Myriad Rivers to the Sea

The spatial array flared with a bright light and deposited Li Yu at the Zhan Clan base on the Blue Cloud Realm. He then left the base and flew in a random direction until he found a dirt path road to begin his somewhat artificial mission from the Patriarch. From here on out he wouldn’t be allowed to fly anymore.

The dirt path was surrounded by rolling green hills with a stream flowing along its side. He took a deep breath of the air and immediately noticed the difference in the atmosphere. The spiritual energy in the Blue Cloud Realm was incredibly thin compared to the rich environment of the Zhan clan headquarters or the hidden Dragon Core.

The air here carried the scent of dry soil and pine needles rather than the heavy fragrance of spirit herbs. It was a rather mundane world filled with more ordinary people and that was exactly what Patriarch Yue had intended for him.

‘It’s odd that the Zhan Clan has a base on such a world. I would have thought that the Zhan Clan would have no interest in a place with such thin Qi where natural treasures would form much less often.’ Li Yu pondered to himself. He had always thought that the Zhan Clan created bases on realms they had an active interest in but this realm broke that idea in half.

Li Yu put those thoughts to the back of his mind, adjusted his simple robes and walked down the path until he reached a wider trade road. He did not have to wait long before a long string of wooden wagons came into view. The merchant caravan was pulled by large horned oxen with thick brown fur and heavy hooves. The group consisted of about twenty wagons loaded with wooden crates and simple canvas sacks. Li Yu approached the lead wagon and raised his hand in greeting.

The caravan leader was a broad shouldered man named Captain Ma who possessed a thick beard and a booming voice. After a brief negotiation and the payment of a few silver coins, Captain Ma agreed to let Li Yu travel alongside them. The caravan was heading toward the capital city of the Azure Peak Kingdom which aligned with one of the destinations on Elder Fan's diplomatic list.

Li Yu fell into step beside the rumbling wagons as the journey began. True to his nature, he actually found himself enjoying the simple act of traveling the unknown road on this realm he had never been to before. He liked the rhythmic sound of the wooden wheels rolling over the packed dirt and the occasional snorts from the horned oxen.

The sun beat down on his shoulders and a gentle breeze ruffled his hair. It was a peaceful environment that demanded very little from him and where he felt happy to just exist alongside everyone. He did not have to fight for his life or navigate deadly cosmic threats. Li Yu just had to put one foot in front of the other, walk and enjoy what nature and the world had to offer.

Despite the peaceful surroundings, soon a familiar tension soon began to creep into his chest. Li Yu possessed a unique advantage in his cultivation journey through the use of a second mind. This secondary consciousness resided deep within his soul space and it constantly pondered the laws of the universe.

It calculated the intricate details of space and time while analyzing the fundamental truths of creation. Because of this second mind, Li Yu was never truly wasting his time. He was always advancing his comprehension in the background even while he was sleeping or talking to others.

However, his current state of anxiety made him feel like this passive background cultivation was simply not enough anymore. The looming threats against his family, the wider chaos happening throughout the Myriad Realms and the unseen enemies advancing further on the path of the Dao was something constantly worrying him. Regardless if he thought about it or not, his subconscious made him worry. As he walked down the dirt road, a nagging voice in his head urged him to do more.

'I could be cycling my Creation Lord Qi right now,' Li Yu thought while staring at the dusty road ahead. 'If I force my main mind to focus on my meridians, I can pull the thin spiritual energy from this realm and refine it. I could take pills and refine those as well. I could multitask and push my cultivation forward while I travel. Every second I spend just looking at the trees is a second I am not preparing for the future.'

He felt a strong urge to close his eyes and sink into a deep meditative state while his body continued to walk on autopilot. Doing so would maximize his efficiency and accelerate his growth. But he also knew that activating his main mind for cultivation would pull him entirely out of the present moment. His physical senses would dull and the world around him would fade into a blur of energy pathways and laws. He would stop seeing the beautiful green hills and he would stop hearing the banter and gossip of the merchants.

Li Yu wrestled with a deep sense of guilt for wanting to let his main mind rest. He felt like he was failing his duties by simply enjoying his travels as he once did. He tried to push the guilt down and focus on the scenery but the internal friction made his chest tight and pulled him out of the moment. The bowstring in his mind remained pulled taut and his aura flickered with subtle instability. He was physically walking the path but his mind was running a thousand miles ahead.

The caravan continued its slow pace over the next few days as Li Yu struggled with himself. They covered a modest distance each day and stopped whenever the oxen needed rest. Li Yu forced himself to endure the crawling speed and resisted the urge to use his powers to propel the wagons forward or lift some of the weight off the oxen so they wouldn’t tire as easily. He spent his time observing the merchants and listening to their casual conversations.

