The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

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Sitting cross-legged on his prayer mat, Wang Qingshan had been steadily absorbing the mystical "lake water" from Tranquil Heart Lake to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. But the sudden voice startled him so badly that he spat out a mouthful of blood.

In an instant, the nearly formed celestial platform in his dantian shattered into fragments.

Feeling the collapse of what should have been the culmination of his painstaking seclusion, Wang Qingshan was overwhelmed by fury. His eyes turned bloodshot as he roared, "Who dares disturb my seclusion?!"

"Why so hot-tempered, young one?"@@novelbin@@

The light chuckle drifted into Wang Qingshan's ears like an unwelcome breeze.

Only then did Wang Qingshan realize that, at some point, a disheveled blind old Daoist had appeared on a nearby prayer mat. The man sat there nonchalantly, as though he had been there all along.

This discovery sent a chill through Wang Qingshan's heart.

For someone to appear at his side without triggering the Wang clan's protective wards, without alerting the clan's cultivators, and without him sensing anything—such abilities were terrifying.

"Are you a senior sent by one of the three great families?"

Despite the fury simmering in his heart over his ruined breakthrough, Wang Qingshan clenched his teeth and forced himself to remain calm. The presence of this blind Daoist, who could bypass every layer of his family's defenses and appear undetected, made it clear that this was no ordinary person.

Even the patriarchs of the three great families, who had long since reached the Foundation Establishment stage, likely did not possess such capabilities.

"I don't have any dealings with the three great families," the Daoist said with a toothy grin.

"Then, senior, what is the purpose of your visit? Surely it wasn't simply to disrupt my path to Foundation Establishment?" Wang Qingshan gritted his teeth, struggling to suppress his rage.

His failure to break through today meant that attempting again in the future would be uncertain—years or even decades might pass before another opportunity arose. At best, he could only hope to maintain his current cultivation level.

Yet, despite his anger, Wang Qingshan dared not act rashly. He understood all too well that if he provoked this old Daoist, his ruined breakthrough would be the least of his concerns. Death would come swiftly and mercilessly.

"Young one, I had no intention of interfering with your cultivation. It's not my fault your heart is so unstable. All I did was sigh, and you lost focus. Your lack of composure is the real problem," the Daoist replied, clicking his tongue dismissively.

He showed no remorse for having disrupted Wang Qingshan's painstaking efforts, clearly believing that the fault lay entirely with him.

"Then, senior, what is the reason for your sudden visit?" Wang Qingshan suppressed his fury, forcing his voice to remain calm.

"Your Wang family descendants have been acting a bit too brazenly, so I thought I'd pay you, their esteemed elder, a little visit," the blind Daoist said. He pulled a gourd from his belt, popped the stopper, and took a deep swig before offering it to Wang Qingshan with a grin. "Care for some?"

"I do not drink," Wang Qingshan replied, bowing respectfully.

"That's a shame—you're missing out on one of life's greatest pleasures."

"Senior, please, speak plainly. Has one of my Wang family descendants offended you in some way? If so, I will see to it that they are properly punished," Wang Qingshan said earnestly, a hint of unease creeping into his voice.

He needed to understand what had happened. If one of his descendants had indeed provoked this terrifying figure, the entire Wang family could face annihilation. No matter the cost, he had to resolve this situation peacefully, even if it meant swallowing his pride and enduring the humiliation of this Daoist's interference.

"One of your descendants—Wang Liyuan, was it? He took a fancy to my disciple. My disciple has no interest in matters of romance, yet your family insists on forcing the issue. Now tell me—how should this matter be resolved?"

The Daoist took another drink, his sightless gaze seeming to pierce straight through Wang Qingshan.

The oppressive aura emanating from the old Daoist descended upon Wang Qingshan like a mountain, pinning him in place. His breathing grew labored as an overwhelming sense of dread washed over him.

"Senior, please, calm your anger. If my Wang family descendants have offended your esteemed disciple, I will see to it personally that they are punished. You have my word," Wang Qingshan said, his voice trembling slightly under the immense pressure.

"Haha! You're quick on the uptake—I like that," the Daoist said, laughing heartily. He patted Wang Qingshan's shoulder, his hand surprisingly light.

At that moment, the lake water in Tranquil Heart Lake surged violently. Streams of mystical water poured into Wang Qingshan's dantian, and before his astonished eyes, his shattered celestial platform began to reform.

The azure light grew brighter and brighter, accompanied by the endless sound of roaring waves.

The path to Foundation Establishment, once thought lost, now lay open once more.

Feeling the changes within his body, Wang Qingshan was stunned. His gaze landed on the blind old Daoist beside him, filled with deep reverence.

"Consider this compensation for inadvertently disturbing your cultivation earlier," the Daoist said casually. "Luckily, your celestial platform hadn't completely disintegrated—it was salvageable."

"Senior's immense kindness—Qingshan will never forget it!" Wang Qingshan bowed deeply, his gratitude spilling over.

"Haha! Let's just keep today's events between us, shall we?"

