Chapter 424: Epiphany

Yuanzhou, Yinghe Prefecture.

Fang Rui, Xin Xue’er, and Yu Yunlan entered the city.

“After several months away, we’re back in Yuanzhou!”

He had reverted to the appearance of the Celestial Secret Daoist, Xin Xue’er was in disguise, and Yu Yunlan had used Magic to make herself look ordinary.

The streets were bustling with activity, and the cries of vendors were endless.

“Did you hear? Marquis Wei is inspecting his troops outside the city today. All Five Tiger Generals—Guan, Lu, Ma, Huang, and Zhao—are there,” someone gossiped.

“What Marquis Wei? He’s Duke Wei now,” another person interjected.

“He commands two hundred thousand Armored Soldiers, controls four prefectures, and has swept through most of Yuanzhou. For Cao Meng to proclaim himself Duke Wei… well, it’s not like he doesn’t deserve the title.”

“So is that rumor true? That Duke Wei has no taste for virgins but a particular fondness for other men’s wives… After our Yinghe Prefecture City was breached, the female relatives of the disgraced officials and wealthy families… Heh heh heh!”

“Hmph!”

Nearby, the scion of a fallen noble family flushed an inexplicable shade of red upon hearing this. He muttered hatefully under his breath, “That Cao Thief and I cannot exist under the same sky!”

“It’s only been a few months, and the former Marshal Cao, Cao Meng, has become Duke Wei. Guan Zhi, Lu Fei, and the others have become Grand Generals, ready for battle.”

Fang Rui sighed with emotion. “Time is truly a great magician.”

‘Perhaps, one day, my Jade Lotus will become a single lotus in the eternal Qing Tian. My new, revolutionary Martial Arts will become the preeminent study of the age. And my struggle against the Great Black Heaven will become the stuff of epics and myths…’

This strange sensation of being both within history and writing it caused him to freeze for a moment, falling into a mysterious state as an abstruse aura fluctuated around him.

“Is this… a mental state epiphany?!”

A flicker of light passed through Yu Yunlan’s cool eyes, tinged with a hint of envy.

The state of one’s mind was an elusive and indescribable thing, yet it had a massive impact on the Realms beyond the Profound Domain. It was just like her Three Pristine Nine Transformations Skill, which required cultivating the Taiqing, Yuqing, and Shangqing bodies of the Three Pristine Ones, each with its own unique requirements.

Other Cultivation Techniques also required similar insights. This was a prerequisite for controlling greater power. Without a matching mental state, breaking through was extremely difficult. Even if one forced a promotion, they would easily become a puppet to their own power and fall into the Demon Path.

But such a mental state epiphany was a rare and chance occurrence. And now, Fang Rui had entered just such a state.

“Unc—”

Xin Xue’er turned to speak, but the sound died in her throat the moment she began. Her mouth opened and closed in a silent “wah, wah,” but no noise came out.

Shhh!

Yu Yunlan raised a slender, pale forefinger to her lips, and a voice echoed directly in the girl’s mind, “This is your uncle’s opportunity. Do not disturb him.”

Instantly, the little girl clamped her hands over her mouth and nodded repeatedly.

At the same time, the surrounding clamor suddenly fell silent. All sound was filtered out and isolated, and she paid no mind to the furtive, probing gazes they were attracting.

Beyond that, Yu Yunlan did nothing more. She didn’t move Fang Rui or block his view of the outside world, lest she break him out of his state.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea—

A glint appeared in Fang Rui’s eyes, and he snapped back to reality.

Had anything changed?

It was subtle, almost imperceptible. His Divine Soul seemed a bit clearer and more transparent, his will more resolute. But beyond that, there seemed to be nothing else.

“Thank you for standing guard, Fellow Daoist Yu. Hm?!”

Just after giving his thanks, Fang Rui suddenly sensed something and looked in a certain direction.

“That’s him!” Just then, a man with small, shrewd-looking eyes approached, leading a squad of Armored Soldiers.

“What’s he done?”

“Done? What are you talking about? That man… he looks like the great talent Duke Wei has a bounty out for—that Celestial Secret Daoist! I’ve seen the portrait.”

“The reward is three hundred taels of silver! I recognized him too, but someone beat me to reporting it. What a pity! A true regret!”

“Daoist, our Duke Wei cordially invites you to a meeting outside the city. Please, get in the carriage.”

The leading Vice General bowed respectfully with his fists clasped.

“Oh? Lead the way!”

Fang Rui wasn’t surprised. By appearing as the Celestial Secret Daoist, he had prepared for this exact scenario. And Cao Meng was someone he needed to meet anyway.

He boarded the carriage with Xin Xue’er and Yu Yunlan, leaving behind a crowd of onlookers with varied expressions and a buzz of discussion.

“Am I seeing things? That carriage… it looks like… Duke Wei’s carriage?!” someone said in disbelief, rubbing their eyes.

“You’re not seeing things, that *is* Duke Wei’s carriage!” another person exclaimed, slapping his thigh.

“I’ve always heard that Duke Wei honors the wise and condescends to scholars. Seeing it today, I know it to be true!”

“It’s one thing for Duke Wei to honor the wise, but that Daoist is just arrogant! He boarded the carriage without a hint of refusal, and even brought two female companions with him. What right does he have?” This came from a Scholar, practically mad with envy, jealousy, and hate.

As for being in Duke Wei’s carriage, Fang Rui was completely at ease, as if he were riding in a simple donkey cart.

Yu Yunlan was also unimpressed. Her true self was the Yunlan True Monarch, and the pageantry she was accustomed to was countless times more extravagant than this.

Only Xin Xue’er looked completely starstruck. She looked here and there, examining every detail, but she was sensible enough not to say a word.

CREAK! GROAN!

The carriage made its way out of the city.

“It has been some time since we parted in Nanzhuo County. I trust you have been well, Daoist?”

Cao Meng led his officials to greet him, a smile on his face as he walked briskly forward, showing Fang Rui the utmost respect.

—He had called Fang Rui ‘Daoist’ before, and he still called him ‘Daoist’ now. The only difference was that his tone held less reverence and more casualness than before.

“Greetings, Duke Wei.”

Fang Rui clasped his fists.

‘He’s appeared again!’

Behind Cao Meng, among the ranks of Civil Servants and officials, the expression of Ji Fu, Cao Meng’s teacher, shifted.

He certainly had a deep impression of this man, who was even better at putting on airs than he was.

‘Fortunately, I’ve long since completed my arrangements at Cao Meng’s side. My foundation is deep and unshakable. Under these circumstances, this man will only be able to pick up scraps.’

‘Still, I’ll need to probe him a bit later and see which Half-Immortal Family he truly belongs to.’