Chapter 231

The will of Heaven is vast and elusive, Haoran is unfathomable; all beings are within it.

Cause and effect cycle endlessly, destiny is fixed; all things undergo rebirth.

"So, do you understand now, little Yufeng? Your joining Tianyi Sect as the chief disciple was fate."

Su Lin stood at the mountain's edge clad in a white Daoist robe, watching the sea of clouds churn as golden morning light spilled freely; a crisp wind, carrying a chill, stirred his robes.

He stroked his long white beard with one hand and patted the little fat boy's head with the other, wearing the face of a benevolent elder of the sect.

"If I'm guilty, let Heaven take me—but why must I meet you lot of bastards?" muttered the divine child Yufeng, still recovering from his sobs, his eyes red and streaked with tears.

"You're clever, kid—how did you know I'm called Su Halfday?" Su Lin flicked his forehead lightly. "Aren't you already mine now?"

Yufeng's gaze grew emptier; the aura radiating from this man was terrifying—he had not the slightest power to resist.

The little fat boy pouted; thinking of the outrageous contract he'd signed, and of his bleak future, he couldn't help but want to cry.

Though he'd dwelled in the stone for a long time, he still knew a little of the outside world—where in the world was there a sect like this?

If the sect needs help, you handle it yourself.

We teach you everything, but we don't guarantee you'll learn; if you learn and still fail, it's your own fault.

Is this reasonable?!

Seeing the little fat boy's expression, Su Lin nodded inwardly—his psychological work was nearly done; the boy was moved to tears.

"Dinner's ready!" came Zhang Chuyan's voice from behind, echoing through the green woods of Water Mirror Peak.

Su Lin yanked off his fake beard and picked up the little fat boy, heading down the mountain.

"Technically, you belong to Beidou Peak—you're Ye Fan's disciple," Su Lin said as he walked, scattering shattered pure source fragments as fertilizer to increase spiritual energy around the fruit trees. "But since you're the sect's first disciple, we're making an exception: you'll enjoy master-guided learning with an unobstructed future."

"Wake up at 6:30 a. m., class at 7:00, class ends at 1:00."

"Afternoon class at 3:30, ends at 4:40; evening self-study Monday through Saturday until 10:00 p. m."

"We've set you a small goal: Grand Saint in three years, Semi-Emperor in five."

Yufeng didn't understand the meaning behind Su Lin's schedule or this class arrangement, but he suddenly felt a great terror in heaven and earth.

He suddenly wanted to cry, but found he couldn't—his tears were dry; he could no longer sleep whenever he pleased inside the divine source.

"Hey! Big bad guy, why's my bed so small?"

Yufeng suddenly remembered a small piece of divine source had been cut away—it was his companion item.

"Your bed? That's sect property," Su Lin shook his head solemnly. "Where is the Enforcement Elder?"

Ye Fan stepped forward, gripping a roasted thigh of a ferocious beast.

"Sect Rule One: Sect property is sacred and inviolable."

Yufeng glared at Ye Fan, teeth clenched. "You're this weak and you're an elder? And you dare take me as your disciple?"

He still remembered how Ye Fan had slowly carved him out of the stone—if not for this monster suppressing him, he could easily swat away ten thousand Ye Fans of this realm.

"How about you become my disciple, Emperor Yufeng? I'll forgive your petty offenses and teach you the Dao."

Ye Fan smiled indifferently and called out: "Xiao Nannan."

"Big brother, who's he?" Xiao Nannan peeked out from behind Ye Fan's back, curiously watching the little fat boy inside the divine source.

"He's your brother's new disciple—he'll call you Senior Auntie from now on," Ye Fan chuckled.

Hearing this, Yufeng sneered, challenging Ye Fan and Xiao Nannan with his gaze.

Seeing this, Su Lin directly tossed the little brat to Ye Fan—the boy still wore that "you're too weak to do anything to me" expression.

Ye Fan wasn't angry; he told Xiao Nannan: "Touch him."

Xiao Nannan reached out and touched the divine source—immediately, divine aura from within it surged into her body.

"A ghost!!"

"Don't come any closer!!!"

Yufeng struggled inside the divine source, feeling as if he'd encountered a flood or a ferocious beast.

What kind of place is this?! Even a little girl is a monster?! Divine energy flowed from his body, continuously sinking into Xiao Nannan—this girl was his innate suppressor.

