Step by step
Xiao Yu sighed and said, "You and I are probably the people in the world who understand each other best. Little brother, the achievement of becoming a king is not the goal itself. If you don't have the desire to establish a life for all people, why would you covet the divine artifact?"
Xiao Chang'an coldly said, "Because in the past hundred years of the Xiao family, only I have possessed this talent and this opportunity. Sister, if you miss the chance to ascend the throne, you will forever be at the mercy of others. Haven't we, the Xiao family, suffered enough of being a double agent, constantly wavering between two sides?" He took a step closer, looking at Xiao Yu, and said, "And you, sister, would you be willing to scheme and plot from childhood like I have, carefully managing and planning for the family, living the life of a cunning merchant?"
Xiao Yu realized he had nothing to say and remained silent.
Xiao Chang'an's eyes flashed with a terrifying light again, and he said resolutely, "Rest assured! I will never harm Gu Yi in the slightest, but will only serve him loyally and risk my life for him. There are many paths to officialdom in the Southern Dynasty, so why do I choose your path? Ha, because the fastest way to grow is through direct copying and plagiarism, the shortest path in the current dynasty. Look at the current dynasty, who rises the fastest, and whose path to power is the shortest?"
Xiao Yu was greatly alarmed. He had not expected Xiao Chang'an to be so cunning.
Xiao Chang'an continued, "The fastest way to learn from someone is to become their confidant. Other methods may get me into officialdom, but they cannot make me gain Gu Yi's trust in a short time. Only Li Wujiu's disciple will have this privilege."
He looked at Xiao Yu with utmost sincerity, his eyes revealing a frightening fervor that Xiao Yu had never seen before, and said, "Come, my sister, perform the initiation ceremony for me and make me a disciple of the Hidden World Sect!"
A-Qiu felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.
Xiao Chang'an's calculations were indeed spot on. If he could master the teachings of both Li Wujiu and Gu Yi, with his talent and cunning, he would likely be unmatched in the world.
Lie Changkong said sharply, "So, you agreed to let him become a disciple of the Hidden World Sect and go to Jianzhang on your behalf?"
Xiao Yu sighed, “If I said that I had no other choice under the circumstances, you would definitely think that I was just trying to survive. But Chang’an is a very special person. He has his own set of seemingly magical reasoning that makes me believe that if he went in my place, he would only do a better job than me and would never go against my master’s wishes.”
Lie Changkong and A Qiu exchanged a glance, but each of them was thinking about something different.
What Lie Changkong thought of was the tolerance Gu Yi showed towards Xiao Chang'an when he sent him to ask Gongye Fusu to refine elixirs.
What A Qiu thought of was that when she mentioned Xiao Chang'an in the cave, Li Wujiu murmured "Xiao Chang'an, Xiao Chang'an" several times. At that time, she could sense the strange fluctuations from Li Wujiu's mind.
Xiao Chang'an indeed possessed the magic to persuade anyone. Even Li Wujiu and Gu Yi, knowing that he harbored ill intentions, both chose to hold back against him.
Most likely, their leniency was not based on their own likes and dislikes, but rather on a vague premonition of the future.
As an important pawn of the Xiao family of the Northern Dynasties, Xiao Chang'an may play an irreplaceable role in the battle to unify the world.
Lie Changkong said with a wry smile, "So, nominally, Xiao Chang'an is indeed Sect Master Li's disciple, unless Sect Master Li comes out of seclusion and personally denies it."
He knew that based on this alone, Gu Yi would not kill Xiao Chang'an.
Xiao Yu lowered his eyes, somewhat afraid to look at people, and said, "That's how it is."
Looking back now, A Qiu realized that all of Xiao Chang'an's plans were flawless. The only, and biggest, unexpected event was her own entry into the palace.
Because of her entry into the palace, she attracted Gu Yi's attention, and in the end, Gu Yi took her as his only successor, so his mind naturally no longer turned to Xiao Chang'an.
Without her, Xiao Chang'an would have been the closest person to Gu Yi, and there would have been no rift between them. He probably wouldn't have been so eager to use the Divine Transformation Pill to threaten and test Gu Yi.
She was in Xiao Chang'an's way, but Xiao Chang'an had never treated her badly.
He rescued her when the White Tiger suddenly appeared before the Emperor, and helped her during the fierce battle at Luoyufang. Each time, he acted without hesitation, making her think that he was also a spirited young man. She never imagined that it might just be a specific side of him that he showed to her.
As the next head of the Xiao family, Xiao Chang'an's true nature is far more than just the handsome young man she remembers.
Her emotions were complicated. She turned to Xiao Yu and said, "Where do you plan to go in the future? I see that although you have told the other disciples this and that, you have no intention of returning to the Xiao family."
A faint melancholy crossed Xiao Yu's brows as he said, "Miss A Qiu's insight is very clear. I indeed have no intention of returning to the Xiao family. But if I don't say this, I'm worried that others might try to control the Hidden World Sect after I leave. It's better to let those with ulterior motives think that I will return to the Xiao family. In this way, disciples with a profit-seeking mentality will naturally consider going to the Xiao family to find me first."
Those who want to get rich will seek wealth wherever they go. If all they seek is wealth and promotion, relying on the powerful Xiao family's eldest daughter in Lanling will be better than staying in a secluded sect with no one in charge.
Lie Changkong immediately asked, "Where are you going?" He was under the surveillance of both the Northern and Southern Dynasties, so he was most concerned about Xiao Yu's whereabouts.
