It was not an easy task for Blackwater to explore the entire Azure Sky Forest. Before going, it asked Xu Yuehuai to explain to everyone after it came down the mountain that there were no monsters on the mountain, but it would be dangerous. It did not mean to harm people; it just did not know or understand, which is why it accidentally injured someone. At first, Xu Yuehuai did not question why it asked her to carry this message down the mountain, until she saw it return looking weak.
The group didn't dare to delay and headed east without stopping. After walking for an unknown distance, Nangong Yu was the first to give up. Shi Mu, who had an injured foot, didn't utter a sound. "I can't go on. This is too far. It'll take forever to find it. Heishui didn't even give us any more information. They just told us to go east. We probably won't even know if we miss the right spot."
Nangong Yu sat on the ground complaining, shrouded in resentment. Xu Yuehuai also stopped, wiping the sweat from his face, looking at the mountains in front of him, surrounded by straw. What they were doing now was like finding a needle in a haystack and then continuing the search even after finding a definite direction.
The atmosphere became somber, as if everyone had encountered a thorny problem. Looking at Nangong Yu's weak appearance, Fu Ziyi couldn't help but say, "Shi Mu hasn't said anything, why are you saying you're tired first?"
As expected, as soon as he said this, Nangong Yu looked at Shi Mu and found that Shi Mu was standing next to him with a normal expression, watching him panting. The atmosphere became awkward for a moment, and he coughed twice to try to ease the awkward atmosphere.
"If it really doesn't work, let's not do this mission anymore. Look, Shi Mu is injured, and we don't know how long he'll have to walk. What if continuing is useless?" As soon as Nangong Yu said this, everyone's eyes changed when they looked at him.
Despite the complaints, we still had to keep going. The Azure Sky Forest was under the control of Duancheng, so there was no way to fly or take a spirit boat; we could only walk on foot.
...
Inside Qingtao Valley, Shangguan Xi looked at the memorial tablet in front of her, knelt on the prayer mat, and clasped her hands together. Her heart was conflicted and hesitant. Finally, she knocked on the door to signal to the Third Elder that she had come to a decision.
The Third Elder stepped into the room, looking at his disciple who looked much more haggard than before. A pang of heartache flashed in his eyes, but it was fleeting. Shangguan Xi then said, "Master, I've thought it through. Can I leave now?"
The dark aura around Shangguan Xi had dimmed considerably, as if she had truly overcome her inner demons. After Xu Yuehuai and the others left, she had seriously considered and thought about these things. Why had she become like that? Wasn't it all because she had made a small mistake? So when others did something insignificant, she felt that they were implying something about her, which made her sensitive and suspicious.
From the initial suspicion to the subsequent arguments, and now to the inner demons I've developed, none of them stem from my own inner fears, cowardice, and desire to escape the current situation.
After listening to Xu Yuehuai's words, Shangguan Xi thought about them seriously and took them to heart. Now she felt that the things that had caused her pain in the past were insignificant and not worth fearing at all. She told the Third Elder about her pain and explained the cause and effect clearly. I still have some regrets about Grandma Chen's death, and I am even a little confused about whether I should resent myself.
But she understood that she shouldn't transfer her emotions onto others; that was wrong.
After listening, the Third Elder patted Shangguan Qi's head and said affectionately, "Do you know why I took you as my disciple in the first place?"
Shangguan Qi shook his head. "My father said it was because I was exceptionally intelligent."
The Third Elder was surprised that someone could actually name these households. She chuckled and said, "Indeed, it's partly due to your intelligence, but more importantly, I see a kindness in you that others don't possess."
"The most difficult thing to distinguish in the world is good and evil. The kindness you have and the kindness others show to you are both precious, but the ability to distinguish between good and evil is the greatest skill a person can have." The Third Elder paused and continued, "As long as you keep what you think and believe in your heart, there will be no major problems. But people with weak minds will always experience more things than others."
Today, the Third Elder and Shangguan Xi discussed another topic: humanity, human nature, and how to be a person. Shangguan Xi felt that she understood this aspect quite well. She had learned the art of charm, and the caster of charm needed to have a strong mind. Otherwise, when casting charm, she would also deceive herself.
However, at the same time, one's perception weakens during normal times, which is why this situation occurs.
Shangguan Xi was released from the dark room and went outside. He saw the sun he hadn't seen for many days and felt refreshed. Although the problems that needed to be solved were still unresolved, his mindset had already changed.
...
Half a month had passed since they communicated with the Blackwater. Along the way, they had endured wind and rain, sleeping in the open, and stopping frequently, finally finding something useful—traces of human habitation here. Nangong Yu had also changed from being very talkative to being taciturn. Everyone seemed to have become more mature and composed, and more silent, in this environment. Everything was changing.
Their clothes were no longer as bright and shiny as before, and despite the existence of the Cleansing Technique, it still couldn't change their current disheveled state.
The group decided to rest here for a while and analyze the situation before moving forward. They feared that it would be dangerous to rush forward now. They found a relatively secluded place and sat on the ground, looking completely unrefined. Nangong Yu said, "When we get back, I'm going to rest for a few days and wash myself. I feel like I'm about to stink to death."
Shi Mu was too tired to speak, while Xuan Chi looked at the direction where they had found the clue with worry and vigilance. "Is the old Valley Master still alive after all this time?"
This question raises some doubts. Xuan Chi saw what the old valley master had gone through, where he was imprisoned, the bloodstains on the ground, and the inhumane torture methods. It was already a miracle that he was able to escape to this back mountain with his last breath, but it is truly unbelievable that he could survive for so long in such a toxic place as the back mountain.
The others clearly realized the problem as well. Nangong Yu, clinging to a sliver of hope, said, "Perhaps the old Valley Master met some kind person in here and was saved, which is why he has stayed here for so long?"
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