The Sect Leader's Bizarre Recruitment Chapter 154: The Power of the Holy Land! Holy Mother Gu Xinglian! Story and Questions (Part 2) - Novel Cool

Chapter 154: The Power of the Holy Land! Holy Mother Gu Xinglian! Story and Questions (Part 2)

Chapter 154: The Power of the Holy Land! Holy Mother Gu Xinglian! Story and Questions (Part 2)

If she wanted to act, she wouldn’t need to do so in such a manner."

"Moreover, none of us could stop her."

Hearing this, Xiao Ling'er could only silently retreat to Lin Fan's back.

Entering the ancient and simple Immortal Mansion, they discovered that it utilized the magic related to storing a vast world in a tiny space. From the outside, it seemed unremarkable, but inside, it was a world of its own.

Amidst the mist of immortal qi, pavilions and terraces appeared and disappeared, like a celestial realm.

"Lin Fan of the Moon Embracing Sect, with my disciples, comes to pay respects."

Lin Fan did not barge in but spoke clearly and loudly.

"Come over."

Buzz.

The immortal qi parted on its own, revealing a narrow path that could only accommodate one person at a time.

The three of them followed the path, taking several dozen steps, and suddenly, the scenery opened up, as if they had entered another world.

The fragrance of flowers filled the air.

Looking around, countless varieties of spirit flowers vied for beauty.

Among the myriad flowers, a woman sat cross-legged, like the most beautiful flower among them, commanding the allegiance and reverence of all the flowers.

Her face was delicate and her beauty unparalleled; when her eyes opened and closed, it seemed as if countless stars were flowing in her pupils, a thousand years in one glance!

"You have arrived."

She spoke, like the resonance of myriad flowers, a gentle, graceful voice, yet not without a sense of authority.

"Calculating the time, you should have arrived by now."

"Th Saintess of the myriad flowers?"

Lin Fan clasped his hands.

"Thousand Flower saintess, Gu Xinglian."

She nodded. "Sit."

With a wave of her hand, the spirit flowers seemed to come alive, some intertwining to form cushions of flowers.

Then, these spirit flowers struggled to pull their roots, as if they had grown legs, running to behind Lin Fan and his companions, and taking root again.

Surpised, but not panicked.

Lin Fan lightly sat cross-legged on the flower cushions.

Xiao Ling'er and Huo Yun'er also sat down, but their positions were a step behind Lin Fan's.

"Saint ess, you knew we would come?"

Although they had never met before, at least now, her attitude was not bad, even inviting them to sit, which was a sign of courtesy.

Thus, Lin Fan did not need to be so formal.

"I have heard about the changes in your Moon Embracing Sect in recent years."

Gu Xinglian nodded slightly. "I didn't expect your Moon Embracing Sect to still have a glimmer of hope."

"From extreme yin to yang, from adversity to prosperity."

"If you can seize this opportunity, returning to the peak is not impossible, which is indeed commendable."

These words surprised the three of them.

Lin Fan inwardly found it strange.

This saint ess is too easy to talk with.

Isn't it commendable?

Remember, it was your Flower Sanctuary that destroyed the Moon Embracing Sect in the first place.

What is the hidden story behind this?

Seeing their surprise, Gu Xinglian continued, "Your purpose here is to reclaim the Moonswallow Immortal Technique, right?"

"Not hiding from the saint ess, indeed so."

Lin Fan nodded.

The other party neither confirmed nor denied, raising her jade hand, a spirit talisman appeared in her palm.

"The Moonswallow Immortal Technique is recorded in this spirit talisman."

"Reclaiming it is simple."

"Answer one question."

Lin Fan remained unperturbed, inwardly thinking it was as expected.

It seemed simple, even more so than he had anticipated, but there was still a test.

Clearly, this question was crucial.

Answering well would indeed be smooth sailing.

If not...

it would be...

As Lin Fan guessed.

Gu Xinglian continued, "If your answer satisfies me, the Moonswallow Immortal Technique is yours to take, and I can even give you a gift."

"However, if it does not satisfy me."

"The Moonswallow Immortal technique remains."

"You, also remain."

