Chapter 229 — The Fifth Epoch
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
" "We of Little Jade Capital have no mind in it. We wish only to observe the Imperial Preceptor, to observe the reforms, and to record what we judge useful, and leave it for those who come after. " Qingyou smiled. "We style ourselves immortals; we are not gods, and we have no wish to meddle in the running of worldly affairs. " The Imperial Preceptor said, "Immortal and god, how are they told apart?
" Qingyou said, "An immortal is a man. A god is not. " The Imperial Preceptor fell to thinking.
"You mean that a man cannot become a god, only an immortal? " Qingyou smiled.
"The Imperial Preceptor has cultivated to the Divine Bridge realm.
Standing upon the divine bridge, what did you see?
" The Imperial Preceptor said nothing. The Divine Bridge realm was the Wall-Breaking Divine Bridge Divine Treasury, the seventh realm of cultivation, and the highest.
"The Divine Bridge Divine Treasury: that divine bridge is the bridge to the realm of the gods. But every man's divine bridge is broken, and does not reach the far shore.
The Imperial Preceptor should be no exception? " Qingyou said, "Nor are the immortals of Little Jade Capital.
We have looked into the divine treasuries of more men than we can count, and the divine bridges are all broken. Standing upon a broken bridge, one cannot reach the far shore, and so cannot become a god. In truth, in cultivation we are already fit to stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods; it is the realm itself that has been cut off.
" The Imperial Preceptor nodded. "Many years ago I discovered this matter, and it troubled me sorely. I searched out many ancient texts, but found no way to mend it. Does Little Jade Capital have records of re-joining a broken bridge? " "We do. " Qingyou led them up to the palace upon the jade mountain.
"But Little Jade Capital cannot do it either. Because we cannot become gods, we turned our thoughts to becoming immortals, and that is why old relics such as we dwell in Little Jade Capital. We call ourselves immortals, yet when our allotted span runs out, our souls still return to the Yellow Springs; death is not to be escaped. All we seek is a little peace and quiet.
Imperial Preceptor, Lady, this way, if you please.
" The couple followed him into the palace upon the mountain. Jade halls and jeweled towers they were; for all their immortal airiness, they were cold and still, with never a person to be seen. Such a cold, still place was Little Jade Capital. Qingyou led them down long corridors and through round gateways, into the depths of the palace. "Yet in Kaihuang's time there was in truth a company of people who joined their broken divine bridges. They built a god-dynasty at its blazing height; afterwards that dynasty was utterly destroyed and ceased to be. The ruins of that dynasty are what is now the Wasteland Ruins.
" The Imperial Preceptor was stirred. "People joined the divine bridge? So they could become gods?
" Qingyou nodded and smiled faintly.
"But such people are few now. They are called the Forsaken of the Gods. " The Imperial Preceptor was taken aback. "You mean those forsaken folk in the Wasteland Ruins? " "No.
Of the forsaken in the Wasteland Ruins, scarcely any possess a whole Divine Bridge Divine Treasury. The immortals of Little Jade Capital have gone to inspect them.
" Qingyou pushed open a doorway and brought them inside. "Jingping once received a divine oracle, did it not?
That the forsaken of the Wasteland Ruins were strictly forbidden to leave.
In truth, what the oracle bids you guard against is not the forsaken folk in the Wasteland Ruins, but the remnant people who dwell there, in Carefree Township. Their divine bridges are whole.