“Master?” Li Jianjia, who was watching nearby, cried out in shock.
They had just been fortune-telling characters, so why had Gongzi Yu suddenly knelt down? It was utterly inexplicable!
Gongzi Yu flinched at the shout. His mind, which had gone blank from shock, tension, and fear, recovered slightly and began to stir with thoughts.
Oh my god! He truly is the incarnation of the Daoist Celestial Venerable, the earthly form of the Most High Laojun, possessing boundless supernatural abilities and omnipotence. He even knows my greatest secret, my biggest “asset”!
To have my secret as a transmigrator discovered by someone else!
Of course, such an existence, ranking among all mythological figures, could be understandable…
Gongzi Yu’s thoughts were contradictory and chaotic, his emotions panicky. He felt both fear and greed over his previous petty intentions and was also embarrassed and anxious about having his secret exposed, as if he were naked.
“Perhaps the young master suffered internal injuries earlier without realizing it, and the sudden onset caused momentary instability,” he heard the slightly hoarse, consistently calm voice of “Li Dan.”
The Most High didn’t mention my transmigration from Earth? And he didn’t punish me for my greedy intention to “replace” him? Gongzi Yu was stunned but suddenly felt a surge of hope, unable to resist looking up at Meng Qi. His future-withered face was ancient and simple, neither happy nor angry, exuding a natural Daoist aura.
The Celestial Venerable is indeed the Celestial Venerable, with such a vast and open mind!
Gongzi Yu’s fear and apprehension quickly subsided, and soon he felt a renewed eagerness. If the incarnation of the Most High was here, attempting to spread the Dao De Jing would surely be a death sentence. However, even if he couldn’t propagate the Dao, he might gain even greater benefits by sincerely serving the Most High. With guidance from such an ancient immortal and great figure, it might surpass the rewards of opening the Dao of this world!
If I can’t be the Most High, I can still be Yin Xi!
The golden opportunity was right in front of him. If he didn’t seize this chance now, when would he?
(Note: “大腿” in Chinese internet slang often refers to a powerful or influential person who can provide support or opportunities. Here, it’s translated as “golden opportunity” to convey the metaphorical meaning in English. The original phrase “golden大腿” is creatively adapted for natural English expression while preserving the core idea of a valuable chance.)
His thoughts bubbled like boiling water, continuously rising and bursting, desperately seeking an opportunity to kowtow immediately. However, as a transmigrator who had read countless novels, he naturally understood one thing: these true immortals and Celestial Venerables valued spiritual connections, and forcing it would be useless. He needed to find the right timing and avoid impatience.
Realizing this, he quickly stood up and smiled faintly at Li Jianjia, who came over to assist him: “I thought my injuries were minor and didn’t require meditation, but it seems there are still some small issues. I’ll need to sit quietly after reaching the archive room.”
Li Jianjia, full of remorse, hurriedly supported him.
Gongzi Yu shook his head: “Just minor injuries; I was careless just now. Now that I’m prepared, walking won’t be a problem.”
He paced back and forth a few times to demonstrate that he was fine, constantly glancing at Meng Qi with an ingratiating expression, as if asking, “How am I doing?”
Li Jianjia sighed in relief. Her naturally lively personality led her to glance around and teasingly remarked, “Master, you really frightened that Daoist priest.”
“He said he could predict fortune and misfortune and know the future, yet he didn’t foresee my injury acting up?” Gongzi Yu chuckled dryly, then gestured to continue forward. As he followed Meng Qi’s side, he instinctively displayed reverence, leaving Li Jianjia puzzled and confused—why was Gongzi Yu treating his own servant, Li Dan, this way? Was this an example of respecting the virtuous?
Deep within the alley, in a deserted place, the Daoist priest holding the wooden box chuckled, revealing Meng Qi’s true appearance. His body, along with the wooden box, dissipated into two strands of hair that broke off with the wind, turning into dust.
All along the way, Gongzi Yu’s mindset gradually recovered, and his thinking ability increased slightly. Upon entering the archive room, his mind once again stirred with suspicion.
The Li Dan before him might not be the real Most High, for there was another possibility: he too could be a transmigrator from Earth!
Therefore, he also knew that the original “Li Dan” was the incarnation of the Most High and knew parts of the Dao De Jing. Like Gongzi Yu, he had infiltrated Luoyi with the same goal—to become a sage who would open the Dao of this world!
That’s why he could see through Gongzi Yu’s intentions, revealing his true name as Laodan. And when Gongzi Yu recited that small poem, “If for freedom’s sake,” it wasn’t hard for a fellow “Earthling” to recognize it!
Thinking thus, he couldn’t help but look at Meng Qi’s back, trying to find traces of Earth in every move and word of his. However, he only felt that the other’s behavior was natural, as if a true dragon in the clouds or a celestial being, elusive and profound.
