123: Chapter 123 Madam Qingli enlightens Xu Ruyu

"'Mystic Maidens Sun-Stealing Art'—this Cultivation Technique is peerlessly overbearing, following a path of extreme Yang and extreme hardness, stealing the utmost Yang from heaven and earth."

Madam Qingli spoke slowly, each word striking Xu Ruyu’s heart like a heavy hammer.

"Those who Cultivate this art appear as pure as ice and jade on the outside, but are as blazing as fire and fiercely overbearing with Yang energy within."

"The deeper one Cultivates, the more thorough the control and detachment from emotions becomes. Especially... romantic love. To her, it has likely long since changed from an instinct into an 'impurity' that needs to be guarded against, suppressed, and even... purged."

"The previous entanglement between you two was caused by her Cultivation Technique not flowing smoothly and a crack appearing in her mental defenses when she was weak."

"Now that her cultivation has recovered and the Mystic Maidens Sun-Stealing Art is operating steadily once more, that 'shell' of interwoven ice and fire that isolates emotions will only be thicker and harder than before."

Looking at Xu Ruyu’s gradually paling face, Madam Qingli sighed softly:

"'Therefore, between you two... it is destined to be a rough road. No, perhaps from the very beginning, this outcome was already fated.'"

A long silence fell within the bamboo hut.

Only the sound of the wind in the bamboo outside could be heard, sobbing like a lament.

Xu Ruyu lowered his head, his hands tightly gripping his lapels, his knuckles turning white.

The moon-white thin gauze inner robe—the one belonging to her—was still on his body. At this moment, it felt like a red-hot iron, burning his chest with pain.

After a long time, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice:

"Senior... then what should I do?"

His voice was filled with confusion, helplessness, and a faint, nearly imperceptible... unwillingness.

Madam Qingli looked at him. A flicker of heartache passed through her cloudy old eyes, but it was mostly replaced by a nearly cruel clarity.

"'What should you do?' she repeated, then suddenly smiled. 'Xiao Yuer, let this sister ask you, why do people Cultivate?'"

Xu Ruyu was stunned for a moment and subconsciously replied, "For power, longevity, and to control one's fate..."

"'Correct,' Madam Qingli nodded. 'But have you ever seen true eternal life? No. The end is still "death."'"

"'Knowing the end is death, why still struggle to Cultivate and fight for life against heaven?'"

She did not wait for Xu Ruyu to answer; her voice suddenly became impassioned, carrying a soul-shaking power:

"'Because a Cultivator's life is defined by the word "defiance"! Acting in defiance of heaven! Challenging oneself in desperate situations! Finding possibility within the impossible!'"

"'No matter how strong your Revered Master is, can she be stronger than the heartless Heavenly Dao? Cultivators across the world dare to fight against heaven and strive for a sliver of life amidst ten thousand bolts of lightning. Do you, Xu Ruyu, lack even the courage to deal with and resist a Revered Master who has had a change of heart?!'"

"'Or rather—' Her gaze was like a torch, staring intently into Xu Ruyu’s eyes, 'have you forgotten your original intention when you saved her last night?!'"

Original intention...

Xu Ruyu’s whole body shook violently!

Last night, when he exhausted all his strength to return the fragments of her power within his Dantian, what was he thinking?

He wanted her to live.

He wanted that woman, who had sobbed in the dark and asked him, "Do you not despise me?", to be able to live on.

That was all.

It had nothing to do with rewards, nothing to do with the future, and even... nothing to do with whether she would remember this affection.

He only sought to have a clear conscience.

"'You did what you had to do, and you gave it your all.' Madam Qingli’s voice turned soft, like a trickling stream, soothing his battered heart. 'How she treats you is her choice, her Dao."

"'And how you face her and what path you take is your business.'"

"'As long as you seek a clear conscience, isn't that enough?'"

"'As long as your heart is without guilt and you face it calmly, then whatever the outcome...'"

