On the top floor of the Holy Battle Hall, Jun Weizhi slowly opened his eyes, feeling the changes within himself. Fuyao and Han Li were still meditating, waking one after the other a moment later.
"My aptitude has improved," Jun Weizhi said.
Han Li and Fuyao exchanged a look. "Ours as well," they replied.
Jun Weizhi sighed. "For our aptitudes to improve like this can only mean one thing: the Creation Immortal Venerable did not keep everything for himself. He still shared some of the merit with us."
"Merit from the creation of heaven and earth," Han Li said. "Had it been me, I certainly wouldn't have shared a single bit."
"The Creation Immortal Venerable's actions are always so bizarre," Fuyao countered. "Could he harbor ulterior motives?"
Seeing both Han Li and Jun Weizhi looking at her, Fuyao added, "Why are you looking at me like that? Bestowing favors is fine and all, but doesn't it also serve a purpose?"
"He improved our aptitudes and broadened our Dao paths—are you saying that's somehow a bad thing?" Jun Weizhi asked in return.
"We were extraordinarily gifted to begin with!" Fuyao argued. "With natural talent like ours, we would receive preferential treatment anywhere. What the Creation Immortal Venerable gave us is merely what we deserve. If we were out in the wider world, where couldn't we obtain something better?"
Han Li, who had remained silent all along, finally spoke. "Can we even get out?"
Fuyao gave a mysterious smile. "Of course there is a way. We just have to wait for the right opportunity, and then it will come down to everyone's resolve. Are you truly content to stay cooped up in this illusory world forever, destined never to rise beyond Scenery Command? Out in the native world, so many mediocre fools have the chance to ascend to immortality. Yet because we were born here, we are denied that chance. How can the Heavenly Dao be so unjust?"
"Is the channel reliable?" Jun Weizhi inquired.
"Countless outsiders move in and out of the Splendor of the Many Realms, and they have devised many ways to communicate secretly behind the Creation Immortal Venerable's back," Fuyao said. "Over this recent period, I obtained the cultivation path of a ghost immortal from a small sect. I also devoted myself to studying Dao soldiers and have already unraveled most of their secrets. Once our true spirits escape, we need only gather a few spiritual materials to forge basic Dao soldier puppets. Using those as our vessels, we can search for finer materials, craft more powerful puppets, and then bide our time looking for suitable vessels to possess. One way or another, we can live proudly and upright beneath the open sky."
Jun Weizhi glanced at Han Li. Han Li said, "There are too many steps, and far too many unknowns. Something is bound to go wrong along the way. At least for now, it simply isn't feasible."
"Where there's a will, an opportunity will present itself."
Jun Weizhi suddenly asked, "Since you're already set on leaving, will you still accept this merit?"
"Why shouldn't I?" Fuyao replied. "We were the ones who killed those fiends; the merit was rightfully ours to begin with. The Creation Immortal Venerable secretly siphoned off the merit that belonged to us, let a trickle leak back down, and now expects us to be deeply grateful?"
Jun Weizhi said no more, and Han Li closed his eyes again. Fuyao did not press the matter further, joining the two in refining the merit.
***
Meanwhile, Wei Yuan was directing most of his attention toward refining the mechanisms of the Expedition Hall. Every minute, the Splendor of the Many Realms generated hundreds of proposals, and Wei Yuan assessed the pros and cons of each, adopting some, optimizing others, and rejecting the rest.
The fact that fiends could evolve had exceeded Wei Yuan's expectations. As a result, several improvement measures were currently being evaluated and put into motion.
Since the variety of dharma bodies was an important avenue for cultivators to advance, Wei Yuan's first step was to introduce powerful dharma bodies exclusive to the Daoist Court, paired with several Dao arts unique to the Three Realms Dao path. Because these Dao arts could receive the empowerment of Buddhist strength, their power was exceptionally tremendous.
These Court-exclusive dharma bodies were not expensive to acquire, but they came with a single requirement: the user had to pass a test of devotion.
As Wei Yuan's Dao cultivation grew deeper by the day, the Splendor of the Many Realms had long since developed the cycling of four seasons and the rising and setting of the sun and moon.
