...it seemed to be asking Lu Qing, yet also like a sigh of regret.

He wasn't seeking an answer.

The tea fragrance wafted, and a faint mist rose from the warmth.

Lu Qing poured two cups of tea and, hearing this, asked, "Old Gentleman, what is 'destiny'?"

The old man in the cloth robe across from him smiled and slowly said, "Destiny is the story of a life, written into a storybook from beginning to end. That is destiny."

Lu Qing smiled, not refuting, but just chuckled and said, "Forgive Lu Sheng's dullness, but I think, if the storybooks are different, perhaps there would also be some differences?"

"In one person's storybook, he might enjoy high office and great wealth, yet be plagued by illness. Perhaps in another storybook, he would be free from sickness and worry. Moreover, the ancients spoke of the 'four-nine heavenly secrets, with one escaping'. Since there are four-nine heavenly secrets, many fates cannot be considered definitive."

He spoke with the same unhurried pace.

It wasn't the tone of Dao Seeking, but as if he had recalled a discussion from a classic he had heard and simply spoke it aloud.

He wasn't trying to argue who was right, but merely expressing whatever came to mind.

Old Master Nan's gaze across from him paused slightly.

His expression had always been amiable, but now it exuded an even greater sense of amiability.

"Goodness, I didn't expect Lu Sheng to have such deep research into cultivation classics. It's a waste of your talent not to be a teacher."

Lu Qing: "Old Gentleman praises me too much. I'm just curious about these tales of Immortals and strange creatures. If I were to truly teach, I would mislead students."

He focused on cultivation, but cultivation was a personal matter. Lu Qing had always rarely interfered with others' cultivation Karma. Although this knowledge was not about cultivation, he could not easily be perfunctory.

"If you are not a fish, how can you know the joy of fish?"

For him, cultivation was the most important matter, but for the human students of the academy here, the imperial examinations were the goal of life.

In this mortal area, where he had settled at will, the Dynasty's Linshui County, though remote in the mountains, could establish an academy. Naturally, its inhabitants could not be true mountain villagers or secluded people who were unaware of the current world, like in a 'Peach Blossom Spring'.

Old Master Nan slowly nodded. He stroked his beard, "Lu Sheng, your talk of storybooks is also interesting."

"It just so happened that I read this collection of miscellaneous talks today."

Lu Qing picked up the collection of miscellaneous talks on the table again.

The author was anonymous, but the stories within were fantastical and strange. The author might not have seen the true cultivation world, but the magnificent and mysterious fantasies revealed, seemingly real yet fake, illusory yet not, were precisely the most interesting and captivating aspects.

Today, Lu Qing only chatted with Old Master Nan, stopping before delving too deeply.

He did not go too deep.

Lu Qing's mind was peaceful; wherever he was, that was his place of cultivation. Although there was no surge of magical power or pervasive Dao rhythm, his Dao Heart cultivation always proceeded with the same calm and steady pace as his days in this academy.

Step by step, he refined himself, then step by step, a faint glimmer emerged, after which the radiance became introverted, leaving only his own Qi peaceful and calm, becoming natural.

For several days, Lu Qing passed his time uneventfully.

After the New Year, the heavy snow brought by winter gradually receded. The sun and moon rotated, and the four seasons progressed.

The initial snow in the mountains melted, and the clear river water flowing past the academy's mountain increased slightly, until peach blossoms first bloomed at the foot of the mountain and swallows returned.

The chill had greatly diminished.

Lu Qing raised his gaze to look out the wooden window. Snow melted, spring arrived, and all things came to life.

"Spring returns to the earth; this power of the four seasons is truly pure."

His vision was no longer what it once was.

In the past, when Lu Qing was stationed outside, he had observed the heavy snows of deep winter from mountain peaks and the vast world under a continuous spring rain.

It was just that then, seeing the scenery was merely seeing scenery, and it was still so now.

But there was, after all, a subtle difference.

He reined in his extraordinary gaze.

Student figures entered from outside the main gate.

In twos and threes, the number was not too large, but compared to the usual desertedness of the library, it could be considered somewhat lively.

"Mr. Lu, these are the books I wish to borrow. Please trouble Mr. to register them for me."

A figure walked over, respectfully bowing.

