Chapter 427: Mission

"Hua Changxi, it's not that you don't want the holy land to operate according to your will, nor that you don't want to set rules—you just... don't want to take responsibility."

Gu Xing's gaze was exceptionally sharp, as if he could completely pierce through the layers of defense around Hua Changxi's heart.

Hua Changxi's eyes flickered under his stare; within just a few seconds, her forced composure began to crumble, and a surge of embarrassment and panic at being seen through welled up in her heart.

Subconsciously, she straightened her back, trying to maintain her usual calm detachment, but her gaze shifted away hastily and awkwardly.

To mask her loss of composure, she spoke stiffly, her voice carrying a barely noticeable rigidity: "Don't act like you know me so well."

Gu Xing looked at her and stated calmly, "You once said that there is something that can reflect a person's state of mind to a certain extent—and that is a person's actions."

"I very much agree with that."

"The words a person says can deceive others and even deceive themselves; but the actions a person exhibits can reveal many 'truths.'"

"It will lay bare all hidden desires, cowardice, and escape, completely exposed."

Hua Changxi didn't respond. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned back slightly, and tilted her body, resting against the edge of the cold stone table in the courtyard.

This posture seemed casual on the surface, but it carried a defensive attitude of keeping others at a distance.

She raised her chin slightly and glanced sideways at Gu Xing, as if saying: Let me see what earth-shattering wisdom you can come up with.

Gu Xing continued on his own: "If you were given another chance to choose, would you still take over the Thirteenth Clinic? Would you still govern the Danyuan Secret Realm? Would you still be willing to serve as the peak master of Danyuan Peak?"

"Of course."

Hua Changxi's tone was stiff, carrying a hint of offended anger.

Gu Xing: "After you became the head of the Thirteenth Clinic, and after you obtained the Danyuan Secret Realm and became the peak master of Danyuan Peak, you rarely participated in specific management. Yet the general direction of the Thirteenth Clinic, Danyuan Peak, and the Danyuan Secret Realm has all been carried out entirely according to your will."

An almost imperceptible flicker passed through Hua Changxi's eyes. She still didn't respond, but the fingers holding her arms tightened slightly.

Gu Xing fixed his gaze on her: "From small to large, can I infer that—even if today's meeting were to reconvene—you would still unhesitatingly propose that the Secret Realm Master should govern the holy land?"

Hua Changxi hummed a perfunctory "Mm."

Gu Xing's tone remained calm, but carried a certainty that brooked no dissent: "Can you see it? The reason you attended the meeting was to make the holy land operate according to your will, wasn't it?"

Hua Changxi opened her mouth to argue, to say that she was doing it for the good of the holy land, that this was the optimal solution, but under Gu Xing's penetrating gaze, any defense seemed pale and powerless.

Gu Xing didn't stop and continued his analysis: "I can even go further: during the meeting, you only thought of proposing that the Secret Realm Master handle affairs. As for the countless complex, tedious, and headache-inducing specific management rules that would inevitably arise once this proposal was implemented, you never even considered them, right?"

Hua Changxi's expression shifted slightly. This time, she couldn't even be bothered to give a perfunctory "Mm," simply remaining silent in acknowledgment.

She truly hadn't thought about dealing with those complex and tedious details. Not to mention that she still had the whole mess in Nanxiang County waiting for her; she also needed time and energy to improve her cultivation and alchemy skills.

Gu Xing looked at her silent figure and slowly concluded: "You see, your behavior pattern has always adhered to one attitude—grasping only the general direction while ignoring the specific details."

Hua Changxi's tone carried a hint of defiance: "I admit that I am indeed like that. But does that make me irresponsible?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Xing slowly shook his head: "Most helmsmen only steer the direction."

"Your irresponsibility lies in wanting the holy land to run according to your will, yet being unwilling to pay any price for it."

"Otherwise, you wouldn't be so angry, feeling that the Divine Tree stole something from you."

Hua Changxi sneered back: "Should I not be angry? When it absorbs something of mine, shouldn't it at least ask for my consent in advance?"

Gu Xing's tone remained calm: "You do have a right to be angry about that point. But before this, no one had ever experienced such a thing. This is probably a kind of price that every 'first person' has to pay."

