Joy of Life

Chapter 728: Someone In The Temple (2)

Why does the Temple appear? The reason for its appearance concerned its past, present, and future, which was the purpose of Fan Xian’s question. When Fan Xian’s question rang out in the Temple covered with a thin layer of snow, the being evolved from the green bird sunk into silence. Haitang and Thirteenth Wang also sensed Fan Xian’s unusual mood and forced down the nervousness in their heart to raise their heads.

In the mysterious and icy Temple, only Fan Xian could maintain his calm. As powerful as Haitang and Thirteenth Wang were, they had both become like naked infants, unable to develop a sliver of disrespect under the gaze of the being on the stage.

The being was silent for a long time. To Fan Xian, who stood at its foot, it said, “This is beyond the limits of what mortals should try to reach or understand.”

“I have never thought of myself as a mortal.” Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and looked at the spots of light in the air. Lowering his voice, he said, “Similarly, I also don’t think you are an immortal.”

The Temple could faintly influence thousands of years of history in this land, but there was also the rule that the Temple could not impetuously meddle in the affairs of the world. Fan Xian knew that in order to protect its lofty and independently mysterious position, regardless of whether the Temple was an ancient relic or some strange object to the side, it would act according to the stories of legends and disguise itself as an illusory existence.

“Since you won’t say, please tell us the reason you invited us into the Temple.” Fan Xian’s gaze looked directly at the figure formed by the light spots in the air and coldly said, “Mortals have never been able to enter the Temple. You let us in. Presumably, you have something you want of us.”

Haitang and Thirteenth Wang suddenly noticed something strange in Fan Xian’s conversation with the being. They slowly rose from the snow. They discovered that Fan Xian could still talk calmly when faced with a lofty existence that was beyond humankind’s understanding. Their admiration rose even higher.

Haitang Duoduo and Thirteenth Wang still did not understand how Fan Xian was truly going to negotiate some kind of deal with the being in the Temple. Why was he not in a rush to seek the whereabouts of the blind master? Haitang quietly stood behind Fan Xian and followed his gaze into the air. This one glance had already depleted all the courage in her body. It was also in this once glance that something suddenly shifted in her heart. Fan Xian remained standing straight in front of the being, so why couldn’t she?

“In the secular world, I have undertaken many positions. The one I was best at was commerce,” Fan Xian said. “Thus, I am a merchant who seeks nothing but profit. I don’t like to reap without sowing, and I don’t want to do anything that would harm my interest for the light enveloping the Temple. If you want us to do something for the Temple, you must pay a price.”

From when he entered the Temple to now, Fan Xian’s entire state of mind had already become unusually clear and cold. He still didn’t have a solid understanding of the Temple, but he had to force himself to calm down and not to think of the other party as a god and instead just think of him as a true existence. Furthermore, he faintly guessed that this journey to the Temple had gone so smoothly because this person in the Temple had a request to make of the three of them. He even had a good guess as to what the request would be.

“The way of the gods is faintly lit. The main path is lacking. Pacing between the fork in the road, both point to the same place. Indignation of the weather is the sign of a country at peace...”

The spots of light coalesced into human form on the stage and paused for a moment before suddenly reciting a long text in beautiful and ancient words. However, the heart of the matter was actually simple. This being of the Temple hoped that Fan Xian, Haitang, and Thirteenth Wang could become emissaries of the Temple. Secretly observing the world on behalf of the Temple and choosing appropriate times to return and report to the person in the Temple.

Haitang and Thirteenth Wang sunk deep into thought. Complicated emotions grew in their eyes. They had probably not expected that once they entered the temple, they would not turn into bluestone by the being in the Temple but instead be given such an important and nonsensical mission.

Investigating affairs of the world on behalf of the Temple? If the three of them left the Temple, they would probably never return again in this lifetime. The people of the Temple also could not leave the temple to interfere in outside affairs, so how could they control them?

This was a simple request. In the eyes of the disciples of Tianyi Dao, this was perhaps the ultimate mission and particularly majestic. In Fan Xian’s eyes, it only further proved his guess.

“Perhaps this is a Tianmai Being of legend?” Haitang Duoduo’s heart trembled as she remembered this name. In the legends, Tianmai Beings were known as the bloodline of heaven, waking every few hundred years. Tianmai Beings could represent powerful and undefeatable battle power or could great talent in wisdom. But, all these figures of legend all vanished without a trace in the end.

After Haitang Duoduo left Qing Mountain, she had also been advertised by the Northern Qi court as a Tianmai Being and was known as a prodigy. She knew she was not the stuff of legends. In comparison, Fan Xian, who remained so calm in the face of this being and was able to spit out 300 poems in one night, was truly like a Tianmai Being.

“It’s not a Tianmai Being. This kind of status is only an emissary of the Temple.” Fan Xian suddenly broke the silence and explained to his two friends. “This Temple is already in ruins. Other than this being, they can no longer find other emissaries to observe the affairs of the world. More accurately speaking, those emissaries all died in the mortal world. If the Temple does not want to be forgotten and does not want to forget the world, it needs to find new emissaries.”

“Very coincidentally, the three of us came to the Temple and gave this being a chance. Of course, this is not much a gamble for him. I believe that the warriors of the world would be very willing to observe the world on behalf of the lofty Temple.”

“Even your teacher could not forget the Temple before his death, much less other people.” Fan Xian glanced at Thirteenth Wang. He said with his head lowered slightly, “If you want to accept, go ahead. Presumably, this is the Temple’s first batch of outside emissaries, so they don’t have any rules and regulations.”

Strangely, Fan Xian spoke these words in front of the being on the stage like he was not afraid of angering it at all. It was indeed the case. There was absolutely no change of expression on the old being’s face, which was purely formed of light spots. He just coldly and woodenly waited for the answer of the three people beneath the stage.

