In a silent room, a young child sat cross legged on the bed, his eyes closed. He appeared to be in a deep meditative state of focus. But that silence was soon broken, a knocking sound echoed through the room.
"Little Yuan, I'm here. Can I come in?"
Yuan recognized the old man's voice. He opened his black eyes. After a brief moment spent calming his mind, he looked toward the door and spoke calmly,"Yes, come in."
With those words, the door opened. Old Man Longwei Feng stepped in, a wide smile on his face and a cheerful expression.
"It's already been three weeks since you went into seclusion to focus on your cultivation. But something's happened, and I want to take you along to see it. So take a bath, we'll leave shortly."
"Something happened?" Yuan asked immediately, surprised. For something to concern the old man… it had to be important.
Sensing Yuan's concern, the old man shook his head and smiled gently.
"Nothing too serious, just a minor war in the mortal world. Nothing that involves cultivators. It hasn't escalated that far. I simply want you to see more of the world."
"Oh, okay." Yuan nodded, his worries easing. Without hesitation, he went to bathe.
Now clean and dry, Yuan stepped out and found Old Man Longwei Feng waiting at the entrance gate. A carriage was already parked outside.
"Haha, Little Yuan, come on! We don't want to miss the meeting, do we?" the old man chuckled, waving him over.
Yuan nodded and stepped inside. The leather seats were soft and comfortable.
Seeing how much Yuan enjoyed the ride, the old man began to chuckle again, clearly pleased.
But as the laughter faded, the two locked eyes, Yuan gazing at the old man, and the old man gazing back at him.
"Little Yuan, you met the Tenth Prince and the Fifth Princess of my Longwei Family the last time, didn't you?"
Yuan nodded silently in response. Seeing that, Old Man Longwei Feng smiled.
"What did you think of them? Should I arrange a meeting? They're around your age, maybe a year or two older, at most. Want to play with them?"
"No thanks," Yuan said flatly, shaking his head.
He had no interest in getting involved in the internal affairs of the five factions. It was unnecessary trouble, so he declined without hesitation.
Old Man Longwei Feng sighed.
"You can't just cultivate without making any friends. How could you enjoy life like that? Focusing on cultivation is good, but only cultivating… that can become poison to a cultivator."
Yuan stared at the old man for a moment, then softly repeated his last words.
"Focusing on cultivation is good… but only cultivating can become poison."
He thought about those words for a moment. He couldn't deny the old man had a point, it was the truth. For him, loneliness wasn't pain, it was routine. Nothing difficult to overcome.
Still, he didn't want to go against the old man's intentions.
After all, who could predict what might happen if he refused too harshly?
So he nodded his head.
"Good!" the old man exclaimed with a wide smile. "There are a few gatherings happening next week. Maybe you'll make some friends!"
Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "Maybe you'll even fall in love? Hehe, who knows? I still remember back when I was your age, I..."
Without a hint of shame, Old Man Longwei Feng launched into a string of stories about his youthful romances, chuckling and laughing all the while.
The carriage ride continued, and thanks to the old man's endless talking, the atmosphere stayed lively until they finally arrived.
They had reached the royal palace of Loose Dragon Tail Town.
It was the grandest structure in the entire town. Towering halls, golden pillars, and luxuries laid out at every turn. Gold gleamed from every corner, nearly blinding the eyes.
"We're here," Old Man Longwei Feng said as he stood up and opened the carriage door. Yuan stepped out beside him.
Waiting for them was a middle aged man dressed in fine robes adorned with golden dragons, clearly someone of high status within the royal palace.
"Greetings, Elder Longwei! I am but a humble Royal Advisor. I've been assigned to guide you through the Loose Dragon Royal Palace."
The man bowed respectfully.
Old Man Longwei Feng gave him a slight nod,"Just take me to the meeting. I want this little grandson of mine to see a glimpse of the real world."
"Of course, Elder Longwei!" the advisor replied without hesitation.
He straightened his posture and began leading them through the palace. The halls were grand and decorated with wealth and history, until they finally arrived at a large meeting hall.
Inside, numerous nobles, mostly middle aged and elderly men and women, were already seated and deep in discussion. However, the moment Old Man Longwei Feng entered, all conversation stopped.
Everyone stood and bowed simultaneously.
"Greetings, Elder Longwei," they echoed in unison.
The old man showed no reaction to their display. It was nothing new to him, something he'd clearly experienced countless times before.
He simply gave a brief nod.
"Continue. I'm only here to listen."
With that, the heavy doors behind them were closed. The old man took the central seat, while Yuan stood silently beside him. Neither spoke, they were observers now.
Most of the people present were mortals. A few among them had awakened their first sense, but they were all elderly, gray haired and frail. Cultivators were rare in these halls.
"Royal Advisor Meng, what should we do about this war?" one of the nobles asked, directing the question toward a thin, elderly man with snow white hair.
This was Royal Advisor Meng. His wrinkled skin and sunken eyes made it clear that he didn't have much time left in this world.
He shook his head slowly.
"It may seem large, but only from a mortal's perspective. Still, it could cause serious trouble for the border villages. Send a message to the Cloverleaf Family. Ask whether they want to negotiate or if they truly intend war. Let them take a clear stance."
