Chapter 4: The essence of love and freedom
After passing the test, the disciples enter the outer sect. The surroundings are different, with better living conditions, food, and access to a library. An elder guides them to the library, where each disciple must choose one martial art technique book, and they are only allowed to go up to the second floor. Some of the newly recruited outer disciples discuss their choices, with one saying they will choose the best martial technique.
Su Fang chooses the Wolf Claw technique due to his affinity with the power of the wolf. Su Dai is about to choose another technique, but Su Dao advises him against it. "No, for your strength, the best technique is the Iron Fist technique," he says, guiding Su Dai toward the more fitting choice. Su Dai then proceeds to select the Iron Fist technique.
Su Dai turns to Su Dao and asks, "What will you choose? A speed technique?"
Su Dao laughs. "Haha, no, I'm good at understanding and knowledge. So, I should choose the Mind's Eye Technique."
The Mind's Eye Technique is for strategy and scheming; it helps the user perceive an opponent's weaknesses with great clarity. After selecting their techniques, everyone exited, and the elder took them to their dorms, where they would live from now on. The place was beautiful, with a decent bed and ample space—not like the cramped, worker-area rooms.
The elder spoke, "In two hours, you must come to the study room for your class." He handed each of them a map of the outer sect.
Su Dao glanced at the map for only a second and, due to the Mind's Eye Technique, remembered every detail. He headed to his bed and began cultivating. Su Dai, Su Fang, and Hau Lou also began their cultivation routines.
Meanwhile, Su Qian was hanging out with the top 9 rankers of the outer sect. She turned to one of them and said, "Senior Brother, you promised to give me one Qi Pill from the bottle."
The person, named Chu Tian, chuckled and replied, "I did say that, but I already gave it to you yesterday. Look, you've made progress, and you're now at the 4th level of Qi Gathering. Among your friends, you're the strongest."
Su Feng and Su Hou were also making progress, despite not having the same support as Su Qian. Both were at the 3rd level of Qi Gathering.
Two hours later, Su Dao broke through to the 1st level of Qi Gathering, and the others did the same. They all gathered outside and made their way to the study room.
Upon entering the study room, Su Fang and Su Hou were excited to see their old friends, but Su Qian mocked them. "Well, look who decided to show up," she said with a sneer.
The teacher walked into the room, his face calm but serious. The disciples quickly took their seats, the room falling silent. He looked at them and asked, "What does cultivation give you?"
The disciples exchanged glances, unsure of how to answer. After a moment, a girl named Lin Yue stood up. Her confident gaze swept across the room, and she spoke clearly, "Teacher, cultivation gives us strength to protect ourselves and those we care about."
The teacher nodded but didn't seem fully satisfied. "That is one reason, yes. But is cultivation only about strength?"
Another disciple raised his hand. "It helps us live longer, teacher!"
The teacher smiled faintly. "True. Cultivation can extend your life. But what else?"
Su Dao stood up slowly, his voice calm and thoughtful. "Cultivation gives us freedom, teacher. The stronger we are, the less we are controlled by others. It lets us choose our own path. In this world, only ultimate power dominates others."
The teacher's eyes lingered on Su Dao, his expression unreadable, before he nodded. "Good. Cultivation is not just about strength or long life. It is about freedom, growth, and understanding yourself and the world around you. Remember, the path of cultivation is not the same for everyone. Each of you must find your own answer."
The class ended, and Su Dai approached Su Dao with a smile. "You have good knowledge, Su Dao."
Su Dao laughed lightly. "Haha, no, it's nothing."
Su Dai then said, "Let's go eat."
Su Dao shook his head. "Not now. You go ahead."
"Alright," Su Dai said, walking off.
Later, as Su Dao was heading back to his dorm, he was stopped by Su Qian and her boyfriend, Chu tian. Su Qian smirked and said, "You said ultimate power dominates others and controls them? Well, in this outer sect, we are the ultimate power."
Su Dao chuckled. "Then try."
Wei Jian charged at Su Dao, his aura fierce. Though Chu tian was ranked 9th among the outer disciples, Su Dao stood his ground, carefully observing. Activating his Mind's Eye Technique, he analyzed Chu tian weaknesses.
