"Please, Mr. Ling, help me!" You Su pleaded sincerely.
"Exorcising evil is the duty of a cultivator." Mr. Ling replied righteously, "But I have a question for you."
"Please ask, Mr. Ling."
"If your family has fallen too deeply into evil, and I have no choice but to kill them, would you blame me?"
You Su was silent for a moment, lowering his face without revealing any emotion.
"If Mr. Ling can help them escape their suffering, I can only offer my gratitude."
"Very well, I will do my best." Mr. Ling comforted himself as he stroked his white beard.
"Mr. Ling, do we need to recruit some help? I know there are several Condensed Water Realm cultivators in Chuyun City who could assist us."
Mr. Ling's eyes flashed imperceptibly, glancing at You Su: "You do not trust me?"
"Of course not! I'm just worried..."
"When faced with flesh-related evil, it is effective to suppress them through force because they resemble brutal beasts; evil born of the five elements carries elemental power and may dissolve in water or hide in fire, so cutting off their supporting element is key; as for the cunning evil born of Dream Masters, sensitive to the slightest wind or grass movement around them, the gathering of cultivators would cause an abnormal increase in Profound Qi, which would make them alert early."
"Escaping is a minor issue; it may even infiltrate among the attackers, leading to a total disaster. So, when dealing with Dream Master evil, using arrays and symbol arts to trap them is the best solution, rather than having more people. Besides, those cultivators who haven't even witnessed evil themselves could be potential hazards instead of help."
"I see, I was ignorant." You Su responded with a look of fear, then respectfully added, "If Mr. Ling needs my cooperation in anything, please just instruct me."
"You are very clever. This exorcism is less about you cooperating with me than it is me cooperating with you." Mr. Ling said earnestly, "I will secretly arrange the Array of Ten Thousand Ghosts Hidden. Once the array is formed, the evil within shall have nowhere to hide, and the Dream Master evil, without the ability to evade, will be like fish in a barrel. But the crux of this array is that the final step must be executed inside the array. If I am exposed within, it will alarm the snake by beating the grass. Therefore, you shall be the one to execute this final step."
With that, he took out a pile of items from his Qiankun Bag and placed them by You Su's side: "Here is a lamp, seven lamp wicks, and three strands of Dragon Sandalwood. At the latest by two o'clock before dawn the day after tomorrow, you must find an opportunity to light these seven wicks in your residence and use the lamp flame to ignite the incense. Wait until the three incense sticks have fully burned, then recite 'Heavenly circle and earthly square, law commands nine chapters, under my orders, Ten Thousand Ghosts Hidden,' and I will sense it and form the array. This decisive action holds the key to success or failure. Are you clear on this?"
"I remember!"
His voice was so resolute that anyone who heard could feel the overwhelming sense of mission within You Su.
"Whether you can save them depends on you." Mr. Ling's expression was serious yet not wanting to put too much pressure on the young man; his demeanor and tone eased slightly, "Alright, you may go. Just remember to stay true to your heart, do not live in constant fear, nor be complacent. After the day after tomorrow, everything will be fine."
"Thank you, Mr. Ling, You Su will remember." You Su packed up his belongings, bowed, and prepared to leave, aware he could not linger for long.
Mr. Ling watched You Su's figure disappear at the alley entrance, raising a cup to shake the remaining flower tea before downing it in one go, as if drinking celebratory wine.
...
You Su returned to the sect, where his junior sister had already gone to bed. He carefully hid that pile of things in his room and prepared to start his daily cultivation.
Passing by the main hall where his Master resided, You Su paused to look at the tightly closed door.
His Master hadn't left the room for several days. Although this was common, he still wanted to speak a few words with her, to reassure himself that she was well and present.
Reflecting on the few conversations with his Master over the past eight years, without exception, they were all her pointing out flaws in his sword-moves.
Each time she merely glanced briefly, yet accurately highlighted his issues, and each guidance benefited him greatly.
He felt that his Master's swordsmanship must be of a high level; if she possessed cultivation, her strength would undoubtedly be formidable.
You Su prided himself on his understanding of Sword Dao, finding Mr. Ling's sword moves that day akin to that of a beginner, whereas faced with his Master's sword in the dream made him devoid of even the courage to flee.
Lingering at the door for a long while, You Su couldn't decide what to say, fearing anything he said might feel abrupt or deliberate. He feared disturbing the cold monster akin to a vortex, but even more so, offending his quiet, elegant Master.
While hesitating, You Su planned to give up, yet heard a clear, cold voice from within:
"What is it?"
Two simple words felt like encountering snow in August.
You Su wasn't stunned for long, his eyes showing some surprise, swallowing with his rugged, hard Adam's apple: "Master, I have a question to ask."
"If it's about your teacher, don't bother asking."
"No, it's just some personal confusion."
His Master paused briefly: "Ask away."
"If there's an enemy far above me in realm, and I must defeat them, what should I do?"
"Did your teacher, boastful and arrogant, ever ask about his opponent's realm?"
You Su carefully recalled, his teacher indeed never seemed to consider others' perspectives, but was his teacher truly strong enough to that extent?
It's worth noting that his teacher couldn't even fly, meaning his realm must be below Feather Transformation Realm. And there are several Condensed Water Realm cultivators in this small Chuyun City.
"My teacher wouldn't ask."
"Immortals pursue eternal life and carefree ascension, not domination of one era or invincible conquest, so realm isn't synonymous with battle power. When encountering an enemy, first trust the sword you've wielded countless times in your hand; only then is there strength to fight. If truly unable to win, then evade. A gentleman can wait ten years to exact revenge."
"But those I couldn't defeat ten years ago, will I truly overcome them ten years later?" You Su has always scoffed at this notion.
"Certainly, you may still not defeat them, but ten years later, your teacher will return and avenge you."
You Su couldn't imagine his iceberg-like Master even making jokes, yet her tone was as sincere as if not joking at all.
"Will you avenge me, then, Master?"
The scene fell silent for a moment.
"I do not possess cultivation."
The clear voice bore no other emotional undertone.
"Thank you for enlightening me, Master. I'm going to practice swordsmanship."
You Su bowed in respect to the hall door, and his Master responded with silent approval.
The conversation was exceedingly simple, yet You Su had gained the answer he sought: when facing formidable foes, hesitation is the sole incorrect choice.
And his Master would not deceive him; if she claims no cultivation, then surely she must possess none.
The looming dangers ahead, he must face alone.