Chapter 95 Three Gazes (Revised) That innocent heart, it turns out...
Almost immediately, the gazes of the crowd turned to the dark figure, filled with inquiry, scrutiny, envy, and occasionally anger.
The intricate patterns, like a dense net, enveloped her within.
The female cultivator slowly rose to her feet. Her long black hair was no longer casually tied up as before, but instead gathered at the back of her neck and bound with a hollowed-out crescent-shaped silver needle, making her figure appear even more upright.
The moment she stood up, Lin Feiran suddenly noticed three pairs of eyes full of inquiry. She slowly raised her eyes to look, and neither of the two people on the other side looked away.
The first dish came from Zhang Chunhe, who simply observed from the sidelines.
The second one came from Ding Yi, this legendary old man of the human race, who finally opened his closed eyes and looked down at this place.
The third gaze, however, was elusive yet seemingly omnipresent. Unlike the others' mere curiosity, this gaze almost seemed to peel away her skin, peer into her altar, and search for her soul.
Suddenly, the gaze pressed down as if it were a tangible force. Lin Feiran tensed up, her fists clenched slightly. Just one look from her made her almost unable to stand. Her still-recovering sword bones trembled, and it felt as if ten thousand mountains were pressing down on her shoulders.
The crowd's gazes gradually turned suspicious, wondering why she had stopped.
Biqing and Xuanzhen, who were sitting in the back, exchanged a glance and were about to reach out to call her back to her senses when they were intercepted halfway.
Ru Xian looked at the person in front of her, her brows furrowed, and she said softly, "No, don't touch her for now."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a loud crash was heard, and the rune staircase beneath Lin Feiran's feet was suddenly broken. She knelt on the ground, supporting herself with her hands on her knees, her right shoulder heavy and her left shoulder slightly raised, as if she were carrying a heavy load.
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, she suddenly raised her clear eyes, beads of sweat rolling down her cheeks, her calm gaze constantly searching her surroundings, trying to find a focal point.
"Lin..." Biqing couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, but because of what Ruxian had just said, she dared not act rashly. She stood up straight, her longbow appearing in her hand, and shouted loudly, "Who are you, you scoundrels, daring to launch a sneak attack!"
Upon hearing this, the others looked around, their surprise fading, replaced by amusement. Jealousy turning into hatred is not uncommon, but to act in such full view of everyone is nothing short of foolish.
However, after looking around several times, no one noticed anything unusual.
Murong Qiudi, who was not far away, frowned. She was about to investigate when something blocked her way, preventing her from going any further.
Just as everyone was wondering, Ru Shi suddenly stood up, raised his hand, and quickly formed a hand seal. Golden light swept past his side, and it seemed as if he was grasping something between his fingers. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past the corners of their clothes, making a rustling sound.
The next moment, Lin Feiran coughed suddenly, as if he had finally been able to breathe.
"What kind of expert would dare to make a fuss over a disciple who has only reached the Mind-Questioning Realm? That's rather petty."
"I wonder, could it be that I have violated a taboo of the sages?"
"Or is it a test from a saint, one that everyone must undergo? If so, who will come to my rescue?"
Whispers continued, and Ru Xian frowned, clearly sensing something was wrong—this resistance…
Just then, a huge figure emerged from the scroll. Despite the shadows looming over it, the crowd seemed oblivious, continuing to discuss the strange event before them.
As he moved past, Zhang Chunhe's gaze narrowed slightly.
In the fleeting light and shadow, he seemed to see his grandmaster, whose gentle and loving smile lasted only a moment before vanishing into the bright light.
Zhang Chunhe's expression changed drastically. He looked again, but there was nothing unusual in front of him except for the young man kneeling on the ground.
Who exactly is this person?
Wenran...a name I've never heard of before.
He exhaled slowly, his gaze deepening, certain that he had never heard of such a thing.
"Chang Ying." He spoke, and the young man beside him immediately looked at him with a smile.
