Chapter 427

"Hua Hua Changxi, it's not that you don't want the sacred land to operate according to your wishes, nor is it that you don't want to make rules; you just... don't want to take responsibility."

Gu Xing's gaze was very sharp, as if he were about to completely pierce through the layers of defenses Hua Hua Changxi had wrapped around her heart.

Hua Hua Changxi's eyes flickered under his gaze. In just a few seconds, her forced composure began to crumble, and a panic mixed with embarrassment and the feeling of being seen through welled up in her heart.

She subconsciously straightened her back, attempting to maintain her habitual poise and detachment, but her gaze shifted away in a somewhat flustered and hurried manner.

To cover up this lapse, she spoke stiffly, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible rigidity: "Don't act as if you know me so well."

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

"I agree with that very much."

"What a person says can deceive others, and it can deceive oneself; but the actions a person reveals can show many 'true things'."

"It will expose all hidden desires, cowardice, and avoidance, nakedly."

Hua Hua Changxi did not respond. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned back slightly, and rested obliquely against the edge of the cold stone table in the courtyard.

This posture seemed casual, but it carried a defensive air that kept people at a distance.

She lifted her chin slightly and squinted at Gu Xing, as if to say: Let's see what earth-shattering logic you can come up with.

Gu Xing continued on his own: "If you were given another chance to choose, would you take over the No. 13 Qihuang Pavilion? Would you take charge of the Dan Yuan Secret Realm? Would you still be willing to serve as the Peak Master of Dan Yuan Peak?"

"Of course."

Hua Hua Changxi's tone was blunt, carrying a hint of indignation at being offended.

Gu Xing: "After you became the Pavilion Master of the No. 13 Qihuang Pavilion, and after you obtained the Dan Yuan Secret Realm and became the Peak Master of Dan Yuan Peak, you rarely participated in specific management. However, the general direction of the operations of the No. 13 Qihuang Pavilion, Dan Yuan Peak, and the Dan Yuan Secret Realm were all carried out entirely according to your will."

Hua Hua Changxi's gaze flickered imperceptibly. She still did not respond, only tightening her fingers slightly as she held her arms.

Gu Xing looked at her steadily: "From small things to large, can I infer this—even if today's meeting were held again, you would still unhesitatingly propose that the Secret Realm Master should take charge of the sacred land?"

Hua Hua Changxi gave a perfunctory "Mm."

Gu Xing's tone remained calm, but it carried a trace of unquestionable certainty: "Do you see? The reason you attended the meeting was because you wanted the sacred land to operate according to your wishes, wasn't it?"

Hua Hua Changxi opened her mouth. She wanted to defend herself, to say she was doing it for the good of the sacred land, to say it was the optimal solution, but under Gu Xing's all-seeing gaze, any defense seemed pale and powerless.

Gu Xing did not stop, continuing to analyze deeply: "I can further infer that at the meeting, you only thought about proposing the 'Secret Realm Master in Charge' motion, but you never even thought about the countless complex, tedious, and headache-inducing specific management details that would inevitably arise once this proposal was implemented, right?"

Hua Hua Changxi's expression changed slightly. This time, she didn't even bother with a perfunctory "Mm," simply using silence to signify her default agreement.

She truly hadn't thought about dealing with those complex and tedious details. Not to mention the huge mess in Nanxiang County waiting for her to handle, she herself needed time and energy to improve her strength and alchemy level.

Gu Xing looked at her silence and summarized slowly: "You see, your behavioral pattern has always upheld one attitude—only grasp the general direction, but ignore the specific details."

Hua Hua Changxi's tone carried a bit of defiance: "I admit, I am indeed like that. But does that mean I lack responsibility?"

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

"Your lack of responsibility lies in the fact that you want the sacred land to run according to your wishes, but you don't want to pay any price."

"Otherwise, you wouldn't be so angry, feeling that the Divine Wood stole your things."

Hua Hua Changxi sneered and retorted: "Shouldn't I be angry? If it's going to absorb my things, shouldn't it ask for my consent in advance?"

Gu Xing's tone remained peaceful: "On that point, you can indeed be angry. However, before this, no one had ever experienced such a thing; this should be a price that all 'firsts' must pay."

