In the face of true strength, all conspiracies crumble into dust.
Zhu Yanyi took a bite of the rice cake. Yan Aohan immediately took it away and had it removed. "It’s cold. Don’t eat it. I’ll get you some hot ones."
"No need. Afternoon tea is coming soon. I plan to eat some pastries then," Zhu Yanyi said seriously. After all, she had recruited the pastry chef from Silver Fox.
Thinking of this, she noticed Silver Fox hadn’t arrived today. Zhu Yanyi didn’t mind whether he came or not, but since he had promised to come, his absence suggested something had happened. Knowing Silver Fox’s capabilities, she merely brushed the thought aside and said nothing more.
Seeing this, Zi Xiao understood. If this continued, Emei would lose face. She glared at Zi Ni. "Junior Sister Zi Ni, if you continue like this, I will call Master right now."
Zi Ni pursed her lips, feeling resentful, but ultimately said nothing.
Zi Xiao looked embarrassed as she addressed Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan. "Little Divine Doctor, Lord Yan, I am truly sorry. My junior sister is new to the world and does not understand its ways. Please forgive any offense."
Zhu Yanyi glanced at Zi Xiao and said calmly, "It’s fine. I am easy to talk to. This doesn’t make me angry. Besides, I am in a good mood today, so I won’t hold it against you."
Being in a good mood meant she wouldn’t care; being in a bad mood meant she would. This showed that Zhu Yanyi was changing, acting according to her own will.
She realized she had unknowingly started prioritizing her own desires. Why? Because she was strong enough.
In any world, if one is strong enough, they fear no criticism or schemes. Strength allows one to tease when happy or suppress when angry. This is the way of a true powerhouse.
Powerhouses differ from rulers. Rulers must consider many factors. Powerhouses need not, for all external factors are mere cannon fodder before them. If one is strong enough, even alone, they can make the world tremble. To live freely with loved ones, one must become a true powerhouse.
That was why no one dared speak when she introduced her relatives. They had to submit. Her medical skills were unmatched in this world. They feared offending her and sought to please her, ready to act at her word.
It was like what Yan Aohan said: if he claimed the world was blue, no one would say it was red.
But this was not what Zhu Yanyi wanted. She was a healer, not a warrior. She did not need followers to charge ahead. However, she needed to master the path of strength in this world. She must be strong so others appear weak, forcing them to look up to her. She could not stand still. She must constantly improve, making others unable to catch up, leaving them only to gaze up at her from below.
Originally, visiting the Sage Academy next year was out of curiosity. Now, Zhu Yanyi felt it might be the start of her true path to strength.
With this thought, her mind relaxed. Her internal energy surged, breaking through the mid-stage of Gangjin and approaching the late stage.
Zhu Yanyi opened her eyes. Everyone except Yan Aohan looked at her in disbelief.
Zi Xiao felt relieved. Zhu Yanyi truly had no interest in dealing with them. Otherwise, they would not even stand a chance against one of her hands.
Among the sect disciples present, the highest internal energy belonged to Gu Jun, who was at the peak of Huajing. Yet Zhu Yanyi had reached the mid-to-late stage of Gangjin.
"Little Yan, you’re already at the mid-to-late stage of Gangjin? When I first met you, you had just passed the mid-stage of Huajing. You rise too fast," Gu Jun said, feeling the pressure. "When you enter the Sage Academy next year, I dare say the teachers will treat you like a treasure, and we will be like straw."
Zhu Yanyi glanced at Gu Jun. "I just got lucky. I occasionally figured things out, and then I leveled up."
"Yanyi, did your internal energy rise because your state of mind improved?" Mi Xiao asked.
"Yes," Zhu Yanyi thought for a moment and nodded. "Basically, yes. Except at the beginning, where I had to practice, from Huajing onwards, once my state of mind passed, my internal energy deepened. Is it not the same for you?"
"Heh," Mi Xiao looked at Zhu Yanyi. "It’s not that we aren’t like this. Except for you, the freak, none of us are. Our internal energy is cultivated bit by bit."
"Are you the Heavenly Dao’s biological daughter? Your state of mind passes, and your cultivation rises," Gu Jun joked.
Zhu Yanyi shrugged. "I don’t know. Based on what I know of my background, I am not the Heavenly Dao’s daughter. But perhaps at some unknown time, I was adopted as a goddaughter, so my luck is slightly better."
"Go away," Gu Jun laughed and scolded. she knew she was joking, but she had to admit she was lucky. "Little Yan, I must admit, you are truly fortunate. Good luck, and cultivating through state of mind improvement—among millions of cultivators throughout history, perhaps only one such person exists. Such a cultivator never faces heart demons."
Zhu Yanyi blinked. "That’s amazing."
Yan Aohan patted Zhu Yanyi and said, "Don’t worry. Actually, your cultivation method is normal. You are different from everyone else. You are a healer. Unlike Gu Jun and others who lack practical experience, you are a true healer. You move among patients, curing them. You study medicines and equipment, with one goal: to give the Chinese people healthy bodies. Thus, you have accumulated considerable karmic merit and power of faith. Because of this, your progress is so smooth."
Zhu Yanyi understood. Her unique ability to level up was due to simultaneously gaining karmic merit and power of faith.
"Does that mean anyone with karmic merit and power of faith can cultivate this way?" Zhu Yanyi asked Yan Aohan curiously.