The Choice

In a small town outside Miaoyuan Temple in the Southern Jambudvipa.

Bai Xuanling sat in a noodle shop by the bustling street. The owner brought a steaming hot bowl of freshly cooked noodles to her table.

"Enjoy it while it's hot, dear customer."

The owner casually reminded her, glancing at the bowl of seemingly extraordinary quality as he walked away.

To the owner, Bai Xuanling was quite strange—an eccentric who brought her own bowl and chopsticks to eat street noodles.

However, this tableware indeed looked extraordinary, not just in its material, but also in the extremely exquisite carvings and paintings on the bowl.

The owner took a few more looks at the bowl before going to attend to other customers.

But from beginning to end, he forgot to look at what the owner of this luxurious bowl actually looked like, and he didn't even feel that this was strange.

Bai Xuanling took out her chopsticks with a satisfied expression and began to taste this bowl of noodles. It was definitely not breathtaking, but it had a unique flavor.

Or rather, the feeling in her heart was different now.

Before passing her tribulation, she had to suppress her killing intent every single moment. Back then, she would be in no mood to eat a bowl of noodles; just passing by without tearing down the noodle stand would mean she was in a good mood.

It was completely different now. In her moments of leisure, she actually wanted to eat this bowl of noodles made by a mortal.

Chu Xingchen truly cared about these disciples to the utmost degree.

He went to the Eastern Continent to clash with the Heavenly Demons, which was obviously more dangerous, yet he chose to have Huang Miao accompany him, while making her, the strongest combatant, run to the Southern Jambudvipa to watch over these disciples.

Moreover, to let his disciples feel at ease and free of psychological pressure, he even asked her to hide her tracks and protect them in secret.

Bai Xuanling didn't argue with Chu Xingchen about it and simply came to this remote place.

She would sometimes admit that she was no longer young, and her mind was sometimes not as sharp as Chu Xingchen's.

It was time to listen to the opinions of the young—even though sometimes she didn't understand what use they were.

But being a stubborn old fossil who refused to listen to advice was not what Bai Xuanling wanted either—even if it meant occasionally acting like a fool.

But a fool is a fool, so be it.

Bai Xuanling calmed her mind. She didn't even need to blow on the hot bowl of noodles, merely savoring the taste as she ate.

Coming here was a different kind of pastime, but she would still make time to pay attention to the news she needed to.

The implementation of the New Policy here had reached its final stages. Hinayana Buddhism could no longer stir up any waves, but she estimated that Hinayana Buddhism would not be completely wiped out this time.

Instead, a small tail would be left behind, and then this New Policy, which still held lingering prestige, would be brought back to the Xuanwu Kingdom to be thoroughly implemented.

The saying that the world worries not about scarcity, but about uneven distribution was still a truth. The people here could share the benefits of the New Policy, so how could the citizens of the Xuanwu Kingdom not want to obtain them?

Probably after the matters at Miaoyuan Temple were dealt with, this group of disciples would also be about ready to return. The rest could just be left for Li Junzi to implement himself.

Bai Xuanling finished her noodles, placed the money on the table, and then stored her bowl and chopsticks back into her spatial ring.

Her long robes brushed past as she stood up, and her figure entered the long street.

Bai Xuanling strolled down the long street, only to find that the most lively topic was still the implementation of Hinayana Buddhism and the New Policy. Some praised the New Policy as good, while others claimed the New Policy was nothing but a lie of those in power.

Once the incident subsided, the New Policy would definitely be overthrown, and Hinayana Buddhism would be the only way out.

Bai Xuanling ignored them and didn't listen much; these matters were not something she needed to care about excessively.

Anyway, from her perspective, even if the New Policy was accomplished, it was unlikely that Li Junzi would advance to the Sub-Sage realm.

The matter of the New Policy was still a bit too small.

The Sub-Sages of the past did things that were truly earth-shattering.

Bai Xuanling walked along the street and bought a stick of candied hawthorn, planning to take it back for Qinghe to eat.

