"A failure? When has my disciple ever won?" Huaining said calmly.

"So what if he hasn't won?" Qi Xiao said, "Ask Master Qiongju when your master has ever won against her. This is just history repeating itself. There's nothing new about it. Why are you feeling wronged?"

Shen Qingmang covered his lips and narrowed his eyes slightly.

Huaining's shoulders trembled slightly, as if he was forcibly suppressing something, but he finally couldn't hold it back anymore and said in a sad and angry voice, "Who is wronged, me or Master? Because I'm just as useless as you, you always scold me, saying I'm stupid, saying I don't make progress, saying I deserve to be ashamed. I didn't really want to win... It's because you're afraid of losing that you can't stand me losing anymore!"

Qi Xiao was stunned, and Shen Qingmang looked at his second senior brother with a surprised expression.

She had known Qi Xiao for a year. In her eyes, although Second Brother's words were not pleasant to the ear, either sarcastic or directly insulting, he had a soft heart. He had helped her when she was busy with work, and he took the responsibility happily after losing the bet. However, she didn't expect that he would be like this as a teacher, just like an anxious parent who had no ability but tried his best to "push his child" and impose his wishes on his children.

Qi Xiao noticed her gaze and looked up to meet hers, his expression somewhat unnatural. "Junior Sister... I'm not... I'm doing this for his own good."

"Alright, Senior Brother, let's discuss your matter privately later." Shen Qingmang glanced at him and softened his voice before asking Huaining, "Huaining, you said you didn't want to win, so what do you want from cultivating immortality?"

"Disciple, I don't know." Huaining fell to the ground, his thin body like a fallen leaf. "Besides, I'm useless like this, what's the point of thinking about this?"

"Since your master asked you to win, why did you deliberately lose to Aniu in the last match?"

"I..." Huaining slowly raised his head, his eyes a little confused. "Maybe... it's because I envy him."

"Envy?" Shen Qingmang and Qi Xiao spoke at the same time.

Huaining nodded, his voice a little steadier than before. "I envy him so much. He's changed so much. When I first met him a year ago, he was so timid, just like those outer disciples who worked all day. But now... maybe he hasn't noticed it himself, but his back is straighter and his eyes brighter. He used to just cry, but now he dares to raise his... weapon and fight me."

Shen Qingmang smiled. "Actually, he wasn't sure either. I heard he had a nightmare the night before the competition, and he even dreamed of being pierced by your sword like a candied haws."

Huaining smiled as well. "It seems he's still a little afraid of me. What I envy most is the light in his eyes. I know that light is so faint it could be extinguished with a handful of sand. But it only takes a handful of firewood to keep it burning forever. I've tasted the pain of being extinguished myself, so why should I make others go through it again? Even being a piece of firewood is still somewhat useful."

Qi Xiao bent his waist slightly, stretched out his hand and then retracted it, frowned, seemed to want to say something but stopped, and finally just sighed.

Shen Qingmang couldn't help but glare at him, then immediately comforted Huaining, "You're not completely useless, Huaining. What you just said already shows your kindness. Can winning or losing a competition prove a person's usefulness? No. It can only prove whether he is more skilled in magic than another person. If you think that only by defeating others in competitions can you be considered useful, then most of us in the Wuya Sect are useless compared to the Wuwei Sect and the Wuxing Sect."

"Isn't that what they originally thought..." Huaining muttered softly, "Otherwise, how did we get the name 'Wang Ba Sect'?"

"They're jealous of our longevity." Shen Qingmang didn't care. "Let them shout as much as they want. After they die, they won't be able to hear us anymore. Those who shout the most won't be given wine at the memorial service."

Huaining chuckled, and the gloom between his brows faded a lot.

"To put it another way, even if we were to judge based on martial arts prowess, the fact that you can't beat Hao Xin and the others doesn't necessarily mean you're inferior to them. It could also be because your master's teaching level isn't good enough."

Shen Qingmang glared at Qi Xiao again after she finished speaking. She was wondering why this kid only looked a little reckless, but in the original novel, he was always doing bad things. It turned out that he was twisted by his unreliable master.

"It's not as good as the teaching of the Peak Master, otherwise I would give this disciple to you to teach?" Qi Xiao sneered.

"Brother, you must be feeling wronged." Shen Qingmang stood up and walked down, helping Huaining to his feet. "Go back and think carefully about whether it's worth giving up everything for a momentary victory or defeat. If you truly have no passion for cultivating immortals anymore, I will let you go and return to being a mortal."

"Thank you, Master Qiongju. I will give you a reply another day."

"Your master and I have some private matters to discuss. Please go back first."

Huaining glanced at Qi Xiao with some worry. "Master, please take care of yourself. I'm leaving first."

"Go away." Qi Xiao waved his hand to drive people away.

After Huaining left, Shen Qingmang immediately scolded him, "Look at what you've done to a good child. You've discouraged him so much that he doesn't even want to go to school!"

Qi Xiao's face was sullen, and his confidence was clearly lacking. "I didn't know he was so sceptical that he couldn't even handle a few scoldings. Am I saying I despise him for being useless? I want him to improve himself!"

"Isn't he ambitious enough?" Shen Qingmang was so angry that he reached out and poked Qi Xiao's chest. "I was already giving you face, Second Brother. If I were your teacher, I wouldn't be able to face my apprentice. How old is he? Do you think he's mature enough to withstand any pressure and remain unmoved by others' ridicule? I think you're embarrassed by what I say."

Qi Xiao's face turned even redder. "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm not ashamed."

"Then you're hopeless." Shen Qingmang sat back down and rubbed his brow. "If you really can't teach your disciples well, I'll take care of them. After all, you only have three of them, I can manage them."

Qi Xiao looked at her for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, you can manage it. What can't you do, Shen Qingmang? Forget about having more disciples. Even if I let you take over as the headmaster now, you can handle it with ease."

Shen Qingmang put down his hand and asked, "Second Brother, do you hate me?"

Qi Xiao was stunned by her question. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Even if you don't hate her, you still feel resentment," Shen Qingmang sighed. "Qiongju has always been more dazzling than you, and more beloved by Master. If you feel unfair and resentful, I understand, but you can't inflict that resentment on a child."

"You think I'm jealous of you?" Qi Xiao took a few steps forward, placed his hands on the table in front of Shen Qingmang, and leaned forward, almost touching her face. "What are you jealous of? You emotionless blockhead."