NOVEL NEXT WORLD chapter 35
35. Resolute Blue Sky, Yearning for the Abyss
These five short words held profound meaning.
“Fate known, not succumbed to” meant understanding one’s destiny, yet not yielding to it.
Wasn’t this a response to her own words? It was a complete insight into her psychological state.
To know one’s fate, to be aware of the righteous path, and not to succumb, is to not resign oneself to the preordained path.
This phrase encouraged her to follow her heart, not to blindly adhere to the set path of cultivation, promotion, demon-slaying, and receiving rewards, only to repeat the cycle. She should not walk this path again, or it would be succumbing.
She wasn’t completely devoid of wisdom; aside from the persistent deviant thoughts, she still had reason. Not succumbing didn’t mean completely abandoning the bright, righteous path to follow her deviant thoughts; it meant finding a balance between the right path and those thoughts.
Moreover, these five words weren’t pushing her to extremities.
The words “know fate” were advising her to recognize her position, that she was a character of righteousness, and whatever choices she made could not betray this stance.
She understood now. She had always been pondering between the vast blue sky and the abyss, but this wasn’t a multiple-choice question; it was an essay question on how to seek her own life’s meaning while standing firm in the vast blue sky and venturing into the abyss.
Perhaps this was her own test, a hurdle far more challenging than any she had faced before.
Qin Shili smiled faintly for the first time in a while, like an iceberg in the cold winter meeting the warm sunshine.
With this, things became interesting. This was an unprecedented challenge of high difficulty, and the existence of this goal cleared her confusion, giving her direction at least.
Qin Shili’s mood improved significantly, not only because her peculiar thoughts were understood but also because she received a friendly response and guidance.
But who could this person be, to guide her confusion with just five words?
Qin Shili looked around, feeling as if this profound and unfathomable being was watching her from some corner.
So close, yet so far away.
【Thank you】
Qin Shili wrote three words on a slip of paper, then gently turned the page and closed the book.
There’s no need to deliberately seek him out; one day, they will meet, and the arrival of that day will signify her success in overcoming this hurdle, finding her own definition of life.
…
Tianling Mountain, Zhou Dao Valley.
[Shuqin, you’re not in good shape, it’s recommended to rest well before continuing your practice]
The admonition of Fairy Han echoed in Liu Shuqin’s mind; indeed, her condition had been poor these days, with her cultivation making no progress.
Master Fairy Han advised her to rest, but she couldn’t stop.
She wasn’t extraordinarily gifted; she simply started early, studied diligently, and step by step, reached the sixth level of the Spirit Realm.
But once she reached the sixth level, she stalled, unable to comprehend more advanced spirit techniques and formations, perhaps due to her perception and wisdom roots.
In terms of perception, she couldn’t compare to her two junior sisters. Qin Shili, needless to say, with her seventh-level strength, was recognized by the entire sect, while the younger junior sister, Su Kexin, had advanced rapidly since her initiation, making leaps and bounds in progress upon returning from Zhuxing Town.
As for Lin Nuo, there was no need to mention him; his strength was unclear, but judging by his achievements in Fenghai Forest, he might be far stronger than her.
As the eldest senior sister, if she became the weakest, where would her dignity lie?
She couldn’t rest; she had to seize the time to practice. Her foundation was already far behind her junior brothers and sisters, and without working harder, she feared she might really become the bottom.
“Today, I must master the Wind Spirit Formation.”
Liu Shuqin arranged the formation, held her breath, concentrated fully, and infused spiritual power into the formation.
The sixth-level Wind Spirit Formation was a large-scale formation that could cover several miles. However, Liu Shuqin had not yet grasped it and could only try with a smaller formation. Yet, she had always failed, never succeeding even once.
[I must succeed!]
Liu Shuqin prayed incessantly in her heart as the formation flickered with a dazzling spiritual light, sweeping up a strong wind.
Seeing the wind grow stronger, lifting the branches and leaves off the ground.
Was she going to succeed?
She was overjoyed; this formation was going smoother than ever before, surely it must succeed.
However, the strong wind died down, and the spiritual light faded.
“This…”
She felt her condition was quite good, but still, she failed…
Continue, she could only keep trying.
She went on to train the Wind Spirit Formation, but the result was the same, seemingly successful at first, but ending weakly in failure.
“How…”
She fell into despair once again; perhaps her level was just that, lacking in wisdom roots and perception, the sixth level might be her limit.
Her spiritual power was no longer sufficient, and she probably could only practice one more time.
Well then, let’s face the disappointment one last time.
She returned to the front of the formation, ready to channel her spirit energy, when suddenly a stone fell near the edge of the formation.
【What is this…】
Liu Shuqin looked at where the stone had fallen and immediately understood.
She had always focused on channeling energy into the center of the formation, neglecting its edges.
No wonder it was always unstable, starting strong but ending weak—the edges lacked enough spirit energy to maintain the Wind Spirit Formation.
This last time, she shifted her focus to the formation’s edge, infusing it with spirit energy. The spirit light sparkled, a wild wind gathered, sweeping up branches and leaves.
For a long time, the wild wind continued without interruption.
Success!
Liu Shuqin was thrilled.