"But after today, not only the Dan Saint Hall, but the other four sacred lands should all know about the sacred land decree, and your name, Hua Hua Changxi, will spread throughout every sacred land."

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

Gu Xing looked at her: "You might not feel it now, but in the future, you will definitely know the importance of 'prestige' and 'public support'."

He paused: "The Xia family, the imperial family—they were so proactive in pushing for the first Alchemy Conference, spending huge amounts of manpower and resources. What do you think they were really after?"

Hua Hua Changxi was thoughtful and did not respond.

Gu Xing did not continue this topic, pulling the conversation back and locking his gaze on her again: "Are you sure the reason you are angry is just because the Divine Wood didn't ask for your opinion?"

Hua Hua Changxi glanced at Gu Xing sideways: "What else?"

Gu Xing: "Don't you feel you lost out?"

Hua Hua Changxi fell silent, shifting her gaze away and not meeting Gu Xing's eyes.

Yes, she just felt she had lost out.

Gu Xing sighed: "Hua Hua Changxi, do you still remember why you wanted to enter the Medical Department back then?"

Hua Hua Changxi was stunned. This question came unexpectedly, leaving her momentarily dazed.

Why?

The floodgates of memory opened: to escape the oppressive life of the inner courtyard and gain a livelihood to support herself; to apply what she had learned, to hang up the pot to help the world, and to treat the sick; to find an opportunity for cultivation and explore the truth of this world...

Gu Xing's voice sounded at the right moment, carrying a weight that pierced through time: "Living in this world, one needs to take the initiative to shoulder some things. Unfortunately, most people live drifting with the tide, and only a few have found their own mission."

He specifically emphasized the word "mission."

"Mission?"

This word was like a thunderclap, exploding in Hua Hua Changxi's mind unexpectedly!

Her whole body stiffened, her pupils contracted slightly, and an indescribable sense of shock and resistance swept through her entire body.

This word was too heavy, too grand, making her instinctively feel panic and rejection.

Gu Xing looked straight at Hua Hua Changxi: "Yet, some people are avoiding their own mission."

Hua Hua Changxi raised her head abruptly, looking straight at Gu Xing with a hint of anger and impatience at being seen through: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Gu Xing met her gaze: "Since ancient times, power and responsibility have been equal. However, to shoulder responsibility, one also needs to have the strength."

"Hua Hua Changxi, you possess the strength to shake the landscape of the sacred land, yet you haven't thought about taking the initiative to shoulder anything."

Hua Hua Changxi was very resistant to this imposed responsibility and laughed: "There are so many people in the sacred land, can you please not keep your eyes on me? Can the Dan Saint Hall not function without me?"

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

"Some things, once you take them, you must shoulder the corresponding responsibilities."

Seeing that Hua Hua Changxi was still unconvinced, Gu Xing continued: "Some benefits are laid out in the open, while others are unknown to others."

"On this point, you should have a deep understanding."

"The Dao of Heaven has always been fair; how much you receive is how much you must shoulder."

"The strong must have the responsibility of the strong."

"Hua Hua Changxi, you must be clear about one thing: you are not an ordinary disciple; your every word and action can already influence the fate of others."

"If you continue to hold yourself to the standards of an ordinary person, that is going against the natural order."

Hua Hua Changxi's brows knotted. She did not refute, but her expression was still clearly unconvinced.

Gu Xing sighed: "Sometimes, I have the illusion that you are just a passerby in the Dan Saint Hall. You haven't truly planted your roots deep into this land, to breathe with it, share its fate, and feel its rise and fall."

"Not just the Dan Saint Hall, but toward your own family and your relatives, you seem to be the same."

"Hua Hua Changxi, there is something missing in you called 'human touch'."

"You are always calmly analyzing, rationally judging, and then doing things you believe are correct. As for those affected by your decisions, their joys and sorrows, their expectations and disappointments, you seem... not to care very much."

These few words from Gu Xing stirred up huge waves in Hua Hua Changxi's heart, leaving her somewhat stunned.

Gu Xing continued: "People live in one group after another; first is the family, and after leaving home, it is the place where one seeks survival and development."

"Whether it is the Hua family or the Dan Saint Hall, you always maintain a detached posture."

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

"Are you afraid of being bound? Or do you simply not believe in, nor care about, the bonds between you and anyone else?"