Xiao Yu's gaze returned to the mountains shrouded in mist, and a gentle feeling crept over him.
She said softly, "I am no longer a disciple of the Hidden World Sect, but the world belongs to all living beings. No one can stop me from sailing alone on this vast lake, gazing at the deep mountains. I will find a mountain peak among the mountains and build a hut to live on. In this life, I will never set foot in the territory of the Hidden World Sect again, but I will always watch over the outside world."
Her last words were spoken in a very low voice: "Wait for him to come out of seclusion."
Touched by her gaze, A Qiu's mind also turned to the person who was sleeping soundly deep in the cave.
Unlike her, Xiao Yu was no longer Li Wujiu's disciple, nor did she bear any sect missions. After all the shackles of the mortal world were shed, she simply stayed here as an ordinary woman, willing to gaze upon the mountain where Li Wujiu had entered the seclusion.
From then on, the white snow on the mountain peaks, the flowing clouds at dusk, the rising and setting of the sun and moon, were all just her gaze.
A Qiu's heart trembled slightly, but at this moment she dared not, and could not, show even the slightest abnormality on her face.
Gu Yi was no longer by her side, and she could no longer be the carefree girl she once was, with all her emotions on her face.
A Qiu then asked Xiao Yu, "I have another question for you, Miss Xiao. Where are the two great shamans of the Zhu You Sect who were invited by Sect Master Li to stay temporarily at Da Wan Mountain to refine elixirs a year ago?"
Xiao Yu turned to Bai Shi, his expression regaining its composure, and said, "This is a question that Master Bai wanted to ask me a long time ago. Actually, there was some misunderstanding in this matter."
She said gently, “Your two great wizards, Qi Luo and Qi Shang, have indeed been refining ‘Transformation Pills’ for our junior master in the Desolate Cloud Marsh of our sect. However, since this matter is confidential, I, as an outsider, cannot comment if they have not informed their disciples.”
Bai Shi immediately said, "Then may I go to Huangyunze immediately to see the two masters?"
Xiao Yu looked regretful and said, "Master Bai was a step too late. If you had told me earlier, I could have made arrangements for you. Five days ago, a messenger came here to see the two great shamans, but after receiving the message, the two seemed to be in a hurry and immediately left with the messenger."
Bai Shi's expression changed, and she immediately asked, "Miss Xiao, do you know who this person is? And where did they come from?"
Xiao Yu hesitated for a moment, seemingly trying to recall, before finally saying, "Since this concerns your sect, as the head of another sect, I cannot inquire about the details. But I vaguely heard that they are people from the capital." She then added apologetically, "If I had known that Master Bai had come specifically to search for your sect's master, I certainly wouldn't have been so negligent."
Upon hearing the words "people from the capital," Bai Shi's face drained of color, and he immediately cupped his hands and said, "Everyone, our sect is in trouble, I must take my leave first."
Among these people, Gongye Fusu had the closest relationship with Bai Shi's sect. He asked, "Painter Bai, has something happened to your Zhuyou sect? None of you are outsiders here. If you tell us, the Gongye family and the Shaoshi sect will not sit idly by and will do their best to help."
Bai Shi was new to the martial world, and the Zhu You Sect only had one disciple of her lineage. Although she was clever, resourceful, and adaptable, she was far less adept at handling various situations and worldly affairs than Xiao Yu and others. This was because the Zhu You Sect had few members and did not rely on martial prowess, hence their cautious approach.
If it were another sect, and their master hadn't been heard from for many days after arriving at the Hidden Sect, they would have come to demand an explanation. But Bai Shi had no choice but to hide and investigate in secret.
At this point, although the Zhuyou Sect had always been secretive and independent, Bai Shi, after much deliberation, felt she couldn't resolve the situation alone. The Gongye family and Gu Yi's sect were both powerful and trustworthy, and since Gongye Fusu had offered to help, her gaze naturally turned to A Qiu.
A Qiu nodded and said, "I also need to return to the capital immediately. If you don't mind, Painter Bai can travel with me."
As soon as she announced her departure, Lie Changkong and Gongye Fusu looked surprised, their gazes simultaneously turning towards the grotto beneath the waterfall. Everyone knew perfectly well that Gu Yi was still asleep, but with Xiao Yu present, they couldn't say it outright.
Seeing their strange expressions, Xiao Yu knew her presence was somewhat inconvenient. She was no longer a disciple of the Hidden Sect, but she was still a member of the Xiao family. As for the matters of the Zhu You Sect and Gu Yi, knowing more wouldn't benefit her.
Xiao Yu tactfully cupped his hands and said, "Although I am no longer a disciple of the Hidden World Sect, if you need my help, just come to this mountain and give the order. I won't bother you any longer now."
A Qiu, Lie Changkong, and the other three bowed and watched her solitary figure in blue disappear into the mountains and clouds. They truly felt a sense of "a small boat departs from here, entrusting the rest of their lives to the rivers and seas." Even if they had harbored many doubts and suspicions about her before, they all vanished at this moment, giving them a feeling that a day in the mountains had passed like a dream.
It's just unknown whether Xiao Yu himself feels the same way.
Will her acquaintance with Li Wujiu leave an impression on her heart like a dream in her life, and when she wakes up, will she herself, like Li Wujiu back then, be a person detached from the world?
Lie Changkong then looked at A Qiu and said, "Young Master, aren't you going to wait for Master to wake up?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
