Chapter 2105: Heaven Would Also Grow Old If It Had Feelings

“Reporting to the Sect Master, we, along with the Seven Star Tower, Myriad Beasts Gate, and Pursuing Star Palace, dispatched hundreds of thousands of people to investigate all cities across the entire continent. We have not heard of anyone named Luo Qiqi!”

The elder clasped his fists.

“Never heard of her?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

Since Luo Xuanqing said that this girl, with the help of the Tranquil Air Pearl, broke through the shackles of the Master Teacher Continent and entered a higher world, there was a good chance she would have arrived here. Why was there no news? He still trusted the intelligence networks of the four major sects. If they said they couldn’t find her, she might truly not be here. If she broke through the Master Teacher Continent’s space but didn't come to the Heavens, where did she go?

“You may leave...”

Since there was no way to find her, Zhang Xuan shook his head and walked towards the area where his many disciples were cultivating. In ten days, everyone had made tremendous progress. Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and the other nine direct disciples had already reached the True Immortal Realm! Even slower cultivators like Yuan Tao had reached the peak of the Pseudo Immortal Realm. As for Bai Ruanqing, she had successfully broken through to the Immortal Lord level, becoming the youngest peak expert in the entire Lingyun Sword Pavilion.

Seeing that everyone was cultivating diligently and progressing quickly, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to continue his secluded cultivation, he heard a noisy commotion.

“Young Master, you must do me justice! I, Xiaoqiang, have followed you for so many years, ever since the Heavenly Xuan Kingdom. Surely, you wouldn't let this bandit replace me, would you?!”

With an exaggerated wail, a stout man rushed in from outside the courtyard. It was Sun Qiang.

This fellow had already arrived at Lingyun Sword Pavilion from Jiang City. Possessing Zhang Xuan's weapon token, he easily gained access and met Cao Chengli, the bandit. Both claimed to be Zhang Xuan's butler, and they started arguing at the slightest disagreement, even coming to blows. Although Cao Chengli was a strong cultivator in the Heavens, his cultivation had only just reached the Fourth Realm of Ancient Sage, not far from Sun Qiang's. Neither of them would yield in their struggle, so upon hearing that the Young Master had emerged from seclusion, they both came forward.

“Young Master, this fellow just appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be your butler, and even laid hands on me...” Cao Chengli didn't back down either.

Zhang Xuan waved his hand, “It's just a butler's position. Is there really any need for such a commotion? Aren't you embarrassed?!”

“You can’t say that, Young Master. If it's a butler, of course there can only be one. If there are too many, and everyone wants to manage, whose orders will be followed?” Sun Qiang hastily said. “Young Master, I've been with you for so long, I know your actions and habits best. I'm definitely much better than this guy who just showed up...”

“You...” Cao Chengli gritted his teeth. “Young Master, this fellow clearly isn't reliable. I'd be a much better butler than him...”

Seeing the two start arguing again, Zhang Xuan rubbed his temples. Sun Qiang loved to show off. No matter the situation, whether it would cause trouble or not, he'd first make sure he had shown off enough... Looking fearless, he was very likely to cause trouble for himself as a butler. As for Cao Chengli, the bandit, he was even more reckless and lecherous. He thought of women first in everything he did, making him even less reliable than the other one! Alas, how could someone as reliable as he predict that the two butlers he took on would both be like this? Now they were endlessly arguing over this position...

“Sun Qiang will still be the one...” Zhang Xuan paused before saying.

Comparing the two, Sun Qiang was still slightly more reliable. At the very least, when tasked with gathering information or finding ways to earn money, he had never disappointed.

“I...” Cao Chengli was filled with anxiety.

“From now on, you'll be responsible for looking after Shan Xiaotian and my other disciples,” Zhang Xuan instructed, raising an eyebrow. “You mustn't lead them astray, or I will hold you accountable!” This fellow was so unreliable, and Zheng Yang, Yuan Tao, and the others were all young and full of vigor. If they were led astray, it would be truly difficult to educate them.

“Yes...” Cao Chengli quickly nodded. His demands were not high; as long as he wasn't driven away, he was content.

“Since you're here, help me find out Luo Qiqi's whereabouts. Unless something unexpected happened, she should have arrived in the Heavens...” Zhang Xuan said after giving the instructions, recalling the news the elder hadn't been able to gather earlier.

“Miss Luo Qiqi has come to the Heavens?” Sun Qiang froze for a moment, then nodded. “Don't worry, Young Master. As long as she appears, I will definitely help you find her...”

“Mm!” Zhang Xuan nodded. This kind of task was more reassuring when left to Sun Qiang. As a former merchant, he had a knack for networking and finding people.

After a moment of hesitation, Sun Qiang said, “Young Master, please don't blame your subordinate for speaking out of turn, but Miss Qiqi has done so much for you... Do you truly... not like her?” Others might not know Miss Qiqi's feelings for the Young Master, but he had seen them firsthand. For the Young Master, she didn't hesitate to turn against her own clan, she risked everything for him... Yet, the Young Master always seemed to overlook it, completely breaking her heart.

“Like her?” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Throughout his journey from the Heavenly Xuan Kingdom, he had encountered many girls who were interested in him: Shen Biru, Mo Yu, Zhao Feiwu, Hu Yaoyao, Yu Fei'er... Every one of them was excellent and beautiful, but he felt nothing for them. Luo Qiqi was no exception. Only... Luo Ruoxi, with whom he fell in love at first sight. She seemed to possess a unique aura that attracted him, made him infatuated, and caused him to act with a childlike impulsiveness that he couldn't control.

