Chapter 198: Heaven's Will Is Difficult to Discern

“Indeed! Junior Brother, what you said makes perfect sense!” Kong Zhao's expression was filled with excitement, the gloom and frustration from before swept completely away.

He repeatedly savored Li Shun's words.

“So, once this nine-rank official system is implemented, that will be precisely the moment for me, an Investigating Censor, to rise to prominence.”

Kong Zhao excitedly grabbed Li Shun by both hands.

“If not for Junior Brother helping me see through the clouds and glimpse the sun, I would have nearly missed this tremendous opportunity.”

“No, I need to think about who would be the most suitable target to strike first.”

“If I go after some ordinary corrupt official, the common people probably won't even know his name. The effect would be mediocre at best.”

Kong Zhao immediately became solemn and began pondering in secret.

Li Shun also nodded slightly in agreement.

“The target should preferably be someone whose official position isn't particularly prominent, yet whose reputation is enormous. Once he is impeached and dismissed, the people will surely cheer and applaud.”

“I've got it!”

After a moment, a sharp glint flashed through Kong Zhao's eyes.

“Junior Brother, have you ever heard of Zhou Shengzhe?”

“Zhou Shengzhe?”

Li Shun was momentarily stunned. The name sounded familiar.

A moment later, he remembered.

“Are you referring to Zhou Shengzhe, the man who, three hundred years ago, borrowed one hundred and fifty-two years of lifespan and was hailed as the greatest lifespan borrower in the world?”

Kong Zhao slapped his palm excitedly.

“Precisely!”

“He was originally a Daoist cultivator. During his first lifespan borrowing, he obtained an astonishing one hundred and fifty-two years, and his name became famous throughout the world.”

“Unfortunately, after cultivating to the Celestial Phenomena realm, he could advance no further. He now holds the position of Chief of Reception. A mere third-rank official. Hmph, he's perfect for me to use as a stepping stone to fame!”

Li Shun was somewhat puzzled.

“Chief of Reception? What kind of official position is that?”

Kong Zhao explained.

“He belongs to the Minister of Ceremonies under the Nine Ministers and is primarily responsible for matters concerning the reception of officials from throughout the realm when they come to the capital.”

“For instance, he teaches them court etiquette, ensuring that they do not lose their composure or commit some breach of decorum before His Majesty.”

“Ever since His Majesty began living in seclusion and ceased concerning himself with state affairs, this has become one of the most leisurely positions in the entire court.”

“Zhou Shengzhe had no hope of advancing his cultivation and had likewise reached a dead end in his official career, so he simply took up the business of playing the teacher.”

“Using his own claim of having borrowed more than one hundred and twenty years of lifespan as a pretext, he accepted disciples on a massive scale and imparted his experiences to them, demanding astronomical tuition fees in return.”

“Although Zhou Shengzhe's achievement in lifespan borrowing is unrivaled throughout the world, he is actually not suited to being a teacher.”

“He has accepted countless disciples, yet those capable of borrowing more than a hundred years of lifespan like him are exceedingly rare.”

“They spend their wealth, yet fail to achieve the desired results. Naturally, dissatisfaction arises. But Zhou Shengzhe simply brushes them off by claiming that their aptitude is insufficient.”

“Among both the court and the common people, there are quite a few who have suffered because of him. It's just that everyone fears his reputation and dares to be angry without daring to speak.”

Li Shun frowned slightly upon hearing this.

“Even so, this was ultimately a transaction both parties agreed to. How can you use that as grounds for impeachment?”

Kong Zhao did not answer directly. Instead, he gave a mysterious smile.

“You'll see what I can do.”

He had always acted swiftly and decisively. Having said this, he hurriedly departed.

Li Shun had originally intended to return directly to the Kong family's Grotto Heaven and complete his advancement to upper-tier Spirit Resonance.

However, before he could take a single step, a faint stirring suddenly arose within his heart.

In the unseen depths of fate, he actually sensed the “Gate of Heaven” required for breaking through his realm.

“This is...”

Li Shun gazed into the distance.

He sensed that the place corresponding to this destined opportunity was unexpectedly not far from the Kong family's ancestral residence.

“I'll go take a look first. If I can break through using my own strength, that would naturally be best. If that doesn't work, then I'll make use of the advantages offered by the Grotto Heaven.”

Following the faint sensation within his heart, Li Shun hurried onward.

Before long, he arrived at the foot of Mount Dai.

“The Gate of Heaven corresponding to my breakthrough seems to be somewhere within Mount Dai?”

The entirety of Mount Dai was shrouded in a mysterious restriction that prohibited flight.

Li Shun had no choice but to follow the stone steps winding up the mountain, climbing one step at a time.

Dense forests surrounded him, while secluded springs murmured softly. The calls of birds echoed endlessly through the empty mountains.

Mount Dai rose a thousand zhang from the earth, majestic and precipitous.

Even with Li Shun's current speed, it took him most of the day to barely reach halfway up the mountain.

And that was with his physical body currently at the peak of its vitality.

“Without cultivating the physical body, relying solely on the original mortal physique to climb a mountain really is somewhat lacking.”

“If it were Fang Han instead, things would be different. He would surely move across the ground as effortlessly as walking on level terrain. He could probably reach the summit in two or three hours.”

