Chapter Fifty: The Great Upheaval Arrives

When the final chopsticks reached out and the green, oily contents of the food bowl were finally scraped clean, Ji Wu felt an unexpected sense of relief. Eating this dish was more than just difficult; it was as if a bone were stuck in his throat.

He glanced at Ah Chou, who was pale and emaciated, yet seemed long used to this meal. It must have been served countless times before.

When the meal ended, Xu Yuan did not linger. As usual, he bid farewell to Ah Chou, promising to return another time.

They had barely walked out of the gate of the Pure Breeze Temple when Xu Yuan looked at Ji Wu and said, "If you want to vomit, just do it."

Ji Wu could no longer suppress the turmoil within and retched violently.

After quite a while, Ji Wu, his face ashen, finally recovered. Still shaken and somewhat embarrassed, he said, "Mr. Xu, it's not that I can't endure hardship, but this..."

Xu Yuan nodded in understanding. "Everyone has their own circumstances; there's no need to force yourself."

Ji Wu watched Xu Yuan's expression and cautiously asked, "Are you very unhappy?"

"Yes," Xu Yuan replied, his gaze cold.

He could descend to the mortal realm only once a year, and as this rare diversion, he naturally hoped to witness something uplifting, not the scene before him.

"I'll have the men at the escort agency send a few bags of grain... every month," Ji Wu said hurriedly.

"The Pure Breeze Temple only has two people. Solving their problem is easy enough, but how many in this world are like Ah Chou, or even worse?" Xu Yuan sighed. "Come, walk with me for a while."

Ji Wu readily agreed.

Qingshan County housed ten thousand families, sprawling over a large area. Yet at this hour, it felt deserted, far from its former prosperity.

Last year's calamity hit even wealthy counties like Qingshan hard. Countless impoverished families sold their land, their children, anything to survive the winter.

Now, at dawn, thinly-clad farmers were already laboring in the fields, their faces yellowed and gaunt, etched with deep wrinkles.

Whether in the fields or the markets, laughter was all but absent. After the disaster, the world seemed weighed down by gloom.

Xu Yuan watched in silence until they had nearly traversed the whole county. Then he said, "Tell me about the recent situation in the surrounding areas."

"Last year brought endless disasters. Many couldn't survive and became refugees. In winter, countless died, but some turned to banditry in the mountains. In Western Mountain Prefecture alone, tens of thousands became rebels, led by the very criminal I once encountered.

Last winter, the criminal gathered refugees and assaulted government offices, killed the local gentry, collected grain and distributed it to the people. His movement has grown, and he’s raised the banner of rebellion.

In winter, the authorities struggled to act, but now, the greatest concern in Western Mountain Prefecture is to suppress this criminal. The court is posting notices everywhere, seeking heroes among the people to help," Ji Wu explained.

"Is it only the criminal who has rebelled?" Xu Yuan asked.

"No, not just him. Several places in Western Mountain Prefecture have risen up, and I hear martial arts masters from elsewhere are involved, making the situation chaotic. But since the criminal is infamous and listed by the court, they hope to make an example of him to deter others.

Elsewhere, many have also taken up arms, but I don’t know the details. It was my brother Ji Wen, from the Imperial Academy, who wrote to warn us to be cautious when escorting, and if things turn dire, business can wait," Ji Wu replied.

He knew Western Mountain Prefecture best, but for the whole Qi Kingdom, his brother Ji Wen in the Imperial Academy was more informed.

"It's just about reached its limit," Xu Yuan said.

"Huh?!" Ji Wu was startled, staring wide-eyed at Xu Yuan. "You mean... the court can't hold out much longer?"

Xu Yuan had mentioned it last year, but only as a warning, not so certain as now.

Now, he spoke with absolute conviction.

"Read more history, reflect and learn. Qi Kingdom has held its mandate for over two hundred years, but now there's nothing left. Oppressive taxes, extravagance at the top, corruption below, land monopolized, disasters everywhere, and strange omens inciting countless ambitious wolves... In such circumstances, what reason does Qi Kingdom have to survive?" Xu Yuan countered.

"This... this..." Ji Wu was left speechless, stunned on the spot.

He knew the situation was dire and that many displaced people had been forced to rebel, but he had never imagined it would come to this—or perhaps, until now, he simply dared not.

But Xu Yuan stripped away any pretense, exposing the truth.

"Still, even a rotten ship has three nails left. Qi Kingdom may be decayed through and through, but it should be able to struggle on for a few more years," Xu Yuan said, looking at Ji Wu. "The chaos is coming, boy. A true man born in this world—have you ever thought of doing something great?"

"Something great? Me?"

Ji Wu’s heart stirred. What could be greater in a time of turmoil?

Could it be that Mr. Xu meant...

"The wind rises from the tip of a blade of grass; the wave forms from a ripple. Who knows?" Xu Yuan said.

"Does Mr. Xu think highly of me?" Ji Wu felt as if a miracle had descended, overwhelmed by unreality.

Mr. Xu? Think highly of him? To accomplish something great?!

"I can help only so much. As you see, I can meet you but once a year; most depends on your own efforts," Xu Yuan said, after a pause. "But if you achieve something, perhaps in the future I can truly help you more."

The heavenly palace was empty; the Lower Realm Pool, affected by the persistent workings of the Disappearing Word Technique, was beginning to slow, showing signs of eventual failure. It might cease to function at any moment.

His plan to fully understand the Disappearing Word Technique and then solve the problem seemed increasingly out of reach.

He truly needed to search for clues among mortals.

Yet his time in the mortal world was far too limited. Finding a human agent was an urgent necessity.

The Lower Realm Pool had chosen Qingshan County, making the search easier, and Ji Wu was a promising candidate.

Young, kind-hearted, and trusting—these three qualities made Xu Yuan hopeful.

As for other considerations, Xu Yuan cared little.

Apart from Ji Wu, no one else in Qingshan County met his requirements as well.

But if Ji Wu lacked ambition, Xu Yuan would not force him; after all, a forced melon is never sweet.

If so, then Xiong Ba would no longer remain with Ji Wu’s escort agency.

After a moment, Ji Wu made a resolute decision. "A true man born beneath heaven should not languish under others for long!

With Mr. Xu’s help, why shouldn’t I dare to try?

With an immortal’s aid, how can I not accomplish something great?"