Daoist Master of Qing Xuan

There was an ending to everything, regardless of whether it was a long song or a lengthy play.

When Lei Jing was done, the lanky body of the High Priest was leaning on the white bay. His arms wrapped around his knees, his eyes were closed and they will never be opened again.

When Lei Jing was released of the playing, her heartbeat raced as she saw this. She panicked and a string broke. It cut her finger. Drops of blood were dripping from her finger and they stained her light green dress. She did not have time to treat the cut as she was looking at the High Priest blankly.

Was he really dead?

Lei Jing approached the High Priest carefully. She could not hear his breath or his heartbeat. She pulled open his eyelid and there was no light anymore.

He looked like he fell asleep quietly but in reality, he was dead.

Every living being would die one day but Lei Jing did not predict that the High Priest would die next to her.

The secluded bamboo could summon souls but there was no soul left for the High Priest.

Lei Jing felt a sudden increase in temperature and then she saw uncle. His eyes were cold. He did not look at Lei Jing at all and he went straight to carry the High Priest into Lake Jade. Wherever he went, the water evaporated, until he was in the middle of the lake. There was an underground path. It opened up and Emperor Xia walked inside.

Lei Jing did not follow. She could feel that the usually strong and firm uncle seemed to be revealing his weakness and sadness.

Even though one could move mountains and overturn the sea, one could not reverse death. This was not exclusive to only Emperor Xia but to most cultivators.

Lei Jing hugged the broken secluded bamboo to Zhiwei Temple. She did not feel at ease now and only her teacher could help.

The Xia Canal in front of Zhiwei Temple continued to flow. The clouds in the sky were sometimes there and sometimes not. In the temple, Lvluo, grass, and bananas were planted. When the storm came, the scenery would be dilapidated.

A pegasus was leading the way for Lei Jing. It could speak now. As it saw its owner’s down face, it just quietly followed her and occasionally it would rub its warm nose against Lei Jing.

Shen Lian was in the room of cultivation which was facing the east. The sunrise would shine directly on his room and at night he could also see the stars of the Azure dragon of the east. All the glittering stars in the sky were available for his view.

He already knew Lei Jing was coming and hence he already made tea with two cups prepared.

When Jing walked into the room of cultivation, Shen Lian just finished pouring her tea. There was not a drip more or less. The steams rose and swirled into a dragon shape which did not disperse for a long time.

The two cups of the tea had gained spirituality. Creations that had spirituality was at the level of Taiyi. It seemed that Shen Lian had uncovered a small mystery of Taiyi.

Of course, Lei Jing did not realize this. She only thought that the teacher was much better than her in making tea.

Shen Lian put down the teapot and said, “You’re not calm right now. Have a cup of tea.”

Lei Jing had no reason to reject but as she saw the steam coming out of the tea, she knew that it was boiling hot. Luckily her body was not afraid of the heat which would burn her throat and hence Lei Jing swallowed the tea quickly. Surprisingly, the tea in her mouth was indeed cold. It flowed through her body like a comfortable cold stream.

Looking at Lei Jing’s stunned expression, Shen Lian smiled, “Don’t be surprised, hot and cold are felt by the external sensory organs. In reality, there are a lot of ways that can help reverse the feeling. I will teach you the techniques later, but I know you’re not interested in it yet.”

Lei Jing nodded. After a while, she then asked, “Sir, can you tell me why the High Priest died, just like that?”

“Since you’ve asked, I won’t be talking about junk like humans have to die. In reality, when you reach a certain level, it is as hard to die as to stay alive. The High Priest could survive since the Xia Kingdom was formed, it is definitely possible for him to live for a few years more. If Taiyi and I help out, we can even help him get rid of the root of the sickness but you have to know that while survival is an instinct, there are certain things in life which are more precious to these people than living. They are willing to give up their lives for it.” Shen Lian sighed as he thought about Zhang Ruoxu.

Shen Lian admired someone like that but he could not do it himself. This had nothing to do with cultivation state.

Lei Jing bit her lips, “So the High Priest wished to die himself? Why did he do that?”

“Because Tianyi and I did not save him and because he wanted Emperor Xia to be the real Emperor Xia.” Shen Lian suddenly replied in a severe tone, like a sharp knife.

Lei Jing said, “I still don’t understand. I can understand why you and Tianyi did not save him but isn’t uncle already the emperor?”

“Xia Kingdom is a strictly hierarchical country. It is a tower from the bottom to the top and Emperor Xia is at the top. Do you know that the people at the top not only get to enjoy the most beautiful scenery, they too have to withstand the strongest storms? If they are not careful about it, they can soon be blown off to dust. At that spot, you can’t afford to be weak, and you can’t afford to have any weakness. The truth is, the High Priest has become his weakness.” Shen Lian said.

Lei Jing understood now, despite how strong uncle was, he still had a soft spot and it was the High Priest. If the High Priest was no longer there, he would have no weakness. A person in power who had no weakness was hard to be beaten.

If Emperor Xia never lost, Xia Kingdom could continue to exist even for a thousand years.

This was an extremely good thing but she still felt painful for the High Priest. Why must he die?

“Why must he die…” She did not just think about it, she actually said it.

Shen Lian spoke as soft as the night breeze. It was cold, but it would not hurt. He said, “He doesn’t have to die but dying is the easiest way. He let you play the zither to help you calm down but as he died, it made you feel disturbed. This is to make you understand one thing.”

Lei Jing did not ask, she replied, “The High Priest wanted to tell me that the heart is not at the human’s will. Emotion is not something that can be controlled easily and it will be affected by the outside world but we can make use of the power of emotions. Sir, you taught me to summon wind and rain was because that when the thunder roared in a quiet place, the wind and rain will follow. The more peaceful one is, the more powerful the emotions. It is right for me to be calm but what I was working towards was wrong.”

Shen Lian smiled, “I don’t need to teach you more. Follow me until three days later. You can’t say no.”

Lei Jing had some grudge against it. She wanted the teacher to explain why he had to treat father that way but as it was the first time Shen Lian acted dominantly, she could not resist.

She felt wronged. She did not know who she was to Shen Lian. Perhaps she meant nothing. She too lost her strong personality, she was way different from before.

Lastly, Shen Lian looked at the sun outside the window as he spoke in a low voice, “A heartless man might not be a true hero.”