I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

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Reincarnation is a profound and terrifying proposition.

Zhou Yi had meditated on the Buddhist scriptures for thousands of years, and his cultivation of the soul increased his efficiency by half. Within a hundred years, he had already reached the great achievement of the Nirvana Sutra.

As his understanding of the Buddhist scriptures and Cultivation Techniques deepened, his knowledge of the secret technique of Nirvana and reincarnation became clearer, far surpassing even that of the High Monks. The so-called Nirvana and rebirth were more accurately a transformation.

The Secret Technique sought out a similar flower, using the High Monk's residual thoughts, to transform a spirit child!

In the world, there were only spirit children, mostly because infants have weaker souls, which are easier to transform.

Once a spirit child was imbued with the High Monk's residual thoughts, even if they didn't fully recover their memories from their past life, they naturally developed an affinity for Buddhist Law and progressed rapidly in their cultivation.

"Such a Secret Technique is almost demonic!"

Zhou Yi had studied the classics of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Even though he claimed to be a man of Tao on normal days, he had never thought of denigrating Buddha or Buddhism.

When he encountered something disagreeable and had the power to do so, he thought of managing it.

The true reason for teaching Zhu Kang about machinery was the impending end of the Dharma, and without an unparalleled figure, the common people's suffering would not concern Zhou Yi, nor would he dare to interfere.

"After living so long, I'm still the same commoner I was back then!"

"That sounds unfair. Where in the world is there a commoner like you?"

Bai Shiyu, seemingly drunk, embraced the girl and said, "Have you ever been to the factories? Some years ago, I went to the newly established weaving house of the Royal Family; they had us working eight hours a day, and if we couldn't complete the work, they deducted our pay. Half of the ten colleagues who went with me died within three years!"

Zhou Yi's brows furrowed slightly as he asked, "I heard the Royal Family's workshops are relatively lenient?"

"Compared to other workshops, indeed they are. There are rumors that the Great Ancestor left teachings to treat the workers kindly."

Bai Shiyu sighed and said, "What a pity that the Great Ancestor drained his energy devising policies, his lifespan was somewhat short. If he had lived as long as the former Martial Emperor, for about one hundred and twenty or thirty years, perhaps things would have turned out differently!"

Zhou Yi was about to ask more when the girl in his arms bit her lip, reminding him.

"Let's not talk about state affairs!"

"Hmm, let's talk about family matters instead."

Zhou Yi smiled and changed the topic, so as not to trouble the girl, as the Imperial Court strongly supported machinery and workshops. Anyone who spoke out against it or cursed it was sent to dig coal in the Mountain of Eternal Life.

After all, where there is oppression, there will be resistance!

The common people are not unfeeling machines; they can think and feel pain, and thus naturally develop hatred towards machinery and workshops.

Zhou Yi had been running the tavern for about a year; wealthy patrons would often discuss the latest gossip—today, whose workshop caught fire, tomorrow, whose machinery would be smashed.

The schadenfreude of these wealthy patrons often contained a mix of envy and jealousy. In truth, if they were to manage a workshop, they might exploit even more ruthlessly, after all, enslaving others comes from a gene passed down by their ancestors!

Bai Shiyu muttered a few words but did not continue.

After visiting Spring Breeze Building, Zhou Yi became much closer to Bai Shiyu, who he casually called Little Bai on ordinary days.

The things he used to yearn for, once encountered and seeing them once, he could completely let go.

As time passed by day after day, the sentiment of reuniting with old friends gradually dissipated, and Bai Shiyu was just Bai Shiyu, different from the others probably only in an instant connection.

Before long, it was early autumn again.

Noon.

The capital was still blistering hot; as the breeze passed by, it carried with it a hazy black smoke in the air.

The tavern was open for business.

Zhou Yi stood behind the counter, enthusiastically flipping through storybooks.

When the Cultivation World still existed, storybooks could hardly escape the chains of seeking the Dao and immortality. The appearance of occasional remarkable figures in the mundane world, from emperors to foot soldiers, all envied and pursued it.