On the fourth afternoon, the clear blue sky began to darken with heavy grey clouds. A cold wind swept across the plains and the scent of rain filled the air. Captain Ma shouted orders from the front of the line and urged the drivers to push the oxen a little faster so they could reach a grove of trees ahead.

The rain did not wait for them though and tThe sky opened up while unleashing a torrential downpour that instantly soaked everyone to the bone. The dry dirt road transformed into a river of thick brown mud within minutes. The heavy wooden wheels of the wagons sank deep into the mire and the oxen struggled to find their footing at all.

Li Yu wiped the rain from his face and watched the chaotic scene unfold. He could easily project a barrier of Qi to keep himself dry but per the Patriarch's orders, he continued to experience the weather just as the mortals did, as he once would have had no problems doing before.

A loud crack echoed over the sound of the pouring rain. Li Yu turned his head and saw the third wagon in the line tilt violently to the right side after the sound. The rear wheel had become wedged in a deep rut and the strain had caused the thick wooden axle to snap in half. The wagon leaned dangerously close to tipping over and spilling its precious cargo of woven silk into the mud.

Several merchants and guards rushed toward the damaged wagon with ropes and wooden planks. They yelled over the storm and tried to stabilize the leaning structure. Li Yu felt his instincts flare up and he stepped forward to intervene.

'I can help and get this fixed faster.' Li Yu calculated the solution in his mind. He raised his hand to channel his power but he froze before the energy could leave his body. He remembered the strict rules Elder Fan had placed upon this mission and the advice Patriarch Yue had given him. He was here to experience the mortal world at a natural pace.

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This mission was for himself and if he broke the rules, he wouldn’t do himself any favors. If he used his supreme power to solve every minor inconvenience, he would learn nothing at all. He would just be rushing again. Li Yu lowered his hand and let his Qi settle back into his core. He decided to hold back and observe how the ordinary merchants handled a significant delay that threatened their livelihood.

Instead of panicking or cursing the heavens for their bad luck, even though there was a lot of that as well. The merchants quickly adapted to the situation at hand. Captain Ma jogged through the mud and assessed the broken axle with a critical eye. He did not yell at the driver or complain about the lost time. He simply wiped the mud from his beard and let out a hearty laugh.

"Well boys, it looks like the road has decided we are done traveling for the day," Captain Ma shouted with a wide grin. "Bring the other wagons around and form a circle. We will camp right here and fix the axle in the morning when the rain stops. Get the heavy tarps out and string them up to provide cover for everyone."

The merchants echoed his laughter and immediately sprang into action. They expertly guided the oxen through the mud and arranged the twenty wagons into a tight defensive circle. They pulled large canvas tarps from the storage crates and tied them between the wagons to create a wide canopy that blocked out the heavy rain.

Li Yu stepped under the makeshift shelter and watched the men work with practiced efficiency. There was little to no anger or frustration in their movements. They treated the broken axle as a simple fact of life rather than a catastrophic failure that would cause delays.

"Bring out the fire pit and the dry wood," Captain Ma ordered while slapping a younger merchant on the shoulder. "If we are stuck in the mud, we might as well eat like kings tonight. Who has the root vegetables?"

Li Yu decided to offer his assistance and walked over to the center of the camp where a few men were struggling to ignite a pile of damp wood. He knelt beside the fire pit and used a tiny invisible spark of his natal flame to dry the kindling and ignite a steady flame. The fire crackled to life and brought a welcome wave of warmth to the damp enclosure.

The merchants cheered as the fire was lit and brought out a large iron pot. They suspended the pot over the flames and filled it with fresh rainwater they caught from the edge of the tarps. Li Yu volunteered to help prepare the meal and pulled a small carving knife from his spatial ring to the surprise of those around him.

Storage rings were rare in this realm so many haven’t even seen one before but there was no greed in their eyes. They all knew that if Li Yu had a storage ring, he was much stronger than any one of them present. He sat on a wooden crate and began chopping thick tubers and crisp carrots with precise and effortless motions alongside the other cooks.

A young merchant named Johen sat down beside him and began slicing a large block of salted meat. Johen was a cheerful man with bright eyes and a quick smile that seemed to radiate joy. Li Yu had learned over the past few days that Johen had a wife and a young son waiting for him in the capital city.

"You handle that knife like a master chef, Li Yu," Johen noted while tossing the slices of salted meat into the boiling pot. "Are you sure you are just a wandering cultivator that is delivering goods from town to town?"

