https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-563-One-Divination-One-Deception/12542617/
Chapter 564: Farewell
Chapter 564: Farewell
One true, one false?
Stirmaster thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, so he blinked and looked again. Ink Painting's expression was as calm as ever, innocent and adorable, with a hint of confusion, and nothing else amiss.
"What... is going on here?" Stirmaster muttered to himself, perplexed.
On the other side, White was also astonished.
The Demon in the Dao Heart had dissipated...
Did Big Brother show mercy?
That's impossible...
White asked, "Ink Painting... are you alright?"
Ink Painting nodded, "Master, I'm fine."
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Then, one of the Feathering cultivators, Feathering Zhenren, asked cautiously, "Little brother, have you seen a Daoist with a strange aura?"
"Yes, I have," Ink Painting replied honestly.
The group was taken aback, and someone else asked, "Where is that Daoist now?"
"He left," Ink Painting answered.
The group was stunned. "Left?"
"Mhm," Ink Painting nodded. "My master taught me a meditation technique. When evil thoughts enter my mind, I can calm my heart and meditate to overcome myself and guard my heart, suppressing those evil thoughts."
"I meditated for a while, and that Daoist..." Ink Painting almost called him "Master Uncle," but caught himself and changed his wording, "...seeing that my Dao heart was firm and invincible, he left."
The Feathering cultivators listened as if they were hearing a fable.
Could it be that the Demon in the Dao Heart was dispelled like this?
But the young cultivator before them had clear eyes and a lucid mind, obviously free from the control of demonic thoughts.
"Meditation technique, huh..."
The Feathering Zhenrens were curious. Could this be another of Mister Zhuang's methods? They wanted to ask, but it felt like a sensitive topic.
Stirmaster, however, furrowed his brows.
White was even more dumbfounded.
Others might not know, but she and Mister Zhuang were from the same sect. How could she not know the purpose of the meditation technique?
The meditation technique was meant to calm and focus the mind, discarding extraneous thoughts.
It could also restore one's spiritual sense.
But to claim that it could overcome oneself and guard the heart, dispelling the Demon in the Dao Heart, was obviously preposterous...
White glanced at Ink Painting.
Ink Painting's small face was serious, and he looked sincere with a hint of confusion in his "honest" eyes, not appearing to be lying at all.
This made White doubt herself.
Could it be that she hadn't learned properly, or that she had misunderstood? Was there a deeper understanding to the meditation technique?
White was perplexed.
Nevertheless, the fact that Ink Painting was safe and sound was a good thing.
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
If it weren't necessary, they wouldn't want to take the life of a young cultivator who was only around ten years old.
Moreover, this young cultivator had a rather unique identity.
However, they still felt uneasy, fearing that Ink Painting's demonic thoughts might resurface and that the demonic seed might lie dormant within him. They were concerned that he could suddenly lose his sanity, so they decided to keep him confined in a room for the time being to observe him for a while longer.
After a few days, when Ink Painting showed no signs of abnormality and no trace of strange demonic energy, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief and released him.
Only Stirmaster occasionally looked at Ink Painting with a thoughtful expression, a hint of worry lingering in his eyes.
He couldn't forget the look in Ink Painting's eyes that he had glimpsed in his moment of confusion.
The eyes that were half clear and half cunning, and yet seemed so natural, were truly baffling.
The clarity was fine...
But that cunning... the more he thought about it, the more it resembled the Cunning Daoist...
He feared that one day, Ink Painting's spiritual sense would suddenly mutate, his pupils would darken, and he would become a miniature version of the Cunning Daoist...
Fortunately, after that, Ink Painting's demeanor remained unchanged, and there were no abnormalities.
Only then did Stirmaster feel relieved.
And thus, the matter of the Cunning Daoist came to a close, the dust settling on that chapter.
With the Mystery Heaven Great Array solved and Ink Painting's bottleneck in the Heaven's Derivative Technique broken, he could now consider formally building his foundation.
However, before building his foundation, he needed to spend some time preparing.
He had to nourish his meridians and qi sea, buy some pills for backup, prepare spirit stones, and most importantly, completely refine the remaining cunning thoughts, unifying his body and mind without any flaws. Otherwise, he wouldn't be at ease.
But the other cultivators would have to leave first.
The group of Feathering cultivators, the various families and sect forces of the Dao Court, and White would all be departing.
For Ink Painting, building his foundation was a major event.
But for the other cultivators, especially the Feathering Zhenren, it was an insignificant minor matter.
Their scheduled itinerary would not change.
No one cared whether Ink Painting, a mere Qi Refining cultivator, built his foundation or not.
Over the next few days, the Feathering Zhenren gradually left one by one.
Three days later, Mister Zhuang was to be sent back to the White family.
Ink Painting temporarily set aside his foundation-building plans.
