"I shouldn’t have told you this thod..."
He Shutong’s Ice Heart was already shattered, and she could naturally feel the guilt looming over the Third Elder. She pursed her lips and said:
"It’s not the Third Elder’s fault. I’m grateful that you told about this thod. I have no regrets."
"Two hundred years of cultivation turned into water that slips through your fingers, and you still say you have no regrets?"
"Yes."
The Third Elder was taken aback by He Shutong’s unwavering response and asked in confusion:
"Why go this far?"
He Shutong was silent for a mont, then replied:
"To live like a human."
The Third Elder repeated the sentence in a low voice. While others seek to beco immortals, the Thirteenth Elder of the Void Realm, who could already be considered a True Immortal beyond the mundane world, was instead so steadfast in her pursuit to beco human?
When she told the Thirteenth Elder the thod to shatter her Ice Heart, she never imagined the Thirteenth Elder’s obsession would be so deep.
"You truly lead a life full of contradictions."
He Shutong did not refute, but instead felt the assessnt to be incredibly apt. She watched as the Third Elder took a sip of wine and asked:
"Why does the Third Elder help ?"
"I can’t stand seeing contradictions. I must straighten them out; is that wrong?"
The Third Elder lifted her eyes, lingering upon He Shutong’s beautiful face.
Over the years, her support for the Thirteenth Elder went far beyond just this one ti. Among the thirteen great elders of the Profound Sky Sect, besides her, there was only the Lotus Sword Venerable, who was also a female cultivator. If she didn’t help her, who else would she help?
"Of course."
The Third Elder pursed her lips and asked again:
"Who else knows about your situation?"
"The First Elder."
"That’s good. The First Elder doesn’t concern us, the Twelve Elders. He won’t talk indiscriminately. But your state can’t be hidden for long; you can’t stay in this pool forever. The other great elders will undoubtedly notice sothing is amiss."
"I understand."
"So why did you send a ssage?"
"Does it need a reason? It was the Third Elder who taught the thod, so naturally, I should tell you the outco."
The Third Elder rolled her pretty eyes. Although there wasn’t a hint of bla in Thirteenth Elder’s tone, it still sounded as if she was complaining about the Third Elder.
"This outco is certainly not good."
"Wouldn’t the Third Elder hope for to regress, thus bringing Wangshu into our tutelage?"
"She can even refuse the Sect Leader’s invitation, yet would she co to ?"
"Wangshu... indeed, she’s stubborn too."
"You’ve shown quite so self-awareness with that ’too’."
The Third Elder remarked thusly, having to admit that the Thirteenth Elder was truly no longer the sa, as if a frozen block of ice that wouldn’t lt. She seed to think of sothing, and then asked gravely:
"What exactly happened in Chuyun City?"
"I don’t yet know the full picture; we’ll have to wait for the Exorcism Bureau to investigate."
The Third Elder shook the wine gourd and suddenly narrowed her beautiful eyes.
Sealing one’s Profound Qi is not particularly rare among cultivators, as there are always various situations where one needs to return to basics. As long as the sequence is followed patiently during the process of reforging cultivation, most can recover without issues. However, the Thirteenth Elder’s Profound Platform shattered to such a degree, clearly due to forceful Qi movent.
What could drive the Lotus Sword Venerable to risk sacrificing her cultivation just to forcefully move her Qi?
"Do you have a way to restore your Spiritual Platform?"
He Shutong pondered for a mont, then shook her head and said:
"There’s no guaranteed thod for recovery."
"You act without regard for consequences; it couldn’t be that you took such a great risk just to accept a new disciple?"
He Shutong remained silent at this, while the Third Elder’s lips slightly parted, exclaiming:
"Really?! Are you crazy? It’s just a blind boy; is it worth it?"
"Yes, worth it."
The Third Elder was slightly astonished because she could feel that, as she belittled You Su, the Thirteenth Elder’s aura beca cold once more.
"Were you striving for that...?"
"Taking him as my disciple is only for the sake of accepting him as a disciple," He Shutong interrupted coldly.
