Volume 5 Chapter 95
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Volume 5 Chapter 95: Troubled Thoughts, a Glimpse of Killing Intent
"Forget it, I won’t scold you this time. If I scold you too much, you won’t care anymore. Some words every teacher has said to their students, so they seem very cliché. When most people hear these words, their first reaction is to ignore them. If a teacher says these words too often, they seem outdated. But I still want to say it to you one more time. Bai Yu, your efforts in learning depend on you; others’ supervision is only external pressure. To be honest, if you were not my student, but one of those people you hang out with all day, I wouldn’t care if you didn’t practice for decades. The only reason I want you to work hard and why I scold you for not doing so is simply because you are my student."
After slowly finishing this speech, Xu Qingfan didn’t pay attention to Bai Yu’s slightly guilty expression. Moreover, Xu Qingfan knew that this guilt would be temporary. Given Bai Yu’s nature, he would probably forget about this guilt once he left the room. With a slight sigh, he continued, "I want you to practice hard not because your training would bring me any benefits or honor. Honestly, with my current status, even if you can bring me some benefits or honor in the future, it will be limited. I push you because I care about you. You have great talent, but if you waste your talent in everyday life, I wouldn’t feel regret. The Shenzhou Continent has countless people, and although geniuses are rare, together they make a huge number. Adding one more or one less makes no difference. But now, in these chaotic times, the great calamity is far from over. Even if you stay in the flourishing Middle-earth, you cannot ensure your safety. And during this time, when you can safely improve your strength, I just don’t want you to regret today’s carefree attitude when you face enemies in the future and find yourself helpless."
Hearing Xu Qingfan say this, Bai Yu, although not convinced that there was danger even in "Ronghua Mountain," where there were many formations and masters, still sensed Xu Qingfan’s sincerity and concern. His face grew even more ashamed, and he bowed to Xu Qingfan, saying, "Disciple understands and will work hard to practice in the future, not to disappoint the master’s expectations."
Xu Qingfan nodded, accepting Bai Yu’s apology and not continuing the lecture. At this moment, saying these words once was enough.
Seeing Bai Yu’s expression, Xu Qingfan knew that Bai Yu truly felt ashamed. In that moment, he was really determined to practice hard, but Xu Qingfan also understood that this shame and determination would not last long in Bai Yu’s heart. Before long, he would again succumb to boredom and call his friends to go out and have fun.
To be honest, Bai Yu is not a qualified cultivator. In fact, he, like most cultivators, cannot firmly walk down the path of cultivation. He grew up in a military camp, so he has more wildness than ordinary people. However, even though he lived in a military camp from a young age, he did not do so as a soldier, but as the son of a general. This means he has more wildness, but lacks the toughness and discipline of a soldier.
This also determines Bai Yu’s character. He is not as calm and relaxed as Zhang Ningmei and Xu Qingfan, nor as steadfast as Jin Qinghan and Feng Qingtian. Although he possesses the bloodline of Qiongqi, at his core he is just an ordinary person with a bit more wildness. His thoughts are changeable and often shift, which is quite normal. In fact, most cultivators are like this; they cannot firmly follow the path of cultivation. After all, cultivation is essentially a very tedious thing, especially since human nature tends to be lazy.
However, Xu Qingfan, used to people like Jin Qinghan and Feng Qingtian who have a strong will, does not want Bai Yu to end up like most cultivators who achieve nothing in their lives. So, he sets expectations for Bai Yu based on Jin Qinghan and Feng Qingtian’s standards. In fact, if Bai Yu did not have the Qiongqi bloodline, and if Xu Qingfan were not his master, Bai Yu might have been abandoned and assigned to handle mundane tasks long ago.
Originally, when Xu Qingfan visited the rooms of his three disciples, the exhaustion from years of fighting outside began to ease. However, after the situation with Bai Yu, his underlying fatigue returned. After chatting a bit with Ting’er and Zhang Ningmei, he no longer wished to stay. He offered a few words of comfort and encouragement before leaving.
"For years, Master has been battling those Beast Madness cultivators and evil sect cultivators outside, and he must be feeling extremely tired and helpless. He came back to the mountain to relax, so can’t you help him worry a little less? After dealing with those opponents outside, he has to deal with you when he returns. I feel tired for Master. Are you going to be happy if one day Master gives up on you and stops caring, leaving you to fend for yourself?"
