Chapter 1313: My Path is Not Solitary

Zhao Yuqing learned of this matter from the inner demon.

The inner demon's visit came as somewhat of a surprise to Zhao Yuqing.

"Are you suggesting I go test that Demon Lord's depths?" he asked.

The inner demon looked at him. "Why not?"

"Have you forgotten why I came here?" Zhao Yuqing said coldly.

The inner demon sat there calmly. "Then cut me down right now."

"I'm exactly the sort who can't resist a provocation."

Zhao Yuqing raised his sword and swung.

The inner demon instantly fled. Being fundamentally the same person, each naturally knew exactly what the other was thinking.

As the inner demon slipped away, he left behind a single phrase.

"I'll come ask you again next time."

"Get lost!"

Zhao Yuqing cursed and slammed the door shut.

He was an immensely curious person by nature. Whether it was the inner demon or Zhao Yuqing himself, both were exactly the same in this regard.

So now that the inner demon had brought the matter up, Zhao Yuqing was bound to go meet that Demon Lord no matter what.

To feel out their depths.

That very night, Zhao Yuqing took up his sword and made for the Demon Lord's domain.

Far from what Zhao Yuqing had imagined, this Demon Lord actually lived in a mountain valley.

A vegetable garden had been planted outside a small brick-and-tile courtyard. A man was currently bent over, watering the crops.

Seeing this, Zhao Yuqing simply revealed himself. "Watering at night?"

The man watering the vegetables replied, "They grow faster when watered at night. In the daytime, the water all just evaporates."

"How can water alone enrich the soil?"

"Water and soil possess spirit; they can nourish plants on their own."

The man set down his wooden bucket and turned to look at Zhao Yuqing. "The Lord of Yunfu Mountain visits my Hongyuan Tianxia, yet I have thus far failed to call and pay my respects. I hope you can forgive the slight."

"So you recognize me."

Zhao Yuqing stepped forward, making out the man's features in the moonlight.

Looking at that face, Zhao Yuqing felt absolutely no spark of recognition.

He had never seen this person before.

"I am Yun Hengzi. Greetings, Lord of Yunfu Mountain."

Zhao Yuqing fell silent for a moment. "I have never heard the name Yun Hengzi."

Yun Hengzi smiled. "I have long lived deep in the mountains and rarely walk the world. Naturally, my name is unknown."

Zhao Yuqing carefully scrutinized the man.

This was a human, not a demon. Though he looked plain, the qi about his person was incredibly chaotic. Human qi, immortal qi, demon qi, and fiendish qi—all of them swirled about him.

It was the first time Zhao Yuqing had ever seen such complex qi gathered within a single person.

"Lord of Yunfu Mountain, please come into the courtyard."

Yun Hengzi brewed a cup of tea for him. It was made from new sprouts plucked in early spring, tasting incredibly mild and warm.

"I thought there would be a bitter battle today," Zhao Yuqing said. "I never imagined I would be sitting here drinking tea."

"It hasn't come to that."

Yun Hengzi smiled. "Harmony should be prized in this world. All this fighting and killing actually holds little meaning."

"Then why did you single-handedly establish this Hongyuan Tianxia?"

"Even if I had not appeared, someone else would have," Yun Hengzi replied.

"Yet according to the rumors, the rise of Hongyuan Tianxia seems more like the result of exhaustive scheming."

"True."

Yun Hengzi took a deep breath. "Between Heaven and Earth, how many things can a cultivator actually calculate perfectly? Being able to glimpse even a fraction of the truth is already extraordinary."

Zhao Yuqing got straight to the point. "And what is your purpose in doing all this?"

"For what purpose?"

Yun Hengzi thought about it and gave an answer.

"To change Heaven and Earth."

Zhao Yuqing paused upon hearing this. After a brief moment of thought, however, he offered no reaction.

"Does the Lord of Yunfu Mountain think I am exaggerating?" Yun Hengzi asked.

"No."

Zhao Yuqing looked at him. "I know far better than you how to change Heaven and Earth."

"Oh?"

Zhao Yuqing said, "Merge qi destiny to seize the heavenly momentum; gather heavenly momentum to change Heaven and Earth. You certainly are no stranger to that phrase."

Yun Hengzi looked somewhat surprised. "Where did Fellow Daoist hear this?"

Zhao Yuqing already had his suspicions.

He asked, "Did you read it in a book called Arcane Methods of Heavenly Fortune?"

Yun Hengzi was surprised yet again, remaining speechless for a long moment.

"I have read that book too," Zhao Yuqing said. "Perhaps even earlier than you did."

Zhao Yuqing watched him. "But I must tell you, looking at that book is enough. Books are written by people, after all. The person who wrote that book failed to change Heaven and Earth, let alone you or me."

"How does Fellow Daoist know the author of this book failed to change Heaven and Earth?"

Zhao Yuqing did not bother to explain that. Instead, he said, "Your Dao Cultivation is indeed rare in this world, but it is far from enough. Beneath Heaven and Earth, you are nothing but an ant, easily crushed to death."

Yun Hengzi sank into deep thought upon hearing these words.

After a long moment, he asked a single question: "Has Fellow Daoist tried it?"

Zhao Yuqing did not answer, yet his silence already served as his reply.

Yun Hengzi let out a long breath and cupped his hands in respect. "I never imagined Fellow Daoist was actually a pioneer..."

Zhao Yuqing shook his head. "I have no such heart for it."

"Is that so?"

Yun Hengzi gave a gentle smile. "But as far as I know, there is someone in Hongyuan Tianxia who was formed from an inner demon..."

"Do I need to explain to you what an inner demon means?" Zhao Yuqing retorted.

"I see..."

Seeing this, Yun Hengzi pressed the issue no further.

He propped his chin on his hand and sank into thought.

He asked, "Fellow Daoist, with our strength, is it truly impossible to step into the realm of True Immortal and change Heaven and Earth?"

Zhao Yuqing thought about it, then said, "Impossible."

"Yet I find that hard to believe."

Yun Hengzi looked at him and said, "Is Heaven without a lifespan?"

Meeting his gaze, Zhao Yuqing found himself speechless for a moment.

Yun Hengzi pulled a copy of Arcane Methods of Heavenly Fortune from his robes. "The Arcane Methods state that even Heaven has an end to its lifespan. As circumstances change, who knows how long the years have stretched... Heaven might have grown old too..."

Yun Hengzi brushed his hand over the book. "Reincarnation has been seized, and the Underworld has appeared. This is the best proof of all. Why shouldn't we try? To draw our Sword and question Heaven and Earth—if we do not try, how will we ever know the answer?"

Zhao Yuqing knew he could not persuade this man otherwise.

He only said, "I can survive, but you are different."

"If one hears the Dao in the morning, they can die content in the evening. Why should I fear life and death?"

"Very well..."

Zhao Yuqing said no more. He stood up and said, "I hope you truly can change Heaven and Earth. But I must remind you: neither you nor I are the ones walking at the forefront. There is someone else who is also planning to change Heaven and Earth. And this person exists within the ceaseless long river of time, having never truly died."

Yun Hengzi was surprised for a moment upon hearing this.

But a smile quickly appeared on his face. "Fellow Daoist, does this not prove that my path is not solitary?"

Zhao Yuqing's expression remained calm, and he simply said, "Who knows..."