At dusk on this day, Wei Yuan was handling affairs in the immortal palace where he resided when Han Li came to pay his respects.
The sun was sinking toward the horizon. In the courtyard stood a lush ancient tree with swaying branches. The thick twilight fell across the bluestone path like flakes of crushed gold. Shadows overlapped beneath the tree like a draped curtain; even when golden light filtered through, it vanished in the blink of an eye.
Wei Yuan sat nestled in the tree's shadow. Even close at hand, the expressions on his face remained indistinct.
"If one day I wish to venture out into the world beyond," Han Li said, "would Venerable Immortal allow me to leave?"
"I would," Wei Yuan replied.
Han Li seemed surprised. "Venerable Immortal does not consider that a betrayal?"
Wei Yuan smiled faintly. "The heart to pursue the Dao is shared by all living beings. Your wholehearted pursuit of the Great Dao is hardly an issue. If you are determined to leave, all you must do is swear a Dao oath not to divulge the secrets here. Naturally, though, I hope you stay. A talent like yours is one in ten thousand, and you are indeed a tremendous help to me. On the other hand, your talent can only be fully brought into play here with me. Once I ascend to immortality, your ceiling will not necessarily stop at Scenery Command."
Han Li asked again, "If I insist on leaving, how does Venerable Immortal plan to fill the void left behind?"
Wei Yuan chuckled. "The Splendor of the Many Realms is now home to hundreds of millions of living beings, with tens of millions of cultivators among them. The foundation is already vast enough. The reason no cultivator has emerged to match you yet is simply because you are the one sitting in that seat. You are a talent because you occupy that position. Once you leave it, you will discover that you are far from as much of a genius as you imagined. By the same token, even if you leave, the position remains. Whoever rises to take your seat will become a talent before long. In the Splendor of the Many Realms today, the stars are countless, and talents are just as numerous. There is no need to dig for them; as long as I provide enough positions and offer fair opportunities, countless geniuses will emerge. So when you speak of leaving, I am loath to see you go—partly for your abilities, but also for our initial bond. Yet once you are gone, will I regret it? No. Someone new will take your place, and they will do a fine job as well."
Han Li stood up, bowed, and said, "This subordinate understands."
Just as he was about to leave, Wei Yuan called out to him. "As I said just now, our initial bond remains. So as long as you do not leave, this position will always be yours."
Han Li paused in his tracks and asked, "Then do I still have a chance to ascend to immortality?"
Wei Yuan laughed heartily and said, "Look at how petty your ambitions are! What is so difficult about ascending as a mediocre immortal? That is certainly not what we are aiming for."
***
At the boundary of Qingming, faint wisps of kitchen smoke rose from a secluded Three Realms Temple, carrying the rich aroma of rice and meat. Dinner was ready.
The Daoist Court did not prohibit eating meat, supplying low-cost military meat rations to temples everywhere as staple food for low-ranking disciples and handymen. Consequently, within about half a year of a temple opening, the people within would generally grow thick-waisted and broad-shouldered, and some even developed pudgy faces and plump ears.
Along the mountain path outside the temple, a middle-aged man hurried toward the gate, only to collapse headlong upon reaching it. Seeing this, the temple attendants rushed forward to carry him inside. While treating him, someone accidentally knocked off his hair, revealing a shaved head marked with ordination scars.
The temple's abbot hurried over at the news. After all, this was the attire of the Three Realms Daoist Court's mortal enemy.
Upon being revived, the man slowly came to his senses. His very first words were, "I want to report an informant tip!"
The abbot thought little of it at first, but the more he listened, the graver his expression became. He immediately ordered the man placed under strict guard, while sending a report up to the Daoist Court via a Communication Arhat. Moments later, the intelligence reached Wei Yuan's desk.
Reading the report, Wei Yuan felt that the one-million Qingyuan bounty had truly not been spent in vain.
He at once took up his brush in person and wrote a letter to Boundless Radiance, telling her to send over a Buddha Child's sarira first—just to show what she was capable of.
Chapter 1415