HSSB487: Wanting to drink yet unwilling to bear the load
The flames of war still raged over the East Sea.
The human experts and the Flame Devil experts were currently locked in heated battle near the entrance of the dimensional passageway leading from the Outer East Sea to the Flame Devil World.
Numerous Flame Devils were gathered with the Great Flame Devil King at their head, guarding the dimensional passageway entrance to the death.
Near the dimensional passageway entrance, the heavens and the earth was enveloped by white light as Yan Di, Old Man Mo, Huang Guanglie and Song Wuliang unleashed the power of the Taiyi Imperial Breaking Formation together, their attacks pressuring towards the Flame Devils with a momentum of toppling mountains and overturning seas, repelling the encroachment of the Flame Devil World into their Eight Extremities World.
Meng Wan with the Extreme Yin Crown and Turbid Wave Pavilion's An Qinglin were supporting the Taiyi Imperial Breaking Formation as well, assisting from the side as they attacked the Flame Devils together.
Heated battle was ongoing in various other parts of the Outer East Sea as well.
The other human martial practitioners, including those from Verdant Pill Island under the Painting Saint's lineage, exterminated the Flame Devils who had not managed to retreat to the dimensional passageway entrance with the group of Flame Devil Kings in time.
Many experts amongst the Flame Devils who had attacked the Eight Extremities World had their bestiality awakened as they engaged in a bloodied battle with the human martial practitioners.
A bright sword-light flashed through the air, slaying a Flame Devil.
As the sword-light vanished, the figure of a woman appeared, her features like a painting and her demeanour sharp.
She lowered her head, looking at two people on the sea's surface killing some lower-tiered Flame Devils.
Seeing this, the woman nodded slightly, Yunsheng, Liuhua."
The two figures on the sea's surface were precisely Broad Creed Mountain's two Maidens of Extreme Yin, Feng Yunsheng and Yin Liuhua, who now both bowed towards the woman in the air, "Master."
Fu Enshu descended, looking at Yin Liuhua, "Liuhua, are you sure that the person you saw was the Sacred Sun Clan's Huang Jie?"
Yin Liuhua replied, "Your disciple has only seen images of him before. After having seen him from far away this time and felt that it was the World Illuminating Young Master, your disciple hurriedly went away. However, I should not have identified him wrongly.”
She appeared a little uneasy, "Master, we were very far away and he didn't even look towards me. It should be fine, right?"
Hearing Yin Liuhua's words, Fu Enshu pondered for a moment before telling her, "Normally speaking, you have yet to be exposed before the eyes of the other Sacred Grounds, and therefore should not have been recognised."
"However, it is best to be careful. Do not move alone after this."
Yin Liuhua hurriedly answered, "Yes, Master."
Fu Enshu nodded, considering whether she should send Feng Yunsheng and Ying Liuhua back to the clan first.
As she pondered, waves of fire roiled before her eyes as yet more Flame Devils attacked.
Fu Enshu could only first cease in such thoughts and deal with the enemies before her.
The experts of the Flame Devils were stopped by her, with some of lower cultivation bases who were equivalent to human Martial Scholars and below slipping through the net, Feng Yunsheng and Yin Liuhua going up to meet them in battle.
Carefully appraising this, Fu Enshu could not help but frown.
After having finished dealing with these Flame Devils, she said, "Liuhua, you still need to put in much more effort in your usual cultivation."
Yin Liuhua replied softly, "Yes, Master."
Seeing this, Feng Yunsheng sighed as she sent Fu Enshu a sound transmission via aura-qi, "Master, why don't you give junior apprentice-sister Yin a little more time."
Fu Enshu glanced at her, "The homework I have currently assigned for her is already much lower than your standard, but she still continues to slack off."
"I see now that this child is intrinsically lazy in nature, requiring a whip before she is willing to move a little. If I ask more from her, she will only be able to complete seventy to eighty percent of it even painstakingly going all out. If I ask less from her, she would instead slack off, still only completing eighty percent."
"If I watch her intently, she will work harder, but that only lasts for two days before her laziness rises back to the surface. Does she think I cannot see that?"
As she spoke, Fu Enshu felt a little furious, "Having returned to the Mountain this time, I've got to raise the bar for her. This way, she will be able to put in more effort."
