TL-Checked by Sassystrawberry; Edited by Animeart

  This was the Peach Blossom Spring.

  Within the Peach Blossom Spring, there was also the aunt, the neighbouring young man and his grey dog.

  The Peach Blossom Spring was just as peaceful and auspicious as in the past.

  As peaceful and auspicious as the city before them.

  This city, and this Peach Blossom Spring.

  ——They were all people killed by the Great Wizard.

  Either killed directly by spells or had died from the blood poison.

  If this world was actually not an illusion, but reality, then after they died at the hands of the Great Wizard, using some unknown method, their souls, or perhaps something else, had arrived at another world — the world that the Great Wizard had prepared for them.

  This world has no unfavorable weather, there was no war nor famine, everyone lived amicably with one another. Along their entire journey through the city, they had not seen, even a single crying, angry, or sad visage. Lin Shu wondered, whether they still were the same people as before they died, would they still remember the things that had happened whilst they were alive?

  And another question would be, supposing that this world was indeed real, did the Great Wizard intend to have everyone in the world killed due to his actions, so that he could draw them into this “Elysium”?

  He was a Great Wizard with lofty ideas.

  While he pondered upon these in a broad manner, he heard Xiao Shao ask, “Is this a Land Immortal Cultivator’s fairyland?”

  The Great Wizard said, “Yes.”

  Xiao Shao, “To break free from the shackles of the Heavenly Law, and create another world?”

  The Great Wizard slowly said, “The many generations in the secular world are nothing but a floating reed within chaos. Once one’s cultivation has reached spiritual consummation, being able to break free from the secular world, and ascend to the Immortal Realm, why not self-create a new heaven and earth?”

  Lin Shu didn’t want to speak, and merely listened to their dialogue, gaining new theoretical knowledge.

  Originally, the ascension of Immortal Cultivators implied that with regards to their own “Dao”, they were thoroughly enlightened and perfectly in harmony, thus being able to survive on their own, without having to rely on the “Dao” of Heaven. At this time breaking boundaries and undergoing the Thunder Tribulation,

  At this time, this person already has a set of sufficiently self-consistent “Dao” of his own, relying on the “Dao” of heaven, and inclusive of the secular world. Hence by relying on this person’s “Dao”, it would not be impossible to create another Heaven and Earth that was self-consistent.

  After all, the ancient legends of Pangu creating Heaven and Earth, also refer to a person, forming Heaven and Earth out of chaos.

  Buddhism speaks of the three thousand worlds of Suo Po, the impermanence of birth and death. Even in modern physics, some people have put forth the hypothesis of “parallel universes”.

  Lin Shu found this train of discussion something that he could accept.

  He continued to listen.

  Xiao Shao, “Why did you not ascend?”

  The Great Wizard smiled. “There is still unfinished business.”

  Xiao Shao’s expression was bland, not looking at the Great Wizard, but just gazing at the city populace. “Is your unfinished business to make all the people of the world ascend to Elysium?”

  The Great Wizard spoke as if he was part of an MLM. “If you are willing, peace can be brokered between Northern and Southern Xia.”

  Xiao Shao looked indifferent. “Are we discussing the peace terms here?”

  Great Wizard, “Otherwise?”

  Bafflingly, Lin Shu actually felt that the Great Wizard was quite nice to Xiao Shao.

  The attitude could even be considered very affable, like speaking to an elder, not at all like his sarcastic, unpredictable and ambiguous manner towards Lin Shu.

  However, the intentions of the Great Wizard’s words were not affable at all.

  Northern and Southern Xia shaking hands and making peace with one another, everyone would become living corpses together, afterwards living peacefully in this world.

  If peace wasn’t agreed on, it would be fine as well, by forcibly infecting them with the blood poison, everyone would become living corpses together, afterwards living peacefully in this world.

  Lin Shu, “&#k2026;”

  Okay.

  Xiao Shao said, “I can’t give my consent so rashly.”

  Great Wizard, “Why?”

  Xiao Shao looked down at the whole city. “Are they living well?”

  Great Wizard, “Good.”

  “There is no hatred or resentment within their heart?”

  Great Wizard, “They have all abandoned evil desires.”

  “Truth be told, if Your Excellency wishes to achieve his goals, there is no need to cause harm to the common people.” Xiao Shao turned to the Great Wizard. “It only requires that you turn yourself into one of the city’s denizens, and you’ll be able to live without hatred or resentment, ascend to Elysium, obtaining your heart’s desire.”

  The Great Wizard was momentarily speechless.

  \r \r \r

  Lin Shu thought to himself, Xiao Shao is still Xiao Shao.

  But the Great Wizard is also not a person to be trifled with. “Since I am working for the benefit of all living beings and am facing the bitter snow and winds, how can I leave ahead of the rest?”

  Xiao Shao, “I fear that this sentiment is just one-sided on your part.”

  The Great Wizard smiled thoughtfully and quietly to himself.

  When he smiled, the blood red color in his eyes seemed to flow, both ghastly and mysterious.

  “Your Royal Highness.” The Great Wizard said slowly, “And how do you know that they don’t want this?”