"Of course. I swear upon this celestial platform that I will never speak of it to anyone," Wang Qingshan vowed solemnly.

"Very well. That settles it. I should be on my way," the blind Daoist said with a yawn. His figure vanished from the prayer mat as quietly as he had appeared, leaving Wang Qingshan in awe. The man truly was like a dragon—glimpsed in fleeting moments, but never fully revealed.

"Celestial platform… it's finally complete!"

As the Daoist disappeared, Wang Qingshan marveled at the celestial platform within his dantian and the surging power that now coursed through his entire being. His heart swelled with excitement and exhilaration.

"Congratulations, Ancestor! You've reached Foundation Establishment!"

"Congratulations, Ancestor! You've reached Foundation Establishment!"

Around Tranquil Heart Lake, Wang clan cultivators who had been covertly guarding him now emerged, bowing low in unison to offer their heartfelt congratulations.

"Deliver my command—summon Zhongtian and Liyuan to see me immediately. I have questions for them," Wang Qingshan ordered grimly, his expression dark.

He dared not ignore the blind Daoist's warning. Thankfully, the senior had come without malice and with a tone of negotiation. Otherwise, not only would his breakthrough have failed, but his life would have been forfeit as well.

"Understood."

A Wang clan disciple quickly bowed and vanished, moving swiftly to carry out the order.

"Ancestor, bad news!"

A figure landed hurriedly in front of Wang Qingshan, his face pale with anxiety.

"What happened?" Wang Qingshan's expression tightened.

"Ancestor Qinglin… he…"

"What about my second brother?"

"Ancestor Qinglin was attacked! He suffered severe injuries and… his cultivation has regressed."

"Who did this?!" Wang Qingshan's face darkened immediately.

Was it that senior just now?

No, impossible. If it had been him, Wang Qingshan himself wouldn't have walked away unscathed. It had to be someone else—likely someone from one of the three great families.

"We don't know," the disciple replied nervously.

"Take me to see him immediately," Wang Qingshan ordered, his voice sharp.

The moonlight spilled like liquid silver over the official road between Yulin County and Yunzhang County. The blind old Daoist walked along the path, his bamboo staff tapping lightly against the ground. The soft glow of the moon bathed him, lending an almost ethereal quality to his disheveled figure.

Reaching a large tree, the Daoist leaned against its trunk, sitting down with a sigh. He retrieved the wine gourd from his waist and some venison jerky prepared by Yun Yunshan, eating and drinking with relish.

"You've followed me all this way, young friend. Isn't it time you showed yourself?" the Daoist asked, his voice casual.

Under the moonlight, a man in a simple white robe stepped forward. His refined demeanor exuded a scholarly elegance. He bowed respectfully before the Daoist.

"Junior Yu Chunqiu greets Senior."

"You didn't hold back, did you? Severely injuring one of the Wang clan's ancestors and causing his cultivation to regress," the Daoist said with a faint smile.

The Daoist clearly recognized Yu Chunqiu. Both had been quietly residing in Yun Village, aware of each other's presence despite not having formally met until now. This was, in fact, their first encounter.

"Senior's actions surprised me as well. I thought you would force Wang Qingshan's cultivation to regress completely, barring him from ever stepping into Foundation Establishment," Yu Chunqiu replied with a gentle smile.

"Care for a drink?"

"With pleasure."

Yu Chunqiu sat gracefully beside the Daoist, accepting the wine gourd and taking a hearty swig.

"I bear no grudge against Wang Qingshan. The oppression of the Yun family and the attempted forced marriage of Shuang'er weren't his doing. To casually destroy his cultivation would go against my principles," the Daoist explained.

"Oh? Junior would love to hear more."

"The Dao Ancestor once said: Heaven and Earth are merciless, treating all things as straw dogs. Tyrants are merciless, treating the people as straw dogs.

This statement led many to believe that the Dao Ancestor cultivated the Path of Emotionless Dao. But they misunderstood. The Dao Ancestor cultivated the Way of Heaven."

"His words do not advocate the emotionless detachment people think. Rather, they reflect his perspective as someone who viewed the world from the vantage of Heaven. Toward friends, he was neither excessively affectionate nor indifferent. Toward enemies, he was neither tyrannical nor cruel. His approach was one of fairness, grounded in the principle of no desire, no contention."

"Fascinating."

"And yet, Senior, today you involved yourself in the matter between the Yun and Wang clans."

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"Which is why I'm just a blind old Daoist, far removed from the Dao Ancestor's ideals," the Daoist said with a self-deprecating chuckle. "No contention? Tell me, in this world, who doesn't contend?"

Yu Chunqiu laughed softly. "Indeed. Junior also acted for Shuang'er, though my methods differ from yours. Forcing Wang Qinglin's regression was my way of ensuring the Wang clan would suffer."

"You young rascal…"

The Daoist couldn't help but shake his head and laugh at Yu Chunqiu's straightforwardness and his clear penchant for swift retribution.

"Senior, let's return together," Yu Chunqiu suggested.

"Alright, let's go. It's time for a good night's sleep," the Daoist replied, rising to his feet.