CHAPTER 357
Fairness
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"What do you mean? I'm sorry, but I don't understand what Elder Shi is implying."
Su Cheng smiled at Shi Mingyi. He didn't understand Shi Mingyi's question any more than Shi Mingyi understood why he had asked Shiyu to select new disciples.
"Master Su, did you send Shi Yao to select new disciples for Lingxian Hall for some deeper meaning?"
Su Cheng burst out laughing. Truth be told, he couldn't hold it in.
"Deep meaning? What deep meaning? It's simply that I'm too lazy to interview them one by one, so I'm just handing it over to Shi Yao~"
"But aren't you worried Shi Yao might just pick random people?"
Su Cheng pursed his lips. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he should speak of this matter, nor whether it fell within the bounds of Heaven's Will.
But Li Shiyu wasn't stupid. Why did no one believe her?
"Elder Shi, you elders raised Shiyao. Among those she favors, are there any villains?"
Shi Mingyi thought to himself: Bad people? How many good people are there in this world? Is your First Disciple Ye Qinghan a good person? Are you a good person?
"This… Could it be that the Holy Maiden…"
Su Cheng could see clearly that such words wouldn't fool even a dim-witted man of average intelligence.
"Elder Shi, when Shi Yao first became my disciple, I already made this point clear. It seems you never truly understood my words."
"Let me be even more explicit: Shiyu is exceptionally intelligent. This isn't mere bias from her master speaking—it's simply her innate brilliance."
"But this isn't your fault. Questioning things you can't comprehend is human nature."
"The world as seen through the eyes of the Holy Maiden is different from yours or mine. I don't know how to describe it to you, but I can give a simple example."
"Imagine placing a pair of twins before an ordinary person. That person might find them strikingly similar. But to Shiyu, they might appear as two bottles—one red, one black. She could distinguish them solely by their color."
"This is merely an illustration. Though I grasp the concept, I cannot perceive the world as Shiyu sees it."
"Perhaps Shiyuo can discern scents, or hear the goodness or evil deep within their hearts. Or maybe she uses some other method."
"In any case, since I entrusted her with this task, I place my full trust in her. Elder Shi need not worry."
"As for the rest, since the Holy Maiden perceives the world differently from ordinary people, her approach to thinking and handling matters will naturally differ as well."
"What you call clumsiness or foolishness, in my eyes, is a purity you lack. It's Shiyu's way of expressing kindness or communicating—just too direct for you to understand, leading you to mistake it for ignorance of social graces or inflexibility."
【I want to be your friend. I like your master.】
This statement held no hidden meaning whatsoever.
It was simply Li Shiyu's pure expression of goodwill. She had no idea that "like" could carry another meaning.
For Li Shiyu, this was the most efficient way to express goodwill.
Shi Mingyi's pupils dilated once more, and he finally understood why Li Shiyu seemed like a completely different person.
Like a leaf adrift for half a lifetime finally finding its rightful place, Li Shiyao had finally encountered her master—a master who understood her.
Shi Mingyi felt nothing but shame. He had never allowed anyone to call Li Shiyu a fool, and now it became clear that this was nothing more than the elders deceiving themselves.
Truthfully, the elders themselves had long suspected Shiyu's intellect was impaired. He now even resented himself for failing to see this truth sooner.
How could the Holy Maiden be understood by mere mortals like them?
Why hadn't he considered this sooner?
Why did the Sacred Mountain have a rule granting the Holy Maiden the authority to decide all major matters?
Both ashamed and relieved, Shi Mingyi felt shame for his foolishness over the past decade, yet relief that Shi Yao had finally met Immortal Su.
"Master said it only matters if Shiyu likes you. Shiyu doesn't like you!"
Li Shiyu rarely spoke such words to girls, and the girl clearly hadn't expected to encounter such a situation.
She had assumed that Sect Leader Su would favor pretty girls. Even if she couldn't compare to Ye Qinghan or Li Shiyu, being an outer sect disciple should have been sufficient.
But she never imagined Li Shiyu would eliminate her with just three words: "I don't like you."
The girl pointed to another girl nearby. That girl seemed to have a personality similar to Miaomiao's—she looked like an easy target, a soft target.
"This isn't fair! Why does she get in when she's barely at the Qi Cultivation stage?"
The girl felt Li Shiyao was being unreasonable, as if trying to flaunt some twisted sense of superiority. She demanded a proper explanation!
But just three words—“I don’t like her”—wasn’t enough to convince her!
But Li Shiyao was no pushover, especially when it came to people she disliked. She had no desire for idle chatter.
"Shiyao will say it again: I'm here on my master's orders to screen new disciples. I don't need to explain anything to you or anyone else."
Li Shiyao tilted her head, acting all high and mighty, pointing at Ye Qinghan not far away and bellowing.
"Either get lost and cry in a corner, or go complain to my senior sister! She's the most reasonable person around!"
Though the girl felt wronged, she understood this was precisely why she sought to apprentice at Lingxian Hall!
Because everyone in Lingxian Hall was wicked—unreasonably stubborn and fiercely protective of their own!
They were wicked, but becoming one of them would change everything.
The girl turned to Su Cheng with pleading eyes, but he ignored her.
Su Cheng knew exactly what kind of person Shi Yao was. She wouldn't dislike someone for no reason, especially someone she'd just met.
The actions of a Holy Maiden require no explanation.
Dongfang Jue watched Li Shiyu's side, wondering what she would do in her place.
Perhaps she could take the time to explain to these people that the true criteria for selection weren't strength, but rather a pure and kind heart.
But within Lingxian Hall, perhaps only she had the leisure to lecture these fellows on reason.
The others?
The senior sister would likely draw her sword after just a few words, while Chu Youwei wouldn't give these ants the time of day…
Yu Lan had no interest, and Bai Tao was nowhere to be found…
The Master? Given his aversion to trouble and laziness, he'd likely have slipped away long ago!
Only he could still regard this group as human beings…
But he had no intention of playing the hero either. This had nothing to do with Jue'er. The Master would handle it as he saw fit. She only needed to focus on her own responsibilities.
"Senior Sister, do you know what Master is searching for?"
Ye Qinghan looked puzzled. "Why does Jue'er ask?"
Ye Qinghan wasn't sure if she should share. While she had some understanding, it wasn't complete. After all, matters concerning the "Immortal Realm" were limited in what her mind-reading could grasp. She couldn't see the full picture and had always pieced things together like a jigsaw puzzle.
"Jue'er heard that Master sent Chu Youwei to the Northern Realm to search for something. Coincidentally, Jue'er also has matters requiring envoys to the other three realms. Thinking it might be convenient, perhaps I could help Master search as well?"
"Your Northern Garrison is heading to the North? Why haven't I heard about this? The North is Sister's territory. Could it be that Jue'er doesn't hold Sister in high regard?"
Dongfang Jue hastily defended himself. He wasn't afraid of Ye Qinghan beating him up.
Anything that could be resolved with a fight wasn't a problem. What she feared was Ye Qinghan calling her "dearest sister" while secretly holding a grudge!
"Sister, I only learned of this matter this morning myself. Besides, it's merely a caravan of fifty-odd people with no more than a dozen carts. How could Steward Xu dare disturb your peace over such a trifling matter?"
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