"During the Flying Flower Gathering, we were caught in a dream and couldn't see the entire competition. Did you notice anything unusual about this female cultivator's technique? Or have you heard anything about her background?"
Ji Changying gently touched her chin, lowered her eyes in thought, and then slowly shook her head.
"Among the rising stars of each sect, there is no one named Wen Ran. I suspect that she may be a human who has been stranded in the demon realm, which is why no one recognizes her."
Zhang Chunhe averted his gaze, the golden fire pattern on his forehead gleaming, and he remained noncommittal about the answer.
She glanced at Wei Changzai almost imperceptibly.
He sat with Qiu Tong, his gaze fixed ahead, and remained unmoved by the situation.
Zhang Chunhe withdrew his gaze, but then, thinking of the mirage he had just seen, he dismissed it again.
Previously, when he was in the secret realm, surrounded and judged by many holy spirits, he did not see his master.
Lin Feiran looked at the person in front of him, his throat already hoarse and silent.
He walked up to Lin Feiran, his massive frame kneeling down, his tender gaze meeting hers, and then he raised his hand to stroke the top of her head.
Gentle as a breeze, warm as the high sun.
The pressure around her dissipated in the next instant, and she breathed heavily again. When she lowered her head, she saw that her master's spirit had become even fainter.
The grandmaster stood up, a fearless yet compassionate smile still on his face: "Having waited so long, I came to fetch you. Come, follow me into the scroll... Can you stand up?"
"Can you stand up?"
Two identical words overlapped, the latter coming from Ru Xue.
"……able."
Lin Feiran rested one hand on her knee, but inwardly she wondered: Who is putting pressure on me?
When the grandmaster heard the question, he simply waited quietly for her to get up, then sighed and said, "You will know in the future."
Lin Feiran propped himself up on his knees and slowly stood up, his sword bones emitting a grating creaking sound.
If it weren't for the sword bone, it would probably have been crushed by now.
She stood up, glanced back, and said in a hoarse voice to the people looking at her, "It's nothing serious, everyone. Don't worry, I'll go see the Sage and then return."
Ru Xian stared at her without saying a word, her expression unusually cold, not at her, but at the inexplicable spiritual energy from just now.
The opponent's cultivation level was not much different from his, but he had only forced out the sealing needles yesterday, so he was unable to suppress them with all his might just now.
His snow-white eyelashes drooped indifferently, his lips parted slightly, but he didn't utter a word, only nodding.
Biqing, unaware of the situation, still thought someone was sabotaging her and was furious when she saw Lin Feiran give her a small smile.
Thank you.
Bi Qing's anger suddenly subsided, and she sighed, "Come out as soon as possible."
Lin Feiran nodded, turned around and walked towards the scroll, taking one step at a time.
She was all alone, which made her look rather desolate.
But unseen by anyone, a huge figure was following beside her.
A lone figure is not lonely.
The ink on the scroll was blurred, and when you got close, a gust of wind would blow up and sweep you into it.
Wenran's figure disappeared from the scroll, and then the name of a second person rang out on the platform.
Seeing the person enter, the Emperor withdrew his gaze, his expression becoming thoughtful. He turned to look beside him and whispered.
"Does Master know who this person is?"
Ding Yi shook his head, bowing slightly in return, but his tone was quite casual: "Never heard of it."
"Is that so?" The Emperor raised his head, his gaze becoming somewhat deep and unfathomable. "When I saw her, I was reminded of a long-lost friend."
Ding Yi raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"
The Emperor did not answer, but turned to look behind him and asked meaningfully, "Does Minister Lin know this old friend?"
Lin Zhengqing's expression was solemn; he simply bowed with his hands clasped but did not reply.
The Human Emperor chuckled softly and sighed, "Could it be her? Heavenly secrets and destiny are truly wondrous. However, I never expected the Demon Lord to possess such beauty."
Ding Yi was not surprised: "He's always been like this. He was much more naive when he was young."
At this point, the Emperor exclaimed in surprise, then turned to look at the Holy Palace Consort, his lips slightly raised.
