“Brother Wuxi, I’m reminded of how Ye Linshuang once spoke of gazing at Nanli from the Northern Sea. Now no matter where he looks, he’ll have someone by his side,” Xiaochan said.
“Mm,” Shu Wuxi replied softly.
“I suddenly understand what was the meaning behind all the delicious food I’ve eaten and all the fun things I’ve done before.”
“What meaning?”
“It was all so I could tell you about them,” Lu Xiaochan turned his head, revealing a big smile.
At this time, Mo Qianqiu hadn’t relaxed at all. He looked at the large group of Xiyuan disciples kneeling on one knee before Haofu, his brows furrowing even deeper.
Because he hadn’t seen Haofu’s three main disciples, nor True Lord Faning.
Haofu looked at Mo Qianqiu and said seriously, “Pavilion Master Qianqiu, I have a request, and I hope you can help me despite our past grievances.”
“What is it?”
“Please place the Evil-Dispelling Bell on the ice surface. If there’s any unusual movement, the Evil-Dispelling Bell will give warning.”
“That’s not difficult.”
After speaking, Mo Qianqiu rose on his sword and used his spiritual energy to move the Evil-Dispelling Bell.
The bell moved slowly until it slid onto the ice surface.
The sect leaders and disciples who saw the Evil-Dispelling Bell move couldn’t help but be surprised.
Previously, it had taken the combined effort of all sect leaders to lift it to the edge of the Xiyuan crevice. But now, Mo Qianqiu could do it alone!
His cultivation had advanced overnight. Even the Xiyuan disciples who had previously looked down on him had to acknowledge his power now.
“Haofu, what are your plans now?” Mo Qianqiu asked.
At that moment, everyone looked over.
Lu Xiaochan had long grown tired of the ugly expressions on the faces of various immortal sects when they excluded others.
He walked to Mo Qianqiu’s side, placed one hand on his shoulder in a friendly manner, and spoke loudly, “In cultivation, the higher your level, the more serious the consequences when things go wrong. Except for the various sword masters, if others rush into borrowing power, at most they’ll be targeted by evil spirits, which the Tailing Pavilion can solve with a medical spell.”
The sect leaders knew what Lu Xiaochan was going to say next and felt embarrassed.
They didn’t dare say anything to Shu Wuxi, but since Lu Xiaochan was a disciple of the Tailing Pavilion, at least Kunwu could persuade him!
Sect Master Yu came before Kunwu. “Medical Lord, this little brother could use a single medical spell to help Sword Master Ye save Lord Lianyue, and could practice swordsmanship beside Lord Yang Cang. His talent is naturally not something we ordinary people can compare to, so it’s hard for him to understand our fear of the Evil God Chaos.”
However, Kunwu nodded with a smile and said loudly, “Since my junior brother is so talented, we should all hear what insights into the laws of heaven and earth he has gained. I too would like to hear what insights my junior brother has.”
The sect leaders showed expressions as if they were choking on fishbones.
Ling Nianwu was quite free-spirited, sitting down cross-legged and raising his hand. “I’m all ears.”
Even Lord Miaochen Yuan calmly put down her sword and sat beside Ling Nianwu. “After what we’ve experienced at Xiyuan, with Chongluan Palace destroyed and the Hopeless land sealed, countless past events have been dragged out. We should reflect and comprehend on our own. Pretending past events never happened, not acknowledging the cause – how can there be enlightenment without comprehension, and how can there be true results?”
After Lord Miaochen Yuan’s words, those sect leaders who had originally wanted to leave had no choice but to sit down as well.
Without tea or wine, they discussed the Dao at Xiyuan.
Everyone looked at Lu Xiaochan, whether willing or unwilling, they had to listen to him speak.
Lu Xiaochan scratched his chin, and the words he was about to blurt out suddenly became difficult to say.
Kunwu was quite at ease, even taking out his medicine flask and drinking a few sips, clearly waiting for Lu Xiaochan to embarrass himself.
Lu Xiaochan sighed. “Alright, alright. These words of mine can only be said to those who can understand. For those obsessed with fame and fortune, right and wrong, life and death, no matter how much I say, it might be like summer cicadas in the trees, just chirping and annoying people.”