Lu Qing glanced over, his hands already skillfully writing down the name, stamping, and completing the registration.

Coincidentally, the book he borrowed was not the usual academic texts they often read, but the 'Tale of the Fox Person's Gratitude' that Lu Qing had finished reading a few days ago.

He subtly shifted his gaze but said nothing more.

"Hmm, it's registered. You may borrow it."

The young Mr. Lu had recently gained some reputation in the academy, not much, but related to some homework assignments.

"I heard Mr. Lu has read all the books in the library."

"How impressive."

"Of course, otherwise, why would the teacher ask us to read more other books to broaden our horizons?"

"The books all say so."

"That's not a book, that's a storybook. I heard in the storybooks outside that it's said, 'a great recluse hides in the city'. Mr. Lu is truly keeping his abilities hidden."

The students spoke very softly and quietly.

However, Lu Qing himself was no ordinary person, so he could naturally hear all sorts of sounds.

"I never thought I would one day be considered someone who keeps his abilities hidden."

Even though he was just an inconspicuous Mr. in this academy.

Lu Qing pulled a classic from the nearby bookshelf.

"There are so many miscellaneous talks here."

"And they are very interesting."

So interesting that Lu Qing usually read them several times.

It was unlike the current style of Nine Heavens, carrying more of an ancient mystical flavor.

A deep, profound look flashed in the depths of his eyes as he looked at the miscellaneous talk in his hand.

"This humble scholar is Zhou Xiusheng, a scholar of Great Jin. In the ninth year of Great Jin, in the tenth month, I embarked on the Dao Seeking path."

The opening stated his identity, and Lu Qing continued reading.

"I met fox people, saw mountain Spirit Monsters, and then by chance encountered the Mountain Lord's thousand-day sacrifice. There were fine wines and delicacies, and Immortals gathered. How could such an event exist in the world?"

"Alas, regrettable, hateful."

"I have no Immortal edge."

Lu Qing read a mortal scholar's record of Dao Seeking from the Great Jin Dynasty.

"Great Jin."

A peculiar smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

This Dynasty was one he had heard of when he was well-versed in ancient times.

Old Master Nan arrived again.

After a few days apart, Lu Qing noticed that the other's demeanor had become even more extraordinary.

"Lu Sheng, are you reading 'A Record of Dao Seeking' today?"

He asked with a chuckle.

"Old Gentleman is right again."

Lu Qing put down the book.

He intended to see what this cloth-robed old man planned.

Since entering Linshui County, nothing had been particularly special.

Until he met this cloth-robed old man, and then entered this academy.

Lu Qing had already detected a clue in his heart.

However, his mind was peaceful at the moment, and his spiritual sense had not warned him, so he was not in a hurry to leave.

He had very, very few experiences venturing out in the Nine Heavens, but that didn't mean Lu Qing was ignorant of the outside world.

If the Dao is there, I am there.

With the Great Dao of Nine Heavens shining brightly in the sky, some strange places were very easy to notice.

"Oh, it's not surprising, after all, I've read it too."

"Zhou Xiusheng eventually believed it was a dream. He wrote this book in his youth, but in his old age, he added annotations, stating that it was all a grand dream of his own."

Old Master Nan said.

"It disappointed many Dao Seeking seekers."

He didn't hide his true feelings, and there was a hint of laughter in his words.

Lu Qing thought for a moment. If he himself were a Dao Seeking seeker, who had eagerly finished reading it, only to be told it was all fake, merely an illusion he had dreamt up, he would probably feel a blockage in his chest just thinking about it.

"Not necessarily. Perhaps some people would still believe it."

"After all, a storybook, once written, will always be seen by someone."

Lu Qing thought for a moment and said.

"Oh? Then, Lu Sheng, you also believe this was not Zhou Xiusheng's dream?"

"Life is like a dream, and dreams transform into life. Regardless of whether it was a grand dream or not, at least he wrote down these experiences."

Even if he doubted it in his old age, it was still a rare event in life that kept him thinking about it even then.

At least in his old age, some of those faded memories were still deeply imprinted.

That would not be a wasted journey in the human world.

Lu Qing did not give an answer as a cultivator, but merely stated his thoughts in a very ordinary way.

Old Master Nan murmured, "Life is like a dream, and dreams transform into life."