"Dixian..."
"Are you willing to return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?"
With School Master Ning's cultivation of composure,
a hint of tension arose in his heart after asking that question.
Chen Xin's hand, holding the tea, paused slightly.
As the rim of the cup touched his lips, the tea rippled without wind, and sword qi crisscrossed within the ripples.
In an instant, the water in the cup was evaporated completely, leaving only a wisp of white steam.
He put down the empty cup.
His gaze swept between School Master Ning and Li Dixian.
School Master Ning and he both knew... ever since Rongrong and Li Dixian broke up, they, as elders, stood by and did nothing, which was akin to condoning it.
Even when Li Dixian drowned his sorrows in wine and left dejectedly, they did not show up to persuade him to stay.
From that moment on,
Li Dixian's connection with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was severed.
Though the young man was uninhibited and free-spirited, he possessed an inherent pride.
Yet, even so,
School Master Ning, as the head of a sect, could still humble himself to seek reconciliation, which showed how dazzling Li Dixian was now.
Xue Qinghe's gaze also fell on Li Dixian.
For her, she naturally did not want Li Dixian to return.
It was not about calculations of interest.
It was purely that she did not want someone who had wronged Li Dixian to be forgiven so easily.
"I am not willing."
Under the varying gazes of the three,
Li Dixian's answer was direct and decisive, like stating an already predetermined answer.
"Dixian..."
The bitterness on School Master Ning's lips grew more intense.
He had not expected Li Dixian to not even give a hint of tact.
This reminded him of that day... when he, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong, silently watched Rongrong and Li Dixian draw a clear line between them.
At that time, he had also not thought of leaving any room for maneuver.
Today, Li Dixian repaid him with the same attitude.
Karma's cycle is nothing more than this.
Chen Xin's white brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed... Li Dixian was not wrong.
"The tea has grown cold, though."
Xue Qinghe elegantly refilled the tea for School Master Ning and Chen Xin.
Her gaze inadvertently met Li Dixian's.
A faint smile bloomed in her eyes.
Li Dixian understood that look: Well done.
His expression was normal as he picked up his teacup and took a light sip.
Return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?
He had never entertained that thought.
Since he had decided to travel the continent and roam the pugilistic world with his sword,
any power, apart from the bright moon and clear breeze, was a shackle.
Especially the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, with whom he had past grievances and unpleasantness?
Though he had let go,
the past was not an illusion.
Looking at Li Dixian's calm and handsome face, School Master Ning sighed deeply.
"It is understandable that you do not wish to return."
"Just like the chess game earlier, one wrong move, and it's too late for regrets."
"Dixian, I have one last question..."
"Rongrong..."
"She is still young and has been spoiled by us."
"What she said to you that day was overly heartless and harsh."
"I apologize to you on her behalf..."
"School Master Ning, you overstate it!"
Li Dixian interrupted School Master Ning, saying earnestly:
"Looking back now, I wasted six years of stagnation."
"For Ning Rongrong, who possesses the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit, I was indeed not a good match."
"Her drawing a line between us at that time was also human nature."
School Master Ning hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.
Li Dixian continued:
"School Master Ning, rest assured."
"If one day I truly meet Ning Rongrong again, I will treat her as a stranger, no different from someone I have never met."
"As for intentional revenge or verbal ridicule, that would be too childish, and it's not my personality."
Everything seemed to be laid bare.
The knot in the heart between Li Dixian and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School seemed to have been untied.
However,
School Master Ning clearly felt... an invisible barrier, as if it had grown deeper.
Continuing the conversation would only increase the awkwardness; the only remaining connection between them was the past of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and mentioning it would only highlight the estrangement.
School Master Ning stood up and said:
"Dixian, there's no need to see us off. Rest well."
Li Dixian still saw School Master Ning and Chen Xin to the courtyard gate.
Just then,
Chen Xin's footsteps suddenly halted, his white hair moved without wind, and he turned slightly.
He pointed his fingers like a sword.
Without warning, he slashed towards Li Dixian.
This sudden attack
made a hint of golden light flash in Xue Qinghe's eyes.
Li Dixian's hand touched Xue Qinghe's wrist behind his back.
Only then did Xue Qinghe's tense body slowly relax.
A sharp glint appeared in Li Dixian's eyes.
With a clear sword hum, the Azure Lotus Sword was already suspended before him.
The moment the hilt entered his hand!
A gentle breeze suddenly arose in the courtyard!
This breeze directly blew into the Azure Lotus Sword!
The twelve azure lotuses carved on the sword's spine swayed gracefully in the wind!
Facing the chilling sword light drawn by Chen Xin's sword finger,
Li Dixian drew his sword.
"Green Lotus Sword Song's Third Form — Formless Wind..."
The sword light was ethereal, formless and intangible, flowing within the gentle breeze, yet carrying an unfathomable sharpness that could erode bones and pierce stone!
In an instant,
the plants, trees, bricks, and stones in the courtyard
all silently showed traces of wind erosion.
Li Dixian's sword met the sharp edge of Chen Xin's sword finger, but it dissipated like wisps of clear wind.
He did not hesitate, striking out two more consecutive swords.
Streams of sword light intertwined, barely holding off Chen Xin's attack.
Chen Xin looked at Li Dixian, his eyes openly filled with admiration.
"You have indeed comprehended the Sword Intent of Wind."
"Within a wisp of wind, some comprehend its swiftness, others its sharpness; you, however, comprehended the formlessness of wind, which secretly aligns with the passage of time and the erosion of all things."
"It seems you have been to the Wind Sword Sect and met Feng Bailong."
"You don't need to take that old fellow's words too much to heart. He sits alone on the mountain peak, listening to the wind to comprehend the sword, vowing 'not to enter the Douluo realm, the sword's edge will remain sheathed'. However, in my opinion, without a great stroke of luck, Feng Bailong will find it difficult to glimpse the Douluo realm in this life."
"With this Wind Intent, the foundation of your Myriad Manifestations Sword Dao is strengthened, but the road ahead is still fraught with difficulties and obstacles."
"When you comprehend the sword of the Fourth Realm, I will come to find you again."
As his words fell,
Chen Xin and School Master Ning drifted away.
The two walked to a place far from the courtyard.
School Master Ning suddenly spoke:
"Dixian said he would treat Rongrong as a stranger."
"From my understanding of Rongrong, she will probably find that even harder to accept."
Upon hearing this,
a rare trace of helplessness appeared on Chen Xin's gaunt and aloof face.
He was confident that the sword in his hand could cut through all things in the world.
Only the word "love" could not be cut, and only became more tangled.
"Should we inform Rongrong of Dixian's current situation?"
School Master Ning pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said:
"When Rongrong and Dixian broke up, we did not interfere."
"Now... let's just let nature take its course."
Chen Xin nodded slightly.
After leaving the Heaven Dou Imperial City area, Chen Xin suddenly stopped and said to School Master Ning:
"Fengzhi, you and I are both certain that Dixian will not act for the Ye family and participate in the struggle for the Heaven Healing Sacred Pagoda."
"But even so, when Dixian's Sword Dao reaches great heights in the future, there will inevitably be a battle between him and me."
School Master Ning first looked at Chen Xin in astonishment.
Then he understood.
Sword cultivators throughout the world were as numerous as carp crossing a river.
Chen Xin currently held the leading position in the world's Sword Dao.
If Li Dixian wished to prove his own Dao and ascend to the peak in the future, a battle with Chen Xin was inevitable.
This was not about grievances, but a struggle of Dao.
School Master Ning could only shake his head and sigh softly.
"It seems the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and Li Dixian are destined to not have smooth sailing."