I trust my own judgment.

The passage of time wasn't particularly long—at least not long enough to exhaust Bai Xuanling's patience—when Chu Xingchen approached with his usual warm smile, while Xu Jin, standing beside him, wore an oddly complicated expression.

It seemed the so-called negotiation had ended with the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect at a disadvantage.

Bai Xuanling eased her mind. If it was Chu Xingchen, this outcome wasn’t entirely unexpected. The boy was somewhat like her—neither of them was the type to take losses lying down.

Back in the day, she’d often had to draw her sword to make her stance clear. But this kid could achieve the same with just his words. That was a skill worth acknowledging.

Li Moze’s gaze swept over them, his expression calm. A loss was a loss. Since the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect bore the Mandate of Heaven, it was fated to endure hardships.

Countless generations of sect leaders and elders had paid untold prices for this. Now that the responsibility had fallen to him, it was only natural that he should shoulder it as well.

Someone had to hold up the heavens—lest they collapse. If even they were to shrink from this duty, who knew what would become of the world?

At the very least, the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect had never once thought of backing down.

Before Li Moze could even ask, however, Chu Xingchen naturally clasped his hands and spoke with a smile:

"This visit has been most enlightening. The Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect truly lives up to its reputation as the former foremost sect—such magnanimity."

Li Moze hesitated slightly, his eyes flickering toward Xu Jin’s unreadable expression.

He had imagined many possible reactions from Chu Xingchen—the weight of accepting the Mandate of Heaven, the reluctance to bear its heavy burden, even outright disgust.

Or perhaps, despite his usual carefree demeanor, Chu Xingchen might have stood firm in the face of destiny.

But this… this look of someone who had just walked away with the upper hand…

Li Moze hadn’t anticipated this. Had his disciple given him something? But there was nothing of value there—unless they’d dug up the graves of the sect’s elders?

Still, now wasn’t the time to ask. Li Moze replied warmly:

"As long as Nephew Chu has gained something from this visit, that is enough. Should you ever require assistance, the gates of the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect will always be open to you."

Chu Xingchen’s smile deepened as he nodded.

"I’ll drop by when I have time."

Had anyone else said this, Li Moze might have dismissed it as mere courtesy. But coming from Chu Xingchen, he knew better.

Not that "dropping by when he had time" was unwelcome. The Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect had long made its stance clear.

Li Moze nodded in acknowledgment. "Then, until we meet again."

With a polite bow, Chu Xingchen turned and walked toward Bai Xuanling.

Bai Xuanling arched a brow as he approached—Did you lose out?

Chu Xingchen blinked—Not at all.

"Let’s go."

Without hesitation, Bai Xuanling turned and left, not even bothering with farewells to Li Moze. Chu Xingchen, however, offered a slight bow before following.

Whether the Mandate of Heaven was real or not, the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect’s sincerity was undeniable.

Moreover, the coming calamity was no illusion. Having allies could only be a good thing—it never hurt to have more friends.

Two streaks of light shot away from the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect.

Bai Xuanling flew calmly toward the direction of Ten Thousand Blossoms Ridge, neither questioning nor speaking further.

After some time, Chu Xingchen glanced at her proud figure ahead and couldn’t help but ask:

"Aren’t you curious about what Xu Jin told me?"

Bai Xuanling didn’t turn, answering indifferently:

"If you wanted to tell me, you would. If you don’t, asking is pointless."

"Aren’t you even a little curious?"

"Not everything needs to be understood." Her voice lowered slightly. "Sometimes ignorance is a blessing."

Chu Xingchen watched her back. Truthfully, Bai Xuanling had likely pieced together some of it already—his unnaturally rapid cultivation progress, for one.

She had never questioned it, as though she simply accepted that he was a peerless genius, breaking through realms as easily as drinking water.

Such steady yet swift advancement was a tantalizing mystery in itself.

If Chu Xingchen could do it, could others replicate it?

This wasn’t some abstract concept like the Path of Divine Worship—this was tangible, measurable power.

Yet no matter how high his cultivation soared, Bai Xuanling merely accepted it without inquiry.

She never asked about his realm, nor why he progressed so swiftly.

She never even questioned if he’d turned to demonic cultivation.

Whether she was curious or not, only she knew. But she had likely drawn her own conclusions.

From the moment they’d met, the only thing Bai Xuanling had ever truly taught or warned him about was this:

"The great calamity approaches. You may be the one destined to face it. Be cautious in all things."

Bai Xuanling probably knew everything. But most of the time, she chose silence.

Sometimes, a person’s charm lay in what they didn’t say.

Yet such quiet strength often went unnoticed, taken for granted.

After a moment, Chu Xingchen chuckled. "Well, I’ll give you a hint anyway. Wouldn’t want Qinghe calling me a traitor behind my back, thinking I’ve switched sides to the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect."

"But… I should confirm first. Do you want to hear it?"

Bai Xuanling finally glanced back. Though she usually blended in effortlessly, even bantering with ease, one thing never changed:

No matter the situation, her eyes remained like still, deep pools—calm and unfathomable, like those of an old soul.

Her appearance bore no trace of age, and her mannerisms were youthful. Only when she mocked herself would she say, "I’m getting old—starting to ramble."

You could gauge her mood from her subtle expressions or tone.

But her eyes? They revealed nothing.

Yet now, for the first time, there was the faintest ripple in those tranquil depths—so slight that even Chu Xingchen couldn’t decipher it.

After a long look, Bai Xuanling finally spoke:

"Say it if you wish."

Chu Xingchen cleared his throat, his smile fading into seriousness.

"Humility aside, it seems I’m to be the savior. The fate of the Five Provinces and all under heaven now rests on my shoulders."

Bai Xuanling remained impassive, merely giving him a once-over before smiling.

"Then you’d best work harder. No more lazing about after a single day of cultivation."

"I thought you’d say the heavens were doomed," Chu Xingchen said wryly. "A slacker like me saving the world? The heavens must be blind."

Bai Xuanling looked ahead again. "I’d say they have rather good judgment."

Chu Xingchen tilted his head curiously.

"How so? What strengths do I have?"

Bai Xuanling did not turn around, but her voice was resolute as she replied:

"Because I also think you're not bad. I don’t trust Heaven’s judgment, but I trust my own."