Chu tian laughed mockingly. "What a useless technique!" He launched his Flame Punch Technique, but Su Dao dodged and countered with a sharp kick, making Wei Jian spit blood. Following up, Su Dao delivered a strong punch, confident he had won.
But Chu tian suddenly grinned, wiping the blood from his lips. "You think you've won? You're wrong!" He gathered energy and struck Su Dao with a fiery punch to the ribs.
Su Dao staggered back, pain surging through him. "How...?" he muttered.
Wei Jian sneered. "Your technique might see weaknesses, but my strength overwhelms that. Against me, your so-called knowledge is useless." He laughed and turned to Su Qian. "Let's go, honey. This trash can stay here on the ground."
As they walked away, Su Dao clenched his fists, his face pale but his eyes burning with determination. He whispered, "Even though I don't have the power to compete with you now, I have knowledge. I, Su Dao, will completely destroy you, your clan, and make your descendants question why their ancestors ever dared to cross me."
After losing to Chu Tian, Su Dao returned to his room, his ribs aching with every step. He sat cross-legged, trying to cultivate, but the pain was unbearable. His face twisted in frustration as he realized he didn't have money to buy medicine, and the monthly pill distribution was still a week away.
"I can't wait," he muttered, clenching his fists. "If I want to heal, I'll have to find herbs myself."
The pain made walking nearly impossible, but Su Dao gritted his teeth and forced himself to move. Step by step, he made his way toward the nearby mountain, a place known for its treacherous terrain and spirit beasts. Fortunately, he had some knowledge of medicinal herbs from reading books in the sect library.
As he searched the dense forest, his sharp eyes caught sight of an old, weathered house hidden among the trees. It seemed out of place in this dangerous wilderness. "Who could live here, in a place where spirit beasts roam freely?" he thought.
Curiosity overcame caution, and Su Dao approached. Inside, he saw an old man sitting on a simple wooden chair, carefully drawing a portrait. The figure in the drawing was a woman, her face radiant with warmth and beauty, her eyes filled with a gentle kindness. Su Dao could feel the deep emotion in every stroke of the old man's brush.
He hesitated before stepping closer and bowing. "Elder, I apologize if I've disturbed you."
The old man looked up, his eyes calm but laced with a sadness that seemed endless. "No need to apologize, young one. You are not disturbing me. Who are you?"
Su Dao hesitated. Revealing his real name felt risky. "Meng Luo," he lied, watching the old man carefully. "Elder, why do you live here in this forest? Aren't you afraid of the spirit beasts?"
The old man chuckled softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Why should I fear? When a man loses everything, what is left to protect? And when there is nothing left to protect, what is there to fear?"
Su Dao glanced at the drawing and hesitated before asking, "Elder, is that... someone important to you?"
The old man's smile faded as he gazed at the portrait. "She was everything to me. My light, my reason, my anchor in this chaotic world. But now, she is gone, and all I have left is her memory."
Su Dao frowned. "If she meant so much, shouldn't you fight to protect her memory? To live for her?"
The old man shook his head slowly. "Her memory is all that sustains me, but the world has already taken everything else. Fear, hatred, even love—they all fade when you have nothing left. What remains is clarity, young one. True clarity comes not from gaining, but from losing."
He looked up at Su Dao, his gaze piercing. "So tell me, Meng Luo, what do you seek? Is it strength? Revenge? Or something greater?"
Here's an enhanced version of Su Dao's response with depth and wisdom:
---
The old man's gaze remained steady, his question lingering in the air like a challenge. Su Dao straightened his back despite the pain in his ribs, his voice calm but resolute.
"Elder, I seek neither strength nor revenge. I seek understanding. I want to grasp the truth of this world, to see through its illusions and unravel its mysteries. Strength fades, revenge poisons the soul, but knowledge and understanding endure.
"I wish to walk a path that allows me to rise above the chaos, not be consumed by it. To shape my destiny with clarity and wisdom, not be shackled by the petty desires of power or vengeance. In the end, I seek freedom—not from others, but from ignorance, fear, and the chains of this fleeting world."
The old man's eyes widened slightly, a glimmer of respect flickering in his gaze. He chuckled softly, his voice carrying a hint of approval. "You speak of a rare and noble pursuit, young one. Understanding the world is no easy path. It demands sacrifice, patience, and the strength to endure solitude. Are you prepared for such a journey?"