He was afraid that he might never see his master again, so during these days, he stayed by Mister Zhuang's side at all times.
His master, who had once been as gentle as spring rain, now lay there cold and unmoving.
Ink Painting's heart ached.
He desperately wished for his master to open his eyes and look at him once more, to speak to him, but he knew these were just wishful thoughts.
Sometimes, when Ink Painting was tired, he would nap by his master's side.
The dim eternal lamp cast a warm glow upon him, as if someone was comforting him, but Ink Painting remained oblivious.
On this day, as Ink Painting dozed off, he heard faint voices in his drowsy state.
It was Stirmaster and White.
Perhaps they thought Ink Painting was asleep, so they didn't pay him any heed.
"...Can he be saved?"
"It's difficult..."
Ink Painting recognized the hoarse voice as Stirmaster's.
"...Aside from the severance of his fate, his physical body is also... sigh, his qi sea is shattered, his consciousness sea is dried up, his Dao bones have been taken, and his heart's blood has been burned by sword qi. There's no way to make up for it..."
"Even if there are some heaven-defying treasures in the future that can repair this physical body, it would only be the first step..."
"The spiritual sense is the most troublesome part..."
"This involves fate and causality..."
White's face was pale. "Is there truly no chance at all...?"
Stirmaster shook his head. "This kind of thing is like trying to become an immortal..."
"Is there a chance to become an immortal? Of course, there is, but in this vast land of Kyushu, with countless people, not a single person has achieved immortality in tens of thousands of years..."
"There is a chance, but it's too slim. This kind of chance is almost as good as none at all..."
White sighed.
Stirmaster hesitated for a moment before offering consolation, "I'm going to say something, White, that you might not want to hear..."
White was taken aback. "Please speak, Senior."
Stirmaster chose his words carefully, "Now that Mister Zhuang has just 'died'..."
Stirmaster paused here, feeling that his choice of words was not quite right.
Stirmaster chose his words carefully, then continued, "You've lost your senior brother, and your heart is filled with sorrow. But this sorrow will only last for a moment."
"You want to save Mister Zhuang, but this intention... will also only last for a moment. As time passes, your determination will fade..."
Stirmaster spoke like one who had experienced the vicissitudes of life, sighing deeply as he said,
"Cultivators have long lifespans. The passing of time can erase all regrets and pains. People live on, and eventually, they become numb, no longer holding onto anything..."
"So..." Stirmaster sighed, "White, you should focus on your own cultivation and tend to your own matters. Don't force things beyond your control..."
White was silent for a moment.
She knew that Stirmaster was right.
In her life, she had also experienced regret and pain, feeling that life was no longer worth living. But as time went by and she overcame those hurdles, the pain and setbacks would fade, just like a healed scar—ugly, but no longer painful.
Just like her senior brother...
She was heartbroken now, but as time passed, she might also become numb and forget...
White pressed her lips together. "What if I insist on saving him?"
Stirmaster frowned. "Then you're in for a world of hardship..."
"Mister Zhuang's karma is immense, and he has made countless enemies with complex interests at play..."
"In this world, how many people want Mister Zhuang dead? Whether it's the Dao Court or the Demon Sect, I doubt anyone wishes to save him."
"If you try to save him, you'll undoubtedly face countless obstacles."
"'Resurrecting' the dead is incredibly difficult. Aside from a large number of spirit stones and spiritual objects, it requires unwavering perseverance and endurance. Along the way, you'll face torment and pain, accompanied by alternating hope and despair. It's challenging to remain steadfast..."
"You need an exceptionally firm Dao heart to stay true to your initial intentions and persist..."
"And that's still not enough."
"Even if you restore his physical body, his heavenly mechanism is dead and gone, so he still won't be able to live..."
"You must find a heaven-defying formation that contains the grand dao of life and death. Only then will you have a chance to make up for Mister Zhuang's lost heavenly mechanism and give him a glimmer of life..."
"Stealing yin and yang, seizing the laws of creation, and reversing life and death..."
"Such a formation is extremely profound, powerful, and ancient. Most of them have been lost in ancient cultivation grounds or forbidden lands where cultivators have perished. Where will you find the formation diagram?"
"And even if you obtain the diagram, who can learn it?"
"It's unlearnable..."
"And even if someone learns it, who has the ability to truly construct it?"
Stirmaster's brows furrowed, and he sighed, "Only we, who have delved deeply into the mysteries of formations, truly understand just how profound and intricate they are!"
"There are always higher mountains beyond the mountains, and higher skies beyond the skies."
"But beyond those skies lies a realm that is still out of reach..."
"There are some formations in this world that are so profound and abstruse that they aren't even meant for humans to learn..."
A hint of despair flashed across Stirmaster's aged face.
...
