The entire sect is obsessed with love, but I'm the only one who's truly insane.

Five years of fierce fighting have imbued everyone with a restrained heaviness, like bamboo that gradually matures after the autumn frost.

The members of the Supreme Sect finally got up and prepared to return to their sect.

Before they left, they saw excited monks push down one of the temporary defensive lines in the middle. As the barrier collapsed, it seemed as if the wall that had been a constant source of vigilance for all spiritual practitioners over the years had also crumbled.

Several members of the Supreme Sect tacitly chose to walk slowly rather than go directly to the sect.

Together with the Tongtian Sect, they passed through a small border town and rested in a shed set up by a shop.

"Don't be fooled by the surroundings. A shop like this that's been open for so long must taste really good," the fat old man said, noticing that Hou Cang's expression wasn't good.

Hou Cang glanced at the old man indifferently upon hearing this, and the fat old man added, "It is true that spiritual energy is scarce, but at your stage, you don't need to rely on food to replenish your spiritual power, right?"

Lin Du laughed, looking at the braised meat that was served, and listening to the chatter of the people resting nearby.

"Have you heard? The war is over!"

"Hey, I thought it would take decades to fight, but it went by pretty quickly."

"How much slower? You have no idea how many spiritual cultivators have died. I know a family whose only son had talent and entered a major sect, but he also ended up on this Spirit Demon Battlefield. Now his fate is unknown. There are countless others like him."

"I heard it's from the Supreme Sect organization. These demons only eat people, why do they have to fight? There are so many deaths and injuries."

"They only see the righteous path and the demons, how can they see the countless bones that were destroyed by those words?"

The people from the Tongtian Sect didn't look too good. Only Sheng Yan was able to sit still. The people from the Wushang Sect were all calm and showed no emotion. Ni Jinxuan just kept her head down and kept drinking tea. She didn't put the teacup on the table until it was empty.

At this point, the waiter came out with bowls and placed the steaming hot soup noodles and fried dough on their table. After placing them, the waiter turned and walked past the other tables.

"You can't say that. Things weren't always this peaceful here. The town next door was slaughtered by demons, not a single one was left. Back then, some people were cursing the big sects for being useless. Now that they've killed all the demons, the world is at peace. But you're saying they didn't fight well and that too many cultivators died."

The waiter recited the names of the dishes fluently, and his mouth was even more fluent.

"Anyway, everyone in our town is grateful to them." The man grinned. "Who doesn't want to live? At least our children won't have to live in constant fear of being eaten by evil spirits."

Lin Du spoke up, "This noodle soup is good; it's been simmering all night, it's delicious."

The fat old man chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, "I knew it!"

The people at the table silently picked up their chopsticks and ate their noodles, unusually quiet.

Once they were back on their journey, Sheng Yan finally spoke, "You led them all the way through these borders just to hear this?"

Lin Du remained noncommittal, looking at the group of junior disciples walking ahead, "It's easy to be passionate, but difficult to be calm. When you make a choice, there are always two sides. If we don't show them, and they remain immersed in this resolute atmosphere of forging ahead head-on, problems will arise."

"Are you also refining yourself?" Sheng Yan turned to look at her profile. "After all, that decision was largely yours."

"Those who stand tall should bear the weight of the people." Lin Du raised his eyes. "The human heart also needs to be tempered. The higher one's position, the greater the consequences of every decision made and every word spoken. One must be even more cautious."

"If you stay at a high place for too long, detached from the ground, with the floating clouds above you, you will inevitably obscure the real ground."

This was the last lesson Lin Du taught her nephews and nieces who were now almost grown up, and it was also a constant reminder to herself.

Sheng Yan laughed, "So I'm not as good as you."

She was so much older than Lin Du, yet she was still far inferior to him.

Lin Du shook his head. "It's different. We're on different paths. There will be times when you surpass me."

For example, a free and easy spirit; for example, a restrained sharpness.

Sheng Yan pondered for a moment, "However, having a powerful figure like you is a blessing for the Insightful Realm."

After parting ways with the Tongtian Sect, they traveled all the way to the northern border.

Hou Cang didn't know why he had to mingle with the younger generation, but he just followed these six people aimlessly, traveling around most of the border.

Until they encountered a dirty little boy on the road. The boy's hair was neatly tied up with strips of cloth, but his clothes were loose. His face was very dark from the sun, and at first glance, he looked like a little monkey.

The child was carrying a bundle and seemed to be asking for directions.

"May I ask, Master, is the Chunyang Sect heading down this path?"

The person asking for directions was merely a cultivator at the Qin Xin realm, far from being a true cultivator, and didn't know where the Chunyang Sect was. The child was somewhat disappointed.

The group immediately realized that the child seemed to have deliberately changed his voice.

Lin Du suddenly stopped and watched the child walk towards them.

"Excuse me, esteemed masters, is the Chunyang Sect heading down this path?"

Ni Jinxuan leaned forward slightly. "They're not there. The Chunyang Sect is quite far away. You'd better go directly to a large city and see if there's a teleportation array there."

The child thought about it carefully, looked at the people in front of him, seemed a little nervous, and was still clutching a handful of ash in his hand, thinking he was being very discreet, but everyone in front of him knew.