"However, after today, not only the Dan Sacred Hall but also the other four holy lands should all learn about the holy land decree. And your name, Hua Changxi, will spread throughout every holy land."

Hua Changxi snorted dismissively: "Who cares about that."

Gu Xing looked at her: "You may not feel it now, but in the future, you will surely understand the importance of things like 'reputation' and 'popular support.'"

He paused: "The Xia family and the royal family—they pushed so hard to convene the first Alchemy Conference, spending enormous manpower and resources. What do you think they are after?"

Hua Changxi seemed lost in thought and did not respond.

Gu Xing didn't continue that topic. He shifted his focus back and fixed his gaze on her again: "Are you sure that your anger is only because the Divine Tree didn't ask for your opinion?"

Hua Changxi shot a sideways glance at Gu Xing: "Otherwise?"

Gu Xing: "Don't you feel that you've been shortchanged?"

Hua Changxi fell silent. She looked away, avoiding Gu Xing's eyes.

Yes, she simply felt she was at a loss.

Gu Xing sighed: "Hua Changxi, do you still remember why you joined the Medical Affairs Bureau in the first place?"

Hua Changxi was stunned. The question caught her off guard, leaving her momentarily dazed.

Why?

The floodgates of memory opened: to escape the oppressive life of the inner courtyard and secure a livelihood that could support herself; to put her skills to use, heal the sick, and save the afflicted; to seek an opportunity for cultivation and uncover the truth of this world...

Gu Xing's voice sounded at the right moment, carrying a weight that pierced through time: "In life, people need to actively take on certain things. Unfortunately, most people just drift with the current, and only a few find their mission."

He deliberately emphasized the word "mission."

"Mission?"

The word struck like a thunderbolt, exploding unexpectedly in Hua Changxi's mind!

Her whole body stiffened, her pupils constricted slightly, and an indescribable shock and resistance surged through her.

The word was too heavy, too grand, making her instinctively feel panic and repulsion.

Gu Xing stared straight at Hua Changxi: "But some people are avoiding their mission."

Hua Changxi lifted her head abruptly, a hint of anger and impatience at being seen through flashing in her eyes as she met Gu Xing's gaze: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Gu Xing met her eyes: "Since ancient times, power and responsibility have been equal. But to take on responsibility, you also need strength."

"Hua Changxi, you possess strength that can shake the foundation of the Saint Land, yet you have never thought of actively taking on anything."

Hua Changxi was extremely resistant to this imposed responsibility and scoffed: "There are so many people in the Saint Land—can't you stop focusing all your attention on me? Would the Dan Saint Hall stop turning without me?"

Gu Xing looked at her: "When you took the Qihuang Token back then, I warned you not to be greedy."

"Once you take something, you must bear the corresponding responsibility."

Seeing that Hua Changxi was still unconvinced, Gu Xing continued: "Some benefits are obvious, while others are hidden."

"You should have a deep understanding of this."

"Heaven’s Dao has always been fair—what you gain, you must also bear."

"The strong must have the strong’s sense of duty."

"Hua Changxi, you need to realize one thing: you are not an ordinary disciple. Your every word and action can already influence the fates of others."

"If you continue to judge yourself by the standards of an ordinary person, you will be going against the natural order."

Hua Changxi frowned deeply but did not refute, though her expression remained clearly unconvinced.

Gu Xing sighed: "Sometimes, I get the illusion that you are just a passerby in the Dan Saint Hall, that you have never truly sunk your roots deep into this land, breathing with it, sharing its fate, feeling its rise and fall, honor and disgrace."

"It’s not just the Dan Saint Hall—toward your own family, toward your loved ones, you seem to be the same."

"Hua Changxi, you lack something called 'human warmth.'"

"You are always calmly analyzing, rationally judging, and then doing what you think is right. As for those affected by your decisions—their joys, sorrows, hopes, and disappointments—you don’t seem to care much."

These words from Gu Xing stirred up a storm in Hua Changxi’s heart, leaving her momentarily speechless.

Gu Xing continued: "People live within groups. First, it’s the family. After leaving home, it’s the place where one seeks survival and development."

"Whether it’s the Hua family or the Dan Saint Hall, you always maintain a detached stance."

"Have you ever seriously thought about why this is?"

"Are you afraid of being bound? Or do you simply not believe in or care about the bonds between you and anyone else?"