Chapter 2080: If Heaven Had Feelings, Heaven Would Also Grow Old

"Reporting to the Sect Master, we, along with the Seven Star Pavilion, Ten Thousand Beasts Gate, and Star Chasing Palace, have dispatched hundreds of thousands of people to investigate all cities across the continent, but we have never heard the name Luo Qiqi!"

The elder cupped his fists.

"Never heard of her?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

Since Luo Xuanqing said that this girl, using the Still Void Pearl, had broken through the constraints of the Master Teacher Continent and entered a higher world, there was a good chance she had come here. Why... was there no news?

He still trusted the information channels of the four great sects. Since they said they hadn't found anything, she might really not be here...

She had broken through the space of the Master Teacher Continent but hadn't come to the Upper Firmament. Where had she gone?

"You may leave..."

Unable to find out, there was nothing to be done. Zhang Xuan shook his head and walked toward the place where the disciples were training.

In ten days, everyone had made tremendous progress. Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and the other nine core disciples had already reached the True Immortal realm!

Even Yuan Tao, who cultivated slowly, had reached the peak of the Void Immortal realm.

As for Bai Ruanqing, she had successfully broken through to the Immortal Lord level, making her the youngest peak powerhouse in the entire Lingyun Sword Pavilion.

Seeing that everyone was training hard and progressing quickly, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to go into seclusion again, he heard a commotion.

"Young master, you must stand up for me... Xiao Qiang has followed you for so many years, since the Tianxuan Kingdom. You wouldn't let this bandit replace me, would you!"

With an exaggerated wail, a fat man rushed in from outside the courtyard.

It was Sun Qiang.

This fellow had come from Xuanjiang City to the Lingyun Sword Pavilion.

Possessing Zhang Xuan's weapon token, he had easily arrived here and met the bandit Cao Chengli.

Both claimed to be Zhang Xuan's steward, and after a disagreement, they started arguing and even came to blows.

Although Cao Chengli was a strongman from the Upper Firmament, his cultivation had just reached the fourth level of the Ancient Sage, not much different from Sun Qiang. In their fight, neither would yield. Hearing that the young master had come out of seclusion, they both came before him.

"Young master, this guy popped up from nowhere, claiming to be your steward, and even got handsy with me..." Cao Chengli did not back down.

Zhang Xuan waved his hand: "It's just a steward position. Is it worth all this fuss? Aren't you ashamed?"

"That's not how it is. Since it's a steward, there can only be one. If there are multiple, each wanting to manage, who do we listen to?"

Sun Qiang quickly said: "Young master, I've been with you the longest and know your habits and actions best. I'm definitely better than this guy who came halfway..."

"You..." Cao Chengli gritted his teeth: "Young master, this guy doesn't seem reliable at all. I'd be a better steward than him..."

Seeing them arguing again, Zhang Xuan rubbed his forehead.

Sun Qiang liked to show off. No matter what, regardless of whether it would cause trouble, he would show off first... with a fearless attitude, as a steward, he could easily bring disaster upon himself.

As for Cao Chengli, this bandit was even more audacious and lecherous. In everything he did, he thought of women first, making him even more unreliable than the other!

Alas, who could have expected that a reliable man like him would end up with two stewards both of this ilk.

Now, even more so, they bicker endlessly over this position...

"And Sun Qiang will do it..." After a pause, Zhang Xuan said.

Comparing the two, Sun Qiang was still more reliable.

At least, when it came to gathering information and finding ways to make money, he had never let anyone down.

"I..."

Cao Chengli was full of anxiety.

"From now on, you'll be responsible for taking care of Shan Xiaotian and my many disciples..." Zhang Xuan instructed, raising an eyebrow: "Don't lead them astray, or you'll be held accountable!"

This fellow was so unreliable, and Zheng Yang, Yuan Tao, and the others were still hot-blooded; 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.

"Since you're here, help me look into Luo Qiqi's whereabouts. If nothing unexpected happens, she should have come to the Upper Realm..."

After finishing the arrangements, recalling the news that the elder hadn't been able to find out, Zhang Xuan said.

"Miss Luo Qiqi has come to the Upper Realm?"

Startled for a moment, Sun Qiang immediately nodded: "Rest assured, young master, as long as she appears, I will surely be able to find her for you..."

"Mm!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Such matters were still more reassuring when entrusted to Sun Qiang; this fellow, having once been a merchant, had a knack for building connections and finding people.

After hesitating for a moment, Sun Qiang said: "Young master, don't blame me for speaking out of turn, but Miss Qiqi has done so much for you... Do you really not like her?"

Luo Qiqi's feelings for the young master—others might not know, but he had seen them clearly.

For the young master, she did not hesitate to turn against her own clan; for the young master, she risked everything... Yet the man before him seemed always not to see it, thoroughly breaking her heart.

"Do you like her?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Along the way from the Tianxuan Kingdom, he had encountered many girls who took a liking to him—Shen Biru, Mo Yu, Zhao Feiwu, Hu Yaoyao, Yu Fei'er... each outstanding and beautiful, yet he felt nothing.

Luo Qiqi was the same.

Only... Luo Ruoxi had struck him at first sight, as if she possessed some special quality that drew him in, captivated him, making him act with childish impulsiveness, unable to control himself.