"So... how much does one teleportation array cost?"

None of the members of the sect know about this yet, and they don't use the teleportation array.

"This is in the north. It would cost about 10,000 low-grade spirit stones to get to a city near the Chunyang Sect," Hou Cang suddenly said. "It would also cost 10 spirit stones to enter the city."

The child hesitated for a moment, but forced himself to remain calm. "Then, which path should the Chunyang Sect take?"

"That's really far, a child like you can't walk that far. What do you want to do at the Chunyang Sect? Are you going to become an apprentice? I'm a disciple of the Wushang Sect, the closest sect around here," Ni Jinxuan said patiently.

Lin Du suddenly spoke up, "You can walk there by yourself, but we can help you get there faster."

The child paused for a moment, looked at the imposing figure in blue robes, and swallowed the words he was about to say. "I... I'm going to find my father. My mother died of illness, and my father is a cultivator from the Pure Yang Sect, an incredibly powerful cultivator! I want to find my father."

After listening carefully, Yan Qing said, "We are all disciples of the Supreme Sect. I know many people. My cousin is in the Pure Yang Sect. Tell me your father's name, and I can help you inform him."

The child's eyes were still wary. When he saw the disciple tokens that looked very valuable on their waists, he hesitated for a moment before saying his name.

Yan Qing immediately sent the communication talisman.

While waiting, Ni Jinxuan offered the child some candy and snacks from her storage ring. The child initially declined, but after several attempts, finally accepted them without eating them immediately.

After receiving the telepathic message, Yan Qing activated it with her spiritual power, and the child, who had just begun to smile, heard an extremely cruel truth.

"Ren Qiang, there is indeed such a person. He was an outer sect cultivator. I remember he was very strong. He also went to the front line this time. He was originally only responsible for transporting supplies, but he was killed in a demon attack."

The child kept a straight face for a long time, then raised his hand, wiped his eyes with his dirty hand, and didn't say anything.

"Thank you, I understand."

The child gave a somewhat rough greeting and turned to leave.

Ni Jinxuan felt a pang of pity. "Where are you going? Is there anywhere else you can go?"

The child remained silent, walked a few steps in silence, and when he was far away from them, he raised his hand and punched a dead tree by the roadside with great force.

The dead tree snapped open, revealing a huge hole, causing the people following behind to stop in their tracks.

"You have the demeanor I'm telling the truth." Yuan Ye turned to look at Ni Jinxuan.

The group of people looked at the child carefully and scanned him with their divine sense. There was nothing unusual about him. His bone age was about eleven or twelve years old, but his physical constitution was truly extraordinary.

Hou Cang suddenly stepped forward and said, "Hey kid, I think you have some talent. I'd like to take you on as a disciple. Are you up to the task?"

The child turned his head, clearly flustered. "Me?"

Hou Cang nodded, "Mm."

Yan Qing hesitated, then turned to look at Lin Du, "Can I pick this up?"

Lin Du glanced at Hou Cang's retreating figure, his expression enigmatic. "Use the 'Tracing Life' illusion to check, then take him back to our hometown to verify it. If it's correct, that's fine too."

Hou Cang's wish has been fulfilled, but people still have to live on.

Whether the ending is reincarnation or achieving enlightenment, we must first keep living our lives.

Hou Cang carried the dusty little monkey back to the sect. When he tried to clean the child, she struggled and he realized she was a little girl.

Hou Cang, his face cold, ran out to find Lin Du, but when he spoke, he was stunned, "That's a girl!"

Lin Du: ...

"You didn't use your divine sense to scan her?" Lin Du asked, puzzled. "You're planning to take her as your disciple without even taking a look?"

"I...I thought he looked like a pretty obvious kid." Hou Cang was bewildered.

"Didn't you realize that the child did it on purpose? A little girl traveling alone for a long distance would probably have to dress dirty and speak in a low voice to reduce the risk."

Lin Du was surprised that Hou Cang was so lacking in common sense. "When I was a child, I didn't have much money and didn't dare to go into the city. In order to go to the Central Plains election, I pretended to be a skinny boy who was about to die. I didn't have any cultivation to begin with, so why did I have to travel such a long distance? Did you really think there were no kidnappers in the Central Plains?"

Whether in the Insightful Realm or the modern world, living alone as a girl is difficult. It requires caution and disguise. Only by appearing unapproachable, not like a woman, or not having any value to be trafficked can one barely live a peaceful life.

Until you become strong enough to ignore those hidden dangers.

But even if you are weak, that is not a reason to be hurt.

Such is the way of the world; on the road to becoming strong, the weak still have to rely on caution and disguise, proceeding step by step.

Hou Cang thought about it seriously, "That's true. When I was a child, the female slaves who were abducted with me, although they weren't taken away for training, seemed to have a worse experience."

He stopped talking, turned around and went back, saying, "Call me when you've finished setting up the formation."

Lin Du waited until he left before speaking, "Alright."

Hou Cang turned back again, "Could you please finish your sentence next time?"

Lin Du spread his hands. "You didn't ask."

Hou Cang left with a cold face to capture the child and put him to the test.

Whether they're male or female, they all have to train under him. He's such a promising talent, it would be a waste not to train him.