The Third Elder sighed deeply: "I understand your point... I hope you won’t regret your decision."
"I won’t."
"Don’t be so sure, you still hope the disciple you’ve invested so much in can smoothly complete the enrollnt process, don’t you?"
"Enrollnt?"
The Third Elder suddenly understood why she was puzzled. Up until now, the Thirteenth Elder had only taken Wangshu as a disciple, and because of Wangshu’s special circumstances, she did not go through the enrollnt process.
The Third Elder explained the True Disciple’s enrollnt procedure to He Shutong, and once she learned about it, she imdiately understood why the Third Elder said the word ’smoothly.’
He Shutong was almost certain there would be two great elders who wouldn’t remain silent during You Su’s public announcent—The Fifth Elder of Red Rainbow Peak and the Tenth Elder of Book Immortal Peak.
Among the thirteen peaks of Profound Sky Sect, each has its own main focus such as pills, talismans, tools, formations, etc., but there are only two sword peaks: the Thirteenth Elder’s Lotus Sword and the Fifth Elder’s Red Rainbow Sword. Since both follow the Sword Dao, comparisons are inevitable. Yet because the Lotus Sword has only Wangshu Fairy as its sole disciple, upon her ergence, she overshadowed her peers. As a result, Red Rainbow Peak inevitably suffered so disdain. For many years, aspirants of the Sword Dao typically chose Lotus Peak first, only settling for Red Rainbow Peak when Lotus Peak refused new disciples, feeling like a second choice. Now, with You Su as the second True Disciple of Lotus Peak, Red Rainbow Peak will certainly take action.
As for Book Immortal Peak, their simple reason for not letting You Su easily complete the seven-day process is that Lotus Peak among the thirteen peaks is the other half that He Shutong split from Book Immortal Peak.
"The Grand Elder has already granted You Su the status of True Disciple; do we still need to go through these procedures?"
"Letting him go through enrollnt is under the Grand Elder’s instruction to Mr. Liu."
The Third Elder explained, otherwise Mr. Liu wouldn’t have been impatient to invite her to convey the ssage.
He Shutong’s face was obscured by misty water, making it difficult to discern her expression.
She initially thought accepting You Su as a disciple was a form of recompense for him, not realizing she would subject him to unnecessary trials. Her presumption inadvertently made her indebted to You Su again.
The sound of splashing water echoed as she stood up in the Lotus Pool, overshadowing all the surrounding scenic beauty.
"What are you doing?" The Third Elder frowned tightly.
"I can’t hide here and let him face everything alone."
"Are you crazy?! Leaving the Lotus Pool now would be a huge loss every mont; do you truly wish to fall to common human status?!" The Third Elder rebuked.
I can’t burden him any longer...
He Shutong didn’t answer but held her aching heart.
The Third Elder saw her silent deanor, stomped her foot lightly in anger, and exclaid:
"Thirteenth Elder! Do you have no confidence in him whatsoever? If he can’t pass this, he doesn’t deserve to be your disciple!"
I am not worthy to be his master...
He Shutong sighed softly, "Third Elder, my mind is made up; you needn’t try to persuade further."
The Third Elder was so furious she cald down, as she’d never seen the Thirteenth Elder expend so much for one person, and couldn’t help but wonder about the relationship between the 200-year-old woman and the fledgling blind boy.
"Your disciples, especially this blind one, are likely unaware that you’re not in retreat here but rather seriously injured, right?" The Third Elder coldly questioned.
He Shutong remained silent in response.
"If you don’t want him to know, then stay here honestly. If there’s anything, I’ll support him for you."
"Thank you..."
"Don’t worry, heal well, and if you need anything, send a ssage. I will also help you find ancient thods for restoring your Spiritual Platform, lest I’m left alone on this lonely mountain peak once more."
The Third Elder chuckled bitterly, took a deep drink, and shook her head as she gracefully left.
She understood she hadn’t convinced the Thirteenth Elder at all.
She just resented these stubborn people. Knowing their own obstinacy, why can’t they change?
User Comments
0 comments from readers