"How should I put it about the Great Desolate? It's a bit chaotic, but if it weren't chaotic, it wouldn't be called the Great Desolate."
Gu Qingfeng drank his wine and said, "In that place, some achieve Buddhahood in a single thought, others fall from Buddha into demon in a single thought, and still others ascend to immortality and inquire about sainthood. In some people's eyes, the Great Desolate might be hell, but in others' eyes, it might be heaven. If you ask me, the Great Desolate is absolutely a place worth visiting. If you go, you might regret it, but if you don't go, you will definitely regret it."
He raised his cup and drank, continuing, "To attain the Dao and become an immortal for countless millennia—if you haven't even been to the Great Desolate Heavenly Realm, then what's the point of seeking immortality? Still want to inquire about the Dao? Forget countless millennia, even if you were given hundreds of millions of years, you wouldn't know what the word 'Dao' truly means."
Gu Qingfeng's words landed with weight, and for Luo Xuan Mingyue, they were like a sudden enlightenment, causing a great stir deep within her heart. She stood there stunned, as if she understood, yet also as if she was even more confused.
Luo Xuan Ancestor could tell Gu Qingfeng was intentionally guiding Luo Xuan Mingyue, but he was quite worried inside and said softly, "Kid Gu, our Luo Xuan family has only produced one promising granddaughter like Mingyue in this lifetime. Don't trick her into going to the Great Desolate, alright? My granddaughter is so young, she hasn't even figured out the affairs of people in this world yet. Sending her to the Great Desolate would be pushing her into a pit of fire."
"Old Master, the Great Desolate isn't as terrifying as you think."
"Nonsense! Do you think this old man hasn't been to the Great Desolate?"
"Oh? I didn't see that coming."
"Kid Gu, don't look down on people. When this old man was mixing it up in the Great Desolate back in the day, you probably didn't even know which corner you were playing with mud in."
"Is that so."
Gu Qingfeng narrowed his eyes with a smile. He had never looked down on Luo Xuan Ancestor; on the contrary, he held deep respect for the old master in his heart. Moreover, he wasn't the least bit surprised that the old master claimed to have spent time in the Great Desolate.
This old man was a veritable 'waste immortal'.
The so-called waste immortal meant his immortal spirit was gone, leaving only an empty shell of an immortal body.
As for how Luo Xuan Ancestor lost his immortal spirit, the old master had never spoken of it. However, the fact that this old man could live for over ten thousand years with just a hollow, waste immortal body was enough to prove he was no ordinary fellow. Furthermore, Gu Qingfeng could see that although the old master only possessed an empty-shell immortal body, his spirit was unfathomably deep.
Luo Xuan Ancestor seemed very worried that Gu Qingfeng would trick Luo Xuan Mingyue into going to the Great Desolate Heavenly Realm and quickly had Luo Laoba take Luo Xuan Mingyue away.
"I say, is that really necessary?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head and said helplessly, "Do you really plan to keep her in this world for her whole life? You'll waste her great potential here."
"My granddaughter, I know what's best for her."
Luo Xuan Ancestor glared at Gu Qingfeng. "No need for you to worry unnecessarily, kid."
"Ah, what a pity. A real shame."
"Alright, stop playing mind games with this old man. I've played more tricks than you've ever seen."
Luo Xuan Ancestor said, "Now that they're gone, it's just the two of us. If you have something to say, kid, just say it directly."
"Something to say? What do you mean?"
"Still playing dumb with me, huh?"
"Old Tangtou, just what are you trying to say?"
"Enough with the roundabout talk. I know your real purpose in coming to see me today. Maybe you really did want to see this old man, but... heh, you probably wanted to find out some information about Zhenjue from me, right?"
"No wonder people say old ginger is spicier."
In fact, Luo Xuan Ancestor's guess was correct. Gu Qingfeng's visit wasn't purely to pay his respects; he also wanted to ask about his teacher Zhenjue's situation.
"We've been talking for so long, you asked about many old friends, but didn't mention Zhenjue at all. I guessed right away that you're still hung up on what happened back then."
Luo Xuan Ancestor sighed. "But, speaking of which, how many years has it been? You still haven't resolved that knot in your heart, kid."
Gu Qingfeng raised his cup and drank, saying nothing.
"You master and disciple are something else. In all my years, honestly, I've never seen a pair like you. You feel you failed Zhenjue's expectations, that you let him down. And that old master feels he didn't teach you properly and is also filled with guilt."
Nine years.
Not too long.
But not too short either.
For Gu Qingfeng, they were the nine years he was most unwilling, and least wanted, to recall.
Not because of the humiliation he suffered in the Shangqing Sect during those nine years.
But because during those nine years, Gu Qingfeng did far too many things that betrayed his teacher's kindness.
Back then.
When he was besieged by the Immortal Dynasty and all the major powers of the world, it was Teacher Zhenjue who, defying the pressure of everyone under heaven, used his own reputation and character to preserve Gu Qingfeng's life.
Back then.
When all the elders and ancestral patriarchs of the Shangqing Sect unanimously decided he must be imprisoned, it was Teacher Zhenjue who used his own esteemed status and position to secure Gu Qingfeng's freedom.
Gu Qingfeng knew very well that if it weren't for Teacher Zhenjue back then, he would never have survived to this day.
During those nine years in the Shangqing Sect, Zhenjue never taught him cultivation—not even a single divine ability or immortal art. The only thing he taught Gu Qingfeng was the principles of being a person.
And it was precisely because of those principles of being a person taught by Teacher Zhenjue that he didn't lose himself in the subsequent bouts of madness, time and again.
It was precisely because of those principles of being a person that he brushed shoulders with demons and monsters, time and again.
It was precisely because of those principles of being a person that he was reborn from desperate situations, time and again.
And it was also precisely because of those principles of being a person that he managed to retain his humanity through life-and-death cycles, time and again.
The principles of being a person taught by Teacher Zhenjue benefited Gu Qingfeng immeasurably. It was only later that he realized those principles taught by Teacher Zhenjue were the very foundation of the Human Dao.
A pity.
He realized it too late.
And even more of a pity, he was too young and too arrogant back then, utterly unable to comprehend his teacher's intentions.
To the point where he failed his teacher's expectations, not only dragging his teacher down from being a world-renowned immortal Dao master to becoming a sinner who aided and abetted tyranny.
He could never forget the look of disappointment in his teacher's eyes when he left the Shangqing Sect back then.
Nor could he forget how his teacher crippled his own cultivation to atone to the world when he slaughtered the various sects.
Even more unforgettable was how his teacher took his own life to atone to all living beings when he wreaked havoc and bloodshed across this world.
What Gu Qingfeng could never forget most was when he overthrew the Immortal Dynasty and pointed his sword at the Nine Heavens, his teacher once knelt before him.
Too many, far too many things were unforgettable to Gu Qingfeng, and too painful to look back on. Even now, thinking of them filled his heart with endless complexity.
He very much wanted to see that teacher of his, but he didn't know how to face him.
To be precise, he truly had no face to meet the teacher who had shown him such profound kindness.