Watching the Mountain

[1] First Encounter

The morning bell had tolled for the third time, its echo still swirling through the clouds and mist of Divine Sword Peak, when a little girl in a simple white dress slowly emerged from behind a pillar in the disciple’s corridor.

Her name was Ye Qingxue. She had delicate features, fair skin, and a small, light-colored mole between her brows.

She walked with a light step, as if afraid of disturbing the very dust motes in the air.

Divine Sword Peak was so tall that twelve-year-old Ye Qingxue’s neck would ache whenever she tilted her head back to look at the flying eaves of the palace halls.

She clutched the corner of her master, Nine Profound True Monarch’s, robes, her knuckles turning white.

The disciples in Daoist Robes all around them would bow respectfully upon seeing her master, who would usually just nod in return.

"This will be our home from now on." Her master led her to the front of a quiet, small courtyard, then crouched down to look at her. "Tomorrow, I’ll send you to the Instructor Hall."

"The Instructor Hall?" Ye Qingxue’s voice was soft.

The next day, she stood under the covered walkway, clutching her new disciple uniform.

The Instructor Hall was filled with unfamiliar faces and a droning buzz of conversation, leaving her at a complete loss.

That evening, while helping her master organize his tea set, she asked in a small voice, "Master, can’t you teach me instead?"

Nine Profound True Monarch put down his Jade Scroll and said gently, "Qingxue, cultivation is like climbing a mountain. As your master, I can teach you how to walk the path, but the scenery along the way, the people you travel with, and the choices you make at a crossroads—these are things you must experience for yourself."

He paused. "The further you go in your cultivation, the fewer companions you will have, and the lonelier the path becomes. That is why when you are young, it is more important to see and hear as much as you can. Even if you walk a little slower, that is more important than simply learning Magic."

Ye Qingxue didn’t quite understand loneliness, but she remembered his advice to interact more with others.

In the Instructor Hall, she heard all sorts of interesting stories about the Sect every day, piecing together a fragmented picture of the Profound Pure Sect.

Occasionally, people would gossip about her:

"Look, that’s the new disciple Ancestor Nine Profound took in. She’s really beautiful."

"She’s just too quiet. I’ve barely heard her say a few words."

"I heard her talent is exceptional, but it’s been almost a year since she joined, and it seems she’s still stuck on Introducing Qi into the Body..."

Ye Qingxue walked past them without breaking her stride.

Their words were like a breeze that brushed past her ears and vanished.

She, too, had wondered about it. Her master had said her talent was one in a million, yet her cultivation speed was about the same as any ordinary disciple.

During one lesson, the instructor asked her why Spiritual Qi should pass through the Xuanji Acupoint slowly rather than quickly. She answered with precision and detail, and though the instructor nodded, his eyes showed no particular reaction.

After class, she walked alone to a spring on the back mountain, sat down, and stared at her reflection in the water.

"Qingxue." Nine Profound True Monarch’s voice sounded from behind her.

She turned and bowed.

Her master walked over and sat on a nearby rock. "Zoning out here again?"

"Master," she asked hesitantly, "you said my talent was excellent, but my speed is about the same as everyone else’s... The instructor said I have no ’edge.’ What does that mean?"

Nine Profound True Monarch pointed to a cluster of small blue flowers by the spring. "Look at this Blue Star Grass. Can its growth compare to the speed at which the iron-fir beside it sprouts?"

Ye Qingxue shook her head.

"The Blue Star Grass has a short life, so it rushes to bloom and seed. The iron-fir lives for a thousand years. It is in no hurry to reach for the heavens; it only slowly sinks its roots, waiting to be tempered by wind, rain, and time."

His voice was calm. "On the path of cultivation, some people are like Star Spirit Grass, dazzling in their early stages. Others are like the iron-fir, accumulating strength over a long time before flourishing."

"Your stability is not a flaw; it is your unique quality. Rushing to be as fast as others would be like forcing an iron-fir to bloom overnight. It would only harm your foundation."

"But what if I can never be fast?" she asked softly.

Nine Profound True Monarch smiled and ruffled her hair. "Then walk slowly. I brought you here not for you to become the fastest, but for you to find your own path. Cultivation is about cultivating the self, not running a race."

Ye Qingxue silently repeated his words to herself a few times.

It was as if a thin veil had been gently stirred, letting a sliver of light shine through.

The days passed peacefully.

In the year Ye Qingxue turned sixteen, news of war came from the foot of the mountain, and a somber mood fell over the Sect.

She heard that some of her senior brothers and sisters had not returned, and she felt an indescribable sadness in her heart.

That night, she saw her master standing alone in the courtyard, gazing at the northern stars.

The next day, she asked cautiously, "Master, when someone dies, is everything just... gone?"

Nine Profound True Monarch was polishing his sword. His fingertips brushed across the blade. "The person who forged this may be long gone, but the sword remains. Their skill and spirit live on."

He looked at Ye Qingxue. "People pass away, but their memories, their emotions, and the things they did become a part of those who live on."

"True oblivion is being forgotten. That is why we must live well, carrying the part of the departed with us—that way, they are never truly gone."

Ye Qingxue suddenly recalled how her master’s eyes had been red-rimmed before he brought her to the Sect.

She felt like she was beginning to understand.

A few more months passed, and it was time for the Sect’s junior tournament.

On the tournament stage, Ye Qingxue’s moves were steady but lacked an aggressive edge. She was quickly forced to the edge of the platform by her opponent.

She didn’t panic. After briefly obscuring her opponent’s vision with the Water Mist Technique, she properly conceded defeat.

From below the stage, voices murmured, "What a waste of such good looks... She’s a bit too mild."

"Her temperament is quite stable, but she just lacks that sharp edge."

She walked to her master’s side. "Master, I lost."

"Mm." Nine Profound True Monarch handed her a handkerchief. "Wipe your hands."

She took it, wiped her hands, and asked, "They say a disciple should have a sharp edge. Is my stability... wrong?"

Her master took her hand and began walking toward the peak. "A mountain path is sometimes steep, requiring you to hurry; sometimes it’s gentle, allowing you to walk slowly; and sometimes it’s covered in loose stones, demanding caution.

A sharp edge is the drive needed to climb the steep slopes. Stability is the caution needed to cross the loose stones.

Neither is right or wrong; it only matters whether they are appropriate for the moment. Just now, you knew you were outmatched, so you conceded to preserve yourself. You weren’t injured, nor were you discouraged. That is the wisdom of stability.

A sharp edge breaks easily, but steady strength endures.

What you need to do now is not to force a sharp edge out of your stability, but to slowly develop your own resilience and judgment."