Shen Qingmang didn't want to believe what Li Shutong said, so she worked harder to prove her wrong. She improved the spiritual energy monitor so that it could more accurately monitor the spiritual energy fluctuations in nature, and hurriedly made several of them and placed them in different places in Taichu Sect.
Initial records showed that Daodao Peak had the highest spiritual energy density, followed by Wuya Peak, with the other three peaks showing relatively weak spiritual energy. A year later, the spiritual energy of the five peaks declined at a similar rate, and the ranking of spiritual energy concentration remained unchanged.
This was a phenomenon she didn't want to see. If, as she suspected, spiritual energy concentration and cultivator density were positively correlated, then Wuya Peak should be the highest, and Wendao Peak the lowest. Similarly, if cultivators could curb the downward trend in spiritual energy concentration through cultivation, then the rate of decline should vary from peak to peak after a year. After all, the number of people on each peak varied, and so did the cultivators' diligence.
But... maybe it's because the cultivators at Wendao Peak are generally more advanced, so they can extract more spiritual energy?
Shen Qingmang decided to investigate other sects. She first approached Chaohua Palace, with which she had the best connections, and with Su Miaoran's consent, she placed a spiritual energy monitor there for long-term monitoring. She then quietly visited several other sects, spending several years exploring each one. Her three disciples stayed by her side the entire time. Only Gu Suihan knew her true purpose. Si Rong and Hao Xin, believing their master was taking them on a journey to broaden their horizons, lived happily and comfortably.
"Sometimes I really envy them. They are worthy of being the protagonists chosen by the Creator, the darlings of fate, and they live a carefree life." Gu Suihan once sighed.
"Don't you always call them stupid?" Shen Qingmang teased.
"But carrying responsibilities and secrets always makes people feel heavy and uncomfortable. Why don't we tell them about the past as if it were a prophecy, so that they can get nervous too? I really can't stand these two idiots who spend all day wondering if there's anything delicious in this sect and if there's anyone in this sect who can fight with them."
Shen Qingmang touched his head. Gu Suihan dodged and touched her head with his backhand. "Don't treat me like a child, Master. Couldn't I prove myself last night?"
"Don't call me Master when you mention this kind of thing." Shen Qingmang frowned, but her blushing face still revealed her mood.
Gu Suihan smiled and hugged her, whispering in her ear, "Master, Master?"
"Okay, shut up." Shen Qingmang pushed him away.
"Aren't you tired?"
"Um?"
Gu Suihan's playful expression faded, his gaze softening. "Carrying the heavy responsibility of saving the sect, and carrying countless secrets, don't you ever feel tired or want to throw off these burdens?"
"I'm a teacher. If all the teachers go on strike, what will the students do?" Shen Qingmang's gaze turned to Hao Xin and Si Rong playing in the distance. "Maybe I feel tired sometimes, but I'm used to it and don't dwell on it."
"You can count on me."
"You've already helped me share a lot of the burden. Besides, hasn't your health been acting up recently?"
Gu Suihan waved his hand. "My disciple is fine, just having some difficulty acclimatizing."
Shen Qingmang looked at his pale face and felt quite heavy-hearted.
As the overall spiritual energy in the world of immortal cultivation became increasingly thinner, Gu Sui Han's body was inevitably affected. Although he had been trying his best to hide it and did not want her to worry, she still discovered clues.
"Master...Master, what are you thinking about?"
"Hmm?" Shen Qingmang came back to his senses. "What's wrong?"
"I just said that in two months, it will be the day when the Taichu Sect was attacked in my previous life. Shouldn't we rush back as soon as possible? Although it seems that there are no signs of trouble from the Fangyuan Sect and the Wuwang Sect, we can't let our guard down, right?"
"Yeah, that makes sense. I'll stay a few more days and then I'll be back."
A few days later, they rushed back from Zhigemen. Hao Xin was reluctant to leave. The sword practitioners of Zhigemen were all martial arts fanatics, and he enjoyed fighting with them very much.
Si Rong actually missed home a little. She had not left Taichu Sect for more than two years. During the time she traveled with Shen Qingmang, Yiqing's messages became more and more frequent.
On the way back, she received another message. After replying, she wondered, "Why is Daddy still asking about Xin? He's concerned about whether he's okay or not? How strange."
"What's so strange about this? After asking the daughter, shouldn't she ask the son-in-law?" Shen Qingmang said.
"But I haven't told him yet." Si Rong said, "How would he know? Master...did you leak the secret?"
"Your father knew it a long time ago, but he just pretended not to know." Shen Qingmang laughed and said, "You kids, do you really think your parents are just adding years to their age after living so many years longer than you? It's so easy to tell if your own children are lying or hiding something."
"When did he find out?" Si Rong almost fell from the air, and Hao Xin quickly grabbed her. "If he knows, then he knows. Why are you panicking? Your father cares about me, which means he has accepted me."
"No... Actually, when I say 'concern', I mean..." Si Rong's voice trailed off. "My father asked if you were dead or not."
Hao Xin: “…”
Shen Qingmang smiled rather unkindly. After she had laughed enough, she wiped her tears and reassured the young couple. "Don't worry, Senior Brother Yiqing won't stand in your way."
She still remembered how Yiqing, upon discovering something was amiss, had quietly visited Yushu Hall late at night, nearly causing Gu Suihan to misunderstand her. When she asked him why he didn't just go directly to Si Rong to verify things, the concerned old father hesitated for a moment before saying, "Ever since Ah Rong told me about Zhao Zhao, I've been wondering if I'm still qualified to judge others in matters of the heart."
The man's always contented face was now filled with sorrow. "I actually thought Zhao Zhao had left me for another lover. I didn't trust her enough, and she ended up dying with hatred in her heart. I'm not worthy of being a good husband. It's only right that Ah Rong hates and blames me. Even if I say something, will she listen?"
She comforted Yiqing many times, but she knew that no matter how much comfort she gave, it would be pale and powerless. Only when he could let go of that hurdle could he let go of it.
Now Yiqing probably stopped being so stubborn and chose to care about his daughter's emotional affairs. Although it was still a little awkward, it was a good start after all.
As the Taichu sect's mountain gate drew closer, the four of them stopped chatting and focused on the scene before them. Shen Qingmang could clearly hear his own heartbeat, beating like a drum. Only after he saw that the Taichu sect's mountain gate was safe and sound did he resume his normal rhythm.
Li Shutong was trustworthy and did not arrange the same scenes as the original.
Tomorrow is a new beginning.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
