Chapter 8
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Chapter 8: Deity!
Should the Guanxuan Sword Master Exist?
Ye Tianming was indeed confused. He hadn’t expected the woman before him to ask this question. Who was the Guanxuan Sword Master?
That was the creator of the Guanxuan Universe, the faith of countless people, a god in the hearts of many.
This question was extremely blasphemous.
Ye Tianming glanced at the woman, thinking, is this elder trying to entrap me?
The woman seemed to know what he was thinking and smiled, “Afraid I’m trying to entrap you?”
Ye Tianming shook his head, “My current strength doesn’t qualify me to be worth entrapping by an elder.”
The woman laughed.
Ye Tianming said, “This junior is just curious why the elder would ask such a question.”
The woman took a cucumber and bit into it, “It’s just a simple question. You can tell me your honest thoughts.”
Ye Tianming asked, “Is this question the test for this level?”
The woman nodded, “Yes.”
Ye Tianming asked again, “The answer…”
The woman said, “There’s no standard answer. If I think what you say is good, then you pass this level.”
Ye Tianming nodded, “I understand.”
He picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and fell into deep thought.
The woman watched him with a smile.
Ye Tianming remained silent for nearly a quarter of an hour. During this time, the woman didn’t disturb him. After he finished his tea, she refilled it for him.
Little Tower was also anticipating how Ye Tianming would answer this question.
Ye Tianming suddenly looked up at the woman, “Why do people believe in the Guanxuan Sword Master? Because the Guanxuan Sword Master once said, ‘Let young people have hope, let the weak live with dignity, make this universe a better place.’ Rather than saying people believe in the Guanxuan Sword Master, it’s more accurate to say they believe in his ideals. However, to realize these beautiful ideals, it’s absolutely not something the Guanxuan Sword Master alone can achieve.”
The woman looked at him and smiled, “Why can’t one person achieve it?”
Ye Tianming looked directly at the woman, “Because human nature is just that way. A wise person once said: humans come into the world with original sin. Crime, greed, desire, evil—these have universality in the meaning of human existence. The fundamental reason is that evil is rooted in human nature. Any universal civilization system will have evil, crime, greed, desire, and wickedness.”
As he spoke, he slowly stood up, “Just like our current world, everyone below hates privilege, but if that privilege falls to them, they enjoy it without guilt. So people don’t hate privilege itself, but rather others enjoying privilege. Or: strict hierarchy below oneself, equality above oneself… This is human nature. No matter how powerful the Guanxuan Sword Master is, he cannot change human nature.”
The woman stared at Ye Tianming. She picked up a cucumber and handed it to him. Ye Tianming said, “Thank you.”
He took the cucumber, bit into it, and after pondering for a moment, continued, “I think the Guanxuan Sword Master shouldn’t exist.”
The woman smiled, “The reasons you gave above don’t seem sufficient.”
Ye Tianming looked at the woman, “This world doesn’t need a living savior. Any living savior is just one person, and human power is limited. Nothing can compare with a real eternal belief. Therefore, a savior should be an ideal living in people’s hearts, not a living person… Only by having more people believe in and follow this ideal can this universe possibly reach the world the Guanxuan Sword Master envisioned. But if the Guanxuan Sword Master appears in this world, everyone will place their hopes on him alone, and one person can never accomplish that. So, he should disappear…”
“Excellent!”
Little Tower suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “As expected from someone I taught.”
Ye Tianming: “…”
The smile had now disappeared from the woman’s face as she stared at Ye Tianming.
Ye Tianming had spoken passionately, but afterward, he became anxious because his words were truly blasphemous. After all, in the Guanxuan Universe, the Guanxuan Sword Master was a god whom no one could question.
He was still too weak.
Ye Tianming took a deep breath inwardly. He really disliked the feeling of his fate being in someone else’s hands.
The woman suddenly smiled brightly, “One last question. Do you think the Guanxuan Sword Master’s ideals can be realized?”
After a long silence, Ye Tianming said, “Faith is sometimes a deception, but if this faith is a beautiful deception, then I think it’s acceptable. However, we must always stay clear-headed because reality is cruel. Don’t let others use this ‘faith’ to enslave you.”
The woman laughed, “You, young man… are truly rare.”
Hearing this, Ye Tianming felt relieved. This level should be no problem now.
The woman stood up, “I’ll make dinner. Stay and eat before you leave.”
Ye Tianming hurriedly said, “Elder, I still have the next level.”
He was truly shocked. Inviting him to dinner? What was this elder thinking?
The woman glanced at him and smiled, “I’ll also administer the third level’s test of the heart.”
Ye Tianming was stunned, “This… is allowed?”
The woman nodded, “Yes.”
Ye Tianming’s expression became somewhat strange, but the woman had already gone to prepare dinner.
Ye Tianming really couldn’t figure out this elder. He looked around. This world was a real world, and it might no longer be in Qingzhou… He was still shocked that such terrifying methods existed in the world, forcibly transporting someone to another world.
It seemed he still had too little experience.
Little Tower suddenly said, “Do you know why she invited you to dinner?”
Ye Tianming asked curiously, “Why?”