That gluttonous flood dragon only remembered food and forgot punishments, so she might as well try a different method of education.

If she did well, she would get food. If she did poorly, Bai Xuanling would eat the delicious food right in front of Qinghe.

Qinghe's expression would surely be very interesting.

As for Lingyu, she still didn't know what that girl liked. Her temperament was somewhat similar to her own; she didn't care much about external things.

Bai Xuanling chose a gilded hairpin, intending to give it as a gift to Xie Lingyu.

As for Chu Xingchen, she wouldn't give him anything. After all, the disciple she had painstakingly raised was tricked away by him.

After finishing her shopping, Bai Xuanling was walking back slowly when her footsteps suddenly paused slightly. She looked sideways toward the sky on the right, narrowed her eyes, and reached for Qingming at her waist.

But soon, Bai Xuanling's expression relaxed, and at the same time, a surge of Dao rhyme was sent toward the direction from which the spiritual energy came.

A moment later, a figure landed silently.

"I thought it was some evil cultivator," Bai Xuanling smiled lightly. "I didn't expect it to be you, you thick-eyebrowed, big-eyed kid."

Hearing this, Li Xingtian didn't know what expression to show on his face for a moment.

Bai Xuanling waved her hand, signaling Li Xingtian to follow:

"What, only your master can tease you, and I can't?"

Li Xingtian caught up and, after thinking for a moment, answered truthfully:

"Because I know when my master is teasing me. As for you, I don't know."

Bai Xuanling raised an eyebrow. "Did your master tell you I was here?"

Li Xingtian shook his head gently and replied, "No... Master just told me to come near here and emit my blood qi, and then said a miracle would happen."

"Tsk." Bai Xuanling said with a dissatisfied tone, "What's that kid up to now?"

"I don't know. Master just gave me a mission. As long as the token Master gave me is triggered, I have to do this." Li Xingtian said as he took out a jade token from his spatial ring and continued, "And then he told me to hand this jade token over to the miracle."

Bai Xuanling stopped walking and took a couple of looks at Li Xingtian.

She had to admit, having Li Xingtian, who spoke little and had little curiosity, handle this kind of matter was indeed appropriate.

Bai Xuanling reached out and took the jade token. She glanced at its contents, then looked at Li Xingtian with a strange expression and asked:

"I have a question for you, answer truthfully."

Li Xingtian didn't quite understand but felt it was serious, so he nodded to indicate there was no problem.

Bai Xuanling pondered for a moment before asking:

"If I leave right now, do you have anything you want to say to me?"

Li Xingtian was taken aback, then shook his head in confusion:

"No..."

"And if I don't leave right now, do you have anything you want to say to me?"

Li Xingtian thought for another moment, then shook his head again and said:

"No, either."

Bai Xuanling nodded in understanding. Then, she directly used her spiritual energy to destroy the contents inside the jade token and continued walking forward as if nothing had happened.

Li Xingtian followed behind for a few steps. He roughly understood that it was his master who had Bai Xuanling ask this.

And the significance of asking this probably lay in whether he had seen anything in his dreams.

Li Xingtian also understood that the key to his master asking this question was—whether Bai Xuanling would continue to stay here.

"Senior Bai, I answered the previous questions honestly," Li Xingtian spoke in a calm tone. "But I have another sentence to add as an answer."

Bai Xuanling looked over, signaling Li Xingtian to speak.

Li Xingtian's tone was firm:

"Unless it was absolutely necessary, Master would not have called for you."

"At this moment, no matter what my master says, you should go and take a look."

Bai Xuanling chuckled lightly: "Is this your thought?"

Li Xingtian looked straight ahead, his tone calm:

"No, this is the final decision. If you choose to go, I am confident I can persuade Eldest Senior Sister and the rest to return to the Tianyan Sect first."

Bai Xuanling broke into a grin.

"You kids are all quite endearing."

"It seems the boundless vigor of youth truly can overcome countless trials and tribulations."

"I will listen to you this time. After all, I don't like that idiot master of yours either."