Mountain and sea lantern

Chapter 558 Choosing a Teacher 2
In her eyes, Li Hongjiu's character was indeed just a nobody.

However, the fact that even she knew about Li Hongjiu proves that Li Hongjiu is no ordinary person to some extent.

But she was genuinely curious why, with so many options available, they chose Li Hongjiu; it seemed a bit odd.

However, having spent some time in the library and sitting in Dong Liangying's seat, one can probably guess where Dong Liangying's knowledge of Li Hongjiu came from. It was probably related to those scholars in the library who were ambitious but lacked substance.

However, the rest of the family knew very little about Li Hongjiu. For example, the eldest daughter, Dong Liangyi, was always busy with life in the backyard and rarely had contact with outsiders. At most, she would occasionally hear her family members talking about things outside.

The second young lady, Dong Liangyu, was in the same isolated environment on the second floor.

Few of the people Dong Wenshu, the head of the household, associated with discussed this matter.

Aside from Dong Liangying, who sat in the ward listening to the gossip, it's estimated that only the fourth son, Dong Liangze, had heard a bit more about it. Being a young man, he would be fascinated by the talents of the new generation and wish he could be one himself.

Dong Liangze also looked puzzled and didn't think Li Hongjiu was more qualified to be his teacher than those experts.

I can't understand why my third sister would want to become Li Hongjiu's apprentice.

Feeling a little embarrassed by everyone's stares, Dong Liangying muttered, "Famous teachers and experts are good, but those with insight all say my talent for cultivation isn't that great. Following a famous teacher or expert is just finding a good reliance. Can it really help me go far on the path of cultivation?"

There was something she kept to herself that she was too embarrassed to say: Can you rely on someone for a lifetime?
I remember my father saying before that the favors from our ancestors had been used up and we couldn't rely on them for a lifetime.

She had witnessed the horrific state of her cousin after being tortured, and then she witnessed her father's numerous injuries after being tortured. Although the matter seemed to be over, she was still filled with lingering fear.

The feeling of helplessness she experienced twice in a short period of time was too much of a shock to her. What would she do if she encountered the same thing again in the future?
The relationship between Sister Jun and her maternal uncle is Sister Jun's, not their family's future support.

In short, these words silenced everyone present.

Yes, if someone truly had talent for cultivation, they wouldn't have stayed cooped up here forever; they would have been discovered long ago by those with discerning eyes.

There are two types of talent for cultivation: one is intellect, and the other is physical constitution.

Even the woman in red had to admit that this family's talent for cultivation was indeed not very good, especially the second young lady, Dong Liangyu, who was sickly and completely unsuitable for cultivation.

After thinking for a moment, the woman in red said, "Since you know that you don't have good talent for cultivation, and it doesn't matter who you find, you might as well weigh the pros and cons and find someone you can rely on."

Dong Liangying tried to say, "Sister Jun, it's different, isn't it? I heard that Li Hongjiu is the number one among the new generation, a genius, capable of fighting against experts at the Earth Immortal realm with his high martial arts cultivation. I also heard that he created his own cultivation method."

The woman in red gently patted the mouth of the jar, saying, "On the long road of cultivation, countless people have shone brightly, but how many have actually grown up? The more amazing one is in the early stages, the more difficult the road ahead will be. I don't know if it's because Heaven doesn't tolerate them, but it's only a matter of time before they are not tolerated by others. Very few can survive and stand tall. If it weren't for the powerful backing behind him, someone would have already nipped him in the bud."

The family could probably understand what she meant, but Dong Liangying thought for a moment and still insisted, "I heard that Li Hongjiu's cultivation method doesn't require high physical attributes. I also heard that he's not diligent in his cultivation and can still become an outstanding person even if he's lazy. I also heard that his cultivation method emphasizes comprehension."

The woman in red said, "So many people in the Yanbao Sect can't understand his cultivation method. Are you sure you can?"

