Chapter 10: Resigning and Departing

After Lin Jingyu left, Zhang Xiaofan sighed softly, his face full of guilt as he said to Su Zhangqing, "Zhangqing, please don't mind it; Jingyu likely spoke without thinking."

Su Zhangqing smiled indifferently: "Xiaofan, I naturally won't mind, and you need not trouble yourself over it."

How the world viewed him, he would not ask; how the world treated him, he would not grow angry over it.

In Su Zhangqing's heart, his relationship with Lin Jingyu was not particularly close, so why bother stepping forward to interact with him, or with these worldly people for that matter?

I have my own Great Dao and righteous fruit to cultivate; why should I lower my head to look at the gazes of others?

Having said this, Su Zhangqing flicked his sleeves and strolled toward the Sect Main Hall, leaving Zhang Xiaofan standing alone in place, sighing inwardly.

The three were originally from the same village; back then, while they could not be called close friends, they would still chat and play with childlike joy whenever they met.

Why was it that after embarking on the path of cultivation, the relationship between the three became less close, as if they had stepped onto two different, diverging paths?

Zhang Xiaofan thought it over and over, yet could not understand the logic behind it.

It was not until he reached the latter half of the story that he realized this logic was called growth—too many things beyond one's control, too many things going against one's wishes; perhaps only the Great Dao and righteous fruit could provide the answer.

After entering the Sect Main Hall, Su Zhangqing saw several sect leaders gathered there. He respectfully bowed and greeted the group of leaders. Shuiyue Dashi, knowing that Su Zhangqing must have come here because he had something to seek her for, bid them farewell first and took Su Zhangqing outside.

The two found a secluded spot.

"Zhangqing, did you come to the Sect Main Hall because you have something to ask of me?"

Shuiyue Dashi asked Su Zhangqing with a gentle smile.

"Master is as wise as a god; your disciple does indeed have a matter that requires your instruction, Master."

Su Zhangqing could not help but smile as he explained, then looked at Shuiyue earnestly to tell her the reason for his arrival: "Master, I encountered a bottleneck while cultivating, and I happened to see a strange flower in the sect's records. I feel this item would be beneficial to my cultivation, so I intend to go out for some training and have come specifically to bid you farewell, Master."

"A strange flower? What is it?"

Hearing this, Shuiyue felt a spark of curiosity and asked Su Zhangqing.

"It is called the Desolate Immortal Orchid, a product unique to Jiuyin Mountain, so I intend to make a trip to Jiuyin Mountain for this journey."

Su Zhangqing told Shuiyue the truth as he knew it.

As a person of profound cultivation and a sect leader of the Qingyun Sect, Shuiyue was naturally knowledgeable and knew what this Huanglan Narcissus was.

"Desolate Immortal Orchid? If I remember correctly, although this item is an extremely precious medicine, it is of minimal help to cultivation. Why do you seek it?"

"Moreover, Jiuyin Mountain is a hundred miles away from the Qingyun Sect. The terrain is steep, and there are many demonic beasts; it is extremely dangerous and rarely visited by people. You are currently only at the first level of the Taiji Xuanqing Dao, with cultivation no higher than the third level of Qi Refining. How can you go to such a dangerous place?"

Hearing Su Zhangqing's words, she frowned slightly and asked him.

"Master, I only saw this item in the records, but I have a faint feeling in my heart that the Huanglan Narcissus is very important to me, which is why I decided to go."

"Regardless of whether it helps my cultivation or not, I want to seek it once. Otherwise, I will always have this matter weighing on my mind, and this lingering obsession will instead become a hindrance to my cultivation."

Su Zhangqing explained to Shuiyue.

"No, your cultivation is still too weak. If you go to the dangerous Jiuyin Mountain alone, I truly cannot rest easy. In three days, when I have nothing pressing to attend to, I will take you there myself."

Shuiyue ignored what Su Zhangqing said and immediately refused.

Su Zhangqing could not help but sigh. His Master appeared cold as frost, but in reality, she was a warm-hearted person. Not to mention how she treated others, her treatment of him was beyond reproach; she was very caring and attentive. But this had led to the current situation: like a concerned elder who could not bear to see their junior go off to take risks, Shuiyue would not let him experience danger alone.

"Master, I really don't want to trouble you with such matters. Just let me go alone; otherwise, I won't be able to calm my mind for my cultivation for the next month."

To achieve his goal, Su Zhangqing could not help but sacrifice his persona, using a child's act of acting spoiled for the first time. He grabbed Shuiyue's sleeve and shook it, acting spoiled.

"You really want to go?"

"I really must go!"

Seeing Su Zhangqing so determined, Shuiyue's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and she sighed slightly: "Fine, fine, if you want to go that badly, then go."

"Thank you for your consent, Master!"

Su Zhangqing felt a surge of joy in his heart; as long as he passed Shuiyue's hurdle, everything else would be easy to handle.

"However, you must not be arrogant. Jiuyin Mountain is not a place of leisure like other mountains. There are countless fierce beasts and demonic creatures, and among them are some with cultivation comparable to the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core realms. You are only at the Qi Refining stage now; if you encounter them, you must not step forward to provoke them. You must flee at the first opportunity and ensure you return safely. Do you understand?"

"If you haven't found the Huanglan Narcissus within three days, do not be greedy; return to the sect first, and wait for me to take you there myself."

Although Shuiyue had agreed to Su Zhangqing, she still could not rest easy in her heart and could not help but give repeated instructions.

"Master, I understand!"

Su Zhangqing wore a smile and nodded earnestly in response to Shuiyue.

"Furthermore, I have a Protective Talisman here for you, enough to withstand a fatal blow from someone at the Foundation Establishment realm. If you encounter danger, tear the talisman. Do not lose it."

Shuiyue took a yellow talisman from her waist and handed it to Su Zhangqing, explaining its effects and capabilities in detail. Only when she saw Su Zhangqing tuck it into his robes did she feel a bit more at ease.

With this talisman for protection, her little disciple's life and safety had at least some defense.

"Thank you, Master! Then, may I leave now?"

After Su Zhangqing took the talisman, he bid farewell to Shuiyue and left the Sect Main Hall. He turned and retrieved his Flying Sword, returning to Xiaoxia Peak. After telling Senior Sister Wen Min about the matter, he packed some necessary items and left Qingyun Mountain.

Once out of Qingyun Mountain, Su Zhangqing felt like a dragon entering the sea, free and unrestrained. He took out his Flying Sword and traveled around in the air, feeling refreshed and spirited.

Along the way, he rode his sword like an immortal and practiced his sword techniques.

One could see a figure like an immortal high in the sky, taking out a long sword and slashing left and right. His movements were like shadows, difficult to track, and streaks of sword Qi emerged from the tip of the long sword.

This stirred up gusts of gale winds that swept outward, scattering the clusters of white clouds.

【You have successfully practiced the "Gale Sword Dao". Under your Against-Heaven Comprehension, the "Gale Sword Dao" has successfully evolved into the "Wild Wind Sword Dao".】

"Hm? This works too?"

After Su Zhangqing finished executing a set of sword techniques, the system's voice suddenly rang out in his mind again.

He had not expected that a whim to practice his sword techniques would trigger his Against-Heaven Comprehension; it was truly a pleasant surprise.

(End of chapter)