Chapter 120: Ask Not of the West or East

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

Within the Star Dou Great Forest, two figures, one blue and one black, darted through at high speed.

"There is a Shrek Academy near Soto City in the Bala Ke Kingdom; it's quite famous locally. Would you like to go?"

Zhu Zhuqing's words made Qin Jian unable to help but laugh to himself.

Shrek Academy has ghost-level fame at this time, huh...

It seems she really wants to be with him...

Qin Jian glanced at Zhu Zhuqing and said, "Are you planning to go there?"

"Mm, that is my plan," Zhu Zhuqing nodded and said.

Qin Jian's eyes rolled, and he suddenly said, "If we're talking about fame, the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy or the Five Elements Academies are both good. How about you come with me to check those out instead?"

He wanted to see if Zhu Zhuqing was more fixated on finding Dai Mubai, or if she would be willing to go elsewhere with him.

Although his soul power was only level 31 right now, and their emotional foundation was almost non-existent...

"Ah? I..."

Zhu Zhuqing said with some hesitation, "I... I will think about it some more..."

But her appearance already made Qin Jian very happy, so he said directly, "It doesn't matter, I can go anywhere, let's just go to Shrek Academy together."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at his profile, momentarily not knowing what to say.

She also didn't know why she was hesitating; was it that she didn't want to find Dai Mubai as much? Or was it that she also wanted to escape that kind of life?

"Qin Jian..."

She suddenly asked, "Have you ever thought about how you want to live this life?"

"Hm?"

Qin Jian was caught off guard by this sudden life question, his brain stalling: "Why would you suddenly ask about this?"

She lowered her head slightly, a look of confusion appearing on her cold, clear face: "I just don't know what it is... that I really want from this life..."

"I don't want to return to that cold family... I don't want to fight for the position of heir... I don't want my hands stained with blood..."

She shook her head and said, "But I also don't know... besides these things, how I should live..."

It is hard to avoid confusion in one's life, especially after one's mind has matured; almost everyone who doesn't have to worry about food and clothing will have such doubts.

Asking oneself, how exactly should one live this life?

Therefore, Qin Jian did not feel strange at all about Zhu Zhuqing's confusion; at most, he was a bit surprised that she would ask at this time, and that she chose to ask him.

"Zhu Zhuqing, well... we can be considered friends through life and death, I'll call you Zhuqing."

Qin Jian saw her nod and continued: "As for how to live, in my view, it is nothing more than these eight characters: 'Clarify the mind and see one's nature, return to the true self'."

"Of course, saying it like that is too abstract..."

Qin Jian smiled and said, "I once heard a passage, I'll share it with you, I hope it provides you with some inspiration."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at him curiously, and then she saw Qin Jian's expression become serious as he said softly:

"If in this life one has never experienced a love that seeks no result, if in this life one has never been battered and bloodied for a dream, if in this life one has never been persistent for a certain thing or a certain person, if in this life one has never lived out the most authentic version of oneself..."

He shook his head and said, "If that's the case, how can we dare to say we have lived this life well, and how can we dare to say we have no regrets in this life? Life is too short, perhaps this very moment is this life..."

Qin Jian turned to look at Zhu Zhuqing and said earnestly, "Therefore, please do not be perfunctory with yourself. Love what you love, do what you do, follow your own heart, and ask not of the west or east."

Zhu Zhuqing's brain was buzzing.

No one had ever said such things to her before. From childhood to adulthood, it seemed everyone was being pushed forward by life; everyone was told what to do—was it fighting? Was it striving? Was it killing? Or perhaps scheming...

No one told her how a person should live so as not to leave regrets.

"Love what I love, ask not of the west or east..."

She repeated these words silently, her eyes a bit confused, yet a light that had never been there before was gathering.

"Pop!"

At this moment, a soft sound rang out, and the two finally stepped out of the boundaries of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Hoo..."

They stopped here simultaneously and let out a light sigh of relief.

"Finally out of there, how does it feel to have survived a disaster?" Qin Jian asked with a smile as he turned his head.

"It feels... very good!"

Zhu Zhuqing tilted her head up, and a ray of morning sun fell upon her fair face: "I have never felt this good at any moment..."

"So, the prerequisite for all those pursuits just now is... we must first live well," Qin Jian smiled.

Zhu Zhuqing nodded silently, then quietly glanced at him and said, "Then... shall we go to Soto City in the Bala Ke Kingdom together?"

"Mm."

Qin Jian nodded and said, "Let's rest at the small town ahead first. I need to report my safety to my teacher and also inform them of my whereabouts."

Although even if he didn't say anything, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was powerful enough to find him anyway...

"Mm... let's go together..."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at him, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile curled upon her cold face.

Qin Jian's soul power increased to level 32 at this moment...

In the early stages, the speed at which favorability increases is truly unreasonable.

The two of them traveled together from then on.

Along the way, Zhu Zhuqing was surprisingly not in a hurry. Was it because she had finally escaped the pursuit? Or was she brainstorming and contemplating life?

In any case, Qin Jian often saw her alone, silently staring at the sunrise or sunset in a daze, exactly the same as how he looked when he was confused back then...

It took a full month for the two of them to officially enter Soto City.

And this time, according to Qin Jian's calculations, was basically the time when Tang San and Xiao Wu would arrive.

He held onto some wishful thinking and inquired about the most luxurious Rose Hotel in Soto City, then brought Zhu Zhuqing along as they headed over.

"Um... Qin Jian..."

When Zhu Zhuqing saw the magnificent, gold-adorned hotel entrance, she suddenly said with some hesitation: "I didn't have much money on me when I ran away, I might... not be able to afford to stay here..."

Qin Jian laughed when he heard this: "How could there be any reason for you to spend money when I'm taking you to a hotel? Rest assured, if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has nothing else, it certainly has money."

"Then how many rooms do you intend to book?" Zhu Zhuqing gave him a cold, icy glance.

"Of course... two rooms!"

Qin Jian held up two fingers, which made Zhu Zhuqing breathe a slight sigh of relief.

"You still don't trust my character?"

Qin Jian walked into the hotel with a smile, and Zhu Zhuqing followed after him.

"Huh?"

At this moment, her gaze was suddenly drawn to a flower vendor near the hotel entrance.

But Qin Jian had already stepped through the hotel doors...

"Hey! How can you be so unreasonable! It's clear that we booked this room first!"

A girl's angry voice reached his ears, and Qin Jian was stunned: "Could it be that I really am so miraculous as to have run into them?"

"Hahaha, why don't you ask the manager here and see whether he gives that room to you, or to me?"

If the first voice was not entirely certain, after all, seven or eight years had passed, then the second young man's voice was exceptionally familiar...

Still more progress 23/59

(End of this chapter)