The Book Soul Chronicles: Godslayer

Chapter 182 What's Above Genius?

Qingwu took a sip of wine. The two remained silent, both knowing that no matter what path they took, whether they had good or bad talent, they would each have their own hardships!

Qingwu swung her legs back and forth, and said softly, "Actually, we are all people swept up by fate! No one is an exception! Every birth will end in death. The difference lies in the brilliant and unique experiences we have on the road to death!"

After a moment of silent contemplation, Yu Bingwen said, "Yes! We all end in death, but we have different pursuits that make us unique."

Qingwu smiled and looked at Yu Bingwen, saying, "Hmm! You've grown up! From now on, try not to worry me about you too much, or I'll get wrinkles from all the worry!"

Yu Bingwen didn't respond after hearing this; instead, he was stunned.

He was pondering what 'growing up' meant. He was already over 30, which would be considered middle age for an ordinary person, but does age really represent growing up?

He pondered for a moment, then looked at Qingwu earnestly and said, "I haven't grown up yet!"

This sentence left Qingwu completely bewildered. She even thought she had misheard and asked again, "What?"

Ke Yubing looked at him very seriously and said firmly, "I haven't grown up yet!"

Qingwu smiled, but seeing his serious expression, she quickly wiped the smile from her face and asked, "Are you serious?"

Yu Bingwen said, "Uncle-Master, you haven't grown up either!"

Qingwu asked, unusually confused, "Huh?"

Yu Bingwen continued, "Uncle-Master, the path of growth never ends, and people never truly grow up! Not even until the very end of their lives!"

Qingwu fell silent!

Yu Bingwen said, "I left my family and my homeland when I was young. I came from the mortal realm to the heavens, from a mortal to a cultivator, from a prince to the senior disciple of the Dao Sect. The mission I bear has also changed from a country to all living beings!"

“I used to think that by listening to the teachings of my master and senior brothers and following their path for the rest of my life, I could see the end from the beginning. It seemed very simple. They would do their best to prepare whatever I needed along the way, and all the paths would be paved for me in advance. I just needed to follow their instructions.”

"But many years later, I found out that this was not the case! This seemingly simple and wide road was actually the most difficult to walk."

“My fellow cultivators all envy my extraordinary talent, my junior brothers and sisters love me, my master and uncles respect me. Everyone thinks I am a genius, a successor of the Dao Sect, with both strength and background. People outside the sect envy me.”

"But only I, an insider, know that I am a genius, but there are countless geniuses above me. I am just one of many prodigies."

"Even if I am dazzling, there are still geniuses just as dazzling as me. If I am number one among my peers, then the prodigies of history are the ones I must surpass! Once you have number one, there will be endless numbers of number ones. I will compete with my peers, compare myself with my predecessors, and also guard against the younger generation competing with me!"

“I used to think every time, why do I have to compete? I don’t want to compete. But… every time I see the admiring eyes of my junior brothers and sisters, the expectant eyes of my master and uncles, and the appreciative eyes of my peers, I feel that I can’t let them down.”

"I don't want to fail! I don't want to see my junior brothers and sisters being ridiculed because of my loss. I don't want to see the disappointed looks in my masters' and senior masters' eyes. I also don't want to see the contemptuous looks in my peers' eyes, thinking that I am a coward and unworthy of my position. I don't want the Dao Sect to become a laughing stock of all sects."

“I always remind myself that I am a successor of the Daoist sect, the senior disciple of the Daoist sect, and the face and responsibility of the Daoist sect. I respect my teachers and value the Dao, treat my fellow disciples as friends, and practice self-discipline and propriety in the face of outsiders. I have been diligently cultivating myself for many years, for fear that one day I will make a mistake and bring shame to the sect.”

"At first, I also thought this was growth, understanding the principle that the sect's prosperity and decline are intertwined, and continuing to pay on time is our expectation to move forward."

"But later, I almost shook my foundation because of my eagerness for quick success. In order to repair my source, the sect did its best to refine the Source-Replenishing Pill for me. However, one of the main ingredients was in the Asura Sacred Realm. I remember that a total of twenty junior brothers and sisters went there, but only that one ingredient and three junior brothers and sisters came back."

"It wasn't until that moment that I realized how ridiculous my growth had been! I always thought I was the face and guardian of this sect, but at that moment I realized that it wasn't just me who was protecting the sect, it was the mission of all the disciples of our Dao Sect."

"I still remember what that junior brother said to me. He told me to stand on higher ground, to see the world of the strong for them, and to protect the home they depend on for survival. He said they would always be behind me, protecting me and fighting for me!"

"Only then did I truly understand my mission! And they also mocked my narrow-mindedness. I used to think that protecting the sect was my mission, but later I realized that protecting all living beings is my mission! There are many, many disciples in the sect guarding me, just so that I can move forward in peace. They are willing to send me to higher places!"

"So, Uncle-Master, we never truly grow up! We just understand more and have a longer perspective, but life is a long journey. Every experience helps us grow, but we never truly grow up!"

After Qingwu finished speaking, she fell into deep thought!