"Such a good girl, and you don't like her... You're truly a cold-blooded person without feelings..."

Seeing him shake his head, Sun Qiang muttered.

She had done so much for the young master, always giving silently, yet had not earned a shred of affection in return. Even he, the steward, found it hard to stomach.

"No emotions?"

Just as he was about to flare up, Zhang Xuan was suddenly stunned.

Did he have no emotions?

He did!

Filial affection, teacher-student affection, master-servant affection, brotherly affection... he had them all!

But ever since he transmigrated and obtained the Library of Heaven's Path, his feelings regarding love had indeed become very faint.

In his previous life, he was merely an ordinary university library administrator and a single dog. Under normal circumstances, if a pretty girl liked him, he should have gladly agreed, yet he felt nothing—not even toward the seduction of a vixen like Hu Yaoyao!

Moreover, except when facing Luo Ruoxi, he never acted emotionally toward anyone else, remaining as calm as a monster.

Before, he thought it was because he had comprehended the state of 'heart like still water,' but now it seemed far from that simple!

"Could it be... that I have been subtly influenced by the Library of Heaven's Path?"

If Heaven had feelings, Heaven would also grow old!

The Way of Heaven has order; the Way of Heaven has flaws... likewise, the Way of Heaven is emotionless!

Heaven and Earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs!

No matter what state all things become, it is their own doing, unrelated to Heaven and Earth; Heaven and Earth follow nature, everything like wind entering the night, moistening things silently.

He had never realized this before, but upon hearing Sun Qiang's words, it suddenly dawned on him.

Luo Qiqi had done so much for him... if it were anyone else, they would have softened long ago, yet he felt no emotion at all, as calm as a machine.

It was as if he were looking at this issue from outside the world...

So, his view of love had already been thoroughly affected.

As for Luo Ruoxi...

Perhaps, like Master Kong or even himself, she also grasped a part of the Way of Heaven, which was why they could fall in love at first sight and be mutually attracted.

In the end, it evolved into love, something even the Library could not stop!

Thinking of this, a flash of insight struck him from the bottom of his heart: "The Way of Heaven has order; all things can be accomplished by following specific laws! The Way of Heaven has flaws; all objects have defects and are not perfect... But only emotions do not follow laws. Once released, they make people indulge, intoxicate, and unable to extricate themselves..."

Many things have patterns and can be done according to patterns, but... does love follow patterns?

No!

Following patterns, as the little genius of the Zhang family, he was betrothed to Luo Qiqi and should have liked her, yet he fell for Luo Ruoxi!

On the continent, there were also many cases where people who were mortal enemies ended up falling for each other!

If it could be controlled, who wouldn't control it?

Unfortunately... the most uncontrollable thing in the world is emotion, this special state of mind that makes people indulge and unable to extricate themselves!

As for flaws, does love have flaws?

Yes, and many... but it makes countless lives flock to it, sink deep into it, and even when clearly aware, they take pleasure in it... Thus, flaws are no longer flaws but beauty.

"So that's how it is!"

A flash of light passed through his bewildered eyes: "If heaven had feelings, heaven would also grow old. Before emotion, even the Way of Heaven cannot control itself. Why should I be tangled... The technique I've been seeking all along is right here!"

During the three years in the Spring and Autumn Canon, he had been fixated on finding a flawless technique, trying to surpass the Way of Heaven.

But the Way of Heaven's technique itself had no flaws—how could it be surpassed?

No matter how well one created, no matter how flawless, it could at most equal it, without defects. Surpassing... was impossible!

Because of this, for nearly three years, he had never succeeded.

Only now did he understand: he had been looking in the wrong direction!

Emotion—that was what surpassed the Way of Heaven, surpassed time itself in this world!

Some people could love for a hundred years, a thousand years, with no regrets in life.

Some people, for the sake of emotion, would not hesitate to die, indomitable.

Familial love, friendship, romantic love...

Luo Qiqi, for him, would give everything willingly.

Zhang Hongtian, for the human race, shed his last drop of blood, asking for nothing in return.

Yan Hui, the ancient sage, suppressed the passage, died and fell from the Way, his corpse remaining, unmoved for ten thousand years...

...

Whether in the Master Continent or the history of the heavens above, he had seen too much of this.

Seas change, mulberry fields turn; in the Master Continent, even tens of thousands of years could not erase the greatness of Master Kong. This was enough to show that the Way of Heaven could extinguish life, but could not affect emotion.

"The Way of Heaven is not eternal; only emotion surpasses all..."

Boom!

His body shook, and a special force surged up from his dantian. The pseudo-god barrier that had always been unbreakable was about to open at any moment.

"Xiaoqiang, thank you..."

His eyes brightening, Zhang Xuan looked at Sun Qiang before him, laughed heartily, and with a light flicker, returned to the quiet chamber.

"This..."

Seeing that despite his grave words, the young master was not angry but even thanked him, Sun Qiang blinked.

Young master... could he have gone mad?

Cao Chengli, watching from the side, twitched at the corner of his mouth...

When he had merely said one word against the young master, he was punished to hop through the door. This one spoke even more harshly, yet was not scolded but thanked...

All along the way, the young master had been basically indifferent to women...

Could it be that with this Sun Qiang... it was true love?

Taking a look at Sun Qiang's appearance, Cao Chengli sighed: This taste... is really heavy!