Su Dao met the old man's eyes with unwavering determination. "If it means I can walk my own path, then I am ready for whatever it takes."
The old man leaned back in his chair, observing Su Dao with a curious glint in his eyes. "By the way, young one, why have you come to this mountain, where spirit beasts roam freely?"
Su Dao hesitated before bowing slightly. "Elder, I came here to find herbs to heal my injury. My ribs are broken, and I cannot afford to wait for the sect's monthly pills."
The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Ah, broken ribs. A troublesome injury indeed. I can give you some medicine to ease the pain and speed up your recovery."
Su Dao's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Thank you, elder!"
The old man raised a hand to stop him. "Not so fast. I have a condition. Before I help you, you must answer my question."
Su Dao stiffened, nodding slowly. "What would you like to ask, elder?"
The old man's expression grew serious, and his tone carried a weight that made Su Dao feel as though the question was far deeper than it seemed. "What is love, and what is marriage?"
Su Dao froze, his mind racing. He had never experienced love, let alone marriage, and the weight of the question left him momentarily speechless. But he quickly composed himself, took a deep breath, and began to speak.
"Elder, love is the most precious thing one can give to their partner. True love doesn't come from the body—it is not mere lust. It doesn't come from the heart alone, for even when the heart is broken, love still lingers. Nor does it come from the soul alone, for even if the soul is erased, love persists in some form, somewhere.
"Love is an unshakable connection, a force that transcends the physical and the ephemeral. It is selfless, enduring, and eternal.
"As for marriage, it is a sacred bond—a union of two lives, two paths, into one. Ideally, marriage happens only once, with the one you truly cherish above all others. While it's true that people may marry more than once, and that is their choice, the purity and depth of the love found in a first marriage is hard to replicate. The first union creates an image, a memory, that defines what love and commitment mean."
The old man sat silently, his gaze fixed on Su Dao. After a moment, he sighed, his expression softening. "You speak with wisdom beyond your years, young one. Perhaps you have never experienced love or marriage yourself, but your understanding of it is profound."
He rose from his chair, retrieving a small vial of medicine from a wooden shelf. "Here, take this. It will mend your ribs quickly. Consider it a gift, not just for your answer, but for your sincerity."
Su Dao bowed deeply, his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, elder. I will remember your kindness."
The old man smiled faintly. "Remember, young one, the path of cultivation is long and lonely. Cherish love when you find it, and honor those who walk beside you. Now go—this mountain is not a place to linger."
As Su Dao stepped out of the old man's house, he couldn't help but laugh softly to himself. "Hahaha, in my 200 years of life, I've never had love or marriage, yet I still gave such an answer!"
He paused, his laughter fading into a bittersweet smile. "Maybe I've never experienced love, but I did have a crush once. She made my heart race, and for the first time, I felt the urge to propose to someone. But back then... I didn't have the courage."
He sighed deeply, looking up at the starry sky. "Now, it's too late. But if I ever get the chance again, I'll say it, no matter what. I won't care if she rejects me, if people mock me, or even if I'm humiliated. Because the pain of regret is far worse than rejection."
He chuckled bitterly, shaking his head. "I won't let myself carry regrets like this again."
With that thought, Su Dao returned to his room. He took the medicine the old man had given him and immediately felt a soothing warmth spreading through his body. The pain in his ribs eased, and he sat down to cultivate.
As he focused on his cultivation, a lingering thought crossed his mind. "Why didn't I tell the old man I don't seek revenge? Even I'm not sure why I avoided saying it..." But he quickly dismissed the thought, refocusing his mind and heart.
---
The Next Day
The morning sunlight filtered through Su Dao's small window as he finished his cultivation session. He opened his eyes, a faint glow of energy surrounding him. His injuries had fully healed, and he felt stronger than ever.
To his surprise, he had broken through to the 2nd layer of Qi Gathering. "Two levels in two days," he murmured, a small smile forming on his lips. "It seems even setbacks can lead to progress."
He clenched his fist, feeling the newfound strength coursing through him. "This is just the beginning. Chu Tian, the next time we meet, the outcome will be different."
With determination in his heart, Su Dao stepped out into the world, ready to face the challenges ahead.