"..."

Lin Fan looked up, "If it does not satisfy you, I will remain, and my two disciples will leave with you."

"Your straw dummy is indeed clever, but here, is the Flower Sanctuary." Gu Xinglian said calmly.

Straw dummy?

Xiao Ling'er and Huo Yun'er were surprised.

Master...

is actually a straw dummy?!

The remnant soul of Medicine Grandma trembled.

"How is this possible?! Throughout our journey, I have not detected a single clue, this?!"

"When?"

Xiao Ling'er's eyes gleamed with insight, thinking, "Teacher, could it be that Master is a great being, and what wewe have been in contact with is just the straw dummy all along?"

"This?!"

Medicine Grandma exclaimed, "It should not be so, otherwise, that would be too shocking!"

"That's true, but teacher, if the Master is just a straw dummy and has Fifth Realm strength, how strong is the Master's true form?!" Xiao Ling'er was hopeful.

She did not think Lin Fan was afraid of death, using a straw dummy to deceive her and Huo Yun'er.

Gu Xinglian continued, "Outside, perhaps I couldn't see through, but here, in my domain, you can't hide from me."

Lin Fan remained unperturbed, "My true form has other matters to attend to."

"You have no choice. If the answer does not satisfy me, you will all remain."

Gu Xinglian waved her hand.

Then she casually tossed the spirit talisman of the Moonswallow Immortal Technique, floating beside her.

"However, before that, I need to tell you a story."

"More than ten thousand years ago, there was a man and a woman."

"The woman was of unparalleled talent, unmatched in all of history; those with greater talent could be counted on one hand."

"The man was also of extraordinary talent, standing alone, almost sweeping the era, defeating many strong foes and founding a great sect from nothing, even creating an Immortal Technique at the Eighth Realm, stunning an era."

"They clashed several times, each with victories and defeats, but more often, they were evenly matched.

"Through the back and forth, the two developed feelings for each-other."

"For him, the woman was willing to give up everything, whether it was a status as high as the heavens or the power to command the world, or even her own future."

"Despite countless obstacles, she naively believed that true love could overcome any distance, even if they were separated by mountains and seas."

"As long as they truly loved each other, no obstacle would stand in their way."

Gu Xinglian paused slightly, "For this, she was willing to sever ties with her master, disciples, sect, and everything from her past."

"It was supposed to be a heart-wrenching, legendary love story that would be passed down for generations, a tragic tale that many would talk about. After all, their ending was highly likely to be a sad one."

"But just as the woman was preparing to elope with the man, he suddenly fell for another."

At this point, Gu Xinglian's emotions stirred for the first time, but she quickly suppressed them, though Lin Fan still noticed.

Lin Fan remained silent, but his mind was like a clear mirror, and it was clear that this story of betrayal was somehow connected to Gu Xinglian.

Perhaps she wasn't the female lead in the story.

But...

She must be related to the female lead!

"The vows they made under the sky and the moon, the love they professed under the flowers and moon, all turned into a dream and illusion."

"The deeper their love, the deeper the hatred that followed."

"Love turns to hate, as it often does."

Gu Xinglian calmed down and continued the story, "After that, they clashed many times. It was believed that they would fight to the death, and it would only end with one of them dying and their Dao dissipating, or both perishing together."

"But unexpectedly, on one day, for reasons unknown, they became rivals in love."

Gu Xinglian sighed as she spoke.

"Everything became chaotic."

"The woman's master and the power behind her didn't want this stain on their reputation to spread, so they wanted to erase everything related to the man."

"But at this time, the woman couldn't bear to do it."

"She contacted the man one last time in private."

"After learning about this, the man didn't want to burden those around him, so he took the initiative to discuss a plan. He decided to take the offensive and face death, only asking the woman to protect the sect he had founded."

"The woman... agreed."

Lin Fan: "..."

So, was this the origin of the connection between the founding ancestor of the Moon Embrace Sect and the Flower Saintess? Was that woman once a highly-ranked disciple within the Flower Saintess's Holy Land?

It was because of this that the Moon Embrace Sect dared to challenge the Flower Saintess's Holy Land and was swiftly defeated.

