Chapter 815 Heart-to-Heart

“So… even though I understand and appreciate your good intentions, Sect Leader, I’m sorry, but I cannot agree to this,” Xu Luo said. “I also hope you can understand my difficulties.” He raised his head, looking at Xiahou Kaiyuan with utmost sincerity.

A long silence ensued between the two.

After a good while, Xiahou Kaiyuan finally said, “It’s very dangerous!”

“I know,” Xu Luo replied.

“You could die,” Xiahou Kaiyuan added.

“I am aware,” Xu Luo stated.

“If… you stay in the sect for a hundred years, the position of the next Sect Leader will undoubtedly be yours!” Xiahou Kaiyuan said, staring at the young man with burning eyes. He simply refused to believe that Xu Luo could remain completely unswayed.

Sect Leader! And not of some obscure faction, but a Supreme Great Sect that held the reins of the entire Xi Hezhou! Becoming the Sect Leader should be the dream of every young person. Although Xu Luo was somewhat unique, he was still young, wasn’t he? How could a young person not have dreams? How could they afford not to?

Xu Luo looked at Xiahou Kaiyuan and offered a bitter smile. “Sect Leader, I admit that your proposal is very tempting and truly moves me…”

Xiahou Kaiyuan’s heart sank slightly. He knew there had to be a “but” coming next.

“…But.”

“I knew it!” Xiahou Kaiyuan’s face mirrored the bitter smile.

“I still want to participate in the Peak of Jiuzhou!” Xu Luo looked steadily at Xiahou Kaiyuan. For a moment, he almost wanted to mention Lan to give the Sect Leader some reassurance, but after a brief hesitation, he decided against it.

The very existence of Lan was an unimaginable secret. She wasn’t some sect’s hidden trump card, but a living being from the Chaos Era! No one knew how many other beings from that era still existed within the Divine Domain, and Xu Luo didn’t want to bring unnecessary trouble upon her. Moreover, Lan was still recovering, and she couldn’t stay by his side forever. One day, she would eventually leave. When that time came, what would he do? A person had to learn to walk on their own two feet; Xu Luo had understood this truth ever since the Seven Stars Falling from the Sky incident.

“I have some brothers who also come from the Lower Realm,” Xu Luo continued. “They… are also incredibly outstanding. We have gone through life and death together.”

Xiahou Kaiyuan sighed and nodded. “I understand. Later, you will be assigned a Guardian. Do not refuse.”

“Sect Leader…” Xu Luo suddenly felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.

This Supreme Great Sect, seemingly glorious and powerful, might actually already be riddled with flaws. Had it not been for this expedition to the ancient ruins, Xu Luo wouldn’t have been fully aware of it. Celestial Brilliance wasn’t lacking in foundational strength, but its true experts had all ventured into the forbidden zones, and almost none had ever returned. Were they still alive? What were they doing? In truth, even a Sect Leader like Xiahou Kaiyuan probably didn’t know.

Under such circumstances, still seeking out a Guardian for him was enough to prove just how much Xiahou Kaiyuan valued him.

Xiahou Kaiyuan left. He departed calmly, without showing much disappointment on his face. However, Xu Luo knew that he had to be somewhat disappointed.

“But this is my path!” Xu Luo muttered.

***

Shortly after, Tang Xiao and the others returned and immediately headed to the Medicine Garden to meet with Xu Luo.

“It’s truly wonderful to see you alive!” Tang Xiao said the moment he saw Xu Luo, laughing as he stepped forward to give him a fierce hug. Having experienced life and death, these youths had forged an unbreakable bond.

Ming Youyue looked at Xu Luo with sheer delight, her bright and captivating face beaming with joy.

Shao Zheng grabbed Xu Luo and rambled on endlessly, insisting that he had to research more new Elixirs. The recent experience had matured the young man significantly and provided him with an abundance of new inspiration.

Yu Tianjie thanked Xu Luo for saving his brother. He looked at him and said, “If it weren’t for you, Senior Brother, we would have all perished there.”

“I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t participated in this event, but there really are so many powerhouses in this world,” Tang Xiao sighed with emotion.

“It turns out we were the frogs at the bottom of the well. The funny thing is, we used to look at others that way,” Ming Youyue added.

“Senior Brother Luo, we are preparing to enter secluded meditation!” Tang Xiao said, looking at Xu Luo. “We gained a lot this time. After seclusion, we should be able to achieve even greater breakthroughs!”

Xu Luo nodded. “I believe in you!”

The young group then said their goodbyes and left. They were completely unaware of what had transpired in Qingchuan Ancient City, oblivious to the terrifying events Xu Luo had faced on his journey back. Xu Luo didn’t mention it either; some burdens were better borne alone.

Back in the Medicine Garden, he didn’t see Yuwen Ji or the other Elders. Sun Xiaohong told him they had all entered seclusion. It seemed the recent series of events had stimulated them, making everyone realize the crucial importance of improving their strength.

Xie Wanrou also paid a visit. Seeing the newly advanced Celestial Venerable, Xu Luo slapped his forehead. “I should have been the one to visit you.”

“It’s alright,” Xie Wanrou smiled, looking at him. “You are a hero. It’s only right that I come to see you!”

Xu Luo smiled and shook his head, thinking, “A hero? Not necessarily.”

“I heard you encountered a powerful enemy on your way back?” Xie Wanrou asked directly.