By now, Li Shun had already understood.

The Gate of Heaven corresponding to his breakthrough was suspended at the very summit of Mount Dai.

“The summit of Mount Dai...”

After briefly regulating his breathing, Li Shun once again began climbing.

Once he passed the halfway point, the surrounding landscape underwent a drastic transformation.

As the cold grew increasingly penetrating, the vegetation gradually became sparse. In its place were great stretches of exposed, jagged rocks.

It was already night.

The bright moon hung high overhead, and amidst the absolute silence of the mountains, the only sound remaining was the lonely crunch of Li Shun's footsteps against the stone steps.

Only the final hundred zhang remained before the summit.

The surrounding mountains were already covered in snow that never melted throughout the year. Even the winding stone staircase had been completely swallowed by the snowline.

The mountain path suddenly became extremely treacherous.

Everywhere Li Shun looked, there were bottomless abysses concealed beneath clouds and mist.

The slightest misstep would send him plunging to his death.

The northern wind howled beside his ears. Its bone-piercing chill struck his face like blades, causing faint pain.

Yet Li Shun remained unmoved.

He simply trudged through the deep snow, leaving one footprint after another as he stubbornly continued toward the heights.

At last, the summit came into view.

Only a short distance remained before the destination.

And yet, at this moment, the surroundings strangely fell completely silent.

The fierce howling of the wind vanished without warning.

Even the countless noises carried here from the mortal world abruptly ceased.

Within the boundless heavens and earth, it seemed as though only this mountain and this one man remained.

Standing amid the vast darkness of night, Li Shun felt no loneliness.

Instead, an indescribably profound sensation surged through his heart.

His spiritual platform became perfectly clear.

An unprecedented tranquility washed over his entire being. Every mundane concern of the world seemed to have become nothing more than fleeting smoke and passing clouds.

It was as though his soul had already broken free from all constraints, becoming free and unfettered within the mortal world.

Birth, aging, sickness, and death?

They were beneath even a laugh.

The hundred officials, the Qian Emperor?

What did any of them have to do with me?

At this moment, beneath the heavens and upon the earth, there was only one true existence.

Me.

Li Shun became deeply immersed in this profound and mysterious state of enlightenment, allowing his body to follow its instincts and continue toward the summit.

When he finally stepped onto the peak of Mount Dai, he suddenly awakened as though from a dream.

Only then did he realize that the long night had already come to an end.

Far on the horizon, the faintest trace of pale light had torn through the darkness.

The newborn sun still lay hidden beneath the horizon, yet it had already gathered its strength, poised to leap forth into the world.

Under this dim morning glow, Li Shun looked down from above.

The entire territory of Qing Province could vaguely be seen stretching out beneath him.

Boundless fertile plains extended toward the horizon, dotted with countless villages whose cooking smoke rose gently into the sky.

Standing high and gazing into the distance, one's heart naturally became broad and open.

A surge of heroic emotion rose within Li Shun, and he nearly gave voice to a long cry.

Yet after thousands of words passed through his mind, they ultimately condensed into a single sigh at his lips.

“Indeed, what magnificent mountains and rivers.”

“The scenery atop Mount Dai is enough to rank among the top three sights in all of Great Qian. Unfortunately, there are very few people in this world who know how to appreciate it.”

A strange voice suddenly sounded from the empty summit.

Its owner leisurely echoed his sentiment.

That light, casual remark was no different from a thunderclap exploding across a clear plain.

It suddenly erupted beside Li Shun's ears.

His heart pounded violently.

His body instinctively tensed like a drawn bow as he abruptly turned toward the voice.

He saw a thin man dressed in black standing on the summit of Mount Dai.

He had no idea when the man had arrived.

The man stood at the edge of a cliff with his hands behind his back, quietly gazing into the magnificent landscape in the distance.

“This man...”

Li Shun was absolutely certain that when he reached the summit, he had not seen this black-clothed man.

It was as though he had appeared out of nowhere.

“Flight is forbidden on Mount Dai. Yet he actually managed to...”

“There's no need to be nervous.”

The black-clothed man did not even turn his head. He spoke indifferently.

“The rules of this world are ultimately established by people. Once you become powerful enough, you can disregard every so-called rule beneath heaven.”

His words made it seem as though he could see straight through Li Shun's astonishment.

Only then did Li Shun suddenly realize, to his astonishment, that the Gate of Heaven corresponding to his breakthrough was actually located on the person standing before him!

His thoughts raced.

Yet the movements of his hands did not slow in the slightest.

He immediately cupped his fists.

“Greetings, Senior.”

The black-clothed man gave a soft chuckle and slowly turned around.

“You are quite the hypocrite.”

“You and I have never met before. You don't know my name, nor do you know the depth of my cultivation. Yet the moment you open your mouth, you call me Senior?”

Li Shun's expression remained unchanged.

He answered calmly, “As the saying goes, the accomplished come first. Senior can treat the rules of Mount Dai as though they do not exist, while I cannot. Naturally, you deserve to be called Senior.”

Faced with Li Shun's clever argument, the black-clothed man did not take offense.

He merely sneered lightly.

Then, he raised a fingertip and pointed toward Li Shun from afar.