The archives housed ancient bamboo slips and silk manuscripts, modern books, and various vessels engraved with inscriptions. Upon entering, even someone like Gongzi Yu couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe—it was the weight and accumulation of an entire civilization!
“Miss Jianjia, I’ll find a place to sit quietly first,” Gongzi Yu deliberately said.
With the previous events as a prelude, Li Jianjia had no suspicions, allowing Meng Qi to lead Gongzi Yu to a quiet study room.
The quiet room had a window, clean and neat, with only a single desk inside. Gongzi Yu knelt behind it, unable to resist a tentative question: “Brother Li, what did you mean by ‘Earth’ when you were fortune-telling earlier?”
As he spoke, he looked at Meng Qi, whose eyes seemed to contain a brilliant starry sky, vast and boundless, like celestial deities watching over the changing world with indifference and eternity.
With a bang, Gongzi Yu returned to Earth, to his small rented room with only a bed and a desk. There was no wardrobe or chair, and his clothes were stuffed into suitcases and woven bags under the bed.
Fresh out of school, with a modest salary in a big city, he could only live this way. His job was exhausting, requiring constant smiling and flattery, filled with endless fatigue and pressure… Gongzi Yu worked tirelessly, unsure of his future or any hope of escape.
His past life’s experiences replayed themselves, and Gongzi Yu once again tasted bitterness and hardship.
With another bang, he saw clashing iron hooves, and he was a lowly soldier in a battlefield of thousands, his life insignificant. Even if he died, no one would notice, although he, like those officers and officials, had parents, a wife, and children to support.
Clatter, clatter, the lances formed a forest, and the cavalry charged, horses and men falling, blood splattering everywhere.
After one charge, Gongzi Yu fell to the ground, his body pierced through like paper, his pupils dilated, faintly reflecting his wife mending clothes at night and his child babbling.
Boom!
He experienced countless rebirths, enjoying wealth and suffering pain, betrayal and sincere love. He had seen everything, and nothing could compare to the vicissitudes of life.
Suddenly, a cool breeze blew, refreshingly pleasant, with a gentle light shining before him—not dazzling or dim, indescribably beautiful. Before him sat a man with a weathered face, cross-legged, his eyes calm, his expression natural.
Was this reality?
Was this his current life?
Tears streamed down Gongzi Yu’s face, unblinking. Having seen countless lives and experienced joy and sorrow, how could he not feel deeply moved and gain insight?
His heart became peaceful, and in an instant, he seemed to mature. Gongzi Yu changed his posture and kowtowed deeply:
“Thank you, Celestial Venerable, for your guidance.”
From this moment on, he no longer doubted that the Li Dan before him was indeed the Most High’s incarnation!
Meng Qi looked at him calmly and said, “You will remain in the archive room, reading extensively. If you achieve something, I shall transmit the Dao De Jing to you.”
Gongzi Yu’s eyes widened in surprise and joy, and he kowtowed again:
“Thank you, Celestial Venerable!”
“Starting tomorrow, I shall leave Lord Li’s mansion and hide within the city, maintaining contact only with you. In the future, if anyone comes to inquire about the Zhou rites and governance, you may answer according to the Zhou rites, and follow my instructions for the rest.” Meng Qi said, as there were many ancient texts here to study.
Gongzi Yu’s heart stirred. Was he referring to that “teacher for ten thousand generations”?
He eagerly agreed.
Meng Qi nodded slightly, said nothing more, turned, and left the quiet room, muttering inwardly, “So that’s how the competition ended. I guessed wrong again!”
That night, Li Jianjia handed Meng Qi’s letter to Li Rong, grumbling, “He just left without any regard for hierarchy! And he even said he’s going to travel the world to comprehend the Dao!”
Li Rong glanced at the letter and sighed, “This child is no ordinary person.”
…
The ship sailed against the wind, the blue waves rippling. Meng Qi returned from the sea, his demeanor now carrying the broad and profound aura of the ocean.
The cycle mission would begin in another one or two months, and there was something he needed to start working on.
Ten days later, at the Xijian Pavilion, Jiang Zhiwei received a secret letter. After reading it, she smiled faintly and rose with her sword.
A few days later, in a certain part of Jiangdong, a frail scholar entered the Wanbao Pavilion and approached the shopkeeper.
“Alas, my family has suffered a tragic disaster, and I must pawn our clan’s treasure,” the scholar sighed.
He wore a plain green robe, had ordinary features, and a weak build, clearly unskilled in martial arts.
The shopkeeper stroked his beard: “What is it?”
The scholar pulled out a hand bone, black with a shimmer of white, captivating to behold!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage