Li Chengfeng and the rest's plan to change to a straight line train failed again. Yuezhou's levees were collapsing much faster than expected, especially since they were travelling from the north to the south. Coincidentally, they were travelling in the same direction as the flood.
The distance between Yuezhou City and Yuanjin City was only about two hundred kilometres. When Li Chengfeng and the rest reached Yuanjin City from Yuezhou City, the train could not travel any further. The reason was simple, the flood had flowed from the An River to the nearby area and into the Liao River, causing the water level of the Liao River to rise dramatically. The Liao River's levees had collapsed and the flood was like an avalanche, crazily destroying the levees from upstream to midstream. In just one day and one night, it had eroded eight hundred kilometres!
Coupled with the fact that it rained overnight, the battle had caused the earth to crack and the hot air in the ground had seeped out of the cracks into the sky, causing a torrential downpour!
Rumble!
Thunder rumbled across the sky, shocking Li Chengfeng who was in the relay station. His brows were tightly knitted together.
The downpour outside not only made the entire Yuanjin City unable to lift their heads, it also made Li Chengfeng's heart heavy. As soon as he entered the city, he saw many refugees rushing towards Yuanjin City from all directions. There were refugees everywhere, dragging their families with them. The entire city was filled with cries and screams that shook the heavens.
Prefecture Chief Zhang Junming had arranged for them to stay in the south of the city, which was not far from the relay station where Li Chengfeng and the rest were. The clamorous cries, shouts and curses were like a tidal wave, mixed with the whistling of the rain, incessantly ringing in their ears.
To Li Chengfeng's ears, the sound was like a demon's voice, making him restless and in pain.
If Li Chengfeng had grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth, he would not have cared about the lives of the commoners in the city. After all, how could the rich and powerful ever understand the sufferings of the commoners?
Their benevolence was often a whim of pity and mercy, and not a feeling of empathy at all.
Although Li Chengfeng was the son of a wealthy family, he had lived on the streets since he was young. He was familiar with many of these refugees.
Some of them were laborious farmers who woke up early in the morning and worked late at night. Some of them were cautious and prudent traders. Some of them were white-haired parents. Some of them were mothers who were nursing their babies.
Li Chengfeng was all too familiar with these people. He knew them all too well.
Perhaps they all had their own problems. Some of them were petty citizens, some of them were sneaky hooligans, some of them were stingy, and some of them were mean.
But it was precisely because of these people that they worked so hard from dawn to dusk to support the government of the entire Great Qi Kingdom, the military, and the cultivators at the top.
After leaving Senior He Zhu's house, Li Chengfeng fell into deep thought about He Zhu's mother.
She was a sharp, mean, fierce, and vulgar old lady, but she had the quality of gold. She gave everything she had to her child. She did not ask for anything in return, but only hoped that her child would be successful and return home in glory, so that she, as a mother, could be proud of him.
She and He Zhu were the epitome of the entire Great Qi Kingdom and the cultivation world. They sacrificed themselves to support cultivators like them. But cultivators like them … What did they do?
The moment this question popped up in Li Chengfeng's mind, it was like a demon haunting his mind.
After Shanxue was defeated by Li Chengfeng and the others, his deep-seated hatred was finally vented. The sword hanging over Li Chengfeng's head, the life and death of Hidden Sword Court, was finally removed. Although he faced a new crisis and pressure, Li Chengfeng knew that the pressure and danger Ma Qianli gave him this time could not be compared to the threat Shanxue posed before.
Because of this, he could finally take a breather to think.
If his previous cultivation was to protect the Cleansing Moon Li family's survival, Li Chengfeng had basically achieved that. As long as he did not go looking for trouble, the Li family would not have to worry for the time being.
If the Cleansing Moon Li family were to rise to fame again, what was the purpose of his cultivation?
"Young Master, what's wrong?"
Xiaobao, who was reading a cultivation book, noticed Li Chengfeng's abnormality and asked quietly.
Li Chengfeng was taken aback. He looked at Xiaobao and whispered, "Xiaobao, what do you think … the purpose of cultivation is?"
Xiaobao was taken aback. Han Tianxing, who was carefully maintaining the Heavenly Dragon Sword, suddenly answered, "It's to be successful, to bring glory to our ancestors!"
Li Chengfeng retorted, "There are plenty of opportunities to be successful and bring glory to your ancestors. You can do it when you pass the Imperial Examinations and become an official. You can even do it if you have the means to become a millionaire. Why do you have to cultivate?"
Han Tianxing answered without hesitation, "Because cultivators are superior to us!"
Li Chengfeng immediately asked, "Are cultivators really superior to us?"
Han Tianxing was shocked. "First-class cultivators, second-class scholars, third-class warriors. Aren't cultivators supposed to be nobles?"
Although he used to be a scholar, Han Tianxing had always thought of himself as one. It was only when he became a cultivator on Spiritual Mountain that he changed his mind. He thought of himself as a cultivator and was even more proud of his identity.
Li Chengfeng chuckled. "Then why were you bullied so badly in Hidden Modesty Court?
Is there a noble in this world who was bullied to the point where he couldn't even live? "
Han Tianxing was speechless. A moment later, he said, "That's because I'm not strong enough. If I can cultivate to the level of the sect leader one day, naturally no one will be able to bully me."
Li Chengfeng asked, "Then why hasn't the Sect Master ascended yet?
If he ascends to the Nine Heavens, will there be immortals stronger than him?
Will they bully him? "
Han Tianxing shuddered at this question. He vaguely understood what Li Chengfeng meant.
Li Chengfeng shook his head. "In my opinion, the idea that cultivators can transcend reincarnation and escape from life and death is a lie!"
Han Tianxing and Xiaobao gaped. "How is that possible?" "What do you mean?"
Li Chengfeng chuckled coldly. "Who's the most afraid of death in this world?"
Han Tianxing thought for a moment. "Commoners!
Commoners are like sheep, as cowardly as mice. They're the most afraid of death! "
Li Chengfeng shook his head. "You mean the common people who have to go through hardships in the mortal world?
No, they're not afraid of death!
They're afraid of death because they still have hope. But once they lose hope, they'll show you what it means to be unafraid of death!
When a commoner is angry, blood splatters everywhere!
So close!
So close! "
Xiaobao probed, "Are you referring to the officials who live a luxurious life?"
"Yes, they're afraid of death. They can't bear to part with their wealth but are they the ones who fear death the most?
Not necessarily!
Because they know they'll die one day!
Everyone has to die, whether it's as light as a feather or as heavy as Mount Tai!
Isn't Master Chu Yunchu an example? "
Han Tianxing thought for a moment. "Are you referring to cultivators like us?"
Li Chengfeng sighed. "Yes, we're all very afraid of death. Because in theory, we all have the possibility of living forever and enjoying wealth.
However, we will also shed our blood for our ideals and beliefs. When we meet on a narrow path, we will draw our swords even though we know we're no match for them! "
Xiaobao and Han Tianxing's eyes lit up at these words, their gazes sharp. It was as if they had returned to the most dangerous period of Hidden Sword Court, when they fought against the heavens, fought against the earth, fought against the people!
Han Tianxing said, "Senior Brother, I don't get it."
Li Chengfeng chuckled. "It's the truly high and mighty cultivators who have transcended reincarnation and transcended life and death!"
Xiaobao and Han Tianxing looked at each other in shock. "Them?"
Li Chengfeng said seriously, "That's right, it's them!
How could there be a precedent of cultivators sacrificing themselves?
How could there be a cultivator willing to sacrifice himself?
No, not a single one!
The higher they climb, the more afraid they are of death! "
Han Tianxing was confused. "Senior Brother, what are you trying to say?"
Li Chengfeng looked out of the window, his gaze deep. He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he did not say what he had in mind. Because he knew that if he said it, it would shock the world and shatter the heavens!