Some things could be hidden from Tang Xiao and the others, but not necessarily from Xie Wanrou. Based on a simple calculation of time, Xu Luo had indeed returned a few days late.

“A Celestial Venerable from the Ancient Celestial Valley.” Xu Luo didn’t hide anything, as the matter was already under control. He believed that as long as Gu Zongren was in his right mind, he wouldn’t escalate the situation to the level of a conflict between two major factions. In fact, Gu Zongren wouldn’t even dare to make a fuss about it!

Xie Wanrou was astonished. “A Celestial Venerable from the Ancient Celestial Valley? Why would someone from a Holy Land… hunt you down?”

Although she figured his return journey wouldn’t be entirely smooth, she hadn’t expected the threat to come from a Holy Land. It angered her somewhat. “Don’t the three great Holy Lands always claim not to interfere in worldly affairs?”

“He is the true controller of the Divine Maiden Tower!” Xu Luo smiled bitterly, briefly explaining the grudge between him and Gu Zongren.

Because of the Monkey and Xie Yurou, Xu Luo placed great trust in Xie Wanrou. Similarly, she was quite protective of him, caring for him much like an elder would. Therefore, while Xu Luo might not easily confide in the Sect Leader, he was unwilling to hide things from her.

“What?” Xie Wanrou was genuinely shocked this time. “You’re saying a direct descendant Celestial Venerable from the Ancient Celestial Valley is the true controller of the Divine Maiden Tower?”

“Yes. Why would I spout nonsense about something like this?” Xu Luo replied.

“And then… he was brought under your control?” Xie Wanrou looked at him with sheer disbelief. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but this matter was simply far beyond her comprehension. She couldn’t fathom what methods a kid who hadn’t even reached the Venerable Realm could possibly use to force a Celestial Venerable into submission.

Xu Luo hadn’t mentioned Lan, only stating that a friend had helped him out.

The only ones who knew of Lan’s existence were Master Mao and Du Qingteng. Master Mao naturally wouldn’t go around babbling about it, and Du Qingteng’s lips were sealed tight, especially since Xu Luo had specifically instructed him to keep Lan a secret. Thus, the number of people who knew about her was extremely small. Furthermore, Du Qingteng was the only person who knew of Lan’s true origins. As long as he kept quiet, no one would ever know that such a terrifying being was following Xu Luo.

“Is that friend of yours… also a Celestial Venerable?” Xie Wanrou couldn’t help but ask.

“They should be… stronger than a Celestial Venerable, right?” Xu Luo said, thinking to himself, “It’s not a lie. Lan’s strength is inherently far beyond that of a Celestial Venerable.”

Xie Wanrou stared at him in awe. After a long pause, she murmured, “If I didn’t know your character, I would have almost thought you were lying!” Shaking her head, she added, “Don’t mention this to anyone else. Since the situation is under control, let it rest… But what about Yu Rou?”

“What about Yu Rou?” Xu Luo looked at her in confusion.

Xie Wanrou scoffed coldly. “You have a confidante named Su Qianqian here in Celestial Brilliance, whom you brought from the Lower Realm. I won’t say anything about that. But in Qingchuan Ancient City, you actually went and provoked another girl, Xue Chuqing. What is Yu Rou supposed to do in the future? Become your concubine?”

“Uh… I haven’t thought about that.” Xu Luo scratched his head, only just realizing that no matter how powerful Xie Wanrou was, she was still a woman, and more importantly, Xie Yurou’s aunt!

“Then think about it now!” Xie Wanrou ordered. “You little rascal, you’re excellent in every way, except that your luck with women is just too flourishing. Who knows how many girls’ hearts you’ll break in the future.”

“Xue Chuqing is my woman,” Xu Luo stated. He then raised his head and looked at her. “I believe Miss Yu Rou… will find a more suitable partner than me.”

“Nonsense!” Xie Wanrou rolled her eyes. She thought, “In all of Celestial Brilliance… no, in all of Xi Hezhou, how many young men are more outstanding than you? That girl’s heart is entirely tied to you. How could she possibly choose someone else?”

The women of the Xie family might appear delicate, but deep in their bones, they were incredibly stubborn. Once they set their minds on something, they almost never changed it.

Xu Luo scratched his head sheepishly. “I won’t let down any of the women by my side.”

“Any of them…” Xie Wanrou gave him a speechless look before saying helplessly, “Forget it. That girl Yu Rou is very smart, and it’s not like she’s unaware of these things. You young people can sort out your own affairs.” She sighed softly. “Just… don’t let her down.”

Xu Luo nodded. Having too many female confidantes could sometimes be a form of pressure. Thinking of Qiqi, Lianyi, Phoenix, and the others, he let out a faint sigh, wondering how they were doing now.

“Alright, don’t overthink it. I don’t want to pressure you either. Outstanding individuals will always face all sorts of temptations,” Xie Wanrou said, her gaze softening. Aside from reserving judgment on his abundance of romantic entanglements, she held him in extremely high regard.

In fact, in her eyes, Xu Luo was even more outstanding than those Jiuzhou Seeds! After this heart-to-heart conversation with him, she was even more certain of it.

She couldn’t help but think, “If I had been born in the same era as him, I’m afraid… I would have been drawn to him as well!”

At this thought, her heart ached a little for her other niece—Xie Yudie, who had married into Piaomiao Palace.