Chapter Forty-Four: Heaven Shows No Mercy

“I hope this can inspire him,” Xu Yuan thought silently as his consciousness returned to the heavens.

When a person holds hope in their heart, the strength and conviction that can arise are entirely different from when hope is absent. Since Ji Wu had ambition in his heart, Xu Yuan did not mind giving him a gentle nudge in the right direction. As for what would come of it, that would depend on Ji Wu’s own fortune and fate.

After all, there was only so much Xu Yuan could do.

...

After Xu Yuan departed, Ji Wu remained standing in place for a long time. Only when night fell did he finally awaken as if from a dream and head back home.

He did not tell his parents what he had witnessed—not out of deliberate secrecy, but because since Mr. Xu had only called him to bid farewell, it seemed right that he alone should bear witness. Even if he spoke of it, it would do no harm, yet there was no need to elaborate unnecessarily.

Besides, his father and mother had long known that Mr. Xu was no ordinary man. Now, having witnessed with their own eyes Xu Yuan’s ascension, it only confirmed what they already believed. Ji Wu never had any doubts.

But why had Mr. Xu suddenly shown him this spectacle? Was it because of the test he’d given him that morning? Did this mean he had passed Mr. Xu’s trial?

Ji Wu’s mind swirled with thoughts, his spirits soaring. He lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

He had become acquainted with an immortal who had ascended the heavens!

And Mr. Xu had promised to see him again next year!

Upon reflection, every time Mr. Xu appeared, it coincided with strange phenomena in the skies. Could it be that these celestial omens were all caused by Mr. Xu’s descents?

At this thought, Ji Wu’s heart surged with excitement.

The world often said, “In the mountains, there is neither sun nor moon; one does not know the passing of years.” People believed the immortals were no different. But such thinking was still too shallow! Someone like Mr. Xu should reside in the heavens, with every descent to the mortal realm heralded by miraculous signs!

He was gentle and refined, yet his strength was unfathomable.

This was the true bearing of an immortal!

How pitiable that so many still searched in vain for immortal fate, while he had stumbled upon it by pure luck!

Next time they met, he would be sure to ask Mr. Xu what heaven was truly like...

With countless thoughts swirling, Ji Wu finally succumbed to exhaustion and drifted into a deep sleep.

In his dream, Xu Yuan took his hand and led him toward the distant sky. Countless immortal palaces, jade towers, and auspicious beasts appeared before his eyes. It was as if they soared through the air, ascending in broad daylight.

The next morning, Ji Wu awoke early, leaping out of bed without even washing up. Brimming with energy, he hurried to knock on Ji Yun’s door.

“What is it?” After a while, Ji Yun opened the door, his gaze less than friendly. What good could this rascal possibly want, pounding on his door at dawn?

“It’s time to carry out what Mr. Xu entrusted to us!” Ji Wu declared.

Though he had fallen asleep late, Ji Wu was full of vigor, not the least bit weary. His dream had been too wondrous—how could he remain lying in bed?

“You came here this early just to say that?” Ji Yun’s brows furrowed even tighter.

He certainly hadn’t ignored Xu Yuan’s words, but things had to be done step by step. If he went out now proclaiming he knew a great sage and that troubled times were coming, urging everyone to unite for mutual protection, the authorities would surely target them first.

Even if he did have such plans, he would need to phrase them differently, gather enough people, and act carefully—there was no need to rush.

“What Mr. Xu said is surely true. The sooner we act, the better,” Ji Wu replied with certainty.

Ji Yun was speechless at his son’s matter-of-fact tone. This rascal, always invoking Mr. Xu’s name—did he not respect his own father?

Of course, what Mr. Xu said was not wrong, but what did that have to do with pounding on his father’s door at dawn? What if he startled him into an illness?

“Mr. Xu said he’ll return next year. Let’s start right away!” Ji Wu, oblivious to his father’s annoyance, spoke with enthusiasm.

“All right,” Ji Yun laughed, flexing his fists, “but this endeavor requires strength as a guarantee. Let me first see if you’re up to the task. Otherwise, you might bring shame to our family.”

“Huh?” Ji Wu was taken aback.

No matter what, from that day forward, both Ji Yun and Ji Wu began preparing in earnest for the troubles that might lie ahead.

For instance, they started by rallying those they knew, uniting their strength under the banner of an alliance. One tree does not make a forest; when chaos comes, only might makes right, and numbers bring strength.

Yet the task proved far more difficult than they had anticipated.

Although the Ji family’s security bureau had made a name for itself in the past year, their reputation alone was not enough to win everyone’s trust.

Many believed the Ji family’s rise was merely due to luck—having raised a black bear of brute strength—and that their actual abilities were nothing special.

Were they so eager to take charge? It hardly seemed fitting.

When the alliance was proposed, the response was far less than Ji Wu had hoped. Few answered his call. Only a handful of martial arts schools and security bureaus on the verge of collapse agreed to join, figuring they had little to lose—at most, they would yield a small share of profits and follow some direction from the Ji family.

The real challenge was persuading the merchant guilds to entrust some of their shipping business to the Ji family. There was no real bond of dependence; only strength could convince them.

At first, it was inevitable that they struggled, but they managed to persevere.

And the turning point came even faster than Ji Wu had expected—or rather, Mr. Xu’s prophecy was uncannily accurate.

But this was not the kind of accuracy Ji Wu had wished for.

That summer, the region was beset by storms and heavy rains; rivers flooded, and much farmland was submerged.

When autumn arrived, the sun blazed fiercely and the air burned with heat. The entire Western Mountain Commandery showed signs of drought.

Floods and droughts had occurred in the same year.

Countless people harvested nothing; grain prices soared.

Business in armed escort and transport boomed once more. The fledgling alliance, which had previously worried about finding work, now found themselves overwhelmed. Their biggest concern became the increasing numbers of refugees and vagrants on the roads.

That same year, Ji Wu received a letter from his younger brother Ji Wen, now studying at the Imperial Academy. Alongside news of his well-being, the letter brought word that disasters of all kinds were afflicting the lands of Qi.

When natural calamity strikes, it never remains confined to one place.

And those who live by the grace of heaven—when faced with irresistible disasters—are often shattered utterly.

After the autumn harvest, countless peasants gazed upon their barren fields and wept in despair, their homes devoid of even a grain of rice.

Heaven shows no mercy.

That year, across Qi, the banners of rebellion were already being raised.