Chapter 26: Planting the Seed of "Righteousness" in the Daoist Heart

"Master, I have lost..." Qu Ziyao whispered.

"It is of no consequence..."

Yue Suxian was just about to offer words of comfort to her disciple when she saw Qu Ziyao’s body go limp, suddenly collapsing toward the ground.

For a person of Qu Ziyao’s cultivation—a Golden Core powerhouse—to fall like this was unheard of; even a common mortal would not have collapsed so easily. Yue Suxian caught her in her arms, only to be shocked to discover that Qu Ziyao’s body felt boneless and soft, as if she could not muster even the slightest bit of strength.

Yue Suxian found it hard to believe and transmitted her voice, "Were you truly so terrified by Xiao Lin’s final strike that you lost your nerve?"

It was one thing for Xiao Lin, a mere pinnacle Qi Refining cultivator, to win with such overwhelming force. She had assumed that since he was Shen Wuya’s direct disciple, she had simply underestimated him. But that was no excuse to be so frightened that she lost her composure.

"Master..."

Qu Ziyao hurriedly stood up from Yue Suxian’s embrace. Her face flushed a deep crimson, a mix of indignation and shame. How could she explain that she felt exactly as her master did?

"But, Xiao Lin... he is truly different."

"In what way?"

The crushing defeat of Qu Ziyao had exceeded both their expectations. Unable to even consider leaving the scene, they began to analyze the battle through telepathic transmission right there.

"Just now, that was the strongest sword strike I have ever unleashed since breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, yet he dismantled it as if it were nothing."

"I could not even discern what technique he used..."

"And then, at the end..."

"I don't know why, but when facing him, I was overcome by a sense of being the most wicked of sinners. It was as if I had slaughtered thousands of innocent souls, and he had come to execute justice on behalf of the heavens, acting as the wrath of the divine."

"If I hadn't taken that step back, it might have been different. But once I retreated, my momentum crumbled."

Hearing this, Yue Suxian pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "The *Asura Heaven-Suppressing Art*."

"It is a technique that can only be cultivated and unleashed through the power of absolute righteousness or absolute evil."

"As a direct disciple of Wuya, he cannot possibly be driven by evil... I simply never imagined his righteous aura could reach such a terrifying level. No wonder he was able to use his presence to force you to reflect on your entire life..." And no wonder, she added to herself, he was able to purify the Fallen Sword Immortal.

Hearing this, Qu Ziyao’s face flushed red once more. So, her master had also noticed that Xiao Lin had forced her into a near-death flashback.

Yet, despite her embarrassment, Qu Ziyao looked toward Xiao Lin, bit her lip, and said, "I have lost. My junior brother defeated my Foundation Establishment cultivation with his Qi Refining, and I accept this defeat with all sincerity."

If she refused to acknowledge the loss, she would not only lose her dignity but her own path of cultivation, making it difficult to progress further.

Yue Suxian looked up, gazing deeply at Xiao Lin. "This matter... was my fault."

Qu Ziyao looked on, bewildered. Had her master been in the wrong? At that moment, Qu Ziyao truly felt a pang of guilt.

"Since you have soundly defeated Ziyao, I will not let you leave without a reward."

As Yue Suxian spoke, she flicked her slender hand, and a stream of light flew into Xiao Lin’s grasp—an exquisite jade box.

He did not stand on ceremony and opened it on the spot. A faint medicinal fragrance drifted out; it was a Foundation Establishment Pill.

A bit cliché, isn't it? Although the pill was of great value—as the two ingredients used to refine it were also components for even more precious elixirs, such as those that helped Golden Core cultivators break through or doubled the chances of forming a Nascent Soul—it was entirely useless to him.

"Many thanks, Senior."

Despite the words, Xiao Lin remained expressionless, showing not a hint of gratitude. Yue Suxian glanced at him briefly before leaving the area with the somewhat conflicted Qu Ziyao in tow.

Xiao Lin could not be bothered to put on a pleasant face for Yue Suxian. His righteousness was so intense it bordered on the fanatical; he was not so kind as to be a fool. He scanned the countless streams of comments appearing before his eyes, a faint smile finally touching his lips.

