In Zhu Pingniangâs view, being a student of Li Zhibai is a fortunate thing, after all, the number of people who officially have student status under her is quite significant.
But if weâre talking about entering as a disciple...
Then itâs hard to say if it is a good thing.
Itâs not that she thinks Li Zhibai canât protect her own disciples, but... being her disciple itself carries immense pressure, itâs not that easy.
"You think Changâan... canât handle the pressure?" Li Zhibai asked.
"Changâan can definitely handle it." Zhu Pingniang said helplessly, "But with that boyâs character, whether heâs willing to handle it or not is a question mark, of course... if Ah Bai you donât plan on considering Changâanâs personal wishes, then everything becomes a non-issue."
Zhu Pingniang paused in her speech.
"But the problem is, Ah Bai, you do care about his thoughts, right... so I think taking Changâan as a disciple isnât as good as Yun Qian, isnât Yun Qian entering as a disciple quite fine? That girl is carefree, definitely wonât take it to heart."
"..."
Li Zhibai did not respond.
Taking Yun Qian as a disciple?
Li Zhibai had no such idea, even though she liked Yun Qian very much, she wanted to host tea parties with her... but given Yun Qianâs character, Li Zhibai didnât even need to think to know being her master would be a highly tormenting experience.
So she never considered taking Yun Qian as a disciple.
The ties with Changâanâs family, as long as linked through Changâan, thatâs fine, there was no thought of having Yun Qian surpass Changâan or replace him in her heart.
"?"
Here, seeing Li Zhibai remain silent, Zhu Pingniang suddenly froze for a moment.
Wait.
Li Zhibaiâs gaze...
"Ah Bai." Zhu Pingniang looked at her in a bit of a daze, "You do care about... Changâanâs personal thoughts, right."
"In other matters, yes." Li Zhibai spoke calmly.
Zhu Pingniang: "..."
She was dazed looking into Li Zhibaiâs eyes, for a moment feeling that the girl before her was somewhat unfamiliar.
Li Zhibai could actually ignore Changâanâs wishes?
"Or do you think Changâan doesnât want to acknowledge me as a master?" Li Zhibai asked.
"How could that be, heâs almost ready to call you mother." Zhu Pingniang pouted, "But he is most afraid of trouble, and if he had to choose one, he would surely want Yun Qian to follow you in cultivation."
As long as Yun Qian can have a good future, Xu Changâan would likely be willing to give up anything.
That is why, standing from Xu Changâanâs position, Zhu Pingniang thinks Li Zhibai wouldnât take him as a disciple.
"Ah Bai, maybe you should... reconsider." Zhu Pingniang blinked, recalling the conflicts between Hundred Herbs Garden and Muyu Peak, finally... would Li Zhibai intercept them.
"...Reconsider?"
Li Zhibai thought for a moment and looked up: "I rarely have something I want to do."
"I see." Zhu Pingniangâs fingers lightly trembled upon hearing this.
Then smiled: "In that case, thereâs no problem... Ah Bai, if you want to do it, go ahead, I unconditionally support you."
Isnât it just taking Xu Changâan as a disciple?
Changâan wouldnât resist anyway, so why should she be the villain in this?
The most important thing is...
Li Zhibai rarely finds something she wants to do.
Before Xu Changâan appeared, Zhu Pingniang sometimes truly worried that the desire-less Li Zhibai would one day leave it all behind and ascend.
Even though ascension is difficult, she worried Li Zhibai might go and become a Daoist, really turning from a fake nun to a real one.
Having desire is good.
Even if... this desire is to take a student as a disciple, as long as it makes Li Zhibai happy, sheâll firmly stand by Xu Changâan no matter the decision.
"But..." Zhu Pingniang looked at Li Zhibai guiltily, "Ah Bai, earlier... I already vaguely revealed your identity to Changâan, now even though he doesnât know your exact identity, he knows youâre a very formidable person."
She was surely ruining Li Zhibaiâs plans.
If Xu Changâan was unaware of Li Zhibaiâs identity, once things come to fruition, likely it would be easier for Xu Changâan to accept.
Zhu Pingniang, realizing her mistake, felt extremely guilty.
Yet, she merely wanted Xu Changâan not to be so cautious, as a sister, seeing the young man tread carefully, naturally felt distressed, having a certain...
A shame of not protecting him well, not providing him with a sense of security, came upon herself and Ah Bai, his teacher.
"Itâs fine." Li Zhibai shook her head.
Changâan is a highly intelligent person.
Many things, itâs not as if you donât say, he wonât know.
Xu Changâan has stayed at Steward Hall in Muyu Peak for so long, to say he truly didnât sense some oddity in a stranger like her, thatâs impossible.
"Tong Jun, you say... let Li Su spend some time with him first, how does that sound?" Li Zhibai asked.
Li Zhibai didnât blame her, Zhu Pingniang breathed a sigh of relief and listening to Li Zhibaiâs words, thought deeply.
"Are you saying... let Sikong Lixu first hide his identity and interact with him as a senior brother?" Zhu Pingniang nodded, "Thatâs indeed a good method, when theyâre familiar with each other, Changâan will be able to accept that Sect Leader of Xuanjian Sect is a senior brother, others... naturally wonât be a problem."
"Hide his identity?" Li Zhibai blinked.
How come she didnât think of that.
Thatâs indeed a good method.
"Ah Bai, at first... werenât you planning to let Sikong Lixu interact with Changâan as Sect Leader of Xuanjian Sect? Changâan would have to be extraordinarily brave to call someone like that âsenior brotherâ." Zhu Pingniang said, looking helpless.