Feng Yunsheng hesitated for a moment before saying, "Master, junior apprentice-sister Yin was groomed as a Maiden of Extreme Yin as soon as she entered our clan, also being asked to improve by leaps and bounds within a short period of time, chasing after me and Meng Wan. However, no one has ever asked her what her goals and aspirations actually are."
Feng Yunsheng's cultivation base and strength surpassed Yin Liuhua's too greatly, while Yin Liuhua had not demonstrated any single bit of potential that might pose any threat to Feng Yunsheng at all. Therefore, Feng Yunsheng's words would not cause any misunderstandings in Fu Enshu.
Fu Enshu frowned, "Her problem lies with how she is so lazy, always not putting in effort in her usual cultivation. Even if she weren't a Maiden of Extreme Yin, she would already be a failure as a martial practitioner."
Feng Yunsheng sighed.
Fu Enshu snorted, "Liuhua is a solitary practitioner by birth. Solitary practitioners have few resources and face great risks, having to rely on themselves to fight for opportunities. Generally speaking, their sense of crisis as well as desire for self-improvement would be even stronger than disciples of great clans and sects."
As she spoke, Yan Zhaoge's words suddenly flashed through her mind, "Perhaps junior apprentice-sister Yin just wants to live a little more relaxedly?"
Fu Enshu knit her brows, pondering as she swivelled her head and gazed at Yin Liuhua by the side.
The conversation between the two earlier having been conducted via sound transmission, Yin Liuhua who had not been privy to its contents felt uncomprehending at Fu Enshu's gaze on her, "Master?"
Fu Enshu was silent for a long time before she finally sighed, her gaze that was on Yin Liuhua gradually turning softer.
Seeing her Master's benevolent expression, Yin Liuhua's mood eased greatly.
She had vaguely been feeling worried that Fu Enshu might be completely disappointed in her.
Of those of Broad Creed Mountain of her generation, she was one of the few who received the best treatment, which far surpassed even that of Xu Fei, Lu Wen and the other core, direct disciples.
What others received treatment that was comparable to hers?
Yan Zhaoge, the publicly accepted number one person of the Eight Extremities World's younger generation.
To be precise, Yan Zhaoge was already no longer supplied resources by the clan. Instead, he himself had the authority to distribute the clan's resources, no longer being the same as Yin Liuhua and the others.
Feng Yunsheng, for whom it did not have to be explained.
Ying Longtu, who had broken Yan Di's record as the youngest Martial Scholar of the post-Great Calamity Eight Extremities World.
Currently fifteen, he was unprecedentedly already at the late outer aura stage, virtually destined to break Yan Di's record as the youngest Martial Grandmaster as well.
Other than that, there were no others.
Sikong Qing who was under the same Master as Yin Liuhua and whose potential and diligence far surpassed hers could not match her in terms of resources and treatment by the clan.
Yin Liuhua knew full well that this was not because of her outstanding performance or any great contributions that she had done for the clan.
It was simply because she possessed the unique Extreme Yin Physique.
It was because of that that she had been able to enjoy the best resources and treatment while muddling her way along up till now.
If the clan no longer groomed her like a Maiden of Extreme Yin, first ignoring whether she would still be able to retain her identity of Broad Creed Mountain's core, direct disciple, the resources that she was supplied with would definitely plummet greatly.
Yin Liuhua had still had some thoughts of chasing after Feng Yunsheng and competing for the Extreme Yin Crown upon just having entered the clan, but all of these had already grown faint now.
To her, that was no longer a goal. Instead, it was a tool for her to continue enjoying the preferential treatment and privileged living that she had right now.
While she had a strict Master who constantly found faults with her, she was extremely satisfied with the many benefits that the Extreme Yin Bout and the Extreme Yin Physique had brought to her, being greatly unwilling to part from them.
In terms of martial talent, she could still be considered outstanding. However, being lazy, her talents were inevitably wasted somewhat.
Not standing out whilst also not being at the very bottom amongst the clan's core, direct disciples like this, it was to a great degree due to much of the clan's abundant resources having been preferentially provided to her.
Thinking about how her days would be without all this, Yin Liuhua would immediately feel panicked.
