Chapter 71

Sanzhen was also quite puzzled: "Yes, why did he do it? Neither the Sect Leader, Extermination Zhenren, nor I can understand. We have searched through all the Qingyuan Sect’s literature and had the Right Guardian search the Zixiao Hall’s literature, but there is no record of it. The Sect Leader has already sent a letter to the Demon Sect’s Demon Lord, asking him to have someone investigate and see if there are any relevant records. Actually, it’s very simple for Wu’er to restore her appearance. She just needs to close herself in seclusion for ten days, follow the Yunqing lineage’s cultivation method, and abandon her own cultivation, which will remove the evil spell. Beauty is a woman’s nature, and Extermination Zhenren is hesitant about whether to tell Wu’er. She is worried that Wu’er will have to give up her cultivation. Wu’er is already over eighteen. If she abandons her cultivation and starts over, even with a master and a golden pill, it’s likely she will never fully establish her foundation."

Lin Fan thought of Yingying. Yingying is fourteen this year. Although she missed the age of nine for cultivating qi, she hasn’t fully developed yet, and her bones are still clear. With the help of medicinal pills, she can still make up for it. But Wu’er’s bones are already set...

Lin Fan asked, "Should we tell her or not?"

"Of course, we should tell her, but Extermination Zhenren wants you to do it."

"Why?" Lin Fan questioned, "Extermination Zhenren is Wu’er’s master. Even if Wu’er is a cripple, one day as a teacher, a lifetime as a mother. Extermination Zhenren should tell her herself."

"Didn’t you know?" Sanzhen countered.

Lin Fan asked back, "Know what?"

Sure enough, Sanzhen said, "Extermination Zhenren is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and can’t bring herself to say it."

"Then why make me say such a cruel thing?" Lin Fan thought for a moment, "Alright!"

...

Lin Fan received special permission to enter the Purple Bamboo Grove and found Wu’er. Lin Fan didn’t beat around the bush; he didn’t know how to. He explained Wu’er’s situation: "The only way is for you to abandon your cultivation. But if you do that now, it’s likely that your future cultivation will be difficult to progress, and you might not even be able to establish your foundation."

Wu’er said, "You mentioned that a senior from the Zixiao Hall once said someone was affected by the same evil spell as me?"

"Yes, that was a thousand years ago. A senior from the Zixiao Hall, entrusted by a friend before his death, took in his daughter as a disciple. The friend had no idea why his daughter was covered in sores. The senior, with high cultivation, quickly realized it was an evil spell on her foundation. The girl was unwilling to give up her cultivation. She progressed very quickly and, by the age of thirty, was one of the top ten experts in the Zixiao Hall. However, as her cultivation advanced, her body began to ooze pus and emit a foul odor. One day, she suddenly disappeared, leaving a letter saying she was going to the Desolate Wasteland to find a high expert who could break the evil spell. After that, there was no news. Ten years later, an evil person used her magical treasure. The sect gathered experts and invaded the Desolate Wasteland, capturing and interrogating the evil person, who said he found the magical treasure in the wilderness ten years ago. This indicates that the girl had already died ten years ago. At that time, there weren’t many evil people in the Desolate Wasteland. Given her cultivation, unless she entered the evil sect’s protective formation, she would have had few opponents. If she entered the formation, the magical treasure would have been taken by the sect’s disciples. So, her death remains a mystery."

Wu’er listened quietly, "It’s likely that this sister was deceived by a villain for her beauty."

"Yes, that’s a reasonable assumption," Lin Fan nodded.

"Why didn’t the villain take her magical treasure? Why did the evil person harm her?"

"Maybe they had a grudge? Or a grudge against her father," Lin Fan answered and then asked, "Wu’er, I’ve told you everything. What do you think?"

Wu’er replied, "I am very grateful to Grandma Jiewu for saving my life and taking me in. But in the Misty Swamp, I was very unhappy, and after leaving, I was even more unhappy... until I entered the Purple Bamboo Grove. The sisters here are all very kind to me. Although my master never smiles, she is very good to me. I can’t repay her, and I can’t abandon my cultivation for my appearance. If something happens to the sect, what use is a pretty face?"

Wu’er knew that appearance was important. Even if Lin Fan, her crush, ignored appearance, he would find it hard to accept a lover who looked like this and would only get worse. But Wu’er thought more deeply. Maybe restoring her appearance would make Lin Fan closer to her, but she thought that was too selfish. She had joined the sect and didn’t want to become a cripple for her master... She had already made up her mind when Lin Fan explained the situation.

"You said it well, let’s have a drink," Lin Fan took out two wine gourds and a few dishes.

Wu’er advised, "Lin Fan, although not abstaining from food has little impact on establishing a foundation, it’s still very detrimental in the long run."

Lin Fan laughed, "There’s no literature confirming that not abstaining from food is detrimental to cultivation. Don’t worry, look, I’ll drink."

Lin Fan sipped his wine and asked about Wu’er’s life in the Purple Bamboo Grove. Wu’er was clearly more cheerful, answering questions with a positive attitude. It was clear that, whether the Purple Bamboo Grove disciples were warm or cold to her, Wu’er was grateful. Compared to the world she had lived in for seventeen years, this place was like heaven. This made Lin Fan more suspicious of Grandma Jiewu, so he asked detailed questions.

Wu’er’s knowledge was also limited. She only knew that Jiewu lived in the mist and went out once a month, sometimes for three days, sometimes for five. When asked about Jiewu’s cultivation, Wu’er could only say that once someone intruded into the Misty Swamp, Jiewu disappeared instantly, and no one could see her. Wu’er didn’t know anything else.

Lin Fan took his leave. Seeing the Sword Refining Valley from a distance, he didn’t go to greet anyone. He left the sect, signed out with the gate disciples, and officially left the Purple Bamboo Grove. He could not enter without permission. Sanzhen listened to Lin Fan’s report, nodded, and let Lin Fan go on his own.

Lin Fan, having just entered the Golden Core stage, closed himself in seclusion for three days, carefully studying the differences between the Golden Core and the Foundation Establishment stages. Before closing himself in seclusion, Lin Fan asked, but Sanzhen didn’t answer, wanting Lin Fan to figure it out himself.

In simple terms, the Golden Core stage is divided into two paths: cultivation of nature and cultivation of life. Cultivating nature means understanding the mind and seeing the true nature, which greatly benefits the elevation of one’s realm. Cultivating life means refining essence, with the Golden Core focusing on qi, making cultivation stronger and increasing the power of Daoist techniques and thunder spells. Cultivating only nature without life is like a pure cultivator, who, despite having a long life and high realm, is ultimately useless and may become a pure cultivator. Cultivating only life without nature is like having a mirror without a treasure.

The Golden Core stage is divided into cultivation of nature and life. Should one focus on cultivating nature or life? This is a question that all major cultivation sects, including evil sects and Buddhist sects, want to answer. On the contrary, some cultivators with average talent, knowing they have little chance of advancement, find it easier to decide. However, sects like the Yunqing Sect do not support cultivating only nature without life, even though it leads to a longer life and higher realm, as it is ultimately useless and can easily turn one into a pure cultivator.

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