"It's a good thing I didn't let you see him back then, otherwise, no matter how much powder I apply, it won't be as good as that face."
After a moment of silence, the Holy Palace Lady finally spoke, her voice as clear as a spring and as melodious as pearls.
"Your Majesty is overthinking it."
During the conversation, the fifth person to submit their work had already been included.
"The period of receding."
As the voice rang out, everyone looked enviously toward the Imperial Academy, where a slightly timid figure emerged from the identical white expanse.
He covered his face with a fan, his body slightly bowed, and it was unclear who he was hiding from, but he walked cautiously toward the painting.
Upon seeing this, Senior Qin's brow twitched. Forgetting all etiquette, he stood up and shouted, "Shen Qi, how can a gentleman be so timid? Move the fan away and straighten your posture!"
Chen Qi not only did not comply, but instead walked even faster, almost fleeing as he crashed into the scroll.
Ding Yi looked in that direction and said to the Emperor, "He's doing exceptionally well now; he's actually met a sage."
The Emperor did not reply, and the smile on his lips, which was usually radiant, faded slightly.
...
Behind the scroll lies a world of ink wash painting.
With a skillful brush, mountains are painted; with a simple hand, rivers are depicted; layers of clouds emerge; and with a few bold strokes, a few lone boats appear.
Lin Feiran gracefully landed on one of the boats, and as soon as she stood firm, dark ripples spread out beneath the boat.
A moment later, the grandmaster also landed on the bow of the boat, but his figure had already turned into an ordinary one.
He looked relaxed, bent down and scooped up the water a few times, then pulled up two fishing rods and gave one to her.
“Sit down. As people get older, they like to fish. Did you fish during the Flying Flower Gathering? That sage told me that you were almost dragged into the river by a fish. How could that be? Today I will teach you how to reel it in.”
Lin Feiran looked around and couldn't help but ask, "Grandmaster, could the sage I met this time be you?"
The grandmaster smiled and shook his head: "I am with you. If you want to see me, just turn the pages of the book."
Lin Feiran sat down with some skepticism. She took the fishing rod, but still couldn't help looking around.
"Stop looking, it's on your head," the grandmaster suddenly said.
Lin Feiran looked up and saw a figure flash by in the gray-white clouds.
The person gradually descended onto the lake surface, raising a pair of bewildered eyes.
That's Qiu Tong.
She didn't see Lin Feiran and the other person, but she also looked around curiously.
A moment later, a crow flew in and spoke in human language.
"Qiu Tong, these twelve sages each have different responsibilities. You can choose any one of them and ask what's on your mind."
If you wish to inherit the techniques, you may ask three questions; if you wish to discuss the principles and resolve your doubts, you may ask two questions.
Apart from this, no matter what other questions you ask, you can only ask one. Once you've decided, choose one of them.
Twelve scrolls were unfurled from the crow's claws, suspended in mid-air and arranged in a row, each depicting a small portrait of a saint.
Some people stood on one leg like a golden rooster, some tilted their heads back and stuck out their tongues, some had an aloof and arrogant demeanor with cold eyebrows, and some had two dominoes embedded in their foreheads while smiling brightly.
"..."
Not only was Qiu Tong speechless, but even Lin Feiran, who was watching from afar, fell silent.
She cast her fishing rod and couldn't help but glance sideways at her master.
"No need to look at me. My portrait hangs in the main hall of Daohe Palace. It's very upright, but I don't really like it. If you could add two red and white koi to the portrait, it would be more pleasing to the eye."
Lin Feiran said, "If I have the chance to go in again in the future, I will definitely add two more for you."
The grandmaster turned to look at her: "Speaking of which, you have never told me why you came down the mountain. I have been waiting for you to speak in the books, but you have only ever asked about cultivation. If I ask you now, will you tell me?"
Lin Feiran remained silent, and his grandmaster nodded knowingly, not pressing the matter further.
As the two were talking, Qiu Tong had already made her choice; she chose the sage who stood on one leg like a golden rooster.
