Ginsengfruit was studying the most basic foundational theories of the orthodox Xuan Sect in Daoist Qingmu’s courtyard.
Suddenly, he raised his head and then stood up, bowing politely to Daoist Qingmu: "Thank you for your guidance. My teacher is back, so I should return now."
Daoist Qingmu was visibly taken aback, clearly unaware of Yun Ran’s return.
But what shocked him even more was that Ginsengfruit, so young, had such a strong premonition. He truly was a child chosen by Yun Ran.
"Alright, you go back first."
Watching Ginsengfruit’s retreating back, Daoist Qingmu finally understood the mix of envy, jealousy, and hatred others felt towards Yun Ran.
It was only with Yun Ran, if it had been someone else, even Master Jiechen, he would not have hesitated to snatch away such a promising disciple.
When Ginsengfruit returned, he happened to see that fellow from Heavenly Dao Village, subtly confronting the Host.
He immediately tried to minimize his presence, obediently standing at the doorway.
In the courtyard, Yun Ran helplessly looked at Xuan Chu, who was stubborn as an ox, and let out a deep sigh.
"I’ll call you my ancestor if it’ll make you happy, why do you constantly watch me? I’m smart, wealthy, and healthy, why would I think of destroying the world?!"
Xuan Chu, unmoved by persuasion, stared at Yun Ran for a long while before speaking: "I have calculated that a person entwined with your Life Plate is facing a life-threatening crisis soon.
You are not an ordinary person, if you insist on intervening to save someone who is fated to die, your Life Plate will undergo earth-shattering changes, and the world will descend into chaos."
She really didn’t understand why Xuan Chu, who looked so young, was even more rigid in his thinking than those old fogeys.
Yun Ran spread her hands: "Are all Tian Dao Village People so stubborn? I’ve said I won’t do it, but you insist on not believing me, keep watching if you must!"
Xuan Chu, with a face that read ’If you insist on being unreasonable, have it your way’, unexpectedly felt a touch of annoyance even with his usually even temper.
He was merely stating the results of his calculations, not deliberately causing trouble.
"If, and I mean if, the person entangled with your Life Plate indeed dies, would you go to all lengths to bring him back to life?"
Previously intent on turning back, Yun Ran stopped in her tracks upon hearing this, feeling the need to have a serious argument with this stubborn person.
"From the first day I joined the Xuan Sect, my mentor told me that what we, the Xuanmen people, cultivate, is the ’one’ in escaping human’s form.
Although sometimes we may act against the heavens, we also conform to the natural order. If, despite our best efforts, we cannot change the destiny of those around us, then we must accept it.
As for what you said, about reviving a dead person at all costs, setting aside the price to pay, consider the one being saved.
He could have properly entered reincarnation, but because of my obsession, he becomes an existence that heaven and earth cannot tolerate.
Besides, I have the ability to open the gates to the Ghost World. Should he die, I can just visit the Ghost World to see him whenever I wish.
Why forcibly keep him and deprive him of the chance for reincarnation? That’s clearly harming him.
Personally speaking, if that person truly matters to me, and after I have exhausted all righteous means without avail to keep him,
then I would use my own Merit to send him back into reincarnation, allowing him a next life blessed with wealth and longevity."
Xuan Chu had been somewhat worried that Yun Ran would persist in her stubbornness. In the Book Collection Tower of Heavenly Dao Village, there were many such examples.
Those who could stir the winds and clouds of the world, due to a single obsession, turned dark, and even engaged in mad deeds that dragged the entire world to burial—forcing him to remain vigilant.
But now, Yun Ran’s overly rational words suddenly made him feel that the books he had read in the past seemed rather narrow in perspective.
Seeing Xuan Chu’s lingering doubts, Yun Ran promptly formed a Sealing gesture, releasing traces of her own subdued marks from past restrictions.
"Our Qingfeng Temple is a formal sect. All disciples below it have been ordained.
One, for spiritual discipline, and two, to prevent the disciples from causing harm to innocent Life due to various reasons."
Every person who enters Qingfeng Temple is ordained in their first lesson. Anyone who endangers their own Life Plate or could cause irrevocable doom cannot be saved.
Should they insist on saving, the protective rules of Qingfeng Temple would activate, condemning them to fate worse than death before even a chance to act.
Qingfeng Temple is not a place that only teaches disciples their skills without guiding and preventing them from making grave mistakes in advance.
If Xuan Chu didn’t know she was a person from outside their realm, Yun Ran wouldn’t bother proving anything to him—this fellow really was annoying enough.
The marks of her past ordinances shone brightly with golden light.
As the Daoist Protector of Heavenly Dao Village, he could naturally discern the meaning of this golden light.
Looking at that astounding radiance, Xuan Chu was unable to come back to his senses for a long time.
Yun Ran formed another Sealing gesture, and the marks of her ordainment etched upon her soul vanished abruptly.
Xuan Chu’s expression turned complex: "What exactly is Qingfeng Temple, to possess such marks of Immortals?"
Yun Ran found it hard to explain. The ancestors of Qingfeng Temple were often summoned by their ’unfilial disciples’, so having Immortal marks was quite normal.
Yet compared to her own world, this small realm truly fell short by more than a slight margin.
Finally, she said: "Are you reassured now? The disciples that come out of Qingfeng Temple only die in battle, never getting killed due to becoming darkened, because before that happens, their souls would have already dispersed to the winds!"
Xuan Chu seemed deeply shocked, his aura changing once again.
Yun Ran couldn’t be bothered with him, her gaze turning toward the doorway where she had long known Ginsengfruit was standing.
"What are you standing outside for!"
Ginsengfruit immediately stepped in: "Master, I’ve returned~"
He then happily trotted after Yun Ran, leaving behind only Xuan Chu standing somewhat absent-mindedly in the courtyard.
"Host, was that fellow just now taken aback by what you said?"
Yun Ran, holding an apple and taking a crisp and sweet bite, simply shrugged nonchalantly.
"There’s nothing I can do about it; I didn’t intend to be so blunt, but since he always jumps at shadows, I had to cut to the chase.
Don’t think that everything he knows is the truth. The Heavenly Dao of this little world isn’t even reliable, let alone him, a Daoist Protector of Heavenly Dao!"
No sooner had she criticized the Heavenly Dao of this small world than a warning from the Heavenly Dao descended upon her.
Yun Ran simply rolled her eyes, her gaze directed at the sky: "Did I say something wrong? You are indeed unreliable to begin with!"