Watching the Mountain

Chapter 287: Chapter 176: Stronger Than Me

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On his way back, Xu Ran saw Chen Minghe, the team leader from the great sect competition, and Qing Li, Teacher Qing Xuan’s daughter, walking out of the Foreign Affairs Hall. They were holding a Jade Talisman that served as a long-term leave permit. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

This piqued his curiosity. He went up to greet them and asked, ”Senior Brother Chen, Qing Li, where are you two headed?”

The two of them had been diligently studying Hao Miaomiao’s medical texts in the Scripture Pavilion for some time now.

If they were going to promote the medical texts, it wouldn’t be necessary. After Hao Miaomiao’s book was added to the Scripture Pavilion, Xu Ran had already petitioned the Sect to arrange for disciples to spread the medical techniques and prescriptions within to the Mortal World.

Besides, Qing Li had already been to the Mortal World once before, only to return disheartened after some unpleasant encounters. There shouldn’t be any need for her to go again.

Faced with Xu Ran’s confusion, Chen Minghe scratched his head and replied with a slightly embarrassed look:

”Heh... Junior Brother Hidden Mountain, Qing Li and I were talking. We feel that the plagues recorded in this medical text are a bit like the situation we’re facing in the Cultivation Realm now. Even if they’re fundamentally different, we still want to try and study it. And even if we don’t find anything, we can at least collect more medical knowledge to supplement Doctor Hao’s book.”

He paused for a moment, hesitated, and then continued:

”Besides, you’ve probably heard that the Cultivation Realm’s opinion of our Sect hasn’t been great lately. More and more people are starting to blame this world-sweeping illness on our Senior Brother Ye Shan, and they complain a lot about our Sect. I’ve heard that many disciples have been attacked by people using this as an excuse when they go out.”

”I feel that if we just let these rumors continue to fester, someday people might use this as a pretext to attack our Sect.”

He scratched his head again and said, lacking some confidence, ”Qing Li and I are just ordinary people with meager abilities and average talent. We don’t know what we can do for the Sect in a situation like this.”

”So, after thinking it over, we decided to just follow our hearts and research these medical techniques. Maybe we can make some small, insignificant contribution to the Sect.”

After he finished, Qing Li added, ”Uncle Chen told me I’m Qing Xuan True Monarch’s daughter. My father is famous for his righteousness. As his daughter, it would be a shame if I could only see the dark side of the world. Everyone in the Sect is so kind, so it’s impossible that the Sect is the only place like this. I just haven’t found the other places yet.”

”I think what Uncle Chen said makes a lot of sense. That incident in the Mortal World before was probably just bad luck. I want to go back and see for myself.”

”More importantly, I also want to do something for my father and the Sect. It might not be useful, but it’s better than doing nothing at all.”

”My talent is mediocre. Even following the path of the Flying Immortal Stream, I probably won’t get very far. I’ll... die before my father does. Before that happens, I hope to do something to let him know he didn’t raise this daughter for nothing.”

’Xu Ran wasn’t particularly close with Chen Minghe. Originally, he hadn’t planned on telling him that Hidden Mountain and his former self were the same person.’

’But Chen Minghe was always close with Qing Li—so much so that Qing Li had even started calling him Uncle Chen, forgoing sect formalities. Even Xu Ran had to admit their relationship had grown remarkably strong, something between a grandfather and granddaughter, or friends who transcended their age difference.’

’And since Qing Li was Teacher Qing Xuan’s daughter, he definitely had to let her know his identity, so he ended up telling Chen Minghe at the same time.’

’More importantly, ever since Chen Minghe had taken the initiative to go to Teacher Qing Xuan and repent, he truly seemed like a completely different person.’

’No one would believe that the words he’d just spoken came from a sly old fox who used to love petty gains and had only become a Sect Steward by coasting on his seniority.’

’Until he had only a few decades of his Purple Mansion Stage lifespan left, Chen Minghe had just been a petty man who played all sides. Then, one day, he had a sudden awakening and changed completely.’

’Perhaps it was this new version of him that was able to soothe Qing Li’s heart after her dark experience in the Mortal Realm and help her find peace again.’

’As for Qing Li, if you took away her identity as Teacher Qing Xuan’s daughter, she was truly quite ordinary.’

’And when you added that identity into the mix, it only made her seem even more mediocre.’

’To be the daughter of a Nascent Soul True Monarch and yet be so mediocre was indeed a misfortune and a tragedy for her. It was no wonder that when she faced the threshold of Foundation Establishment, she was never able to achieve Bright Heart Illuminating Self and could only break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage by taking the path of the Flying Immortal Stream.’

Xu Ran shook his head slightly. He had very complicated feelings about the two of them.

’Just as Chen Minghe had said, they were just very ordinary people. But these two ordinary people, at a time when everyone else was trying every means to improve themselves, were instead thinking about what they could do for the Sect.’

’Even though they themselves weren’t sure if their actions would be useful, they still wanted to follow their hearts and try.’

After a moment of silence, Xu Ran offered them his blessing with a light smile, expressing his approval and encouragement for their actions.

He thought for a moment, then took out a Jade Scroll and gave it to them.

After the ”plague” began, he too had wondered if medical arts would be of any use. The Jade Scroll contained medical knowledge from his past life that he had recalled using the Divine Soul Reshaping Technique.

Previously, he had only added content about plagues to Hao Miaomiao’s medical book. The Jade Scroll he now presented contained his complete medical knowledge.

After handing them the Jade Scroll, he smiled at the two of them and said, ”I don’t know if medical arts will be useful against this illness either, but I hope your efforts bring good news.”

The pair thanked Xu Ran. When they had mentioned these things to others before, most people had treated them like fools, thinking they were out of their minds. If medical arts were useful, they argued, the problems in the Cultivation Realm would have been solved long ago.

Xu Ran was one of the few who didn’t ridicule them, and instead offered his approval and support.

Being acknowledged by someone always made one feel a little better.

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After bidding farewell to Chen Minghe and Qing Li, Xu Ran returned to his usual cultivation routine.

During this time, he often heard news about the trio of Li Daoyi, Luo Qianxue, and Chu Lingxiao.

The three of them were now truly roaming the world as wandering heroes. Wherever they went, they would stir up some major event, upholding justice and helping the weak. Legends about them were spreading far and wide.

The three youths who had once vowed to change the future had begun to take action, making a name for themselves in the Cultivation Realm.

Xu Ran looked forward to seeing how far their story would go. Because of this, he would often walk around the Sect to see if any news of them had arrived.

After hearing once again that Li Daoyi and his companions had accomplished another great deed, Xu Ran turned to Zhang Zhentian, who was visiting his Cave Mansion, and asked with a smile:

”Junior Brother, how does your disciple compare to when he was a child?”

Hearing this, Zhang Zhentian was silent for a moment before a gratified smile appeared on his face. In a complex tone, he said:

”They’re much better than I was at their age. When I was young, I was just wild, causing trouble everywhere. But they... they’re already upholding justice, and the Cultivation Realm is singing their praises.”