“What a strange choice,” the Grandmaster suddenly said. “She chose Jin Jiu. Jin Jiu is also known as the Mad Taoist. He is extremely skilled in talisman techniques, but they contradict what she has learned. If she is not going to seek the Dao, then she is going for Jin Jiu’s ‘madness’.”
Lin Feiran knew something about the mad Taoist.
The term "madman" was actually a title he had before he entered the Taoist path.
He was different from ordinary people from a young age. Before he even started cultivating, he could hear the wind, hear the trees rustling, and understand the words of all the beasts. He often talked to them when he was young. To others, this seemed like he was just muttering to himself for no reason. They thought he was either possessed by a demon or had gone mad.
As time went on, the villagers began to regard him as a madman.
But it is precisely these kinds of people who can hear many things that ordinary people cannot hear, and know many secrets that ordinary people cannot understand.
Everything in the world is like a net, with connections everywhere. The more secrets you know, the more you can control the future.
The last diviner in the world has completely disappeared. If you want to predict the future, you can only seek out Kim Kyu.
Lin Feiran wondered, "What does she want to divine?"
The grandmaster slowly shook his head: "Human hearts are unpredictable, how could I possibly fathom them? But she possesses extraordinary fortune, so we must be more careful."
A crow not far away took flight, and a water gate, splashing ink, appeared. It said in a hoarse voice, "The gate is open, and the sage is waiting for you."
Qiu Tong went inside, and in just a few breaths, another person swept across the clouds and landed in front of the crow. After hearing the same words, the person pondered for a moment and then made a choice.
Then a third and a fourth person entered, almost without interruption. Lin Feiran watched them enter the Ink Painting Sect, and finally couldn't help but put down his fishing rod, stand up, his eyes full of absurdity.
Since the sages are to be seen in order, she is listed first, so why should she be relegated to the sidelines?
Just as he was feeling indignant, another person landed in front of the crow. As soon as he landed, he looked him over with curiosity and admiration in his eyes.
"What a wonderful landscape painting! One glance is enough to tell that it was painted by the sage Xun Gu. The profoundness of his brushwork is beyond our reach."
This person was Shen Qi. At this moment, he had forgotten his previous timid appearance and was enjoying the scenery as if he were on a spring outing.
The crow stopped in its tracks and tirelessly repeated its previous words, while Shen Qi listened and leaned closer to admire it.
The twelve scrolls hung in the air, each with its own colors and different brushstrokes, clearly indicating that they were painted by different people, perhaps even by the sage himself.
Upon hearing what the crow said, Shen Qi almost immediately replied, "I choose the Medical Ancestor Murong."
He didn't even think for a moment, as if he had come here solely to see him.
Lin Feiran was even more puzzled. Although Shen Qi looked weak, his body was fine, so why did he need to see the Ancestor of Medicine? Did he also have a hidden illness?
The crow also led to a door made of ink painting: "Go in, the Patriarch of Medicine is waiting for you."
Shen Qi pursed his lips, then lowered his head to carefully straighten his robes, making sure there wasn't a single wrinkle before slowly stepping in.
Lin Feiran could wait no longer. She lightly touched the water with her toes and leaped in front of the crow. Before she could even open her mouth, it flapped its wing back, causing her to stagger onto the small boat and spit out a mouthful of crow feathers.
The grandmaster couldn't help but laugh out loud: "You look like a little adult, but I never expected you to have this side to you. I couldn't wait any longer, so I told you about it."
Lin Feiran staggered two steps, and seeing that he could not cross, he had no choice but to sit back down beside his master, but did not pick up the fishing rod.
She changed the subject.
"Grandmaster, before entering the city you gave me an ink pellet to use for drawing on my face, and you said not to let anyone see it... Now, have I been seen?"
The heavy pressure she was referring to was the same pressure she had felt earlier.
The grandmaster shook his fishing rod, his tone as leisurely as ever: "How do you know if someone is seen? That's just a ray of light probing. The person who came was of a higher realm than you, who had only just entered the Inquiry of the Heart stage. Naturally, you couldn't withstand it. Now, you're standing at the highest point of the Flying Flower Society. No matter what, everyone will see you."
