After the burning of a stick of incense, Yue gradually recovered to a state where she could sit up without aid.
Jiye An also sat before her, a scrutinising light flickered in her eye.
"You should recover soon. We'll put your practical Cultivation on hold, and instead, let us focus on the 'theory' part."
Jiye An withdrew a
"Does it have to be out here? Can't we rest inside instead?"
"It is best for you to rest outside, under the Starlit Sky."
"Why?" There was a hint of indignation in the tone of Yue's voice, "I don't want to be any closer to that damned edge. I also don't want to feel the winds upon me, or hear the waves in my ears..."
Even if the noises were faint and the winds gentle, it still sent a chilling sensation down Yue's spine.
"It is also a part of Cultivation. The Starlit Sky holds us dearly, and the stars themselves aid us in both Cultivation and recovery.
"Just be sitting out here, a Cultivator should be able to recover quicker, even if you haven't cultivated too deeply, all you need is your Way, and you can receive the star's gentle light."
Jiye An spoke while looking up.
She held the starlight in her eyes, and a wondrous expression brightened her face as she practically revered the Starlit Sky.
Yue was also familiar with the reverence that people held for the Starlit Sky.
"You said you were from Star Gazing Settlement, yes? I figured you would know of the Starlit Sky's importance."
"The people of that Settlement were fanatical... So it seemed to me, at least... Thus, I wasn't so heavily invested in the idea of 'star gazing'..."
"Well... at the very least, I can explain this to you, too. As a Senior Sister should."
She winked with a smile before lying flat on the ground.
The lusterless material absorbed the light, making the ground resemble a pitch-black void.
On the other hand, Jiye An embraced the starlight, giving her skin a pale radiance and a gentle sheen on her hair.
"The starlight is responsible for a myriad of things.
"It is hope, a gift, a guiding light, and so on... It brings a hint of life to the world below and allows the people to prosper.
"To a Cultivator, it is a reminder of ourselves. A reminder of what we believe in, and how we go about things."
Raising a hand, at the tip of her pointed finger, wisps of wind coalesced and formed the vague image of a glowing white ball.
These wisps were Qi from the emanating light of Jiye An's Heart Qi Core.
"We resist Night as do the stars. Our ambitions continue to shine, no matter the depths of the darkness which surrounds us.
"As we resist Night, we get stronger, and it is because of the starlight that we can do so.
"The Starlit Sky is the greatest serendipity this world has to offer."
Yue listened as she sat beside her Senior Sister.
Then, she, too, would lift her gaze to the sky above. Another rare instance of her expression changing had occurred.
"Have you heard about the Golden Youth?"
"Golden Youth...? No, I haven't. Is this a story from your home?"
"Yeah... It's from the Settlement."
Yue recited a few lines from the story of the Golden Youth, explaining how it was a story spread around by the Settlement Lord, Immortal Defiance.
Jiye An was not familiar with most of these lines, but she found herself enamoured with some of the details within the story.
She found herself in deep contemplation as she digested the story in her mind.
Like the wavering ripples of light on a water's edge, a revelation rose into her mind.
"Why don't we use this story as the basis of your foundation?"
"What...? What do you mean?"
"The sentiments behind the story are quite lovely; it would be most beneficial to use this story as a reference for your own journey."
"I can do that...?" There was a questioning glint in her eyes, but a frown pulled her brows down as she denied, "I'm not too big a fan of that story... Explain what you mean by using it as a reference?"
Jiye An paused for a moment before sitting up. She held a contemplative look in her eyes as she tried to formulate an answer, explaining as her thoughts converged into words.
"Well... You hate the world, you reject it, and are repulsed by it. As a result, you don't like the people, either. What of the Golden Youth?
"In the story you described, Golden Youth is salvation, like the very stars themselves. In that regard, you are quite the opposite.
"But the path you take does not necessarily have to be different. In the end, you both would experience the same situations.
"Ups and downs, stagnation, and so on. Yet, the Golden Youth did not break... or so your story says.
"But what of you? If you experience ups and downs, will you break? If you face stagnation, will you remain stagnant?"
Jiye An posed question after question, causing Yue to be silent as she thought over them all. Regardless, Jiye An continued.
"You say that you are not a fan of the story, yet you know quite a lot of it. Why is that?"
"..."
"It is rhetorical. You don't need to answer. You seem conflicted with following this path, but you still hold the story dearly. Someone so seemingly hateful is full of childlike love for a story...
"Think over this paradox. What of the story do you hold dear? At the same time, what of your Way do you truly hold dear?
"When you come to a conclusion, a solid conclusion... Then, you will have achieved Tempered Faith."
All of these questions continued to pour onto Yue, but the final two questions that slipped from her Senior Sister's mouth were like cold water that fell upon her head.
'What of the story do I hold dear... and what of my Way do I truly hold dear...?
It was the second time Jiye An had mentioned something about Way.
Yue was not familiar with the term, but it still felt familiar to her. She did not know its exact meaning, but believed that it was something important to her.
...