All was quiet within and without South Stream Temple.
Huai Ren could not answer this question.
She knew that there was no way to salvage the situation, but when she imagined the scene of the temple being destroyed and the people dying, she still wanted to make one final attempt at persuasion.
"I know that this truly is against the laws of the church, but I cannot just watch as you drag my South Stream Temple into the abyss."
She looked at Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng and said, "You do not have the right to do this."
Xu Yourong stood up and calmly looked into her eyes. "Before Teacher left, she once said to me that South Stream Temple is full of female cultivators with weak natures. It is extremely difficult for them to survive in this chaotic world, and to calmly guard their Dao hearts to cross the world is even more naive. It is not the true Dao of South Stream Temple."
Huai Ren asked, "Have you and Senior Sister never thought that the world is like the overflowing River of Hatred? If one is not careful, the boat will capsize and the people will perish?"
Xu Yourong replied, "Cultivating the Dao has always been a heaven-defying act. Even a weak woman should uphold the Dao and advance. Standing by the river and viewing the scenery for an entire lifetime is admittedly wonderful and free, but if one is not even willing to wet the soles of one's shoes, how can one tread on the waves and ultimately reach the other shore?"
These words caused the flowering trees to sway in the wind and the eyes of the disciples of South Stream Temple brightened.
"When I was little, at New North Bridge in the capital, I jumped into that well, and when I stood on the bridge, I jumped into the Luo Canal. Everyone thought that I was seeking death, but they didn't know that I only wanted to jump in and see if there was a moon, if there was a legendary evil dragon. I even dared to do these things, so how could I jump into the river?"
As Xu Yourong spoke, Chen Changsheng glanced at her.
Before the battle on the Bridge of Helplessness, he had carefully studied her and was well aware of these anecdotes from her childhood in the capital.
"Master chose me to be Holy Maiden because she clearly understood my personality and knew where I would take South Stream Temple."
Xu Yourong looked at Huai Ren and said, "I can respect your dislike of my conduct, dislike of Teacher's choice, but you want to change all this? No. "
Her voice was still very soft, like the most pleasant cry of a bird in a tranquil valley. She did not deliberately release her dignity, but she gave off an unquestionable feeling.
These last two words in particular made many of the South Stream Temple disciples, including Ping Xuan and Yi Chen, recall that Chen Changsheng had said the same two words on the plateau.
I can respect you, I can understand you, but I won't accept you, I won't be convinced by you, and I definitely won't be changed by you. If I can't, then I can't.
However, Chen Chang Sheng remembered the shout that came from the old estate in the snowstorm of Wen Shui City a few days ago.
— — Your son is colluding with the demons!
As for fame, he had only started slowly accumulating it after the Grand Examination.
As for Xu You Rong and Qiu Shan Jun, they had been raising them since the day they were born.
They had not lived in this world for as long as those senior experts, but in terms of reputation, how many people could compare to them?
The debate came to an end.
Xu Yourong was the will of South Stream Temple.
In these ten or so green peaks, no one could shake her position, and it was even to the extent that they couldn't approach her.
Even if the ones who opposed her today were the three granduncles with the highest seniority.
Huai Ren sighed. Seeing Xu Yourong's calm expression, her heart like dead water, she asked, "Then how does the temple master intend to punish us?"
"I said that I can respect you, that I can understand you. This being the case, Martial Uncle has not done anything too serious, so why should I punish you?"
Xu Yourong said, "Martial Uncle has always liked to travel the world. For the future of South Stream Temple, I was forced to interrupt my cultivation and return. Now that I have broken through the wall and come out, there is no need to worry about the temple's affairs, so I ask Martial Uncle to continue traveling. I trust that the scenery beyond the world will not be much worse than the scenery here."
Given Huai Ren's seniority, if she really wanted to punish them according to the laws of the church and the temple, it truly was somewhat inappropriate.
But having these granduncles continue to remain in Holy Maiden Peak was naturally even more inappropriate.
The so-called traveling was just asking you to leave so that you wouldn't get sick of each other.
Xu Yourong's way of handling this matter could truly be said to be lighthearted and broad-minded. She was confident that Huai Ren would be able to accept it.
Yi Chen and Ping Xuan looked at Huai Ren with joy in their eyes.
Just when Huai Ren was prepared to say something, Xu Yourong suddenly remembered something.
"But I do not wish for Martial Uncle to return every once in a while. That would truly be very troublesome, so let's make it a period of ten years."
Yi Chen and Ping Xuan's expressions flickered at these words, thinking, will master accept?
Inviting you to travel the world can be understood as a courtesy given to a junior disciple, but only allowing you to return once every ten years was a clear banishment.
But Huai Ren was well aware that the Holy Maiden's ten-year period referred to the Star Osmanthus Festival that South Stream Temple held every ten years.
When she thought about how Xu Yourong had not deprived her of the right to participate in the Star Osmanthus Festival, what else could she say?
She sighed and walked out of the thatched cottage.
Huai Shu bowed to Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng, then turned and followed.
Huai Bi was already at Huai Ren's side. Her expression seemed composed, but her eyelashes trembled, her eyes filled with unease and relief.
But in the next moment, the unease and relief in her eyes completely vanished, replaced by shock and fear.
Xu Yourong's voice once more resounded through South Stream Temple.
"Yuan Yueqin, do you think that you can also leave?"
… …
… …
All the South Stream Temple disciples raised their heads.
Some looked at each other while others looked around, thinking, who is Yuan Yueqin? I've never heard of a disciple with this name in the temple before.
Those disciples with faster reactions had already guessed at what was going on.
Huai Ren stopped and turned around to look at Xu You Rong without saying a word.
Huai Shu appeared somewhat perplexed as if she did not understand what had happened.
Huai Bi's complexion turned extremely unsightly.
More and more disciples understood that Yuan Yueqin was Martial Grandaunt Huai Bi's secular name.
Huai Ren was somewhat uneasy.
Xu Yourong did not call her martial aunt, nor did she use her Daoist name. Instead, she directly called out Third Junior Sister's secular name. The meaning hidden within was obvious.
Huai Bi's embarrassment turned to anger. She shouted at Xu Yourong, "Holy Maiden, what are you doing?"
Huai Shu still had not reacted. She said to Xu Yourong, "She is still your martial aunt, so how can you do this?"
Xu Yourong knew that this was her martial aunt's personality, so she ignored her. She only looked at Huai Bi and said, "Yuan Yueqin, you colluded with outsiders to attack a disciple of the temple. Do you really think that after doing such a thing, I will allow you to leave South Stream Temple?"
Huai Shu finally came to her senses. She glanced at Huai Ren, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say.
To those South Stream Temple disciples on the plateau, Xu Yourong's words made them recall those scenes from back then.
At the time, they had formed a sword array, their wills united as an impregnable fortress, resisting the Divine Domain expert Wuqiong Bi. The situation had been extremely dangerous.
At this moment, their martial aunt Huai Bi had suddenly attacked and wounded them, causing the array to fall.
How could they forget this scene?
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