Note: (I changed my style a little, if it is not to your liking pls do tell so I go back to previous style)
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Sulan brought Sumin with him to the Disciple Pavilion.
The junior disciple on duty jumped to his feet the moment he saw his idol approaching.
"Senior!!!"
Sulan nodded in acknowledgment. "I took on a new junior at yesterday's Selection Assembly. I'm here to register her today."
Sumin stepped out behind Sulan and greeted the disciple on duty.
"Senior Sister, this way please." Since both Yana and Sulan from Heavenly Jade Peak held extraordinary status, this outer disciple had no problem addressing the newly admitted Sumin as Senior Sister.
He was thorough in his work and immediately began processing Sumin's identity token according to protocol, registering her aptitude and cultivation level.
Sumin placed her hand on the Spirit Mirror, and the feedback came quickly.
The junior disciple's face twisted with discomfort.
The test results showed... worthless spiritual roots!
Someone with low emotional intelligence would probably report the results bluntly, while someone more tactful might delicately suggest "perhaps there's something wrong with the Spirit Mirror."
This outer disciple felt no contempt toward Sumin. In his mind, Senior Sulan was unfathomably profound - he was just a small fry whose level was too low to understand such deep strategic thinking.
Sumin had known this would be the result. Her face stayed emotionless, but her hands couldn't help clenching her robes tighter.
Just as the junior disciple was about to explain, Sulan spoke first: "It's fine. My junior's situation is a bit special. Just handle the registration according to standard procedure."
The junior disciple didn't question it and proceeded immediately.
Sulan knew how much it hurt to have old wounds reopened, especially for someone as sensitive as his junior. He gently rested his hand on Sumin's hair and launched into counseling mode: "Junior, what do you think we're actually cultivating when we practice immortal cultivation?"
Rather than immediately consoling her, he posed a question to redirect her attention.
Sumin didn't dare slack off when he asked her something. She bit her pink lip lightly and immediately set her mind working.
"Using our own aptitude and effort to seize the fortune of heaven and earth, advancing our cultivation realm and combat power."
A perfectly standard answer.
Unfortunately, it didn't suit her reality of having worthless spiritual roots.
Sulan smiled and shook his head. "Too narrow. Your perspective is too narrow."
Not only Sumin, but even the busy junior disciple nearby froze.
This was the lifelong pursuit of countless cultivators, yet in Senior Sulan's eyes, it was still second-rate.
Truly worthy of Senior Brother - his vision was extraordinary, his aspirations lofty.
Of course, Sulan and they weren't even on the same wavelength.
"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother."
"Immortal cultivation, or you could call it truth cultivation - at its core, we're cultivating our true selves. In other words, we're cultivating our heart."
Sulan had never seriously practiced cultivation. These theories of his came entirely from the fantasy web novels he'd read in his previous life.
Sumin tilted her head, waiting expectantly for him to clarify further.
"You just mentioned aptitude, cultivation, and combat power. So let me ask you - are these five domains and eight wastelands lacking in so-called geniuses?"
Sumin thought of herself and everything she'd witnessed at multiple Immortal Selection Assemblies.
"Yes."
Her answer was just that one word.
Like hell they are!
Sulan sighed deeply. "You're from the Great Wilderness Dynasty, right? Do you know how many people live in the entire Great Wilderness Dynasty? 100 million - that should be about right. How many kingdoms and empires like the Great Wilderness Dynasty exist in your province? How many provinces are there across the five domains and eight wastelands? With that population base, how many geniuses - one in a hundred, one in a thousand, even one in ten thousand - emerge every year?"
With so many people aspiring to become cultivators, just how cutthroat had the cultivation world become? Even Sulan didn't dare imagine.
"Have you ever considered this - out of all these 'geniuses,' how many actually reach the peak? And what stops those who don't make it to the end?"
Sumin couldn't help but gasp.
"Those with better aptitude than you don't necessarily go further. Some cultivators get arrogant because they're geniuses, picking fights everywhere and making enemies, only to be eliminated by their foes before they can grow strong. Others have weak wills, giving inner demons an opening, and end up dying during their tribulation..."
Sumin recalled Sulan's words from yesterday, and suddenly felt as if she'd been struck by enlightenment - I got it!
"So you see, on the path of cultivation, your achievements matter less than getting your mindset right first. Otherwise, no matter how high your aptitude, you won't go far."
Sulan laid out facts and logic with a clear purpose.
Accepting that you're trash and finding contentment based on that reality inevitably takes time. Sulan was using his masterful persuasion skills to stabilize his junior sister for now.
Sumin lowered her head, pondering his words.
She'd learned that Yunshu had broken through on the spot after hearing just two sentences from him, so she understood that his words were incredibly precious - golden advice containing the ultimate principles of the Dao.
This was an opportunity right in front of her. If she couldn't even grasp this, what was the point of cultivating?
The junior disciple working nearby was equally absorbed in listening. When he realized he'd unconsciously stopped his work, his heart clenched with sudden anxiety. If other inner disciples or core disciples saw him like this, they'd probably mock him ruthlessly.
"Look at your trash aptitude and you're still daydreaming!"
"Wake up! The outer elder is calling you to tend the spirit herb garden."
"You're ugly enough already, but your fantasies are pretty grand."
The junior disciple had heard plenty of such vicious remarks ever since being assigned to the outer sect.
He nervously raised his head, only to meet Sulan's gentle smile.