Chapter 70: The Palace Master of the Mo Clan

Gu Yi slipped away and landed gracefully on the rooftop, stepping lightly on the tiles. The bald-headed man had just avoided looking—he knew. He also knew that Chong Chong, clutching the crack in the door, tried to imitate his every move, only to accomplish nothing. He simply knew.

“…Master, did the immortal of Xiaoyuan Mountain truly teach you this way?”

“Yes. Now, all the doubts you’ve harbored about me should be resolved.”

He was always asking who Gu Yi really was.

But Ma Yuan wasn’t concerned about that at this moment. “Does this mean all the days and nights I spent cultivating were in vain?”

“Right and wrong are ambiguous—they sometimes transform into each other, and sometimes matter less than you think. For you, your pursuit is worldly success; all that you cherish exists in the secular world. The anguish in your heart isn’t a question of right or wrong, so it doesn’t affect you. Everyone is wrong, but still, some become the master of the tower, others become bald-headed men—isn’t that so?”

Ma Yuan: ???

He took a deep breath, pointing at Gu Yi. “Fine! Let's say you’re right!”

“So what now? I, Old Ma, can’t have only the name of Xiaoyuan Mountain without the substance. If our ancestor appears one day, master, won't you feel ashamed?”

Gu Yi dusted off his sleeve and sat atop the roof. “Immortal cultivation happens only once. Didn’t you say I’m a boundary-breaker? I’ve told you before—right and wrong stem from everyone’s unique understanding of immortality. You don’t need to forcibly change your lineage. When we were in Quanmen County, didn’t we see someone breaking through Yun Sage?”

“Not Yun Sage—breaking through Yun Sage. So you see, even a wrong path, if followed with determination, might cease to be wrong.”

Ma Yuan scratched his shiny bald head, unable to comprehend. “It’s so complicated.”

“It’s not complicated at all. Life itself is like cultivation. No one says which path cannot be traveled. As long as your faith is steadfast, if you walk with all your strength, walk with all your strength… perhaps you’ll forge a broad avenue.”

Ma Yuan asked, “And what if I never find that avenue?”

Gu Yi countered, “If you walk the ‘right’ path, are you guaranteed success?”

Buzz!

Inside the house, Ye Xiaoniang suddenly stirred the spiritual energy.

This was a good sign, but Ma Yuan’s face fell. “Even if you say so, master… I still feel like the right road is at least easier to walk.”

Gu Yi: “…”

“Don’t be jealous. Xiaoyuan Mountain is actually nothing remarkable.”

Buzz!!

Ye Xiaoniang caused an even greater commotion.

“Master, look!” Ma Yuan was so aggrieved he nearly cried.

“I haven’t eaten in eight days. I’m starving,” Gu Yi slipped away. “Chong Chong!”

“I’m here,” the girl with her hair in a bun ran over. “Young master, what would you like to eat?”

---

“Is the hotpot ready?”

Chong Chong glanced toward Ye Xiaoniang inside the house.

Alright, with her latest round of ‘illness’, she probably had no time to prepare anything.

“Master, is eating really that important?!” Ma Yuan chased after him.

“I never expected you to say that,” Gu Yi didn’t keep him hanging, “Ma Yuan, you study the charms carefully. As for cultivation, once begun, there’s no turning back. That’s why I always suppressed the boundary. As for starting over… I can’t destroy your cultivation without hurting you and let you start anew.”

That was true—he genuinely didn’t know how little Yiyi managed it.

Upon hearing this, Ma Yuan plopped down on the ground with a thud, tears and snot streaming, clutching Gu Yi’s leg, sobbing, “Master! You can’t be so heartless! You’re the heir of Xiaoyuan Mountain, you must have a way! I’ve waited for you so many days, how can you bear to give me this answer? How can I endure such grievance! Ah~ I don’t want to live~”

Buzz, buzz, buzz!!!

Inside, Ye Xiaoniang’s disturbances grew stronger.

Everyone was startled by the commotion.

“Ah!” Ma Yuan cried louder, tightly hugging the leg. “Master, I’m also from Xiaoyuan Mountain! You can’t favor one over the other!”

