Chapter 1091: The Choice

Chapter 1091: The Choice

“Doctor, where did you find this herb?”

Su Kexin was puzzled. She had searched the mountain for a long time and hadn’t seen any besides the one she found near the cliff.

“It was given to me by someone,” the doctor replied.

“Given to you? By whom?” Su Kexin continued to ask.

“My little sister, it’s enough for you to know that someone gave it. If they don’t reveal their identity, there’s a reason for it,” the doctor said. The donor of the herb intended to remain anonymous and just did a good deed privately.

“Oh, I see. Well, I was actually hoping to meet my benefactor and thank her in person. I don’t have anything valuable to offer, but here’s a bracelet—could you help me with that…”

“No need, little sister. Since your benefactor helped anonymously, they naturally do not seek any reward. You are a martial artist now, correct?” the doctor asked.

Su Kexin nodded, “Mm-hmm, yes! Is there any way I can assist my benefactor?”

“No. I was just asking. You hope to enter the Xuanyun Sect for training in the future, right?”

“The Xuanyun Sect? Is this related to the Xuanyun Sect? Did a master help me!”

Su Kexin was quite sensitive, her thoughts going wild. Upon hearing this, she became excited. Could it be that while collecting herbs, she accidentally fell off a cliff and was saved by a cultivator from the Xuanyun Sect? And then they brought the herbs back to Ru Yu Village?

That could very well be the case!

“No, I just said it offhand. I heard from your mother that you want to enter for training, to one day make great achievements, slay demons, and help the weak. But, little sister, this path is perilous. Your mother has only you as a child. Your father has gone missing due to his martial arts training. While this concerns your family, I still advise you to think it through.”

“Mm…”

What the doctor said struck a chord with Su Kexin. It was true—her father was gone, and her mother was not well. If she went to the Xuanyun Sect for training, it wouldn’t be easy.

Moreover, with her current level, wanting to enter the Xuanyun Sect would be a long and arduous journey.

Should she give up?

Su Kexin was still conflicted. After all, she was just a girl with average talent; what achievements could she possibly make?

The doctor’s words were indeed considerate of their family. Perhaps a simple life was all she was suited for; a safe and stable life sounded just fine.

“Thank you, doctor. I understand now, and I’ll think it over.”

Su Kexin thanked the doctor politely, then followed his advice to prepare medicine, and after finishing, she went to feed her mother.

The doctor said little more and then left Su Kexin’s home.

Being experienced himself, he knew of children in the village with lofty aspirations who sought to practice martial arts, desiring to enter sects, only to die young before they could even begin. He remembered the heart-wrenching scene of villagers grieving. If one chose to live as an ordinary person, perhaps they wouldn’t have to walk that difficult path.

Out of good intentions, he also advised Xia Hanmo, hoping she would carefully consider if her child, Lin Nuo, should go to the Xuanyun Sect.

Xia Hanmo had thought it over too, wishing her child to stay safe. The Lin family was quite accomplished—honestly, Lin Nuo’s skills didn’t quite measure up. She felt something might be amiss with him entering the Xuanyun Sect.

But she couldn’t make the decision alone. If Lin Nuo wished to go, the Lin family strongly supported him, as it would bring them more reputation, and Lin Nuo was eager too, leaving her no choice but to allow it.

Upon returning to Ru Yu Village, Xia Hanmo didn’t boast about her child’s training at the Xuanyun Sect. She didn’t want to put pressure on him since he hadn’t achieved much yet.

Moreover, the village children were mostly ordinary, and she didn’t want them to take Lin Nuo as a role model and embark on a martial arts journey. Without a good talent, pursuing martial arts could tear a family apart.

The herb was a gift from Xia Hanmo, but the name was also concealed, so everyone remained unaware.

After Su Kexin fed her mother the medicine, her mother’s condition started to improve. With further care, she would likely recover soon.

“Kexin, you must have searched hard for this herb, right?”

Su Kexin’s mother spoke to her.

“No, mom, I didn’t find it myself. It was from a master’s help. I’m just an incapable girl who couldn’t gather them,” Su Kexin sighed.

“Oh, I see. That’s okay, Kexin, as long as you’re safe. We must thank that master properly.”

“I don’t know who they are. The doctor said they wish to remain anonymous, so we shouldn’t pry. Mom, can I ask you something? Do you support me in continuing my martial training and going to the Xuanyun Sect in the future?”

Su Kexin looked at her mother and quietly asked.

“Kexin, whatever decision you make, I will support you.”

“But… with my talent, if I persist, I might achieve nothing, or perhaps even meet an early demise. Dad said that practicing martial arts is about protecting the most important people. But he has gone missing. If he hadn’t pursued martial arts, we could have been a happy family.”

“Kexin, your father’s disappearance was an accident. Don’t think like that.”

“Mom, deep down, you still wish for me to be an ordinary person, don’t you? To find a good husband in the future, have a family, and live a simple life?”

“Kexin…”

“Mom, you rest well. I’ll go fetch some water.”

With that, Su Kexin helped her mother lie down comfortably, ensuring she was okay before leaving the room.

She pondered her position, questioning herself. Surely she wouldn’t reach her father’s level—if he couldn’t protect the family, what was the point of her continuing her training?

Feeling a bit troubled, she decided to take a walk to clear her mind.

By then, night had fallen. The candles in the village homes lit up, red flames painting the dark night with light.

She sighed and sat under a tree at the edge of the village, contemplating her situation.

“Maybe I should just give up. With my level, I can’t enter the Xuanyun Sect, and even if I could, I wouldn’t be valued, let alone achieve anything. Peace and stability are better.”

She sighed again, speaking to herself.

At that moment, a young voice came from above:

“Why is the girl sighing?”

“Ah? Who? Is someone up in the tree?”

Su Kexin looked up but couldn’t see anything in the dark and dense leaves.

“Don’t ask me who I am; I’m just a passerby,” the voice replied again. It belonged to Lin Nuo.

He had gone fishing but caught nothing and returned to rest in the tree after dinner. The cool breeze was quite pleasant.

Suddenly hearing a girl sighing and mentioning the Xuanyun Sect, he felt compelled to say something.

But he didn’t directly come down to talk; this hidden communication felt a bit like he was a master guiding the confused person unexpectedly.

Though really, he was just an amateur, far from any master.

But now, even if he rambled nonsense, it didn’t matter. At least he could indulge in a bit of fantasy.