Seeking the Tao in the Mortal World - Chapter 168: Gentlemen’s Match

What is love?Love has a lot of meanings.To scientists, it is something that arises as a result of hormonal changes in the human body. To philosophers, it Is something that is triggered in human consciousness when two souls connect. it means a lot of different meanings to different people. Love is happiness to some, it is pain, sadness, ecstasy. It is an emotion that cannot really be explained. It is something that is meant to be felt.You also choose to be in love.But that didn’t happen to me. I didn’t get the opportunity to pick who I wanted to explore these crazy feelings with.It was chosen for me.I had no choice but to love him and he had no choice but to love me.Our love story is the strangest but also the most beautiful ever told.This is our chosen love.

Big news! Big news!

The people of Qingzhou spread the word to each other.

After 200 years of not having any daughters, the Jiang family of Xijin Ferry has finally given birth to a baby girl.

Legend has it that this baby girl was born with great good fortune.

On the day she was born, the long drought-stricken land was blessed with sweet rain.

A few days after she was born, when her elders went up the mountain to hunt, they found a huge spiritual mushroom, resolving the family’s urgent need.

Half a year after she was born, her father topped the imperial exam and was appointed as the top scholar, bringing glory to their ancestors. After becoming an official, under the blessings of little darling, he successively grew new high-yield grain varieties that yielded thousands of catties per mu, shocking the world. It was smooth sailing all the way as he rose through the ranks.

The noble lords looked at Jiang Yuqing subtly gaining favor from the Emperor on behalf of his father, and then at their own daughters who only knew how to fight for attention and be jealous. Tears of envy flowed from the corners of their mouths.

Jiang’s father weakly raised his hand: I swear I didn’t teach her that, do you believe me?

The lords: Tsk…

Seeing the little girl become more and more outstanding, drawing a frenzied swarm of admirers, a certain prince was finally enraged, his sword sweeping across and leaving blood flowing like a river: A flower raised by me, how dare you!

The six prefectures of Zhongbo were offered to foreign enemies on a silver platter, and Shen Zechuan was taken into custody in the capital, reduced to a drowning dog—loathed and condemned by all.Xiao Chiye followed the scent of the furor and made his way over. But instead of setting others on him, he kicked Shen Zechuan with his very own leg, rendering the latter an invalid. Who would expect this invalid to turn around and bite him in a counterattack until he was all drenched in blood?That was the start of an epic feud between both men who tore at each other every time they come face-to-face with one another.“Fate wants to bind me here for life, but this is not the path I choose. The yellow dust submerged my brothers deep under. I have no wish to bow in submission to an illusory fate. The imperial edict can’t save my troops, and the imperial court can’t fill the stomachs of my mounts. I’m no longer willing to lay down my life for this purpose. I want to surmount that mountain. I am going to fight for myself.”Note: A ‘drowning dog’ is someone who is down and out, having lost favor or power.

“Oh Lord Lunareio, you are the only one who can save our world.”...My name is Rikuya Takatsuki, and I didn’t ask to be summoned to some fantasy world with my classmates. But there I was, expected to be a hero and protect the Kingdom from Realm Eaters, dimensional monsters chewing through reality.Apparently, all the races summoned forth heroes of legend, which was sort of a shocker to me since it wasn’t the cliché “slay the demon king” trope.Sounds cool, right? Wrong. While everyone else got flashy powers and legendary classes, I was slapped with the FFF Auto Hero class—no skills, no perks, and no respect.The kingdom handed me some pocket change and politely told me to scram.Fine by me. I was all set on enjoying the easy life in this new world anyways, when out of nowhere a bunch of cultists kidnapped me, claiming I’m their prophesied god or whatever.They gave me a mansion, unlimited snacks, and zero responsibilities, so of course, I played along.But then my so-called useless class kicked in. Turns out Auto Hero means my body hijacks itself whenever there’s danger, turning me into some kind of unstoppable killing machine. Efficient? Sure. Ethical? Not so much. Now everyone thinks I’m this terrifying cult leader who takes down monsters, corrupt kings, and anyone dumb enough to stand in my way.While my classmates enjoy their shiny hero lives, I’m here in the shadows, leading a cult, toppling kingdoms, and pretending I have some grand plan. The truth? I’m just winging it.I mean... what’s the worst that could happen?