Chapter 223: The True Obstacle is Attachment

“This is an invitation from the Prime Minister,” Zhang Rongling said, handing over the parchment to Chen Luo. The invitation was written in large, gilded letters, its contents simple and direct:

“Betrothal”

The Prime Minister had set his sights on Zhang Rongling’s talents and wished to take him as his son-in-law. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Zhang Rongling, a chance to transform his life. He had navigated the capital’s power struggles for years, more so than anyone else. He knew all too well that without a powerful sponsor, he might never advance in his career, let alone earn an audience with the emperor.

All his dreams and aspirations would evaporate into thin air.

“How will you choose?”

Chen Luo looked at Zhang Rongling, posing a similar question for the third time.

Life was but a series of questions, each an opportunity for choice.

Every choice represented a different path.

Zhang Rongling remained silent, gazing at the invitation in his hands. He seemed to see another version of himself howling at him to stay true to his heart, to be his authentic self. But opportunities like this were rare; one misstep could lead to an entirely different outcome. Hadn’t he spent years enduring the cold yoke of studious hardship, all for a chance like this to rise above his station?

Yet, he felt somewhat guilty towards that woman. But a man must have grand ambitions; how could he let mere romantic entanglements derail his future?

He thought of the woman who was still faithfully waiting for him. He had originally planned to have his second uncle propose to her next year, but now…

“Please return this talisman to her for me.”

Zhang Rongling finally made his decision. As he did so, he seemed to hear a sigh, and the aura gathering in the sky grew even stronger. Chen Luo accepted the talisman from Zhang Rongling, his gaze piercing through the dome to look at the sky above.

Suddenly, a wisp of black fire appeared on Elder Rongling, who was in the middle of his Transcendence outside.

After making his decision, Zhang Rongling attended the Prime Minister’s banquet that very evening. He and the Prime Minister’s daughter fell deeply in love at first sight. Together, they composed poetry and admired the moon, ground ink for calligraphy and painted side by side.

Half a year later, the two were married.

As Zhang Rongling’s elder, Chen Luo drank the toast to the happy couple. He also chatted with the Prime Minister, who now was just another ordinary person, despite once holding immense power.

That night, Zhang Rongling was full of vigor, with his beautiful beloved in his arms and his official career advancing smoothly. However, in another corner, a woman he had forgotten sat alone, her tears falling as she gradually aged.

The unfeeling man ages easily, his youthful looks frostbitten by time.

Another year passed.

Zhang Rongling had successfully secured an audience with the emperor. With his father-in-law’s help, he rapidly ascended the bureaucratic ranks, rising from a lowly compiler to a prominent official overseeing national policies.

Due to his relationship with his father-in-law, Zhang Rongling became a member of the ‘New Faction.’ This group was composed of ambitious reformers within the imperial court. As the Prime Minister’s son-in-law, Zhang Rongling naturally took up the banner for his father-in-law, participating in many of the New Faction’s policies. This earned him numerous enemies among conservative officials, including influential nobles and imperial relatives. However, shielded by the towering figure of the Prime Minister, no one dared to challenge him directly.

At this point, Zhang Rongling was at the height of his career, like a sword drawn from its sheath. He had attained power, which he used to pursue his ambitions while enjoying the privileges befitting a influential figure. The Zhang family’s influence expanded alongside his rise, gradually transforming from a local clan into a powerful force in the capital. Even the woman who had arrived in the city with Chen Luo from the countryside had metamorphosed.

Influenced by those around her, she gradually learned to choose her clothes and adorn herself with gold and silver. Only by doing so could she match the status of her husband. She remained as humble as ever; the changes she made were merely to render herself worthy of Zhang Er Lin, the great master.

That year, Zhang Rongling was thirty-seven years old.

Over these twenty years, Chen Luo had become increasingly accustomed to life here, adapted to the woman beside him. He noticed that she remembered all his little habits, as if she had become an integral part of his life.

Throughout his cultivation career spanning just over two decades, experiences within the Demonic Heart Tribulation had consumed half of his years of practice. If not for the recurring sight of tribulation energy circling above whenever he looked up, he likely would have succumbed to his Heart Tribulation like Zhang Rongling long ago.

“Master, perhaps you should take a concubine,” a woman whispered, embracing Chen Luo from behind.

In traditional societies, there were three great acts of filial impiety, with failing to provide an heir being the greatest. The couple’s childlessness after many years of marriage had long spawned rumors. Yet Chen Luo remained indifferent, paying them no heed. To him, he was merely a transient in this place. Once the heavenly tribulation dissipated, he would awaken from his ‘heavenly’ slumber.

“Rest well and don’t worry too much.”

Chen Luo turned around to gaze at the graying woman. For some reason, he felt a twinge of heartache.

She was already fifty-eight – well past the halfway mark of a mortal’s lifespan. Yet she still lived so humbly, her meek eyes focused solely on her husband, Zhang Er Lin.

And for you—how are things going?

He stood up and stepped out.

Chen Luo’s own body was no longer young either, nearing sixty. Although in better shape than the woman, it too was showing signs of decline. Over the years, to maintain his physical condition, Chen Luo had revived his martial arts training from his days in Yue. He’d also collected some techniques native to this world. Overall, he’d made decent progress.

It was truly unfortunate that cultivation couldn’t be practiced here. Otherwise, he could have easily restored his vitality with a mere surge of spiritual energy, sparing himself all this trouble.

Night fell.

Snow thickened.

Curling up in his room, Chen Luo felt its coziness thanks to the charcoal brazier. A corner oil lamp on its copper stand brightened the room, clearly dividing it from the bitterly cold outside—a stark contrast between two worlds.