“All the emissaries in the temple have died. Of course, there were not many to start with. That is why you want to use us to be your eyes. The problem is that it is impossible for you to control any of our actions after we leave the temple. You have just made the only possible choice in a situation without any choices.” Fan Xian raised his head and looked at the patch of light spots. The corners of his mouth twitched up as he said, “However, I still want some benefits. According to my analysis, the so-called Tianmai Beings were just people in the long river of history to whom you imparted unfair knowledge to through the emissaries that walked the Earth.”

“Thus, Master Ku He was a Tianmai Being. My Emperor is also a Tianmai Being. Everyone says that Tianmai Beings only appear once every few centuries, but, clearly, the land has been a bit too lively these few decades.”

The being’s expression did not tremble at all. It just leaned forward slightly and looked down at the coldly speaking Fan Xian from on high. After a moment, it said, “Those are accidents, not Tianmai Beings.”

Fan Xian nodded and did not refute these words. Regardless of whether it was the martial method cultivated by Master Ku He or the Tyrannical zhenqi practiced by the Emperor, they were both things his mother, Ye Qingmei, had stolen from this temple. There was no legality in the legacy. This elder in the Temple did not recognize it.

“Child, you know many things.” The being on the stage watched Fan Xian.

“Don’t call me child, I don’t like being referred to like that. And, I do know a lot of things. After all, I have independent thought, unlike the emissaries you sent to the world these countless years who have no feeling or thought of their own.” Fan Xian returned the being’s deep gaze without cowering at all. Calmly, he said, “I even know that your essay earlier is actually all copied words. From this, I can see that you can only carry out simple collection and editing work but are unable to have your own powers of creation.”

Ever since he had risen from the snow, Fan Xian had calmly, even coldly, spoken to this figure in the Temple equally. He seemed to not be worried at all that this mysterious temple could easily kill him. This calmness was nothing but a façade. These emotions were based on his analysis of the Temple and knowledge from his two lives.

“It’s Seeking Martial Dispatch. It looks like you’ve truly surprised me and made me remember some things. However, if you’re willing to become emissaries of the Temple, I cannot mind the rudeness of your speech,” the being said coldly. “The Temple never negotiates with mortals. Please remember this.”

“Since you remember some things from the past, you know that not everyone in this world is frightened by you and will listen to what you say,” Fan Xian said. “You are just a lonely old man. Your subordinates have all died, one by one. Other than us, who else do you think will be able to find this stupid temple? Regardless of whether we leave or if you kill us, you can only be trapped forever in this snowy mountain, never again knowing what is happening in the world you calmly observed.”

“Even if I can break precedent and negotiate, in reality, you have already obtained the Temple’s selfless gift. As the Temple’s children, you should work for the continued progression of the world and offer up your strength.”

“I don’t know what the Temple has gifted me,” Fan Xian said.

The being’s gaze swept over the bodies of the three people in front of the stage and said, “Choosing you to enter the Temple and giving this majestic mission to you, you all have the aura of the Temple on you, particularly you.”

The being’s gaze landed lastly on Fan Xian. Haitang Duoduo inherited the skill of Qing Mountain. Master Ku He was able to become Great Grandmaster because of the martial secrets Ye Qingmei had stolen from the Temple. Dongyi’s ultimate sword skill also carried, to some lesser extent, the style of the emissaries of the Temple. Of course, the one with the thickest aura was Fan Xian. He had lived with Uncle Wu Zhu since his youth, and he was Ye Qingmei’s son. The major martial secrets of the Temple that had reached the world were all within his body. This being who had guarded the Temple for thousands of years could easily see this point.

“What you mean is that you won’t give the three of us further benefits.” The corners of Fan Xian’s lips twitched up. He said with a smile, “Since it is so, of course, we can’t enter this temple and leave empty-handed. If you won’t give it, we will have to search ourselves.”

With these words, the being in the light smiled slightly like it was feeling a sliver of absurdity at ant-like mortals daring to forcefully rob the Temple under his god-like gaze.

An even more absurd matter came after. After Fan Xian finished speaking, he no longer said anything more to the spots of light. Instead, he went right around the stage and headed toward the best-preserved building in the Temple under the snow.

Haitang and Thirteenth Wang were shocked. They were unsure if such a rude action would anger the being in the temple or if lightning would come in a moment and turn Fan Xian into ash.

The expression of the being on the stage formed by light spots was slightly frozen. It was as if in all of his calculations, he had not thought of Fan Xian’s action. Immediately after, his body immediately dispersed. It instantly appeared in front of the path Fan Xian was on, blocking the door to the preserved building.

Disappear and appear, such a speed was indeed not a sight that could appear in the mortal world. Haitang Duoduo and Thirteenth Wang forced down the shock in their hearts and dissolved into two streaks of light smoke. They swept over and tried to protect Fan Xian’s puny life amidst the being’s angry attack.

However, nothing happened. Fan Xian’s footsteps did not even falter. He walked straight into the figure formed of light spots. The spots of light were not dissipated by his body. They did not fly in every direction, nor did they become countless mines and blow him into powder. Instead, it suddenly swelled as if sticking to Fan Xian’s winter coat.

Under Haitang and Thirteenth Wang’s shocked gazes, Fan Xian walked straight into the being’s light and walked out again, nearer to the doors of the building.

A breeze brushed by. The being’s light erupted again. With another swoosh, it suddenly appeared in front of the doors of the building, in Fan Xian’s way. However, a sliver of woodenness appeared in that pair of unfathomable eyes, like the blue dome of heaven.

Fan Xian looked calmly into the eyes of the being floating in midair. After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, “I see through you now.”