"First lesson: Respect your teacher," Ye Fan picked up a green copper fragment and placed it on Yufeng without caring for his screams.

Instantly, one after another luminous runes appeared on his body, blindingly bright.

This copper fragment was a shard of the little fat boy's original body.

The effect didn't last long; at Ye Fan's signal, Xiao Nannan timidly withdrew her hand, and Yufeng felt his body grow lighter.

The chaotic fragments of laws within him had diminished.

"There." Ye Fan tucked away the green copper fragment, carried the now-calm Yufeng to a campfire where a five-meter-long crocodile beast roasted.

Eating grilled meat so early in the morning isn't very healthy, but

it's awesome.

"To celebrate the opening of our sect and the official enrollment of our first disciple!" Su Lin raised his cup; the wine inside was medicinal liquor brewed by Han Li, beneficial to cultivators.

"Cheers."

After eating and drinking their fill, aside from Zhang Chuyan and Song Shuhang who had come for the spectacle, the rest were those who had originally signed their names.

Su Lin squinted; if that's the case, then I'm sorry, everyone—

Su Lin was about to speak, but someone interrupted.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Kleine coughed violently, his voice loud. "I've caught a cold recently—probably from catching chill in the Land of Divine Abandonment. Su Zongzhu, Zhongli, I'm counting on you to substitute for me."

"Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!!"

As he coughed, Kleine's figure faded into history.

Can mythic beings catch colds? Can angels get the flu?

"Cough!" Ye Fan spat out a mouthful of golden blood, his lips turning deathly pale. "Sorry—the lingering injury from forcibly breaking through to the Fourth Pole Realm has flared up."

"This body is still too weak—just a Dao wound… cough!"

"Brother!" Xiao Nannan hugged Ye Fan, worried: "Are you okay, brother?"

"I'm fine." Ye Fan patted Xiao Nannan's head and forced a "strained" smile: "After dinner, go back first—I still have to teach my disciple."

"No, Nannan doesn't want to leave alone." Xiao Nannan's eyes welled with tears, "Nannan wants to stay with brother."

"Be a good girl, Nannan. I'll definitely come back—don't worry." Ye Fan hugged Xiao Nannan and said firmly: "Don't worry about me."

He lifted his pale face toward Su Lin: "Master, rest assured—I'll fulfill my duty."

"Let brother rest a little, okay?" Xiao Nannan looked up at Su Lin with tear-filled eyes.

@#！￥@#

It's fine, there's still one honest guy, Lu

"What's this?" Su Lin's eyelid twitched—Lu Mingfei was handing out invitations to everyone.

"To be honest," Lu Mingfei rubbed his head, shyly saying, "My big brother-in-law is traditional—he wants me and Hui Liyi to finalize our engagement soon, with a multi-day ceremony. I want to give Hui Liyi a memorable memory."

"I don't have many friends, Su Lin—you're my brother from another mother." Lu Mingfei looked at Su Lin earnestly: "You played a big part in bringing Hui Liyi and me together."

Su Lin's breath caught; unconsciously, he crumpled the invitation in his hand.

"Will you come to the wedding?" Lu Mingfei gazed at Su Lin with hopeful eyes.

"Yes." Su Lin murmured, forcing a faint smile: "Go take care of your business."

There's also Han.

He suddenly scanned the crowd for Han Li—huh? Where is he?!

At that moment, a message alert sounded in the chat group.

Han Li: "After observing the swirling Chaotic Qi and witnessing the birth of a Sage, I gained insight. After consuming spirit wine, my cultivation advanced. Han Li returns to One's Own World to prepare for the Tribulation."

Han Li: "Please forgive my abrupt departure."

Weigong Shilang: "Congratulations, Brother Han Li."

Yi Leina: "Congratulations, congratulations!"

Song Shuhang: "I wondered why Brother Han Li retreated behind me and Master Bai—turns out he was about to breakthrough."

Song Shuhang: "Congratulations, Master Han Li!"

Zhang Chuyan: "Congratulations, Master Han Li!"

After everyone dispersed to attend to their own affairs, Su Lin said to Emperor Yufeng: "You've graduated."

Emperor Yufeng: "?"

Teaching Emperor Yufeng wasn't really an issue—for a being born a Sage, what the rest of us could teach was minimal.

The simplest solution was to leave him in the Scripture Hall and let him learn on his own.

The real challenge was—temporary childcare.