White's expression was one of shock, but after a moment of silence, she gritted her teeth and stubbornly said, "I won't give up!"
Stirmaster sighed and nodded.
Whether or not she truly wouldn't give up, he had said what he needed to say, and so he remained silent.
However, Ink Painting, lying on his side, had heard everything.
"Stealing yin and yang, seizing the laws of creation, and reversing life and death..."
He etched these words deeply into his heart.
As dawn broke, Stirmaster finished discussing matters with his senior and prepared to leave.
Ink Painting opened his eyes and slowly sat up.
He looked at his master once more, committing his appearance to memory, and made a silent vow.
"If no one else can save my master, I will!"
"If no one else can learn this formation, I will!"
"Even if everyone in this world wants my master dead, I will make sure he lives on and thrives!"
Ink Painting's small face was solemn, his gaze resolute, as he etched this vow deeply into his Dao heart.
The rising sun bathed both master and disciple in its warm rays.
Ink Painting murmured, "Master, rest for now... I'll call you when it's time..."
...
Three days later, White was set to depart.
She would be taking away Mister Zhuang, whose karma was locked in a life-or-death struggle, as well as Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, who would be returning to the Bai family.
Bai Zixi found White and spoke with determination, "Mother, I want to bring Little Junior Brother back to the Bai family..."
Bai Zisheng also nodded in agreement. "Mother, please take Ink Painting with you as well..."
White's expression was indifferent. "Why?"
Bai Zixi's gaze was complex, his thoughts unclear, as he said, "I promised Senior Brother that I would take care of Junior Brother..."
"Mhm," Bai Zisheng nodded.
They brought up their senior brother, thinking that their mother would give them face.
But White shook her head. "How can you take care of him? What can you do?"
The two boys were taken aback.
White continued, "Once you're back at the Bai family, who will protect him if he's in danger?"
"You?"
"What can you do with your mere Qi Refining cultivation? Even if you reach Foundation Establishment, what then?"
"In a second-rate cultivation realm, a Foundation Establishment cultivator can command the wind and rain. But in the Bai family, what can a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator protect?"
White looked at the two children, her heart softening, but her words remained blunt.
"Moreover, you are descendants of the Bai family. You rely on the family's power, not your own. If you want to protect him, what will you do if one day..."
"...the Bai family wants him dead?"
"How will you handle it? What can you do?"
"Can you rebel against your clan?"
"With your current cultivation, how can you rebel against a clan as ancient as the Bai family?"
"If you can't rebel, will you just stand by and watch as your little junior brother dies?"
White's words were cold and realistic.
Bai Zixi and Bai Zisheng's faces turned pale, their heads lowered as they tightly clenched their fists. But they couldn't bring themselves to speak.
They couldn't protect anyone...
Neither their senior brother nor their little junior brother...
White looked at the two children, her gaze softening slightly, and her tone becoming gentler, "Cultivators must ultimately rely on their own strength..."
"I know you have deep bonds with your fellow disciples, but taking Ink Painting back to the Bai family isn't helping him—it's putting him in harm's way..."
"The Bai family is too vast, with too much karma and complexities..."
Bai Zixi's voice trembled as he asked, "Mother, then..."
White hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out to ruffle Bai Zixi's hair. "Let's go..."
"Forgetting about your little junior brother is the best way to protect him..."
...
The junior brother and sister were about to leave.
This was his first time visiting Liyuan City and seeing the Cloud Ferry.
The Cloud Ferry was massive and opulent. As it rested at the ferry terminal, it resembled a giant Kun fish riding the skies. It was said that when it took flight, it was like a grand ship sailing through the clouds, incredibly fast and capable of crossing state borders.
The Cloud Ferry operated on the principle of utilizing spiritual energy currents to soar through the clouds.
Mo Hua was intrigued by this mechanism, but as the farewell was imminent, he felt a bit down and didn't have the heart to delve into studying the Cloud Ferry at that moment...
Bai Zisheng, fearing that Mo Hua might be feeling sad, chattered incessantly to cheer him up.
He talked about various famous sites in Qianzhou, such as towering structures for cultivation, ancient temples and monasteries with vintage charm, the hanging Sword Qi Waterfall, the Bai family's ancient pavilion, and the Three Pure Spirit Mountains, among others.
Mo Hua listened with great interest.
Bai Zisheng also invited Mo Hua to visit the Bai family in the future.
However, he cautioned him to wait until his cultivation level was higher before making the trip.
There were many troublemakers in the Bai family, and they might cause him harm...
Mo Hua presented a parting gift to Bai Zisheng—a large dragon controlled by a spirit pivot array, a significant upgrade from the crawling creature he had before.
Mo Hua had added two wings to the dragon, allowing it to hover above the ground, although it couldn't fly very high. Still, it was much better than crawling on the ground.
