High-Rise Banquet, the Difficulty of Longevity (Part Two)

Guiyan's smile faded. The information leaking from Jian Ziyu's words displeased him, and he said grimly, "You peered into my mind?" "It is because Martial Uncle Guiyan is forthright." Seated half-turned across from him, Jian Ziyu resembled a young lady raised under strict discipline. Yet with effortless ease, she skirted past the matter, as though the entire stretch of events between them had never existed. "Speaking of the first difficulty of longevity, it is truly the difficulty of one's Dao foundation." "Even grand clans like yours are troubled by flaws in your Dao foundations?" Guiyan's gaze swept over her face, doubtful yet half-convinced. "The foundation upon which one establishes the Dao varies from person to person. Great predecessors and patriarchs of every generation may have passed down methods leading straight to longevity, but each person's aptitude, innate endowment, temperament, even their opportunities differ. How could attaining the Dao or becoming a demon possibly be the same for a thousand people? Adjustments must be made accordingly; the only difference is whether those adjustments are great or small, deliberate or inadvertent." At this point, Jian Ziyu lowered her eyes and smiled faintly. The small mole at the corner of her lips lent her boundless charm. "These empty, high-sounding principles are probably of little interest to Martial Uncle Guiyan." Guiyan did not truly feel that way, but he knew even more clearly that Jian Ziyu was constantly attempting to control both the topic and the situation. At the same time, she was probing him—probing how to deal with a Guiyan who differed somewhat from what she had expected. He laughed aloud. "Actually, I also find a straightforward Junior Niece Jian more interesting." His smile immediately vanished. "It would be better to speak of something more practical. For example..." "For example, how to make