“Simply by bearing a resemblance in spirit, one can receive the favor of Heaven and Earth, as well as the wonders of creation…”
Li Fan suddenly recalled an anecdote from the previous dynasty of the Great Xuan.
The last emperor of the previous dynasty, Emperor Zhengxu, was originally a rare ruler capable of revitalizing his empire. From the moment he ascended the throne at the age of sixteen, he executed treacherous ministers, quelled bandits, improved water conservancy, and abolished taxes—sweeping away the signs of the empire’s decline and resembling the sage-kings of old. In just over twenty years, the land was peaceful, prosperous, and thriving. The common people had no worries about food or clothing and sang praises of the wise ruler. The officials submitted wholeheartedly, writing books extolling the emperor’s virtues.
Had he continued this way, the founding emperor of the Great Xuan might never have had the opportunity to overturn the heavens and establish a new era.
However, everything took a sharp turn when Emperor Zhengxu reached the age of thirty-seven. The reason? His beloved Empress Duanmu passed away due to illness.
Upon hearing the tragic news, Emperor Zhengxu nearly fainted on the spot. Overcome with grief, he withdrew from state affairs for several months. Had it ended there, the empire would have remained stable under the guidance of its many capable ministers, even if the emperor himself remained secluded. But perhaps the fall of the Zheng Dynasty was already predestined—on a visit to the place where he had first met Empress Duanmu, Emperor Zhengxu encountered a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to her.
Not only was her appearance nearly identical, but even her expressions and mannerisms were indistinguishable from the woman he had lost.
And she was younger.
Shaken to his core, Emperor Zhengxu believed it was fate. Without hesitation, he brought her back to the palace, made her his concubine, and indulged in her company day and night.
The entire court was thrown into chaos, and the people’s resentment boiled over. Those who dared to admonish him were either dismissed from office or executed.
Even so, the empire did not collapse immediately, thanks to the strong foundation Emperor Zhengxu had built in his earlier years.
But when the concubine gave birth to a son, the emperor seemed to lose all reason. Ignoring the vehement opposition of his ministers, he sought to depose the crown prince. The crown prince, unwilling to sit idly by, rallied his supporters under the banner of “eliminating the wicked concubine and purging the court.” His rebellion was backed by many noble families in the capital, including the Duanmu clan.
After days of fierce battle, the rebellion was ultimately crushed, and the crown prince took his own life in defeat. But the Zheng Dynasty had suffered a devastating blow.
From that point on, Emperor Zhengxu withdrew entirely from court affairs, indulging solely in pleasure.
The empire fell into decline. By the time Emperor Zhengxu turned fifty-six, the imperial palace was stormed by rebel forces. The emperor and his concubine perished in each other’s arms, consumed by fire.
Later scholars, when studying this period of history, were baffled by how an emperor who had once shown such promise could lose himself to lust and bring ruin to his empire.
The only explanation was that his love for Empress Duanmu had reached an unfathomable depth. So when he encountered someone who resembled her, he completely lost his reason—perhaps even falling into madness—and in the end, destroyed a once-glorious kingdom in a single day.
There are no new things under the sun.
Similarly, if Xu Bai’s clone could gain such extraordinary favor from Heaven and Earth simply by resembling Mr. Bai, then there were only two possibilities:
Either Mr. Bai was an incarnation of the Dao itself.
Or he held an unparalleled significance to the Xuanhuang Realm—so much so that the world constantly yearned for the emergence of another “Mr. Bai.” To the extent that even a mere resemblance could grant someone an extraordinary affinity with the laws of Heaven and Earth.
“Mr. Bai…”
Memories of all he had seen in the Fallen Immortal Realm surfaced in Xu Bai’s mind, yet he remained silent.
After a long while, his thoughts settled. He retrieved the seventeen-petal Heavenly Spirit Flower, which had been sealed with a special secret technique.
With narrowed eyes, he once again examined the countless scenes imprinted upon its petals. This time, a perception completely different from his original self began to emerge.
It was as if he was gazing down upon the world from a celestial perspective, sweeping across the entire Tianling Prefecture in an instant. In that moment of illusion, he glimpsed vast mountains and rivers, the myriad beings of the land, the ever-changing winds and clouds, and the cycle of prosperity and decline.
Before him, the Heavenly Spirit Flower seemed to reflect all that transpired within the continent—like a divine mirror revealing the essence of the world itself.
A trace of enlightenment quietly passed through Xu Bai’s heart. However, like snowflakes melting into water, it vanished without a trace in an instant, leaving him with a sense of loss.
“This feeling… it’s just like when I once used the Canghai Pearl to observe the grand transformations of the world from the vast perspective of heaven and earth, ultimately comprehending the [Formless Killing Intent].”
“The divine abilities and spells of cultivators largely originate from heaven and earth itself. Observing from the perspective of heaven and earth naturally makes comprehension easier.”
“However, in the end, a flower is merely a record of nature’s scenery—it is not truly one with heaven and earth. Gaining insight from it is not so simple; it requires exceptional perception. Just like before, when my true self personally crafted it, studied it carefully countless times, yet still saw it as nothing more than an ornamental object.”
“But this is not the flower’s problem—it is the person’s problem.”
“Hmph.”
Xu Bai made fine adjustments to the plan in his mind. Before Liu San returned, Xu Bai’s mind continued to settle into contemplating the flower and understanding the Dao.
Tianyu Prefecture.
After spending quite some time, Li Fan and Dongfang Yao finally arrived in Tianyu City. However, instead of heading to the Huanyu Courtyard, where Li Fan had received formation training in his previous life, they went to a private room in the Dao-Discussion Tower.
“Let’s wait a bit. I’ve already notified Brother Huangfu, and he should be here soon,” Dongfang Yao said casually, sitting cross-legged on the ground. He tapped his fingers on the floor, and before long, a cup of spiritual tea emerged.
“Damn, how stingy,” Dongfang Yao muttered under his breath, downing the tea in one gulp.
Li Fan was no stranger to the Dao-Discussion Tower and knew that Dongfang Yao was short on funds, so he could only drink the complimentary tea.
Smiling slightly, Li Fan connected his divine sense with the control jade token of the room.
Before long, a dark green teapot appeared.
“Brother Dongfang, please!” Li Fan gestured with a smile.
“Brother, you’re too generous!” Dongfang Yao beamed with joy, happily pouring himself a cup and drinking it in one go.
“This is the finest [Thousand Cultivators’ Dao Discourse] tea! Brother Li, you are truly magnanimous! The last time I had tea of this caliber was when I returned from the [Thousand Pages Book Forest] and couldn’t resist celebrating!” Dongfang Yao praised endlessly.
Shaking his head, he closed his eyes slightly, as if savoring some deep insight.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out.
“Dongfang Yao! You dare to enjoy [Thousand Cultivators’ Dao Discourse] alone without sharing it with me?”
A plump cultivator with a kind and amiable face stepped into the room.
His face bore a mock expression of anger, but there was a trace of a smile at the corner of his lips.
His gaze briefly swept over Li Fan before settling on Dongfang Yao with an unreadable expression.
“Brother Huangfu, you’re just in time!” Dongfang Yao’s eyes snapped open. He poured a cup of spiritual tea and tossed it over.