The boy couldn't yet leave the Immortal Source, and leaving a Saint-level child unattended wasn't wise. What else could they do? They were the ones who brought him out.

Su Lin picked up a pen and scribbled in his diary.

【03.01, weather: sunny.

I've learned new skills from the main characters. One day, I too will become a reliable protagonist like them.】

"It won't be long before this little one emerges from the Source and settles down."

Su Lin, holding a historical projection of the divine child Emperor Yufeng, lounged under the sun, sipping tea, and said calmly:

"These guys—I was going to treat everyone to Awakening Tea, hey, they just ran off—straight out!"

"You're still reliable, Elder Zhongli."

In the end, only Zhongli stayed behind to help with childcare, genuinely passing on the knowledge he possessed to Emperor Yufeng.

Su Lin leaned back in his chair, quietly watching the clear wind chase the drifting clouds, sunlight gilding the surrounding trees with golden years, the Dao's resonance from the Awakening Tea drifting around him.

After a long while, Su Lin smiled faintly: "This kind of life isn't bad."

He didn't like fighting for the Dao or killing.

If life could often be like this—occasionally seeking out enjoyable things, free from the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death—this, for Su Lin, was the ultimate enjoyment of life.

But from a rational perspective, it might just be that he'd just entered this rhythm and felt novelty in its plainness.

"In two days, you're leaving too, right?" Su Lin asked.

"Mm." Zhongli set down his teacup, exited his state of enlightenment, exhaled, and nodded slightly:

"I've been away from Teyvat for some time now. Looking back on this period, it feels like a dream."

"I need to return to my familiar place to reflect and assimilate, and I must deliver the Gospel to the Immortals of Liyue."

Su Lin sat up, tossed his diary back into the 'Subspace Vault,' and smiled lightly: "Congratulations on advancing further. By the way, what is 'Grandpa' doing right now?"

"Grandpa?" Zhongli looked puzzled.

"Sorry—I mean, what's Kongo doing?" Su Lin corrected himself.

Zhongli recalled how, before joining the chat group, while strolling and bird-watching in Liyue Harbor, he'd seen the Traveler return via anchors, complaining he couldn't stand Sumeru's food.

"Before I left Liyue, he'd already been traveling in Sumeru for some time," Zhongli told Su Lin. Then, a smile tugged at his lips: "Would you like to come with me to Liyue? You might meet the Yuheng Star—but your personalities probably wouldn't get along."

"." Su Lin's lazy expression vanished instantly; he raised an eyebrow: "How do you know?"

"Parents often still try to understand their children's interests—even if only a little," Zhongli smiled. "When you visited last time, your father chatted with me and said I looked just like a character from the mobile game you play."

"I said I played that game too, and we talked about it."

Su Lin nodded, signaling him to continue—Zhongli hadn't lied; he really did play Genshin Impact, just in immersive mode.

Zhongli: "We talked about your favorite character."

"What else did he say?" Su Lin felt something was wrong.

Zhongli: "He mentioned your pillow."

Su Lin covered his head—his Artifact 【My Father's Brilliant Backstab】 was devastating.

Su Lin tapped the stone table twice and said, "Don't keep confusing paper people with real people."

"What's a paper person?" Emperor Yufeng asked beside him, intrigued by this new concept.

"It represents perfection," Su Lin said seriously. He suddenly thought of a way to raise a child, pulled out his phone, and showed the historical projection to Emperor Yufeng: "Be good and listen, and I'll take you gaming tonight."

"What about immortal techniques?" Emperor Yufeng asked. Earlier, Ye Fan had told him he could learn immortal techniques by following the Su Zongzhu; since he was already in the wolf's den, he might as well get what he could.

"Go praise the Light, and study the Divine Scripture of the Western Divine Realm," Su Lin said, sending the Light God's avatar to take Emperor Yufeng away. He turned back to Zhong Li and said, "You've got plenty to do when you return. Wait a few days—I'll come back when you treat me."

"Alright," Zhong Li nodded.

Silence returned briefly to Water Mirror Peak.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows; a light breeze stirred the leaves, making them rustle.

Zhong Li held the cooled teacup, lost in thought, and in a haze, he saw scenes from the past.

"I want to buy osmanthus and carry wine together."

Sorry, but I seem to have caught it again. I started feeling dizzy around nine tonight; I'll take an antigen test tomorrow.

End of chapter.