158: The debate on Taoism cleared her name

"Supreme War?"

Jun Lingxiao sat on his bed, watching his grandfather enter, and asked with a puzzled tone.

Although he was lying on the bed again, his injuries weren't severe. It was just that two Divine Authorities within him were intertwined in an incredible way.

Yes, not fused, but intertwined. Fortunately, his special Physique allowed him to accommodate these two powers without any accidents. Of course, there were still some changes.

His eyes.

Currently, Jun Lingxiao's eyes were covered by a special strip of cloth, which was both a method of treatment and a Restriction personally set by the Old Ancestor.

And all of this was related to his fourth Divine Authority.

The seventh Divine Authority was [Slash], while the fourth Divine Authority was [Breaking Illusions].

This was a power thousands of times more potent than Dao Heart Comprehension, capable of breaking through all illusions in the world and directly piercing through their Origin.

Though powerful, it was not his own, so the burden on his body was immense, and it could only be temporarily sealed.

"Yes! Supreme War!" Jun Wenhao entered, first glancing at his grandson's eyes and stunneding for a moment, then continued with a smile, clearly still not used to it.

Indeed, his grandson was very handsome, especially now with his eyes covered by a black cloth embroidered with golden patterns. He exuded an aura of untouchable majesty, which caught Jun Wenhao's eye and filled him with extreme satisfaction.

"The Supreme War, as the name suggests, is only for those in the Venerable Realm. The fact that they sent an invitation to you, who is only in the Divine Realm, means that, to some extent, they already consider you on par with the Venerable Realm."

Jun Wenhao sighed and continued:

"The Supreme War has always been led by the Zhang Family, one of the Ten Chiefs. This Family has no particular characteristics; they just enjoy holding various rankings and such. Behind them is the Ye Family, which also holds considerable prestige among the Ten Chiefs."

"Of course, the Supreme War itself isn't particularly special; it's merely a competition of strength. The main event is the Dao Discussion before the Supreme War. This Dao Discussion is for the young Supremes participating in the Supreme War to gather and discuss the Dao. Only after the Dao Discussion concludes does the Supreme War begin."

"It's not that the Supreme War itself holds significant value, but rather that those who attend the Dao Discussion are Prodigies among Prodigies, and Prodigies among Prodigies. When they gather, unexpected ideas may emerge. As the saying goes, 'learn from a hundred schools of thought.' So, Lingxiao, you might consider going on this trip."

"Of course, their ulterior motives are obvious: they want to meet you, a Divine Authority Holder. But what I care about is the Dao Discussion. The Supreme War, on the other hand..."

As Jun Wenhao spoke, he had already opened the invitation in his hand. But as he read, before he could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed. He furiously threw the invitation to the ground, his face filled with uncontrollable rage.

"Outrageous!"

"Simply outrageous!"

Jun Lingxiao was curious about what could make his grandfather react this way. Even though his eyes were covered and he lacked his full power, he still possessed Dao Heart Comprehension. With a flick of his hand, he drew the gilded invitation from the ground and immediately understood the reason.

"The Supreme War isn't inviting me, but my sister, and asking me to accompany her...?"

Jun Lingxiao's fingers caressed the invitation. With a slight thought, he understood the deeper meaning: "They don't want me to disrupt the Supreme War, but they still want me to show my face."

He carried Divine Authority, and if he were to get serious, no one would truly be his opponent. Peers, and even those so-called Prodigies, would be no match for the current Jun Lingxiao, perhaps even less. To put it more harshly, killing them would be like slaughtering chickens and dogs. In short—

It was too dangerous.

Jun Lingxiao had not yet publicly displayed his Divine Authority. Inviting such a 'bomb' to participate in the battle undoubtedly carried immense risk. One wrong move and he could become the target of all. However, the Jun Family's reputation was well-known, and not inviting them was also not an option. So, they took a roundabout approach, inviting his sister and asking him, the brother, to accompany her.

Although he understood, Jun Wenhao couldn't swallow this insult. His eyes gradually became serious, and he almost burst into curses: "The Zhang Family! They've grown bold over the years, relying on the Ye Family's backing, daring to send such a thing! Do they really think my Jun Family values their Zhang Family? Do they really value this Supreme War?"

"Damn it, we're not going! What a load of rubbish, the Zhang Family! We, the Jun Family, will host our own Supreme War and send an invitation to their Zhang Family, with only eight words written on it—"

"Zhang Family and dogs are not allowed!"

Jun Wenhao's anger stemmed from two reasons. Everyone knew that Jun Siyu was the daughter of a mistress, and the invitation arrived shortly after the news of her return to the Jun Family spread. This was clearly an attempt to use her as a pretext.

The second point, and in fact the most important one.

He had already boasted that his grandson would perform exceptionally well at the Supreme War and thoroughly humiliate those people. Now the invitation had arrived, and guess what?

He wasn't allowed to compete!

How could he not be angry??

"Not going?"

Listening to his grandfather's words, Jun Lingxiao smiled. He toyed with the invitation in his hand, his smile somewhat meaningful: "Grandfather, this is the Zhang Family, the Ye Family behind the Zhang Family, and a combined probe from various Families. Retreating from battle is not the Jun Family's style, nor is it my style."

"Since they want me to show my face, I will grant their wish and show it. And it won't be a simple appearance. I want them to know that it's not wise to scheme against the Jun Family."

"And... her existence is indeed too controversial. As her brother, I should rightfully vindicate her."