Lin Feiran lowered her eyes upon hearing this, feeling a pang of regret: "If I hadn't won first place, would I have been spared this ordeal today? Did I unintentionally ruin something?"
The grandmaster smiled and said, "If winning the championship is considered a bad thing, then there is really nothing good in this world."
Looking at the lake, he said with deep emotion, "At first, I only had some minor concerns about letting you change your appearance and enter the city, wanting to leave you a way out. But after seeing what you did at the Flying Flower Gathering, I realized that it was all for nothing."
A dragon lies hidden in the abyss, destined to soar into the sky. Why should I conceal your four legs, lest others mistake you for a flying serpent?
My decision to change things up was clearly ill-considered, yet it has caused you worry; that was wrong of me.
Lin Feiran looked at the lake, hugged his knees, and asked again, "Grandmaster, what exactly is the Iron Khitan Book? Daohe Palace has produced many talented people, so why give me a disciple who has left the mountain?"
The grandmaster smiled and raised his hand to pat her head: "Because I only see a wisp of energy on you, a unique energy. Why do you look down on yourself? So what if you leave the mountain? Does it matter which sect or school a disciple belongs to?"
Before me, all cultivators in the world were one. Establishing sects was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I never imagined it would escalate to this point. You, now, are merely returning to your origins.
"As for what the Iron Khitan Scripture actually is, you will know for sure when you are able to turn to the first page."
Hearing him speak like that, Lin Feiran knew he was about to start keeping her in suspense again, but she still asked casually, "How can I turn the page?"
She held no hope, thinking that her master would say something euphemistic like, "When the day comes that you can open it, you will be able to open it," but instead she heard him say...
"I can tell you the method. Once you obtain a suitable spirit sword, I will tell you how to do the first step."
He added, "This was a decision made from the very beginning."
Lin Feiran was slightly taken aback by this answer, and then asked, "A suitable spirit sword? Does Grandmaster mean the Kunwu Sword?"
He shook his head: "Whether it's Kunwu or the disciple's sword, as long as you feel comfortable using it, it's a good sword."
Disciple's Sword?
Lin Feiran looked at the gray lake and sighed softly. Her disciples' swords had all shattered and scattered in that secret realm, and she feared they would never be found again.
Just then, another figure swept across the sky. He suddenly stopped in front of the crow, listened quietly, and then, without hesitation, raised his hand and selected one of them.
The grandmaster looked at him and said with emotion, "His luck is also excellent, but unfortunately it is somewhat turbid. However, the flaws do not detract from his overall brilliance. He is the most radiant person I have ever seen."
Lin Feiran looked up and said, "His luck is naturally excellent."
As the male and female protagonists in the book, how bad could their luck be?
"Why did he also choose a mad Taoist?" The Grandmaster was still puzzled. "What use is it for disciples at your level to seek the future if you don't pursue the Tao and cultivate the Dharma?"
Lin Feiran suddenly said, "Actually, I also plan to see the Mad Taoist, but not for the future, but to ask about the past."
Lin Feiran sat at the bow of the boat, no longer fishing, but counting the fish one by one: the fifth, the seventh, the ninth... until finally reaching fourteen.
The fourteenth person entered the painting, and now she is the only one left.
She immediately stood up, not wanting to wait a moment longer, and leaped down again in front of the crow: "I..."
Before she could speak, the crow suddenly took flight, its sharp beak aimed straight at her. Lin Feiran was caught off guard and caught off guard, and a sharp pain immediately shot through her arm.
Unable to retaliate, she could only cover her head and spin around to dodge. In the chase, she couldn't help but speak.
The grandmaster couldn't help but laugh again, his fishing rod swaying wildly in his hand.
After running around the lake for an unknown number of times, the fourteen disciples who had met the sage suddenly appeared before the painting, their expressions varying. Some seemed to have gained some insight, while others looked even more bewildered.
