Chapter 525

"You don't want to bow to the Five Sects..."

Xiao Yuying's tone wavered, tinged with uncertainty, yet she gritted her teeth and said, "I can also ask my master... There should be a way to save your life... as long as you find your way back."

To say such a thing, her master must be quite extraordinary.

Her sincere and genuine concern for him moved Zheng Fa a little.

Zheng Fa looked at Xiao Yuying, his smile deepening, but... he still shook his head.

"You..." Xiao Yuying seemed a bit exasperated, pausing before saying, "Then let me leave the Jiushan Realm. I don't want to be buried alongside you and the Jiushan Sect."

"Xiao Fairy..." Zheng Fa thought for a moment and generously replied, "Given your contributions to the Jiushan Sect, as long as you abide by our previous agreement, you are free to come and go as you please. I won't interfere."

Xiao Yuying was taken aback, and then she saw Zheng Fa wave his hand behind her, revealing a shimmering portal.

Beyond the portal lay the Xuanwei Realm.

As soon as she stepped through, she could escape the whirlpool of the Jiushan Sect that terrified her.

But at that moment, she hesitated.

Zheng Fa smiled and said, "Xiao Fairy, since you're not in a hurry to leave, why don't we sit down and discuss my thoughts?"

He pointed to the chairs in the hall.

Zheng Fa took the lead and sat on a wooden chair. After a moment of silence, Xiao Yuying followed suit, sitting down across from him at a low wooden table typically used for tea.

Once she was seated, Zheng Fa began, "Xiao Fairy, the questions you raised are quite profound, and there are some things... I haven't fully figured out myself."

He paused for a moment before adding, "In fact, my knowledge is limited compared to yours regarding the history of the Xuanwei Realm. If I say something incorrect or incomplete, I hope you can point out the flaws, considering our friendship."

Hearing his earnest tone, Xiao Yuying was somewhat surprised, sensing he genuinely sought her opinion.

Zheng Fa chuckled wryly, "Many of my ideas I can only discuss with Senior Sister Zhang. Although Uncle Pang and the others treat me well, their thoughts align with traditional practitioners of the Xuanwei Realm. Some things would only do more harm than good if they heard them."

"Since you’ve noticed some clues and are genuinely thinking of me, I dare to share a few of my thoughts."

Xiao Yuying nodded, "Go ahead."

"You’re right, Xiao Fairy. Continuing down this path for the Jiushan Sect will put us at odds with nearly all practitioners."

"Simplifying cultivation methods will lower the barriers to entry. Even if spiritual energy remains abundant, it will intensify competition among existing practitioners... Resources like spiritual materials, spiritual lands, and spiritual energy are all limited."

"You know that..."

Zheng Fa shook his head, interrupting Xiao Yuying, and continued, "Building factories and training workers, even those without cultivation, will reduce the profits of artifact-refining practitioners and may even completely eliminate some traditional crafting techniques..."

"The same goes for talismans."

"The dangers of this path... I won’t hide it from you, I’ve known for a long time."

What Zheng Fa said echoed Xiao Yuying's own thoughts— the current state of the Xuanwei Realm is one where Xuanwei practitioners control or monopolize all resources through overwhelming force and extraordinary skills.

These individuals are naturally small-scale artisans.

The sects in the Xuanwei Realm resemble feudal lords.

Zheng Fa's reforms aim to lower the barriers to acquiring power, simplify techniques, and spread knowledge...

Industry will inevitably clash with handicrafts, and factories will challenge feudal lords.

He was more thorough in this than any previous practitioner of the Xuanwei Realm, and that’s precisely why Xiao Yuying said he stood against all practitioners.

He had anticipated this.

Yet, Xiao Yuying fell silent.

She looked at Zheng Fa, her eyes questioning—if you understand this so well, why choose this path?

To this, Zheng Fa offered a painfully ordinary explanation: "I have no choice."

His words left Xiao Yuying momentarily stunned.

"This is a choice made out of necessity, Xiao Fairy. The Jiushan Sect has no way to retreat; apart from this path, I truly cannot find any way to strengthen the sect in the short term."

Xiao Yuying wanted to say something more.

"Xiao Fairy, whether you suggest joining the Five Sects or having your master protect me... setting aside what happens to the Jiushan Sect, I still hope to have my life in my own hands."

Zheng Fa spoke candidly, "There are some things I can endure, but there are others I fear I cannot learn."