“The prime minister submitted his resignation half an hour ago,” someone said outside.

Zhang Rongling sat across from him. In his thirties, he was at the prime of his life—past the naivety of youth and now imbued with a certain gravitas. This age marked the golden years of one’s career path.

The Prime Minister he referred to was not only his most valuable political asset but also his father-in-law.

Chen Luo observed Zhang Rongling, noting how he differed vastly from the Elder FusionSpirit he remembered. Rongling now resembled more of a wily old fox, calculating and shrewd. Over the years, their relationship had grown increasingly genuine; Zhang Rongling now viewed Chen Luo as the only family he could trust completely in this world.

Even his own wife, the Prime Minister’s beloved daughter, couldn’t match up to this bond.

“He’s fallen out with the Emperor,” Zhang Rongling revealed the latest news in his possession. He knew that another pivotal moment for the Zhang family had arrived, reminiscent of when he chose to marry the Prime Minister’s daughter years ago. Once dawn broke, news of the Prime Minister’s resignation would spread, leading to a frenzied backlash against all those Zhang Rongling had antagonized over the years. Everything he had built would crumble, sending him plummeting from grace.

“I’m planning to sever ties with him and align myself with Lord Si,” he said with a steely resolve.

Zhang Rongling continued outlining his plan; he hadn’t come to Chen Luo for advice, but simply had a habit of sharing his thoughts with his closest confidant.

“Lord Si? That stubborn old minister from the conservative faction?”

Over the years, Chen Luo had come to understand the dynamics at court well. Though he didn’t actively participate in official affairs, his knowledge of the personalities involved was still quite impressive.

The Lord Si Zhang Rongling referred to was the intransigent old minister who had led the opposition against the Prime Minister years ago. He was the leader of the ‘Old Faction’ and a deeply entrenched veteran official. His daughter was also one of the emperor’s favored concubines. The power behind him was even more deeply rooted, so much so that even when the Prime Minister’s power was at its zenith, he could not bring Lord Si to heel. Now, it would be even more impossible.

“Exactly. I’ve heard that Lord Si has a fondness for violet coral, so I specifically sent someone to procure a fine specimen.”

It was clear that Zhang Rongling had been planning this for some time, as securing the perfect piece of violet coral within such a short period would have been impossible otherwise.

“As Rongling, have you ever considered giving up?”

Chen Luo, looking at Zhang Rongling—the man scheming to ‘sell out’ his father-in-law—suddenly interjected. Under Zhang Rongling’s puzzled gaze, he posed a question that encapsulated their relationship of the past two decades.

His question stunned Zhang Rongling at first, but then he smiled.

“Prosperity is within our grasp. How can we abandon it so easily? Uncle, you’ve grown old.” With these words, Zhang Rongling rose and walked away.

His decision had been made long ago.

In Chen Luo’s eyes, a layer of mist once again rose from Zhang Rongling as he departed. This mist ascended into the sky, becoming increasingly dense. Meanwhile, the Elder FusionSpirit, who was undergoing the Transcendence outside, had more black fire surrounding him. His aura fell from the Core Formation realm back to the peak Foundation Establishment stage.

The next day.

The Prime Minister’s resignation shook the court.

Lord Si temporarily took over the Prime Minister’s duties and began purging the ‘New Faction’. A wave of officials fell from grace; those holding key positions were thrown into prison, and some faced the severe penalty of their families being confiscated and their lineages extinguished. The factional strife was brutal; there was no right or wrong, only victory or defeat.

Zhang Rongling, the Prime Minister’s son-in-law, managed to survive this calamity. He acted even more decisively than Chen Luo had anticipated. Aside from offering up a treasure, he also exposed some of his father-in-law’s secrets. By siding with the ‘Old Faction’, he secured his own position and preserved his power.

Months passed.

As the court transitioned between old and new, the ‘Old Faction’ began to dominate.

During this period, Zhang Rongling remained cautious, afraid to stand out. Yet, despite his desire to stay low-profile, others had their own plans. The former disciples of the Prime Minister appeared outside the Zhang Manor, loudly berating him.

“Zhang Rongling! You shameless wretch, how dare you call yourself a son-in-law?” the man at the door barked.

“I wash my hands of this treacherous associate!!”

With that, he lifted his hem, produced a pair of scissors, and made short work of it. With a crisp “snip,” the front of his robe was severed. The man seized the cut fabric and hurled it to the ground with disdain.

“As of this moment, I sever all ties with you. Our friendship as classmates ends here and now!”

The act of cutting the sleeve was merely the beginning of the consequences that would unfold.

Before long, the remnants of the New Faction, fueled by their anger at the Old Faction’s attacks, turned their ire on Zhang Rongling and began to impeach him en masse. Naturally, Lord Si, who had only recently taken Zhang Rongling under his wing, wouldn’t risk much to protect him. After a perfunctory attempt at defense, he essentially sold out Zhang Rongling.

Outside the city gates stood an old carriage, two women, an uncle and his nephew, and an elderly coachman. Zhang Rongling, defeated in his political struggle, had been banished to serve as a prefect in a distant province. With his tarnished reputation and diminished prospects, he had little hope of ever regaining power.

“I will return,” Zhang Rongling swore in his heart. “I swear to reclaim everything that was taken from me.”

The official road stretched bleakly ahead. Zhang Rongling gazed down the deserted thoroughfare, devoid of a single follower, before turning to climb into the carriage.

Chen Luo, seated on the driver’s bench, gazed up at the sky. Wealth, power, and fame were all fleeting, mere wisps of smoke. But could he truly let it go? No, he could not!