Chapter 5 "The Second Page of Cultivating the Mind" (Not a Plot!)

The current situation of the Li Family is plagued by severe internal strife, and the upper echelons have long been corrupt.

The Family's Old Ancestor, Li Feiyan, is a Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

He holds absolute authority within the Family, but for unknown reasons, he has been in seclusion for several years.

Due to the lack of leadership, the high-ranking members of the Clan are eyeing each other covetously, and the Clan Elders are even resorting to open conflict for their own interests, not even caring about their status as they brawl.

Below Li Feiyan are the ten Elders. Li Zhi once worked under Ninth Elder. The two most powerful among them are Grand Elder and Second Elder, both of whom are in the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Because of their outstanding cultivation, they naturally hold high prestige in the Elder Council.

Ninth Elder and Ten Elder are both Puppets supported by Grand Elder.

Therefore, the Elders within the Li Family are divided into two factions. Grand Elder's faction openly has Ninth Elder and Ten Elder following him, but what happens in secret is unknown.

Second Elder does not meddle in worldly affairs and peacefully resides in the main Family to recuperate, while the remaining Elders, to avoid being swallowed up one by one by Grand Elder, formed their own faction, named the 'Elder Faction'.

The High Grade Disciples are all descendants of the Elders. Since the younger generation of the Li Family has not yet undergone their Spiritual Root Awakening, their status is temporarily arranged according to their identity.

Li Tan's father, Li Zhi, is a sixth-level Qi Cultivator. His deceased mother was a twelfth-level Qi Cultivator, but she tragically died after failing to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

As a result, Li Tan's lineage's status in the Li Family plummeted, and they were suppressed, even his deceased mother's inheritance was not spared.

As a twelfth-level Qi Cultivator, his mother was naturally qualified to be buried in the 'High Grade Disciple Cemetery'.

However, whether it was revenge from an enemy or a deliberate arrangement by an Elder, she was ultimately buried in the ordinary Disciple Cemetery.

Considering that there are still more than two months until the Sect sends envoys to select Disciples, the daily classroom life that Li Family Disciples must attend has come to an end.

After Li Tan gathered the Materials needed for refining the Shikuai, he only had over three hundred Spirit Stones left.

He knew very well that relying solely on a mortal mask could not conceal his whereabouts.

If someone intentionally investigated, it would only be a matter of time before they found him. In another month, he would be taken to the Corpse Wraith Sect by Li Zhi.

During this period, Li Tan prepared to make one last fortune in the Li Family.

Imagine Li Tan having no identity or status in the Li Family, and even his awakened talent cannot be exposed.

What should he do?

The next moment, Li Tan comfortably stroked his cheek, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips....

In this scene, he couldn't help but think of Cultivating the Mind.

Cultivating the Mind, second page, 'Human Choices'.

'When a person talks to a god, it's faith; when a person talks to a ghost? They must be crazy.'

Legend has it that within a Golden Core super-power Family, there was a young man with extraordinary talent.

His father was the Clan Chief of the Family! And he even possessed Golden Core cultivation!

His mother also had the Foundation of a Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and it is said that his grandfather was an Elder in a powerful Sect.

From birth, the young man was bestowed the position of Young Clan Chief, and his talent reached the High Grade of second-tier!

He was the object of admiration for the Family Disciples! They even considered him a fated person! As if he was the embodiment of perfection.

However, he envied every Disciple within the Family, envying that they didn't have to listen to two terrible fellows arguing every day.

It turned out that from birth, two thoughts accompanied the young man in his mind, constantly confronting each other every day, thus causing him great annoyance with their loud arguments.

One called itself good will, and the other called itself ill will, and they also claimed to be the young man's most trustworthy companions, saying that no one loved the young man more than them....

During this period, the young man also tried many methods to get rid of them, but without exception, none had any significant effect.

When the young man sparred with Family Disciples, the concepts of good will and ill will greatly clashed, leading to arguments.

Good will would say: "Young man, go easy! If they get injured, they'll have to spend a lot of Spirit Stones to buy Medicinal Pills."

"But they only have a monthly income of a few dozen Spirit Stones."

"If they spend Spirit Stones on Medicinal Pills because of this, their cultivation progress will definitely fall behind."

Ill will, however, was the complete opposite: "Young man, don't hold back! They challenged you without knowing any better, which is an offense to you!"

"You gain nothing by winning! And if you lose, you'll be humiliated!"

"You are the Young Clan Chief of the Family, and your father is the face of the Family! They are offending you, you must teach them a good lesson!"

Finally, the young man listened to the words of good will.

Because in the young man's perception, the Family Disciples were his closest kin, like brothers and sisters, with the same blood flowing in their veins.

"We are Family, and even if bones are broken, the tendons are still connected."

The atmosphere of the sparring was very harmonious, everyone was talking and laughing, and no serious injuries occurred.