"…"

Xiao Yuying pressed her lips together, unsure of what to say, appearing to understand some of Zheng Fa's choices.

"Moreover, Xiao Fairy... you say I’ve betrayed the practitioners, but I feel it’s the practitioners who have betrayed the common people."

Zheng Fa's words made Xiao Yuying furrow her brow. "What do you mean by that?"

"I didn’t feel this way before, but since I learned some of the secrets of Dao Fruit, my perspective has changed..." Zheng Fa explained, "Whether it’s the path of gods, immortals, or any cultivation method, in the end, it all requires people, and most of them are common folks..."

"And Dao Fruit is likely the origin of all cultivation methods."

"Practitioners are born from common people, and perhaps the very existence and growth of Dao methods are due to common people..."

"If treating common people well is considered a betrayal of practitioners, then who is betraying whom?"

When Zheng Fa first learned about Dao Fruit, he recalled a line from an essay he had read: I once thought it was the multitude that enlightened the Buddha.

Xiao Yuying was taken aback, as if she had never considered this question and didn’t know how to respond to Zheng Fa's rebuttal.

"Of course, this matter is not so clear-cut. As I said, if it weren’t for necessity... I wouldn’t choose this path."

Zheng Fa spoke honestly.

He truly didn’t possess such a deep sense of morality. Since joining the Jiushan Sect, he had always felt a sense of injustice, but to say he would sacrifice himself for fairness or some noble cause, he simply couldn’t do it.

If it weren’t for the current situation, where the Jiushan Sect seemed radiant yet was precariously balanced, he wouldn’t have made this choice.

He understood the dangers of this path better than anyone.

Xiao Yuying remained silent, contemplating for a long while before saying, "But..."

"Xiao Fairy, when I said I had no choice, I meant for short-term benefits..." Zheng Fa interrupted her, continuing, "In the long run..."

"In the long run, you will become the enemy of all practitioners, whether they are from demonic sects, immortal sects, or ancient immortals and gods..."

"No, in the longest term, we all must face the decline of spiritual energy..." Zheng Fa said slowly, "If this issue cannot be resolved, practitioners will cease to exist."

"This path... can it solve the calamity of declining spiritual energy?"

Xiao Yuying's eyes widened.

Zheng Fa, however, shook his head honestly, saying slowly, "I don’t know. My understanding of the decline of spiritual energy is still insufficient, but... Xiao Fairy, you know, exterminating common people has been done by the Demon Ancestor, and exterminating practitioners has been done by the Tianhe Venerable..."

"We must find a new method."

"A new method..." Xiao Yuying began to understand, "You mean your method?"

"The 'Xian Dao,' I know you subscribed to it."

"…Pooling wisdom?"

Xiao Yuying seemed unsurprised; having been in the Jiushan Realm for so long, she was quite familiar with Zheng Fa's old wisdom.

"Yes, if I can’t think of a solution alone, can’t a thousand people? If a thousand can’t, can’t millions?"

"…What if they can’t?"

"If they truly can’t, then I’ve done my best. Xiao Fairy, you know more about the past than I do. Do you think there’s a better way?"

Zheng Fa shrugged, appearing both helpless and carefree.

His words were candid and straightforward, yet Xiao Yuying pondered for a long time, frowning as if she were considering better options.

But...

She couldn’t come up with anything. Instead, there was a look on her face that suggested she was being swayed by Zheng Fa.

Of course, she couldn’t think of anything. The rapid progress of the Jiushan Sect could be seen as proof of the power of this path.

"In the short term, this is the most suitable path for the Jiushan Sect's development. In the long term, I believe this is the most likely method to address the decline of spiritual energy." Zheng Fa's words now carried a hint of authority, "As for the so-called love or hate from all practitioners, what does it matter in the face of the challenges on this path?"

"…" Xiao Yuying was left speechless, "What you say sounds like you’ve truly inherited the teachings of the Tianhe Venerable."

Zheng Fa smiled.

He had no choice but to take this path, but once he made that choice, he set aside his doubts and pressed forward with determination.

A glimmer of contemplation flashed in Xiao Yuying's eyes. After a long pause, she suddenly looked up and asked Zheng Fa, "You've said so much, but there's one question you still haven't answered."

"Mm?"

"At the beginning, I asked you what your vision of the Jiushan Realm, or the Xuanwei Realm, is... and you didn’t say."

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