Chapter Forty-Eight: The Olympics Arrive

In the days that followed, the city of Athens plunged into a frenzy of philosophical revelry. The Dao De Jing, spread by Socrates, had undoubtedly caused a citywide sensation—Athens in this era, with citizens idle and eager for distraction, found something to occupy themselves at last.

The Dao De Jing, passed down by the Sage from the Celestial Empire, had captivated the city. Gradually, the streets of Athens saw a new phenomenon: people greeting each other with a single-handed salute, addressing each other as “Daoist friends”—a custom introduced by Zhu Xiaoyong. This fellow had boasted to several maidservants and guards about the world outside, recounting tales from fantastical novels of cultivation and immortality.

These stories spread like wildfire.

From ordinary mortals ascending step by step to immortals, such tales perfectly matched the desires of Athenian citizens and elders. Phrases like “Daoist friend, please wait,” and “Let the Daoist friend die, not me,” became popular slang in Athens.

The Dao De Jing sent shockwaves through the scholars of Athens, inspiring a worship of the Sage almost equal to that of their native deities. According to Zhu Xiaoyong, the scripture concealed methods of cultivation, such as the “Longevity Technique.”

The mere name of such a practice stirred hot blood and adrenaline in every heart!

The situation in Athens troubled Pericles deeply. The city-state he once knew and led to glory now seemed strange and unfamiliar. Worse, both citizens and elders alike were obsessed with the pursuit of immortality, and when he attempted to expel the three envoys from the Celestial Empire, he found no support.

A tragedy…

So things continued until, a few days later, a messenger arrived in Athens, bearing a torch and wearing a wreath upon his head.

The Olympic Games were about to begin!

In this era of Greece, the Olympics held a revered and sacred status. Even if city-states were at war, the arrival of the torch would halt the fighting; warriors would lay down their arms, and life would return to peaceful normalcy.

People forgot hatred and war, flocking to Olympia to participate in the Olympic Games.

In the Senate, after receiving the messenger, Pericles and the Minister of Internal Affairs discussed the selection of Olympic athletes, and inevitably the three envoys from the Celestial Empire. According to the guards’ reports, Yan Luo had been training daily with an extraordinarily long and heavy staff. Wang Dongwei practiced swordsmanship, while the portly one spent his time eating, sleeping, and storytelling—his appetite was legendary, capable of devouring an entire roast lamb leg in one sitting!

“These three fellows—weren’t they supposed to continue westward, spreading their culture? Why haven’t they left yet?” Pericles pondered, feeling more and more vexed.

“I have an idea.”

The elder poet who once praised thermal underwear stepped forward. “Athens has been thoroughly defeated culturally by the envoys from the Celestial Empire—a humiliating failure. But…the Olympic Games gather heroes from all over Greece.”

“Sport brings strength and beauty of body, as important as culture! Shouldn’t we use this opportunity to wash away the shame of our defeat? Let Athenian citizens see that the envoys from the Celestial Empire are not invincible.”

A spark of hope kindled in Pericles’ heart. This would be a way to rid Athens of these disruptive guests, restore the city to its former order, and rekindle confidence in Greek culture among the people, rather than their current obsession with immortal cultivation.

He hesitated, “But…the Olympic Games require participants to be Greek citizens.”

“That’s easily solved—grant them honorary citizenship of Athens!” replied the elder, unconcerned. “The three—more precisely, the young man Yan Luo—have demonstrated wisdom, erudition, and physical prowess. Even if we convened the assembly, such a proposal would surely pass.”

“To make foreigners who insulted Greek civilization honorary citizens? That would be a disgrace…”

Pericles wavered for a long time, then finally gritted his teeth and nodded.

Athens could no longer tolerate the presence of the envoys from the Celestial Empire. Who knew what else might happen if they remained?

In the past few days, Herodotus had torn up his own History, forming a study group to learn the values of “prosperity, democracy, civilization, harmony, freedom, equality, justice, rule of law, patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendliness,” preparing to compose a new historical record.

Euripides and Sophocles, once bitter rivals, were now collaborating on a cultivation-themed drama for the Dionysia: the tale of an ordinary youth who becomes an immortal through cultivation, with the title already chosen: The Mortal’s Journey to Immortality.

Thucydides, immersed in the history of the Celestial Empire, was busy analyzing the ranks of Greek deities as they would fit into the Great Desolation and the Investiture of the Gods, comparing their power levels.

Democritus, dissecting the Dao De Jing’s concept of “original energy,” combined it with his atomic and motion theories to create a new method of cultivation: “Qi Gong.” He taught that everyone possessed original energy within, and by manipulating the movement of these atomic particles—sensing and moving the internal energy—one could strengthen the body, even elevate one’s life form, and cultivate to become an immortal.

Now, Democritus’s Qi Gong classes were all the rage in Athens.

Hippocrates had begun recruiting brave souls for an eastward journey to seek wisdom.

As for Athens’ greatest sage, Socrates, he had founded the “Father Worship Society,” gathering many to study the Dao De Jing. On the society’s walls hung a banner written in the square script of the Celestial Empire, acquired during his visit to the envoys—a cloth scroll said to hold extraordinary power, the incantation for “Dao saves the world”:

Song of Salvation by the Dao

The great origin of Dao comes from Heaven; may Heaven’s Dao enlighten the wise.
Heaven’s Dao punishes the wicked, rewards the good; turn back in time, honor your ancestors.
The Dao’s lineage is the one true source, passed down through generations, no before or after.
Enjoy Heaven’s blessings, transcend worldly bonds;
Do not let mundane emotions sway you, abandon all delusions.

Thinking of the state of Athens now, Pericles was so pained he nearly wept. He gazed skyward, speechless and choked.

How had it come to this?

The coming Olympics were a rare opportunity to redirect the citizens’ attention and restore their pride. In such a contest, if Greeks could defeat the envoys from the Celestial Empire, it might restore some balance. Most importantly, participation would mean the three would leave Athens for Olympia.

Now, the only question was whether the three would agree to compete.

Pericles sent a soldier to inquire directly.

The answer he received filled him with joy.

“Agreed!”

With remarkable efficiency, Pericles notified the 500 council members. After a round of debate, the council passed the resolution to grant the three honorary citizenship of Athens—and to have them represent Athens in the Olympic Games.

Of course, Athens’ original athletes would also attend.

Once the decision was made, the council and elders dispersed. The poet elder who had proposed the idea went home, jubilantly retrieving a set of bright yellow garments.

It was the nerd Zhu Xiaoyong’s yellow shirt and shorts.

“With such color, and fabric softer than linen…” The elder removed his chiton and donned the shirt and shorts, lowering his head and growing more delighted the longer he looked. “I must compose a poem for this golden shirt and shorts…”

“I have a beautiful outfit, as if woven from golden threads; when I wear it, my heart knows no sorrow. Ah! The golden clothes, ah! The splendid attire—how bright, how lovely.”