章節 6: Heaven’s Game
I get to eat good food and enough rest. With Bi Yuan's help, I am starting to see some semblance of stability in my lifestyle. This will be a lull period for me. I should not waste this opportunity.
That's why no matter how tedious is it, I force myself on studying the scriptures that are stored on the shelves. I also paid attention to my physical fitness by doing regular exercises. Not to mention, I also review the original Fu Shi's memories for the sake of consistency.
There is a reason why I am doing all of this.
Old Fus Shi's memories are not perfect. It is fragmented. The only reason that I have a grasp on it is because of my superior mental power. I don't mean to boast, but I quite have a knack when it comes to mental concentration and mental endurance.
Through this mental power, I was able to arrange old Fu Shi's memories as I see fit. It is a very exhausting task given the long time that old Fu Shi has lived.
Speaking of mental power, this is also a good motivation for me to meditate.
I strongly believe that in due time, my meditation will bear fruit,
Meditation is the only pastime I have, as such, I immerse myself in the act. It is not like it is a fruitless endeavor. Surely, I will be rewarded, if not today, then someday.
...
I delved into old Fu Shi's memories trying to make sense of the Heavenly Dao. The Dao is an abstract and philosophical concept that holds more substance than what is let on.
My understanding of it is purely intuitive. This is the same for many Perfect Immortals like old Fu Shi.
But I am a little bit different, bizarrely complicated. My perception of Dao is not limited by intuition--- I possess a perception like that of a modern earthling's thinking.
Even now, I feel weird that Fu Shi's perception isn't clashing with my original thought process.
I fell into contemplative thinking— it is only through my past life's knowledge that I was able to interact with the Heavenly Dao. If it was old Fu Shi, he won't be able to recreate what I did even with his profound cultivation.
Though I lack qi, my awareness of how the brain works greatly helped me in creating the 'system'. Maybe to the eyes of others, what I did is nothing short of profane if not unorthodox, and I may be branded as a demonic cultivator instead.
It got me curious, what would I look like in Fu Shi's perception?
I used the Mind's Eye 'inwardly' trying to see what am I like, inside.
Initially, I was imagining that I'll be seeing blood, bones, and flesh.
But when I opened my eyes, I instead found myself in the middle of endless empty white. In front of me is the old Fu Shi, the original Fu Shi.
"Hey there, young man..." The old man said in a chiding tone. Somehow, I felt disapproval and a bit of joy from old Fu Shi's gaze.
I remained silent at old Fu Shi's words. I stroked my bare arm, touching my skin, trying to make sense of what is happening.
Old Fu Shi raised his hand, summoning a crystal clear mirror. There, my image was reflected— a young man in his mid-20s with black hair.
His name was... my name is...
Who am I?
I saw myself in the mirror frowning. My thoughts are chaotic and without calm. With a thought, I made the mirror shatter.
*Crack!
The shards of the mirror vanished into thin air as the old man behind it, amiably smiled in my direction.
"You are you." Old Fu Shi suddenly spoke; his voice is soft and friendly.
"And I am me," he continued while he touches his long messy beard with an air of a sage.
"You see, young man... After I lost in Heaven's Game, I made countermeasures to preserve my life. You are the result of that."
Heaven's Game, I can remember it vividly in old Fu Shi's memories— a game of chess, then a puzzle, and lastly a toss of a coin. These three games are also called 'Three Heavenly Trade', as to why, only the Gods of Heavens know.
I, as someone who shares old Fushi's body and memories, don't even know what is this 'trade' all about. What I do know, however, is that if someone manages to gain a 'profit' in any of this trade, that someone will be granted immense power.
Old Fu Shi almost won all of those three games, but in the end, only manage to win one. Alas, the heavens are above humankind. It is an established fact. But how exactly did it happen?
I can remember it happening, but not how it happened. This is all too bizarre.
???
This dissonance of reality and facts are unnerving.
All I remember was a blur of events, and... that's it. Suddenly, I feel becoming lightheaded. The migraine hits my head like a hammer.
"Young man. In my stead, you shall fight the heavens..." Old Fu Shi told me in his tired voice. "Prepare yourself—" He added, a worrisome gaze encumbered on me.
Why? Why Would I?
My forehead creased, thinking of the reasons why it all came to this.
"Wait, wait, and wait! What is up to me? How about my past life? No, that doesn't matter anyway... Tell me, how much of my life am I in control?"
Old Fu Shi stopped caressing his beard as he intently gazes at me no longer with worry, but with pity. Invisible pressure gathered in my surroundings, but I won't let up.
"None, you have no control. Everyone does... The Heavens dictate us, and we follow. As cultivators, we defy fate, seek longevity, and challenge immortality."
The old man's words are cryptic. Questions after question are piling over one another.
"It was a futile struggle. Why? It is because the Heavens forbid us. This is why you have to fight." He added, clenching his fist with his rage evident.
"What if I don't do it? To not fight the heavens?"
In my mind, our conversation doesn't make any sense. But it doesn't sound that strange either… as if the flow of our conversation is normal.
"You have no choice. They will come at you with a vengeance. The Heaven's Chosen after all will want 'Fu Shi' dead."
"How about my name? What is my name in my past life?"
"I don't know."
I remember my past life, but not my name? This is too incredulous!
My nails dug into my palms. The pain stimulated me as the metaphorical blood flows between my fingers. The old man in front of me then turned into ash as he vanishes with the wind.
I gazed unto the empty endless white that surrounds me.
This place is inside my mind, I am certain. But the stinging sensation within the gaps of my fingers felt too real, and so is the conversation… this is neither a dream nor an illusion that I can just ignore.
It is real.
As if my time has run out, I was returned to my original body... The old man I talked to… He must be the remnants of old Fu Shi's consciousness.
It can't be old Fu Shi himself since the old man has been clearly annihilated already after the Heaven's Game. But what am I?
I am Fu Shi, right?
Since I don't even remember my name from my past life, I must be Fu Shi, right?
"Fucking shit… and here I thought— I have moved on from my past life…"
I opened my 'physical' eyes unaware of how much time has passed. But it is easy to check. I just have to check my system.
[Name: Fu Shi
Quintessence: 84
Players: 0/1]
Looks like at least a week has passed... given that my quintessence has increased by seven… Strangely, I don't feel hungry at all.
Wait... Are my eyes playing tricks on me?
This—?
[Players: 0/1]
Zero over one?
What happened?
I used the Mind's Eye wanting to check on Bi Yuan.
NO!
NO! NO! NO!
NO WAY!
THIS CAN'T BE!
I used my Mind's Eyes, only for fear to strike me down... and for anger to surge above and beyond the calm facade I always managed to project.
This can't be. In my rage, I unconsciously punch the hard cavern walls causing blood to flow from my fist. It hurts, but not painful enough to wake me from the immeasurable wrath raging within me.
Bi Yuan... she... she died. This can't be. Her white fur was sullied with blood. The small thing deprived of life remained unmoving. The light in her eyes is no more except the dull greyness of the dead.
SHE'S DEAD! WHY!? WHO?
My eyes are bloodshot with fury.
Through my Mind's Eye, I saw Bi Yuan's carcass being dissected by a cultivator. Judging from his aura, he must be a practitioner of some sort of dark arts.
"I am maddeningly furious."
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