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Epilogue
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Lao Yi stood atop the mountain, staring out at the city far below with a wistful look on his face. His apprentice had risen to the challenge well – better than he could have hoped, even. Naturally, a fair portion of his success was due to luck – finding that case full of gold coins was a stroke of good fortune, even with the attention it would bring.
Nothing wrong with that. Every good cultivator needed a bit of luck on their path.
“You know, considering how you all but abandoned the kid, you’re spending an awfully long time watching over him. Didn’t you say he needed to sink or swim on his own terms?”
The voice of Li Feng cut through the peaceful silence of the mountaintop. Lao Yi quirked a lip at the impatience in his tone, not taking it personally.
“The heart is not as easily convinced as the head, my friend,” he responded quietly, watching the ship as it drifted further into the river, his gaze lingering on the disappearing figure of his apprentice. A silent breeze passed over the mountain, carrying with it a sense of finality. He had kept his distance, watching from afar, ensuring that Zhujiao would be left to face the challenges of his journey. It was not without difficulty, but Lao Yi knew his words had been true: the boy needed to travel this path alone. There could be no more interference.
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Li Feng, standing beside him, fidgeted with a sleek, glossy black device, tapping it in various places. “These things are more complicated than they need to be,” he muttered, squinting at the glowing interface. “I thought they said that this ‘technology’ was supposed to make things easier, not harder.”
Lao Yi spared the device a passing glance, the disapproval in his expression unmistakable. “I don’t trust it,” he said, his voice as steady as the mountain beneath their feet. “Nor the people who supply it. They promise much but, of yet, have delivered little. These devices... they put too much power in the hands of those who don’t understand its weight.”
Li Feng chuckled, shaking his head. “No cultivator likes it. I’ve heard that same complaint from every Sect Leader, Elder, and even a few disciples. But you know as well as I do it’s the mere mortals who thrive on these innovations. They don’t need Qi, they just need... this.” He held up the device, as if to punctuate the point.
Lao Yi’s gaze returned to the river, his expression unreadable. “Power without cultivation is a dangerous thing. It upsets the balance. Those who have no understanding of the heavens should not be allowed to meddle with the forces of this world.” His tone held no judgment, just fact.
Li Feng laughed softly, slipping the device into his robe. “Perhaps. But the world is changing, old friend. We can’t keep looking backward.”
Lao Yi didn’t respond, the weight of his thoughts hanging in the air between them. The ship had vanished beyond the horizon, leaving only the faint ripple of its wake behind. There was nothing more to be done.
“I’ve been recalled,” Lao Yi said finally, the words slipping from his lips like a quiet confession. “The Sect won’t allow me to linger here any longer.”
Li Feng nodded. “Then it’s time to leave it to him.”
Lao Yi closed his eyes briefly, a final act of letting go. “Yes. His fate is his own now.”