Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Chapter 515 If there were no "Long Live the Emperor"

In the city of Beixuan, there is the Mohen Bookstore.

Li Fuwei has been feeling refreshed and in good spirits lately.

Every time I think about the huge blunder that Qingzhai's collected works suffered, I can't help but laugh.

"This is what they call 'you reap what you sow'!"

Since the "Silent Incident" occurred, the reputation of Qingzhai Collection has plummeted, and Wu Cang and Wuyuzi have become universally hated and have no place in the world of storytelling.

As a result, Mohen Bookstore flourished.

The article on this matter in *Ten Thousand Book Reviews*, while striving for impartiality, still seemed to carry a hint of schadenfreude.

"...We still don't know exactly what happened that day."

"In recent years, Mohen Bookstore has produced a wealth of talented people. Before that, there were Wuyu and Youdaoshi, and after that, there were Fulang, Xiaodingdang, and Huapingke... However, Qingzhai Bookstore has always been secretly slandering us, deceiving our audience, and making it difficult for Mohen Bookstore to defend itself."

"Speechless, I don't want to reveal my identity. Even if it damages our own reputation, Ink Trace Bookstore must protect the privacy of its writers."

"But this 'promise-keeping' trip gave Qingzhai Bookstore an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, and they actually tried to substitute a fake Wuyu for the real Wuyu."

"He even issued a challenge, stirring up public opinion. On the day of the new book's release, he couldn't wait to attract everyone to visit 'Speechless' and wanted to confirm the real identity of the fake Speechless in one fell swoop."

"Who would have thought they'd dig their own grave? If Wu Yuzi and Wu Cang hadn't been so overconfident, how could their secret conspiracy have been exposed to everyone in front of such a large audience?"

"...Cleverness may bring temporary success, but it will ultimately lead to one's own downfall; upholding righteousness and integrity may be slower, but it will be more stable."

Many onlookers agreed.

Those who witnessed everything that day, in particular, fabricated elaborate versions of the story.

As the instigator, Gu Lang sighed in frustration.

"May misfortune be a blessing in disguise? Although we didn't find any trace of Miss Zhu, this matter has inexplicably been resolved..."

Luo Budao was munching on a radish when it shook its head and said, "I'd rather know where she is."

The world of storytelling has seen its ebb and flow.

New talents are constantly emerging, while the older generation, especially those who are speechless, still have the strength to fight.

However, Wuyu, under the pseudonym, writes fast-paced novels without much depth, and the debate over "who is better, Wuyu or Youdao" that had been shelved has been reignited.

Therefore, her speechless supporters began to try to find some deeper meaning in her writing, especially in the latest chapter—

Chen Ke was invited by Tian Xiangzi to visit the sect.

He thought that the respect he received came from the life-saving grace he had received, which was why he treated them with such courtesy. Little did he know that the disciples of Tianxiangzi were genuinely trying to curry favor with him.

On this day, Chen Ke encountered a disciple of Tian Xiangzi.

The girl named Jin Qi was heartbroken, because she was just a little less talented and could never compare to her fellow disciples.

Upon seeing the esteemed Chen Ke, Jin Qi immediately wiped away her tears. Under the senior's patient questioning, she finally revealed her true feelings and asked:

"Are people divided into different classes from the moment they are born?"

"Those with extraordinary talent are like fish in water, destined for greatness. From the moment they are born, status, wealth, and power are already theirs; while those with less luck, no matter how hard they try, are destined to end up with nothing?"

Chen Ke felt uneasy after hearing this.

Jin Qi at least has spiritual roots, but he has no talent for cultivation. He has practiced the books he has borrowed in recent days, but he cannot detect any fluctuations in spiritual power.

Hearing these arguments today, his suppressed melancholy was ignited into rebellion. As if encouraging himself, or perhaps comforting Jin Qi, he said:

"The strange path, though seemingly true, has led to countless lonely graves!"

"If one cannot live for ten thousand years, what is the point of cultivating immortality?"

What he wanted to say was that whether one is a cultivator or a mortal, one will eventually die. What matters is the depth of life, not its length. As long as one has lived a life that one considers meaningful, then it is worthwhile.

Why be so obsessed with longevity?

Even cultivators die eventually; they cannot live as long as heaven and earth. So, it's better to relax.

Jin Qi stood there stunned. Senior Chen Ke actually said... he actually said that cultivation is a wrong path!

This poem implies that the current methods of spiritual practice are misguided, bringing only temporary success but not longevity. Following the current path of spiritual practice will ultimately lead to nothing.

Chen Ke: I'm innocent! I meant the strange road, not the wrong road!

However, Jin Qi, the "observer," has already concluded that Chen Ke's words imply that the current cultivation world and cultivation methods are flawed!

In an instant, dark clouds swept in, and muffled thunder rumbled.

The pressure of Heaven descended, but Chen Ke was completely unaware. He felt much more at ease because of what those words had just said, and he still smiled and said, "It's going to rain. If it were sunny, how pleasant it would be to listen to the wind in the pavilion."

Jin Qi was locked in place by the pressure of the Heavenly Dao and could not move. She realized that Senior Chen's words seemed to have changed something, as if they had opened up a completely different path of cultivation for her!

Seeing the impending calamity, she thought, "If I hear the truth in the morning, I can die content in the evening!"

But upon suddenly hearing Chen Ke's words, he was startled. He had been able to talk and laugh freely under the pressure of the Heavenly Dao, but these words... these words could they be a way of repelling the tribulation clouds!

The moment she reached her conclusion, Chen Ke's words came into effect.

In an instant, the wind swept away the clouds, and the sky cleared for miles. Chen Ke asked in bewilderment:

"The weather is quite changeable."

He had just finished remarking this when he was startled to see Jin Qi bowing to him in gratitude:

"Thank you, senior, for opening up another path for me to cultivate immortality! I will go against the grain of contemporary cultivators and embark on the completely different path you have pointed out!"

Chen Ke was bewildered.

He scratched his head, surprised that his words of comfort had been so effective, and immediately said:

"That's right. What people pursue may not be right. Instead, it can blind you and prevent you from seeing a wider world."

Chen Ke: I hope Miss Jin Qi can relax. Cultivating immortality is not the only right answer. Being able to live a good life as an ordinary person is also remarkable.

Jin Qi: What you said, senior, means that when the world was in chaos, there were countless paths, but people chose to use spiritual roots to absorb spiritual power for cultivation and gave up the other paths!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Occasionally, a cultivator would open this book, come across this passage, and simply laugh it off.

Without spiritual roots, how can one absorb and exhale spiritual energy?

It's just for fun.

Ordinary mortals, upon seeing this, would only sigh and say – yes, although one cannot become a cultivator, life has infinite possibilities and countless paths lie before us, so why confine ourselves to things that are unattainable?

Lu Youqi's hands trembled.

He held the latest issue of "Hidden Masters" in his hands, reading it voraciously while muttering to himself:

"If one cannot live to be a hundred thousand years old, what is the point of cultivating immortality..."

"If one cannot live to be a hundred thousand years old, what is the point of cultivating immortality..."

"The cultivation methods of immortals also started from nothing and were created by their predecessors. Why must one have spiritual roots? Why can't there be other methods? I can also become a disciple of Chen Ke. As long as I pretend convincingly enough, perhaps one day I will become a real person!"

"If one cannot live to be a hundred thousand years old, what is the point of cultivating immortality... Where among the cultivators of today can one live as long as heaven and earth?"

"If there isn't one, why can't the immortals be wrong!"