Watching the Mountain

Chapter 419: Chapter 218: Qianxue

It had been a long time since Luo Qianxue had contacted them.

Their most recent contact was in the 420th year of the Hidden Dao Era. When news of Chu Lingxiao’s breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage spread, Luo Qianxue sent her congratulations and extended her greetings to Xu Ran as well.

Xu Ran had been a little surprised at the time. ’To think that after all this time, Luo Qianxue still hasn’t entered her dust-covered seclusion.’

In response to Xu Ran’s concern, Luo Qianxue had simply replied calmly:

”I am the Sect Leader, and I’m also the Sect’s only Golden Core Stage cultivator.”

Hearing this, Xu Ran fell silent, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Such was the plight of a small sect. Luo Qianxue’s Jade Radiance Immortal Sect had been rebuilt from the remnants of its near-total destruction.

At the time, she was only at the Purple Mansion Stage, yet her cultivation was the highest among the survivors. From this, one could infer that those who escaped with her were all fringe disciples.

’It made sense, though. If they had all been core disciples, the faction that destroyed their Sect probably wouldn’t have let them escape.’

If the Sect was to survive, Luo Qianxue had no choice but to carry it forward on her own.

If she were to fall or disappear, the newly re-established Sect might vanish in the very next moment.

Under such circumstances, how could she possibly enter her dust-covered seclusion with a clear conscience?

Xu Ran couldn’t imagine the hardship of carrying a sect forward all by oneself. All he could perceive was that the once quirky and spirited young woman now spoke with a mature tone. Gone was any trace of naivety, replaced by the weary air of a woman well beyond her years.

Even though her appearance on the Communication Jade Talisman remained unchanged—that of a young woman—looking at her, one could no longer see any hint of a girl’s spirit.

After a long silence, he asked, ”So, do you plan to remain in this era indefinitely?”

Hearing Xu Ran’s words, Luo Qianxue, on the other end of the Communication Jade Talisman, broke into a grin and replied in a slightly exaggerated tone:

”Senior, you think too highly of me. Although I want to continue the Sect’s lineage, I won’t give up my own cultivation path for it.”

”Our Sect has two Purple Mansion cultivators. I plan to wait a bit longer to see if either of them can break through. It would be best if one succeeds, as I could then enter my dust-covered seclusion in peace. If they both fail, then I won’t wait any longer and will enter seclusion regardless.”

”As for where the Sect goes from there, I can only leave it to fate. In any case, worst comes to worst, I can just re-establish the Sect again when the great prosperous era arrives in the future.”

She said it lightly, but Xu Ran could sense that she didn’t want to take that latter path.

If she truly didn’t care, why would she have waited until now? She would have entered her dust-covered seclusion long ago.

Luo Qianxue was unwilling to discuss the issue further. After she finished speaking, she immediately changed the subject, her tone tinged with a mix of envy and jealousy as she lamented:

”Now Fellow Daoist Li and Fellow Daoist Chu have both broken through to the Nascent Soul Stage. Among the three of us, I’m the only one who hasn’t.”

Her tone was incredibly complex.

Among the three of them, she had once taken the lead over Li Daoyi and Chu Lingxiao due to a fortunate turn for her sect.

She had thought she would always remain ahead of them, but she never imagined that today, she would be the one left far behind.

While Li Daoyi and Chu Lingxiao had become Nascent Soul True Monarchs, her cultivation was merely at the Golden Core Middle Stage.

In the four hundred-plus years since she had formed her Golden Core, her cultivation had only advanced by a single Small Realm. For a former prodigy like her, this was truly too slow.

So slow that she couldn’t get used to it. So slow... that she felt wronged.

’She should have been like Li Daoyi and Chu Lingxiao, living in a Major Sect, with the high hopes of its leadership and the sect as her backer. All she would have needed to do was focus on her cultivation, without a single care or worry in the world.’

’But now, the roles were reversed. She had become her Sect’s backer. In order to continue the Sect’s lineage, she could barely even squeeze out time to cultivate on her own.’

Xu Ran saw the emotional turmoil reflected in her eyes and, after a moment of silence, said:

”Cultivation has its fast and slow periods. They are only one step ahead of you for now. I believe it won’t be long before you catch up to them.”

At his words, Luo Qianxue’s eyelashes trembled, a lingering sadness in her eyes. She spoke softly:

”I don’t know if I’ll ever have the chance to catch up to them in this lifetime.”

Hearing her words, Xu Ran’s expression shifted slightly. After a brief silence, he said slowly:

”The Qianxue I know is not one to give up so easily. Since you’re not resigned to this, then all you have to do is chase after them with everything you’ve got.”

Luo Qianxue was taken aback for a moment. After a long silence, she gave a soft smile and said:

”You’re right. No matter what, I don’t want to be left behind by them.”

She clenched her fists and bit her lip lightly, her indignation on full display.

Seeing her reaction, Xu Ran couldn’t help but smile.

’It’s good that she feels this way.’

Finally, he said to her, ”I look forward to hearing the news of you becoming a Nascent Soul True Monarch.”

After Chu Lingxiao also decided to stay, there were four Nascent Soul True Monarchs from the Profound Pure Sect left to stand guard in the current era.

Li Daoyi, Chu Lingxiao, Chen Chang’an, and Zhang Zhentian.

The Supreme Elder from Guiyuan Peak who had previously stayed behind entered a dust-covered state after Chu Lingxiao broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage.

After Shen Wuchen and Ye Qingyue returned from the Overseas Archipelago, they worried that the archipelago might make a move, so they didn’t immediately enter seclusion. However, after waiting for more than a hundred years with everything remaining calm, they went ahead and entered their dust-covered states.