Lu Yunqing’s Dao, on the other hand, was the Emperor’s Dao—one that disregarded and ignored all else to achieve his goals.
He couldn’t make his own decisions or change his circumstances. It wasn’t that he didn’t know; he knew that if he didn’t act this way, he would die.
He would choose to sacrifice a few to save the many.
The greatest of heroes serves the country and its people; they save every single person they can.
But the Emperor’s Dao allows for many sacrifices. To save hundreds of millions, one might sacrifice millions. What does it matter if a million corpses lie at your feet?
The span of a single lifeti was far too long.
In nearly every life, Lu Mingyuan lived for a hundred years.
Long enough to make a person forget why they had co to this world in the first place.
Let alone nine lifetis.
This showed that the Scroll World was no paradise. It was a vicious place where anyone whose mind wasn’t firm enough would likely perish.
「Emperor Orange Fate Grid - Celestial Exiled Immortal, Refinent Level increased to 52%」
「Refinent Level at 52%, Promotion Traits: [Glazed Heart] (High Level)」
「Glazed Heart (High Level): See through the mortal world and clarify your Great Dao. You possess the immaculate and pure Glazed Heart of an Immortal. The seven emotions and six desires cannot sway your judgnt. No Demonic Thoughts can corrupt you. thods such as deluded thoughts, Illusion Realms, and Inquiries of the Heart cannot shake your Daoxin.」
Lu Mingyuan’s expression remained calm at this.
’If it weren’t for the Glazed Heart trait, which kept from getting lost in the Illusion Realm, I probably would have died in the Scroll World.’
After the nine lifetis of Reincarnation ended, Lu Mingyuan’s consciousness arrived in a world bathed in the light of dawn.
There, a purple mulberry tree stood.
Beneath the tree was a serene old man dressed in purple robes. His temperant was elegant and amiable, his bangs were perfectly in place, and a long white beard flowed from his chin. He had the transcendent air of an immortal, and his aura was unfathomable, as if he could see through everything in the world.
In front of the serene old man was a Go chessboard. Though it held only simple black and white stones, it emanated a montum that could swallow mountains and rivers, as if an entire world was unfolding upon it. The countless black and white stones dotting the board teed with life and spirit.
Lu Mingyuan’s consciousness took on a human form and appeared before the old man.
"Sit."
The serene old man smiled slightly and gestured with his hand.
Lu Mingyuan sat down respectfully, offered a cupped-fist salute, and asked tentatively, "Senior... you must be Li Sheng."
"Indeed."
Li Sheng nodded slightly, picked up a white stone, and placed it on the chessboard before him.
In that instant, ripples spread out as the white stone emitted a dazzling radiance.
Before Lu Mingyuan’s eyes, the six-foot-long, ancient Go table grew larger and larger, extending in all directions. It evolved into a vast world of continuous mountain ranges, much like a celestial map scroll unfurling.
The sight astonished him.
Lu Mingyuan had heard that for Confucian Cultivators who practiced the Chess Dao, the stronger they were, the vaster and more detailed the world they could manifest upon their chessboard would be, revealing every mountain, every river, every city, and every person.
Under Li Sheng’s control, what lay before him was nothing less than a Heaven and Earth Chessboard.
"Congratulations, Your Highness. You have won this ga."
"The nine lifetis of Reincarnation do not an this Scroll can only be experienced nine tis. Rather, it ans Your Highness’s state of mind has reached Perfection, and the outco has been decided."
Li Sheng reminded him softly.
"What about Lu Yunqing?"
Lu Mingyuan naturally knew he would be the victor, but he was still concerned about his eighth brother’s fate.
However, Li Sheng, who was Lu Yunqing’s master, simply shook his head.
"I am the one who failed him."
"What do you an?"
Lu Mingyuan frowned.
"Aren’t you his teacher, Senior?"
At the ntion of the word "teacher," Li Sheng seed moved and sighed.
"The Grand Thousand Canglan Map is fair. All who enter this Scroll either live or die. As for the process, not even I can interfere. I can only say that I am the one who maintains the Scroll’s operation."
"The Painting Saint is a Saint who appears once in a millennium. In terms of Dao Practice, he is still above ."
"I can only say that for so matters, I cannot escape the bla."
Li Sheng seed to be hiding sothing.
Lu Mingyuan challenged him, "Are you saying that you feel guilty about using Lu Yunqing to contend for the Emperor’s Throne, Senior?"
Seeing that Lu Mingyuan knew sothing about Lu Yunqing’s situation, Li Sheng said gravely,
"In truth, there was no ’using’ him. The Eighth Prince has always been a promising talent, and taking him as my disciple was my genuine wish. It is just that in the end, such a fine sapling fell by my own hand. I, too, am deeply saddened by this."
So things could not be spoken of openly.
But Lu Mingyuan had already guessed.
’Li Sheng and my father must have made so secret deal. My father would help Li Sheng promote Li Xue, and in return, Li Sheng would take Lu Yunqing as his disciple, adding a bargaining chip to the struggle for the throne.’
’It was a reasonable transaction, with nothing improper about it.’
’But Li Sheng had clearly not anticipated my father’s next move.’
’Even a vicious tiger won’t eat its own cubs, but my father was capable of such a thing.’
’Using the Nine Dragons Struggle for the Throne for his own selfish desire: to extend his reign by several hundred years!’
’Judging by his reaction just now, Li Sheng must have been unaware of this.’
’Assuming, of course, that Li Sheng wasn’t just putting on an act.’
’So, Li Sheng’s guilt stemd from not discovering this sooner. Instead, he had sent Lu Yunqing into a fiery pit, failing in his duty as a guide and allowing my eighth brother to beco a sacrifice in the Nine Dragons Struggle for the Throne, turning him into... whatever he is now.’
"Can Saints also make mistakes?"
Lu Mingyuan fell silent for a mont before speaking slowly.
"Of course, we can."
Li Sheng calmly and frankly admitted his mistake.
"Then what is the Confucian Temple’s stance now?"
Lu Mingyuan wanted to know where the Confucian Temple stood.
"From ancient tis to the present, the Confucian Temple’s stance has never changed. We assist the King and right the wrongs of the world, not oppose the King. But at the sa ti, the Confucian Temple will not abet a tyrant or do anything that would bring sha upon the na of scholars."
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