Ling Nianwu raised his hand, meaning “please speak.”
“As humans, we naturally have obsessions. Otherwise, why couldn’t the first Yang Cang from over ten thousand years ago during the Age of Great Primal Chaos ascend to godhood despite such high cultivation? Because we are born human!”
Sect Master Yu snorted lightly. “So you’re saying our cultivation and pursuit of the Dao are all in vain?”
Lu Xiaochan laughed. “Sect Master Yu, if your cultivation and pursuit of the Dao is for ascending to godhood, then that’s obsession. Be careful of Chaos… ah, no, a Demon Lord! Oh oh, that’s not right either, it should be evil spirit possession!”
The meaning behind these words was naturally implying that Master Yu’s cultivation wasn’t enough – he couldn’t even attract high-level evil qi from the Demon Lord if he went astray.
Sect Master Yu’s face turned pale, and she looked to the side.
“Xiaochan, tell us, what do you cultivate for?” Kunwu asked with a smile.
“What else could it be for? It’s for the natural way! I cultivate to be free and unfettered! To have a clear mind, not feeling great joy or sorrow over external things, not dwelling on others’ words. You all want to cultivate to become immortals and gods, I just want to cultivate to become the most free and unrestrained Lu Xiaochan!”
Some people shook their heads, saying Lu Xiaochan’s words were those of youth, and if it was really as he said, wouldn’t that waste all his cultivation?
Others seemed to half-understand, feeling that becoming a god was already vague, and having peace of mind was also a realm of achievement.
Lord Miaochen Yuan nodded with a smile. “I have already become a Sword Master, yet I’m far from seeing things as clearly as you, Xiaochan. For so many years I envied Lianyue’s free and unrestrained nature, never thinking that perhaps he was also envying me.”
“When the Dongxu Sword Master’s cultivation went wrong and was possessed by Chaos, bringing disaster to the world, it wasn’t just the Dongxu Sword Master himself, nor just Chaos, but the obsessions in his heart. But somehow, everyone directly classified the Dongxu Sword Master as evil. No matter how many people he had saved before, it didn’t count anymore. Even the many immortal sects under Dongxu were suppressed. In the end, are you all afraid of Chaos, or the evil thoughts in your own hearts?”
None of the sect leaders could answer.
After Dongxu, Xiyuan’s Haofu also fell into possession, and Lord Lianyue also entered the first level of Great Power after being reborn through demon bathing.
“Truly, if I don’t fall into possession, who will? How can one’s mind be pure if one can’t even face one’s own inner demons?” Ling Nianwu sighed softly.
“Since we’ve said this much, everyone can go back to their own homes now.” Lu Xiaochan swayed to Haofu’s front, squinting his eyes and smiling, “Xiyuan Sword Master, earlier Mo Qianqiu asked what your plans were, I want to know too.”
“Haofu’s position as Xiyuan Sword Master was inherited from the previous Sword Master, not chosen by Xiyuan’s Sword-Releasing Stone. Haofu voluntarily stays here to guard the Evil-Dispelling Bell, giving up the position of Sword Master.”
When Haofu said this, everyone was surprised. Many people tried to persuade him, saying things like who hasn’t made mistakes, how can one night’s rights and wrongs determine everything, and so on.
Lu Xiaochan looked at Mo Qianqiu and smiled. “Look how good Haofu’s relationships are, everyone rushes to forgive him when he makes a mistake. You haven’t made any mistakes, yet you’re like a rat crossing the street, everyone shouting to hit you.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Xiaochan’s head was hit by Mo Qianqiu.
Haofu was supported by his disciples as he slowly stood up. Though his qi was weak, his voice was strong and righteous.
“Haofu’s mistakes were not made in one night. Now that all the immortal sects are here, Haofu will openly confess his wrongdoings to the world.”
At that moment, all of Xiyuan fell silent.
