Li Zhibai was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then blinked.
She didnât mean it that way; there are few people under the heavens who care more about Xu Changâan than she does.
"He was originally brought up the mountain, wasnât he."
"But I donât feel any gratitude toward him," Zhu Pingniang saw it clearly and waved her hand, "Given Changâanâs condition at the time, even if it wasnât me... if it were another steward, or even someone from the Demon Sect, or the Confucian Sect, they would have been moved."
In fact, even if Xu Changâan already had a wife, if the people from the Zen Sect knew, they would probably try to convert him.
No choice; such a rock-solid Sea of Consciousness, no one understands its rarity better than those of us whoâve faced the Heart Demon head-on.
So, Zhu Pingniang doesnât feel like she bestowed any great favor upon Xu Changâan; in fact, at first, because he was a man, she deliberately tested him again by placing him directly on Muyu Peak, which was all women, and didnât help at all... leaving him to face exclusion, unable to introduce himself, forced to cultivate in the communal Sword Hall.
Even though it turned out that Xu Changâan went through everything just fine, it was only later that Zhu Pingniang would give him the Beauty Fruit seed representing âone of usâ.
But Zhu Pingniang always felt guilty inside, even if Xu Changâan didnât think there was any reason for her guilt, she is now such a gentle girl that she canât help feeling uneasy.
"Tong Jun, your notion is quite strange." Seeing Zhu Pingniangâs conflicted expression, Li Zhibai sighed softly, "What do you mean âit just happened to be you and not someone elseâ? The fact is, only you discovered Changâanâs uniqueness, so what is opportunity?"
Thatâs fate, just like what Miss Lu and Yun Qian discussed, related to destiny.
What is destiny? Itâs the fate arranged by the heavens.
Often, fate is predetermined by the heavens.
Since it was Tong Jun who encountered Xu Changâan back then, then it could only have been Tong Jun, and no one else. This isnât mere reasoning after the fact; itâs Li Zhibaiâs philosophy of seeking truth and understanding Tao.
Her philosophy, without a doubt, is always the closest to that, and that is the meaning of âKnowing White and Guarding Blackâ.
"Only I discovered Changâanâs uniqueness, Ah Bai, stop talking." Zhu Pingniangâs face turned beet red, wishing she could find a crack to crawl into.
It would have been fine if it wasnât mentioned, but now that it was, she felt even more like sheâd made a big mistake.
How did she discover that Xu Changâanâs Sea of Consciousness had issues?
Oh, it was because she used the Dusk Rain Melody on him.
The question is, normally, one wouldnât use their best Charming Heart technique on an unschooled boy.
As a female cultivator, what were you doing playing that kind of music for a man who already has a wife?
Thus, if Zhu Pingniang had to bring it up, she would only feel more like sheâs a bad woman.
But Li Zhibai didnât care about all this.
Fate is just fate.
"Why donât you go ask Changâan and see if he ever resented you?" Li Zhibai said softly.
"Me? No way, am I stupid?" Zhu Pingniang clicked her tongue.
If she went to ask, given the boyâs and Yun Qianâs knack for passive sweet-talking, she might end up being moved... at her age, how embarrassing.
Miss Lu: "..."
Wen Li: "..."
At this time, these two women discussed Xu Changâan without avoiding others, causing the two remaining women present to fall silent, including the tired Yun Qian, who showed some interest upon hearing Xu Changâanâs name.
However, upon hearing such a topic, she quickly entered a drowsy state.
Wen Li and Miss Lu simply couldnât understand Zhu Pingniangâs mindset.
Wen Liâs thoughts were straightforward: without Zhu Pingniang, if Xu Changâan were taken by others, she wouldnât see her junior brother, so Zhu Pingniangâs existence was significant.
Miss Lu completely failed to understand, even thinking Zhu Pingniang wasnât quite right in the head.
Granting a favor yet feeling bad about it...
My dear Ms. Zhu.
When will you ever be a little more selfish, stand taller, and not always be overly concerned with other peopleâs feelings, but also mind your own?
