Chapter 8: The Southern Dipper Deities Who Couldn't Even Flatter Their Way In

Swish, swish, swish.

The fatal sword qi of the Big Dipper sliced through, turning all the grass and trees on the ground into flying ashes.

“No.”

“Didn't you say you’d cut the grass for me?”

“But now this lush green grass has all turned to ash.”

“What am I supposed to eat now?”

The Azure Ox glared with wide eyes, angrily looking at Lu Ge.

Lu Ge glanced at his fingers, then at the swirling ashes of grass ahead.

For a moment, he felt awkward.

“Uh, I didn’t expect this divine skill to be so powerful,” he stammered.

“I really wanted to cut the grass.”

“But I didn’t realize that as soon as the sword qi touched the grass, it would turn to ashes.”

Lu Ge tried to explain earnestly.

The Azure Ox rolled his eyes and said grumpily, “Forget it, forget it. You’d better rest.”

“If I let you cut more, I’m afraid I’ll starve for real.”

With that, he turned and went elsewhere to graze, leaving Lu Ge with a big ox’s backside.

Lu Ge followed behind, constantly examining his own fingers.

He now had some understanding of the power of the Big Dipper’s fatal sword qi.

Wherever the sword qi touched—living beings, dead things, huge rocks, plants—they all turned to flying ashes.

This was a divine skill with tremendous destructive power.

Lu Ge thought to himself, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward the Azure Ox.

Now that Lao Dan no longer held back and spoke plainly about the divine skills and magic, Lu Ge roughly understood the reasons behind it.

When they first met, Lao Dan was a stranger and appeared merely as an ordinary Taoist sage from history.

After gaining preliminary acceptance, he began to reveal some extraordinary qualities.

Perhaps, when the day came that Lao Dan fully trusted Lu Ge, and claimed himself to be the Supreme Taoist Deity who opened the heavens as in myth, Lu Ge wouldn’t be surprised.

Lao Dan was no mortal; the Azure Ox, who could speak, was even less an ordinary beast.

Previously, when he said he didn’t know the Supreme Taoist Deity, it was likely just to tease Lu Ge.

“Brother Ox, I once heard that the Big Dipper brings death, and the Southern Dipper brings life.”

“Since there’s the Big Dipper’s fatal sword qi, is there also the Southern Dipper’s life-giving sword qi?”

Curious, Lu Ge followed behind the ox’s buttocks and asked.

Knowing the Azure Ox was extraordinary, Lu Ge naturally asked without hesitation.

The Azure Ox didn’t hesitate at all and said bluntly, “I don’t understand any of that Big Dipper or Southern Dipper stuff.”

Lu Ge said impatiently, “Brother Ox, come on.”

“We’ve been together so long, why still pretend with me?”

“Even Old Li doesn’t pretend anymore.”

The Azure Ox stopped grazing and thought for a moment, then seemed to agree.

“The Big Dipper brings death, the Southern Dipper brings life; these are manifestations of the great Dao’s rules.”

“Sword qi is merely a carrier.”

“Since there’s the Big Dipper’s fatal sword qi, naturally there’s the Southern Dipper’s life-giving sword qi as well.”

“Not just sword qi—there might be dao qi, spear qi, or other spells as carriers too.”

“But don’t even think about it.”

“Your Big Dipper fatal sword qi was granted out of respect for Old Master’s Seven-Star Sword.”

“They wanted to curry favor with Old Master.”

“But Old Master only has the Big Dipper’s Seven-Star Sword, not the Southern Dipper’s.”

“So, if you want to obtain the Southern Dipper’s life-giving divine skill, it’s probably impossible.”

After hearing this, Lu Ge felt a bit regretful.

The Southern Dipper Star Lords weren’t very helpful.

Trying to flatter the boss, yet there was no chance.

But it was still alright.

Having one divine skill was already quite good.

One shouldn’t be too greedy.

Throughout the morning, the Azure Ox quietly grazed while Lu Ge studied the divine skill.

Whenever he had doubts, the Azure Ox earnestly answered.

After returning for lunch, they resumed their discourse.

“Old Li, your divine skills are vast; you should know the past and foresee the future.”

“Then, don’t you know what will happen in the later generations?”

When Lao Dan had presented himself as an ordinary person, Lu Ge hadn’t thought much of it.

But now knowing Lao Dan’s extraordinary divine skills, Lu Ge felt a bit odd.

Lao Dan glanced at Lu Ge and said, “The past has already happened; it’s hard to change.”

“The present is right beneath your feet—it depends on your choice.”

“The future is ever-changing and uncertain; it is not fixed.”

“To you, though you are here now, the next two thousand years are already past and set in stone.”

“But to me, the future remains uncertain. What you know and experience is just one of countless possible futures.”

Lu Ge listened and gradually understood.

Day by day, time passed, and life remained calm as water.

Until one day.

“That day when Li Da was in danger, why weren’t you afraid of life or death and risked yourself to save him?”

During their discussion, Lao Dan suddenly asked.

Lu Ge thought briefly and replied, “When I came here, I was in the mountains and forests.”

“If Li Da hadn’t saved me and brought me home to eat, I probably would have starved to death.”

“He saved my life, so I had to repay his kindness.”

Lao Dan nodded and asked again, “Weren’t you afraid that once you went, you wouldn’t return, swallowed by a fierce tiger?”

Lu Ge smiled calmly, “If I were eaten by a tiger while saving him, I’d only regret it for a moment.”

“But if I didn’t go, I’d regret it my whole life.”

“I’m no noble sage, but I’m certainly not one to forget kindness.”

Lu Ge chuckled.

“Besides, I still need to follow you to learn the Dao and cultivate divine skills.”

“If my heart isn’t at peace, how can I learn the Dao later?”

Lao Dan smiled and nodded at Lu Ge.

“Do you now understand why earlier Zi Qiu traveled among the states, persuading the rulers to cease their fighting?”

The topic shifted so quickly that Lu Ge was momentarily caught off guard.

Oh, right.

He had previously wondered why Confucius, who was so learned, didn’t realize that persuading the rulers to stop fighting was impossible.

“Old Li, you mean...”

“That his situation was similar to when I saw Li Da in danger?”

Lao Dan nodded, “Not exactly the same, but there are similarities.”

“In today’s world, rites collapse, music decays.”

“Zi Qiu longed to restore the Zhou rites, to bring harmony to the world, to stop the wars, and bring peace to the people.”

“That was his path.”

“You saw Li Da in danger, never forgot his kindness, and dared to risk your life for him—this is your path.”

“The difference is, when Zi Qiu traveled among the states, if he unfortunately angered a ruler and died, he wouldn’t regret it even for a moment.”

“But if he didn’t act or persuade, he would regret it for life, just like you.”

“A gentleman knows what to do and what not to do.”

“To fulfill the great Dao in one’s heart, one must be fearless of life or death; even if there is only the slightest hope, one will never give up.”

Lu Ge nodded, “I understand.”

Lao Dan continued, “When you first had this doubt, I could have told you the reason.”

“But I didn’t.”

“People cannot be taught by words alone.”

“Only through events can one deeply understand.”

“Now I only want you to realize the principle through Li Da’s matter.”

“But your fate will ultimately differ from Zi Qiu’s.”

“The future is uncertain; I only hope that if one day you face the same situation, you can hold onto your true heart and bravely move forward.”