“Haofu’s first mistake was only asking about right and wrong, not about truth and falsehood. When Pavilion Master Qianqiu was wronged in our Xiyuan, I only followed my master’s orders. When the Pavilion Master had his decisive battle at the Immortal Inquiry Platform, I neither sought the truth nor followed my heart, fearing that any misstep would be criticized by the world. Because of this, I let Pavilion Master Qianqiu be misunderstood by the world, and also let my own heart knot remain unresolved.”
After Haofu’s words, the Xiyuan disciples all lowered their heads.
In Chongluan Palace, they had mocked Mo Qianqiu to his face and constantly criticized him behind his back. But if it weren’t for Mo Qianqiu, their Sword Master would have already become the Demon Lord’s pawn, and the observing immortal sects would have been refined by the Demon Capital. The Xiyuan people would be guilty of countless deaths.
“Haofu’s second mistake was harboring hatred towards junior sister Lord Chunning. After the immortal-demon war, when Haofu escorted the master back to Xiyuan, Lord Chunning came to welcome us. Haofu wanted to destroy her face out of personal vengeance, and to stop Haofu, master exhausted his last essence.”
When this was said, even Xiyuan was shocked.
They had always thought the previous Sword Master was injured by Chaos, but it turned out it was because of Haofu?
“Haofu’s third mistake was letting internal anger and hatred run wild, leading to Demon Lord Luli possessing my body, almost causing everyone to fall into the Soul Refining Formation through my hands. These three great mistakes are all extremely serious. Today, no matter how the world’s sword sects hold me accountable, Haofu willingly accepts it.”
Haofu clasped his hands and lowered his head.
Behind him, the various sect disciples of Xiyuan first looked at each other, until someone also began to lower their head.
“The sects under Xiyuan are connected as one, how are the Sword Master’s mistakes not our mistakes as well?”
“If we hadn’t been prejudiced and pressured Pavilion Master Qianqiu back then, how could such a great mistake have been made!”
Lu Xiaochan returned to Shu Wuxi’s side, sighed, and directly leaned against his back without speaking.
“Xiaochan, what’s wrong?”
“They’ve all admitted their mistakes, making it awkward to pursue the matter.”
“A mistake is a mistake. Why can’t it be pursued just because they’ve admitted it?”
Though Shu Wuxi’s voice wasn’t loud, he hadn’t deliberately lowered it, letting everyone hear.
Mo Qianqiu smiled slightly, and the Qianqiu Sword flew out of its scabbard. He lightly jumped up and rode the sword.
“Haofu, your rights and wrongs, and the world’s judgment have nothing to do with me, Mo Qianqiu. Since we’ve met, I still hope you regain your cultivation soon. Otherwise, if this ice glacier formed from borrowed sun and ice essence melts, you won’t even be able to ring this Evil-Dispelling Bell, and then it won’t be just Xiyuan that suffers, but the whole world!”
After speaking, Mo Qianqiu left gracefully, with the Thousand Autumn Pavilion disciples following closely behind.
Lu Xiaochan blinked his eyes and pointed at the sky saying, “This guy just left like that? Didn’t even spare a ‘see you later’?”
“In Mo Qianqiu’s eyes, since it’s not ‘never meeting again,’ then farewells have no meaning,” Shu Wuxi answered.
The other sects were also filled with mixed emotions. Now that the Xiyuan matter was settled, they questioned whether they had the right to hold Haofu accountable. Haofu’s sins, how could they not have played a part in them? Countless sword cultivators left on their swords, creating a magnificent sight in the sky above Xiyuan.
Lu Xiaochan thought, opportunity knocks but once, he should take advantage of their debt to Xiyuan and quickly get the “Earth Listening” tree heart!
He came before Haofu and respectfully bowed, surprising even Kunwu.
“When this little thing is so respectful, there must be something wrong!”
Lu Xiaochan stretched out his hand to show Haofu, “Look at my injury, it’s from when I was fighting the demon crowds and was hurt by the Wuhen Sword……”
Kunwu directly threw over a bottle of medicine. “If you’re injured, apply the medicine. Showing it to Haofu won’t help!”
“Well… if I’m going to fight evil and protect the Dao in the future, I’ll definitely still get hurt by my own sword……”
