Living Ancestors

Wei Yuan gained 100 strands of karmic luck... Wei Yuan gained 70 strands of karmic luck... Wei Yuan gained 110 strands of karmic luck... Nowadays, Qingming possessed a vast population, and mortal karmic luck was added with every passing moment. According to *Grand Beginning Heavenly Luck*, written by Wei Yuan, the Dao of karmic luck was fundamentally born when people grew stronger through cultivation, drawing the origin qi of Heaven and Earth into themselves. In the process of conversion, that origin qi passed through transformation in the sea of consciousness and identification by the soul, ultimately turning into karmic luck. Karmic luck was an elusive, profound thing, but Wei Yuan believed it was still essentially a form of origin qi or spiritual qi, only far more exalted and unpredictable—perhaps a product from the apex of Immortal Heaven. Children of karmic destiny possessed special constitutions, and certain immortals of exceptionally exalted standing could see karmic luck directly, but others could only vaguely sense it. Based on this premise, Wei Yuan clearly identified several key junctures where mortals and cultivators of various ranks generated karmic luck. Mortals generated karmic luck at distinct junctures: reaching adulthood, securing food and clothing, opening the intellect, Body Casting, and having children. If that luck had no direction or recipient at that moment, it would gradually dissipate as they aged. Thus, a normal adult had five strands of mortal karmic luck throughout their life that could be squeezed—at this point in his writing, Wei Yuan had lifted his brush, crossed out that character, and changed it to "contributed." Whenever Dao Foundation and Dharma Idol cultivators broke through to a new realm, a strand of karmic luck was produced. Additional karmic luck mostly came from mastering certain secret arts. Scenery Command cultivators were not even within Wei Yuan's considerations; to date, he had gathered very little Scenery Command karmic luck. Never mind Scenery Command, even Dharma Idol cultivators willing to bestow karmic luck were few and far between. The several thousand strands of Dharma Idol karmic luck currently in Wei Yuan's hands came firstly from the Golden Pellet dharma idol, and secondly from making public the two cultivation paths for the Golden Pellet dharma idol. Only gratitude for enabling their Dao attained this karmic luck; otherwise, Dharma Idol cultivators all held that their fate was determined by themselves, not Heaven, making their karmic luck exceedingly hard to obtain. In terms of mortal karmic luck, Qingming was now affluent. Construction had already begun internally on enclosed arterial roads linking the cities, and high-rise towers were gradually becoming fashionable within the cities. Among the five junctures in a mortal's life—adulthood, food and clothing, opening the intellect, Body Casting, and passing on one's bloodline—the vast majority could satisfy three or four, and over half satisfied all five. Yizhou had achieved the preliminary stage of food and clothing, generally averaging around two junctures. The land of Western Jin was still striving to feed and clothe its people; it could only ensure that most lived to adulthood, so it generally yielded only one. Yet theory was one thing, and reality was quite another. At this moment, the land of Western Jin held a total of 1.5 billion people, steadily contributing roughly twenty million strands per year. Given that this realm counted adulthood at fourteen, and subtracting the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled, the proportion contributing karmic luck was already quite high, second only to the displaced refugees when they first arrived in Qingming. Yizhou possessed a population of one hundred million, with a steady annual contribution of seven million strands. Among these, food and clothing alongside a small number opening their intellect and Body Casting accounted for over five million strands combined, while reaching adulthood accounted for over one million. Qingming had over two hundred million people, steadily contributing twenty-five million strands annually. It appeared that Qingming alone surpassed the occupied territories of Western Jin and was catching up to the Nine Nations, but in truth, the proportion of people contributing karmic luck was steadily declining as life grew more affluent. By the newest generation, even the two basic junctures—adulthood and food and clothing—were contributing less and less. Looking deeply into the cause, more and more members of the younger generation believed prosperity and peace were an inherent birthright, something natural to have, a matter of their own good fortune, and saw no need to be grateful to anyone. In other words: they had it, but they just wouldn't give it. Wei Yuan knew the reason full well, yet could do nothing about it. Wasn't this precisely the ideal world he had longed for? Now he had dropped a rock on his own foot, and he couldn't blame anyone else. As Realm Lord, he had no good recourse. What was more, Qingming's today would be Yizhou's tomorrow, and Western Jin's day after tomorrow. Such a state of affairs would arrive sooner or later. All Wei Yuan could do now was find every possible way to cater to the ever-growing demands of Qingming's mortals. Wei Yuan felt that within Qingming, he was no longer a world-saving Immortal Sovereign. Instead, things had flipped: he had to wait on these hundreds of millions of living ancestors hand and foot. If the living ancestors were pleased, they tossed Wei Yuan a few crumbs of charity, and thus came: *Wei Yuan gained 77 strands of karmic luck.