Shen Qingmang's life motto is that if a problem remains unsolved, it's likely due to insufficient effort. Fighting fate has become the central theme of her life. From an abandoned orphan to a distinguished graduate of a prestigious university, she has forged ahead through hard work. She has also brought this spirit of resistance to the mountains, bringing hope and light to impoverished left-behind children.
Therefore, although she always says "do your best and leave the rest to fate" and has advised her students not to care too much about gains and losses, the word "accept fate" has never appeared in her dictionary.
"Don't try to bluff me. If the spiritual energy in this world of immortal cultivation is becoming increasingly weaker day by day, why haven't the Qihuang Sect and Wuwang Sect been affected?"
"Are you saying... that since everyone in their community cultivates, they absorb more spiritual energy? That makes sense, but unfortunately, compared to the natural spiritual energy concentration, the extra energy developed by the cultivators is like a drop of water merging into the ocean, making no difference at all. You think they're unaffected simply because these two areas already have more spiritual energy than others. If you, the Taichu Sect, move there, you won't be affected by the decrease in spiritual energy for a while."
Shen Qingmang bit his lip.
Li Shutong smiled and said, "So... the problem of Taichu Sect's thin spiritual energy isn't unsolvable. As long as you annex the neighboring Qihuang Sect, you can protect the sect for five hundred years. At least your peers will have the possibility of ascending. What do you think? Are you a little tempted?"
"I will never do such a robbery."
"Oh, yes, Teacher Shen has a very high sense of morality. I almost forgot." Li Shutong covered her lips. "It's my fault. I came up with such a despicable trick and polluted our Teacher Shen's ears."
"You're deceiving me again, Li Shutong. I won't believe a single word you say. You're just trying to trick me into giving up and letting the Taichu Sect slide back to its past fate."
"It seems you've truly integrated yourself into the book, treating it like your real past life. That's right, you're already a character in the book. Besides brainwashing yourself, what else can you do? After all, you'll never escape this web."
"Don't waste time talking to her, Master. If we leave her here, she will find a way to break the impasse in order to save herself." Gu Sui Han said as he drew out the Qionglin Sword.
Li Shutong laughed so hard he couldn't straighten his back. "Little friend, has anyone ever told you not to plot out loud? You're talking about how you're going to deal with me right in front of me, like I'm some immovable clay figurine?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a complex magic circle suddenly appeared under her feet. Shen Qingmang's face changed drastically, and he quickly reached out to push Gu Suihan: "Hurry up!"
Before her hand touched Gu Sui Han's body, the scene in front of her changed.
There is a coffee shop on the street, across from the university campus. Outside the window, you can see students coming and going. They seem to be talking and laughing and it is very lively. However, if you look closely, you can find that there is no spirit in their eyes, and what they say is just a few repeated sentences over and over again.
"Where is this?" Shen Qingmang looked at the only real person in front of him, Li Shutong.
"This is my spiritual home," she said with a sweet smile. "This coffee shop is my favorite place to go when I'm out of ideas. I just sit by the window with my notebook and observe the people coming and going, and I gather a lot of inspiration."
"Why did you pull me into your spiritual home?"
"Because there are some things you shouldn't say to your little friend. Let's make a deal," Li Shutong said sincerely. "I have a way to heal his injuries. I don't mean flesh wounds. I know you've been to the Qihuang Sect. He sacrificed the Heart of Heaven and Earth, so he can never ascend again in this lifetime, right?"
Shen Qingmang looked at her warily. "So what? He and I don't care whether we can ascend or not."
"Would you like a cappuccino or a caramel macchiato?"
The topic changed so quickly that Shen Qingmang was a little confused. "What?"
"I drink these two types of coffee most often, so I can reproduce the flavors perfectly. The others will have to be discounted. But if you want to drink them, it's okay... With your personality, you wouldn't like iced Americano, would you?"
"casual."
"Then let's have a caramel macchiato. Sweet things always make people feel better." Li Shutong snapped her fingers, and two cups of coffee with heart-shaped latte art appeared on the round table in front of them. She picked up the cup and took a sip, her expression satisfied. "Now that's the way we talk."
"Your conditions are not attractive to me at all." Shen Qingmang said coldly.
"Really?" Li Shutong held the cup with both hands, seemingly unaffected by the heat. "I'm telling you the truth. The spiritual energy in the immortal realm will become increasingly weaker, and this is irreversible. Only by ascending to the immortal realm can you gain eternal life."
“The meaning of life lies not in its length but in its value.”
"Don't talk nonsense. I'm not your student. But you're really cruel to your students. Gu Suihan lived for so many years with a frail body, and in the end he died miserably. Even though he's the culprit that trapped me here, I can't bear it."
"What do you mean by dying miserably? What are you trying to do?" Shen Qingmang clenched the stirring spoon.
"Didn't the master of the Qihuang Sect, who is known for his miraculous healing skills, tell you how Gu Suihan's body was restored? His meridians were originally disordered and his limbs were weak. The spiritual energy in the pool merged into his body, forming new meridians, just like artificial organs. So if he wants to maintain a healthy life, he needs much more spiritual energy than a normal cultivator. When the spiritual energy becomes thin, he will be the first to suffer."
The stirring spoon fell out of the coffee cup. Shen Qingmang remembered that Huichun Zhenren seemed to have mentioned that Gu Suihan needed to practice diligently and constantly replenish his spiritual energy to maintain his health. He also wanted them to stay in Qihuangmen for a while because it was the place with the most abundant spiritual energy.
But she refused at that time. She was convinced that the problem of thin spiritual energy could be solved sooner or later, and she had already regarded the number of people as the key breakthrough point.
"Are you really not lying to me? Is the depletion of spiritual power in the world of cultivation irreversible?"
"Do you want me to swear a spiritual oath? One that will strike me dead if I tell a lie? I can do it. But I'm the one who created this world, so I don't have to lie to you. Although... although I have a lot of criminal record, this time I'm sincere because I need your help to leave here."
Shen Qingmang weighed the truthfulness of Li Shutong's words, and the other party let her look at him openly.
"This is my spiritual home. If you don't believe me, you can listen to my inner voice or even look through my past memories to find out what I was thinking when I first set it up. I truly welcome you into my spiritual home with utmost sincerity."
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