The addition of the wings made the dragon look a bit odd.
Mo Hua also promised, "In the future, when I've mastered array techniques, I'll make you another one that can fly without wings!"
Bai Zisheng was overjoyed and then asked Mo Hua, "Have you been practicing the move I taught you?"
Mo Hua was taken aback, "What move?"
Bai Zisheng frowned, feeling unhappy, and said slowly, "Flying! Dragon! In! The! Sky!"
Mo Hua recalled the move that Bai Zisheng had invented, which involved jumping into the sky, striking a pose, and then descending from the heavens with a spear in hand.
Mo Hua felt awkward and said, "Can I... not learn that move?"
It was all for show and had no practical use.
"No way!" Bai Zisheng insisted, "This is my own creation, and I only taught it to you. In the entire world, only the two of us, master and disciple, know it! You must practice it diligently!"
Mo Hua reluctantly agreed, "Alright..."
Bai Zisheng was pleased to see Mo Hua's agreement and nodded with satisfaction. However, he soon fell into a somber mood as he thought of something else.
"I had wanted to return to Tongxian City to visit Uncle Mo and Aunt Liu, but now I can't. Qianzhou is so far away, and I don't know if I'll ever have the chance again..."
Aunt Liu's cooking was so delicious.
Bai Zisheng reminisced about the carefree days in Tongxian City, filled with delicious food and happy memories.
Mo Hua consoled him, "There will be opportunities in the future."
Bai Zisheng's spirits lifted a little, and he nodded.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and then asked, "What about Little Senior Sister..."
During this entire journey, he hadn't seen her...
Bai Zisheng paused for a moment, then sighed, "She wanted you to come with us to the Bai family, but now that you can't, she might feel a bit awkward about seeing you..."
What was there to feel awkward about...
Mo Hua asked softly, "Is Little Senior Sister sulking?"
Bai Zisheng thought about it and nodded, "Probably..."
But he also knew that it wasn't exactly sulking.
Ever since she had heard their mother's words, Zi Xi had locked herself in her room and refused to see anyone. It seemed like she was afraid that seeing Mo Hua would make her feel sad.
Bai Zisheng didn't quite understand and shook his head.
It was normal to feel sad during farewells.
That was precisely why they should spend more time together...
Bai Zisheng continued to chat with Mo Hua, reluctant to part, until someone urged them that the Cloud Ferry was about to depart. Only then did Bai Zisheng bid farewell to his junior disciple, turning back several times as he boarded the ferry.
"We're really... saying goodbye now..."
Just before stepping onto the Cloud Ferry, Bai Zisheng's eyes stung with unshed tears.
The countless moments they had shared over the days and nights—the laughter, the quarrels, and the camaraderie among the three fellow disciples—all flooded his mind...
Bai Zisheng struggled to hold back his tears and took one last look at Mo Hua before stepping onto the massive Cloud Ferry.
Mo Hua stood at the ferry terminal, feeling a sense of loss, but he quietly watched as his senior disciple, and the unseen senior female disciple, departed.
Onboard the Cloud Ferry.
Bai Zisheng knocked on Bai Zixi's door and asked, "Aren't you going to see your junior disciple?"
There was no response from inside the room.
"If you don't see him now, you may never see him again..."
Even through the closed door, there was still no reply.
Bai Zisheng shook his head helplessly, hugging the large dragon that Mo Hua had given him, and turned to leave.
Inside the room, Bai Zixi sat quietly, her long eyelashes fluttering, and her exquisite eyes holding a hint of melancholy.
The clear sunlight shone in, casting her pale cheeks in a soft light, adding a touch of sadness to her otherwise flawless and cold beauty.
She sat there in silence, her thoughts complex and turbulent.
A moment later, the Cloud Ferry emitted a loud, rumbling noise as it began its journey.
Bai Zixi's heart skipped a beat as she suddenly recalled Bai Zisheng's words:
"You may never see him again..."
Her heart twinged, and she quickly got up, stepping out of her room and onto the deck of the Cloud Ferry.
However, the Cloud Ferry had already taken off.
Under the clear skies, the magnificent and opulent Cloud Ferry rose through the clouds, creating layers of cloud waves in its wake.
As Bai Zixi looked out, the vast sea of clouds obscured her view.
Mo Hua's small figure had completely disappeared from her sight...
Never to be seen again...
Bai Zixi felt a sharp pain in her chest, as if her heart were being torn out, and a crystal-like tear slowly slid down her flawless, pale cheek...
The clouds billowed like giant waves, and the cloud currents flowed like ocean currents, carrying the Cloud Ferry on its journey through the endless sea of clouds, growing more distant with each passing moment...
The path to immortality was long, and the cloud sea separated them.
With this farewell, who knew when they would meet again.
(End of Chapter)
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