110: Chapter 110 The World Shakes
When that light illuminated the night sky, people saw it from ten thousand miles away.
Zhongnan Mountain.
Xuanweizi stood at the gate of the ancient temple, gazing at the pillar of light soaring into the sky from the Northwest direction, a faint smile touching the corner of his mouth.
Qingxuzi stood beside him.
"Senior Brother, that is—"
Xuanweizi nodded.
"It's him."
Qingxuzi was stunned for a moment.
"Lu Mingyuan?"
Xuanweizi did not answer.
He simply gazed at that light, watching it pierce the heavens, watching it illuminate the night sky, watching it persist for a long, long time.
Then, he said softly:
"He's grown up."
Qingxuzi looked at him.
"Senior Brother, aren't you going to see for yourself?"
Xuanweizi shook his head.
"No need. The path he walks is his own to walk. I just need to watch."
He turned and walked back into the ancient temple.
Behind him, that light gradually dissipated.
But he knew that light would not truly fade.
It would remain there forever.
In his heart.
In the heart of everyone who saw it.
Longhu Mountain.
Immortal Master Yu Shu stood before the Celestial Master Hall, gazing Northwest for a long time without speaking.
Zhang Lingyun's Grand-Uncle Master—that Old Taoist with hair and beard white as snow—had walked up beside him at some unknown moment.
"That light is..."
Immortal Master Yu Shu nodded.
"Lingyun is over there."
The Old Taoist was silent for a while.
"That child has finally stepped out."
Immortal Master Yu Shu looked at him.
"You knew long ago?"
The Old Taoist nodded.
"I knew. When he came, I knew. That child wasn't here to say goodbye; he was here to set my mind at ease."
He paused.
"My mind is at ease."
Immortal Master Yu Shu watched the gradually fading light.
"That light is the light of an oath. They have sworn an alliance."
The Old Taoist asked:
"What alliance?"
Immortal Master Yu Shu thought for a moment.
"It should be the Zhenyi Alliance."
The Old Taoist was stunned.
"The Zhenyi Alliance?"
Immortal Master Yu Shu nodded.
"The Queen Mother of the West mentioned it. Guard The Rift, suppress the demonic anomalies, protect all living beings."
He looked at the Old Taoist.
"Lingyun has joined this alliance."
The Old Taoist fell silent.
Then, he smiled.
"Good."
He turned and walked down the mountain.
After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.
"Immortal Master."
Immortal Master Yu Shu looked at him.
"Hmm?"
The Old Taoist did not turn around.
"Send someone to have a look. Whatever they need, send them something. Don't ask, don't say, just send it."
He paused.
"That child... it's not easy for him out there."
Having said that, he continued walking down the mountain.
Immortal Master Yu Shu watched his receding back for a long, long time.
Then, he nodded.
Shaolin Temple.
Zen Master Huijue stood before the Damo Cave, gazing Northwest.
The old monk Jingchen stood behind him.
"Master, that light is—"
Zen Master Huijue nodded.
"Fa Ming is over there."
Jingchen was silent.
Zen Master Huijue said softly:
"That child Fa Ming, he never liked to talk much since he was little. But in his heart, he's clearer than anyone."
He looked at that light.
"He knows which path to walk. And he knows how difficult that path is."
Jingchen asked:
"Master, aren't you worried?"
Zen Master Huijue smiled.
"Worried? But what use is worry?"
He looked at Jingchen.
"The path he walks is his own choice. Having chosen, he must walk it. When he reaches the day he can walk no further, he will naturally understand."
He paused.
"Just as snow simply falls, people simply live. One simply walks the path, that's all."
Jingchen pressed his palms together.
"Amitabha Buddha."
Zen Master Huijue turned and walked back into the Damo Cave.
"Send someone to have a look. Whatever they need, send them something. Don't ask, don't say, just send it."
His voice came from within the cave.
"That child... it's not easy for him out there."
Yuelu Academy.
That old Confucian sweeping the floor was still sweeping the stone steps.
One stroke, another stroke, very slowly, very carefully.
When that light illuminated the night sky, he stopped, raised his head, and looked toward the Northwest.
He watched for a long time.
Then, he lowered his head and continued sweeping.
One stroke, another stroke.
But if anyone looked carefully, they would notice his sweeping posture had changed.
It was a little slower than usual.
A little lighter than usual.
As if seeing someone off.
Inside the academy, the Confucian scholars stood by the windows, gazing at that light and discussing animatedly.
"What is that?"
"I don't know. It seems to be from the Northwest."
"Could something have happened at The Rift?"
"I don't know."
Only one person did not speak.
It was a young Confucian scholar, standing by the window in the farthest corner.
He looked at that light, something flickering in his eyes.
He was Li Haoran's Disciple.
He remembered what Li Haoran had said before leaving—
"I'm leaving. Those of you who wish to come, come. Those who don't, stay. But whether you come or not, remember one thing—once you know, you must act. What use is knowledge without action?"
He looked at that light and clenched his fist.
Then, he turned and began packing his belongings.
Mount Qingcheng.
Inside the Sword Pavilion, the Pavilion Keeper stood by the window, gazing at that light.
Several young Disciples stood beside him.
