Volume 1, Chapter 10: The Guardian

The Star-Gazing Tower, the tallest structure in the capital, is steeped in ancient legends. It is the seat of the Great Ning’s most mysterious living immortal, the Grand Overseer of the Imperial Observatory, who resides there to contemplate the Heavenly Dao and safeguard the destiny of the empire, imbuing the tower with an aura of endless myth.

In the bustling district where the tower stands, commoners walk and speak in hushed tones, as do the high-ranking officials of the imperial court. They dare not speak loudly, lest they disturb the celestial beings above. This reverence is a consensus among the people of Great Ning: one must not look directly at the gods, must not disturb them, and must not discuss them with casual irreverence.

As the morning light broke, Xie Qingluan ascended the Star-Gazing Tower under the astonished gazes of the crowd. Suppressing the internal injuries she had sustained and grappling with a chaotic, overgrown tangle of emotions, she climbed the stairs in silence. She passed the ninth-rank physicians refining elixirs, the eighth-rank qi-observers practicing their craft, the seventh-rank geomancers plotting layouts on sand tables, the sixth-rank alchemists pulling their hair in search of inspiration, the temperamental fifth-rank prophets, and the fourth-rank array masters manifesting formations in the air. She walked past the empty third, second, and first levels—those of the Celestial Secrets masters, Destiny masters, and the masters of Fate—until she finally reached the summit.

A blurred figure stood on the empty rooftop: white hair, white robes, white eyebrows and beard, facing the rising sun with dim, ancient eyes. The pale yellow morning light washed over him, making him look like a shriveled stalk of cane, enjoying the final embers of his life, so fragile that a breath of wind might topple him.

Yet, Xie Qingluan walked up and gave him a push, knitting her brow. "Teacher, you've been watching for eighteen years. What is there left to see?"

This man, who appeared to be in the twilight of his life, with one foot already in the grave, was none other than the living immortal of Great Ning, the Grand Overseer.

"Observing the self, observing the heavens and earth, observing all living things..." The Grand Overseer’s aged voice resonated. He added with a playful glint, "But today, I watch only for a miracle. A miracle that countless people have prepared for over eighteen years. Ah, the moment to witness the miracle has arrived!"

*This old man gets more cryptic by the day...* Xie Qingluan muttered, listless. "Teacher, the capital's murder case is resolved. You must know that already!"

The Grand Overseer nodded slightly and swept his hand before him. The air rippled, manifesting a scene: Qin Zheng lying naked in a wooden tub, fast asleep. The living immortal turned to Xie Qingluan and grinned, his missing teeth whistling. "This brat is quite interesting. Take a look!"

Xie Qingluan’s face flushed red. She covered her eyes with her hands, peeking through a tiny gap between her fingers, and stammered, "You... you are showing no respect for your seniority!"

The Grand Overseer chuckled, unfazed. "I am asking you to judge his appearance. Look quickly, before that shrew finds out and comes to stir up trouble in my observatory again!"

"I... I am not looking!" Xie Qingluan's almond-shaped eyes widened, her gaze fixed, her face burning. "Gold on the outside, rot on the inside! Just a handsome shell, yet unlearned, arrogant, lecherous, and despicable..." Suddenly, she realized something. "You old codger! You made me participate in the capital's case this time—was it just like eight years ago, when you sent me to the Imperial Academy, just to watch this annoying person?"

The Grand Overseer raised his white brows, smiling. "Qingluan, you’ve become clever today!"

"I've been clever since I was a child!" Xie Qingluan mimicked the annoying brat, then asked, "What is going on with him? It’s as if he’s a completely different person!" She frowned, pondering. "He used to be arrogant and unlearned, but now he is brilliant and well-read! Even that monster in the murder case seemed to fear him!"

"Eight years have passed; changes are normal. Haven't you become cleverer too?" The Grand Overseer laughed, his tone layered with meaning. "This arrogant fellow has gained a layer of memory, so his changes are naturally more pronounced than yours. But he will eventually discover that he is still that same unlearned, arrogant fellow—he has never truly changed."

He waved his hand, and the scene vanished. It seemed he truly feared some shrew might appear to cause a scene.

Xie Qingluan remained puzzled. "But what was that monster? Why did it fear him? And why did you trick me into seeing him twice?"

