No Affinity

"You have done very well!" Qin Sang felt little affection for the Qin family, but having taken over Qin Sanwa's physical body, he had assumed that karmic tie. To give himself peace of mind, he had asked Wu Chuanzong to look after Qin Sanwa's closest kin on his behalf. Yet Wu Chuanzong had treated Qin Sang's words like an imperial decree, elevating the Qin family from ordinary farmers into a prominent aristocratic clan in a single stroke. Things could not have turned out better. Qin Sang had originally intended merely to see his old friend and leave. But seeing Wu Chuanzong's face filled with reluctance to part, and Madam Wu hesitating to speak, he thought back to his own past search for immortals and said in a grave voice, "You heard what I said earlier. Cultivating immortality is not as wondrous as people imagine. I can barely take care of myself and have no ability to take on disciples. I can only send them to a relatively stable place to cultivate bitterly on their own. If any descendants of the Wu family have their hearts set on the immortal path, you may summon them here. I will test their innate talents. Naturally, whether they truly embark on cultivation in the end depends on their own wishes." He had neither the energy nor the ability to shelter them. Even if one of these juniors truly possessed a spiritual root, he would at most point them toward Han Family Fort. How much they achieved in the future would depend entirely on themselves. After a moment's hesitation, Qin Sang added, "The descendants of the Qin and Bai families who are currently in the Imperial Capital may also be called over." After sending Wu Chuanzong off to gather the youngsters, Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then took out a piece of white jade and carved it into several jade pendants. By the fourth watch of the night, a sudden commotion arose within the Grand Preceptor's Manor. More than a dozen teenage boys and girls were dragged abruptly from their sweet dreams. They had grumbled inwardly at first, but upon discovering that they had been brought to the Grand Preceptor's Manor, they grew exceptionally excited, huddling together and chattering away. "To think the Grand Preceptor himself summoned us in the dead of night! No wonder our parents were in such a rush..." "I wonder what important matter warrants a midnight summons. Could Grandfather have recognized our talents and intends to assign us important duties?" "Why are there only children from our three families here?" "Brother Qin possesses both civil and military mastery; the Grand Preceptor will surely place great trust in him. Allow me to congratulate Brother Qin in advance..." ... "Sir, everyone has arrived." Wu Chuanzong arrived outside the door and reported in a low voice. But receiving no answer, his expression shifted slightly, and he hastily pushed the door open and stepped inside. Candlelight flickered inside the room, but the person was already gone. Upon the desk lay a jade bottle and three white jade pendants. Qin Sang's voice suddenly echoed beside his ears. "Chuanzong, none of these juniors possess a spiritual root. Having no affinity with the immortal path may not necessarily be a bad thing. "Deliver this bottle of elixir pills to Water Monkey for me; I will not be visiting him in person. "These jade pendants bear restrictions I have placed upon them, one for each of your three families. Should a disaster threaten the extermination of your clans, dripping your essence blood onto the pendant will activate the restriction's power, rescuing your family from peril. "Remember that each can only be used once before it is destroyed, and only someone of your three families' bloodlines can trigger the restriction. Do not rely on them to commit evil deeds. Consider this the final aid I leave to you all. "Chuanzong, after this parting, I fear we may never meet again. Take good care of yourself..." The voice sounded ethereal, drifting farther and farther away. "Sir!" Wu Chuanzong prostrated himself on the floor, weeping bitterly. Then, suddenly recalling something, he hurriedly raised his head and shouted toward the empty air, "Sir! Before she passed away, the late emperor left an imperial decree that her coffin was not to enter the imperial mausoleum, but be buried on Mount Chaosheng! She was diligent in state affairs and lived an austere life, never marrying nor bearing children! She once said that the only person who could win her heart must be an extraordinary man with unyielding will like her..." After a long silence, a soft sigh drifted from the void. "I know..." A look of gratification appeared on Wu Chuanzong's face, and he slumped down onto the floor. ... Mount Chaosheng. Legend