Seeing Fu Enshu's lenient expression now, she sighed inwardly in relief, "I should have made it through this time, right?"
HSSB488: The heavens have always blessed the fortitudinous
Just as Yin Liuhua had relaxed a little, Yin Liuhua sighed, "Dispensing teaching according to the materials-it is easier said than done. Even if Master and the clan can give you time, the Maidens of Extreme Yin of the other clans will not give you time. This burden may indeed be rather too heavy for the current you."
"Speaking of which, direct disciples have some choice in who their Masters are as well. However, because of your uniqueness, Liuhua, you were directly arranged under my wing."
"My personality is too hurried. Perhaps having gone under another's tutelage would have been more beneficial for your growth."
"Bearing the responsibility for competing for the Extreme Yin Crown and taking me on as a Master are all things that we have placed on you, just hoping that your talent would not be wasted. However, it seems like we overlooked other things, such as your feelings."
Speaking with emotion, Fu Enshu's tone was gentle.
However, Yin Liuhua's heart instead beat faster as she heard it.
She hurriedly said, "Master, your disciple is slow, and has disappointed you. Your disciple will definitely work hard in her cultivation."
Her cultivation base being much higher than Yin Liuhua's, Fu Enshu could easily observe her body's state. She also knew whether or not her disciple had been diligently cultivating thus far like the back of her hand.
Justly speaking, just having entered the clan, while she had also been rather lazy, she had actually still trod stably.
However, as time had passed, she had begun slacking off more and more.
Still, Fu Enshu was currently in a much calmer mood than before as she just said, "It is best if you really put in effort. If you are too lazy, it will not only affect your cultivation as a Maiden of Extreme Yin. It will be hard for you to ascend great heights in the martial dao as well."
"It is not just for Maidens of Extreme Yin. Laziness is a great vice for every single martial practitioner."
Looking at Yin Liuhua, Fu Enshu sighed, "Liuhua, you are not lacking in talent. Your talent is really rather good. If you call yourself slow, most people under the heavens would then be fools."
"However, even the kind of talent that Han Long'er has would fall to ceaseless squandering."
She said to Yin Liuhua, "Having already been under my tutelage for a while, you should know that I have a straightforward personality."
"What I have just said all came with my emotions. I feel like I may indeed not have handled my guidance of you properly."
"You are lazy, and this is really a difficult problem given the current pressing situation with the Extreme Yin Bout."
Yin Liuhua was greatly shocked as she composed herself before hurriedly saying, "Please do not say that, Master. This disciple was too lazy beforehand; this disciple will definitely correct herself."
She spoke in a sincere tone, "I deeply remember how Master has been treating me well since I have entered the clan. Entering your tutelage is one of the greatest happiness and fortunes of my life."
"This disciple also often reminds myself to cultivate diligently during usual cultivation. However, as soon as my body grows tired, my will grows unstable as I become unable to persist."
"Please give Liuhua some more chances, Master. Liuhua will definitely properly temper herself."
Fu Enshu knit her brows slightly, "Do not let your thoughts stray, Liuhua. While your Master has been strictly guiding and controlling you, all my words just now came from the bottom of my heart. I was not speaking in reverse, forcing you to express your stance."
"There are no disciples of I, Fu Enshu, that amount to nothing. I am forceful and hurried in my personality, that's true. However, since hurried fire cannot produce good steel, I would also have sufficient patience and time to slowly build you up properly."
Yin Liuhua directly knelt down towards Fu Enshu, "How can this disciple not have felt Master's complete sincerity? This disciple is also sincerely repenting, pleading for Master to give me a chance."
Fu Enshu sighed, saying, "The cultivation of you Maidens of Extreme Yin cannot even be sufficiently described in its intensity by seizing the day and the night. There really is not much time left for us."
"Having accompanied Meng Wan, Fan Qiu and the others these past years as their cultivation bases have risen, the power that the Extreme Yin Crown is able to unleash has been gradually increasing."
"All the Maidens of Extreme Yin are currently still Martial Scholars. However, if one of them gets ahead of the rest and becomes a Martial Grandmaster, the wielded power of the Extreme Yin Crown would be greatly different."