* Although obtaining karmic luck was growing harder, the saving grace was the sheer size of the base population. Karmic luck drifted down in an endless, delicate drizzle. Many a little made a mickle, ultimately adding up to a massive number. With more and more living ancestors to please, Wei Yuan had to constantly rack his brains to devise strategies. Fortunately, he was no longer alone; he also had the Splendor of the Many Realms. Besides that, there was another lesser-known advantage: in the eyes of the cultivators of the Palace of Grand Beginning, every single person in Sky Azure Hall was a living ancestor. As soon as Wei Yuan set his mind to work, inspiration struck. Back in the day, True Monarch Xuanyue had insisted on raising the height of Sky Azure Hall no matter what. He had even lived on borrowed money, loath to spend a coin on dharma robes, relying entirely on his physical body to endure blows in combat. In the end, a grand True Monarch renowned for spellcasting had forged his physique until it resembled a true disciple of the Hall of the Bright King. Just how much benefit was there in making Sky Azure Hall taller? Wei Yuan had never seen any real advantages, except for one tangible benefit: standing a head taller than Yanshi of the Heavenly Mechanism Hall! From his martial grandfather, Wei Yuan grasped a profound truth: happiness was entirely a product of comparison. In order to feel happy, one simply had to stand one head above others! As long as you could tower over someone else, a one-zhang wooden shack was a heavenly palace; if someone towered over you, a ten-thousand-zhang immortal mountain felt like a dirt mound. Following this profound revelation, Wei Yuan immediately set to work, deciding to foster a trend of building towering high-rises throughout Qingming. His first choice of location was Bao Yun's Qingwu City. Qingwu City was somewhat like a state within a state. It was unquestionably affluent. Moreover, in recent years information flowed freely, and printed newspapers had become wildly popular, allowing mortals to learn of affairs across the world and among immortals. The residents of Qingwu City already regarded themselves as superior. Now that they learned people in the Bao family's territories lived even worse than they did, in an instant they looked down on every place outside Qingwu. At this moment, on the streets of Qingwu City, countless children were dashing about, waving freshly printed booklets in their hands and shouting, "Big news! Wonderful news!" A man dressed in work clothes reached out to stop one, casually tossing a small bill over. "What's the good news? Give me a copy!" The boy deftly caught the money and handed over a booklet. "Rest assured, sir! This issue of *Secret History of Immortals* is guaranteed to please!" The man took the booklet and saw a skyscraper soaring into the clouds on the cover! Shaped like a colossal tree, with several golden phoenixes coiled around its trunk, the tower rose two hundred zhang high! His interest was immediately piqued. Flipping it open, he saw an introduction inside: this building was named the Phoenix Perch Immortal Residence, two hundred zhang tall. Most of the upper floors were residential units that anyone with a template Dao foundation or higher could apply for. The bottom ten floors were filled with various shops, guildhalls, and clubs. The only fly in the ointment was the lack of brothels. Yet the man knew the city's geography well; a glance at the location told him that within a radius of one li stood four brothels, each boasting its own specialty. Looking at the architectural illustrations of the residences in the insert, the man's eyes gleamed. But when he calculated carefully, he realized that although he too held a template Dao foundation, the price was beyond what he could afford. Even if he toiled for a lifetime, he could never buy an apartment on his own; it would require the combined efforts of two or three template cultivators to make it possible. At that thought, his heart stirred. What if he married a female template cultivator? If the two of them toiled together for a lifetime, wouldn't that be enough? Yet another dilemma arose: he needed time to save money, but houses would not wait for anyone! In this vast Qingwu City, wealthy cultivators were hardly in short supply. As he brooded in distress, he turned another page, and four bold characters leaped out: Residential Mortgages! This was an announcement from the Qingming Bank, introducing a new lending service specifically tailored to cultivator residences. A template Dao foundation cultivator could use the property as collateral to borrow money from the bank to purchase a home, repaying it gradually over the rest of their life. The man's heart beat faster. Although flipping the page revealed several illustrations of fairy maidens—each baring fragrant shoulders, with snow-pale slender waists, wearing less fabric than one of his sleeves—he had no interest in looking and bolted straight home. ... In the main hall of the City Lord's Yamen in Qingwu City, several cultivators were holding a meeting. Most wore the official robes of Qingwu City, while two wore Qingming official robes. An official of Qingwu City said, "The Phoenix Perch Immortal Residence requires immense expenditure; it is an undertaking of great moment. The City Lord has already reached an agreement with the Realm Lord, and we must now