Questioning Her Entire Life

Before long, Lingxu brought Zhao Lu back to the mountain gate.

Zhao Lu looked up and saw the towering Silver Sword Peak piercing the clouds like an incomparably sharp giant sword, its presence vast and majestic.

Lush trees shaded the mountain, flowers bloomed in splendid profusion, and birds sang merrily upon the branches.

A gentle breeze swept past, carrying waves of fresh floral fragrance that made one feel utterly refreshed.

Mists curled through the mountains, appearing and vanishing by turns.

The beautiful sight made Zhao Lu sigh. "This truly is like an immortal realm!"

Daoist Lingxu brought Zhao Lu before Li Xuanxiao.

"Xuanxiao, from now on, she will be your junior sister. You are no longer this venerable one's youngest disciple in either age or seniority. Remember to take good care of your junior sister in the future."

"This disciple will obey Master's command."

"Take your junior sister around Shu Mountain so she can familiarize herself with it. Your master still has matters to attend to."

With that, Lingxu vanished.

Zhao Lu looked shyly at the young man before her.

He was unlike everyone she had known in the imperial palace.

"Greetings, Senior Brother."

Li Xuanxiao nodded. "Now that you have entered Shu Mountain, there are several matters I must impress upon you."

Cultivation is not merely the cultivation of magical power, but the cultivation of oneself.

"This is Shu Mountain's Path of Ruthlessness. Unfortunately, the Path of Ruthlessness never lacks students; what it lacks are graduates."

"The Path of Ruthlessness?" Zhao Lu asked in confusion. "Does it mean severing all emotion and love? Ruthlessness... it sounds so cold and cruel."

Li Xuanxiao explained, "Great love is ruthless. It is not confined to petty affections and romantic love, but bestows grace upon all living beings."

"It is love for the common people, compassion that views all beings as equal—not the severing of emotion and love that you imagine."

"...This junior sister understands."

Senior Brother was so mature.

Nothing like the offspring of the royal nobility.

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

Zhao Lu blinked. Flying on a sword...

She still did not know how~

Would she have to... hold Senior Brother around the waist later?

Or perhaps she should just tug at the corner of his robe.

There was no helping it. A three-foot sword was only that long; standing atop it, close contact would surely be unavoidable.

Zhao Lu stepped onto the sword.

Li Xuanxiao formed a sword seal with his fingers, and the three-foot sword became more than ten meters long the next instant.

Li Xuanxiao stood at the sword's tip, while Zhao Lu stood at its tail.

The two seemed separated by the ends of the earth.

Zhao Lu: (⊙o⊙)...

"Shu Mountain has seven peaks: 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 at length, explaining the basic circumstances of Shu Mountain to Zhao Lu.

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

Zhao Lu took a step forward.

The next second, his voice entered her ears directly.

Li Xuanxiao had cast a spell.

"Can you hear clearly enough now?"

"I... I can hear clearly."

"When cultivating, remember never to act on emotion. Since you have resolved to walk this road, you must prepare yourself."

"Now suppose a powerful cultivator falls in love with you. For your sake, he does not hesitate to become the enemy of the world and slaughter countless living beings. What do you think of him?"

"Would such a person really exist? I... think he is quite devoted."

"Good! Then suppose you are now an ordinary commoner, living an ordinary life every day. Though you lack great wealth and honor, your life is peaceful and happy."

"Your parents have found you a fine match, but on your wedding day..."

"A crazed cultivator, who knows where he came from, massacres every commoner in the entire city. You survive by sheer luck."

"You look upon your family's corpses, and upon your groom, still dressed in bright red wedding robes..."

Zhao Lu fell silent.

"Remember this: it is not love. Behind it lie the blood and tears of countless people, countless families torn apart, and heaps upon heaps of white bones!"

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

"I... I understand."

"Now, close your eyes and picture such a scene."

"A tall, handsome man stands before you, as though he has stepped out of a painting."

"This dashing and handsome man once stepped forward in a moment of danger and saved you."

"At that moment, time itself seemed to freeze. All the clamor and turmoil around you were shut away, and only his steadfast, powerful figure was branded deeply upon your heart."

"After that heart-stopping encounter, the threads of your fates began to entwine."

"Each accidental meeting of your gazes was like lightning striking flint, sending ripples through both your hearts."

"Every soft-spoken conversation was like a gentle breeze brushing your face, leaving you refreshed and at ease."

"Gradually, an indescribable feeling quietly spread between the two of you..."

Li Xuanxiao's magnetic voice rose slowly, like heavenly music.

With his unique tone, he delicately described each scene, effortlessly drawing Zhao Lu into that dreamlike situation.

Zhao Lu could not help thinking of Senior Brother Li Xuanxiao, who had saved her life.

At that moment, Li Xuanxiao abruptly changed the subject.

"But one day, you discover that he is a member of the demonic sect, an enemy of the righteous path. The corpses of innocent commoners and righteous cultivators who died by his hand could be piled into several mountains. What should you do?"

Zhao Lu bit her lip, her expression troubled.

"I... I should..."

"It's all right. Say what you truly think," Li Xuanxiao encouraged her.

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

That was right. This was the correct answer Senior Brother wanted.

She could not make herself look like some innocent young girl who would go mad for love before Senior Brother.

"Wrong!"

"Ah?"

Zhao Lu was bewildered.

"Then I should spare him, sever all ties with him, and kill him on the battlefield someday?"

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

"With your strength, you cannot kill him. Only by luring him into the sect and attacking him together can you deal with him in the safest and most proper way."

Zhao Lu: ...

"Never let emotion blind your eyes. Do not naively believe that the Demon Lord will forever love only you, and even more so, do not help a tyrant do evil."

"Once you discover the other party's true identity, do not act impulsively either. Plan before you move."

"I understand, Senior Brother."

Zhao Lu took a deep breath. Today's conversation seemed as though it could affect her entire life.

"Good. Now continue imagining..."

Two years later.