Our own Ms. Zhu always says us girls are lacking ambition, yet when it comes to herself, sheâs no better than us.
Despite how much Miss Lu liked Xu Changâan, from an outsiderâs perspective, it was all very clear.
All said and done, the young master and Pingniang are not relatives nor related.
Who stipulated that she must help him?
If someone has talent, does that mean I have to help them?
Sometimes, storytellers even narrate scenarios where someone might want to kill you for your talent.
Li Zhibai had a similar thought from the beginning: thereâs actually no need for Zhu Pingniang to feel guilty for having tested Xu Changâan beforeâ
That is, Zhu Pingniang never thought from the start of Xu Changâan as talented, to groom him and take advantage of his ideas once he grew.
She simply thought, Changâan is so unique, it would be a pity if he didnât cultivate.
However, due to a short period of contact and uncertainty regarding his true character, placing him under her own watch had no issues whatsoever.
Since she never expected anything in return, nor planned to gain an ounce of benefit from Xu Changâan... simply helping him, why would she feel guilty?
Does she believe in her heart of hearts that Xu Changâan would be someone who, when rescued during hunger, would find fault with you for giving him just a piece of bread despite having the capacity to bestow a mansion?
How could that be possible.
Her student could never be such a person.
More to the point, so far everything sheâd done for Xu Changâan has been to help him, with no return at all; she even had her Glazed Dharma Body broken.
Why would it ever enter her mind that the focus would be on Xu Changâan and not herself?
But looking at Zhu Pingniangâs blinking eyes, Li Zhibai realized that reasoning with her wouldnât work.
Unexpectedly for Li Zhibai, she hadnât thought Tong Jun would be so concerned over Xu Changâan, to the point where even a small matter could shake her so... Had it not been for her own careless words earlier, she wouldnât have thought Zhu Pingniang would react so strongly.
Typically, one wouldnât pay attention to such details regarding just another person, right?
Very...
Strange.
Tong Jun is very strange.
Is it possible Tong Junâs feelings for Changâan are somewhat... out of the ordinary?
In this moment, the keenly observant Li Zhibai sensed something, though even if it was unusual, perhaps just a bit... so she merely kept it in her heart without worrying too much.
Li Zhibai had no intention of continuing this topic, so she chose to end it directly.
"Alright, I understand." Li Zhibai nodded, "In the future, I wonât say he was picked up the mountain by you."
She had merely mentioned it casually.
Didnât she notice even Lian Yunqian had shown no reaction, seeming truly asleep in her feigned rest?
Yun Qian wasnât bothered, yet Zhu Pingniang unexpectedly reacted strongly.
"Hmm." Zhu Pingniangâs blinked repeatedly.
At this moment, she realized sheâd perhaps overthought things... it must have seemed strange.
But thereâs no escaping it; as Xu Changâanâs brilliance grows ever blazing, his aura of mystery thickens... the more likable Xu Changâan became, the more he respected her and Li Zhibai... Zhu Pingniangâs guilt over testing him would only be magnified step by step.
The more Xu Changâan respects her,
The greater the guilt Zhu Pingniang feels, for not arranging the best for him when he arrived up the mountain.
Sheâs just that kind of lacking woman.
At this moment, the atmosphere felt a slight awkwardness due to a small topic... luckily, there was another clever woman here.
Miss Lu.
Miss Lu coughed slightly, saying, "Sister Zhu, you say Xu Changâanâs talent was innate, so it had little to do with you, then... what about Qingluo? Surely that couple are the girls you picked up, and you sent them to the Immortal Sect, didnât you just recently mention Qingluoâs talent?"
"You mean Qingluo." Zhu Pingniangâs face changed immediately, waving her hand, "That girlâs all mine, no problem at all."
Liu Qingluo indeed received a true opportunity from her; without her, sheâd still be a courtesan in some brothel, uncertain if she could even maintain her purity in body.
Her tone was crisp and neat, completely different from the way she seemed hurt when discussing Xu Changâan.