Yunxi shook her head after listening. "Master, why would those cultivators knowingly side with evil cultivators when everyone knows they are hated and hunted like rats in the street? Is it truly just for the sake of ascension?"
Yu Ling set down his teacup and said calmly, "They are only victims of their own swelling desires. Ascension is nothing more than the most convenient excuse.
The path of cultivation is long and filled with obstacles. It requires accumulation and is influenced by talent, cultivation resources, luck, and many other factors. These things can either block your way or become stepping stones.
True cultivators who wholeheartedly pursue the Dao will only strive to better themselves. If they lack talent, they find ways to make up for it. If they lack resources, they earn them. In this vast world, there is always a road for the diligent.
Only those whose dao hearts are unstable will fall prey to the whispers of evil cultivators, birthing resentment and jealousy. They envy Heaven's unfairness, they envy those born with superior aptitude, they envy the families and sects that nurture others.
Such people always find excuses for their poor choices, and those excuses always come from blaming others. With this mindset, betrayal becomes inevitable."
Yunxi nodded seriously. Some people were simply like this: never reflecting on themselves, always blaming others, then blindly walking down a dark path of self-deception.
Seeing she was absorbing his words, Yu Ling continued, "Yunxi, it has been nearly ten years since you became my disciple. I have seen all your growth with my own eyes. You are the disciple I am most proud of. You have your own mission, and I will not interfere with any decision you make.
But no matter what you do, you must make sure you live to do it. Your growth has been too fast, far beyond what the word 'genius' can describe. At this rate, I fear even I might ascend later than you."
Yunxi grinned sheepishly. She knew her injuries this time had worried her master again. He was the kind who seemed cold on the outside but was warm within, and he spared no effort to guide and protect her. She quickly promised, "Master, rest assured. I know my limits. I will never gamble with my life. As you said, I need to live to accomplish what I must do."
She poured him another cup of tea attentively.
Yu Ling's lips curved slightly as he went on, "I only wish to shield you for a few more years. The ones watching you now are not only evil cultivators. Even righteous cultivators are observing you.
The evil cultivators covet Yixian Gate's inheritance and your fortune. They hate you for constantly ruining their plans. From the Nine-Cycle Sacrificial Array in Shuangshan City, to Flying Mist Valley, the Mortal Realm, Xiaohe City, Yuxing City, and the Baohua Mountain secret realm—you've spoiled how many of their schemes?"
Yunxi thought carefully. Since joining Haoran Sect, she really had ruined quite a few of their plots. Their growing arrogance had been suppressed again and again because of her. A smile blossomed on her face, dimples deepening, as she secretly hoped for more praise from her master.
Yu Ling sighed silently. Moments like this reminded him that his disciple was still a young girl at heart.
"Whether by coincidence or not, the evil cultivators now see you as a thorn in their side. The incident in the Law Enforcement Hall was just the beginning. You will face more in the future.
Not long ago, it was you who discovered from the Hive's intelligence jade slip that a hidden force was targeting elite disciples of every region—either assassinating them or replacing them. Their goal was to create a future generation without true strength. In ten thousand years, the Weiyu Realm would inevitably decline. And now, you have become their marked prey."
Only now did Yunxi realize that her master had been leading her to this conclusion. She lowered her gaze, thinking carefully. Indeed, she had enough qualifications to be on their kill list, not just because she had sabotaged their plans but also because her existence had changed many fates.
She was like a wild horse charging into a neatly organized herd, disrupting its order and altering its course. To the enemy, however, she was nothing more than a pest to be crushed.
The corner of her lips curled slightly. Though she had been resisting the suppression of the Heavenly Dao purely on instinct, her actions had unwittingly benefited the Weiyu Realm. That was how her accumulated merit had come about.
Yu Ling watched his disciple's good mood and shook his head with a faint smile. "Do you still remember Yu Su Zhēnjūn?"
"Of course. She entered the Baohua Mountain secret realm too, but she was unfortunate and got possessed by an evil spirit. I was the one who brought her soul back to the sect."
She remembered that incident well. It had even provoked a protective Divine Transformation cultivator from Hua Xian Sect because she had killed their junior.
"After returning, Ancestor Hao Yi personally extracted the evil spirit from Yu Su's body and obtained crucial information, confirming your deduction.
The evil cultivators' goal is to dominate the Weiyu Realm. They have been acting openly and secretly, implementing the vile plan you uncovered to eliminate or cripple talented disciples. Over the past five hundred years, every major sect has seen its prodigies either die 'accidentally' or fade into obscurity.
With this confirmation, every sect and major family launched thorough investigations into those around their disciples, uncovering suspicious individuals and hard evidence. This led to a large-scale purge.
Since then, sects have assigned high-level cultivators to secretly protect their prodigies. Up until now, I have not received news of any more mysterious deaths among these disciples."
Yunxi finally exhaled in relief. It was good that the sect had valued her warning. Without action, tracing events that far back would have been impossible.
Yu Ling continued, "If the evil cultivators ever learn that you were the one who foiled their long-term scheme, do you think they would spare you?"
Yunxi chuckled softly, choosing not to reply. If she were in their shoes, she would have ordered her assassination at all costs.
Seeing she understood, Yu Ling retrieved two items from his storage ring and slid them across the table. "These are protective treasures I forged for you. This jade talisman holds three of my strongest attacks. If you encounter a Divine Transformation cultivator, it can help you escape.
This jade bracelet came from Ancestor Hao Yi. It can withstand a strike from an Out-of-Body cultivator. But be warned, even if it blocks the attack, the sheer power will still injure you. If you face an Out-of-Body cultivator, your best choice is to flee."
Yunxi's mouth twitched, but her heart warmed. She recognized the care behind his preparations. She immediately bound both defensive treasures, tucking the talisman into her robes and sliding the bracelet onto her wrist. Then she rose and bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your gifts, Master. I promise to keep myself alive and serve you until you ascend."
Yu Ling's frosty expression softened with a faint smile. "You and your sweet tongue. Go make your preparations. The disciples representing our sect in the Five Region Grand Tournament will depart for the Central Region early. Take an escort mission and travel with them."
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"You are the disciple I am most proud of", Yu Ling, you literally only have one disciple -_-