Chapter 9: This is a Lie

“Rebellious disciple! Rebellious disciple! Rebellious disciple!”

“Without a Spiritual Root, how will you cultivate in the future!”

Forest Sword Hall.

Tiger paintings with cloud patterns, faint green smoke, ancient trees shading the roof.

Li Wanshou’s face was gloomy, shouting at Xu Xi for the first time. The usually kind old man’s furious scolding showed how truly angry he was this time.

“It’s simple, I just won’t cultivate anymore, Teacher.”

Xu Xi replied with a faint smile. Perhaps because this simulation was nearing its end, he felt no fear facing the enraged Li Wanshou.

After a pause.

His voice was calm this time: “After all, I don’t have many years left after this. Whether I cultivate or not makes no difference.”

Hearing this, Li Wanshou’s expression stiffened, his anger gradually fading, replaced by a complex look as he gazed at his beloved disciple who had lost all his cultivation.

“Speak, tell me everything from start to finish, what exactly have you done?”

“Yes, Teacher.”

Without hiding anything, Xu Xi explained how he researched the External Spiritual Root and the act of burning himself to create it, leaving nothing out, ensuring Li Wanshou understood completely.

“Ah,” Li Wanshou’s eyes widened.

He even accidentally pulled out a white beard.

“How is this possible? I only mentioned it casually back then, and you actually created an External Spiritual Root.”

“A prodigy, a true prodigy!”

Li Wanshou was first overjoyed, then shook his head in regret: “What a pity, child, you’ve already destroyed your own Spiritual Root. Otherwise, ascending to immortality would have been possible.”

The old man suddenly fell silent, shaking his head and sighing.

He paced back and forth in the hall.

Finally, he stamped his foot in frustration.

Angrily, he looked at Xu Xi.

“Rebellious disciple, why are you so impatient? Do you even know what you’ve done? Why didn’t you discuss it with me beforehand!?”

Facing the old man’s scolding, Xu Xi shook his head slightly: “If I had told you beforehand, you would have stopped me, right?”

“I understand your meaning, Teacher. You wanted me to take it slow and steady, to save Mo Li’s life without harming myself.”

“But, I couldn’t do it.”

“I couldn’t stand by and watch my loved one die.”

The old man was speechless.

His lips twitched unconsciously, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to scold further.

His eyes gradually softened, showing a hint of relief.

Like seeing a naive child grow up, an elder couldn’t help but feel emotional.

“I understand now.”

“Since it’s your decision, as your teacher, I have nothing more to say.”

All anger subsided, Li Wanshou said: “I’ll handle the sect for you. I still have some influence there.”

“But as for Mo Li…”

Li Wanshou hesitated, then stopped.

He knew the bond between the siblings was strong. If Xu Moli learned that her brother sacrificed himself to save her, she might be on the verge of collapse.

A gentle breeze blew, rustling the ancient trees outside the hall, creating waves of shadowy leaves.

Faintly, the sound of an ancient bell echoed.

Xu Xi’s pupils darkened: “I don’t plan to tell her the truth. After some time, I’ll leave the Heavenly Sword Sect.”

“Then, Mo Li will be entrusted to your guidance, Teacher.”

The reality of surviving at the cost of her brother’s life was too cruel.

Even someone weathered by life would feel guilt and remorse.

Not to mention.

The girl who had always relied on Xu Xi, always by his side since childhood.

…

After discussing everything with his teacher, Xu Xi, carrying an ancient wooden sword, slowly left the Forest Sword Hall. The sword was forced upon him by the old man.

As follows:

“Get out, rebellious disciple!”

“Take this sword, so you don’t get killed by mortals and embarrass me outside!”

The old man shouted, jumping, and chased Xu Xi out of the ancient hall.

With a bang, he closed the door.

As if he never wanted to see Xu Xi again.

Xu Xi stood outside the hall, the stone path winding down. He reached back, gripping the wooden sword’s hilt, feeling the surging mana within.

With the original owner’s permission.

Even a mortal could wield it freely.

“Disciple obeys.”

…

Returning to his cultivation cave, Xu Xi stayed by the bedside for two days until the External Spiritual Root fully merged with the girl’s body, and the Heaven’s Calamity dissipated without a trace.

Correspondingly, the girl’s inexplicable breakthrough in Qi Sensation.

Though she hadn’t truly started cultivating.

Her innate talent had taken the first step beyond the ordinary.

“Elder Brother…”

Xu Moli’s voice was hoarse, weak from her recent recovery, but she quickly realized her body no longer ached, even feeling an indescribable lightness.

“Great.”

As if guessing something, she smiled sweetly at Xu Xi from her sickbed: “Elder Brother has kept his promise to Mo Li.”

“Yes.”

Xu Xi gently held the girl’s warm, pale hand.

Like holding a flying flower.

Catching the summer breeze.

His tired voice was gentle: “Elder Brother promised to save Mo Li, and I did.”

The girl smiled even more, but as she laughed, her eyes uncontrollably reddened, and she kept wiping them with the back of her hand.

“Sorry, Elder Brother, I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel like crying.”

“It’s like something very sad happened.”

“It’s strange, I should be happy right now.”

For some reason.

For no reason.

Xu Moli clutched her chest, her fingers turning white, as if something extremely important was slipping away, something she absolutely could not lose.

More important than her life, more precious than all her perseverance.

Like the roots of a tree, the wings of a bird, the teeth of a beast.

Without it, she couldn’t survive, suffocating.

“It’s okay.”

Xu Xi’s comforting voice came from beside her, his hand gently stroking her hair. Only then did the emptiness from losing that important thing briefly fill.

“I think little Mo Li has been asleep for too long, her body isn’t used to it.”

“It’ll get better with time, don’t worry.”

Is that so…

The 17-year-old girl felt something was off, but upon reflection, Xu Xi had no reason to lie. Perhaps it was just her long illness making her cry uncontrollably.

Thinking this, her emotions gradually calmed.

There was.

Nothing to fear anymore.

No matter the hardships, Elder Brother would always be by her side. With him here, there was nothing to be afraid of.

Yes, as long as Elder Brother is here.

Xu Moli tightly grasped Xu Xi’s hand, holding it firmly, unwilling to let go.

“Will Elder Brother leave Mo Li?”

“…No.”

This was a lie.