Dong Liangying: "Sister Jun, since even if I follow a famous master, I won't make any progress in cultivation, why not try a path that might lead to success? If one year isn't enough, I'll try ten; if ten years isn't enough, I'll try thirty or fifty. As long as there's a path to follow, I'll keep going down it. My biggest advantage is that I have countless books at home. If I don't understand something, I can just flip through them. With so much help, it might even help me achieve enlightenment!"

There was another aspect she didn't mention. Like her eldest sister, she chose a weapon-refining sect because she saw the influence of the Extreme Fire Sect. However, she also knew that she had no interest in weapon refining. She knew that she couldn't do something well if she didn't have any desire for it.

His words surprised the whole family.

Dong Wenshu began to show self-reproach, wondering if he hadn't cared enough about his children's thoughts.

The woman in red was also silenced by these words. Her gaze towards Dong Liangying revealed deep surprise. She realized that these were not just casual remarks. This girl had probably thought about it carefully long ago.

I suspect that this girl was already seriously considering this matter when I mentioned helping them find a renowned teacher.

Regardless of whether she had talent for cultivation or not, the woman in red was already tempted by these words and even considered taking her as her disciple. However, since she was a demon cultivator, she couldn't teach the girl and could only feel regretful.

One can't help but admire him. He truly lives up to his family's reputation as a scholar. He has not disgraced the collection of books in the building. Over the years, he has been nurtured with wisdom and has unique insights at a young age.

Therefore, she made up her mind to do her best to fulfill this girl's wishes, and wanted to see if she could live up to what she said today in the future.

After thinking for a moment, she pondered and said, "Being Li Hongjiu's apprentice is a bit too inadequate; he's not even worthy of my cousin's approval. Fortunately, Li Hongjiu's master is the head of the Yanbao Sect. Becoming his apprentice would make me Li Hongjiu's junior sister, which should be about the same thing."

Dong Liangying hesitated, "Sister Jun, I've heard that Li Hongjiu is very lazy. I've also heard that his master has broken countless sticks from beating him and that he's punished at the drop of a hat. I've become his junior sister, so I don't have any obligations as a master or disciple. Do you think he'll listen to his master and teach me attentively?"

The woman in red frowned slightly. "According to you, even his master can't control him. He's become lazy, and even if you're his disciple, it's useless."

Dong Liangying: "That's different. The master-disciple relationship is there."

Everyone present could see that this girl had her own ideas and was determined to make her choice.

The woman in red stopped talking, picked up the wine jar and slowly took small sips. She had to consider a problem. It would be understandable to find the Yanbao Sect and ask its sect leader to give her face and accept her as a disciple. But to offer face just to become Li Hongjiu's disciple? What was going on?

I'm afraid even the Yanbao Sect itself can't understand it, so it's no wonder they have doubts. Whether they'll agree or not is a question.

After taking a sip of wine, as she licked the corner of her mouth with her tongue, she glanced at the octagonal library and slowly agreed, "Let's give it a try."

Then he turned his gaze to Dong Liangyu and Dong Liangze and asked, "And you two?"

Dong Liangyu said softly, "I'm fine with anything." She knew her own situation; it would be good enough if she could change her physique and cultivate, and she didn't have the right to be picky.

Dong Liangze glanced at the library and tentatively asked, "Will Mr. Fu accept me?"

The woman in red said, "It's hard to say about him. He can't leave right now. Let's talk about it later. You guys eat first."

There were some things she couldn't say outright, but ultimately, it was because this family's cultivation foundation was lacking.

To put it bluntly, delicious food is easy to eat, but making someone swallow a pile of shit is definitely a bit difficult.

So the whole family started eating.

After taking only a few bites, Dong Liangze suddenly burst out laughing again.

Dong Liangying glared at him, "What's so funny about your wishful thinking? It's not certain whether Mr. Fu will even accept you."

Dong Liangze glanced at Dong Liangyi and said jokingly, "I'm not laughing at this, I'm laughing at Wang Ping. Putting everything else aside, he has indeed had a big impact on our family. We really have to thank him for making our eldest sister's cooking skills improve so much and for making such delicious food. Otherwise, we don't know how long we would have to hold our noses and swallow it."

The family smiled, and Dong Liangyi lowered her head, looking somewhat embarrassed.

