Chapter 148: Unable to Guide You

“Reckless? Where is the recklessness?” Guanzhu Sikong Yang frowned.

“It’s hard-earned for a cultivator to step into the Transcendent. Who gives others the right to decide a cultivation path?” Chi Qiubai said. “If the path is wrong, who will take responsibility?”

Sikong Yang was momentarily stunned, then snorted. “A senior helps decide a path, which increases the chance of success. If one cultivates blindly, the possibility of failure is greater.”

“If one chooses wrongly, one bears the consequence, with no complaints! Why should a so-called senior directly decide a path? After working so hard to become Transcendent, why should our cultivation path be decided by seniors?” Chi Qiubai retorted. “Dongbo Xueying has become Transcendent. His own path should be walked by himself. Why force him?”

Sikong Yang countered, “Knowing he is heading down a detour, should we just watch him go?”

Chi Qiubai’s voice was soft but firm, “Without even freedom, can one still be worthy of being called Transcendent? Being a mortal would be freer than being a Transcendent! If given the chance, perhaps I would rather be a mortal.”

Guanzhu Sikong Yang fell silent. He understood Chi Qiubai’s feelings because he remembered the figure wielding a long blade, laughing wildly in the rainstorm, and the figure who turned white overnight.

Sighing inwardly, Sikong Yang thought, “Ah.”

“Everyone.”

Chi Qiubai swept his gaze over the eleven people before him, his eyes filled with pressure. “I, Chi Qiubai, will guide you all for the next six months. I am straightforward—I will not hide anything I can teach you. But I also remind you to think and comprehend more, because your path must be walked by yourselves. No matter how well or poorly you walk it, you will bear the consequences yourself.”

“Zhang Peng, are you skilled in the mystery of spatial blades?” Chi Qiubai turned to Zhang Peng.

“Yes.”

Among the group, Zhang Peng was somewhat nervous.

“My Spatial Severance True Intent has some similarities with your spatial blade,” Chi Qiubai smiled. “Attack me with all your strength.”

…

Chi Qiubai was a very responsible guide—at least much more responsible than Gong Yu and Sikong Yang.

This was due to differences in vision.

Gong Yu and Sikong Yang had only grasped weaker True Intents. When it came to guiding the mysteries of Grade Three and Grade Two True Intents, they could offer little more than their own experiences.

“Zhang Peng, I think your spatial blade has great spirit, but lacks dominance,” Chi Qiubai smiled. “You could work harder on dominance. Of course, this is only my suggestion—whether to follow it is up to you. Remember… in the end, every decision must be made by yourself. Once decided, walk forward without regret.”

“Yes.” Zhang Peng nodded, his eyes bright, as if he had just realized something.

“Yu Feng, come attack me.” Chi Qiubai said.

Yu Feng attacked.

Within moments.

“Hmm, interesting.” Chi Qiubai seemed excited. “Your shadow space mystery is very unique. I think this rather insidious attack style deserves to be further developed.”

“Further developed?” Yu Feng looked puzzled.

“Yes, you must immerse yourself, becoming as if a part of the shadow space itself,” Chi Qiubai said. “Then your attacks will become even more silent, more insidious, and more ruthless. When you reach that level, you will likely grasp the Shadow Space True Intent. Again, this is only my suggestion. What to do is up to your own decision.”

Yu Feng nodded thoughtfully.

Soon after, Puyang Bo attacked.

“Puyang Bo?” Chi Qiubai asked curiously. “I feel you have great talent in teleportation. And you seem very agile and free when you use it. You must really like teleportation, right?”

“Yes.” Puyang Bo nodded eagerly. “I love teleportation the most. I don’t really like life-or-death battles.”

“Then why are you trying to attack now? Using spatial mysteries for attacks?” Chi Qiubai asked.

“I’m not strong enough if I don’t attack,” Puyang Bo replied, puzzled.

