Chapter 1297 — Divergent Paths
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 3
He believed that while Celestial Venerable Yu lived, he himself ought to declare himself a vassal facing north, and that he had no ambition left to contend for the world.
The Celestial Venerable Yu of that time truly possessed the bearing and elegance of a sovereign over all under heaven; add to that his prestige, his fortune, and his magnanimity, and Emperor Kai felt ashamed that he was far inferior. Yet in this little fatty before him, Emperor Kai could see none of it at all.
From Lan Yutian he could see only a limpid dao heart, a vigorous thirst for knowledge, an endless curiosity.
The Lan Yutian of now and the Celestial Venerable Yu of those years seemed like two different men! Of course, the Lan Yutian of now was a little fatter than the handsome, martial Celestial Venerable Yu of that time, his face plump and chubby.
And when Emperor Kai spoke with Lan Yutian, Lan Yutian never spoke of the great trends of the world; he spoke only of various dao words of unclear meaning, of things shrouded in cloud and mist. But if one listened closely, what he spoke of was in fact the profoundest of great Daos; even Emperor Kai listened as if intoxicated! "Your Majesty, do you think Celestial Venerable Yu is playing the fool?
" Yan Yunxi had observed Lan Yutian for several days and truly could make nothing of him, so she asked. Emperor Kai shook his head and sighed.
"The Celestial Venerable Yu of those years had a heart to dominate the world, and great ambitions to unfold. The Lan Yutian of now has only a heart that seeks the Dao, with no distractions, pure as a newborn child.
He is not playing the fool; he was always like this. Nor is he a fool; rather, all his wisdom is spent in pursuit of the end of the great Dao. " Yan Yunxi was stunned. All his wisdom spent on seeking the Dao? "Under heaven there are few people so pure. The Ten Celestial Venerables are clever, but they covet power, and more than half of their life's experience is spent on power.
Celestial Venerable Yu was clever, and half of his cleverness was spent on unifying the forces of the world and developing the postnatal races.
" Emperor Kai paced slowly and said, "I too am clever, but I must also weigh right and wrong, and choose what to take and what to let go. Wen Tiange is clever, but Wen Tiange frets over reform and change, over the livelihood of the world. Celestial Venerable Mu is clever too, but his cleverness is spent more on seeking a way of life for the common people. People as pure as Lan Yutian need not be many, but there must be some.
Only such people can make an age advance and develop. " Yan Yunxi looked at Lan Yutian, who was pondering the dao arts and divine powers and preaching the Dao to his disciples. Many in the Carefree Land and among the Creators had been drawn to him and unknowingly followed him; by now his disciples numbered as many as five thousand! Yan Yunxi said hesitantly, "Lan Yutian has come to us. We ought to. . .
" "We ought to let him be. " Emperor Kai said with a smile, "For a man like him: whatever resources he wants, give them to him; whatever requests he makes, satisfy them; wherever he wishes to go, let him go. There is no need to manage him. If he wishes to come, he comes, and we receive him with courtesy; if he wishes to leave, he leaves, and we need not hold him back.
" Yan Yunxi assented.
"If he wishes to take away the god-people of our Carefree Land.
. . " "Then let them go. " Emperor Kai said, "In the future these people will come back.
When they return, they will make us look at them with new eyes, their achievements extraordinary.
If I could leave, I would follow Lan Yutian as well; it is only that I cannot leave.
" Yan Yunxi was startled. She looked at Lan Yutian again and murmured, "Truly a strange man. .
. " "He is not strange.
It is we who are strange, Zi Xi.
" Emperor Kai said with feeling, "We are bound by the dust and vulgarity of the world, not so free and easy as he. I envy him.