Eastern Divine Continent. Yuliu River.
Rivers eventually reach the sea. The Yuliu River was the largest tributary near the East Sea, and reaching it meant arriving at the edge of the Eastern Divine Continent.
Chu Xingchen strolled upstream along the riverbank. Xie Lingyu followed behind him, long sword at her waist, gazing at his back.
It wasn't that Xie Lingyu was insisting on following and angering Chu Xingchen.
Rather, Chu Xingchen had gotten into a fight with Chen Baiqing.
After the matters were settled, everyone had their own tasks and wouldn't linger at Chu Xingchen's side.
Chen Baiqing naturally had time to confront her master about yet another one of his sudden whims.
For things like this, Chu Xingchen could of course pull rank as master to shut it down. Baiqing couldn't argue her way through, so she wanted to follow at his side like Xie Lingyu did.
After all, if the Shiniang could go, why couldn't the disciple?
Chu Xingchen had tried reasoning with her gently at first, but Baiqing was dead set on the principle — she insisted on acting alongside her master, and if there was danger, even if she couldn't win, she would face it personally.
It was the first time Xie Lingyu had seen the little cotton-padded jacket grit her teeth and refuse to back down against her own master.
Though Chen Baiqing argued fiercely, her words were extremely restrained — many things she dared not say aloud — and so naturally, she couldn't out-talk her master.
She stared at him with aggrieved eyes for a long while.
When you're young, you have young troubles. But when you grow up, you face grown-up helplessness.
You can't have it both ways.
Chen Baiqing was already an adult.
Chu Xingchen's words were firm, perhaps even harsh in tone — the exchange grew heated.
Chen Baiqing might have felt he was being unfair in her heart, but Xie Lingyu was present too. The thought might have lingered silently, but she knew she couldn't voice it.
In the end, she simply wore that aggrieved expression, a faint shimmer in her eyes, and dropped one line — Master is bullying me.
On the surface, Chu Xingchen seemed to have won, but the victory truly soured the mood.
Sometimes the silence of being wronged hurts more than words.
Xie Lingyu followed his steps, her heart heavy, reflecting whether she shouldn't have raised the matter at all. She'd put Chu Xingchen in a difficult position after all.
The sound of the river churned endlessly, stirring ripples in Xie Lingyu's heart.
She held back for a moment, but couldn't help speaking:
"I'm sorry…"
Chu Xingchen paused slightly in his stride. When Xie Lingyu caught up to his side, he matched her pace and walked forward slowly. He didn't tease her, but spoke directly:
"You mean about Baiqing?"
"Mm."
"Baiqing won't listen to her master and throws a tantrum — what does that have to do with you? Why are you apologizing?"
"If I hadn't made that request, Baiqing probably wouldn't have fought with you."
Chu Xingchen casually plucked a small wildflower with a wisp of spirit energy, twirled it gently, then gestured for Xie Lingyu to open her hand.
Xie Lingyu didn't understand what he was doing, but obediently opened her palm. She watched him place the small yellow wildflower into her hand.
At the same time, his voice reached her ears:
"What does Baiqing's request have to do with you? Sometimes, Lady Lingyu, you need to learn one thing — What does that have to do with me?"
Xie Lingyu gazed at the yellow wildflower and answered softly:
"But I'm her Shiniang. Caring for her is what I should do."
Chu Xingchen chuckled:
"That's true in principle, but sometimes don't be too bound by principle."
"Baiqing's requests — some can't be granted, and you shouldn't grant them. Even if it means a fight, you still can't grant them."
"Even if she's upset — you still can't."
Xie Lingyu let out a slow breath, then asked:
"Then why did you agree to let me go?"
"Because we're Dao Companions." Chu Xingchen rested his hand on Xie Lingyu's shoulder. "If I wanted you to go into danger, even if my cultivation wasn't enough, I'd find every way to follow along."
"Sometimes you should put yourself in the other's shoes. After all, Lady Lingyu came all the way to Tianyan Sect to find me — I can't just keep placating you the way I did back at the sect."
"With swords in our hands, we're invincible under heaven."
Chu Xingchen smiled faintly as he finished. "After all, with Lady Lingyu by my side, my tense heart feels much lighter."
Xie Lingyu was momentarily stunned, her gaze involuntarily drawn to his face.
Chu Xingchen stared at the distant river mouth, lips pressed lightly together, and spoke softly:
"After all, saving the world — besides being cool — is actually not the least bit relaxing."
"I care about you. I care about those silly disciples. I care about your master. I care about San Dong, about Ning Qianqian and Ning Kun, about the two outer disciples and the only outer sect elder."
"Yuyang, Xu Jin, and the little monk… Before I knew it, there were so many people I care about."
"Sometimes I'm afraid too. Afraid of failing. Afraid that you all trust me and I screw it up."
"Afraid of leading your futures into the unknown and the terrible."
"I'm also afraid — can I actually do this?"
"There are things I can't say to those disciples. A master has to keep face, after all."
"But I can say these things to you, because Lady Lingyu will definitely support me."
"After all, Lady Lingyu told me about your past and asked me not to laugh at you. So now I'm telling you about now, and I trust Lady Lingyu won't laugh at me."
Xie Lingyu listened to these words, her eyes softening slightly:
"Lady Lingyu won't laugh at you."
Chu Xingchen answered quickly: "I've always known that."
Xie Lingyu reached out and took Chu Xingchen's hand. Her gaze also turned to the distant river mouth, her voice firm:
"So next time, tell me sooner."
Chu Xingchen was about to reply when he suddenly sensed the spirit energy around Xie Lingyu surging, and the Dao Resonance around her was growing deeper and more profound.
Xie Lingyu had only just reached late Spirit Transformation, yet at this moment she was preparing to break through the Spirit Transformation realm entirely — straight into the Integration realm.
Chu Xingchen said nothing, though worry flickered across his expression.
Xie Lingyu's grip on his hand tightened, as if to tell him she wasn't putting on a brave face — this was an extremely smooth breakthrough.
At the river mouth, Donggua had long since received orders and was waiting.
The moment he spotted Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu approaching hand in hand from the distance, he moved to greet them — then froze mid-step.
A thread of Dao Resonance golden light descended from the heavens, parting the overcast sky and shining straight down on Xie Lingyu.
A great sun revealed itself, hanging high in the sky, as surrounding spirit energy churned and tidal forces surged.
It wasn't flowering season, but wherever Xie Lingyu passed, spirit energy overflowed and life force bloomed abundantly.
Watching Xie Lingyu's Dao Resonance spread wildly, blotting out the sky, the pressure within it far surpassed that of an ordinary mid-stage Integration cultivator.
Chu Xingchen gazed at Xie Lingyu, eyes filled with wonder.
[Target: Xie Lingyu]
[Cultivation: Integration Initial Stage]
[Orange Line: Reflecting Intent]
[Orange Line: True Intent As Law]
[Purple Line: Sword Heart Clarity]
[White Line: Merciful Heart]
[White Line: Steadfast Calm]
[Black Line: Dust-Veiled Heart]
If Lady Lingyu didn't have the qualifications of a True Immortal, how could she be Bai Xuanling's sole successor?
The current number one under heaven could only pass the torch to the future number one under heaven.
Heaven-Blessed Prodigies were as numerous as clouds.
But Xie Lingyu was not one bit weaker than any of them.
[
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