"This is such a pain." Sitting at the top of the largest mountain peak, the current leader of the Duality Sect, Lin Zhanyuan, had her eyes fixated on the scene in front of her.
She couldn't remember how many years it had been, perhaps two hundred or perhaps three hundred. As a powerhouse in the Soul Tempering Realm, her lifespan was more than five hundred years. And yet, she couldn't remember how many years she had lived.
She had often heard scholars say phrases like 'time passed in the blink of an eye,' but to her, this sentence had never made any sense. After she reached the Soul Tempering Realm, every day for her was like the passage of years; she had nothing to do.
She couldn't make any progress... she didn't have any family... the few friends that she had all passed away one by one.
The only thing she had was a profound loneliness.
"Sigh..." Lin Zhanyuan just closed her eyes. She was tired... She knew that she had reached her limits of cultivation. She had lost count of just how many times she explored the Azure Dragon Continent, in hopes of finding a way to progress further, but to no avail. She had tried venturing into the endless mountain range near the Yuyang City, and she had even tried exploring the foggy sea that surrounded the continent from three sides.
But no matter where she went, the only thing she found was danger to her life.
After decades of aimless explorations, she just gave up and decided to take care of the sect.
But now...
"Was it a mistake?" Lin Zhanyuan couldn't help but have doubts. She gave everything to this sect; she did her best, but all she got in return was more and more responsibilities. Endless troubles at every corner, and there wasn't a single moment of peace.
For a moment, she couldn't help but doubt if her choice of being the sect leader was right.
Letting out a deep sigh, she quietly hummed a tune that she had heard once in her childhood, just to distract herself from all those pesky matters. It wasn't until an hour had passed that she finally let out a forced smile.
"I think I should just leave." Muttering to herself, Lin Zhanyuan had already made up her mind.
"Once this is all over, I will hand over the position of Sect Leader to one of the Grand Elders and then just roam the world."
This wasn't the first conflict Duality Sect had with the Sacred Sword, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Even though both sides had declared war, there wasn't a single Elder from either side who took part in this so-called war.
As she was lost in her train of thought, a figure silently approached her from behind before sitting beside her.
Lin Zhanyuan wasn't surprised. She didn't even react. It was clear from her expression that this thing had happened countless times in the past.
"What are you thinking about?" Yun Ning's soft voice echoed in her ears.
Lin Zhanyuan just shook her head in response as Yun Ning grabbed her left arm before resting her head on Lin Zhanyuan's shoulder. In response, Lin Zhanyuan just gently rubbed Yun Ning's head doatingly.
Any ordinary member of the sect would have fallen to the floor in disbelief if they saw such a scene. Their cold and dignified Sect leader was pampering their beautiful Grand Elder.
But those who knew their relationship wouldn't be surprised by such a scene.
"I was just thinking about Cang Yue." Lin Zhanyuan's voice had a trace of worry in it.
"Don't be." Yun Ning just let out a gentle laugh before shaking in response. "They wouldn't dare to do anything to her."
"Besides... It's her tribulation, and she needs to go through it. We can not help her every time."
"Hmm..." Lin Zhanyuan just nodded in response.
"So?" Yun Ning suppressed her smile as she gently nudged Lin Zhanyuan. "What were you thinking about?"
"....." Lin Zhanyuan thought for a long time before asking in doubt. "Yun'er... Do you hate me?"
"Huh!?" Yun Ning raised her eyebrows as a frown ran across her face. "What are you talking about?"
Ignoring her reaction, Lin Zhanyuan continued. "Now that I think about it, I pushed you into this life. Do you hate me for bringing you to the Duality Sect?"
"With all these constant troubles and this responsibility, don't you hate me?"
Lin Yue didn't give an immediate reply. Her eyes were looking at the entirety of the Duality Sect as if wanting to carve it in her mind.
It wasn't until a few more minutes had passed that she shook her head in response.
"Why would I hate you?" Contrary to her usual lazy and laid-back tone, her voice was filled with solemnity.
"I was a mere orphan, spending my life on the streets, hungry, cold and constantly abused."
"You raised me, fed me, gave me love and care."
"You taught me cultivation, brought me here and even when I fell in love and wanted to start a new life, you supported me."
"And when my entire family was killed, you were the one who gave me justice and brought me here once again."
Speaking till here, her voice was a bit hoarse.
"I always thought of you as my mother."
"Why would I hate you?"
Listening to Yun Ning, past events flashed by Lin Zhanyuan's eyes. She still remembered the day she met Yun Ning like it was yesterday.
She was just exploring the mortal town when she came across a bunch of little miserable kids who were struggling to survive. She didn't know why, but she took pity on them and gave them food. Then, for a few months, she stayed in that town, taking care of them.
And out of all those kids, Yun Ning was the one who stood out the most.
For someone like Lin Zhanyuan, who had lost everyone due to the passage of time, Yun Ning filled the role of a daughter that she never had. Smart, loving and obedient. She was everything that she could have asked for.
And when it was time for departure, she couldn't bring herself to part ways with her. So, she brought that little girl to the Duality Sect.
After that... just like Yun Ning said, she raised her like a daughter. Taught her everything. And Yun Ning didn't disappoint her. In just a few decades, she had managed to step into the realm of Soul Tempering. She was perhaps the most talented individual Lin Zhanyuan had ever seen.
