Chapter 270: I Want To Be The Number One Artificer Under Heaven 【 Ming Xin + Enlightenment 】
Xie Yanning said, “Actually, there’s one thing I don’t understand about Jiu Zhou.”
Ming Zhaoshuang was happy to be a listener, “Go on.”
“When I sought revenge for Jiu Zhou previously, I wasn’t really thinking that much. I was just angry for Jiu Zhou and Si Fang. I didn’t intend to stand up for so many people until Xuan Gui and the others forced me into that situation. It was then that I wanted to speak up for the women who died in the well.”
Xie Yanning said slowly, “Even when I faced those concubines who framed Si Fang, I didn’t feel the slightest bit of pity. I just felt they deserved to die and be beaten.”
“Is my thinking correct?”
She, who came from the Sword Sect, the righteous path of the mortal world, and the norms of cultivators, ultimately couldn’t understand why she had such thoughts at that time.
Ming Zhaoshuang pondered for a moment and asked, “What do you think about me saving the Pure Yin Maiden?”
Xie Yanning said without hesitation, “It’s righteous and brave, a commendable act.”
Ming Zhaoshuang, however, slowly shook her head and said, “But I think it’s an arrogant, foolish, and overambitious act.”
“The Pure Yin Maiden is neither related to me nor known to me. Me saving her is purely a surge of saintly compassion, that’s the first reason; my cultivation is low, and I’m short on demon stones. Even if I bought the Pure Yin Maiden, I might not be able to protect her. My strength is insufficient, that’s the second reason; I don’t understand the situation and am acting stubbornly, insisting even when you all don’t quite agree. My head is full of holes, that’s the third reason.”
Xie Yanning was speechless.
Ming Zhaoshuang started laughing, “I’ve still decided to do it, and I don’t regret it.”
“Because I clearly know that some things must be stood up for, and some things are not worth standing up for. Those who accompany me, I want to save, just like Feng He; those who have shown me kindness, I want to save, just like Ming Zhaoxue; those who are important to me, I want to save, just like Ah Ning.”
“But these are just some of the laws of my saving people. There is another situation where I must save them, and that is—”
“Collective sorrow.”
“The Pure Yin Maiden herself did nothing wrong, but because she is the Pure Yin Maiden, she must endure unfair treatment.”
“What I see in her is the sorrow of being a woman, so I am willing to stand up for her, even if it means losing my own life, because I know I am not fighting for personal gain, but for the rights of the collective.”
“The rights of the collective can only be obtained when the collective is united and speaks out.”
A flowing light flashed in Xie Yanning’s eyes.
She said, “I stood up for those concubines because of collective sorrow?”
Ming Zhaoshuang smiled and nodded, “You sought revenge for Jiu Zhou and Si Fang because of your individual tragedy, which is why you acted. But at that point, you still chose to speak up, and that was because you felt the collective sorrow. You clearly knew that if you didn’t speak up, these events would be completely buried.”
“But they wouldn’t disappear completely.”
“There wouldn’t be only one Fifth Prince of the Demon Race in this world, nor would there be only one well full of bones like that. When you said those things later, you were actually speaking up for our ‘domestic violence’ collective, speaking up so that we wouldn’t suffer this any longer.”
Xie Yanning hesitated, “Those concubines…”
Ming Zhaoshuang was quite blunt now.
“They deserve it! Whether they were deceived or crippled, they are blind in their eyes and hearts. We are not related to them, so we don’t need to pity them or regret them. They should be responsible for what they have done.”
Ming Zhaoshuang was loyal and righteous, yet also cold-hearted.
For those who brought about their own deaths, regardless of whether they were men or women, Ming Zhaoshuang would not feel any pity. She would only think they were foolish and deserved it.
The world was flawed, but that was no reason for them to willingly abandon themselves.
This was also the reason why Ming Zhaoshuang was initially unwilling to accept the side quest of “Awakening the Male Protagonist’s Harem.”
She felt that whether it was Shen Liqian, Cheng Zhaoyang, or Xie Yanning, these matters had nothing to do with her. Why should she interfere with their karma?
But she gradually discovered that this was not just their individual tragedies, but the sorrow of an entire manipulated collective.
Therefore, she was willing to cut those threads and rescue these women who were inherently stunning, exceptionally talented, and deserved to grow freely, each showcasing their unique charm.
If they had fallen into such desperate straits on their own, Ming Zhaoshuang would absolutely not have interfered. However, they had been planted with seeds by the Heavenly Dao, and they also had an inexplicable connection with her.
Yet, they dared to take up arms, dared to persist in their own beliefs, and even when covered in blood, even when mired in the mud, they fought against the Heavenly Dao.
Even if the final outcome was likely to be their own ruin, becoming mere foils.
But they would not regret it.
That was why she was unwilling to save the woman being chased by two Mahayana cultivators, yet willing to save Xie Yanning who was being chased by two Mahayana cultivators.
Ming Zhaoshuang was cold-hearted, yet also loyal and righteous.
“So, Ah Ning, can you understand what I mean now?”
Ming Zhaoshuang said, “You did nothing wrong. From beginning to end, you have been excellent. Whether it was your feelings for Jiu Zhou as an individual, or your righteousness towards the collective in marriage, you have done your best.”
The mountain had a small opening, as if there was light. Xie Yanning ran all the way until she suddenly saw a bright clearing.
She saw that within her body, a new seed had grown. It was sown by Xu Qing’an, watered by Jiu Zhou, and nurtured by Ming Zhaoshuang.
It bloomed in the wind and stood tall in the wind.
This was her Path of Ultimate Emotion.
Xie Yanning took a deep breath, lowered her eyes to look at Ming Zhaoshuang, and finally voiced her decision.
“I will leave the Ao Tian Sect tomorrow and head to the Sword Sect.”
Ming Zhaoshuang understood her meaning, “Okay, we will always wait for you at the Ming Ye Sect. After Feng He wakes up, I will also help you inquire about the whereabouts of the Soul Guiding Lamp.”
Xie Yanning said, “I might be very different from what you see now.”
Xie Yanning’s current cultivation had regressed to the mid-stage Deity Transformation, especially since her origin was severely damaged. It would be difficult for her to achieve her previous accomplishments in the Way of Swordsmanship.
But she did not regret it. She was happy that she could burn the Golden Jade Rotten Cotton Technique twice to protect the people she wanted to protect.
Ming Zhaoshuang recalled the description in the prophecy and understood somewhat, “You want to abandon the Sword Dao and cultivate the Artificing Path?”
Xie Yanning nodded.
Ming Zhaoshuang said, “Perhaps you can try dual cultivation of artifacts and swordsmanship.”
Xie Yanning smiled and shook her head, “My body can no longer withstand that kind of load. Besides, not everyone can be an Acquired Spirit Body. I also tried refining artifacts before, but the results were not ideal.”
She could only specialize in one path.
Ming Zhaoshuang sighed, “What a pity for your achievements in the Sword Dao.”
“It’s not a pity.”
Xie Yanning remembered something and her eyes curved, “I want to become the number one artificer in the world in place of Jiu Zhou.”
The golden tassel beneath Ming Zhaoshuang’s ear brushed her cheek. She smiled confidently and radiantly at Xie Yanning, “Then I will wait for you at the Ming Ye Sect, the future number one artificer, Xie Yanning.”
Xie Yanning also said, “I also look forward to meeting you again, the future number one Talisman Master, Ming Zhaoshuang.”
