Yi Lian took a deep breath and stood up. His eyes were calm, filled with resolve. "Master… I've made my decision. I'll return to the mortal realm," he said firmly.
Jing Xuan's gaze softened, but she raised her hand to stop him. "Not yet," she said in a calm but resolute tone.
Yi Lian was taken aback. "Master, why?"
"You're emotionally unstable," Jing Xuan stated without hesitation.
His brows furrowed in confusion. "Emotionally unstable?" he echoed, his voice thoughtful. He paused for a moment, trying to grasp her meaning. "I don't feel unstable. I've made peace with my past. I've reflected, let go of my desires, and accepted my failures. I've grown beyond them, haven't I?"
Jing Xuan shook her head gently, her eyes filled with a mix of concern and wisdom. "You think you've overcome it, but the mind isn't that simple. Emotional instability isn't always something you can recognize on the surface. It's like a seed buried deep inside you. It hides, waiting for the right moment—or the wrong one—to sprout."
Yi Lian listened carefully, but doubt lingered in his mind. He had gone through so much. His journey had reshaped him entirely. How could he still be emotionally unstable?
Sensing his confusion, Jing Xuan sighed softly. "Yi Lian, you've experienced more than most mortals ever will, but your journey is far from over. I've lived longer than you can imagine. I've seen countless cultivators take the same path—some stronger than you, some wiser, yet many of them fell because they underestimated their own hearts."
Yi Lian opened his mouth to respond but closed it again. He knew better than to dismiss her words. Still, he needed answers. "Master, what do you mean by emotionally unstable? I don't understand."
Jing Xuan folded her hands behind her back and looked at him steadily. "Let me ask you this: have you ever had moments where painful memories suddenly resurface, catching you off guard? Times when you thought you had moved on, only for those feelings to come rushing back?"
Yi Lian's eyes flickered. He thought back to the times in the mortal realm when he had been overwhelmed by flashes of guilt and helplessness. There were moments when he remembered the faces of those he couldn't protect. He had dismissed those moments as fleeting, thinking they were remnants of his past self—echoes of a man he no longer was.
Jing Xuan continued, her voice steady and knowing. "You've buried many emotions deep within you. Perhaps you believed you had conquered them, but they are still there, waiting for the right moment to resurface. You can ignore them for now, but when you least expect it, they will rise again, stronger than before. And when that happens, you will be vulnerable."
Yi Lian clenched his fists. Her words struck him like a thunderclap. He hated to admit it, but she was right. There were moments when his emotions would surge without warning. He had always pushed them aside, thinking they were insignificant. Now he wasn't so sure.
"How do I deal with it?" he asked quietly, his voice filled with both curiosity and a hint of frustration. "How do I make sure those feelings don't control me?"
Jing Xuan smiled faintly. "The first step is awareness. You've taken that step by asking this question. But awareness alone isn't enough. You must confront those emotions—not avoid them, not suppress them. Face them head-on, understand their roots, and accept them. Only then will you be able to move beyond them."
Yi Lian fell silent, contemplating her words. Confronting emotions… It sounded simple, but he knew it would be anything but easy. Memories from his past surfaced once again, but this time, he didn't push them away. He let them linger, observing them with a newfound sense of clarity.
"I thought I had grown strong by leaving my past behind," he said finally, his voice steady but tinged with sorrow. "But maybe I only locked it away, pretending it didn't matter anymore."
Jing Xuan nodded. "Exactly. Growth isn't about abandoning your past. It's about integrating it into who you are, learning from it without letting it control you." She paused, then added, "You are stronger than you realize, Yi Lian. But strength without emotional clarity is like a blade without a handle. It will cut you just as easily as it cuts your enemies."
Yi Lian's gaze sharpened. He could feel a flame igniting within him—a desire not for power, but for true strength. The kind of strength that came from understanding, from mastering not just his cultivation but his own heart.
"Then I will confront it," he declared, his voice resolute. "I won't run from my emotions anymore. I will face them, no matter how painful they are. And when I return to the mortal realm, I'll be stronger—inside and out."
Jing Xuan's expression softened into a rare smile. "Good. That's the Yi Lian I've been waiting for."
There was a brief silence as her words settled in the air. Then, as if sensing his lingering thoughts, she spoke again. "Yi Lian, remember this: the road ahead will not be easy. You will stumble. You will fall. But as long as you continue to rise, you will never be truly defeated."
Yi Lian nodded. He could feel the weight of her words, but instead of being overwhelmed, he felt invigorated. His heart was lighter, his mind clearer.
"I understand, Master," he said, bowing deeply. "Thank you."
Jing Xuan watched him for a moment before turning away. "You've grown more than you know, Yi Lian. Now go. The answers you seek are within you. Trust yourself."
With those final words, she disappeared into the shadows, leaving Yi Lian alone in the vast hall.
He stood there for a long moment, reflecting on everything that had just transpired. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"This time," he whispered to himself, "I won't be running from anything. Not my past, not my emotions, and certainly not my future."
And with that, he turned and walked toward the next chapter of his journey, his heart burning with newfound determination.