The two of them remained silent until they returned to the courtyard.
They flew directly over the wall from the sky and landed inside.
Zongzheng Huangyue, who was in the courtyard reading a book, looked up. The momentary flash of wariness and worry in her eyes quickly dissipated.
“Master.”
She glanced at Gu Linshu, who was standing beside Wen Li. He looked calm, but he seemed to have something weighing heavily on his mind.
Wen Li stepped forward and sat down beside her. Gu Linshu followed and sat down, taking the initiative to speak via mental transmission.
“Master, your disciple does not understand whether you wanted me to repay the grudge of being humiliated, or if you wanted me to see another’s Dao Heart clearly to realize my own.”
As the transmission spread from his divine sense, Zongzheng Huangyue could also hear it.
She didn't know exactly what had happened, but based on the fact that Wen Li hadn't returned all night, the faint traces of battle on Gu Linshu’s clothes, and his current words, he had been captured. Her master had rescued him under certain conditions—at least it hadn't been through force, but rather negotiation or threats. However, Gu Linshu had fought someone himself, and his enemy’s Dao Heart had shattered.
Exhausted from a night out, Wen Li leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, her expression relaxing as her breathing grew steady. “I’m not so divinely foresighted that I could predict Xu Chang’s Dao Heart would shatter. You were knocked unconscious and the Cangchen Brush was lost; if we didn't settle this grudge now, were we supposed to wait for the New Year? If there's a grudge, it should be repaid on the spot. I won't have many opportunities to back you up like this.”
“Every cultivator has a Dao Heart, and they are all different. There is no need for you to try and realize his, because you will not feel inferior.”
Gu Linshu had lived a life free of worry since childhood, pampered by his parents. The love they gave him provided him with enough courage and confidence to face many storms, and he could remain calm in most situations. This was also why his personality was so quiet and composed.
Gu Linshu understood the meaning behind her words. His brow furrowed slightly. His parents... all of this was the protection his parents had provided him.
Seeing the fatigue in Wen Li’s eyes, Zongzheng Huangyue maneuvered her wheelchair behind her. She raised her hands and silently began to massage Wen Li’s temples with slow, firm movements.
Enjoying the sensation, Wen Li kept her eyes closed and spoke slowly. “Xu Chang was in the same realm as you. Fighting him allowed you to gain experience. Had you lost, it would have shown you that talent is not your only path to success. There will always be people who work harder than you; you must never become arrogant or reckless because of your talent. That would only lead you to an early grave.”
“Since you won, you must understand where your talent lies and utilize it to its fullest. That way, your chances of victory among those of the same realm will be greater. As for your capture this time, while it involved Luo Yuntian’s scheming, your own tendency to underestimate the enemy was also a factor.”
“Your disciple admits his mistake,” Gu Linshu acknowledged. “My practical experience is truly too lacking. In the battle today, Xu Chang’s reaction speed was three breaths faster than mine, and his transitions between techniques were rapid. If not for my proficiency with talismans, I would have been the one to lose.”
Wen Li lazily opened her eyes and looked at him. “Since you know your shortcomings, correct them. Your temperament is steady and meticulous, but you lack shrewdness. You were captured because of Luo Yuntian’s scheming rather than being caught up in Helian Zhou’s trouble. Do you know why?”
When she had reached the dungeon, she had seen him practically mingling with that group from Danfeng Valley. He was about to be sold out and didn't even know to stay away. If there hadn't been outsiders present, she would have hit him on the head with a hammer.
Gu Linshu paused for a moment before responding, “I know.”
“When Luo Yuntian was captured, he deliberately shouted for me to run. First, it was a gamble. He saw through my cultivation and knew my talent was extraordinary, so he likely guessed my status was significant. Having Helian Zhou capture me would not only draw hatred toward the Moquan Sect and increase Danfeng Valley’s leverage, but he also hoped to be rescued alongside me when the powerhouse backing me eventually came to the rescue.”
This was also why Luo Yuntian had been so brazen as to say he had done Gu Linshu a favor when Wen Li was about to leave. He had planned to use that 'favor' as blackmail from the very beginning.
After all, he had 'kindly' shouted for him to run, while it was the Moquan Sect who had knocked him out and Helian Zhou who had personally locked him in the dungeon. With both witnesses and evidence, any other cultivator might have truly fallen for it.
Unfortunately, when it came to playing dirty, Wen Li was miles ahead of him. She had seen through this little trick the moment she watched the shadow stone in the spirit herb shop.
“Second... your disciple guesses that if his first theory was wrong, even if he was captured by Helian Zhou by mistake, he could at least drag me down to die with him. He is narrow-minded and couldn't stand seeing someone so young with Foundation Establishment cultivation. He was jealous of me.” Gu Linshu had realized this in the dungeon because of how Luo Yuntian had reacted to the mention of the clothes, and how he had unhesitatingly lowered himself to offer his allegiance.
