Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 252 - 252 251 Three Broken Cars 2

252: Chapter 251: Three Broken Cars 2 252: Chapter 251: Three Broken Cars 2 Hou Niao sighed.

At least, there was enough space here to practice swordplay, and that was the only consolation he could find.

As a place for cultivation, this location wasn’t too bad, he thought.

It would be even better with a skylight added to the top of the tent; there were no sophisticated artifacts for cultivation here, but at least it allowed one to be closer to nature, right?

Stepping out of the tent, the sky gradually darkened, and the stars shone brilliantly, with everything else utterly silent; the tranquility of this hill perfectly blended with the vanity of the world below, achieving a uniquely meaningful balance.

Except, maybe those two other tents nearby were a bit of an eyesore?

He knew there was no one inside them.

Even without using Divine Sense, at such a close distance, his feelings couldn’t be wrong.

There were no signs of spiritual energy movements on the hilltop, and at their level of cultivation, sleep had long lost its meaning.

He went out to a food stall, surrounded by the hustle and bustle, watching people come and go, and yet he felt as if he was an outsider, which had its own charm.

A night passed without conversation, with no visitors, and those two fellows never showed up.

Hou Niao didn’t care.

They weren’t subordinate to each other in any way, so seeing or not seeing them really didn’t matter.

The next morning, he visited the governance office of Xionger Town.

The officials here were all locals, essentially a unit dominated by clan power and wealthy families teaming up for their own benefit.

However, because cultivators constrained their behaviors within a reasonable scope, these officials didn’t care to meddle too much, though they didn’t hesitate to make an example out of someone when it suited the common joy.

It’s the same everywhere, purity and impurity are inseparable; this is the Daoist philosophy, seeking common ground while preserving differences.

The Buddhist Sect thinks the same way, allowing people to make mistakes as long as they can eventually find the right path back.

…The Buddhist scriptures praise the enlightening moments, and the tales of Immortals boast miraculous happenings, such is their way.

Such self-governance couldn’t possibly achieve perfect harmony, but it wasn’t too bad either, as long as people were hardworking and diligent.

The local officials treated him with great respect, not as an official from Shangguan, but with the respect accorded to life and death; in Xionger, Hou Niao and two other cultivators were the only three who could decide life and death without being held accountable.

Although everyone was very polite, that wasn’t a reason for him to be negligent; for Hou Niao, serving any community and benefiting the people was a deep-rooted ideology, as he was originally from a public servant background and was very familiar with these responsibilities.

He had always wondered, what exactly is cultivation related to?

Effort, diligence, aptitude, potential, resources, connections, and sects—these were all things one could strive for, but there was something else, unattainable yet crucial—Qi Fortune!

Qi Fortune, elusive; at least so far in the Cultivation World, there has been no reliable method to control one’s own Qi Fortune, yet it was often the most important.

In his three years in Yinling, he felt he had been blessed with Qi Fortune; not just in Yinling, but ever since he started cultivating and during his time as a public servant, he had been accumulating his own Qi Fortune, naturally culminating over time.

Saving people at Ye Po, fleeing in Poplar Forest, changing paths at White Ribbon River, and so on—in fact, all added a little something to his character, which was the unseeable, immeasurable public trust and faith; its effects were unclear, its influence on a cultivator always subtle and delayed, but one had to acknowledge, it did exist.

As long as he genuinely worked for the public, it would subtly reward him, in ways beyond his imagination.

He didn’t know what Qi Fortune was, so he would rather believe that it was Qi Fortune, a reward from the heavens for his diligence.

Thus, he wasn’t here just to pass the time, nor was he solely focused on his own cultivation while disregarding everything else.

He wanted to do something for the people here and develop such a habit that, no matter where he went in the future, he would maintain this belief… this in itself was a form of cultivation and would practically help him, without conflicting with his aim for the Upper Realm.

However, before that, he needed a comprehensive understanding of everything here.

Days later, he finally met a neighbor, a disheveled Daoist with thick hair and beard, so much so that one couldn’t even tell his age, Daoist Zhi Sun from Taihao Sect.

When Daoist Zhi Sun saw Hou Niao acknowledging him, he merely nodded slightly and went back to his house, faint singing still audible,

“…In essence, all beings are Buddha, and everywhere, fallen souls become Immortals.

When meeting others, speak little; in divining, seek not much money.

Retreat a step to practice the law of peace, favor three kinds of good karma.

I, an old worldly man, pick up my bundle to leave; if you seek me, find me by the side of wine.”

Hou Niao sighed internally, another fallen Daoist; according to the information he had before, this man had been here over ten years, same as a decade ago, and still the same now; whether he truly transcended worldly desires or gave into despair and loneliness, who could tell?

But Hou Niao thought, with such an attitude towards cultivation, even enduring another ten or twenty years would still leave him nothing but a Bridge Connection; everyone has their own troubles, he was like this, and there were many others who shared this misery, various forces had such people, all for different reasons, but they all ended up here.

The meaning of his song was simple: Don’t bother me; I’m annoyed.

Thus, he dismissed the idea of visiting, the man had made it clear he just wanted to enjoy his days leisurely, accompanied by fine wine.

Why then seek embarrassment?

The information he received was that among the three major powers in Xionger, only Daoist Zhi Sun was the old representative.

The Buddhist Sect in Xinye and Quanzhen Sect had new ones, but whether the Monk Official from Xinye had arrived or was still on the way, he wasn’t sure.

After observing for a few days, he vaguely formed some plans, not yet mature, needing careful deliberation.

Some tasks were too tough for him alone; he needed a companion, yes, a partner to share the blame if needed.

This day, while dining in a restaurant beside the street, he casually glanced around and saw a Monk approaching from afar, pious and dignified.

A smile playing on his lips, he waited for the Monk to pass and tossed a fruit down from the second floor.

Seemingly uninterested, the Monk quickly reacted to his surroundings, his movements swift and barely perceptible, as if it was natural, allowing the fruit to fall to the ground.

Looking up, his eyes as bright as torches, wondering who would be so frivolous?

Their gazes met as a head popped out from the second floor,

“Misfortune!” the Monk muttered, quickening his pace.

His swift departure showed his reluctance to engage with this person; the thrown fruit was deliberate, typical of his demeanor.

While he sought to avoid further interaction, the person upstairs wasn’t ready to let him go,

“In front of Yinyue Castle, the mandarin ducks branch, passionately intertwined.

When spring leaves, beauty ages, flowers fall, people perish, both unknown.”

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