"I don't know!" The Grand Overseer raised his brows and stroked his beard. "Eight years ago, I sent you to observe the Qin family's foundation. This time, I had you approach him to find the origin of that monster!"

Xie Qingluan sat down beside him, looking askance. "How can you not know? You spend every day spying on the world. How can there be anything you don't know?"

"Spying? What nonsense!" The Grand Overseer scolded with a stern face, then shook his head and laughed. "The world is vast; there is much I cannot see. I cannot see through the Qin family, I cannot see through that monster, and I cannot see through the Fox Clan!"

The foremost man of Great Ning looked into the distance, his eyes filled with memory. He whispered, "Tushan Fox Clan, are you still the same Fox Clan from the Tushan Alliance?"

Xie Qingluan, already full of questions, was now completely bewildered. She ground her teeth, fuming. "You old man, you do nothing but wallow in suspicion. If you can't see through it, why not investigate it yourself?"

"The power in this world is always balanced. If I were to step down from the Star-Gazing Tower, the world would truly fall into chaos!" The Grand Overseer looked at her kindly. "Besides, didn't I send you to investigate? You have been clever since you were young, and you have become even sharper today..." He turned toward the morning sun, calm and composed. "Didn't you lose your Purple Gold Furnace, Glacial Flame, and Soul-Nurturing Pill because of him? Take this opportunity to latch onto him and get to the bottom of all this!"

*I... latch onto him? I go and actively latch onto that annoying brat?*

Xie Qingluan's face reddened. She clenched her small fists. "Why? Isn't the case finished? And the furnace, the flame, and the pill weren't lost because of him—you saw everything clearly from the tower!" She shook the old man's thin frame. "I am not the child I was eight years ago. You won't fool me this time!"

"Qingluan, although you have become clever, you need to be even cleverer and more cunning." The Grand Overseer swayed under her shaking but could not hide his amusement. "This case is just the tip of the iceberg; the real curtain is only just rising. By staying by his side, you will not only uncover the truth but also gain a chance to ascend to the third rank!"

Xie Qingluan’s mind went blank. The path between the fourth and third ranks was known as the chasm between mortals and immortals. In all the cultivation systems of Great Ning, third-rank powerhouses were few and far between. Even the Observatory, with a living immortal at its helm, had only produced one such master, who had since disappeared entirely.

"The opportunity cannot be spoken of; to speak is to break it!" the Grand Overseer said lightly. "Go, pick a few treasures, and go find him. He is your Dao-Protector, and this is what he owes you. But he is at the center of the storm right now, surrounded by peril. If things truly become impossible, you must withdraw early."

With a wave of his thin hand, Xie Qingluan felt a refreshing breeze. Her injuries vanished instantly, fully healed. Yet, remembering her two encounters with Qin Zheng and the prospect of seeking him out, she felt a sudden headache.

"Teacher, my heart is in chaos; I want to go into seclusion..."

"Qingluan, he owes you, not the other way around. Why is your heart in chaos?" The Grand Overseer was unmoved. "Go, don't let your imagination run wild. What harm could I possibly intend?"

*You old codger, you are truly wicked...* Xie Qingluan cursed silently. "Then can you explain more? Why is he my Dao-Protector? What does he owe me? What are the dangers? I don't understand..."

Receiving no response, she grew restless. "You won't tell me anything, so I'm not going! You can teach me yourself; why do I need him to protect my Dao?" She clenched her fists again, face burning with indignation. "That annoying brat bullies me whenever he sees me, and now he’s on duty at the Jiaofangsi—how am I supposed to go there!"

Seeing the Grand Overseer still silent, she grew even more resentful. "You can teach the Senior Sister, why won't you teach me!"

As she spoke, she heard a soft snoring sound. The old man had fallen asleep.

Xie Qingluan ground her teeth. "Don't pretend to sleep! Tell me who the Senior Sister is, and I'll find her myself..."

Before she could finish, the scene before her shattered. The surroundings swirled and reversed, pulling her away from the old man. With a sense of weightlessness, she found herself standing outside the Star-Gazing Tower.

A vein throbbed on her forehead. She stamped her foot in frustration. "Old codger, you're actually kicking me out? If I empty out the Observatory's treasury, don't blame me!"