Xu Xian covered his sword awkwardly, looking utterly dejected.
Ye Xianyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Li Qingshan's face was dark as he thought to himself, 'What kind of thing did I bring back?'
The Pavilion Elders looked at each other. In the solemn and majestic hall, the atmosphere had become inexplicably bizarre.
Ye Xianyu waved her sleeve to break the awkwardness. "Alright, the business is finished. Everyone is dismissed."
The Pavilion Elders bowed again and slowly retreated in small groups, whispering incessantly. Li Qingshan was among them; once they exited the hall, they each returned to their respective mountains.
Before long, the great hall was empty once more. Xu Xian was still huddled in his chair, face buried in his chest, not even noticing that Ye Xianyu had already stood up and walked down the long steps.
"Xu Xian."
"Ah!"
Ye Xianyu’s elegant brows knitted slightly as her gaze fell upon the stone chair. "What, are you really so reluctant to get up?"
His embarrassment doubled as he scrambled to his feet.
"Let's go."
"Oh."
He quickly caught up to her, trailing half a step behind. He followed her pace, looking as if he wanted to say something but was hesitating. Finally, he asked, "That's it? It's over?"
Ye Xianyu replied indifferently, "Otherwise? Did you really expect to be crowned king or something?"
"That was certainly casual," Xu Xian muttered under his breath.
He felt that for such a solemn occasion and such a grand display, just kowtowing three times was a bit too lax.
Ye Xianyu said nonchalantly, "How about I call the entire sect's disciples together to bow to you as well? Would that satisfy you?"
"That... really isn't necessary."
"Heh... you wish. Keep dreaming."
Xu Xian put on a beaming smile and leaned in closer. "Um..."
Ye Xianyu cut him off imperiously. "What 'um'... call me Senior Sister."
"Er... Senior Sister. I just wanted to ask... when our Master takes a disciple, isn't there an initiation gift or something? I see other people getting them when they join a master. I've already done the kowtows, so you see..." Xu Xian said thick-skinned.
What did cultivation prioritize?
It was background, heritage, artifacts, immortal arts, and spirit medicines. Otherwise, one would have to suffer. He didn't want to suffer, so he had to fight for opportunities himself.
Ye Xianyu feigned ignorance. "You want a greeting gift?"
Xu Xian denied it. "No, I was just asking casually."
"There is one. A newbie starter pack, one for every person. And as everyone knows, the treatment for disciples of our Wendao Sword Sect is the best. You'll enjoy all the sect benefits."
"You know that's not what I'm talking about."
Ye Xianyu said lazily, "So you mean an initiation gift from Master? Then you'll have to ask the old man himself."
Xu Xian was speechless.
Where was he supposed to find the old man? He didn't even know what the man looked like. He only knew his name was Li Taibai, the Sword Ancestor of Fanzhou, and that he was incredibly powerful.
But the problem was, he wasn't here.
He curled his lip. "Senior Sister, you're quite the joker."
"You're the one who started joking first," Ye Xianyu said.
Seeing he wasn't going to get any benefits, Xu Xian stopped being tense. He reverted to his usual lackadaisical manner, crossing his arms behind his head and sauntering along with a drawl:
"Fine, if you won't give it, then don't. Anyway, as of right now, I have nothing. No cultivation methods, no artifacts, no cultivation level... just don't blame me for embarrassing the old man in the future."
He spoke loudly on purpose.
Unfortunately.
Ye Xianyu didn't seem to fall for it.
The benefits of the Wendao Sword Sect were mostly implicit.
The spirit swords in the Sword Mound, the techniques in the Dao Pavilion, and so on.
It was just that these things were available to everyone; they were never anyone's exclusive privilege.
She didn't explain. She simply asked softly:
"Little Eleven, do you think that because you are Master's disciple, you can easily obtain things others cannot? Such as immortal swords, immortal arts, power, status... or something else?"
Xu Xian looked at her from the side, a look of confusion on his face.
"Is it not so?"
The two of them walked out of the hall, across the square, and toward the edge of the cliff. Along the way, Ye Xianyu lectured him:
"Since I am taking you in on Master's behalf, I shall give you three pieces of advice in his stead today. Keep them well in mind."
Xu Xian didn't speak, perking up his ears to listen.
"The first is: 'Fairness breeds clarity; bias breeds darkness. Matters are judged by right or wrong; justice ignores proximity.'"
Xu Xian was stunned, a flicker of light passing through his eyes in slight shock.
Ye Xianyu asked, "Do you know what this means?"
Xu Xian pondered for a moment and nodded subconsciously.
