A party of three left the restaurant and headed straight for the city gates. The city had not yet been sealed, so they passed through unhindered.
After exiting the city, they continued eastward.
"Old man, at this rate, when will we ever find Li Mei Xian? Are we going to search for our entire lives here?"
Wan Lei led the donkey, which was not carrying the old man, but rather Gouzi.
This was the proper treatment for a sacred divine beast.
As for the old man, he was still smacking his lips, savoring the cheap yet excellent Jing Xian Shuang.
"Younger brother, do not be anxious. When it comes to such matters, one will always meet the right person. Fate is a wondrous thing. Perhaps, we will encounter Li Mei Xian in the next city we reach.
Believe in fate. Look, I was walking along the road, minding my own business, when you all descended from the heavens and crashed into me. Did we not meet then? Is that not fate?"
"I don't quite believe in fate; I only believe in myself. Wouldn't it be better if we flew to the next location? Why must we walk step by step? It's too slow."
"Alas, your state of mind needs further tempering, young brother. What good does being in a hurry do in such situations?
For instance, if we fly to the next place, by the time you arrive, Li Mei Xian might not have even gone there yet.
But if you walk slowly, when you get there, he might just be present. You cannot rush these things, you cannot rush them."
"I understand the logic, but I really don't want to walk anymore. On our last mission, the two of us walked for more than half a year in rain and mud to conserve spiritual energy.
On the mission before that, we both lost our cultivation. We walked for two to three years. I really hate this feeling, being able to fly, having cultivation, yet forced to walk like an ascetic."
"Calm your mind, young brother. There are many beautiful sights in this world: the plants, the stones, all living beings. To different people, they are different landscapes.
Take that tree ahead, for example. For a woodcutter, it is lumber, to be cut down and sold for money to support his family.
For a carpenter, it is timber, to build houses and make tools.
For a sculptor, it is a statue with a soul, awaiting his delicate touch.
For a traveler, it is a good place to shade from the sun, where one can sit and rest for a while.
For officials and nobles, or young ladies and gentlemen, it is a source of inspiration for composing poetry.
You see, a common tree, in the eyes of different people, becomes a different artistic conception.
It is just that most people in the world are too hurried, only for a few taels of silver, yet they have no time to look up at the beautiful scenery around them.
We are idle and have no worries about food or drink. To insist on comprehending the hardships of the world would be mere self-indulgence.
But since we have these conditions, why should we not appreciate and enjoy them? Ordinary people cannot even attain the leisure and enjoyment that we have."
"Your ability to deceive people is getting stronger, old man."
"Not at all, not at all. Although I don't know why you've come to our world to undertake missions, our world is rich in fire element, which must be related to fire.
In this world, there are more than ten thousand types of fire, but there are only four strongest fires.
Samadhi True Fire, Netherworld Cold Fire, Heart Fire, and the Fire of Life.
The Four Great Flames, the Four Great Powerhouses, are the most revered in the world, and sought after by countless people.
But in my opinion, this fire, the best fire, the most supreme fire, is not these Four Great Fires, nor is it the legacy of the Holy Fire that no one has ever seen.
Rather, it is that...
The hearth fire of the mortal world."
Seeing Wan Lei lost in thought, the old man smiled mysteriously like a worldly hermit who had seen through everything, stroking his beard.
"Young friend, have you ever considered that the person who assigned you this mission wanted you to walk through this mortal world?"
Upon hearing this, Wan Lei slowly nodded.
"Yes, there is still a year before the Martial Arts Convention begins and the selection for the Holy Fire Legacy.
Why did the immortal send us in so early, instead of letting us wait until just before the Martial Arts Convention to enter, and then fight directly?
Why didn't she send me directly to Li Mei Xian's side? Why does she want us to keep searching?
Immortals do not do useless things. What help does the process of searching for Li Mei Xian bring us?
Breakthrough in cultivation? Impossible.
Obtaining treasures and divine abilities? We lack nothing now.
Then it must be..."
"It's about comprehension."
Fang Xiaoyu raised her small face.
"Yes, if that's the case, let's not be impatient. Since the immortal's intention is for us to travel the mortal world, let's travel it well.
As the old man said, finding Li Mei Xian depends on fate; it cannot be forced. When fate arrives, we will naturally meet him.
Let's not waste the immortal's good intentions. Don't be anxious. It's only been one day, what's the rush? This time, let's consider it a vacation, a trip to this异世界 (alternate world).
Anyway, we have cultivation here, and there's no danger.
Let's just play."
Upon hearing Wan Lei's words, the old man nodded and smiled with relief. If he didn't know that Wan Lei would sell out his teammates and run if he encountered danger, and if there was no danger, he would always think of ways to trick his teammates, and if tricking his teammates wasn't enough, he would always think of digging up their ancestors' graves for something, then he would truly believe Wan Lei was a kind and amiable senior.
Heh, after only knowing each other for a day, Wan Lei had a clear understanding of the old man's true nature.
"What the young friend says makes sense. Traveling the mortal world is most beneficial for one's state of mind. What do we Qi refiners seek if not comprehension?
Speaking of comprehension, fate and karma are the most wonderful and worthy things in this world to ponder carefully.
In my opinion, fate is like a bridge. You are on one side of the bridge, and others are on the other side.
When the bridge is connected, you can naturally meet. If the bridge is not connected, you cannot wade across the river.
You are on the bank, searching earnestly in vain. Perhaps one day, you look up, and the bridge is right before your eyes, and on the other side of the bridge is the person you wish to meet."
"Fate... a bridge..."
"Yes. Also, young friend, you really don't need to be anxious. Think about it, even if we don't find Li Mei Xian in a year, we can directly go to the capital's royal family, and when the Martial Arts Convention convenes, won't we be able to see him then?
I refuse to believe that Li Mei Xian, that brat, being one of the Four Great Powerhouses, can resist the temptation of a cultivation breakthrough, can resist the temptation of the Holy Fire Legacy.
Then, with me vouching for you, won't the two parties be able to trust each other?"
"What the old man says is reasonable. Then let us act according to fate and follow our hearts, and not waste the immortal's good intentions."
"I never expected my arrangements to have such profound meaning."
"It's just that they are too good at overthinking. You just picked a random time and assigned a random mission..."
"Shut up! I am this far-sighted; I wanted them to comprehend."
"Don't you find the 'fate is a bridge' analogy a bit awkward..."
"Shut up!!!"