Chapter 1169 - 642: The Romance He Imagines

"Change is the true trend of heaven and earth? Compared to them...? Sir, what do you mean?" Xu Chang’an couldn’t understand Li Zhibai’s sudden words.

At this moment he could vaguely feel a trace of bewilderment and sighing in Li Zhibai’s tone.

Although this bewilderment was still far from real confusion, this kind of emotion suddenly appearing on Li Zhibai brought Xu Chang’an as much surprise as if Miss Yun had suddenly taken a liking to Ah Qing before, or as if Zhu Pingniang suddenly became serious and stopped joking.

His teacher had always given him the greatest sense of security, like a blue stone standing unmoved in a gale. How could there be emotions so contrary to such steadfastness?

"What, are you surprised that my will isn’t firm?" Li Zhibai instantly saw through Xu Chang’an’s thoughts. "Because you are the one whose will is most unshakable?"

"I don’t deserve the word ’most’." Xu Chang’an shook his head.

So Li Zhibai followed with a shake of her own head.

She understood this student of hers far too well. In the Chaoyun Sect, if Xu Chang’an said his will was not firm... then there was probably no such thing as an unfirm will. After all, leaving aside his mind, just how vast and boundless his Spirit Platform Sea of Consciousness was—Muyu Peak’s Inner Realm had the greatest say.

But... even someone like Xu Chang’an had moments when his heart was shaken to the extreme, so her being a little bewildered really didn’t count for much.

"Some things you’ve experienced yourself." Li Zhibai smiled.

"..." Xu Chang’an was slightly taken aback, then understood and gave a bitter smile. "I’ve disappointed you, Sir."

"Why would I be disappointed that you waver because of Ms. Yun?" Li Zhibai recalled the look in the boy’s eyes that day. His lids half-lowered, the hair over his forehead casting shadows in his eye sockets, making his profile appear dark and deep, utterly different from the youth of everyday.

That day, after learning that Yun Qian very likely could not cultivate, for the first time in his life he felt something called ’dejection’. His body swayed, and he almost couldn’t even stand steady.

Even now, thinking of that scene, Li Zhibai’s heart still stirred... Chang’an’s origins were mysterious, and even the word Immortal was not enough to describe a corner of what he was. Since even someone like him could waver to such a degree, then her own heart being a bit bewildered, even a bit lost, was really nothing at all.

"Especially since both the Sect Leader and Tong Jun are far above me." Li Zhibai lightly swept back the lock of hair hanging by her cheek and tucked it behind her ear.

Such a feminine, full-of-womanly-charm gesture startled Xu Chang’an for a moment. Then he asked, "Se–Sect Leader?"

What did that mean.

"It’s nothing." Li Zhibai waved her hand, not intending to explain anything.

In the end, Li Zhibai knew it was still because she understood her own identity and talent too well—she was far inferior to the Sect Leader and Zhu Tongjun.

This was not inferiority, but a clear understanding of herself.

Especially Zhu Tongjun. One had to know that Shi Qingjun was a Heaven-born Lord. Li Zhibai would not compare herself to Shi Qingjun—that would be the most overreaching thing in the world. But Zhu Tongjun was different; in Li Zhibai’s eyes she was the junior among juniors... Yet it was precisely such a junior who made her understand what true talent was.

Tong Jun surpassing her, even reaching the Heaven and Earth Realm, was only a matter of time. After all... Zhu Tongjun was the one chosen by Shi Qingjun as the next ’Lord of Qingzhou’.

In such a situation, when both Shi Qingjun and Zhu Tongjun had undergone enormous changes to deal with this era of great contention... it was only natural that Li Zhibai would waver, would begin to think that perhaps change itself was the trend of heaven and earth.

However, she had no intention of forcibly changing herself. In the end, she still wanted to let things take their course.

"Chang’an." Li Zhibai gave a simple example. "If you were following Wen Li’s path, learning the sword from her... then if one day Wen Li gave up the Sword Dao and switched to cultivating Spear Intent, would you doubt your current Dao?"

"Of course." Xu Chang’an nodded without hesitation. He would definitely doubt it. He might even... if Wen Li gave up the Sword Dao, there was a ninety‑nine percent chance he would give it up along with her.

This wasn’t that his mind was not firm, but a rare moment of self-awareness.

"That’s all there is to it." Li Zhibai sighed softly.

"Your student is dull-witted; I still don’t understand why you’re lost, Sir..." Xu Chang’an was completely at sea. "You mean... it’s because the Sect Leader has changed so much?"

"Don’t you already understand everything?" Li Zhibai looked at him. A smart child saved trouble; he could guess everything.

"All right then." In truth, Xu Chang’an was still full of doubt, you could even say he completely failed to understand the reason for Li Zhibai’s confusion. But he was very clear about his position at the moment—as his teacher’s emotional recycling station.

At times like this, he just needed to listen. He also realized that Li Zhibai simply needed someone to confide in.

Seeing Xu Chang’an’s thoughtfulness, a warm and gentle emotion flashed through Li Zhibai’s eyes.

There were some things she didn’t say.

Namely, that the reason she could be thrown into confusion by such a small matter, in the end, was still because of this student of hers.

Who was the greatest "variable" under heaven?

Wasn’t it this brat?

He had changed the ultimate goal of cultivation in pursuit of Dao Rhyme, changed the rule that Celestial Tribulation was supreme; she herself had changed because of Xu Chang’an.

The future was already a ball of fog. She did not know whether the world to come, because of Xu Chang’an’s arrival, would be full of order or... utter chaos. She couldn’t even quite figure out what she should do if Xu Chang’an really broke through the Qingzhou Barrier...

In such circumstances, her feeling lost about the future couldn’t be more normal.

"The future, hm..." Li Zhibai suddenly thought of something. She stood up and, under Xu Chang’an’s look of flustered surprise, took the initiative to refill his bowl with wine.

"Sir..."

"Drink."

"...All right."

Xu Chang’an picked up the porcelain bowl, gulped it down in a few swallows, then met Li Zhibai’s gaze.

"Chang’an, back when you first learned that Ms. Yun very likely would never be able to cultivate... did you ever think about your future?" Li Zhibai asked.

At that time, Chang’an must also have been full of confusion about the future.

"The future?" Xu Chang’an’s expression turned odd.

Sir... what kind of questions are these.

Still, he answered properly.

Thinking carefully, Xu Chang’an’s thoughts seemed to return to that day. He pondered for a while and said, "If Miss really could never cultivate no matter what, then staying with her in Beisang City as ordinary husband and wife would also be very good."

At that time, they could sit idly in the courtyard, face each other over tea, quietly watching flowers bloom and fall. They could lean by the window, slowly savoring the fragrance, looking far off at the setting sun; they could also invite three or five friends, on a day that wasn’t too busy, to chat and reminisce... and in the end, on a sunlit day, greet the end of everything together.

This was the most romantic ending Xu Chang’an could think of, if they could not cultivate, for being together with Miss Yun.