Ch. 66 - Two Paths

He definitely didn’t dare bring Mu Qingqing along, with her personality, the entire journey would be chaotic.

Later, Xu Zimo pulled Lin Ruhu aside and quietly said, “In a few days, I’ll be going to Sacred Spring Sect with the Seventh Grand Elder. Do you want to come along?”

“I promised Qingqing I’d take her to the town outside the sect to stroll around,” Lin Ruhu replied, a little conflicted.

“No worries. I’ll just go with Little Gui then,” Xu Zimo said with a smile.

Then, after a brief pause, he spoke more seriously: “Ruhu, have you ever thought about the path you want to walk in the future? If you want to follow me and bear the burden of destiny, to become my first general… I won’t oppose you having relationships, but I hope you understand your priorities, don’t let your cultivation fall behind. But if you don’t have a burning desire for the pinnacle of martial arts, then I hope you can live life the way you want. With the protection of True Martial Sacred Ground, and with me around, I can guarantee you a peaceful life.”

Just as Lin Ruhu was about to respond, Xu Zimo raised his hand and said, “You don’t need to answer now. Think it over carefully. What does your heart truly desire? Tell me when I return from the Sacred Spring Sect.”

Lin Ruhu remained silent for a moment, then nodded firmly.

Watching Lin Ruhu and Mu Qingqing leave, Xu Zimo let out a long breath.

He went alone to the peak of South Goose Mountain, where cold winds blew like blades across the mountaintop.

They say the path of the Dao is walked alone, and the road of martial arts is lonely.

Why is it that so many people set off with you from the starting line, but only you are left at the finish?

Some fall due to lack of talent, their lifespan exhausted, leaving behind only bones on this path.

Others simply don’t aspire to the peak of martial arts. They meet someone they love and choose to live life their own way.

Not everyone’s dreams and goals are to reach the pinnacle of cultivation.

That’s why Xu Zimo had to help Lin Ruhu understand his own heart.

In his previous life, Xu Zimo hadn’t paid much attention to Lin Ruhu. The boy had always stood silently by his side, offering support without complaint.

He hadn’t even known about Lin Ruhu’s feelings for Mu Qingqing until this life.

If Lin Ruhu’s aspirations lay elsewhere, Xu Zimo wouldn’t force anything. With his abilities, he could ensure Ruhu lived a peaceful, safe life.

But if Lin Ruhu chose to follow him to battle across the skies, through endless hells, to shoulder the weight of Heaven’s Will,

Then Xu Zimo would not let him down. The Celestial Tiger Tyrant Physique had been obtained precisely with Ruhu’s future in mind.

……

Xu Zimo didn’t see himself as someone overly sentimental. His goals had never been clearer:

To bear the Heaven’s Will.

As for what came after that, he didn’t know yet. Was the end of the martial path becoming the Grand Emperor?

To Xu Zimo, an Emperor was just one brilliant checkpoint along the path of cultivation.

The human body had twelve meridian gates, and even God Meridian Realm cultivators only opened eight.

He didn’t believe that Grand Emperors had opened all twelve and transcended the mortal species to obtain unimaginable power.

So where had the Grand Emperors of the past gone? What were they truly pursuing?

……

After calming his mind, Xu Zimo returned to his courtyard. Little Gui had just come back from submitting their mission.

“Anything happening in the court lately?” Xu Zimo asked.

“Nothing major,” Little Gui replied. “Just a lot of activity in the outer court with the new disciples arriving. The Crouching Tiger List has been updated several times.”

“The ones you told me to watch, there’s a guy named Yan Buhui who climbed to 11th place on the list in just half a month. That guy Gao Xiong also made it to 23rd. As for the Sixth Grand Elder’s niece, Bai Lixiao, she hasn’t shown much, keeps a low profile. Those twin sisters, Xue Qianxue and Xue Mengmeng, are now her personal maids.”

“The script’s really playing out exactly like my previous life,” Xu Zimo chuckled.

“Oh right, senior brother,” Little Gui suddenly remembered, “Some disciples said that not long after you left, a girl named Ji Baiyu came to the court asking for you.”

Xu Zimo blinked in surprise. Last time in Skysword City, he’d promised to help Ji Baiyu join True Martial Sacred Ground.

But with everything that had happened since, he’d completely forgotten, until Little Gui reminded him.

“Where is she now?” Xu Zimo asked.

“Since her identity couldn’t be confirmed, the sect arranged for her to stay at Heroes Mountain,” Little Gui replied.

“Bring her here,” Xu Zimo said after thinking for a moment.

Heroes Mountain was where the sect housed guests and outsiders.

……

Not long after, Ji Baiyu arrived at South Goose Mountain, storming in furiously behind Little Gui.

She hadn’t changed much, but there was an added charm to her presence now. Dressed in a tight blue long robe, her graceful figure was accentuated in full.

Xu Zimo smiled but didn’t speak first.

Ji Baiyu glared at him, clearly seething with anger, but remained silent as well.

Noticing Little Gui’s eyes practically glowing with gossip, Xu Zimo raised an eyebrow and said, “Can’t you tell your boss is about to speak? Why are you still standing there like a fool?”

“I was just worried about you, senior brother,” Little Gui chuckled and quickly ran off.

“Where have you been all this time?” Ji Baiyu finally asked, her tone filled with restrained anger.

“What, missed me?” Xu Zimo grinned.

“You promised me something, and now you’ve made me wait this long,” Ji Baiyu took a deep breath to calm herself.

“I told you to come on the day we recruited new disciples. You missed it, that’s not my fault,” Xu Zimo shrugged. “I’m not going to waste my time waiting for you.”

“Fine, I’m here now,” Ji Baiyu said. “You better honor your promise.”

“You already missed the recruitment window. And with your cultivation already at True Meridian Realm, the outer court isn’t even suitable for you,” Xu Zimo replied. “I’ll have to place you in the inner court.”

“Inner court is fine,” Ji Baiyu nodded. She had come seeking protection, joining the True Martial Sacred Ground was all that mattered.

“Let me finish,” Xu Zimo continued. “If I just put you into the inner court without a reason, people will gossip. And it’ll cost me a lot of social capital. Shouldn’t you offer some compensation?”

“Compensation?” Ji Baiyu’s expression changed. “Wasn’t the Imperial Blood I gave you enough?”

“Huh? Imperial Blood? What Imperial Blood?” Xu Zimo looked confused. “When did I ever take anything like that?”

“You... you, ” Ji Baiyu pointed at Xu Zimo, speechless with rage. She finally gritted her teeth and spat out two words:

“Shameless bastard!!”

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