"

Zhang Xuezhou knelt on one knee on the official street of Chang'an City, his face filled with panic.

It wasn't that he had never seen anyone die, but that he had never seen a close relative die in front of him.

Especially since his cultivation level was far superior to Rong Tianding's, and he had been in the martial arts world for several years, Zhang Xuezhou never expected that a single oversight would lead to Rong Tianding's death right in front of him.

He began to hate himself, regretting why he hadn't ridden a long journey.

Even if they were dozens or hundreds of miles away from Chang'an City, Rong Tianding might not be affected by the aftermath of this top-level cultivator battlefield.

What is fate? What is destiny?

Zhang Xuezhou roared in anger.

He stared wide-eyed at this familiar yet strange world.

Whether he is radical or cautious, he seems unable to escape the negative influences.

One moment he might be laughing, the next he can't even cry.

Zhang Xuezhou hated the extraterrestrial demons who had messed up his life, hated Emperor Jing's bestowal of fortune that had made his fate so turbulent, and hated his own inability to control his own destiny.

The drifting of life made it difficult for Zhang Xuezhou to find stability and peace of mind.

But Zhang Xuezhou realized he needed to calm down.

He needs to figure some things out, and he needs to have the ability to do so.

No matter what else happened, he had to stop.

He needs to thoroughly understand everything about himself, as well as the Huang-Lao philosophy involving 'fate' and 'fortune,' and the art of physiognomy that might alter one's destiny.

He needs to calm down and do his research, even if it's a long and arduous process.

This is not only about saving himself, but also about avoiding impacting those close to him.

Today it could be Rong Tianding's death, tomorrow it might be Zhang Manqian, the day after tomorrow it might be Zhang Weimeng and Song Fengying, and in the future it might affect Ren Anran and others.

"No noise allowed in the street. Where are you from? What's your name?"

Only when the imperial guards patrolling the official street shouted at him from afar did Zhang Xuezhou, his face gloomy, pick up Rong Tianding's body.

As his body grew colder, Zhang Xuezhou's heart grew colder as well.

He walked slowly along the long street, and also became shrouded in the street's dimness.

The figure disappeared into the distance, and the guards who had been shouting orders from afar did not dare to pursue them.

This is not just about leaving the patrol area without permission; many people have been attacked by the aura of death tonight, making it difficult for anyone to muster the courage to conduct inspections.

Everyone was waiting for dawn so that the sun could sweep away all the filth.

"You... come here!"

Blindedly carrying the corpse, Zhang Xuezhou didn't know how long he had walked.

As dawn broke, he heard a familiar hoarse voice and felt a pair of hands grab him from behind his neck.

Heal my wounds!

The hoarse voice returned to normal after two coughs, and it became the voice of a young woman.

Zhang Xuezhou slightly raised his eyes and saw, in the dim morning light, the woman who had previously sought healing at their stall had grabbed him and was now standing in a corner of the Dong family mansion's wall.

"Your healing technique didn't cure me," the woman said. "I paid you, so you have to take full responsibility!"

Her gaze swept over Zhang Xuezhou, then over Rong Tianding, whom Zhang Xuezhou was holding.

The woman's attitude softened immediately after she stuck her finger near Rong Tianding's nostril.

"It's already remarkable that he survived the corpse aura of the Corpse-Destroying Dao intact," the woman said. "But the dead cannot be brought back to life. Instead of grieving over a dead body, why don't you save me, a living person?"

"Do you know the person who attacked the palace?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"I know him, but that's all I know. I have no idea why he's become so terrifying and difficult to deal with," the woman replied.

"Tell me some ways to save my cousin, and I'll help you stop your uterine bleeding," Zhang Xuezhou said.

Zhang Xuezhou stared intently at the woman.

It was this group of women who caused trouble before Shi Wudao attacked the palace.

Zhang Xuezhou didn't want to know why these people were retaliating against the imperial court, but he knew that they represented certain high-level academic factions.

Every school of thought has a few trump cards. The other party may not be able to save Rong Tianding, but a piece of information might be of use.

"I didn't... Hey, wait a minute, why don't you let him bask in the sun? The sun's heat should sweep away the foul, corpse-like aura, and maybe it can bring him back to life!"

"Goodbye!"

The woman offered a suggestion similar to drinking more hot water when you're sick.

Ignoring the possibility of an attack from the woman, Zhang Xuezhou carried Rong Tianding toward the inn.

"Hey, wait a little longer!"

Looking at Zhang Xuezhou's ashen face, the woman knew very well that when such a person was depressed, he had little motivation to help her heal. In fact, since he was on the verge of a mental breakdown, even threatening suicide would have little effect.

"I have another way I can try!"

What method?

When the woman spoke again, Zhang Xuezhou quickly turned his head back.

"You're getting off easy... Hmph, I have a treasure with fiery and cleansing power, but I'll give it to your cousin to cleanse him of his corpse aura, and you must heal me in return," the woman said. "You must cast the spell on me at least ten times!"

If you can't go out through the main gate, then you'll have to climb over the city walls of Chang'an City.

The lower sections of these city walls are over thirty meters high, while the higher sections are nearly forty meters high.

This was a height that no ordinary person could climb. The woman tried several times late at night, but her attempts to use her lightness technique to forcibly climb over the city wall not only failed, but also triggered her uterine bleeding again.

No shop owner's medicine could match the speed of Zhang Xuezhou's medical treatment.

The woman hoped that Zhang Xuezhou could provide her with medical treatment quickly.

The scene created by Shi Wudao's night raid on Chang'an City was far larger than their actual actions.

If she wasn't mistaken, this newly enthroned young emperor would probably do everything in his power to investigate everything in Chang'an City.

The personnel patrolling Chang'an City today may not only be the Imperial Guards, but may also include a legion that has been temporarily transferred to protect the Chang'an City.

Without a 'festival' (likely referring to a specific policy or regulation), it would be difficult for her to escape this city-wide inspection.

She needed to escape Chang'an City in the shortest amount of time and by the fastest means.