Youth Is Indeed Good

The night was deep, and Zhou Zhiruo remained silent for a long time, her body trembling slightly as she leaned close to Gu Shaoan.

Gu Shaoan's words had cast huge stones into the tranquil lake of her young heart, stirring not ripples, but a tempest.

She raised her head, gazing at the courtyard where Miejue resided, a faint daze in her eyes.

At this moment, the young Zhou Zhiruo seemed to have truly touched, for the first time, the immense, mountain-like coldness and the burning loneliness contained within the words "Sect Leader."

It was no longer a lofty majesty, but a responsibility filled with blood, tears, and difficult choices.

The night wind stirred her hair, as if plucking the strings of her chaotic and reshaping thoughts.

Gu Shaoan did not disturb her, simply sitting quietly beside her. He knew this seed needed time to take root in her heart.

After a long while, Zhou Zhiruo spoke softly, "So Master carried so much alone."

Gu Shaoan nodded. "Indeed! Becoming a Sect Leader isn't difficult, but becoming a responsible and conscientious Sect Leader is incredibly hard."

He thought of the Huashan Qi Sect's Sect Leader Yue, who, like Miejue, sought only to strengthen Huashan throughout his life.

For this single goal, would he even willingly castrate himself, personally trampling his pride as a man underfoot?

"Mercy does not lead troops, righteousness does not manage wealth." As a sect leader, one should anticipate and prepare for future troubles.

If one were to nitpick, in Gu Shaoan's eyes, Miejue's actions were too radical and biased.

It was almost a "cut-all-with-one-knife" approach.

Furthermore, what Miejue did today was somewhat underhanded.

If Miejue hadn't created such a suitable environment for Ding Minjun, Ding Minjun might not have dared to lay hands on Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo.

The human heart, after all, can never withstand temptation.

However, even though Gu Shaoan understood all of this, he didn't feel any particular resentment.

At this moment, Zhou Zhiruo turned her head to look at Gu Shaoan.

"Master values you so highly, Junior Brother, and your talent is so exceptional, and you see things so clearly. If you become Sect Leader in the future, you will surely bring glory to Emei, just like Master."

Hearing this, Gu Shaoan chuckled lightly and slowly shook his head.

"Who the Sect Leader is doesn't matter, as long as they are good for Emei."

"For me, the current important thing is not the position of Sect Leader."

Hearing this, Zhou Zhiruo became interested.

"What is your goal, Junior Brother?"

Gu Shaoan smiled lightly. "Are you asking about my goal before today? Or my goal after today?"

Zhou Zhiruo blinked her watery eyes, confused. "Is there a difference?"

Gu Shaoan said softly, "Of course, and a very big difference."

"As for before today, my goal was simple: to cultivate diligently and improve my own strength with all my might."

Zhou Zhiruo asked, "And after today?"

Gu Shaoan paused. "It's still cultivating diligently. Within these ten years, I will improve my strength as much as possible."

Zhou Zhiruo carefully compared Gu Shaoan's previous and current statements, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly, a look of confusion on her face. "Your two goals seem to have no difference, Junior Brother."

Gu Shaoan shook his head. "The difference is huge. Because before today, improving my strength was only for myself. But after today, besides for myself, it will also be for Master and for Emei."

Seeing that Zhou Zhiruo still didn't understand, Gu Shaoan raised his hand and gently ruffled her hair.

"It means cultivating diligently. When my strength is great, I will support and back up Senior Sister, Master, and everyone in Emei."

Speaking of this, Gu Shaoan couldn't help but sigh.

Bad people never let others off, while good people never let themselves off.

And Gu Shaoan was a mix of both, good and bad.

He wasn't bad enough to commit all sorts of evil, nor good enough to sacrifice himself for others.

This also meant Gu Shaoan couldn't be ungrateful or heartless.

Miejue's meticulous care and patient guidance over the past month could definitely be called that of a good teacher.

Moreover, what happened today made Gu Shaoan clearly feel that Miejue truly protected him, her disciple, with all her heart.

Since the master-disciple bond had been forged, as long as Miejue did nothing to betray Gu Shaoan in the future, this bond would forever be greater than the heavens.