What they had in common was that neither of them saw Lin Feiran with the crows above his head. After each calming down for a moment, they all flew away.
In the vast ink-wash landscape, only Lin Feiran and his grandmaster remained.
She removed the raven from her head, looked at the two beady eyes, and said coldly, "Everyone has seen it, it's my turn now. If I don't see the Sage today, I'll kidnap you. I have a green-eyed fox with me who eats crows."
This sounds exactly like hail.
The crow cawed twice, broke free from her grasp, then grabbed her collar and pushed her in front of the portrait.
Lin Feiran's brows and eyes finally relaxed, and without even her speaking, she immediately said, "I request to see Saint Jin Jiu!"
The crow simply stared at her without answering, nor did it lead to any ink painting. Just as Lin Feiran was wondering what was going on, twelve portraits lit up one after another, and ripples appeared in the paintings, suddenly drawing her into them.
She felt dizzy and disoriented. When she came to her senses, the crow was gone from her hand, leaving only a black feather.
Lin Feiran put down the feather and looked up. She saw the twelve saints sitting on high positions, standing like mountains, surrounding her. Although their gazes were different, they were not malicious. They were just looking at her and judging her.
She turned around and saw her grandmaster's figure gradually disappearing.
So Lin Feiran raised his head, calmly accepting the gaze of each saint, bowing to them, and then looking at the next one, and so on, until he suddenly heard a burst of laughter, sometimes loud and sometimes soft, without any mockery, just pure madness.
The mad Taoist stepped down from his high seat and ran towards her. As he ran, his figure became lower and lower, gradually becoming no different from an ordinary person. His tattered clothes fluttered high, his disheveled hair half-covered his face, his left foot had a shoe but half a toe was exposed, and his right foot was simply bare.
"You...you want to see me?"
He ran up to Lin Feiran, his torn sleeve revealing half of his forearm, which was covered in scars, and he spoke incoherently.
"What do you want to ask me? Actually, I don't know anything, actually I know everything, actually I am not myself, actually... even if we all meet you, you can only ask one person."
"Are you sure you want to ask me? You can only ask one question: I am not a sword cultivator!"
Lin Feiran did not back down; she simply looked at the Taoist priest and said, "I did not come here to seek the Dao."
What she wanted to ask was naturally about her mother, but she had asked about the truth of her mother's death when she was fishing at the Flying Flower Gathering earlier. At that time, the fish had not been caught, so it was clear that this was not a question that could be answered at present.
So she had to rephrase her question.
The mad Taoist priest circled around her, looking excited.
“I know you! The wind blowing into the valley once told me about a young girl with sword bones who lost her mother at the age of six and her father at the age of nine. She was taken back to the mountains to be adopted, but in reality, it was to raise her, remove her spiritual bones, and use her for his own purposes.”
The young girl was heartbroken and defiant in the biting snow, but she wasn't strong enough. If it weren't for the jade pendant her mother left her to protect her, she might have been nailed to the tree that day, never to be reborn!
"You are Lin Feiran!"
How could someone who can become a saint be someone whose life is without ups and downs?
Upon hearing this, the sages looked at her, their eyes flickered slightly, and their expressions softened. Then they looked behind her.
The grandmaster stood there, unusually stunned. His gaze fell on Lin Feiran, filled with regret, anger, confusion, and remorse. So many emotions overwhelmed him that he was speechless for a moment.
All the turmoil in my mind ultimately boiled down to a profound sense of sorrow.
That innocent heart had already experienced setbacks and been frozen by frost, leaving an indelible scar at such a young age.
Lin Feiran did not turn around. She lowered her eyes and remained silent for a long time before looking at the Mad Taoist: "What I want to ask is unrelated to this, but it is indeed something from the past."
He threw his head back and laughed loudly: "How tragic, how amusing! What do you want to ask? I can only speculate about the future, but I know everything about the past. Even if I really don't know, I'll make it up for you!"
Lin Feiran looked straight at him: "I want to know, who instructed Xunfang to intercept and kill my mother?"
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