"Junior Martial Uncle, that is—"
The Pavilion Keeper nodded.
"It's from Wushuang's side."
The Disciples looked at each other.
"Senior Brother Yue?"
The Pavilion Keeper did not answer.
He simply gazed at that light, watching it pierce the heavens, watching it illuminate the night sky, watching it persist for a long, long time.
Then, he said softly:
"That child has finally found his sword."
A Disciple asked:
"Junior Martial Uncle, didn't Senior Brother Yue always have his sword?"
The Pavilion Keeper shook his head.
"That was just a sword. Not *his* sword."
He looked at those Disciples.
"The way of the sword is the way of the heart. Only when the heart is found is the sword found. If the heart is not found, no matter how sharp the sword, it belongs to another."
He paused.
"Now, he has found it."
The Disciples nodded, seeming to understand, yet not fully.
The Pavilion Keeper turned and walked back into the depths of the Sword Pavilion.
"Send someone to have a look. Whatever they need, send them something. Don't ask, don't say, just send it."
His voice came from the darkness.
"That child... it's not easy for him out there."
Kunlun Ruins.
The Queen Mother of the West stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing Northwest.
Yunhua stood behind her.
"Your Majesty, that is—"
The Queen Mother of the West nodded.
"It's him."
Yunhua was stunned.
"Lu Mingyuan?"
The Queen Mother of the West did not answer.
She simply gazed at that light, gazed in that direction, gazed at the person she had waited for so long.
Then, she smiled.
"That child has finally grown up."
Yunhua looked at her.
"Your Majesty, won't you go see for yourself?"
The Queen Mother of the West shook her head.
"No need. The path he walks is his own choice. Having chosen, he must walk it. When he reaches the day he can walk no further, he will naturally understand."
She paused.
"Besides, I have guarded this place for tens of thousands of years. It's time for me to rest."
She turned and walked towards the depths of the Void Realm.
After a few steps, she suddenly stopped.
"Yunhua."
Yunhua looked at her.
"What are Your Majesty's orders?"
The Queen Mother of the West did not turn around.
"You go and see. Whatever they need, help them with something. Don't ask, don't say, just help and then return."
She paused.
"That child... it's not easy for him out there."
Having said that, she continued walking into the depths of the Void Realm.
Soon, her figure vanished into the darkness.
Buzhou Mountain Ruins.
After that light vanished, the ruins returned to tranquility.
But the tranquility was only on the surface.
People within a thousand-mile radius were all discussing it.
"Where did that light come from?"
"From the direction of Mount Buzhou."
"Mount Buzhou? Isn't that a ruin?"
"It is a ruin. But there are people over there."
"Who?"
"I don't know. I heard it's a group of young people."
"Young people? What do they intend to do?"
"I don't know."
Those discussions drifted with the wind, floating to very faraway places.
Floating into the ears of those who were rushing there.
Floating into the ears of those who were watching and waiting.
Floating into the ears of those who were hostile.
Deep within The Rift.
The core of resentment pulsed slowly.
It had sensed that light.
And it had sensed the presence of those people.
It "looked" at them.
Looked at the person called Lu Mingyuan.
Looked at those following beside him.
Looked at those who were rushing to join them.
It did not move.
It merely "looked."
But if anyone could read its "gaze," they would find something moving within that "gaze."
It was vigilance.
It was apprehension.
And also—hunger.
Mount Buzhou Camp.
Lu Mingyuan stood at the edge of the ruins, gazing into the distance.
Bai Ze walked up beside him.
"Did you sense it?"
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"I sensed it."
Bai Ze asked:
"What did you sense?"
Lu Mingyuan was silent for a moment.
"Many people. Watching us."
Bai Ze nodded.
"Yes. Many people."
It looked at Lu Mingyuan.
"Do you know what this means?"
Lu Mingyuan thought for a moment.
"It means we are no longer just a few individuals."
Bai Ze nodded.
"Yes. You are no longer just a few individuals. You are—the Zhenyi Alliance."
It looked at those who were rushing to join them.
"From today onward, every move you make will be watched. Some will approve, some will question, some will be hostile. Some will come to help you, some will come to hinder you, some will come to kill you."
It paused.
"Are you prepared?"
Lu Mingyuan thought for a long time.
Then, he nodded.
"I am prepared."
Bai Ze looked at him.
"Truly prepared?"
Lu Mingyuan said softly:
"Truly."
He looked into the distance.
"Whether what comes is approval, questioning, hostility, help, hindrance, or death—what is meant to come will come. What is meant to leave will leave."
He paused.
"We only need to do one thing."
Bai Ze asked:
"What thing?"
Lu Mingyuan looked in the direction of The Rift.
"Guard."
He said.
"Guard The Rift, suppress the demonic anomalies, protect all living beings."
He turned and walked back towards the camp.
"No matter what comes, we guard."
Bai Ze watched his receding back for a long, long time.
Then, it smiled.
"This kid... he really has grown up."
It followed him.
Behind them, the ruins lay silent.
In the distance, people were rushing to join them.
People were watching and waiting.
People were hostile.
But none of that mattered.
What mattered was that someone was guarding.
Someone was walking their path.
Someone was waiting for the day of mending.