His master had once told him that cultivators who were blunt, reckless, and mindless were fine to associate with. However, one had to be extremely careful of those who could bend their pride, acting as a peacemaker one moment and pouring their heart out the next.
Such people had deep thoughts and were best at feigning innocence. Their ability to humble themselves came from having frequently endured great humiliation; they could tolerate what ordinary people could not, and they were the most ruthless when they finally acted.
The more Luo Yuntian lowered himself to flatter him, the more it proved his underlying envy. Envy always brings jealousy—it is the law of the human heart. Anyone who says otherwise is merely feeling guilty; only he knew in his heart whether he was jealous to the point of madness.
Although Wen Li had given him a token to conceal his cultivation, he was still transparent before a cultivator of a higher realm.
In the dungeon, Luo Yuntian had been jealous of his status and position; at their first meeting, he had been jealous of his talent.
Wen Li raised an eyebrow. “You knew all that and still stayed close to them? Weren't you afraid of being sold out?”
Seeing Wen Li’s expression soften slightly, Zongzheng Huangyue reached for her shoulders and massaged them, listening silently without saying a word.
Her Third Senior Brother actually had some brains. She didn't know what kind of people the Eldest and Second were yet, or if they would be easy to win over. There was still no word on the Fifth and Sixth. Her master had said the Eldest and Second disciples were elsewhere in the Western Province but were acquainted with each other. For now, winning over her Third Senior Brother was her best advantage.
“Luo Yuntian asked me if I had a way to undo the Immortal-Binding Rope. I was in a passive position and feared being used as a shield by them if the Moquan Sect turned violent. I wanted to use the opportunity to show goodwill and confess my life-saving trump cards to lower their guard, while also allowing them to recover their freedom. That way, I could escape in the chaos once the two sides started fighting,” Gu Linshu explained through transmission, pursing his lips.
“Master, didn't you say that one shouldn't strike a smiling face? You said that when facing danger, one must not stand out and must instead feign being foolish, weak, and obedient.”
“Oho, you actually listened and even learned it so well.”
Wen Li suddenly looked up, her eyes fixed on him in pleasant surprise. He had always been well-behaved and quiet, mostly showing a simplicity untouched by the secular world. Who would have thought that in such a short time, he would become quite the little schemer?
Being praised, Gu Linshu pursed his lips and cleared his throat, his voice humble. “Ma—Master taught me well.”
This really wasn't flattery. He had known Wen Li for nearly three months now. Whether it was what she taught by word and example or what he observed from how she handled people, he had absorbed many 'truths.'
It was true that he loved reading and practicing calligraphy, but he wasn't a blockhead confined by books. On the contrary, he was very quick to accept new ideas.
Wen Li nodded and patted his shoulder, feeling gratified. “A student worth teaching. Not bad.”
And here she was wondering what else she needed to teach this kid. He was smart, cultured, well-behaved, polite, and rich—he was a boy after her own heart!
Praised once more, Gu Linshu finally breathed a sigh of relief, having feared his master would be angry about his capture. He then remembered something. “Master, is Xu Chang’s Dao Heart truly shattered? Will he never be able to cultivate again in this life?”
Zongzheng Huangyue also looked up, equally curious.
“If the heart does not die, the Dao is not born; if desires are not extinguished, the Dao cannot exist. The Dao Heart is ethereal and can only be perceived by oneself. Xu Chang’s Dao Heart may not truly be destroyed. There is no construction without destruction; if he can break through this barrier and gain some realization to reshape his Dao Heart, his cultivation will reach a new level. But if he remains trapped within his Dao Heart, unable to let go of his obsessions, he will stay where he is forever. His cultivation will wither with the passing of years, and he will eventually die of old age and return to the earth like a mortal.”
Wen Li wasn't worried about Zongzheng Huangyue. Her Dao Heart was incredibly firm; she cultivated only to become stronger with a determination that would pay any price. There was very little risk of her path wavering.
As for Gu Linshu...
She looked at him and offered a single warning. “Your Dao Heart is closely linked to the path you cultivate. Do not let yourself care too much, or it will ultimately become your shackles.”
At this moment, Gu Linshu only half-understood. He hadn't even chosen which Dao to follow yet. The only things he cared about were his parents, and now his master. What kind of shackles could there be?
“...Yes.”
Zongzheng Huangyue’s grip on Wen Li’s shoulders involuntarily loosened slightly. The Dao Heart...
When the Dao Heart shatters, heart demons are born.
If her master was going to say these words to every disciple, she didn't know about the Eldest and Second, but she was right here, yet her master had spoken only to Gu Linshu. This meant that in her master's mind, she was not among those considered at risk of having their Dao Heart shatter.
Her master had mentioned that the Eldest and Second were orphans, unburdened by attachments. If the Fifth and Sixth were the same, then the person corresponding to the Seventh Sect Rule must be...
Rate on N.U.