Yin Liuhua said softly, "Master, didn't you say earlier that after our Chief Transcended Mortality and entered Sainthood, he has already surpassed many seniors and become the current strongest? With Grand Master as well, our clan is currently already indisputably the number one of the Eight Extremities World."
"Since that is so, why is there still a need to participate in the Extreme Yin Bout? Our clan can just directly wrest the Extreme Yin Crown from the Sacred Sun Clan's hands."
Fu Enshu said, "While that is true, in planning for future situations, we cannot only see the side of things that is beneficial to us."
"First not speaking of the public outrage amongst the other Sacred Grounds that would easily be caused by forcibly seizing the Extreme Yin Crown, while junior apprentice-brother Yan has already far surpassed those of the same generation after having Transcended Mortality and entered Sainthood, stably exceeding the Sacred Sun Clan's Huang Guanglie, the Sacred Sun Clan might not only have Huang Guanglie."
"The Purple Sun Martial Saint Zhang Chao. Let alone the two of you, this name sounds even a little foreign to Master. However, no one knows where this person currently is or the circumstances surrounding this."
"Over these years, he has not appeared even when the Sacred Sun Clan has suffered losses. However, it may not be that he really isn't in the Eight Extremities World anymore."
While unyielding in her personality, Fu Enshu was not a wholly reckless person, "Purple Sun Zhang was already at the third level of the Martial Saint realm that year. With so many years having passed, it is hard to predict how strong he might be right now."
"Maybe the possibility of him still being alive is very small, but our clan cannot afford to not guard against this point when truly entering a life and death struggle against the Sacred Sun Clan."
Fu Enshu's gaze swept over Feng Yunsheng and Yin Liuhua, "At a time like this, if a Maiden of Extreme Yin truly steps into the Martial Grandmaster realm and wields the Extreme Yin Crown, the overall situation would very likely be decided by this."
Yin Liuhua lowered her head. She was still a great distance away from the Martial Grandmaster realm.
Looking at Yin Liuhua, Fu Enshu said mildly, "Liuhua, while you have started out late, this doesn't mean that the fight over the Extreme Yin Crown has nothing to do with you."
"Your senior apprentice-sister Feng and the Sacred Sun Clan's Meng Wan have both sustained injuries before Extreme Yin Bouts before, their ability to compete being affected as a result."
"Meanwhile, wielding the Extreme Yin Crown and battling the enemy, Maidens of Extreme Yin have the possibility of suffering injuries this way as well. If our clan really obtains the Extreme Yin Crown and Yunsheng is injured in battle, it would then fall to you to wield the Crown."
Why was it that whether it was the Sacred Sun Clan, Broad Creed Mountain or anyone else, all of them tried to groom more than a single Maiden of Extreme Yin as much as possible regardless of the cost in resources? This was the reason.
It was the so-called double-layered insurance. This was not just for during the Extreme Yin Bout.
Fu Enshu said in a heavy tone, "When a clan has two Maidens of Extreme Yin, while there might exist competition between them, with the most outstanding one being the one to obtain victory and win the Extreme Yin Crown for their clan, your true opponents will forever be the Maidens of Extreme Yin of the other Sacred Grounds."
Yin Liuhua said in a low tone, "Your disciple will definitely do all she cans, going all out…overcoming my own deficiencies."
Looking at Yin Liuhua, Fu Enshu sighed softly before she nodded, "Liuhua, the heavens have always blessed the fortitudinous. Work hard, and in the long term, it will ultimately be yourself who benefits."
Yin Liuhua hurriedly bowed, "Yes, Master. Your disciple understands."
Lowering her head, she sighed in relief, "I have managed to tide through today. Still, what am I to do in the future…"
Thinking like this, countless emotions surged within her heart.
"I originally started out late, and senior apprentice-brother Yan is also biased towards senior apprentice-sister Feng, intentionally withholding some secret techniques and not teaching them to me. Like this, senior apprentice-sister Feng is able to finish all that training, but I am unable to do so, always making it seem like I have not put in effort."
"However much effort I put it, I will also never be able to satisfy Master. She will definitely lose her patience one day."
Amidst her thoughts, Yin Liuhua could only feel endless frustration, "What exactly am I to do?"