Even though Yun Ning had her fair share of troubles and tragedies, it didn't stop her from becoming a powerhouse who could shake an entire region all by herself.
"Sorry. I was just thinking about a few things." Shaking her head, Lin Zhanyuan let out a hollow laugh.
"I was thinking about leaving the sect when this stupid war is over."
"Huh!?" This time, it was Yun Ning's turn to be surprised. She truly wasn't expecting Lin Zhanyuan to make such a statement. If she remembers correctly, Lin Zhanyuan could still live for more than two hundred years. Why was she thinking about quitting?
Sensing her confusion, Lin Zhanyuan let out a soft chuckle. "Don't overthink."
"I am just tired and want to get away from all this."
She didn't hide anything. In her eyes, Yun Ning was her daughter, and she was even thinking about letting her take the position of the Sect Leader.
"I was thinking about appointing you as the Sect Leader. If you don't want to take on this stupid role, you can tell me. I will just appoint someone else."
"....." For a while, Yun Ning couldn't react. Her mind seemed to be in a mess while she slowly digested what she had just heard.
"But... Why...?" She wanted to ask why so suddenly, but words seemed to get stuck in her throat. She couldn't understand why Lin Zhanyuan would suddenly decide to quit her role as the Sect Leader. She couldn't understand why she would decide to let someone else take the position of the Sect Leader.
"I am just tired." Lin Zhanyuan didn't twist her words. She was sure that it was perhaps their last time together. Once the war ended and she quit her position as the Sect Leader, she was going to explore the foggy region outside the continent, hoping to find a way out. She wasn't sure of her survival, so she wanted to spend her last peaceful days with her daughter.
"I see." Yun Ning's eyes lost their lustre as she just nodded in response. She could understand her reasoning. After all, she had been taking care of this place for far too long. It was natural for her to want to move on.
"You aren't going to stop me?" This time, it was Lin Zhanyuan's turn to be surprised. When she told Yun Ning, she was expecting her to protest and even throw a fit in anger. But to her surprise, she was quite understanding.
"No." Yun Ning shook her head in response, "You have done enough. It is about time for you to take some rest."
"You have nothing else to say?" Lin Zhanyuan was still amused by her reaction. How could she not understand Yun Ning? This brat was clearly sulking, but was acting like she didn't care.
"..."
Yun Ning narrowed her eyes as her breathing hastened before she gritted her teeth and nodded in response.
She didn't speak out loud but brought her face close to Lin Zhanyuan's before reaching beside her ear and whispering softly.
"I actually do have something to say to you."
"Oh!" Lin Zhanyuan didn't move, but a gentle smile ran across her face. Every time this lass wanted to say something secretive to her, she would whisper in her ear. She did it the first time, then did it almost every year after that and now she was doing it again.
"What is it?" Copying her style of whispering, Lin Zhanyuan asked in her old, playful voice.
"...."
"...."
"You can take your rest right now." Yun Ning's voice was like a devil's whisper as she uttered those words while her right hand, which was holding Lin Zhanyuan's arm, suddenly inched close to her chest before patting Lin Zhanyuan right in the middle of her chest, straight above her heart.
"YOU..." Lin Zhanyuan didn't even have time to react. She couldn't even understand the meaning behind Yun Ning's words when she felt her soft hand patting on her chest as she felt an immense amount of burning internal energy pouring inside her body, directly attacking her heart.
*BANG
With the sound of a loud burst, like a firecracker, her entire figure was thrown back like a ragged doll.
Were it any other time, this type of attack wouldn't have harmed her, but now... she was completely defenceless. She wasn't expecting that someone she considered her daughter would suddenly attack her out of nowhere.
For a moment, her mind was filled with confusion. She truly couldn't understand what just happened. How could the closest person in the world attack her out of nowhere for no rhyme or reason?
And even greater than her confusion was the pain in her heart. Not because of that strike, but because of Yun Ning's action.
She was going to quit the sect and was even going to make her the Sect Leader. Every single treasure or secret technique she had was already given and taught to her. Then why!? Why would she attack her out of nowhere? What was the reason?
Even though she was taken by surprise, she was merely wounded.
Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, her sharp gaze glanced at the figure of Yun Ning who quietly sat there in silence.
"Who are you?" Lin Zhanyuan refused to believe that it was her daughter. It must be one of those bastards from the Heavenly Sword Sect. It must be an assassination.
But before she could speak anything else, she felt the presence of someone right behind her.
Lin Zhanyuan wanted to circulate her internal energy, but she only felt a sharp object piercing her abdomen.
"AAAH!" Even with her strength, she could feel the immense pain.
Turning around, she wanted to take a look at the person who attacked her, and the moment she did, her eyes narrowed into slits as an expression of disbelief ran across her face.
"YOU.... YOU.... YOU..." She couldn't even speak due to the extreme sense of disbelief.
"HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?"
"Aren't you..." Before she could even finish her sentence, she only felt someone hitting the back of her head before she lost consciousness.
The last thing she saw was the expressionless face of Yun Ning standing behind her as a soft voice drifted in her ears.
"Pave my path to heaven."