  Xiao Shao didn’t say a word.

  Lin Shu looked at the Great Wizard, feeling that the blood color in his eyes had deepened yet again.

  The Great Wizard continued, “The mortals of this world are homeless and miserably wandering. They are suffering from oppressive governments, famine, or extreme poverty where they cannot clothe or feed themselves properly, and have already reached the point of extreme hardship. They don’t believe in the future (being better), and only look for deliverance (from their suffering)…… If I help them cross here, what is the problem?”

  Xiao Shao, “The suffering of all living beings is our failure. Since you……have such a wish, why not end the war with Southern Xia and improve the common people’s welfare?”

  The Great Wizard’s dark red lips continued to draw an erratic smile. “It’s not up to me…… willing or otherwise.”

  Xiao Shao, “Oh?”

  The Great Wizard lowered his head slightly, the corners of his mouth were still lifted in a smile.

  The blood red in his eyes throbbed slightly, almost resembling a pool of flowing blood that was on the verge of bursting open the shackles of his eyeballs, flowing downwards.

  Lin Shu looked consideringly at the Great Wizard.

  He felt that the manner of the Great Wizard at this moment was frenzied and insane, within this madness there was also a repression. And hanging by his side, within the cyan sleeves, his exposed bloodless withered hand faintly trembled, as if he was suppressing something within.

  The Great Wizard’s voice was hoarse and he spoke intermittently, as if half of his words had gotten lodged within his throat, saying, ” Your Royal Highness, you aren’t…… in agreement with me?”

  Xiao Shao, “Not in agreement.”

  The Great Wizard smiled.

  He put his hands together, then separated them slowly and between his two hands something seemed to be stretched out into existence, appearing out of thin air……

  ——It was an old bronze mirror, the edges bearing the green patina of oxidized bronze.

  “People who walk different paths would not be able to make plans together.” The Great Wizard said, “(I) present this mirror to Your Highness, (our) chat did relieve some boredom. Please forgive this one for taking my leave.”

  After his words, his figure slowly dissipated, turning into countless black flying ashes, scattering across the land.

  Lin Shu and Xiao Shao were left with the bronze mirror suspended (in mid-air) in front of them.

  Xiao Shao held up the bronze mirror, the bronze patina crumbled downwards with a rustling sound.

  Lin Shu and Xiao Shao looked towards one another.

  Lin Shu said, “Will he return?”

  Xiao Shao, “He will not.”

  Lin Shu: “Oh.”

  Xiao Shao: “(Shall we) leave?”

  Lin Shu: “Ok.”

  He was still clearly aware of the situation.

  With the departure of the Great Wizard, the two of them would be trapped in this world.

  As for how to leave, would require him to find his own solution to the situation.

  Xiao Shao said, “(Let’s) go to the village.”

  Lin Shu, “Ok.”

  Regardless of anything, the Peach Blossom Spring was an unusual existence.

  They left this high ground and headed northwards. Everything about the Peach Blossom Spring became clear at a glance, the scenery could not be any more familiar. Even the ridges and creeks were the places they had traversed. Occasionally within the small creek swimming by were fat and delicious looking fish, which were also of the type that they had previously caught before.

  The villagers were working in the fields, and upon seeing them walking over, the villagers smiled kindly, and greeted them. Some even shouted out their names, saying that it’s been quite a few years since they last met, the two of you have returned etc.

  The smiles on their faces were almost identical to the expressions of the people of the city. However when this sort of expression appeared on their faces, aside from the fact that everyone’s face had a similar expression which was a little odd, it actually did not feel out of place.

  Lin Shu ruminated on the underlying reason for this, thinking about it, the Peach Blossom Spring’s villagers’s living conditions were basically very close to those of the people living in the city ——There was no war, no hunger, an inexhaustible supply of food, their lives were orderly and unencumbered by worries or concerns.

  The Peach Blossom Spring, could it be considered as Elysium on a small-scale?

  They walked to the small alley where the aunt’s house was.

  The grey dog ran out of nowhere and sat by the roadside, wagging its tail at a fixed frequency. Its mouth hung open, revealing a small part of its tongue, seemingly smiling.

  The aunt leaning on the door frame also smiled. “The children have come.”

  She wiped her hands on her linen apron, turned around, and brought the two people into the house. “The blankets have been dried (in the sun), they should be comfortable to sleep in, (I’ve) boiled some fish soup, as a tonic for the children to strengthen their bodies……”

  The milky white fish soup was brought to the table, served with fresh and tender shredded green onions floating in it. The long-lasting fresh taste was identical to what they remembered.

  The aunt sat across from them with a smile on her face.

  Lin Shu and Xiao Shao drank the soup in a proper manner, and the aunt’s smile broadened.

  Xiao Shao found some topics for discussion, and made small talk with the aunt. The aunt also started gossiping with them, and the conversation actually flowed very smoothly.

  Had it not been for the series of incidents that had happened earlier, Lin Shu might think that he had returned to the past (of three years ago).

  Through the conversation, within the aunt’s memories, the matter of having been killed by the Great Wizard simply did not exist, her life was peaceful and quiet, just that that pair of children who had left three years ago, had returned after three years to visit her.