The brilliant and talented founding ancestor disappeared, and the Moon Embrace Sect gradually declined. Thankfully, the woman kept her promise and protected the Moon Embrace Sect, but after that, the sect was targeted by many covetous forces...

Perhaps the reason the Moon Embrace Sect's heritage didn't disappear was also related to the woman's promise?

But this story feels a bit strange.

Not in a chaotic way, but in a peculiar manner.

Lin Fan furrowed his brows slightly, "Is that the end of the story?"

"There's a bit more."

She spoke softly, "He took the initiative to face death, but after that battle, everyone disappeared."

"Everyone?"

"Yes."

"The man, the woman, and their new love, all disappeared."

Lin Fan: "???"

Xiao Ling'er: "Oh."

Huo Yun'er blinked, her face full of confusion.

Something felt off.

"You're not asking where they went, are you?" Lin Fan asked.

Gu Xinglian shook her head lightly, "Their ending, if not all of them dying in battle and descending to the Yellow Springs together, leaves only one possibility, and I don't want to explore that possibility."

"What I want to ask is..."

"Why did that man change his heart?"

"I can confirm that the woman in the story was the most dazzling woman of that era, without a doubt."

"Why did he fall for another?"

"What kind of charm did that woman have?"

"I need a reason, a reasonable and convincing one."

"If you can convince me, you can take the Moonswallow Immortal Technique with you."

"If you can't, you'll all stay here."

Gu Xinglian finished speaking and said no more, only looking at them calmly, waiting for an answer.

Huo Yun'er was stunned.

How could anyone know this?

Moreover, we don't even know who the people involved are.

And...

Her little head was spinning.

The 'former' woman was the most dazzling woman of that era, without a doubt? What kind of woman could have such a spirit and be the best in the world?

Hiss!

Suddenly, she looked at Gu Xinglian, her pupils dilating in shock.

If there was a woman who dared to claim she was the most dazzling and peerless in an era, who could be more qualified than the Flower Saintess?

Not just him.

Even Lin Fan suspected that the Saintess before him was the female lead in the story.

Suspected...

The Moon Embrace Sect's founding ancestor's ex-girlfriend!

But that's not right.

He suddenly realized that the story ended with all four of them disappearing.

So, unless she was lying, she couldn't be the female lead in the story.

Confused, they saw Gu Xinglian shake her head, "I don't know."

"If I knew, I might not be so obsessed with this matter."

The three of them, Lin Fan, were speechless.

They suddenly felt like their heads were about to explode.

Wow, you don't even know who the female lead's 'rival' is, but you want us to talk about her strengths or why the male lead fell for her?

You're making things difficult for me!

Lin Fan's mind raced.

"But... in this situation, it feels like whatever I say is nonsense."

"Talent? Appearance? Figure? It's said that she's the number one in the world, stunning an entire era, so it's unlikely that she's inferior to a third party. In that case, it could only be her personality?"

"But that's not very convincing."

"It can't be 'skills', right?"

"What if she takes it as obscene language or bold flirtation, and we all end up buried here?"

Lin Fan racked his brains but still couldn't come up with a suitable reason.

Just then, Xiao Ling'er quietly raised her hand, "Senior Holy Mother, I dare to ask, but I have a small question."

Everyone turned to look at her.

Lin Fan pondered silently, recalling that he had consulted a divination before setting off. If he had come alone, the success rate would have been almost zero, but with these two, it was surprisingly smooth. Perhaps, the key lay in this question.

"If that's the case, the person who answers the question should be her two best friends, right?"

Lin Fan couldn't help but feel excited.

"Speak."

Gu Xinglian replied calmly, "Each of you can ask me three questions related to the story. If it's related to the story and I know the answer, I'll naturally tell you."

"If I don't know, then you'll have to figure it out yourselves."

"I only have one question."

Xiao Ling'er's expression turned peculiar as she glanced at Huo Yun'er. In the face of her companion's uncomprehending gaze, she spoke softly, "Actually, ever since I heard half of this story, I've felt something strange about it."

"I have the same feeling!" Huo Yun'er quickly added.