"Royal Advisor Meng, is that truly the best course of action?" one of the nobles spoke, his brows furrowed. His tone held more than doubt, it carried concern rooted in experience.
"Openly contacting the Cloverleaf Family may be dangerous. What if this is just a ploy to gauge our reaction or bait us into making the first move? A provocation disguised as diplomacy is still a provocation."
Another noble chimed in quickly, tone sharper.
"And if we send a messenger without preparation and they seize or kill him? That's not just a failed attempt at peace, that's an excuse for them to escalate."
Murmurs spread across the chamber. Several nobles nodded, their expressions hardening.
"Shouldn't we move some of our spies first?" the first noble continued. "Gather intelligence, confirm their military movements, troop disposition, cultivation forces. Something doesn't feel right about this timing."
"Agreed," another said. "We shouldn't be reacting like fools. Let's act like a royal court."
Royal Advisor Meng remained silent for a moment, but before he could respond, another advisor, older, dressed in deeper grey, interjected with cold finality.
"You're overcomplicating a simple matter."
The man's voice was calm but dismissive.
"I've already had spies in place for weeks. There are no third parties. No signs of coordinated movement outside the Cloverleaf territory."
He looked directly at the doubting nobles.
"The reason for this noise is simple. The Cloverleaf King's eldest son, arrogant and unrestrained, has begun throwing his weight around. He's pushing limits to see how far he can go, treating minor authority like a divine right."
He paused a little and continued.
"But let's be clear, his voice should'not be the same as the King's. The King has no desire for war. Not yet."
The Royal advisor leaned back slightly, gaze sharp.
"They've recently uncovered a small spiritual essence stone cave, barely stabilized. They won't risk a war while they're still extracting resources. If anything, their timing confirms their weakness. If they do attack, it won't be until they're halfway through the mining operation. And by then, we dont have to worry."
His words silenced the room.
Still, not all were satisfied.
"Even so," the first noble pressed, "this presumes they'll act rationally. What if the Crown Prince acts without the King's approval? What if he's testing more than just our patience?"
Another noble added, "And what if he has the backing of rogue cultivators or a silent party from one of the other families?"
The older advisor didn't blink.
"If he acts without approval and harms the messenger…"
He turned to them fully.
"Then we declare war. A true War."
A long silence followed. The nobles exchanged heavy looks. A few still appeared uncomfortable, but no further objections were raised.
Then another noble raised another concern, and soon the room was once again filled with low, deliberate voices. Advisor Meng responded patiently. Others chimed in.
The meeting dragged on.
None of the following matters came close in weight to the issue of war. Everything else was routine politics, and for Yuan, it quickly became clear that only the first topic had any real value.
The meeting ended smoothly.
The nobles mostly spoke about issues in their villages or minor improvements they wished to implement. Each of them presented their proposals and asked the royal advisors for permission to act.
Nothing important, just mundane affairs of the mortal world.
Now, Yuan sat once again in the carriage beside Old Man Longwei Feng. The old man looked at him with a smile and asked,
"So, what did you think of the meeting?"
"How did I find the meeting?" Yuan repeated the question aloud, thinking for a moment before answering.
"It wasn't anything interesting. It was just politics, irrelevant for us cultivators, none of it holds any real importance."
"Hehe…" Old Man Longwei Feng chuckled bitterly at Yuan's blunt response, then sighed.
"Most children would be thrilled to attend such meetings. Controlling the flow of decisions, giving orders, acting as though the world lies in their hands. But it seems you're not interested in those things at all."
"Is that something bad?" Yuan asked, tilting his head slightly.
The old man shook his head.
"No, not at all. In fact, it's a good thing. If you wanted to control mortals, it would be all too easy. But if you're satisfied with ruling over mortals alone, then your journey as a cultivator is already finished."
He turned to the window, his smile faint.
"If your ambition only stretches that far, you may as well give up cultivation and join the world of mortals. A cultivator needs a goal, something far beyond simply ruling a city or commanding armies."
Yuan silently agreed with the old man's words, If the world is all you want, then the world is where your Dao ends.
To walk the path of cultivation, one must possess a grand ambition, something powerful enough to burn within. Some seek domination over everything. Others chase absolute freedom. Some aim to control heaven and earth themselves.
But if someone's only goal is to become a mortal emperor... then there's no point cultivating beyond the Blood Purification Stage.
Curious, Yuan turned to the old man and asked,
"Old Man Feng… what about you? Why do you cultivate?"
"Oh, that's simple, Little Yuan." The old man looked at him, smiling gently,"I cultivate to protect my family and the ones dearest to me."
His tone softened, and his eyes grew distant.
"I'm already old. My bones feel like they'll crumble at any moment. When I was young, I witnessed many deaths… friends, lovers, my children, even my parents. And I've killed many as well. The past wasn't as peaceful as it is now."
His expression dimmed, eyes reflecting the weight of years and pain.
"But now? I have no grand ambitions left. All I want is for the Five Families to survive these turbulent times. I may die soon from old age... but before that, I hope to witness someone, a true talent, emerge from the Loose Long Family. Someone who can lead them into the future."
With that, silence filled the carriage.
No more words were exchanged.
When Yuan returned to his room, he quietly sat down and resumed his cultivation, continuing his journey toward awakening his second sense.