implement the specifics. It was agreed that Qingming would fund seventy percent of the residence. Might I ask when the funds will be in place?" A Qingming official replied, "Immediately. However, the majority will be settled in goods, construction materials, and construction cultivators. The cash needed on hand for discretionary withdrawals will be provided by Qingwu City." Another Qingwu official—plump, pale-faced, and sparsely bearded—suddenly interjected, "This is a matter of our Bao... Qingwu City. Constructing an immortal residence carries grave responsibility. Shouldn't the construction and building affairs be handled by people of our own choosing?" The moment he said this, the Qingwu City officials were visibly tempted, falling into silence. The two cultivators from Qingming remained expressionless. "The materials and building supplies have all been approved and scheduled for production. The Dao foundation cultivators for on-site construction have already been requisitioned. With Your Honor suddenly making such a demand, all prior arrangements would be nullified. In a matter of such magnitude, we do not possess the authority to decide. However, since Your Honor has raised it, we shall naturally report it to the Realm Lord for his ruling." The Qingwu official could only say awkwardly, "This is a minor matter. I thought we could simply handle it by talking it over among ourselves. Since it would trouble the Realm Lord, forget I mentioned it." The two Qingming officials gave faint sneers. "This matter has been tossed back and forth repeatedly, and your side always presents one issue or another. A whole month is nearly past with still no progress. Forgive our bluntness: is City Lord Bao aware of your actions?" The faces of the Qingwu City officials changed slightly, but smiles quickly crept back onto their countenances. Their attitudes shifted somewhat, and they swiftly finalized several items. Once the two Qingming officials departed, the pale, sparsely bearded official's expression twisted, and he cursed, "Trash who aren't even at Dharma Idol dare give me attitude? Girl Bao was raised right under my, Bao Wanlin's, nose! When this old master was already at late-stage Dao Foundation, Girl Bao had only just entered the Palace of Grand Beginning!" The various Qingwu officials nodded submissively in profound respect. Only, what they respected was not his cultivation. After all, when Bao Yun entered the Palace of Grand Beginning, Bao Wanlin had been at late-stage Dao Foundation; now that Bao Yun was at peak Dharma Idol, he was still at late-stage Dao Foundation. What everyone respected was merely that phrase: "Girl Bao was raised right under my nose." Bao Wanlin still felt unsatisfied. Gritting his teeth, he said, "What Phoenix Perch Immortal Residence? Grand name, but in truth, isn't it just a doghouse for low-level cultivators to live in? It might even be handed out to plenty of mortals! How could that possibly be an affair of great moment? To hell with it! If there's nothing in it for me, expecting this old master to let it pass is pure fantasy! "Rest assured, I have my arguments. When the time comes, I'll stall the work while leaving them not a single legitimate grievance to pin on me!" ... Within the Splendor of the Many Realms, Wei Yuan finished reviewing the recent official documents. Frowning slightly, he muttered to himself, "I must speak with Yun'er. More and more people from the Bao family are arriving, and under their influence, Qingwu City has begun operating on clan rules. It's already starting to affect my major undertakings..." Wei Yuan had no objection to the Bao family clinging to Bao Yun and seeking posts or business in Qingwu City. They habitually brought over the old clan practices, wanting to pluck a feather from every passing goose and skim off a cut. Wei Yuan had originally tolerated this; after all, Qingwu City was effectively the Bao family's estate. It wasn't his place to intervene if they fleeced their own territory. However, the Phoenix Perch Immortal Residence was not as simple as an affair for mere low-level cultivators and mortals. It was only the beginning. Wei Yuan intended to use it as a benchmark for mortals throughout Qingming, thereby igniting a frenzy of high-rise construction and moving more and more mortals into skyscrapers. Times were different now. Only when these living ancestors lived high up, looked far into the distance, and felt good would they deign to bestow a few scraps of karmic luck. As Wei Yuan strolled through the Splendor of the Many Realms, he pondered. This was the first time he had to deal with clan forces that accompanied the likes of Bao Yun; he had to handle it prudently and strike the right balance. In his contemplation, Wei Yuan arrived at the Land of Karmic Luck. The scenery here remained unchanged. Sparse drizzles of karmic luck fell from the sky, mostly sinking into the sea of white clouds, with a few entering the jade-green lake. Yet Wei Yuan suddenly discovered that a small flower had bloomed beside the lake at some unknown point! Its stem and leaves were white, while the flower had multiple petals in three distinct colors—white, red, and gold—looking rather magnificent. Looking at that small flower, Wei Yuan wore an odd expression. "*Nanli Heaven White Gardenia Worship Method*, *Yuanhuai Ghost-God Shepherding Technique*, *Central Capital Deification Chronicle*? What kind of things are these three arts? And where did this karmic luck come from? Neither high nor low, yet in quite a considerable quantity..."