Ye Xianyu was somewhat surprised. Xu Xian came from a mountain village that was isolated from the world. In a village of hundreds, not a single person was literate. The fact that he could understand this was unexpected. She tested him:
"Explain it?"
Xu Xian didn't hide anything and summarized it simply in plain language:
"Senior Sister, you spoke two sentences. The first six words, 'fairness breeds clarity; bias breeds darkness,' mean that fairness and justice allow people to understand reason, while listening to only one side makes people ignorant and muddled. Justice makes one wise, while partiality leads to folly. It's a warning to those in power not to be biased, or they will harm both others and themselves..."
"The second sentence, 'matters are judged by right or wrong; justice ignores proximity,' means roughly the same thing. To judge the right or wrong of a matter, one must base it on the facts of the matter itself, rather than one's own preferences or prejudices. One who is just and selfless does not show favoritism because of how close or distant their relationship is with someone. However, whether it's the first or the second sentence, it ultimately boils down to two concepts: fairness and justice."
Ye Xianyu paused her steps and looked back at the youth, marveling, "Wow, Little Eleven. I originally thought you were a crude fellow, but I didn't expect you to be a man of learning. You know quite a lot."
Xu Xian shot back a look.
"Don't make such a fuss."
Then his tone shifted, and he became lazy again, saying mockingly, "However, where in this world is there true fairness or justice? From the moment a person is born, their fate is sealed. Wealth, poverty, nobility, and lowliness are determined by the heavens. In the words of you cultivators: 'Everything is fate, nothing is up to man.' One must know that everyone has their own destiny, and it is not something I can change. Therefore, 'fairness and justice' is just a joke."
Ye Xianyu looked at him with new eyes after hearing his pessimistic argument.
She wasn't surprised by the logic in his words; after all, she had lived for so long, how could she not understand such simple principles? She just didn't understand how someone as young as Xu Xian could see through it so thoroughly.
Was it because of the sword stele?
It could only be the sword stele.
She didn't refute his words. She continued forward, finally stopping at the edge of the Sword Pavilion cliff. Standing in the wind, she gazed down the mountain, taking in the entire Wendao Sword Sect at a glance.
Xu Xian followed by her side. Being somewhat afraid of heights, he shrank back a bit as he looked into the distance, his vision suddenly opening up.
Ye Xianyu’s voice rose again, slow and exceptionally pleasant to the ear.
She said, "You are right. There has never been absolute fairness or justice in the world. It is the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak. Humans are born with selfishness, but..."
She turned and gave Xu Xian a deep look before continuing, "That doesn't mean it's right."
Xu Xian was slightly confused...
Ye Xianyu said, "You just said everything is fated by the heavens and nothing is up to man. But don't forget, we are not ordinary people; we are cultivators. What is cultivation? It is seizing the providence of heaven and earth for one's own use, seeking the Dao and longevity, contending with heaven and earth. This itself is an act of defying heaven to change one's fate."
Xu Xian remained silent.
'My fate is mine to control, not the heavens'.'
This had always been the favorite catchphrase of cultivators...
Ye Xianyu's words took on a profound meaning.
"Of course there is no absolute fairness in the world, but there is relative fairness. What my Wendao Sword Sect pursues is relative fairness. In the Wendao Sword Sect, no matter whose disciple you are—be it the Sword Ancestor's, mine, or even if your master is just an ordinary Deacon—it is all the same. Rewarding based on merit is the first principle; seeking opportunities for oneself is the second. If you want a cultivation method, go to the Dao Pavilion and choose it yourself. If you want a weapon, go to the Sword Mound and take it yourself. If you get it, it's your own skill, and no one will be jealous. If you can't, it's because you're not good enough, and you can't blame others. Medicinal pills, immortal plants, and so on are exchanged using merit points..."
At this point, she looked back at Xu Xian and said with more emphasis, "I can't control how others act. Like I said, humans are born with selfishness. If they want to look after their own disciples, that's their business. But I am different, and you are different. Since you and I are disciples of the Sword Ancestor, we must act according to the rules. Do you understand?"
Xu Xian was stunned for a long time. In this moment, he suddenly felt as if Ye Xianyu was glowing from behind. He could hardly hide the respect in his eyes.
It wasn't because of her cultivation level.
It was because of what she had said.
He swallowed and instinctively said, "I understand!"
"Do you really?"
Xu Xian rolled his eyes and said sheepishly, "Strict with oneself, lenient with others, right?"
After saying that, he gave a thumb's up and offered a perfunctory compliment: "You... are so noble."
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