Sitting in the Well and Watching the Moon

“If you don’t want to pursue a higher Realm, then I’ll just have to swallow this loss.”

Li Tan, below, showed no movement. His once resolute eyes had become somewhat dazed, and he appeared dispirited.

He looked up at the ceiling of the hall, his heart filled with an inexpressible complexity. All his petty cleverness had long since been seen through by others.

He was like a clown, still smugly pleased with himself.

“Truly lamentable, and hateful too.”

“My birth was merely one part of my mother’s plan, a trap set to touch the threshold of Foundation Establishment.”

“My father merely treated me as a credential, a ticket with some exploitable value.”

“Stepping onto the immortal path, I once thought I had some small cleverness, with Opportunity by my side, meticulously plotting, and being cautious.”

“Little did I know that all the smoothness was merely an investment by others, and the slight setbacks were just obstacles to blind my eyes.”

He had always been a chess piece. If not for this accidental entry into the cemetery, he would probably still be kept in the dark.

“No!”

A flash of insight sparked in Li Tan’s mind, and he quickly realized that something was wrong!

This time, what seemed like a coincidence was in fact full of strangeness. He did not believe that he survived purely by luck.

Then, scene after scene from the past, the blurry truth, appeared before his eyes.

“The Foundation Establishment Cultivator who assassinated me was probably sent by Li Nianhua! After all, there weren't many people in the Li Family who wished him dead; they wished the situation to be as chaotic as possible.”

“The person behind Li Yi, as expected, is the old man before me! This move can be described as a timely help; the Evil Spirit Mandarin Duck Coffin can compensate for the shortcomings of my corpse refining and greatly enhance my combat power!”

“And my entry into the Family cemetery was probably precisely part of their plan!”

“Li Yong’s starting point was always to make me grow quickly. He should have intended for me to refine a Corpse Fiend to enhance my combat power, so that I would have the means to protect myself when encountering powerful enemies!”

“Li Nianhua, on the other hand, wanted to use this to get rid of me and suppress the small intentions of the Li Family members.”

Everything was within their plan! There was no deviation, no straying from the path. A Foundation Establishment old monster is indeed terrifying…

Those Elders who watched from the sidelines, willingly allowing themselves to be slaughtered, were probably also part of their pre-arranged agreement.

Li Tan silently lowered his head. The corners of his mouth curved slightly, unsure whether he was crying or mocking, his expression extremely unpleasant.

His heart was like the wind and snow in winter, the biting cold tormenting him, as bucket after bucket of river water was continuously poured over him.

He wanted to escape, but he found that his limbs had already been pierced by thick shackles.

.......

Li Tan raised his heavy head, looking at the old man leisurely lying before him, and opened his mouth with a hint of self-mockery:

“Senior, where did you discover my tracks? Did I leave a small trail?”

“The books say that Cultivators without spiritual sense cannot detect others’ cultivation. Could it be that you have already reached that stage?”

Since he was already a pile of mud, with his foundation completely exposed, there was no need for so many reservations.

With a 'what's done is done' attitude, Li Tan no longer worried about a worse situation befalling him.

Since he couldn't escape, he would use the shackles on his body to deter any petty villains who might come.

There is Karma for every cause, and Karma cycles. A chess piece may not be unable to influence the player…

“The first moment I saw you!”

Li Yong had no intention of concealing anything, and there was a hint of pride in his tone.

Li Tan below closed his eyes thoughtfully, recalling the scenes from before, analyzing the unusual details.

The past clues were quickly magnified by him. He had made too many mistakes, harbored a lucky psychology about his plan, and severely underestimated the old man before him…

“Since things have come to this, why wish otherwise?”

We cannot change the past, but we can try to influence the future.

If one constantly blames oneself for the past, it cannot be shaken even slightly; instead, one will be affected by it, thereby losing oneself and not finding the way forward.

At this moment, Li Tan had returned to his usual state. His entire being once again surged with a sharp Aura, and the black in his eyes became even more intense.

Even the slightest change in the hall could not escape Li Yong’s eyes. His life could be described as legendary.

Noticing Li Tan’s recovery, a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

Looking at the bamboo fan in his hand, scenes from the past seemed to return to his eyes…

The young Li Yong was merely a chess piece within the Family. His talent barely reached the third tier, only barely qualifying as a backup piece.

Now, he had lived for over two hundred years, seeing through many things. It was no exaggeration to say that the battles he had experienced were definitely more numerous than the meals Li Tan had eaten.

He had seen many Geniuses, and countless talented scholars and Phoenix women, but they all ultimately perished on the path.

No one would remember their existence; instead, his ordinary self became the most extraordinary person.

“Li Yong, Li Yong, born ordinary, ordinary in this life.”

Thinking of the poem the Li Family disciples once made for him, he placed the bamboo fan over his head, giggling foolishly.

Li Tan below dared not disturb him, only waiting silently.

After a long while, Li Yong dropped the bamboo fan in his hand, stood up, and spoke somewhat seriously:

“Because of your eyes! Your eyes are completely different from Si’er’s!”

Li Tan below murmured in great confusion: “Aren’t all eyes the same? How can there be a difference…?”

“I saw not a trace of emotion in your eyes! People like you are born Devil Heads, so how could you possess Si’er’s innocence?”

“You never truly cared about so-called familial Bloodline bonds, nor do you understand such emotions!”

“To make someone who doesn't understand mimic the form of others is inherently asking too much.”

After hearing Li Yong’s bewildering words, Li Tan became even more perplexed. He kept thinking about how his eyes differed from others’.

“Could it be that my eyes are small?”

“Or perhaps the color of my pupils is different?”

However, the next moment, Li Tan heard the answer he wanted!

“Don’t bother thinking; I reckon you won’t guess it. Although I cannot detect others’ cultivation, I can rely on a Cultivation Technique!”

Li Tan felt as if he had been injected with adrenaline; the heat throughout his body was like being doused with lava, and his heart pounded so violently it almost burst from his chest!

A Cultivation Technique that could detect cultivation! This was an immense secret to Li Tan!

This was a secret he was currently not qualified to access! He stared intently at Li Yong, hoping the old man before him would tell more shocking tales.

And Li Yong did not disappoint him, speaking calmly with a leisurely and content demeanor:

“You juniors have experienced too little. How could such a huge drawback in the early stages of a Cultivator be overlooked?”

“When traveling abroad, concealment is absolutely essential! The unknown is the greatest fear!”

“Concealing one’s own cultivation and detecting others’ cultivation are even more indispensable!”

Li Tan sighed bitterly to himself, constantly mocking his own foolishness. His narrow perception was truly like a frog in a well.

Narrow-minded, like viewing the moon from a well, seeing only its shadow, not its form.

Just because he lived in a small well, he ignorantly believed the world was only that size….