Doubting Life

It wasn't long before Lingxu brought Zhao Lu back to the sect's gates.

Zhao Lu looked up, and saw the towering Silver Sword Peak, like an incomparably sharp giant sword piercing the clouds, exuding a majestic aura.

The mountain was covered in lush greenery, with flowers blooming like brocade, and birds singing joyfully on the branches.

A gentle breeze swept through, carrying wisps of fresh floral fragrance, making one feel refreshed and invigorated.

Misty clouds swirled around the mountains, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

This beautiful scenery made Zhao Lu exclaim, "This place is truly like a fairyland!"

Daoist Lingxu brought Zhao Lu before Li Xuanxiao.

"Xuanxiao, from now on, she will be your Junior Sister. You are no longer the youngest disciple in terms of seniority and generation. Remember to take good care of your Junior Sister from now on."

"This disciple obeys Master's command."

"Take your Junior Sister to familiarize herself with Shushan. I have other matters to attend to."

After speaking, Lingxu vanished.

Zhao Lu looked at the young man before her with a hint of shyness.

He was unlike anyone she had met in the imperial palace.

"Greetings, Senior Brother."

Li Xuanxiao nodded. "Since you have joined Shushan, there are a few things I need to instruct you on."

"Cultivation is not just about cultivating magical power, but about cultivating oneself. This is the Path of Ruthlessness of our Shushan. Unfortunately, the Path of Ruthlessness never lacks students, it lacks graduates."

"Path of Ruthlessness?" Zhao Lu asked, confused. "Does it mean severing emotions and love? Ruthlessness... it sounds so cold."

Li Xuanxiao explained, "Great love is ruthless, not limited to small affections and love, but benefiting all living beings. It is the compassionate love for all beings, viewing all beings as equal, not the severing of emotions and love as you understand it."

"...Junior Sister understands."

Senior Brother, so mature.

Not at all like those noble scions from the royal court.

Li Xuanxiao waved his hand and stepped onto his flying sword. "Come up."

Zhao Lu blinked, preparing to ride the sword.

She couldn't do that yet~

Should I... hug Senior Brother's waist later?

Or maybe just grab the hem of his clothes?

There's no helping it. The Three-Foot Sword is only so long. Standing on it will inevitably lead to close contact.

Zhao Lu stepped onto the long sword.

Li Xuanxiao formed a sword seal with his hand, and the next moment, the Three-Foot Sword grew to be over ten meters long.

Li Xuanxiao stood at the head of the sword, while Zhao Lu stood at the tail.

The two seemed miles apart.

Zhao Lu: (⊙o⊙)...

"Shushan has seven peaks, namely Silver Sword Peak, Little Qiong Peak, Tongtian Peak, Dragon Head Peak, Sunset Peak, Great Bamboo Peak, and Little Bamboo Peak. Among them, Tongtian Peak is the main peak..."

Li Xuanxiao spoke incessantly, explaining the basic situation of Shushan to Zhao Lu.

"Senior Brother, I can't hear you very clearly."

Zhao Lu took a step forward.

The next second, a voice entered her ear. Li Xuanxiao had cast a spell.

"Can you hear clearly enough now?"

"I... I can hear clearly."

"When cultivating, remember not to act on impulse. Since you have decided to embark on this path, you must be prepared. Now, suppose a powerful cultivator falls in love with you, willing to defy the world for you, and harms countless living beings. What do you think of him?"

"Would someone really be like that? I... I think he's quite devoted."

"Good! Then, suppose you are an ordinary citizen, living a simple life, without great wealth or status, but happy and content. Your parents have found you a good marriage, but on the wedding day. A crazy cultivator, who appeared out of nowhere, killed all the citizens in the entire city. You were lucky to survive. You look at your family's corpses, you look at your groom still dressed in his bright red wedding clothes..."

Zhao Lu fell silent.

"Remember, this isn't about love. Behind it lie the blood and tears of countless people, the scattering of countless families, and mountains of bones!

When immortals fall in love, the mortal realm knows no peace!"

"I... I understand."

"Now, please close your eyes and picture this scene in your mind.

A man of tall stature and handsome features, as if he stepped out of a painting.

This handsome man once stepped forward in a moment of crisis and saved you.

At that moment, time itself seemed to freeze. All the noise and chaos around you faded away, leaving only his firm and powerful figure deeply etched into your heart.

After that thrilling encounter, the threads of your destinies began to intertwine.

Every accidental glance exchanged between you sent ripples through each other's hearts like sparks of lightning.

Every soft word spoken was like a gentle breeze, refreshing and uplifting.

Gradually, an ineffable emotion quietly spread between you…

Li Xuanxiao's magnetic voice, like a celestial melody, slowly resonated.

With his unique tone, he delicately described these scenes, effortlessly drawing Zhao Lu into that dreamlike, fantastical situation.

Zhao Lu couldn't help but think of Senior Brother Li Xuanxiao, who had saved her life.

At this point, Li Xuanxiao changed the subject.

"But what if one day you discover he's from the Demonic Cult, an enemy of the righteous path, and the bodies of innocent civilians and righteous cultivators killed by him could pile up to form mountains? What would you do?"

Zhao Lu bit her lip, her expression troubled.

"I... I should..."

"It's alright, speak your true thoughts," Li Xuanxiao encouraged her.

Zhao Lu took a deep breath. "I should kill him!!"

That's right, this was the correct answer Senior Brother wanted.

She couldn't appear to him like a naive girl blinded by love.

"Wrong!"

"Huh?"

Zhao Lu was confused.

"Then I should let him go, sever all ties with him, and kill him on the battlefield later?"

"Still wrong! The correct answer is to tell him you'll take him home to meet the parents and prepare a dowry.

With your strength, you can't kill him. The only safe and correct way is to lure him into the sect and attack him with everyone."

Zhao Lu: ...

"Never let your eyes be blinded by emotion. Don't naively believe that a demon will always love only you, and certainly don't aid and abet evil.

After discovering the other party's true identity, don't act impulsively. Plan before you act."

"I understand, Senior Brother."

Zhao Lu took a deep breath. Today's conversation felt like it could influence her entire life.

"Good, now please continue to imagine..."

Two years later.