The Heavenly Dao was silent for a moment before it said, "I have been observing you for a long time. You won't."
Yun Jin froze, then let out a soft laugh. "Oh? Is that flattery you're giving me?"
Heavenly Dao's voice was gentle, almost careful. "I am asking for your help. Su Lingling has been chosen as the new heroine. If she strays onto the wrong path, countless troubles will follow. If you are willing, please guide her until she grows into an adult."
Yun Jin narrowed her eyes slightly.
How should she put it…
To entrust the chosen heroine into her hands—that was an enormous amount of trust.
"Besides me, you must have many other candidates," Yun Jin said.
"I can glimpse fragments of their futures, but yours is hidden from me. Once someone intersects with you, even their futures become obscured. Yun Jin, you are a variable. Only you hold the possibility of changing a fixed ending."
Yun Jin blinked slowly. "And if I refuse?"
There was silence again. Then Heavenly Dao asked, "What benefit do you want?"
Yun Jin's smile bloomed brilliantly.
As expected of Heavenly Dao—straight to the point.
But as for benefits… she hadn't thought that far yet. So she tossed the question back. "Then tell me, what can you give?"
Heavenly Dao's voice lowered, calm as flowing water. "I cannot directly intervene in the affairs of the mortal realm. Even speaking with you this time cost me much energy. Until you reach a certain level of cultivation, we will not meet again. What I can give is a promise: if one day you walk all the way to my side, I will tell you the ultimate secret of this world."
The ultimate secret?
Yun Jin's eyes flickered, her curiosity stirred.
She didn't press further and gave her answer with ease. "Alright. I'll guide Su Lingling."
A faint sigh of relief echoed from Heavenly Dao. Then the presence completely vanished from Yun Jin's sea of consciousness.
After such a conversation, when Yun Jin looked at Su Lingling again, her gaze shifted.
This was the heroine of Heavenly Dao.
The Luck wrapped around her was enough to make anyone into a future giant.
Even without Heavenly Dao's request, Yun Jin would have accepted her. Not only that, she would have taken her in as her disciple. With a bond of master and pupil, no matter how far Su Lingling rose in the future, Yun Jin would always receive her share of blessings in return.
The decision settled in her heart, Yun Jin wasn't in a rush. She simply continued observing Su Lingling quietly.
Under the tireless effort of the water elementals…
Finally, a faint wisp of water energy seeped into the region of fire, and from there slipped into Su Lingling's body. It was only the smallest trace, yet the little girl reacted instantly.
The next moment, a strange light shimmered faintly over her body.
The sign of touching upon Intent.
Even Yun Jin froze in surprise.
Had she already reached the threshold of Intent?
So this was the terrifying potential of Heavenly Dao's heroine?
Even Ye Danxia back then hadn't been this outrageous.
Yun Jin kept watching.
After a while, Su Lingling's eyes opened. At her fingertips, the tiniest blue glow flickered.
Yun Jin raised her brows.
She had not yet fully comprehended an Intent, but she had undeniably stepped onto the path.
Normally…
To perceive Intent required a technique as a bridge.
For instance, Yun Jin had first grasped Lotus Intent through the Lotus Bloom Sword Art. The sword art was a manifestation of Intent. By practicing it daily, one gradually drew closer until eventually understanding the Intent itself.
But Su Lingling…
Without any technique, she had already brushed the door of Intent. That alone meant she had cleared the first trial. Even Yun Jin could not help feeling awed.
Who would have thought?
The first person to pass the test would be a five-year-old child.
"Come here, to my side," Yun Jin transmitted her voice.
Su Lingling obediently stood up, fists clenched tight as though suppressing something.
When she finally reached Yun Jin, she couldn't hold back any longer. With a loud wail, she burst into tears.
Yun Jin was stunned on the spot, caught completely off guard. In all her life, she had never once coaxed a child before. Flustered, she hurriedly wiped Su Lingling's tears, forcing her voice to sound gentle. "Ling Ling, what's wrong?"
Between sobs, Su Lingling wailed, "Big Sister Yun, I think… I think I sensed water elementals."
She extended a finger, and indeed, the water element wrapped eagerly around her.
At that, Su Lingling broke down even harder.
"Wuwuwu… It's because of these water elementals… the fire element doesn't like me anymore! Waaaah!"
Tears and snot flowed without end.
Yun Jin: "..."
Born with a water spiritual root, Su Lingling would never be chosen by fire.
So here they were—
A destined queen of water, yet whose dream was to command fire.
Yun Jin felt her expression tighten. She quickly said, "But Ling Ling, it's thanks to the water elementals that you've cleared the first trial."
Su Lingling's tears stopped instantly. She blinked at Yun Jin, stunned.
She… she had passed?
Yun Jin nodded. "Yes, you cleared the first trial."
She had already decided to take this girl as her third disciple, but there was no rush. For now, she wanted to see if a five-year-old Heaven's heroine could earn her way into Wushuang Sect on her own.
Two snot bubbles puffed from Su Lingling's nose.
Wiping her nose and tears in a flurry, she looked pitiful yet excited.
Yun Jin couldn't bear the sight. She quickly handed her a handkerchief. Only then did the little heroine barely tidy herself.
Holding the handkerchief, Su Lingling whispered shyly, "Big Sister Yun, I'll wash it clean and return it to you later."
"There's no need. Keep it," Yun Jin said softly.
Only then did Su Lingling tuck it away with care. Now that she knew she had passed, joy bubbled in her heart, though her eyes still wandered toward the fire elemental stone, filled with longing.
Why wouldn't fire accept her?
Yun Jin asked, "Why don't you like water elementals?"
Su Lingling pouted. "They don't feel as powerful. Not as fierce as fire!"
She mimicked several of Yun Jin's past moves to prove her point.
Yun Jin immediately wanted to crawl into a hole.
Good grief.
So that was how her moves looked in a child's eyes?
Mortifying. She swore to herself she would never again let Su Lingling copy her flashy stances.
Clearing her throat, Yun Jin said, "Ling Ling, have you ever seen the raging sea? When the ocean rises in fury, its waves tower over the sky, sweeping everything away. That kind of power—do you think it is any weaker than fire?"
The raging sea?
Su Lingling's expression turned blank and curious.
She had never once left the capital since birth.
Yun Jin patted her head. "Water elementals favor you. For now, cultivate with them. Once you become strong enough…"
"Once I'm strong enough, I can switch to fire?" Su Lingling's eyes lit up with hope.
Yun Jin: "..."
Why was she so stubborn about fire?
But facing those bright, expectant eyes, Yun Jin found herself nodding. "If you grow strong enough, then of course, anything is possible."
Of course, she knew even strength could not change a water spiritual root into fire.
But once Su Lingling formally entered cultivation and learned the basic truths, she would naturally abandon such naïve fantasies.