Miejue's affairs would naturally become Gu Shaoan's affairs.

Gu Shaoan could not stand idly by if misfortune befell Miejue in the future.

If Miejue and Emei could protect Gu Shaoan for these ten years, Gu Shaoan would do his utmost to protect Miejue and Emei.

To back up Miejue and Emei.

As for helping reason over personal ties.

A disciple helping their master was reasonable, justifiable, and righteous.

If the reasoning on both sides differed, then they would clash and see whose reasoning was stronger.

Zhou Zhiruo didn't know what Gu Shaoan was thinking. Facing Gu Shaoan's last sentence, she nodded in agreement and said, "Little Junior Brother, your talent is so high, your future strength will definitely surpass Master's. If anything really happens, you'll definitely be able to protect Master and me."

Gu Shaoan turned his head and looked at Zhou Zhiruo, who was earnestly responding to him. His smile also became a bit more innocent.

"That's for sure. But Senior Sister, you have to work hard too. You're the Senior Sister, and protecting Master and the Emei Sect is also your responsibility."

Zhou Zhiruo nodded, "I will work twice as hard in the future. When Junior Brother cultivates, I will cultivate too. Then, in the future, I can share Master's burdens and protect my Emei."

Listening to Zhou Zhiruo's words, Gu Shaoan couldn't help but smile.

He had to admit, having a simple-minded Senior Sister to tease was quite nice.

Especially since this simple-minded Senior Sister was so good-looking.

Teasing her was even more fun.

Both Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo were already exhausted from the battles they had experienced.

After their conversation, Zhou Zhiruo's emotions eased, and sleepiness washed over her.

As they chatted, her head tilted, and she leaned on Gu Shaoan's shoulder.

Feeling the sudden weight on his neck, Gu Shaoan's words stopped abruptly.

"Youth is indeed good. When you're tired and sleepy, you can just fall asleep, leaning your head like this."

Muttering to himself, Gu Shaoan closed his eyes and began to cultivate his Internal Energy.

However, Gu Shaoan, who was immersed in cultivation, and Zhou Zhiruo, who had fallen asleep, did not notice.

Just as they were talking, Miejue stood motionless like a sculpture on the rooftop behind them, hearing every word of their conversation. Her emotions churned, and she couldn't calm down for a long time.

People are made of flesh and blood.

How could Miejue truly have a heart of stone?

But as Gu Shaoan said, Miejue, as the Sect Leader of the Emei Sect, could not let personal feelings bind her actions. Everything had to be for Emei's sake.

For decades, she had not dared to slacken in her efforts for Emei's development.

Externally, even when she knew something was wrong, she could only adopt a tough stance.

It wasn't because Miejue was foolish and didn't know right from wrong, but because in the martial world, the strong preyed on the weak.

In such a cannibalistic world, if one hesitated and retreated at every turn, others would only see her, Miejue, as weak and easy to bully, and Emei as easy to bully.

Only by adopting a strong stance could she make other forces wary.

Many things were beyond her control, yet she had to do them.

Emei had developed to its current state, with ordinary forces not daring to offend it. Wasn't this also because Miejue bore all the infamy herself?

Now, who could remember that before she succeeded the Sect Leader, Miejue was once innocent and cheerful, and used to smile at people?

If she could, who wouldn't want to be like Zhang Sanfeng, renowned and awe-inspiring?

Miejue had thought that in this life, apart from the elders who had already passed away and her senior brother who was also absent, no one else could understand her difficulties.

She never expected that a young disciple who had only been here for a little over a month could understand the difficulties of being in her position.

Recalling Gu Shaoan's words from earlier, Miejue didn't know why, but the emotions in her heart seemed to break through like the Yellow River breaching its banks.

This forced Miejue to tilt her head back, holding back the emotions that threatened to spill from her eyes.

After a long time, she lowered her gaze and looked at the figure sitting below with his eyes closed. Miejue truly felt, over these years, that heaven was not unfair.

She, Miejue, was fortunate enough to take in such an excellent disciple.

It was enough to comfort her for a lifetime.