When Jiang Yan posed the question, the group fell into sudden silence, then, almost in unison, turned to look at Zhongli.
For a moment, even he wasn't sure how to answer.
To say they wanted to join Mount Shu outright would feel too hasty — after all, from the moment they'd first heard of cultivation until now, barely a single day had passed.
But to say they didn't want to join…
Wouldn't that make Jiang Yan wonder why they had come here at all?
And besides — the wonders of cultivation were plain for all to see. It was hard to refuse.
Seeing Zhongli's long pause, Jiang Yan smiled.
"Could it be, Friend Morax, that you feel the time has been too short and you've yet to decide?"
Zhongli hesitated, then nodded slightly.
Jiang Yan chuckled, shaking his head.
"I think perhaps you're worrying too much."
Zhongli blinked, faintly puzzled.
"I can already sense that you have the intention to join Mount Shu," Jiang Yan went on.
"What you're hesitating over is that you've only known of cultivation for a single day, and fear you might be rushing in without fully grasping where this path will lead."
After a pause, Zhongli nodded again.
"But why," Jiang Yan asked softly, "should that be a cause for doubt?"
He smiled faintly.
"In the cultivation world, the Dao is not announced from the rooftops. Many secluded villages and hidden valleys never even hear of it. Yet when a prodigy appears, and a sect comes to take them as a disciple, they do not hesitate for a moment.
"No one willingly turns away from a road that can make them stronger. When the chance comes, they will seize it with everything they have.
"Friend Morax, do you still remember what cultivation truly is?"
Zhongli's eyes shifted, as if something clicked in his mind.
"It is… the seeking of the Dao."
"Exactly." Jiang Yan nodded. "Cultivation is the pursuit of the Dao — to command the forces of Heaven and Earth with a mortal's body.
"Which means, I can tell you plainly: this path will be filled with hardship and peril of every kind.
"But the greater the challenge, the stronger the cultivator who overcomes it.
"Every true cultivator has a heart that dares to stand taller than the heavens themselves.
"Of course, some grow overconfident and end up destroyed — but even so, countless prodigies still set foot on this road. And do you know why?"
A flicker of realization touched Zhongli's expression.
"Because… they have something they wish to obtain."
Jiang Yan smiled.
"Longer life. Greater power. The authority to make the world bow.
"Some start this path out of necessity, some for revenge, some purely for the Dao itself — I've seen every kind of disciple come to Mount Shu.
"There were those who sought immortality only to avenge a wrong. Yet once vengeance was done, they did not stop.
"They had tasted what it was to hold their fate in their own hands, and the sweetness of unending years.
"They could not let it go.
"Greed is the instinct of all intelligent life — once they have some, they desire more."
Zhongli sighed. "Mortals are full of desire… and we Archons are no different."
"Exactly," Jiang Yan said with quiet certainty. "That's why they cannot refuse cultivation.
"You want revenge? Cultivation grants you strength.
"You want to live forever? Cultivation grants you time.
"You want to stand above all others? Cultivation grants you dominion.
"You want the dead to return and families to be reunited? There are arts for reversing life and death — be it the Heaven-Severing Seventy-Two Techniques or miraculous pills that knit flesh to bone.
"You want to step into the long river of time itself and rewrite everything? That too is possible.
"All things lie within the Dao — and cultivation is the path to finding your own."
He fixed Zhongli with a calm, intent gaze. "So, Friend Morax — what say you?"
Inwardly, Jiang Yan sighed. With his strength, he could recruit disciples without effort — one word and the world would come.
But prodigies like Zhongli were rare beyond rare. If they weren't willing, he couldn't exactly drag them in by force.
He knew Zhongli would not truly reject cultivation; his hesitation was only for Liyue's sake. As the Rock King, every decision touched the fate of the nation. He could not decide lightly, because he loved his people more than himself.
Still, Jiang Yan felt an urgency — a pull he couldn't fully explain — to build Mount Shu quickly, to see it flourish again.
Somehow, he sensed this mattered to his own future… and to Mount Shu's past.
His thoughts drifted briefly — how, yesterday, he had found two rare physiques and a host of supreme spiritual roots in a single day. He had assumed all of Teyvat must be filled with such talent.
Yet among the Millelith before him, the best was a mediocre three-spiritual-root talent, with some having none at all.
True geniuses, it seemed, were still the ones who shone most brightly in their original world's stories.
Pulling his mind back, Jiang Yan asked again, "So — have you decided?"
Before Zhongli could answer, Ningguang spoke up.
"The Gentleman, will you be taking disciples from other nations as well?"
"Of course," Jiang Yan replied.
"Reviving Mount Shu is a long road — one nation alone cannot supply enough talent. Even all of Teyvat together would barely meet the needs of Mount Shu's early growth.
"In its golden age, the Mount Shu Sword Sect of the lower realm recruited from one hundred and eight middle worlds, while the Mount Shu Immortal Sect above welcomed disciples from across the entire Myriad Worlds.
"Teyvat is only a small world attached to a middle world — gifted though it is, it will not be enough. In time, I'll recruit from other worlds as well. Why do you ask, Lady Ningguang?"
Ningguang shook her head lightly. "No reason. Thank you for clarifying."
She cast Zhongli a sidelong glance — a subtle nudge. If they delayed, others might arrive first and claim Mount Shu's favor.
Zhongli caught the look, and at last decided.
"Then — we come today representing the nation of Liyue, to congratulate Mount Shu on its rebuilding, and to see whether we are fated to join its ranks, to cultivate the Dao. May we?"
Jiang Yan's lips curved. He swept his gaze over the gathered faces — and faint streams of purple qi seemed to flow in his eyes.
As he examined them one by one, even with his expectations, he could not help but be impressed. The weakest here, a nameless immortal, possessed high-grade metal spiritual roots.
At the other extreme — the Sword Physique of Keqing, Ningguang's supreme-grade earth root, and Granny Ping's supreme-grade water root.
Every named figure among them was gifted beyond measure.
Teyvat, Jiang Yan thought, was made for cultivation. For such a world not to walk this path would be a waste beyond words.
He exhaled softly. "Truly, talent flourishes here. Your aptitudes are as if born for cultivation."
Excitement rippled through the group.
Jiang Yan smiled, rising to his feet.
"In that case, let us waste no more time. Come — follow me to the Mount Shu Cave-Heaven."
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