Chapter 35: Imperial Decree to Subdue the Earth

Du Yuan, having traveled quite a distance from Qing County, was unaware that the local people intended to erect a monument for the well he had provided.

As he walked, he suddenly heard the sound of galloping horses behind him. Looking back, he saw Qian Youcai, accompanied by two martial retainers, racing to catch up.

"Daoist! Daoist! Are you heading toward the provincial capital?" Qian Youcai asked, leaping from his horse. "If so, I would like to accompany you. I wish to invite you to stay at my family's estate for a few days, so that my father and brothers may pay their respects to your virtue!"

Du Yuan pointed at him and smiled. "Has your family sent anyone to relieve you yet?"

"Er, not yet. It takes a full day of hard riding to reach the provincial capital. I fear my father and brothers haven't even received the news."

"And yet you still wish to accompany me? Tell me, have you forgotten how your ancestors punished you?"

Qian Youcai broke into a cold sweat instantly. He hadn't forgotten, but he believed his ancestors would also want him not to let such a rare opportunity—a fated encounter with someone like Du Yuan—slip away. Yet, hearing Du Yuan speak of it directly filled him with genuine fear. After all, upon hearing that Du Yuan was leaving, he had rushed to pursue him after only hastily arranging his affairs, without first consulting the ancestral tablets.

Seeing his reaction, Du Yuan shook his head, stepped forward, and patted his shoulder. "You, oh you. Did I not say that your family must cultivate harmony within and not be blinded by immediate profit? Look, how long has it been, and you have already forgotten?"

Deeply ashamed, Qian Youcai knelt on the ground. "Please, Daoist, calm your anger. Ziruo knows he was wrong."

"Knowing it in your mouth is not enough; you must engrave it in your heart."

Qian Youcai said nothing, only bowing his head repeatedly. Du Yuan sighed, reached out to lift him up, and said, "I know it is difficult to change overnight, but no matter how hard it is, you must change."

Wanting everything at once will surely lead to disaster!

Qian Youcai dared not look Du Yuan in the face and turned aside, covering his eyes. "Daoist, Ziruo is truly filled with shame. Though I cannot accompany you further, please, you must accept these silver taels. I know you look down upon such worldly dross, but this is a token of Ziruo’s sincerity, a small return for the grace my family has received. Besides, you say you are traveling to aid the suffering; in your dealings with us mortals, there will surely be times when you have need of silver."

Du Yuan did not decline and took the bag of silver. He would certainly need it for food and lodging along the way. "Hm, you have a thoughtful heart."

"Also, Daoist, if you do reach the provincial capital, please remember to stay at the Qian estate in the east of the city."

"If time permits, I shall. Farewell."

The two parted ways. Watching Du Yuan’s figure disappear into the dense forest, one of the martial retainers couldn't help but ask, "Second Young Master, why did you not gift the Daoist a horse?"

Qian Youcai shook his head. "The Daoist walks among us mortals; silver will always have its uses, but what use would a horse be? With the Daoist’s divine abilities, would he really need a beast that he would have to care for, only to be hindered by it?"

The two retainers were instantly convinced, marveling at the Second Young Master's deep insight. Otherwise, they would have certainly gifted a useless horse.

***

On the imperial road, Du Yuan gazed at the long mountain path with a hint of despair. Although he possessed supernatural powers and could command weapons to strike from a distance, his legs were still those of an ordinary man!

"Why did I only take the silver and not ask for a horse?"

Now, the mountain path was long, and the heavy silver—which should have been a source of joy—felt only like a heavy burden. He was tempted to throw the bag away. Although he had no other money, in his current state, obtaining wealth was not difficult. But after a moment's thought, he abandoned the idea. This was a gift from another, given with sincerity; how could he throw it away just because of this?

Is the provincial capital really that far from Qing County? He had been walking for a day, and every passerby he asked said it was still a long way off.

Du Yuan resolved that the next time, he must quickly acquire a supernatural technique for travel. It was such an important matter, yet he had forgotten about it in Qing County. A grave oversight, indeed.

Shaking his head, Du Yuan began looking for a place to rest. He remembered a kind passerby telling him that if he followed the imperial road, he would surely find a place to stay before nightfall.

He scanned his surroundings, and to his surprise, he found one! Nestled in a grove at the foot of the mountain was a building.

Du Yuan hurried over with delight, but upon arrival, he realized it was a temple, not the inn he had expected. It was long neglected, yet still habitable. The statue on the altar was even more dilapidated than the temple itself, to the point that Du Yuan could not recognize which deity it represented, nor could he tell if it was Daoist or Buddhist.

After staring for a long time, Du Yuan smiled to himself, bowed to the statue, and said, "Passing through this sacred place, I apologize for the intrusion."

He glanced at the dirty, cluttered altar and added, "As a token of my respect, let me tidy this altar for you!"

He set to work immediately. Lacking proper tools and finding none in the temple, Du Yuan, thinking of his spare clothing, decided to use his hands. But as he began to clear the grime that had accumulated on the altar—a substance so foul it was unrecognizable—he felt an indescribable resistance. It was unclear if it came from the filth itself or something else; he only felt an intense, grinding difficulty.

Yet, it was not impossible to continue. And there was no reason to leave a task half-finished. With raised brows, Du Yuan put more effort into cleaning the altar.

When the final incense burner was cleared, Du Yuan did not stop. Instead, he took a stick of incense from his pack—something he had bought from travelers on the road. A Daoist, after all, felt he couldn't live up to his identity without such items.

After lighting it, Du Yuan bowed three times to the nameless statue. As the incense smoke rose, Du Yuan suddenly felt the world spin. His body, already exhausted from cleaning, felt as if it were about to collapse.

To keep from falling in this wilderness, Du Yuan bit his tongue hard. As the metallic taste of blood burst in his mouth, his vision cleared instantly. He stumbled, gripping the cracked edge of the offering table, the ground beneath his feet swaying like waves. Yet, he kept his eyes fixed on the ruined statue in the shrine.

In a trance, he felt the statue grow clear, then blur again. It was as if it were the ruined figure before him, and yet, simultaneously, he saw a towering, divine peak standing between heaven and earth, its feet planted on the vast mountains and rivers.

Before he could look closer, the vision shattered into a thousand fireflies amidst another wave of dizziness. In a state between dreaming and waking, he heard a voice, seemingly from the horizon, yet echoing in his ears:

"Thank you."

Instantly, a small seal manifested out of thin air in Du Yuan’s palm. Looking closely, he saw it bore ancient, archaic characters—not any script he recognized. Yet, Du Yuan somehow understood what was carved upon it: "Imperial Decree: Suppress the Earthly Domain."