Lin Fan nodded in agreement.

He was serious; it did feel strange.

But he couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly was strange about it.

"What's strange about it?"

Gu Xinglian asked in return.

Xiao Ling'er didn't answer directly but said, "Senior Holy Mother, have you ever had a Dao companion or a love interest?"

"Dao companion? Love interest?" Gu Xinglian scoffed. "They would only slow down our cultivation and affect our spiritual nature!"

"What? Do you have one?"

"But from observing your aura, you seem to be a pure and untainted person."

Gu Xinglian made it clear that she wasn't buying it.

So what if she didn't have a love interest? Don't even think about mocking me, Holy Mother, for being single! Besides, aren't you also untainted? Don't try to brush me off with nonsense like 'love doesn't need a reason, love is love, and not loving is not loving'!

She didn't need to say these words explicitly, but she was certain that Xiao Ling'er understood her.

Xiao Ling'er indeed understood, but instead of taking the bait, she exclaimed, "In that case, it's understandable that Senior didn't notice this 'strangeness'."

She continued, "I am indeed untainted, and I don't have a Dao companion or a love interest."

"But I have a best friend..."

Her voice trailed off as her face turned red.

Then she added, "In any case..."

"Senior Holy Mother, there's something in the story that I don't understand."

"That is: Why did the male and female protagonists become rivals in love?"

Everyone was taken aback.

Huo Yun'er was stunned.

At that moment, Lin Fan's pupils dilated.

But Gu Xinglian hadn't reacted yet, "Why not?"

"One of them fell in love with someone else, and the other took that person away..."

"Yes."

Xiao Ling'er interrupted, "The problem lies here."

"Falling in love with someone else isn't the issue, but becoming rivals in love is!"

"I was thinking, perhaps the third party between the male and female protagonists also had a Dao companion, and then they both fell in love with someone else..."

Wow.

What a complicated situation.

But the truth might not be as simple as that, right?

Lin Fan muttered to himself.

He had already guessed what Xiao Ling'er was about to say.

It could only be...

"But the problem is, this relationship can't be considered as rivals in love."

"After all, the prerequisite for rivals in love is that both parties fall in love with the same person, and one of them, or both, cannot have their love reciprocated, thus becoming enemies."

"That's right," Gu Xinglian nodded.

The definition of rivals in love was indeed like that, without fault.

"But..."

Xiao Ling'er's expression became even more peculiar as she murmured, "But they are a man and a woman."

"How could they possibly fall in love with the same person?"

"If they truly fell in love, then is that person a man or a woman?"

Indeed, that was the question.

Lin Fan's mouth twitched, at a loss for words.

Huo Yun'er covered her mouth with her hand, feeling embarrassed.

But Gu Xinglian was completely stunned.

Her red lips parted wide.

She was lost in thought for a long time before slowly regaining her senses. Her lips opened and closed ten times before a single syllable escaped her mouth, "What?!"

A path she had never considered!

Or perhaps, she had never thought about this question before.

She hadn't thought it through!

She had always wondered why the male protagonist in the story was so heartless, ignoring the number one woman in the world and instead falling in love with someone else, causing the female protagonist to endure countless hardships and tribulations.

But at this moment, after Xiao Ling'er's reminder, she suddenly realized.

Yes!

In the latter half of the story, the two became rivals in love?

They even fought several times over this matter? But that's not right! You two, a man and a woman, can be rivals in love, and you even fought several times over 'stealing' someone. But the problem is, you are a man and a woman, so who did you steal...

In the end, was it a man or a woman? Seeing her confusion, Xiao Ling'er continued, "So I was thinking, could there be a mistake in this story? Perhaps there were some errors in the oral transmission?"

"Impossible!"

Gu Xinglian dropped the act, laying her cards on the table, "Although I'm not the female protagonist in the story, this is also my personal experience... the truth is as such!"

"Then..."

"There's only one possibility."

Xiao Ling'er's red lips curved slightly.

"What possibility?"

Lin Fan covered his mouth with his hand, "It might get a bit messy, and a bit complicated, Holy Mother. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Speak!"

She glared at the three of them.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end

Report