The woman in red, unaware of the story, asked curiously, "Does that Wang Ping also have excellent cooking skills?"

Dong Liangze suppressed a laugh and said, "He probably couldn't hold it in any longer when he left, saying that the food my older sister cooked was terrible..."

Before he could finish speaking, he couldn't hold it in any longer and almost spat out what was in his mouth from laughing.

The woman in red didn't understand what was so funny. After Dong Liangying whispered the whole story in her ear, she realized what was so funny and understood Wang Ping's hardships. He had been here for so long and seemed to be doing well, but in reality, he hadn't had a single good day.

She couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head at the thought that he had been holding back this matter even as he left, acting so stingy.

Looking at the family enjoying themselves, she sipped her wine with envy in her eyes. But when her gaze fell on the large stone with inscriptions in the yard, her thoughts drifted away again.

After dinner, it was completely dark. The family was surprised to find that the woman in red did not go to her room and close the door as usual, but went to the octagonal building.

Dong Liangyu was slightly worried, fearing that Shi Chun, who was hiding in the library, would be discovered.

The woman in red did indeed lift her skirt and climb up the library step by step, finding the scholar in a blue robe reading by lamplight.

The woman in red walked to a nearby bookshelf, randomly picked up a book, and flipped through it. She then used a spell to transmit her voice, saying, "I'll recommend two disciples to you."

The scholar in the blue robe didn't even look up, directly refusing via telepathy, "No."

The woman in red transmitted her voice: "I haven't even said who it is, and you've already refused to go."

The scholar in blue robes replied telepathically: "He told me that this place has a large collection of books, and now he's telling me he's taking on apprentices. Besides the people in this library, is there anyone else here who can be here?"

The woman in red said, "This family of five seems nice. Take a look first before you decide."

The scholar in blue robes said, "I can guess which five people they are. I've met them all, but their qualifications are too poor, and they're not suitable. Forcing them on me won't work."

The woman in red said, "Of the four juniors, two have already been arranged to leave. There are two left. I made the decision, so I can't go back on my word. Please help me with one, and I'll find someone else for the rest."

Hearing this, the scholar in the blue robe looked up curiously at her and asked telepathically, "With their aptitude, it's obvious at a glance. Who could take them in? And two of them at once, who did you push them to?"

He felt that anyone who could get the other party to speak must be someone extraordinary, but the more extraordinary someone was, the less likely they were to casually accept apprentices.

The woman in red said, "It wasn't me who pushed them. They already had someone in mind to become their apprentices, and I was just helping them out."

The scholar in the blue robe asked, "Who are they?"

The woman in red said, "The eldest daughter admires Situ Gu of the Lian Tian Sect, and the third daughter admires Li Hongjiu, a disciple of the Yan Bao Sect."

"..." The scholar in the blue robe stared at her blankly for a long time before he came to his senses and asked, "Did Situ Gu and the others agree?"

Woman in red: "No, it was just something we were discussing at the dinner table. I haven't contacted them yet."

The scholar in green robes chuckled. "A woman? We don't even know if she's suitable for cultivating fire-based techniques. What were you thinking? Putting everything else aside, Situ Gu won't fall for your attempt to force a disciple on him. And what's with that Li Hongjiu? What kind of oddballs are they? What are you thinking, agreeing to this?"

The woman in red sighed, "I never expected them to make this choice. If I had known, I should have been more careful with my promises. It's been so many years, and I feel like I'm making empty boasts again. I don't care, just help me solve this."

The scholar in the blue robe scoffed and continued to bury himself in his book. "Don't say I'm not giving you face. If you can get Situ Gu and that other person to agree, I'll take one too. Otherwise, it's all just empty talk, so it won't make a difference if I take one."

Then she looked up and added, "Given Situ Gu's personality, even if you take his head off, he still won't agree to something that's not right. Your wife's intervention won't help either."

"Hmph, just you wait!" The woman in red rolled her eyes at him, threw the book back on the shelf, gently touched the red flower at her temple, flicked her red skirt, turned and left, going directly to the next room and up the stairs to the third floor.

(End of this chapter)