At this moment, Wen Liās tone subtly revealed that it was Xu Changāanās presence that helped her out of her predicament.
Although Li Zhibai was eager to ask what Xu Changāan had said to her, seeing Wen Li fall into silence, seemingly even in a daze, she sensibly didnāt rush her.
She could not guess how Xu Changāan managed to comfort Wen Li.
To be precise, when Wen Li defined the "sword" as a weapon for killing and a means to an end, believing the sword to be meaningless, anyone who understood Wen Li would know how difficult it was to persuade her.
Because... before Wen Li reached Muyu Peak, she was a weapon, a tool for slaughter used by a small country to wage war.
Yet, Wen Li herself does not deny the meaning of the sword.
She admits that the sword is a necessary tool, and she needs to use the sword and martial power to achieve her potential purpose of reaching Changāan.
What Wen Li questions is whether such a petty and base weapon is truly worthy of being called the "Dao."
As a weapon, a sword is convenient to carry around; it can be slung over the shoulder, hung at the waist, held in the hand, packed into luggage, or hidden on the body... but it should never reside in the heart.
Thus, Wen Li acknowledges the sword but not the Sword Dao.
She absolutely does not recognize that a killing weapon should boast of itself as the Dao.
In some sense, Wen Liās thinking isnāt wrong, but... when a sword cultivator cannot place the sword in their heart, their path naturally comes to an end.
Wen Li is too clear-headed, too calm.
In such circumstances, persuading Wen Li becomes much more challenging.
Li Zhibai: "..."
At least, for the time being, she didnāt know how, if it were her, she would untangle Wen Liās knots to let her acknowledge the meaningful existence of the Sword Dao.
Once you understand, you would find that Wen Li isnāt questioning the sword; sheās questioning whether the time she spent as a weapon, when she was still half-demon, was meaningful.
Such matters cannot be conclusively determined by outsiders, so neither Li Zhibai nor Zhu Pingniang would offer opinions.
Li Zhibai thought that only a clueless boy like Changāan would dare to speak boldly in front of Wen Li.
However, given the positive result, she could credit Changāan for one achievement.
Yet, what puzzled Li Zhibai was how Xu Changāan had the chance to be so outspoken before Wen Li?
To know that if Wen Li was already questioning herself at that time... how could she have had the mindset to listen to an outsiderās advice?
Puzzling.
What exactly did Changāan say?
She was even more curious now.
If Li Zhibai went to ask Xu Changāan, sheād probably receive three ā???ā.
He said many things to Senior Wen, so how could he remember exactly what he said?
Yet, fundamentally, Wen Li is indeed a person difficult to approach, and this is a fact.
Being able to have frequent, one-on-one conversations with her is extraordinarily rare.
Wen Li has been active on Muyu Peak for many years, appearing gentle and kind to her junior sisters. But any girl who has tried to get close to Wen Li would know she has a cold, solitary nature.
A gentle person is gentle to everyone, which is, in a way, another form of aloofness.
Master Wen Li and Zhu Pingniang often mention this phrase to Wen Li, and... sometimes it reflects not just on Xu Changāan but also serves as a reminder to Wen Li herself.
This girl is extremely protective of her junior sisters, even willing to pause her cultivation on the Sword Dao for their sake. Yet despite this, truly entering her heart is nearly impossible, except for her master who brought her up the mountain, Zhu Tongjun, and Li Zhibai who taught her cultivation and values.
But Wen Li is solitary rather than prideful because she never exposes unnecessary pride in front of her junior sisters.
However, precisely because she lacks this pride, it makes her even more difficult to approach. Itās noteworthy that even those junior sisters who once tried to get close to her have given up... choosing instead to admire her from afar.
If possible, who wouldnāt want to be close to the person they admire?
Li Zhibai and Zhu Pingniang often say that Xu Changāan lacks the vigor of youth... but this applies just as well to Wen Li.
To put it bluntly.
From the moment Wen Li left the Sword Hall, she seemed less like a young maiden and more like an old soul... yet now, this supposedly solitary, seemingly fading girl has emanated a youthful vibe that even Zhu Pingniang envies and Li Zhibai incessantly praises.
Just like the ripples in her eyes when she mentions her junior brother.
Anyone can tell that the "junior brother" she refers to is merely a mirror, simply a mirror.
The girls who admire Wen Li would step out when they think Xu Changāan is being troubled by Sikong Jing, and even they can see the special significance Xu Changāan has to Wen Li, so how could Zhu Pingniang and Li Zhibai not notice it?
But...
Nobody knows how Xu Changāan, upon first arriving at the mountain as a boy whose appearance wasnāt striking, talent was average, and was not well-received, managed to walk into the seemingly barren Inner Realm of Wen Li.
Perhaps being a āLi Zhibai studentā provided Xu Changāan the initial opportunity to meet Wen Li eye to eye.
And subsequent developments, like the appearance of a certain Li Hua, led Xu Changāan to gradually take care of Li Huaāstroking its fur, feeding it fruit, dressing its wounds after it battled with the red-tailed fish in the lake...
This junior brother who doesnāt mind the Demon Race, with his unsurpassed patience, slowly drew Wen Liās attentionāan inevitable and natural progression.