Watching the Mountain

Chapter 399: Chapter 213: Accelerating Dao Concealment

He didn’t hide it, replying frankly, ”Yes.”

Upon hearing this, Elder Xu’s expression flickered. A flush crept into his deathly pale cheeks as he asked, his voice trembling with emotion:

”What is it? Is there any news of Ling’Er?”

Xu Ran was somewhat surprised by Elder Xu’s intense reaction. He knew the man had always been concerned about his apprentice, but he hadn’t expected him to be so invested, still asking for news of her at this final hour.

Elder Xu noticed Xu Ran’s surprise and paused for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. He then spoke in a low, melancholy voice:

”You must be wondering why I care so much for that girl, Ling’Er, aren’t you, Hidden Mountain Elder?”

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Ran gave an honest nod.

Elder Xu glanced at him, but instead of answering directly, he posed a question of his own:

”Ling’Er is your apprentice, Hidden Mountain Elder. I’m very curious... how did you teach her? Could you tell me your story?”

Xu Ran studied his expression, then after a brief silence, replied, ”I can.”

He then recounted the story of how he met and came to know Jiang Ling’Er.

It all began with a roasted sweet potato inside the Scripture Pavilion...

After Xu Ran finished his tale, Elder Xu sat in a daze for a long while. He finally let out a soft breath and looked at Xu Ran with a complicated expression.

”I knew it. It’s just as I thought. Hidden Mountain Elder, your feelings for Ling’Er... they’re more akin to sympathy, concern, and compassion. Perhaps you see her as a naive, innocent junior, or even a little sister, but not as an apprentice.”

”Hm?” Hearing this, Xu Ran let out a questioning sound and glanced at the elder in astonishment.

Seeing his reaction, Elder Xu heaved a long sigh. ”Of course, you yourself would never see it that way, Hidden Mountain Elder. To you, an apprentice is an apprentice. There’s nothing more to it.”

”I don’t mean to contradict you. What I mean is, in this entire world, I am the only one who truly treated her as a student.”

Xu Ran was even more surprised to hear this.

Elder Xu glanced at him and continued, speaking as if to himself:

”You were curious why I’m so concerned about her, weren’t you?”

”It’s quite simple, really. You might not understand this, Hidden Mountain Elder, but... the feeling a teacher gets when they see a slow student gritting their teeth, trying so hard to learn, so hard to cultivate.”

”It’s a very special feeling. I’m not quite sure how to put it into words.”

”But ever since I taught that slow student, Ling’Er, I just can’t seem to look at any other student the same way...”

He trailed off, pondering for a moment before shaking his head to correct himself.

”It’s not that I dislike them... it’s just that I always feel they’re lacking something. No matter how I look at them, it’s just not right. It’s as if I always feel they could be trying harder, doing better...”

”In any case, whenever new students arrive, Ling’Er’s face just involuntarily appears in my mind.”

”Especially the way she’d crane her neck, her eyes darting about, just waiting for a word of praise.”

Xu Ran actually understood this feeling. ’When you see someone who isn’t the sharpest trying their absolute best, you can’t help but pay special attention to them.’

’If Jiang Ling’Er had only been naive and innocent without also showing that incredible effort, he would have simply helped her a few times and moved on. He certainly wouldn’t have continued to guide her, much less taken her as his apprentice.’

’Her most appealing quality wasn’t her naivety, but how hard she worked—even if her efforts were motivated by a desire for others’ praise.’

Xu Ran smiled to himself as Elder Xu’s heavy, emotional sigh reached his ears.

”Especially lately... it seems her face is always appearing before my eyes...”

He trailed off into silence, then looked at Xu Ran with a glimmer of hope in his eyes and asked:

”Hidden Mountain Elder, have the Evergreen Sword Saint and the others... heard anything about Ling’Er?”

Xu Ran looked at his face and opened his mouth to speak. He wanted to lie, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He just shook his head and replied:

”The Overseas Archipelago is too vast.”

At these words, Elder Xu fell silent for a long, long time. He then let out a soft sigh, nodded, and said in a low voice:

”I see.”

”I understand.”

Disappointment welled in his eyes, and he sighed with a hint of resignation. ”I remember you saying, Hidden Mountain Elder, that she returned to the Sect once, after going to the Demon Race.”

He lowered his head slightly, his gaze downcast. ”That girl... she came back and didn’t even think to come see me. The next time I see her, I’ll have to give her a proper scolding...”

As he said this, his expression grew vacant. He seemed to realize he would never have the chance to see her again. After a moment’s pause, he lifted his head to look at Xu Ran and said:

”Hidden Mountain Elder... when she returns, have her burn a stick of incense for me. Can you do that?”

His eyes were filled with hope.

Xu Ran nodded. ”I will. I’ll make sure she comes back to burn incense for you.”

Hearing this, the elder let out a long breath, a look of relief washing over him. ”Good. That’s good.”

*

*

*

Xu Ran’s own feelings about Elder Xu were complicated. Even at death’s door, the old man was still thinking about his ’slow-witted apprentice.’

Yet, he didn’t feel the slightest bit of resentment. Instead, he was filled with a deep sense of sorrow.

’If my apprentice, Jiang Ling’Er, knew that a teacher was still thinking so fondly of his ’slow student,’ she would be overjoyed.’

But in the end, that teacher couldn’t wait long enough for news of his ’slow student’ to arrive.

He could only depart this world in silent regret.

Xu Ran made a silent vow. ’When Jiang Ling’Er returns, I must bring her to see Elder Xu. To see the teacher who was still thinking of his student, even at the very end.’

「A few days after Elder Xu passed away.」

Qin Yufeng suddenly contacted Xu Ran. ”Fellow Daoist Xu, do you have any idea why the Dao Concealment has been accelerating lately?”

Xu Ran raised an eyebrow at Qin Yufeng’s words. He could tell the man already knew something, so he asked curiously:

”You know why?”

Qin Yufeng’s confident laughter came through the Communication Jade Talisman. ”According to my investigation,” he said coolly, ”someone in the Overseas Archipelago has altered the nodes of several Arrays that our various parties set up to resolve the world’s malady.”