Guarding the River of Time

Chapter 440 - 430: Ruined Idol, A Life Beyond Control

At the same time.

In some time and space, in some world.

Beneath a towering mountain, there were two figures, one tall and one short, one old and one young, walking on the muddy path along the mountain stream.

Leading the way was a young scholar, about twelve or thirteen years old, with clear eyes and delicate features, exuding scholarly ambition, carrying a bag filled with wooden tablets and bamboo slips that were inconvenient to carry by hand.

Lagging a few steps behind was an old man, dressed in simple cloths, supporting himself with a cane, his hair grey and white, slightly hunchbacked, calling out as he walked, "Slow down, young fellow, this old man is struggling to keep up."

Upon hearing this, the young scholar finally stopped and waited in place.

The old man caught up and plopped down onto a blue stone beside the young scholar, gasping for breath and saying, "Let’s rest, let’s rest."

Seeing this, the young scholar put down his bag, took out a bamboo slip from it, and began to read.

"Young fellow, everyone knows that the Immortals are revered, and the Way is important. Reading these books is useless."

The old man glanced at the young scholar and said with a smile.

"Old man, you don’t understand."

"Someone like me, my greatest dream is to go to the capital to take the imperial exams, achieve fame and rank, honor my parents, and live a good life for myself, and that’s enough."

"As for those celestial beings in the sky, let them be and they have little to do with me."

The young scholar said while reading his book.

"I don’t understand?" Hearing the young scholar’s old-fashioned tone, the old man was momentarily stunned, then continued to ask, "Do you really not envy the celestial beings in the sky?"

"They can soar for thousands of miles, amidst infinite Immortal Clouds, free and unrestrained."

Upon hearing these words, the young scholar shook his head: "I don’t envy them."

"Then why do you accompany me today to Black and White Mountain to worship at the Divine Temple?" The old man looked at the young scholar, trying to uncover his true thoughts.

Upon hearing this, the young scholar still didn’t put down the bamboo slip in his hand and seriously replied, "My mother asked me to come."

"You know, I don’t want to make her sad."

"She hopes I become an Immortal, to learn skills from you."

Saying this, the young scholar put down the bamboo slip and looked at the old man with a peculiar expression: "Old man, do you really have cultivation skills?"

"Seeing as you get out of breath just climbing a mountain."

Facing the young scholar’s skepticism, the old man burst into laughter: "Hahaha."

"Actually, you are interested in Cultivation, aren’t you?"

The young scholar blushed at this, then asked seriously, "Old man, I want to ask, after becoming a powerful Great Immortal, can one freely control one’s destiny?"

Because in the young scholar’s eyes, he did not ask for much, just to live the life he wanted. He was going to the capital for exams in order to choose a life he could control, without interference from others.

Upon hearing this, the old man was taken aback, a gleam of light flashed in his murky eyes, and he was silent for a long time about this question.

Finally, he smiled and replied, "Let’s wait until we reach the summit and worship at the Divine Temple, then I’ll answer you."

.....

"Alright, let’s go."

"Have you rested enough?"

The young scholar stood up and spoke to the panting old man.

"No rush, no rush, let’s sit a while longer."

Hearing this, the young scholar glared at him in exasperation, thinking although this old man had been in their village for several years, and got along well with uncles and aunts, and was a decent person, but..... he couldn’t understand why they thought he was an Immortal?

What kind of Immortal gets out of breath climbing mountains!

The old man sat on the blue stone, looking up at the mountain peak, lost in thought about something.

.....

After resting for a while, they continued to climb up the mountain path towards the summit.

This mountain is called "Black and White Mountain".

Because every winter, when it snows, the summit is covered in white snow, but the mountainside below sees no snow, creating a stark black and white image, hence the name "Black and White Mountain".

However, the most important aspect wasn’t this, but rather the "Divine Observation" on the summit.

It is said that in the "Divine Observation" there are statues of Immortals worshipped.

But ordinary mortals cannot reach the summit; only with an "Immortal" leading the way can one ascend.

This is why the young scholar doubted whether the old man truly had cultivation skills and if he could indeed lead him to the summit.

.....

Only upon nightfall did they finally reach the summit.

The summit was a flat area, devoid of trees, just a barren expanse, where you could only see scattered rocks on the ground, and that solitary Taoist temple.

That temple looked very old, could it really be the legendary "Divine Observation"?

The young scholar showed a puzzled expression.

Besides, wasn’t it recorded in books that Black and White Divine Mountain could only be reached with an Immortal’s guidance?

Yet, they easily made it here together, with him in the lead!

The old man indeed didn’t play much of a guiding role!

....

Suddenly, the young scholar felt something cold on his face, touching it with his hand he found it was a snowflake.

Is it snowing...

But, it’s summer now, why would it snow?

The old man looked up at the falling snowflakes, his gaze penetrating, as if peering into the endless void, seeing a certain scene or image, causing his usually calm mind to finally ripple.

"Old man, it’s only June, why is it snowing?" the young scholar asked, observing the old man staring blankly at the sky.

Upon hearing this, the old man was silent for a few seconds, then slowly answered, "Snow in June, someone is altering destiny...."

Upon hearing this, the young scholar was stunned, feeling lost and thinking the old man was being cryptic.

.......

"Follow me."

With that, the old man walked toward the dilapidated Taoist temple, with the young scholar following closely behind.

The door of the temple was sealed with dust, suggesting it had not been visited for a long, long time.

The old man reached out with his shriveled hand and slowly pushed open the wooden door.

With a creak——

A slight breeze blew in, carrying a snowflake into the temple.

....

Upon entering the temple, the old man took out three white candles from his sleeve.

Gently touching the wicks, the candles were instantly lit, brightening the dim temple.

At this moment, the young scholar, following the old man, used the faint candlelight to look at the sculpture ahead.

....

The sculpture was of a seated figure, draped in a simple Taoist robe.

The idol’s eyes were closed, exuding a sacred and solemn aura.

It sat on a pedestal made of wood, and upon closer inspection, the pedestal was half White Jade and half black stone.

.....

As the young scholar’s gaze settled on the idol, his heart trembled, uncontrollably moved to prostrate in worship.

Subsequently, he set down his bag and earnestly performed a kneeling and bowing ceremony towards the idol.

At this point, the young scholar looked at the old man and asked in confusion, "Old man, you’re not going to bow?"

Upon hearing this, the old man didn’t speak, his eyes fixed intensely on the idol.