One day, after his childhood sweetheart shyly expressed her affection to the young man.

As the young man was flustered and confused, 'Good Will' was the first to speak its mind: "Young man, the world is not only about cultivation and struggle, but also about beautiful emotions and love!"

"In the face of love, all pretense will fade! You can become Dao Companions and rely on each other, facing all kinds of difficulties hand in hand in this cultivation world."

"Even when you return home riddled with wounds, she who loves you will silently tend to your injuries and become your strong backing!"

But ill will believed: "Young man, don't fall into this vicious woman's trap! She only covets your talent! Your Family status!"

"She even wants to enter an immortal Sect by relying on your mother's connections! She's just using you as a pawn!! You must not fall into her trap."

"And even more so, don't trust that hypocritical good will! You cannot guarantee whether this unstable backing will turn against you when you are weak!"

The two thoughts argued fiercely, not stopping until evening, causing the young man a splitting headache....

And in terms of Family resource competition,

Good will believed that having enough resources for oneself was sufficient, and there was no need to maliciously snatch them, after all, the stronger the Family Disciples, the stronger the Family.

Excessive selfishness would only cause others to resent him, making his situation very awkward.

But ill will believed that all resources must be held in one's own hands! After all, resources were one's bargaining chips, and they must all be obtained!

It's better to rely on oneself than on others; in this chaotic world, only oneself is the most reliable.

Living in such a bright and comfortable environment, the young man always chose good will's advice, and gradually grew more dissatisfied with ill will.

After that, no matter what happened, good will and ill will would always argue loudly, and the young man felt like he was going crazy.

Until one day, due to conflicts of interest, a Demonic Path Sect destroyed the young man's Family.

His father used his last means to send him away, admonishing him to take the last batch of Family Disciples, as there was a secret passage within the Family for everyone to escape!

"You are the last hope of the Family; as long as there is a spark! The fire will burn endlessly...."

However, the young man was in a dilemma at this time, because his childhood sweetheart was in the west! While the group of Family Disciples was in the east!

His time was very limited, and he was destined to only save one side! And at this critical moment, ill will and good will both fell silent!

The young man felt like he was going to collapse, but he knew very well that he had to make a quick choice, otherwise there would be no time left!

Finally, the young man chose to go west....

"Heaven does not grant man's wishes."

Finally, on the way to escape, he and his childhood sweetheart fell into a trap set by the Demonic Path Sect.

"Forbidden Cliff."

As the name suggests, anyone who falls into the cliff cannot use their spiritual power! They can only move by relying on their physical body!

The young man usually paid attention to his physical body, so he was naturally confident in climbing up, but his childhood sweetheart was frail and had no hope of escaping.

The young man also tried to carry her up but failed several times.

At this moment, a voice came from the thoughts in his mind, but only ill will spoke.

Ill will shouted angrily: "Young man, you made the most foolish decision!"

"You should abandon that useless woman and climb up yourself, but you need to be fast, because the enemy will arrive soon."

But the young man stubbornly said: "But she is my beloved, how can I heartlessly abandon her...."

For a moment, ill will shouted frantically,

"Ignorance, too ignorant! Only by living can there be hope and the right to choose!"

"You can climb up first and then decide whether to save her!"

Because time was pressing, this time the young man listened to ill will's words. When he exhaustedly climbed to the exit!

The girl below the cliff quickly shouted: "Are you going to abandon me? We promised each other eternal love, and vowed to be each other's support!"

Looking at a group of dark figures rapidly approaching in the distance, the enemy was already in sight!

"Run! Escaping is what matters! Don't mind this useless woman!!"

This time, it was still ill will speaking, while the good will that the young man had hoped for never appeared.

The young man thought for a moment on the spot, then quickly made a decision!

He ran....

He ran like crazy!!

Leaving behind his exasperated childhood sweetheart, cursing bitterly on the spot.

As for her fate... obviously, her path had ended.

The young man, who had escaped a disaster, seemed to recall his previous pathetic state, and then he loudly rebuked ill will.

"You are truly a demon! A Demonic Path remnant hidden within me!!"

"If you hadn't provoked me with your words when my heart was weak, how could I have abandoned my beloved!"

"Did you hear her last desolate and helpless voice!!"

"But wasn't that your own choice?" At this moment, ill will playfully mocked the young man.

And good will, which had been silent for a long time, now spoke: "Young man, don't be sad, this is not your fault, as long as you are alive, the Family has hope...."

"Good will will not violate the bottom line, but it will interfere with judgment; ill will will not deceive the true self, but it will self-redeem!"

In difficult situations, there are always many choices, but most people feel that their conscience cannot bear it, and their Dao does not allow them to do so!

"From a self-centered perspective, there is no right or wrong, only concepts forcibly added to choices."

"The world worships results and fears the process."