Not long after Xu Qingfan left the row of huts, Zhang Ningmei began to scold Bai Yu. Usually calm, this time she spoke surprisingly sharply, showing no mercy, indicating she was truly upset. Ting’er remained silent but stared coldly at Bai Yu, her eyes flashing with an unusual light, which made Bai Yu uncomfortable. Earlier, both had noticed Xu Qingfan’s fatigue and helplessness while educating Bai Yu, and in their concern, they redirected their anger toward him.
Under the combined pressure of Zhang Ningmei and Ting’er, Bai Yu could no longer withstand it and awkwardly fled from the room.
At this moment, Xu Qingfan was already more than a hundred feet away from the hut, but with his current level of cultivation, he could still grasp the situation within a range of several dozen miles. Hearing Zhang Ningmei chastising Bai Yu, he felt a warmth in his heart. Although Bai Yu was not very capable, he was still pleased with his disciples Zhang Ningmei and Bai Yu. Moreover, Bai Yu had always only been an inner disciple.
However, amidst the warmth, Xu Qingfan felt a slight shock in his heart. Just now, when Zhang Ningmei scolded Bai Yu, there seemed to be a trace of… murderous intent from Ting’er?
Xu Qingfan instinctively thought it was just his illusion; he had seen too much fighting outside the mountain, and now he was a bit overly sensitive, reacting strongly to anything unusual.
But upon further thought, Xu Qingfan felt something was wrong and was slightly startled.
Unlike Zhang Ningmei, although Ting’er was also one of Xu Qingfan’s disciples, she had never accepted Bai Yu. Therefore, Bai Yu was really quite insignificant in her life. And over the past two years, having seen Bai Yu make Xu Qingfan angry repeatedly, this time even causing Xu Qingfan to show signs of fatigue, with her impulsive personality and her regard for Xu Qingfan, she might truly do something that seemed natural to her but would be unbelievable to outsiders.
Thinking of this, a trace of worry flashed through Xu Qingfan’s heart, and he decided that before the next mission, he must have a serious talk with Ting’er.
Lost in thought, Xu Qingfan arrived at the quiet woods at the foot of Ronghua Mountain, in front of a secluded little cottage. Unlike the previous cottage, this one was much quieter and served as a place for cultivators to treat their spirit beasts injured in battle.
Just as Xu Qingfan stepped into the cottage, he saw a flash of darkness, which startled him for a moment. But in an instant, a smile appeared on his lips. Turning to look, Little Black was once again perched on his shoulder, just like seven years ago.
This cottage was vast, and inside, an old man with white hair and beard was busy at work. There were also three spirit beasts lying on the ground, looking weak and feeble. Perhaps they had previously underestimated Little Black because of its ordinary appearance and then were taught a lesson by it. Now they lay on the ground, too scared to even look at Little Black.
"Venerable Diyang, you have arrived."
After the elder noticed Xu Qingfan, he spoke politely, his tone surprisingly calm, unlike other cultivators who showed fear in front of Xu Qingfan because of various rumors.
"Is Little Black healed now?"
Little Black always looked plain and half-dead, and the huge dark energy inside made it impossible for Xu Qingfan to check on it. So, Xu Qingfan couldn’t tell how Little Black was doing at that moment and could only ask the elder who had been healing spirit pets.
"It is healed," the elder said.
"Thank you very much."
"It’s my duty. There’s no need to be polite, Venerable One."
Hearing that Little Black was healed, Xu Qingfan felt a wave of joy. Unlike Ting’er, who was already healed but Xu Qingfan insisted that she rest, Little Black had truly spent a full seven years to recover. Back then, to block the "Nanming Li Fire" attack aimed at Xu Qingfan, Little Black had almost half of its body burned away. It wasn’t until before Xu Qingfan’s last action that the body fully healed, but out of caution, Xu Qingfan still let Little Black stay here and observe for a while.
Little Black’s healing was undoubtedly a big help for Xu Qingfan’s future actions, after all, Little Black’s strength was not below that of a golden core cultivator, and it was absolutely loyal to Xu Qingfan.
After saying goodbye to the elder with Little Black, Xu Qingfan found himself with nothing to do for a while. He could be called to action at any moment and didn’t even have enough time to meditate or rest, so after hesitating for a moment, Xu Qingfan began to walk down Ronghua Mountain.
