Watching the Mountain

Chapter 220: Chapter 151: A Hundred Years, Ye Shu’s Sword

Xu Ran was momentarily stunned. He felt that any glacier in the world would melt away under Senior Sister Yue’s smile, transforming into a sea of dazzling, multicolored flowers.

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When he returned from Senior Sister Yue’s, Teacher Qing Xuan had also returned. Accompanying him was Qing Li.

At this moment, Qing Li stood expressionlessly beside Teacher Qing Xuan. The gentle and serene air about her was gone, replaced by a hint of hostility, as if a great deal of anger was pent up inside her.

This left Xu Ran deeply puzzled. ’What happened here?’

He had originally thought that Qing Li would follow the same path as Hao Miaomiao, traveling the Mortal World to heal the sick and save the dying while collecting all the medical texts under the heavens.

Then, upon her return, she would add a sequel to Hao Miaomiao’s unfinished medical book, leaving it for future generations to continue this magnum opus.

But from the looks of it now, she didn’t seem to have followed the path he had envisioned.

Facing Xu Ran’s questioning gaze, Qing Xuan True Monarch explained flatly:

"She couldn’t persevere."

The moment his words fell, Qing Li, standing to the side, defended herself in a somewhat indignant tone:

"It’s because those mortals are too greedy, too evil inside. People like that aren’t worth saving at all. They should just die from their illnesses—it’s the retribution they deserve."

Hearing Qing Li’s statement, Xu Ran was slightly taken aback. He didn’t necessarily find anything wrong with what she said. He simply wondered what she could have possibly experienced to have such a realization, especially since she once yearned to follow Hao Miaomiao’s path.

Qing Xuan True Monarch wasn’t angry at his own daughter’s words. Instead, he explained calmly to Xu Ran:

"There is good and evil in the world, and she just happened to encounter more of the evil side."

As he spoke, he reached out to pat Qing Li’s head and said in a gentle tone:

"You don’t need to worry that I’ll be angry, nor that I’ll be disappointed. Though my Dao is one of righteousness, that doesn’t mean I cannot face the world’s evil."

"It’s good that you’ve been able to discover the evil side of the world. At the very least, it’s better than before when you understood nothing and had no idea what you wanted to do."

"As for the future, if you can see the good side of the world, that will be a blessing. If you cannot, it’s not necessarily a misfortune. Just let fate take its course."

Qing Li furrowed her brow and nodded slightly without speaking, but the hostility in her eyes dissipated a little.

Afterward, Qing Xuan True Monarch briefly recounted Qing Li’s experiences to Xu Ran. In order to emulate Hao Miaomiao by traveling the world and practicing medicine, she had hidden her identity as a Cultivator.

And so, a petite, delicate, and beautiful young woman appeared in some remote and perilous lands. Plagues had broken out in some of these places, which is a time when people’s hearts are at their most malicious. Naturally, they set their sights on Qing Li.

Fortunately, Qing Li was a Cultivator. Had she truly been a mortal with no Cultivation, one can only imagine what her fate would have been.

It was precisely because she had experienced so much of the world’s dark side that Qing Li’s heart filled with hostility. She came to believe her choice was wrong and that mortals should be left to fend for themselves, undeserving of any charity or kindness.

Xu Ran didn’t criticize Qing Li’s choice; on the contrary, he felt it was normal. How many people in the world, after experiencing endless darkness, could still maintain the light in their hearts?

Qing Li’s choice was only human nature. In contrast, someone like Hao Miaomiao, who could smile calmly no matter how much darkness she experienced and then consistently pursue her ideals, was the one who seemed abnormal.

However, it was precisely this abnormality that highlighted her extraordinary character—ordinary yet great, and all the more precious for it.

Xu Ran couldn’t do the same, and so he admired her from the bottom of his heart.

Finally, Qing Li looked at Xu Ran and said, "At the very least, this time proved that the content you added is indeed viable."

She paused for a moment before continuing, "You really are as formidable as my father said. It’s just... those mortals aren’t worthy of what you wrote."

Xu Ran was slightly taken aback by her words, but then he just shook his head and said nothing.

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Some things are just too coincidental. Not long after Xu Ran had finished creating his own Cultivation Technique, Jiang Ling’Er contacted him in tears.

"Teacher, the Dog Race doesn’t have any Cultivation Techniques for the Human Race here. The technique I learned back at the Sect only lets me cultivate to the late Foundation Establishment Stage, and I didn’t get to exchange for the rest of it."

