"Master..."
Tang Wan'er was shocked. Feng Xinyue had always doted on and loved her, treating her like a treasure and never letting her suffer the slightest grievance.
Back when she was in the Wind Sect, everyone in the sect had to give her some respect. You could say the sect was like hers. Feng Xinyue doted on Tang Wan'er to the heavens—not only did she not scold her, she usually wouldn't even say a harsh word.
But today, her words stunned Tang Wan'er. At that moment, her mind went blank, and she was completely lost, not knowing what she had done wrong.
"Do you still remember what I said to you when I took you as my disciple?" Feng Xinyue looked at Tang Wan'er and said.
Tang Wan'er nodded desperately, her voice choked with emotion: "Of course I remember. You said from that day on, only disciples needed to bully others, not be bullied, so as not to disgrace Master."
If I can't win, I'll go to Senior Brother and Sister. If I can't, I'll come to you, Master. These
were the words Feng Xinyue said when she accepted Tang Wan'er as her disciple. Tang Wan'er would never forget them for the rest of her life.
"Since you remember, why did you do so badly, and how badly you were bullied? Have you ever come looking for me? Feng Xinyue looked at Tang Wan'er and said.
"I ...," Tang Wan'er was instantly at a loss for words.
"When did my disciples of Feng Xinyue get to bully them? Master's face is almost completely embarrassed by you. Feng Xinyue sighed, looking utterly disappointed.
"It's my inability. I will work hard in my cultivation. Master, please don't be sad. The face you lost, I will definitely help you reclaim it." Tang Wan'er said hurriedly.
Feng Xinyue's care for Tang Wan'er was meticulous. Tang Wan'er had always regarded her as her own mother. Now, seeing her disappointed expression, Tang Wan'er felt extremely distressed and hated herself for not being strong enough.
"Silly child, did I say you were going to pick the main beam of the Wind Sect? I just hope that no matter what environment you are, you can always be your truest self.
It is you who foolishly shoulder one burden after another on your shoulders, with many trivial matters and worries causing you to forget the essence of cultivation.
If this continues, you'll end up like them—scheming for power, bowing and scraping for fame and fortune, blinded by greed and pursuing goals without compromise. People don't look like humans, ghosts aren't ghosts. Feng Xinyue sighed.
Feng Xinyue's words made all the powerful figures present turn pale; it was clear he was cursing them all in.
But Long Chen admired in his heart. Feng Xinyue was absolutely right. Tang Wan'er now carries too many burdens, constantly thinking about how to protect everyone and avoid causing trouble for her master, constantly settling for justice. Over time, her sharpness fades, and her Dao heart will fall astray.
Feng Xinyue's words hit the nail on the head. The eight deputy pavilion masters, the three great Divine Wind elders, and many senior officials were all targeting outsiders like Tang Wan'er.
This was clearly a declaration of sovereignty, aiming to surpass Feng Xinyue. Although their cultivation was high and their strength strong, their selfish desires blinded them. Such people would never comprehend the true Dao throughout their lives.
The so-called 'people don't look like humans, ghosts don't look like ghosts' isn't to insult them, but rather to reflect their current reality: each holding a high position, yet so narrow-minded and their thoughts so dark, no different from demons.
The most frightening thing is that they themselves do not notice anything wrong, and firmly believe that everything they do is right.
"Master, I admit my mistake." Tang Wan'er's voice choked with emotion.
Feng Xinyue looked at Tang Wan'er, her eyes brimming with tears, a trace of concern appearing in her eyes. She reached out her jade hand and slowly wiped away Tang Wan'er's tears, speaking softly:
"Good child, I know you care about Master and are afraid of causing him trouble, but you must trust Master's strength—it's enough to protect you, at least ...."
Feng Xinyue's gaze swept over all the higher-ups, a proud smile appearing at the corner of her mouth: "At the very least, these mischievous people don't even take me seriously." Hearing
Feng Xinyue describe this group as 'crooked melons and split dates,' Tang Wan'er immediately burst into tears and laughed, while the senior executives' faces turned as dark as charcoal.
"Feng Xinyue, you've gone too far." One pavilion master finally couldn't take it anymore and shouted harshly.
"You bunch of old fools, speaking sly and viciously against a young girl—isn't that unreasonable?" Don't worry, if you dare insult my disciple Feng Xinyue, I'll make a note of that. Feng Xinyue snorted coldly, ignoring them and instead looking at Long Chen and saying,
"Seeing Wan'er being bullied, I never helped her. You don't blame me, do you?"
Long Chen quickly shook his head and said, "How could that be?" The wisdom of predecessors is vast as the sea, and it must have profound meaning. As the saying goes, 'When you gain, you will lose something.'
Similarly, with losses, there must be gains. Wan'er had endured humiliation and hardship during this period, tempering her character, which might not be a bad thing for her future growth.
Most importantly, in her most difficult times, she saw human nature clearly and gained a group of sisters who shared life and death. That is the most precious treasure in life.
Tell me, among those crooked men, is there anyone you can entrust your life to? Just from this point alone, whether it was Wan'er or every warrior of the Hidden Dragon Legion, it was a tremendous opportunity and a tremendous blessing. Seeing
Long Chen not forgetting to tease the group while speaking, Feng Xinyue couldn't help but laugh, her face full of admiration:
"Truly worthy of being the youngest dean in the history of Lingxiao Academy. Such wisdom and insight are truly remarkable. I was wondering how to explain this to Wan'er, but with your words, any explanation would be unnecessary."
Only then did Tang Wan'er realize that her master's constant avoidance and her struggle was actually well-intentioned. Just as Long Chen said, only at the lowest point in life can one truly see human nature.
Hearing the conversation between Feng Xinyue and Long Chen, Tang Wan'er seemed to instantly understand many truths, and her mindset grew significantly. She seemed to have matured in an instant.
"Are you ever going to stop? We're here to participate in the ranking tournament, not to flatter each other. "At that moment, a Divine Child stepped forward and shouted impatiently.
Faced with the Divine Son's shout, Feng Xinyue did not get angry. Instead, she smiled calmly and looked at Long Chen, saying, "Do you understand why I asked Wan'er that question?" Long
Chen was stunned for a moment, then a look of wild joy appeared on his face. Seeing Long Chen's expression, Feng Xinyue and Long Chen exchanged a smile and then returned straight to their seats.
Although Feng Xinyue and the other Elders of the Divine Wind stood in the same row, she looked like a crane standing out from the crowd, completely out of place among everyone. Her aura was so noble that standing there was like a princess dressed in luxurious clothes, standing among a group of ragged beggars.
"Ranked matches begin. Please bring out the ranked roulette."
A deputy pavilion master shouted loudly, and immediately the void trembled, revealing a massive roulette wheel.