The traces of immortals have vanished, and the era has undergone drastic changes, giving rise to many other types of storybooks.

For example, the one I'm currently reading "I Really Am the Master of a Big Workshop", has been particularly popular these days. The protagonist is the young master of the Xiao family's workshop, pretending to be a commoner and experiencing life as a laborer...

Zhou praised, "What a pity the author is anonymous, otherwise I would definitely bring them here to discuss the plot!"

"Mr. Chen, Mr. Yang, please come inside!"

Bai Shiyu, dressed in a dark blue short jacket and moving with light steps, greeted the guests. Over the past few months, he had become familiar with the patrons of the tavern, especially forming a deep friendship with the likes of Chen Jiye and other wealthy elders.

A hall runner with a face as handsome as jade, and an elegant demeanor, whose ancestors had some connections to the Da Qian Imperial Clan, instantly elevated the status of the tavern!

"The devil is in the details, and compared to those taverns that deliberately display ancient paintings and porcelain, this small tavern reveals a sense of the mysterious."

Yang Chong ordered his servants to set a table full of dishes and, sipping on the unique-flavored fine wine, complimented, "Shopkeeper Sun, not bad at all!"

Just then.

Head Liu, the Ningde Market patrol officer, entered with two subordinates. He first bowed to greet people like Chen Jiye, then approached the counter and said.

"Shopkeeper Sun, sorry to disturb you today."

Head Liu respectfully said, "The government has issued a notice that all taverns and tea houses in operation must hang a plaque at the entrance and on the tables."

Zhou Yi asked, "What kind of plaque?"

"Discuss not state affairs!"

Head Liu repeatedly bowed and made a difficult face, "Shopkeeper Sun, I'm not here to trouble you, it's a unified command from the Imperial Court."

Zhou Yi asked perplexed, "Why this rule all of a sudden?"

Head Liu said in a low voice, "A few days ago, a group of rebels from the Red Alliance suddenly attacked the royal marketplace, causing considerable damage. It's said it all started because the Red Alliance members were worked to death, the workshops refused to compensate, and one thing led to another, causing chaos!"

Zhou Yi nodded slightly; he had already heard about the incident, which could be considered the top trending topic in recent days, and he had just heard guests discussing it.

Most people refrained from commenting, some supported the arrest of the rebels, while a few thought the workshops should improve their treatment of laborers.

After all, a pot of wine for a tael of silver is not something the average commoner can afford.

The wealthy elders, on the other hand, mocked the shallow foundation of the emerging families, not even proficient in managing their slaves. If it were them running the workshops, they would become the great benefactors of the area and still ensure the workshops' productivity!

Head Liu said, "It wasn't supposed to be a big deal, but the word spread so wide that it caused the common folk to unwillingly go to work, prompting the Imperial Court to issue this order!"

Zhou Yi pointed to Chen Jiye and others, "I don't oppose the Imperial Court's rules, but as for not discussing state affairs, it depends on whether they agree."

"Shopkeeper Sun, don't make it difficult for me, I still have a family to feed."

Head Liu, who dared not provoke the wealthy elders—risking drowning in an accident by evening—pleaded, "How about this, you turn the plaque over when discussing state affairs and flip it back when finished!"

"Fine."

Zhou Yi wasn't about to make things hard for a low-ranking official; he placed a dozen wooden plaques on the counter, agreeing to hang them up when closing for the night.

Head Liu left with a thousand thanks, having secured There Is a Tavern, and the rest of Ningde Market's shops were easy to handle. Otherwise, they risked being labeled as conspirators with the Red Alliance.

Bai Shiyu slipped over and glanced at the characters on the plaques, his tone somewhat sarcastic.

"Is the Imperial Court trying to silence the people? Instead of thinking about improving the treatments in the workshops, they're forcibly pressuring the common folk. There will only be more and more incidents like this in the future!"

"It's the inevitability of class."

Zhou Yi didn't bother to explain what class meant but then suddenly said.

"The other day I went to the Spring Breeze Building to listen to music, and that blind musician played the zither quite well. It seemed that you knew him, why not invite him to play at the tavern?"