“Oh, stop crying.”

“Ah!!” Ma Yuan wouldn’t listen; the child who cries gets fed, and opportunities to learn Xiaoyuan Mountain’s secrets were rare.

“You’re distracting Xiaoniang.”

Chong Chong: Ah?

Bang!

“I told you to stop crying!” Chong Chong kicked him hard with her little foot. “You’re a grown man, how can you cry like this? If you keep crying, I’ll hit you!”

The sobbing stopped abruptly.

Ma Yuan felt bitter inside. “Even the little girl bullies me.”

Gu Yi picked him up off the ground and conjured something from his hand. “This is the Mountain Sword Style. It might suit you. Is that enough?”

The bald-headed man sniffed, “Really?”

“Once you master it, go beat up the fellow watching over Imperial Treasure Pavilion, understood?”

“No problem! Heh! If I get stronger, I can help you, master—the enemy is formidable!”

Gu Yi detected the classic ‘enemy threat’ ploy: exaggerate the opponent’s strength, then ask for more rewards.

But overall, he wasn’t wrong.

At least in terms of willingness, Ma Yuan had repeatedly acted without hesitation.

Besides, he served another purpose.

---

…

“The Grand Rain Palace is a force within the Li Kingdom’s borders. They support the Li Emperor but remain independent. From the palace master downward, there are four pavilion lords: Jiang Rain, River Rain, Lake Rain, and Pool Rain. They are the right and left arms of the palace master, all formidable cultivators.”

“…But five years ago, in River Rain Pavilion beneath the capital of Li, a shocking battle erupted. Afterwards, the River Rain lord betrayed the palace, the Lake Rain lord died in battle, and when the news reached Luyang, everyone rejoiced.”

“At the time, I had just entered Luyang Institute. I kept thinking Grand Rain Palace would soon face greater internal strife, but to my disappointment, no news emerged since. Instead, our Xu Kingdom produced a Xiaoyuan Mountain, which greatly uplifted the people’s morale.”

The morale of the people must not be harmed.

Gu Yi thought, Xu Emperor must have realized this, which explains his strong reaction this time—not only sealing the mountain, but also insisting that Luyang have a Xiaoyuan Mountain heir.

“You don’t know why River Rain betrayed the palace?”

“Heh.” Ma Yuan’s brow showed a hint of slyness. “Officially, they say Grand Rain Palace treated River Rain unfairly, but among the common folk, there’s another explanation—ridiculous, but I can understand it.”

“Speak.”

“Master, the Grand Rain Palace master is of the Mo clan.”

Gu Yi frowned; the name sounded familiar.

“The clan renowned for growing ever more beautiful?”

“That’s right,” Ma Yuan mused, “River Rain Pavilion lord was at the Harmonious Dao boundary, but still had to obey the palace master. That suggests the palace master’s cultivation is unfathomable!”

“So, the palace master has perfected the lingering spiritual mist in her lower abdomen. Few have seen her, but she must be a supreme beauty.”

Gu Yi laughed aloud. “Are you saying River Rain…”

Ma Yuan nodded.

Smack!

“You believe such absurd reasons?! How foolish! Such a powerful force, such high cultivation—how many serious matters must they deal with daily? Even if there’s nothing urgent, they can cultivate. These are titled figures, not idle fools with nothing better to do! You think everyone is as bored as you?!”

Gu Yi’s tirade made Chong Chong giggle.

“But… everything I said is true, master,” Ma Yuan protested.

“I know it’s true, damn it. She’s of the Mo clan, so people will invent such stories. From a storytelling perspective, these tales are the most enduring. Too ridiculous. Your words are rarely trustworthy as it is—sometimes I even doubt if she’s really of the Mo clan.”

“She is. Senior Ma didn’t get it wrong.”

At the doorway, Shu Le entered, her steps measured. “Grand Rain Palace master is indeed of the Mo clan, and some call her the world’s greatest beauty.”

Gu Yi, however, disagreed. He speculated, “Such a beauty must be at least forty or fifty years old by now, right? Wouldn’t that make her just an old lady?”

Shu Le: …