“You haven’t yet grasped the True Intent,” Chi Qiubai said. “You’re still in the early stages of cultivation. At this point, you don’t need to pursue strength too much. Since you love teleportation and have talent for it, focus all your efforts on teleportation! Reaching the pinnacle of teleportation will also be terrifyingly powerful, and you will have a real chance of grasping the True Intent.”

Teleportation also had varying levels.

The weaker ones involved first tearing space, creating a passage, then traveling through it.

Stronger ones locked onto a distant location through sensing and then teleporting.

Even stronger ones could teleport with a mere thought.

The most monstrous ones could still teleport even amidst spatial turbulence during battle.

“Last one, Situ Hong.” Chi Qiubai said.

Situ Hong immediately attacked with full strength. He was at the third level of the Myriad Things Realm, clearly much stronger.

After a while, he confidently withdrew.

“Changfeng, Situ Hong is the highest among these four skilled in spatial mysteries. He’s already at the third level of the Myriad Things Realm. He’s only one step away from grasping the True Intent,” Guanzhu Sikong Yang said. “You must guide him well.”

Situ Hong looked at Chi Qiubai with even greater anticipation.

Chi Qiubai remained silent.

“Senior Changfeng?” Situ Hong couldn’t help but call out.

Chi Qiubai frowned, hesitated, and said, “I cannot guide you.”

“Cannot?” Situ Hong was stunned. “Senior Changfeng, how could you possibly be unable to guide me? Your cultivation level is much higher than mine. Please, give me even a simple piece of advice.”

“Changfeng, just point out his shortcomings,” Guanzhu Sikong Yang frowned and spoke up. He had high hopes for Situ Hong, as Situ Hong was the only one besides Dongbo Xueying to reach the third level of the Myriad Things Realm.

Situ Hong gazed at Chi Qiubai with eagerness.

“Alright.”

Chi Qiubai hesitated before finally speaking. “Situ Hong, your problem lies in your heart!”

“My heart?” Situ Hong was puzzled.

“I’ve always believed that the Dao must be united with the heart,” Chi Qiubai said. “But you… your Dao and heart are not aligned!”

“What do you mean, Dao united with the heart?” Situ Hong was confused.

“Changfeng, is uniting Dao and heart really that important? Isn’t it enough to just grasp a True Intent?” Guanzhu Sikong Yang frowned. ‘Uniting Dao and heart’ was essential for refining one’s Primordial Divine Heart! He himself was a powerful cultivator who had refined his Primordial Divine Heart and understood this point well. But for merely grasping a True Intent, was it necessary to raise the requirement to such a high level?

Chi Qiubai shook his head. “I think it’s very important. If it’s just an ordinary mystery, with low difficulty, it’s fine. But Spatial Severance True Intent is a Grade Three True Intent! Such a difficult True Intent—if your heart isn’t sincere, do you really think you can comprehend it? It’s hard!”

“What do you mean by uniting Dao and heart?” Situ Hong urgently asked.

“Uniting Dao and heart means that the Dao you cultivate is what you truly believe in and love in your heart,” Chi Qiubai said. “Even if you didn’t like it before, during cultivation, you must gradually change your mindset, devoting yourself wholeheartedly and truly loving this mystery.”

“But I really do like it!” Situ Hong became anxious.

Chi Qiubai looked at him and asked, “Tell me honestly… do you truly love the mystery of Spatial Severance from the depths of your heart?”

“Rather than loving it, is it just a means of cultivation for you?” Chi Qiubai’s gaze seemed to pierce through his soul.

“I…” Situ Hong wanted to lie, but under Chi Qiubai’s gaze, he couldn’t.

“It’s easy to lie, but battle cannot hide the truth,” Chi Qiubai shook his head. “From your fighting style, I can see your nature leans toward being sinister, ruthless, and cunning! There are even deities and great demons with such natures… but the mystery of Spatial Severance is a straightforward, overwhelming attack. First, your mindset must be upright and just.”

“Your nature leans toward being sinister, ruthless, and cunning, which is completely unsuited for the straightforward, overwhelming Spatial Severance mystery,” Chi Qiubai shook his head. “Therefore, your cultivation path will only become increasingly narrow.”