“He doesn't like such a good girl... He's truly a cold-blooded person with no emotions...” Sun Qiang muttered, seeing him shake his head. The other party had done so much for the Young Master, continuously sacrificing without gaining any affection in return. Even he, the butler, couldn't stand it.

“No emotions?” Zhang Xuan was suddenly taken aback, about to get angry. Did he lack emotions? Parental affection, master-disciple affection, master-servant affection, sibling affection... He had them all! But ever since his transmigration and gaining his abilities, he had indeed viewed love very lightly. In his previous life, he was just an ordinary university library administrator and a bachelor. Under normal circumstances, if a beautiful girl liked him, he should have happily agreed, yet he felt nothing, even when tempted by a captivating beauty like Hu Yaoyao! Moreover, except when facing Luo Ruoxi, he never acted on emotion when dealing with others, remaining as calm as a monster. Before, he thought it might be because he had grasped the 'Heart of Still Water' concept, but now it seemed it wasn't that simple!

“Could it be... that I've been subtly influenced?”

If the Heavens had emotions, they too would age!

The Heavenly Dao is orderly, the Heavenly Dao is flawed... and similarly, the Heavenly Dao is emotionless! Heaven and Earth are impartial, treating all beings as straw dogs! No matter what all beings become, it is their own doing and has nothing to do with Heaven and Earth; Heaven and Earth let nature take its course, everything is like the wind entering the night, moisturizing things silently. He hadn't realized it before, but hearing Sun Qiang's words now, he suddenly understood. What Luo Qiqi had done for him... was a lot. Any other person would have long since softened, yet he felt no emotion at all, calm as a machine. It was as if he was observing the problem from outside the world... It turned out that his view on love had been completely influenced. As for Luo Ruoxi... Perhaps, like Master Kong or even himself, she also grasped a portion of the Heavenly Dao, which was why they fell in love at first sight and were mutually attracted. Ultimately evolving into a love that even the Library of Heaven's Path couldn't block!

Thinking of this, a flash of realization crossed his heart: “The Heavenly Dao is orderly; everything can be completed by following specific rules! The Heavenly Dao is flawed; everything has imperfections and is not perfect... But only emotion does not follow rules. Once unleashed, it causes people to be infatuated, to be intoxicated, unable to extricate themselves...”

Many things have rules and can be done according to those rules, but... does love follow rules? According to rules, as the young genius of the Zhang Clan with a marriage contract to Luo Qiqi, he should have loved her, yet he fell for Luo Ruoxi! On the continent, there were also many instances where people fell in love despite being mortal enemies! If it could be controlled, who wouldn't control it? Alas... the most uncontrollable thing in the world is emotion, this special state of mind that makes people infatuated and unable to extricate themselves! As for flaws, does love have flaws? Yes, and many... But it can make countless beings flock to it, deeply entangled, even when they know better, they willingly embrace it... Therefore, flaws are no longer flaws, but beauty.

“So that’s how it is!” A light flashed in his once bewildered eyes: “If the Heavens had emotions, they too would age! In the face of emotion, even the Heavenly Dao cannot control itself, so why should I be conflicted... The cultivation technique I've been seeking was here all along!”

During the three years within the Grand Autumn Canon, he had been stuck in a rut, constantly searching for a flawless cultivation technique, trying to find a way to surpass the Heavenly Dao! But how could a Heavenly Dao cultivation technique, which was already flawless, be surpassed? No matter how well it was created, no matter how perfect, it could at most be equal to it, just flawless. To surpass it... was impossible! It was precisely for this reason that he had not succeeded for nearly three years. Only now did he understand that he had been looking in the wrong direction! Emotion is the one thing in this world that transcends the Heavenly Dao and transcends time!

Some people can love for hundreds or thousands of years, living a life without regret. Some people can die for their emotions, unyielding. Family affection, friendship, love... Luo Qiqi, for him, willingly paid any price. Zhang Hongtian, for humanity, shed his last drop of blood, asking for nothing in return. Ancient Sage Yan Hui, suppressing the passage, died and perished, his body remaining, unmoved for ten thousand years... Whether in the Master Teacher Continent or the history of the Heavens, he had seen too many such instances. Even as lands turned into seas, and seas into lands, tens of thousands of years on the Master Teacher Continent couldn't erase the greatness of Master Kong, which sufficiently demonstrated that while the Heavenly Dao could extinguish life, it could not influence emotion.

“The Heavenly Dao is not eternal; only emotion transcends everything...”

Rumble!

His body trembled, and a special power surged from his dantian. The Pseudo-God realm barrier, which he had been unable to break through before, was now on the verge of opening at any moment.

“Xiaoqiang, thank you...” His eyes lit up as he looked at Sun Qiang before him. Zhang Xuan laughed heartily, then with a slight sway, he returned to his quiet room.

“This...” Seeing that the Young Master not only wasn't angry despite his serious words but even thanked him, Sun Qiang blinked his eyes. Young Master... Could he have gone mad?

Cao Chengli, who witnessed this from the side, twitched his mouth even more... Back then, he had only said one sentence to the other person and was punished by having to hop through the door. Now, this person said something far more severe, and instead of scolding him, he was thanked... Throughout his journey, the Young Master had been largely indifferent to women... Could it be that Sun Qiang... was his true love? Glancing at Sun Qiang's appearance, Cao Chengli sighed: “This taste... is truly heavy!”