Song Jixing didn't know how to open this topic.
However, Shi Hua had relaxed the vexed expression between his brows, looking towards Song Jixing and saying, "Your life talisman has been shattered. This master was planning..."
Shi Hua stopped mid-sentence, then sighed and said, "These years, you've had a very difficult time here."
Those two brief sentences sent ripples of a different sort through Song Jixing's heart.
Her master Shi Hua was proficient in the art of divining the five elements. His renowned cultivator ancestors had glimpsed the heavenly secrets and attained immortality. They had created their own cultivation method for later generations to study.
After mastering this method, the Shi Family's fortune-telling became increasingly accurate. Many who came seeking divinations had their wishes fulfilled, and the Shi Family became a renowned great clan in the cultivation world.
As for why Shi Hua joined the Qingyun Sect, that stemmed from the method left behind by his ancestors.
The Shi Family's cultivation method and wealth drew envious eyes, including from hypocritical upright sects as well as evil and demonic cultivators. They banded together and slaughtered the Shi Family.
Shi Hua was one of the few survivors, and he later joined the Qingyun Sect to study the sword path.
The Qingyun Sect was a major sect, with many ascended patriarchs and an abundance of rare treasures. They had no interest in the Shi Family's cultivation method.
These were all things the master had told her personally.
Before she became his disciple, the master had told her that although he had some cultivation, he didn't have great abilities. There were many of his sworn enemies outside, and if she became his disciple, she might not gain many benefits and could even invite danger.
Despite this, Song Jixing still became his disciple.
Because Shi Hua was the first to appear and save her when she was nearly killed by a demonic beast.
After she recovered from her injuries, the Qingyun Sect disciples wanted to take her directly back to the sect when they learned of her dual spiritual roots. But Shi Hua spoke up and let her choose from more sects.
If it could be said that Song Jixing was initially infatuated with Shi Hua's kindness, then later she truly and deeply fell in love with this person.
After becoming his disciple, Song Jixing's mentality changed slightly, but her original intentions did not waver.
Her master's guidance to her was like that of the relative she had longed for day and night.
The saying goes: "One day as teacher, lifelong as father." According to the cultivation world's rules, her master was like a stepfather to her.
It was just a pity that her master was too young, appearing somewhat too young to be a father, but was still a familial existence.
There was another even more important point.
Her master had read her fortune and immediately saw that her facial features didn't match - she was fated for an early demise. Yet she had lived, joining the Qingyun Sect and growing into an adult.
For certain special reasons, after joining the sect, her master cast a divination and predicted changes to her destiny. Her fate had been forcibly altered, yet without any human traces, as if formed naturally by heaven's will.
At the time, Shi Hua paid it no mind, thinking he had accidentally saved Song Jixing and led her onto the immortal path, since his ancestors' profession was altering fates after all.
Her master could see through her destiny with a single glance, whether in the cultivation world or here.
The Qingyun Sect would establish life talismans for every disciple who joined the inner sect, setting up formations on the talismans of disciples from the same master line, allowing the patriarchs to constantly sense their disciples' lives.
If only the life talisman cracked, it meant the disciple had perished but their soul could still be retrieved.
If the life talisman was shattered into pieces, it meant their soul had dissipated, with no other recourse.
Her master must have sensed her shattered life talisman, then looked at her current facial features here, thinking she was living a difficult life alone.
With her master's such concern, Song Jixing felt a surge of unease and guilt.
She stepped forward, cupped her hands in greeting and said, "This disciple has caused the master to worry."
Shi Hua's expression was gentle. "No matter, as long as you're alright!"
Several hundred outer sect disciples had been left with Shen Feixian. Song Jixing led Shi Hua towards the residential area.
When they initially rented this place, they had rented several villas all at once. They had also set aside spare villas for the outer sect disciples to live in. Later, all the outer sect disciples moved into the small buildings near the school, leaving these villas empty except for the one given to the Yu Qing couple. The few other villas had been renovated and remained vacant.
As for the rest, renovations were still ongoing.
On the way back, Song Jixing briefly explained the current situation and what had happened to her in the treasure vault.
Her physical body had been blasted apart by the divine cauldron, her soul shattered. Yet the slightly closer senior brothers and sisters were unaffected, which puzzled Song Jixing.
After listening, Shi Hua's expression grew somewhat stern.
Shi Hua said, "After I learned your life talisman had shattered, I knew something had happened at the treasure vault. I immediately sent word to the sect leader, who should be coming soon."
"Several other elders are with me as well. We performed rituals and set up formations to contain the white light on the peak, which can hold for a while longer."
Song Jixing was surprised and asked, "Then Master, you..."
Shi Hua smiled and said, "I previously cast a divination for your junior brother, and his destiny had no calamities, only averting danger. But you... I couldn't make sense of it."
"Since your junior brother's destiny held no peril, I entered the white light and set up formations," Shi Hua said nonchalantly.
Knowing that white light could devour people, her master had still entered it for the sake of her junior brother and herself.
Song Jixing didn't know whether to feel moved or saddened.
Seeing the expression on Song Jixing's face, Shi Hua comforted her, "Since you've survived, don't dwell on other matters and add to your troubles."
"How to handle the matter of the divine cauldron will be known once the sect leader arrives."
That's right, the sect leader!
But Song Jixing still had some doubts. Would the sect leader directly enter the white light like her master?
What if the sect leader resisted?
On the other side, after using a loudspeaker to briefly organize the several hundred outer sect disciples, Shen Feixian led them to the small buildings in the back.
A massive electronic screen was now hung outside the small buildings, no different from those at movie theater entrances.
Shen Feixian had asked for that screen from the higher-ups, who arranged it for him as soon as he made the request.
As for its intended use, Shen Feixian had originally planned for it to provide leisure and entertainment, or display their daily routines in turn.
But now, this screen had found a new purpose.
In the eyes of the outer sect disciples, they were first led by Shen Feixian to a rather strange place, then a black board began to glow.
The light brightened, and suddenly Elder WenRen He's face appeared!
The group of outer sect disciples hurriedly paid their respects.
WenRen He was out on a mission when he suddenly received a video call from Shen Feixian.
Shen Feixian had never video called him before - this was the first time. WenRen He answered without much thought.
He heard Shen Feixian say excitedly, "Elder WenRen, look at the people around me!"
Shen Feixian raised his phone high, swinging it around in a circle.
WenRen He's expression was the same as when he first answered - unchanged.
Hmm...