Madam Qingli stood up, walked to the door of the bamboo hut, and looked out at the vast sea of bamboo and the drifting clouds on the horizon. Her voice was ethereal yet firm:

"'Who could... possibly predict it?'"

"'In this world, the most unpredictable things, besides the Heavenly Dao, are the hearts of men."

"'Today’s ice may not necessarily fail to turn into tomorrow’s fire."

"'Today’s heartlessness may not necessarily not be the prologue to future deep affection.'"

She turned back and gave Xu Ruyu a warm, encouraging smile:

"'Furthermore, you are not alone."

"'With me here, I won't just watch you get bullied."

"'As for that duel scheduled for the Three-month deadline, just go all out and fight. Winning or losing isn't important; what matters is...'"

"'Let that stone-hearted Revered Master of yours see just how far the person she personally pushed away, and even wanted to erase, can actually go!'"

Inside the bamboo hut, Xu Ruyu was dazed for a long time.

The sunlight outside spilled through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, casting mottled shadows on his face.

The confusion, pain, and unwillingness in his eyes slowly dissipated like morning mist, and a firm light gradually lit up.

Yes.

A clear conscience.

He saved her because he wanted to, because he couldn't bear to watch her die. This original intention was as pure as it was at the start, without any Impurities.

As for her attitude...

Xu Ruyu slowly raised his head and looked toward Ningyin Hall. His gaze pierced through the dense sea of bamboo and the mountains, as if he could see that cold palace and the woman within who had similarly frozen herself over.

The Mystic Maidens Sun-Stealing Art, huh...

Pure ice on the outside, True Fire within.

Since you choose to wrap yourself in cold ice, then I...

Xu Ruyu slowly clenched his fist.

Deep within his Qi Sea, that wisp of icy blue aura and the Taixu True Qi of Qi Refining Level 9 sensed the change in their Revered Master's emotions and simultaneously accelerated their circulation, carrying an unprecedented density and power.

The nine layers of the Qi Sea reflected each other, like the Nine Heavens lighting up within his body, as majestic power surged through his limbs and bones.

Qi Refining Level 9.

This long-lost path of Ancient Cultivator, this Heaven-Defying path that tempers True Qi to the extreme during the Qi Refinement Stage...

Perhaps, it was born precisely to deal with a situation like today's.

"Senior," Xu Ruyu stood up and gave a deep bow to the elderly figure at the door, his voice calm and firm, "thank you for your guidance."

Madam Qingli turned around and looked at the youth before her, who seemed to have undergone a complete transformation. A flicker of gratification flashed in her eyes.

"'You've figured it out?'"

"'I have.' Xu Ruyu nodded. 'In the battle three months from now, I will give it my all. Not to prove anything, nor to win anything back, but only to...'"

He paused, his gaze as clear as if it had been washed:

"'Only to let myself know that I, Xu Ruyu, have not failed this cultivation, have not failed this power, and even more... have not failed the intention of risking my life to save her last night.'"

"'As for Revered Master...'"

He looked into the distance, the corners of his mouth curling into an arc that revealed endless resilience:

"'Her Dao is her Dao, and my path is my path. If the day truly comes when ice and fire are incompatible...'"

Xu Ruyu did not continue.

But Madam Qingli understood the unprecedented determination in his eyes.

It was a will that, even when facing a Saint Realm expert or the person once closest to him, would never back down or bow his head.

The sound of the bamboo sea remained the same.

The wind passed through the bamboo forest, and thousands of bamboo leaves swayed simultaneously, making a rustling sound, like thousands of Cultivators whispering at once, telling the eternal truth—

The path of cultivation is long and fraught with obstacles.

Only those with a will as firm as iron can trample through the thorns and glimpse the true face of the Great Dao.

And at this moment, Xu Ruyu was standing at the starting point of this path.

Ahead was mist, obstacles, a cold and heartless Revered Master, and a duel hidden with killing intent.

But the fire in his heart had already been lit.

The power of Qi Refining Level 9 surged within his body, like a Dragon lurking in the abyss, waiting for the meeting of wind and clouds to raise its head to the sky and soar into the heavens!