"Her" naturally referred to Jun Siyu. Outsiders considered her an unspeakable scandal. But if Jun Lingxiao, as the Divine Son, openly attended such an event with her, he could vindicate her without a single word:

She is my sister, and also Jun Chengtian's daughter. She is not an unspeakable disgrace, but like me, she is a symbol of the Jun Family.

From now on, all rumors about her outside would have to be swallowed. Therefore, this was a great opportunity.

As the two discussed, a small figure ran in at an inopportune moment, directly pouncing onto Jun Lingxiao's bed. With a smile on her lips and wide, blinking eyes, she asked somewhat coquettishly: "Brother~ What vindication?"

It was Jun Siyu.

Although she had lost her Divine Authority, the moment the pillar of light appeared, it strengthened the Awakener's body, transforming her completely compared to before.

And although not everyone liked her, if they were to honestly ask themselves, they couldn't have unhesitatingly given up such a Heaven-Defying power as Divine Authority. The scene of her personally digging out her heart indeed moved many, so they were no longer so strict with her.

Even now, running directly into the room while they were talking, no one would say anything, not even Jun Wenhao.

"To vindicate you."

Jun Lingxiao gently replied, stroking her head.

"Oh~" She didn't understand, but it didn't stop her from letting out a long 'oh.'

Jun Wenhao watched her, wanting to speak but holding back. He sighed, looking at Jun Siyu, and the word 'granddaughter' ultimately remained unspoken:

"Jun Siyu, at this point, I won't say much more, but you must remember: from now on, you represent not just yourself, but thousands upon thousands of Jun Family members. Therefore, you must be careful in your words and actions."

"Many people want to strike at the Jun Family, but they won't be foolish enough to attack the Jun Family's strongest point. Instead, they will target the weakest, which is you. Therefore, you will receive a lot of malice in the future. They will use slander, traps, schemes, and other methods to embarrass you and tarnish the Jun Family's name. But you must not cry; you must not let them see your vulnerable side, as this will only let them know they've succeeded. If they attack and scheme against you, you must retaliate with the same, or even ten or a hundred times the force. Only then will no one dare to offend or scheme against you in the future."

"The Jun Family fears no power, nor does it fear direct confrontation. It only fears fools. Go forth boldly; as long as you don't act foolishly, we will be your backing."

Having said that, Jun Wenhao left with a complex mood, leaving the two to look at each other.

"Is Grandpa worried about me?"

Jun Siyu stared blankly at the gradually receding figure, asking softly.

Jun Lingxiao smiled faintly, pursing his lips: "Yes."

"You cannot control your birth, but your actions are seen by everyone."

"However, as your brother, I still want to tell you not to force yourself."

With that, Jun Lingxiao lifted her up without waiting for Jun Siyu to speak, pushing her towards the door.

"Alright, your teacher has been waiting for you for a long time."

Jun Siyu instinctively took a step and looked towards the door. Indeed, she saw a middle-aged man waiting there. This was her new teacher.

Turning back, Jun Lingxiao sat on the bed, watching her. His eyes were covered by black and gold silk, and his entire being, even his hair, seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. He exuded an aura of loftiness combined with a pure, ascetic sanctity, making her feel distant yet effortlessly captivating her gaze.

Look, this was him.

He wouldn't look up to anyone because they dug out their heart, nor would he feel guilty towards anyone who offered him power. He wasn't that cheap.

Jun Lingxiao would do what he ought to do, and then... move forward, always forward.

— — — — — —

Jun Siyu, looking back three times with every step, was led away by her teacher. Her mind was racing with thoughts, and she didn't pay attention to her teacher's lecture.

"Jun Siyu, did you hear what I just said?"

"The Demoness Clan is indeed of the same Origin as the foreign realm. They cultivate not Heaven or Earth, but humanity, or rather, 'the self.'"

"I exist, I kill, I follow my heart, I have desires, but this is me. Therefore, the foreign realm pursues the true self, a world free from rules, living according to one's innate desires. This is also the reason for their strength."

"Whether human or otherwise, all beings have desires: appetite, greed, lust, and so on. Although this path may not be understood by ordinary people, it still has its merits. Just as the saying goes, power has no good or evil, only its use."

"I asked you yesterday, and after a day of thought, you should have an answer. Jun Siyu, what is your desire?"

The teacher walked ahead, and Jun Siyu followed behind. Upon hearing this question, she seemed to recall something and instinctively looked up, her expression dazed. The first thing that came to her mind was the scene of her brother, Jun Lingxiao, sitting on the bed with his eyes covered by a black cloth, looking at her. It was a perfectly ordinary scene of him simply sitting there and watching her leave, yet it lingered in her mind, constantly reappearing, making her yearn.

"My desire..."

"Yes, your desire. Desire can be said to be the source of the foreign race's power, and of course, yours too. This path is destined to be fraught with difficulties, but for you, it is the most..."

His instruction abruptly ceased, as he noticed that Jun Siyu had stopped at some point, standing blankly in place, looking back towards a certain direction.

Her eyes flickered with an obscure emotion.

Following her gaze, if he wasn't mistaken, it was... the direction of His Highness the Divine Son... 'Could it be...?'

Upon this discovery, his eyes narrowed. As a teaching method specifically tailored for her unfolded in his mind, an incredible and bold idea also emerged.

'Jun Siyu... perhaps she could become the strongest under the Divine Son.'

"My desire... is to become like my brother."

Her voice was soft, but firm, carrying an unyielding determination.

The teacher, surprised, looked at her. He then smiled, a knowing look in his eyes. "Very well. Let us begin."