"I have cooked a few meals in my time," Li Yu replied with a modest smile as he swept the chopped vegetables into the broth. He watched the steam rise toward the canvas canopy and listened to the rain drumming against the thick fabric. The smell of the rich stew began to fill the damp air and his stomach rumbled in response. It was simple food preparation but simple did not mean it wasn’t good.

He turned his attention back to the young merchant and decided to ask the question that had been bothering his mind. "Tell me Johen. Why is everyone so calm about this broken axle? We are stuck in the mud and the delay will surely cost the caravan money. If the caravan loses money won’t your wages be lowered as well? You have a family waiting for you in the capital. Does it not anger you that this storm has slowed your return home?"

Johen stirred the pot with a long wooden spoon and chuckled softly. "Anger does not fix a broken wheel, my friend. It only makes the waiting feel longer and causes frustrations within. Of course I miss my wife and my son. I wish I could see them right now if that was possible. But if I let every delay and every storm ruin my mood, I would be a miserable man. A miserable man returning home is of no use to anyone."

The young merchant pulled a small wooden cup from his belt and scooped a taste of the broth before nodding in approval. He handed the spoon to Li Yu and leaned back against a nearby crate.

"Out here on the trade roads delays are just a natural part of life," Johen explained while gesturing toward the other merchants laughing around the fire. "We deal with broken axles, flooded rivers, stubborn oxen and whatever else mother nature throws at us all the time. The journey takes as long as it takes. If we only focused on the destination and the profits waiting at the end of the road, it would be a terrible prison for the mind."

Li Yu stirred the stew and listened closely to the wisdom of someone who had lived this lifestyle for quite some time. Everyone had their own struggles and everyone learned how to deal with these issues.

"My father taught me a valuable lesson when I first joined the caravan," Johen continued with a fond smile. "He told me that our lives do not pause while we travel. This camp right here in the mud is where my life is happening today. If I spend the whole night wishing I was in the capital, I will miss out on sharing a good meal and a few laughs with my brothers. I would miss watching the rain fall. The destination is important but the journey is where we actually live."

The words struck Li Yu with force and resonated deeply with the advice Patriarch Yue had given him back at the clan. He realized the mortal merchants understood a truth that he had forgotten in his rush for supreme power. They were truly living in the present moment because worrying about things they couldn’t control wouldn’t help them. They did not view this rainy campout as a waste of time but rather as an experience to be shared and enjoyed. The alternative would be to complain and be miserable.

Li Yu looked at the bubbling stew and then looked inward at his own mind. His second consciousness was still humming away in the background pondering the grand laws but his main mind was still tense and anxious and constantly pushing him to do more.

He thought about Johen's words. This rainy evening in the Blue Cloud Realm was a part of his life right now even with the looming threats in the future. If he spent the entire night stressing about his delayed cultivation and worrying about the cosmic threats, he would miss the warmth of the fire and the taste of the meal before him. Missing the experience of being stranded on the road with strangers, enjoying a warm meal and stories with them.

Li Yu took a slow deep breath and tried to make a conscious decision. He reached out to his main mind and ordered it to stop worrying. He tried his best to stop calculating his lost efficiency and he stopped running the scenarios of the future. He unstrung the tight bow in his chest and forced himself to simply exist in the damp tent. It was easier said than done and it was just a small progress at first.

He grabbed a wooden bowl and served himself a portion of the hot stew. He held the bowl in his hands and let the heat seep into his chilled fingers. He took a bite of the tender meat and the soft vegetables. Because his main mind was now mostly fully present, the flavors exploded across his tongue with incredible richness. The simple food tasted better than many of the rare spirit dishes he had eaten recently because he was actually paying attention to it.

"This is a very good stew, Johen," Li Yu said with a smile while taking another bite.

Johen laughed and raised his own bowl in a toast. "It is the best stew in the world because we are eating it together while the storm howls outside. Eat up my friend. Tomorrow we will fix the wheel and deal with the mud. Tonight, we will just enjoy the fire and tell stories."

Li Yu nodded and ate his meal in comfortable silence. He listened to the merchants tell exaggerated stories about their past travels and he joined in the laughter when Captain Ma spilled wine on his own boots.

He sat by the crackling fire and watched the rain drip from the canvas edge. The anxiety in his chest slowly began to melt away a tiny bit under the warmth of the simple community. He was taking his very first step toward finding his balance and he realized that Patriarch Yue was entirely correct. Being able to rest and enjoy the journey did not make him weak. It made the present moment incredibly beautiful.