  Lin Shu noted Xiao Shao’s slight frown, and asked, “Aunt, does the village still experience earthquakes?”

  “Earthquake?” The aunt looked puzzled. “What is an earthquake?”

  Xiao Shao lightly tapped his fingertips on the table, and then said to the aunt, “(It’s) nothing…… I remembered wrongly, this is a foreign phrase.”

  He sighed lightly and changed the subject, “Aunt, I am not sure if you still remember that, Shu-er and I, had lost a child?”

  A child that was lost?

  Lin Shu thought back.

  He remembered that in the past, when he and Xiao Shao discovered that they were both males, they had blamed one another for the loss of the unborn Yingying, the Aunt had mistakenly assumed that it was a miscarriage.

  But the aunt again looked puzzled. “The two of you went outside (of Peach Blossom Springs) for three years, how is it (you use) there are so many words that I don’t understand?”

  “Lost, that is…… Shu-er was originally pregnant, but due to a moment of carelessness, miscarried……” Xiao Shao said with a straight face.

  The aunt was even more puzzled. “A child within the womb, how would it be lost? I have never heard of such a strange thing.”

  Lin Shu heard Xiao Shao again (in a strange manner) change the topic steering the conversation to inconsequential matters.

  The fish soup was drunk, the conversation was exhausted, they were then stuffed into the bed chamber by the Aunt, she said that they had travelled from afar, and should quickly take a rest.

  When only the two of them were left in the room, Xiao Shao said, “Aunt’s mental faculties are much clearer than that of the people within the city.”

  Lin Shu, “Yeah.”

  When speaking with the people in the city, the people tended to speak obscurely and in an unclear manner, and after two sentences they would start to mechanically repeat their words, however they were able to have a complete conversation with the Aunt.

  Xiao Shao let out a sigh of relief and said, “I understand how the Great Wizard created this Elysium’.”

  Lin Shu used his eyes to indicate his interest in listening to the tale.

  “Humans have seven emotions: joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, desire. People in Elysium only know Joy, and do not understand the rest because the Great Wizard wipes away the memories related to sorrow and fear…… Or perhaps anything related from their souls, naturally they are harmonious, kind and happy, having forgotten everything worrying or frightening. Hence the Aunt can clearly remember that we enjoy drinking fish soup, our sleeping chambers, that we have left for three years duration, but does not understand what an earthquake is, nor what a miscarriage is.”

  Lin Shu felt that Xiao Shao’s words were reasonable, and nodded.

  Xiao Shao continued, “The people in Peach Blossom Spring were originally simple in nature and lived apart from the rest of the world, thus did not really experience much worry or fear, Therefore…… what was stripped away by the Great Wizard was less, their mental awareness is still somewhat normal. However the Dian people’s lives were full of suffering, what was stripped away by the Great Wizard…… was a lot more, resulting in their state of delirium.”

  A very reasonable explanation.

  Lin Shu gazed out the window at the charming village amidst the beautiful scenery.

  The village was still the same village, the aunt was the same aunt, her soul was still…… still the original one, but something had been permanently wiped away.

  Once the Great Wizard erased all the negative things in people’s hearts…… They would always live in such a peaceful and auspicious atmosphere, and the Elysium would continue to operate indefinitely. Eternal peace and serenity.

  After all, no one understood the concept of “suffering”.

  This was a self-consistent world, in theory, it indeed could exist.

  Barring external forces, the world created by the Great Wizard would never be destroyed.

  In this case, they also would not be able to discover the flaws of this place.

  Without discovering the flaws, (they) would have no way of leaving.

  He looked at Xiao Shao also gazing out of the window, his eyes showing a slight bewilderment.

  Lin Shu thought, this unfortunately seems to be a challenging situation.

  An inability to discover the flaws, might result in them having to stay here forever.

  He saw Xiao Shao smile.

  Lin Shu, “En?”

  “It’s nothing……” Xiao Shao said, “Three years ago, my life’s wish was to stay with you in the Peach Blossom Spring forever. Today with this gift from the Great Wizard, I can be said to have realized this heart’s desire.”

  Lin Shu said, “Then…… (we) stay?”

  He was an emotionless sword cultivator, with no principles, nor was he nostalgic or cared for the outside world. If Xiao Shao suddenly changed his mind and decided to stay, there was no issue, anyway for him (Lin Shu), no matter how he spent his life – it was still a lifetime.

  He continued: “Then……(we) won’t continue searching for flaws?”

  “Search.” Xiao Shao’s mouth hooked up in a smile. This person was born with incomparably beautiful looks, the corner of his eyes crinkled up slightly, this smile, within its beauty, also brought with it a sliver of malice, seeming like a blood-stained peony flower, or frozen peach blossoms. “This blood debt owed to Peach Blossom Spring, must be repaid in blood.”

  As an emotionless sword cultivator, Lin Shu had no subjective opinion on this, and merely went along with Xiao Shao, “Alright.”

  Then he heard Xiao Shao say, “In fact, there is a shocking flaw in Elysium.”

  The author has something to say: Shu 言 Shu 语: I am a……