A Problem

"Please help me, True Man!" You Su pleaded earnestly.

"Exorcising evil spirits is the duty of a cultivator," True Man Ling stated righteously. "But I also have a question for you."

"Please ask, True Man."

"If your family members were deeply corrupted by evil, and I had no choice but to kill them, would you blame me?"

You Su was silent for a moment, his head lowered, revealing no emotion.

"If True Man can help them escape suffering, I can only be grateful."

"Good, I will do my best," True Man Ling said, stroking his white beard with relief.

"True Man, do we need to find some helpers? As far as I know, there are several Condensing Water Realm cultivators in Chuyun City who should be able to lend a hand."

A barely perceptible glint flashed in True Man Ling's eyes, and he glanced sideways at You Su. "You don't trust me?"

"How could I! This junior is just worried..."

"If facing evil spirits of flesh and blood, surrounding them and suppressing them with force is effective because they are mostly like brutal beasts; evil spirits of the five elements all possess elemental power, either dissolving in water or hidden in fire, and the key is to sever the element supporting it; as for evil spirits of the Dream Master type, they are exceptionally cunning and extremely sensitive to the slightest disturbance around them. The concentration of Mystic Qi will abnormally rise if cultivators gather, and it will definitely be detected early."

"Escaping is a trivial matter. It might even infiltrate the attackers, leading to a complete annihilation. Therefore, dealing with evil spirits of the Dream Master type is best resolved by trapping them with formations and talismans, not by having more people. Moreover, those cultivators who have never even seen an evil spirit themselves are likely not an aid, but a hidden danger."

"I see, this junior was ignorant," You Su said, a look of lingering fear on his face. He then respectfully added, "If True Man Ling needs me to cooperate with anything, please do not hesitate to command me."

"You are very smart. This exorcism is less about you cooperating with me, and more about me cooperating with you," True Man Ling said earnestly. "I will secretly set up the Myriad Ghosts Hidden Array. Once the array is complete, the evil spirits within will have nowhere to hide. Evil spirits of the Dream Master type, once unable to hide, will be like fish in a barrel. However, the crucial part of this array is that the final step must be performed within the array. If I reveal myself in the array, I will alert the enemy. Therefore, you will be the one to execute this final step."

After speaking, he took out a pile of items from his Universe Bag and placed them by You Su's side. "Here is a lamp, seven wicks, and three Dragon Sandalwood Incense sticks. By the early hours of the Tiger time the day after tomorrow at the latest, you must find an opportunity in your residence to light these seven wicks and use the lamp fire to light the incense. Once the three incense sticks have completely burned, you must silently recite 'Heaven is round, Earth is square, by my decree, ten thousand ghosts shall be hidden.' Once I sense it, I will form the array. Success or failure hinges on this one act, do you remember?"

"I remember!"

His voice was so firm that anyone listening could feel the immense sense of mission surging within You Su.

"Whether they can be saved depends on you," True Man Ling said with a serious expression, but not wanting to put too much pressure on the young man, he softened his tone and expression slightly. "Alright, you may go. Remember to stay true to your heart, do not live in constant fear, nor be careless. After the day after tomorrow, everything will be well."

"Thank you, True Man. You Su will remember," You Su put away the items, bowed, and prepared to leave. He could not linger for too long.

True Man Ling watched You Su's retreating figure disappear at the alley entrance. He then raised his cup, swirled the remaining flower tea, and drank it down in one gulp, as if he were drinking celebratory wine.

You Su returned to the sect. His Junior Sister had already gone to bed. He carefully hid the pile of items in his room and then prepared to begin his day's cultivation.

As he passed the main hall where his Mistress resided, You Su paused and looked at the closed door.

His Mistress hadn't left her room for several days. Although this was not uncommon, he still wanted to say a few words to her. He wanted a response from his Mistress, wanted to confirm if she was well, if she existed.

Recalling the few conversations he had with his Mistress over the past eight years, without exception, she had always offered guidance on his sword forms.

Each time, his Mistress only needed to glance a few times to accurately pinpoint the crux of his problem. Every guidance session benefited him greatly.

He felt that his Mistress's swordsmanship must be very high. If she had cultivation, her strength would undoubtedly be formidable.

You Su, confident in his understanding of the sword, felt that the swordplay of True Man Ling that day was actually like that of a beginner. But before the sword of his Mistress in his dream, he didn't even have the courage to flee.

He hesitated at the door for a long time, still unsure of what to say. He felt that anything he said would seem abrupt and deliberate. He was afraid of disturbing that cold, monstrous vortex, and even more afraid of presuming upon his Mistress, who was as serene as a lotus.

As he hesitated, You Su was about to give up when he heard a clear, cold voice from inside the hall:

"Something wrong?"

The simple two words felt like seeing ice and snow in August.

You Su was not taken aback for too long. His eyes held a hint of pleasant surprise, and his Adam's apple bobbed. "Mistress, You Su has a question."

"If it's about your Master, there's no need to ask."

"No, it's just a personal confusion."

His Mistress was silent for a moment. "Ask."

"If there was an enemy whose realm was far superior to mine, and I had to defeat them, what should I do?"

"When your Master was arrogant and overbearing, did he ever ask about the opponent's realm?"

You Su recalled carefully. His Master's actions indeed seemed to never consider others' opinions, but was his Master truly that powerful?

One must know that his Master couldn't even fly, meaning his Master's realm was definitely below the Feather Transformation Realm. As for the Condensing Water Realm, there were several cultivators of that level in this small Chuyun City.

"Master wouldn't ask."

"Immortals pursue eternal life and carefree ascension, not ruling the world and being invincible. Therefore, realm does not equate to combat power. When an enemy appears, one must first believe in the sword one has swung countless times; only then can one fight. If you truly cannot win, then hide. A gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years."

"But can someone who couldn't win ten years ago win ten years later?" You Su had always scoffed at such a notion.

"Of course, you still won't be able to win, but ten years later, your Master will return, and he will avenge you."

You Su couldn't imagine that his Mistress, who was like an iceberg, would actually joke, but her tone was so serious that it didn't seem like a joke at all.

"Then, will Mistress avenge me?"

The scene fell into silence again for a moment.

"I have no cultivation."

The clear voice carried no other emotion.

"Thank you for your guidance, Mistress. I'm going to practice my sword."

You Su bowed towards the hall door, and the Mistress responded with a silent nod.

The conversation was extremely brief, but You Su had already gotten the answer he wanted: faced with a powerful enemy, hesitation was the only wrong choice.

And the Mistress wouldn't lie to him; if she said she had no cultivation, then she truly had no cultivation.

He had to rely on himself for the dangers ahead.

Seeking collection and comments, orz