Chapter 80

"Being the master's disciple naturally represents the face of Qingxuan. If this senior brother can't even enter the gate of the orthodox method, I think it's better not to continue as the master's indoor disciple," the man in white said, his words filled with ridicule for Lu Shouyi.

He was a prince from an island nation three thousand miles away from Qingxuan. He had just entered the sect and already possessed the cultivation of 'Qi Movement.' Although he was immediately taken in as an indoor disciple by an elder, he was not delighted, because before him, Lu Shouyi had directly become the master's indoor disciple.

Even in the entire cultivation world, apart from the rarely seen Immortal Real People, Master Zhang Ruoxu was already one of the top cultivators. What virtue or ability did Lu Shouyi have to be taken in by the master?

Moreover, he believed that with his intelligence and cultivation, the position of Qingxuan's master might one day be his.

Shen Lian smiled and said, "If you think Senior Brother Lu shouldn't be the master's disciple, then go to the Master Real Person and tell him he's blind for choosing Senior Brother Lu, or that he's blind for not choosing you."

The man in white, whose intentions were exposed, did not become angry. He calmly said, "Among the upper and lower courts of Qingxuan, there is indeed no one stronger than me in my age group. The master has his considerations, and I have my dissatisfaction."

Shen Lian suddenly asked, "Have you taken a master yet?"

The man in white's expression changed.

Shen Lian smiled faintly and said, "From your appearance, it seems you have already taken a master. If I were your master, I would probably expel you."

"I didn't say my master is bad, I just don't agree with Senior Brother Lu. If Senior Brother Lu has the courage, let's make a bet. In a year, all the upper and lower court disciples will have a Dao test. We'll see who gets a better ranking," the man in white first defended himself, then proposed a bet, staring straight at Lu Shouyi.

Lu Shouyi said, "I can agree to your bet. If I lose to you, I will naturally have no face to remain as a disciple. If you lose, you must apologize to me."

"Of course. My name is Zhao Siming. Remember it," the man in white sneered and turned to leave.

The moonlight was silent. Lu Shouyi pounded the gate of the Dao courtyard with a thud.

"Senior Brother Lu, I thought you were going to fight him just now," Shen Lian laughed.

"We have all memorized the rules of the Discipline Hall. Unless there are special circumstances, we can't fight among fellow disciples," Lu Shouyi said seriously.

"Isn't it hard for Brother Lu to admit he can't beat him? Actually, if you ask me, I will definitely help you. As long as I don't kill him, it's at most a minor punishment," Shen Lian said earnestly.

Where there are people, there is struggle. The rules cannot bind the conflicts between disciples. Didn't Chen Jianmei also fight in the past? As long as you control the degree, how can cultivators be so petty about these trivial matters?

Rules are not meant to make people rigidly follow them, but to teach people when to advance and retreat and how to act appropriately.

Lu Shouyi laughed heartily, not expecting Shen Lian to have such a humorous side.

After his laughter subsided, Shen Lian said, "Senior Brother Lu, I still have to say this: the path of cultivation values naturalness. If you force yourself for others' opinions, you will always be inferior. Even if you achieve something temporarily, it will not benefit you in the long run."

"I know this, but when I am in the situation, anger naturally arises. How can I resolve it?" Lu Shouyi shook his head. If he didn't have this insight, no matter how pure he was, Zhang Ruoxu wouldn't have chosen him.

Shen Lian didn't know how to answer. His own success was partly due to his naturally calm and detached nature, which aligned with the Dao, and partly due to the cultivation method of the 'Supreme Clarity Spirit Treasure Natural Lock Heart and Stabilize Spirit True Explanation.'

In this world, there are many people who know what they want, but the illusions of the mundane world can easily lead them astray. Desires are like the sea; a slight breeze can cause waves. Even if you have the means to calm the sea, it is only temporary.

Seeing Lu Shouyi disheveled and exhausted, Shen Lian underestimated him. In fact, the difference between people lies in one aspect.

Everyone has something others can't match.

Shen Lian didn't give any advice to Lu Shouyi but felt that he had become a bit arrogant due to his smooth sailing.

With this thought, he bowed slightly to Lu Shouyi.

Lu Shouyi was puzzled and said, "What are you doing, Junior Brother Shen?"

"Reflecting on myself, Senior Brother Lu made me realize my temporary foolishness, so I thank you," Shen Lian said with a relaxed demeanor, feeling that he should express his gratitude.

Lu Shouyi sighed and said, "I really envy Brother Shen's nature, so carefree and with your own pursuits."

Shen Lian shook his head and said, "I'm tired. See you tomorrow."

Shen Lian felt that further talk was pointless, turned, and walked into the deep Dao courtyard to rest.

Lu Shouyi also felt tired. After the distraction, he didn't continue to focus on cultivation and returned to his meditation room.

Shen Lian sat quietly on a bamboo bed, feeling his spirit and energy full. The image of the innate deity holding a ruyi in his mind was clearer than ever before.

Of course, when he tried to examine the deity's face, it remained vague and indistinct.

After Zhang Ruoxu's reminder, he felt that this visualization method was even more mysterious. When he visualized now, he felt more grounded, and his soul no longer felt ethereal.

He carefully studied the deity and vaguely felt that the deity and the runes had some similarity, in that they were always changing. Even with his current strong mind, capable of multitasking, he couldn't recreate the deity in his mind to suppress his spiritual platform.

Tracing back his memory, he couldn't find how the previous Shen Lian visualized the innate deity. It seemed to have been directly inserted into his spiritual platform from the outside, not part of his memory.

******

In the Qingxuan Great Hall, the Heaven-Earth Mirror hung in the air, reflecting the scene of Lu Shouyi and Shen Lian.

Chen Jianmei was also in the hall, standing casually in front of Zhang Ruoxu and said leisurely, "You took him as an indoor disciple, gave him the cultivation method, but didn't explain it. I thought you didn't care about this Lu Shouyi."

"Shen Lian's Dao nature is free and easy, perfectly fitting the essence of our Qingxuan cultivation. Therefore, any heart-refining actions have little effect on him. What he needs most is broader knowledge and the ability to apply it to different situations, to walk his own unique path. Even if his cultivation is slower now, he will find it easier to reach the stages of Returning to the Elixir and Breaking Illusions in the future.

Lu Shouyi has studied Confucianism since childhood. Although he is talented, much of his talent has been wasted on practical matters. He lacks reverence for cultivation, treating it as just a means. Without some tempering, reaching the Elixir stage is just a fantasy, let alone immortality," Zhang Ruoxu said calmly, describing the natures of the two people in detail.

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