"Teacher, what do I do? Can I not continue my Cultivation anymore?"

she asked, her voice low and timid.

Xu Ran frowned upon hearing this. ’The Dog Race is a major clan of the Demon Race, with several Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarchs presiding over it. How could such a powerful race not have any Cultivation Techniques for the Human Race?’

’It seems my foolish student isn’t having a very good time over there.’

After a moment of thought, he said slowly, "Do you want to come back, then? If you’re willing, I can help arrange for you to rejoin the Sect."

"Well..." Jiang Ling’Er hesitated for a moment before replying weakly, "I... I don’t want to go back just yet."

Everyone has something they insist on, and you can’t force them. Xu Ran fell silent for a moment, then said, "In that case, I’ll exchange some Cultivation Techniques for you."

He didn’t teach Jiang Ling’Er the Cultivation Technique he had created. It had just been developed and hadn’t been properly tested yet. Moreover, it only allowed one to cultivate to the Purple Mansion Stage; the later parts were not yet complete.

Most of the Sect’s Cultivation Techniques could not be taught to outsiders. However, the restrictions weren’t as strict for some of the techniques that were collected and available in many sects.

Based on the Cultivation Technique Jiang Ling’Er had practiced before, Xu Ran selected three techniques that could be cultivated up to the Golden Core Stage and sent them to her via a Communication Jade Talisman.

Jiang Ling’Er was so moved she burst into loud sobs, as if she was venting endless grievances.

However, just over a month later, she contacted Xu Ran again and said timidly:

"Teacher, these Cultivation Techniques are too difficult. Without anyone to guide me, I... I can’t learn them."

Hearing this, Xu Ran was silent for a long time before speaking softly, "I have a Cultivation Technique I created myself. It’s relatively simple, but..."

He explained the characteristics of the technique, as well as the fact that it was newly created and he hadn’t even cultivated it himself yet.

After receiving the Cultivation Technique, Jiang Ling’Er was overjoyed. "This is the one, Teacher! I want to learn this one."

Xu Ran felt a bit helpless. ’Why do I get the feeling that my Cultivation Technique was created specifically for her?’

He sighed and said, "Since you are going to learn the Cultivation Technique I created, then you should change how you address me."

Jiang Ling’Er didn’t understand. "Teacher, change what?"

Xu Ran lightly touched his forehead and sighed internally. ’Why did I ever accept that roasted sweet potato back then?’

"Call me Master."

The Communication Jade Talisman went quiet for a long while before Jiang Ling’Er’s voice, mixed with surprise and joy, came through:

"Master."

"Mm."

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Xu Ran had originally thought that after accepting Jiang Ling’Er as his disciple, he wouldn’t have a moment of peace for a long time to come.

However, to his surprise, Jiang Ling’Er only contacted him twice after that. Once to say she had learned the Cultivation Technique, then waited for Xu Ran to praise her. The second time to say she had learned Swordsmanship, and then waited for Xu Ran to praise her.

After that, she never contacted Xu Ran again.

A hundred years passed. Xu Ran had also switched to cultivating his own self-created technique. During this time, he tried to contact Jiang Ling’Er many times but received no response. The one time he got through, Jiang Xiaohui answered the communication and said that Jiang Ling’Er was in seclusion.

Jiang Xiaohui was quite reliable. Since he said Jiang Ling’Er was fine, Xu Ran felt reassured.

Then one day, Ye Shu came to find him, saying he was here to bid him farewell.

Ye Shu was now two hundred and ninety years old, but his Cultivation was still stuck at the Foundation Establishment Stage, with no hope of breaking through to the Purple Mansion in sight.

He wanted to spend his final years in the Mortal World, returning to the place where Ye Shan had taken him from.

Xu Ran looked at Ye Shu, who exuded an aura of decay from head to toe, and after a long silence, he said:

"Learn Swordsmanship."

Ye Shu looked at him, somewhat stunned.

Xu Ran continued, "As Ye Shan’s son, you cannot go your whole life without ever touching a sword."

"You must use it at least once. Spar with me."

Ye Shu stared at him blankly for a long time, then raised his hands and bowed slightly. "I’ll do as you say, Uncle Xu."

As he spoke, he flipped his palm, and a rusty longsword appeared in his hand.

That was the sword Ye Shan had once wielded.

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