Chapter 26: It's not bad to a mortal

  Outside the guest room, I sat by the lake, my fingers tracing idle patterns in the dirt. The reflection of the sky rippled on the water’s surface, distorted by the occasional breeze. I stared at my reflection — a mortal face, unremarkable, eyes dim with the weight of shattered dreams.

  "Maybe... this is just my fate," I whispered to myself. The words tasted bitter, like ash. "Maybe I was never meant to touch the heavens."

  I clenched my fists, feeling a dull ache in my chest. All this time, I had hoped for even a glimmer of talent, a spark that could light the path to something greater. But the stone had remained cold, unresponsive — a silent judge of my worth.

  Inside the room, however, turmoil brewed like a raging storm.

  Xiaowu’s chest heaved as she tried to steady her breath. She glanced at the shattered remains of the spirit-testing stone, her mind a chaotic mess of disbelief and confusion. She turned to her father, her voice a trembling whisper.

  "Father... why would an expert pretend to have no cultivation talent? Why would he act like he can't cultivate?"

  Her words carried innocent confusion, but they echoed like thunder in the quiet room.

  Xue Wujian’s eyes darkened, and he immediately scolded her.

  "What do you know? You are just a little girl! Do not speak recklessly!"

  Xiaowu flinched, lowering her head, her face burning with shame. But her father's voice softened, and he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  He exhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts, as though he himself was still trying to grasp the enormity of what they had just witnessed.

  "To an expert of unimaginable power... experiencing the joys and sorrows of mortal life is another form of cultivation," he said, his voice low and reverent.

  Xiaowu looked up, her eyes wide.

  "But... why?"

  Xue Wujian's gaze grew distant, his expression laced with complex emotions.

  "To laugh heartily. To cry without restraint. To feel despair, hope, and the fragility of life... These are all trials of the heart. A true immortal doesn’t just temper their body and soul — they temper their spirit by embracing the mortal world. Only by understanding the fleeting nature of human life can one truly transcend it."

  He clenched his fist, his fingers trembling slightly.

  "For a being like him, pretending to be talentless... experiencing the sting of failure... it is a test of will, a way to break free from the shackles of pride and reach an even higher realm. How could someone like us possibly comprehend such unfathomable wisdom?"

  Xiaowu swallowed hard, her mind spinning. The image of the gentle, sorrowful figure sitting by the lake flashed through her mind. The way he had thanked them, bowed, and walked away with slumped shoulders...

  After Xue Wujian finished speaking, he fell into deep thought. His eyes glistened, as if tears might spill at any moment. His chest rose and fell with the weight of realization, and he clenched his trembling fists.

  "So... Senior is willingly letting himself enduring the agony of being talentless... of never being able to cultivate... forever bound to mortality."

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  The thought pierced his heart like a blade. To willingly chain oneself to a life of weakness, to feel the despair of being powerless in the face of heaven and earth — what kind of terrifying willpower did that take?

  He gently placed his hands on Xiaowu’s shoulders, his expression unusually serious.

  "Xiaowu, this is a rare opportunity," he whispered, his voice steady but heavy with meaning.

  Xiaowu looked up at her father, confused. "Opportunity?"

  Xue Wujian nodded, his gaze firm.

  "You must play the role of comforting Senior," he said, each word laced with gravity. "This is a chance to cultivate your mind and heart. Show empathy. Show understanding. If Senior sees your sincerity, he will surely remember you in the future."

  He tightened his grip on her shoulders, his voice lowering to a near whisper.

  "To be remembered by an existence like him... could change your fate."

  I stood in the courtyard, my gaze lost in the endless expanse of the sky. The clouds drifted lazily, uncaring, while I stood still, weighed down by the crushing realization of my own inadequacy.

  I had come to this world —like the protagonists in the novels I used to read. Those lucky souls who got transported to magical worlds, gained heaven-defying talents, and ascended to the heavens, defying fate with a smirk.

  But reality hit me like a collapsing mountain.

  I don’t even meet the criteria to be a side character.

  I clenched my fists, the sharp sting of my nails digging into my palms the only reminder that I was still here, still breathing.

  Life played a cruel joke on me.

  I thought this would be the beginning of my legend. But without talent, without cultivation... what was I? Just a powerless mortal.

  Just as I was about to sink deeper into despair, a voice, soft and filled with warmth, cut through my thoughts.

  "Senior Li, are you okay?"

  I turned, startled, and saw Xiaowu standing there, her eyes filled with concern. She looked at me like I was a fragile porcelain doll about to shatter into pieces.

  Her presence felt like a small ray of light breaking through the storm cloud swirling around my mind.

  She walked closer, her steps light, her voice even gentler.

  "You shouldn’t feel sad," she said, her words careful but sincere. "It’s not like becoming a cultivator is everything in the world."

  I stared at her, my heart heavy, but her voice wrapped around me like a soothing balm.

  "There’s always a way for everyone," she continued, clasping her hands in front of her chest, her expression filled with earnestness. "And being a mortal... it isn’t so bad at all."

  Her words hung in the air, echoing in my heart like ripples spreading across a still pond.

  Not so bad at all...

  Xiaowu’s gentle words were like a breeze, sweeping away the dark clouds in my heart.

  I blinked, snapping out of my meaningless spiral of despair. It was as if her voice had pulled me back from the edge of a cliff.

  I looked at her — truly looked at her — and in that moment, she didn’t seem like an ordinary girl.

  She looked like a fairy descended from heaven.

  I cupled my hand, my voice sincere. “Thank you, Xiaowu.”

  She blushed and shook her head, brushing off my gratitude like it was nothing, but I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

  After that, we sat in the courtyard, chatting idly under the waning afternoon sun. The breeze carried the faint scent of flowers, and for the first time since I arrived in this world, I felt at peace.

  Time slipped by unnoticed, and soon the sky turned orange with streaks of purple.

  Xue Wujian, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. “Senior Li, it’s getting late. We should head back to the sect now.”

  I nodded, standing up. “Of course. I’ll see you off.”

  Just as they were about to leave, Xue Wujian took a few steps toward the gate before suddenly pausing. He turned back, rubbing his hands together with an almost reverent expression.

  “Senior,” he said carefully, “should I... Take the leftover dishes?”

  I froze.

  What?

  My brain short-circuited.

  I stared at him, trying to process his words.

  Is he wanna take those leftover things to home?

  What kind of talk is this?!

  For a second, I wondered if he is so poor that even leftovers were a luxury they couldn’t afford.

  I couldn’t tell, and the more I thought about it, the more my head hurt.

  In the end, I could only smile awkwardly and nod. “Ah... sure. Take it.”

  Xue Wujian cupped his fists, bowing deeply. “Thank you senior .”

  I watched, dumbfounded, as he carefully picked up the leftovers in a basket like it was a priceless treasure.

  I shook my head, deciding not to overthink it.

  As they prepared to leave, I turned to Xiaowu, my expression softening.

  “Xiaowu, you can come by often if you want.”

  She stiffened, her face turning pink again as she fumbled with her words.

  “Uh—mhm! S-sure, Senior!”

  I chuckled at her flustered response and watched them disappear into the forest path...

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