"Damn, Brother is so cool! So cool!"

"That display of dominance was better than any climax!"

"This reminds me of something."

"He's cool, but he's fighting a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator, why is his robe torn?"

"You laugh at Brother Lin for not being unscathed; Brother Lin laughs at you for not understanding the art of the 'cool factor'."

"You don't understand the production team's little tricks—this is specifically for us to see Brother Lin's physique."

"Look at this black robe, isn't it handsome? It's all by design, all planned!"

"What are you guys babbling about? I'm just here to drool over him!"

"Did anyone notice that love-struck master and disciple? They were so beaten they had to stop and analyze the match on the spot! I'm dying of laughter."

"Making Qu Ziyao see her entire life flash before her eyes is the funniest part. She almost met her ancestors."

"I have a feeling that if the master is love-struck, the disciple won't be far behind. They'll end up falling for Brother Lin and suffer from unrequited love!"

"I want to see that."

"Me too."

[Popularity +10...]
[Popularity +10...]

The elders present were also unable to snap out of their daze for a long time. The white-haired elder stroked his beard and said, "He truly has... a touch of the Sect Master's style."

The other two elders nodded slightly. Even if Xiao Lin could not reach Shen Wuya’s heights in the future, the Golden Core stage would not be the limit of his journey.

"What did I tell you? The one who needed saving was someone else entirely!" Yue Rongshan chuckled. This was his keen eye at work.

Another elder shot him a look of annoyance. "Fine, fine, you're the only one with vision, we’re all blind, happy now?"

"Hahaha!" Yue Rongshan laughed loudly. "Say what you will. Alright, alright, come take a look at Changhe; why has he been unconscious for so long?"

The white-haired elder drifted over. His name was Jiang Taiyi, though some preferred to call him "Doctor Jiang," for his medical skills were nothing short of miraculous. It could be said that among the five elders of Sword Mountain, besides having attained the peak of sword cultivation and internal power, each was also a master of at least one other Great Dao.

As Jiang Taiyi examined Li Changhe’s condition, he asked, "How did it come to this?"

Xiao Lin replied, "Senior Brother was bewitched by the Fallen Sword Immortal, so I had no choice but to knock him unconscious."

The three elders were left feeling dazed. A pinnacle Qi Refining cultivator defeating a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator could be attributed to Xiao Lin being a prodigy. Across the vast world, among the various righteous and demonic sects, such talents were not unheard of. But for a pinnacle Qi Refining cultivator to knock out a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator—who was also Shen Wuya’s chief disciple and the future leader of the righteous path—was another matter entirely.

Jiang Taiyi couldn't help but scold, "You old geezer, I wondered why you were so confident, it turns out you already knew the strength of this Kirin child!"

"That’s none of your concern!"

With that, the four elders quietly continued their examination of Li Changhe.

Xiao Lin, however, walked over to Tang Qianxue and handed her the Foundation Establishment Pill. "Senior Sister, take this."

Tang Qianxue instinctively wanted to refuse.

Xiao Lin immediately said, "This item is useless to me. I have had a revelation; I believe that within three days, I will break through naturally and achieve Foundation Establishment."

As he spoke, the four elders stole a glance in their direction.

"But this is still too precious..." Tang Qianxue still wanted to decline. She was only at the early stage of Qi Refining; when would she ever need a Foundation Establishment Pill?

Xiao Lin smiled. "This pill is not given to you for nothing, Senior Sister. You must agree to one condition."

Tang Qianxue, driven more by curiosity, asked, "Tell me, little Kirin."

Xiao Lin infused a touch of righteous energy into his words, gazing deeply into her eyes as he said earnestly, "I hope that in the future, whenever you feel conflicted, hesitant, or your heart begins to waver, you will remember your junior brother."

He was planting an anchor in Tang Qianxue’s heart. If he could not avoid the future where she turned to darkness, he hoped that this sentence and this pill would allow her to wake up slightly when she thought of him, preventing her from slaughtering the innocent.

Only then, when they eventually stood on opposite sides of the blade, would he be able to...

Spare her life and bring her back to the mountain.