Little Tower laughed, “Isn’t it because of my, Tower Lord’s, reputation?”
Ye Tianming’s eyes immediately widened.
Soon, the woman had prepared the meal—a simple three dishes and a soup. The table was the same one as before.
The woman served Ye Tianming a bowl of rice and smiled, “Don’t overthink it. It’s simply mealtime, so we’re eating. There’s no special meaning.”
Ye Tianming looked at her and nodded, “Alright.”
He picked up his bowl and started eating.
He knew that in front of such a powerful being, it was best not to think too much. Since she invited him to eat, he would eat. Besides, he was hungry anyway.
From Qingzhou to the academy, he had only eaten steamed buns along the way, without a proper meal. The food before him was clearly quite good… Never mind, even if he were to die, he’d die with a full stomach.
Seeing Ye Tianming wolfing down his food, the woman smiled and began eating as well.
When Ye Tianming finished his first bowl of rice, the woman smiled, “Let me get you more rice.”
Ye Tianming quickly shook his head, “I’ll do it myself…”
But his bowl was already in the woman’s hand. She smiled, “You’re a guest.”
She took the bowl and went to fill it to the brim.
When Ye Tianming received the bowl, he hurriedly said, “Thank you.”
The woman casually asked, “What do you think about the current situation in the Guanxuan Universe with its many sects and family clans?”
After taking a couple of bites of rice, Ye Tianming asked, “Elder, is this the third level test?”
The woman smiled, “You could say that.”
After a long silence, Ye Tianming said, “It’s the inevitability of historical development. In any universal civilization, a portion of the population will have special privileges and prestige, and their privileges and prestige are based on…”
He looked at the woman and stopped speaking.
The woman smiled, “Feel free to speak your mind.”
Ye Tianming remained silent.
The woman smiled, “You can ask your Tower Ancestor. I won’t harm you.”
Ye Tianming exclaimed in surprise, “Elder, you really know my Tower Ancestor? I always thought it was just boasting.”
Little Tower: “…”
The woman blinked, “I know a little. Your Tower Ancestor was once… a very remarkable scholar, yes, a great scholar.”
Little Tower: “…”
Ye Tianming wasn’t sure if she was deceiving him. He thought for a moment and then said, “That portion of the population with special privileges and prestige, their privileges and prestige are based on the Yang family…”
The woman stared at him, still smiling, “Continue.”
Ye Tianming no longer held back. At worst, it would cost him his life. He continued, “When the Guanxuan Sword Master established order back then, he had many, many followers. After this order was established, these followers naturally became the greatest privileged group in this universe. Their descendants would rightfully occupy the resources of this universe, while those below would find it extremely difficult to rise up… I’ve researched the records. In our Guanxuan Universe over the past thousand years, there have been almost no new first-class families, and very few new second-class families…”
He sighed softly, “The true path of advancement is practically non-existent. An ordinary person might spend their entire life struggling to earn a hundred thousand spirit crystals, but for those privileged groups, they can earn billions of spirit crystals with just a word, or even more…”
The woman put down her chopsticks and looked at Ye Tianming, “Then in your opinion, how should this problem be solved?”
Ye Tianming shook his head, “Elder, I cannot answer this question. First, one shouldn’t plan for a position one doesn’t hold. These aren’t matters someone of my status and ability should consider. Second, I just want to work hard on my cultivation to make life better for myself and my Ye family.”
The woman looked at him as if she could see through to his heart, “If there were reforms, do you think they could eliminate these issues?”
Ye Tianming was inwardly shocked, feeling as if he’d been seen through. What he had been thinking was indeed reform, but he hadn’t said it, yet this woman asked such a question… clearly she had seen through his thoughts.
He felt uneasy, but quickly accepted it. If this woman wanted to harm him, he would have no escape anyway.
Ye Tianming gathered his thoughts and said, “Reform is one path, but we can’t rely entirely on reform. A successful reform might change the characteristics of existing unequal systems in society, but to expect it to eliminate inequality between different social groups and existing privileges would be too naive.”
He had discussed these issues countless times with An Yan at the Great Dao Bookhouse. Each time they talked about it, the two brothers felt both angry and helpless.
The woman was about to say something when she suddenly looked into the distance. A woman in a purple dress was walking quickly toward them.
The woman stood up and looked at Ye Tianming with a smile, “Young man, our conversation must end here. It was very pleasant talking with you.”
Ye Tianming hurriedly stood up, “Elder, have I… passed?”
The woman smiled, “Of course.”
Ye Tianming immediately smiled. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, “Elder, I heard that someone else once passed through the Guanxuan Path before…”
The woman smiled, “I wasn’t the examiner at that time, but I’ve heard about that young man. That young man was similar to you in some ways, but he took a completely different path from yours… You’re both excellent.”
As she spoke, she opened her palm, and a golden seal slowly floated in front of Ye Tianming, “I’ll give you this little thing. You’ll need it in the future.”
Ye Tianming looked at the golden seal, which had two large characters on it: ‘Divine Being’. He was curious. By this time, the woman in the purple dress had entered the courtyard. She glanced at Ye Tianming and said playfully, “Sister Sang, you have a guest?”