had it that immortals had once resided upon this royal sacred mountain. The forbidden grounds on the mountain were a place no mortal dared trespass. On the rear peak of Mount Chaosheng, a wordless stele stood in solitary silence. The mountain rose a thousand feet high, high enough to pluck the sun and moon. From here, one could look down upon the Imperial Capital, or look up at the firmament to gaze eye to eye with immortals. Suddenly, a figure appeared on the path before the wordless stele. It was impossible to tell how he had slipped past the defenses of countless imperial guards. Holding a wine flagon in one hand and a wine cup in the other, he walked toward the wordless stele step by step. He stood motionless before the monument for a long time. The newcomer was Qin Sang. Recalling that night before his departure, when he had known nothing of the vastness of heaven and earth, using Mount Chaosheng as a metaphor to declare his determination to seek immortality, Qin Sang murmured softly, "You still remembered... Fortunately, I never forgot either. Otherwise, with what face could I return to see you?" He uncorked the flagon. The aroma of wine assailed his senses; the immortal brew Qinghong wine truly lived up to its reputation. Qin Sang poured a cup of wine, set it before the wordless stele, and said softly, "A toast to you! Congratulations on fulfilling your dream, ascending the sovereign throne as a woman and leaving behind the legend of an emperor of the ages... The immortal path is harder to tread than I imagined, but I will not give up. I hope that in the Netherworld, you can bless me as well..." Qin Sang lifted the wine flagon and drank a large mouthful, discovering that even with his spiritual power sealed within his sea of qi, his Foundation Establishment body could effortlessly withstand the potency of the wine. He turned and began walking back. At first his steps were heavy, but soon he strode forward like the wind. The clear breeze followed him, and the bright moon kept him company. ... Mount Cuiming. Daylight was already bright and clear, and many devotees had climbed the mountain early to offer incense and pray for blessings. That steamed bun shop in Sanwu City was surprisingly still there. The current shopkeeper was the grandson of the previous owner, and naturally did not recognize Qin Sang. The meat buns were as delicious as ever. After feasting to his heart's content, Qin Sang arrived at Mount Cuiming, found an empty spot, and revealed himself. Following the mountain path in his memory, he climbed the stone steps, surprised to find that Qingyang Temple had been completely renovated. The stone lintel inscribed with "Qingyang Temple" remained, though the characters had been repainted with fresh lacquer, and the crooked old wooden doors had been replaced with new ones. Curious, Qin Sang stepped into the temple. Casting a glance around, he found that the layout had not changed much from his memory, yet the halls and enclosing walls were all newly built of gray brick. It was evident that the temple's incense was far more prosperous than before. Just then, a peasant man supporting an elderly woman pushed open the doors of Qingyang Hall and walked out, constantly looking back to express his gratitude to the Taoist priest. The scene felt remarkably familiar. Yet their clothes, while not luxurious, were neat and clean. Though not wealthy, they were not like refugees—ragged, emaciated, and forced to buy on credit. Along the way, Qin Sang had only caught glimpses in passing, but he could tell that the Great Sui of today was worlds apart from several decades ago. The Empress Regnant had governed the Great Sui exceptionally well, and the realm was flourishing. Qin Sang wore a simple magic tool robe. Its spiritual glow was restrained, but the exceptional quality of its material was clear to see. Combined with his detached demeanor, anyone could tell at a glance that he was no ordinary person. Fearing they might offend Qin Sang, the mother and son walked outward cautiously, casting a slightly worried glance back at him before leaving Qingyang Temple. Noticing their subtle movements, Qin Sang understood their concern after a moment's thought: they feared he might cause trouble for Qingyang Temple. It seemed the Taoist priests of this temple were deeply beloved by the people. Eagerly walking up to Qingyang Hall, Qin Sang pushed open the hall doors, only to be struck with deep disappointment. Just as before, many patients sat quietly to one side of Qingyang Hall, waiting for medical consultations. However, the one conducting the consultations was a young Taoist priest around twenty years of age; there was no old Taoist priest. Mingyue was not there.