Upon hearing that Wu Fiona was allowing the three of them to go out into the world to search for heavenly materials and earthly treasures, the three elders were almost delighted to accept, without the slightest hesitation.
Long-term seclusion is a matter of striking while the iron is hot: success on the first attempt, decline on the second, and exhaustion on the third. If one maintains unbroken seclusion until opening the Niwan Palace, time passes in the blink of an eye amid endless cultivation.
However, being interrupted at the very threshold makes it extremely difficult to re-immerse oneself and regain that state.
The three elders’ recent seclusion had yielded poor results, which had gradually made them irritable and restless.
Wu Fiona was well aware of this. If it were her, being interrupted just as she was about to open her Niwan Palace, she would probably need to kill dozens of people to slightly vent her inner rage.
Therefore, she decided to simply let the three re-enter the world first. On one hand, it would alleviate their impatience and frustration. On the other, it might allow them to stumble upon some good fortune.
Wu Fiona’s own cultivation had long reached a bottleneck. She too longed for some change, but with the Poqing Society to manage, she could not spend extended time in the world seeking opportunities. Thus, sending the three grand elders became the optimal solution in her mind.
Wu Paulo had been in a poor mood for some time. Hearing that Wu Fiona was permitting him to re-enter the world, and with freedom of movement, his spirits lifted slightly. After such prolonged seclusion, emerging only to be confined here again without breathing fresh air for days was truly unbearable. Being able to leave, no matter where, was far better than remaining in this oppressive place.
Thus, he immediately said respectfully to Wu Fiona, “Lord, your subordinate is willing to scour the ends of the earth to find the rare treasures needed for the Lord’s cultivation!”
Wu Fiona nodded and said, “This is also a good opportunity for you to gain a deeper understanding of the modern world. Over the past century or more, societal changes have been unparalleled. If you wish to understand this world, you must immerse yourselves and experience it fully. I will have Tony prepare communication devices for you. Each of you plan your own routes and travel for one year. If you make any major discoveries in the meantime, contact me immediately. If I have tasks requiring your attention, I will also contact you without delay.”
One year, if spent in secluded cultivation, would pass in the blink of an eye. But for re-entering the world, given the current pace of global development, it would be more than enough to travel the entire globe.
Most of the three elders’ lives had been devoted to cultivation. Where would they find time to tour the world? Now that the opportunity had arisen, they readily agreed.
Wu Fiona gave them a few days to prepare and instructed Wu Tony to arrange passports with Singaporean identities. Once ready, Wu Tony would escort them off the island.
Singaporean passports were chosen because they offer visa-free access to the greatest number of countries, making travel to most places much easier for the three.
After leaving Wu Fiona’s palace chambers, Wu Paulo asked Wu Bowen and Wu Bozhong, “Bowen, Bozhong, where do you two plan to go?”
Wu Bowen said, “I want to return to China to have a look, but upon second thought, China is probably the least likely place to find opportunities. So I intend to do the opposite and head west to the United States.”
Wu Bozhong said, “Then I will return to China, just to sightsee and revisit old haunts. Who knows what traces of the past remain.”
Wu Paulo said, “The Lord has given us this year not for revisiting old places, but to strive to obtain more heavenly materials and earthly treasures for her. If the Lord is pleased and rewards us with a few Peiyuan Pills, perhaps our Niwan Palaces can open smoothly.”
Wu Bozhong considered this and said, “Then I will not return to China for now. I will go another time. I want to visit Gorkha. In the past, it was rich in medicinal herbs needed for pill refinement. Many cultivators sought immortality there. Perhaps there are still gains to be made.”
