Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Until that person appeared—a girl named Weiwei whom she had brought back from a solo outing. Over the years, only she could stir the emotions of the woman in black robes, only she could feel her warmth, and only she could make the people of Tianwu Academy feel that the woman in black robes was still alive, that she still possessed the same gentleness as before. And all of this, only Weiwei herself knew nothing of; no one had ever mentioned it to her, and no one had ever discussed anything similar with her.

Later, just as agreed beforehand, neither the woman in the black robe nor the dean mentioned the topic of finding the woman in the black robe's biological parents again. As a result, the matter was put aside by everyone and was gradually forgotten over time.

After the matter was set aside for a while, the dean secretly summoned the woman in black robes. The two discussed the deal and experiments with the Wen family. The dean initially thought the woman in black robes would be difficult to persuade, but to his surprise, she readily agreed as soon as he brought up the topic. The dean's prepared speech was unnecessary. Startled by the woman in black robes, the dean was initially taken aback, but quickly recovered.

"Besides this, is there anything else?" The woman in black robes looked coldly at the dean in front of her who was giving her a caring smile, and felt a wave of disgust. However, she managed to control her expression and did not reveal any emotion.

"Ah, that's all, just this matter. If this matter is handled well..." The dean quickly replied as he recovered from the shock of the woman in black robes.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now." Before the dean could finish speaking, the woman in black coldly interrupted him, then turned and left the place where the two had been talking.

Watching the woman in black leave, and reflecting on her recent changes, the dean could only sigh and shake his head. He probably didn't know what she had seen or heard that had turned her into this. The dean simply felt that the woman in black, once like a warm, comforting daughter, had become increasingly distant, unapproachable, and somewhat unfathomable. But he didn't dwell on it; he simply assumed she might be facing some unresolved issue, or perhaps going through a rebellious phase.

After the dean spoke to her, the woman in black robes appeared in everyone's sight less and less frequently. Each time they did see her, she appeared exhausted, and would disappear again after recovering. Her most noticeable change was her ever-increasing power, constantly astonishing everyone with the speed of her growth.

With the date fast approaching, the black-robed woman's participation in the experiment drew nearer. She went out more and more frequently, until three days before the experiment, when she returned and didn't leave again, nor did she step outside her room. No one knew what she was doing in her room; everyone assumed her recent constant travels had exhausted her, and she was resting. Although cultivators possess strong physical abilities, ultimately, they are still just ordinary people.

Three days later, the woman in black robes left her room and followed the dean out of Tianwu Academy to attend a meeting called the Martial Alliance. Several days later, the woman in black robes and the dean returned. The dean's face was beaming with joy, while the woman in black robes remained unchanged, her gaze cold and aloof, her eyes revealing a barely perceptible hint of murderous intent.

Time passed day by day, and the woman in black robes seemed to have returned to her original life. Gone was the previous busyness, the previous haste; everything had returned to its original state. The only difference was that she no longer possessed her former cheerful and lively demeanor, her kind and approachable attitude, or her former spirited and vibrant air. But at least, the woman in black robes began to speak to the people.

Two or three years passed like this. Everyone became familiar with the black-robed woman's current appearance and style, and grew accustomed to interacting with her. But then one day, the black-robed woman locked herself in her room, refusing to come out, see anyone, utter a single word, or give any warning. Those in the academy who were acquainted with the black-robed woman had secretly speculated about what had happened to her, but when they sensed the energy fluctuations emanating from her room, they nodded and laughed knowingly, no longer paying attention to her affairs.

And so, this energy, lasting for nearly ten days, finally dissipated. Everyone had sensed this power immediately, and while they were overjoyed, they also felt deep worry for the woman in black, because although the energy had disappeared, she still hadn't left her room. Many times they wanted to rush in to investigate, but they feared that their recklessness would disrupt the aura surrounding her. Everyone waited silently and patiently.

Countless eyes stared intently at the black-robed woman's door, countless fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly, their emotions rising and falling countless times. They were worried and afraid, happy and apprehensive. Until finally, they no longer knew what they were feeling. Finally, one day, the black-robed woman's door opened.

The moment the woman in black stepped out of her room, countless fists clenched in the shadows simultaneously released their grip, followed by a collective sigh of relief. But just as everyone's emotions calmed, the woman in black collapsed limply, as if exhausted. Those who had been observing and waiting in the shadows rushed out from their hiding places, scrambling to her side to protect her as she lay about to fall.

All the women in the academy envied the woman in the black robe, but they also knew that they wouldn't be cared for by so many people, simply because they weren't the junior sister who had been watched over and protected by everyone older than her since childhood.

Chapter 1218 Going Out

The moment the woman in black stepped out of her room, countless fists clenched in the shadows simultaneously released their grip, followed by a collective sigh of relief. But just as everyone's emotions calmed, the woman in black collapsed limply, as if exhausted. Those who had been observing and waiting in the shadows rushed out from their hiding places, scrambling to her side to protect her as she lay about to fall.

All the women in the academy envied the woman in the black robe, but they also knew that they wouldn't be cared for by so many people, simply because they weren't the junior sister who had been watched over and protected by everyone older than her since childhood.

"Ah~ she's fine, she's just been tired these past few days. You all go out and let her rest for a while; she'll recover her energy." After the woman in black robes was taken to the academy's medical room by her senior brothers or elders, the doctor's diagnosis came back shortly afterward.

"Hey, Li Zi! Go tell the kitchen to make a bowl of soft porridge! Hurry up!" Having just finished speaking with the people closest to him, the doctor raised an eyebrow and saw Li Zi standing on the outermost edge. He then called out to him, giving the order. Hearing the doctor's call, Li Zi was startled at first, then looked at the doctor blankly. Only after the doctor finished giving the instructions did he come to his senses and turn to leave.

"Hey! Wait, wait! Come back, come back!" Suddenly, the doctor called out to Xiao Li, who had just lifted one foot. Xiao Li froze again, standing there blankly, staring at the doctor surrounded in the center, his eyes squinting with a dazed and confused expression.

"Hey, are you guys going to eat?" the doctor asked the people around him. They all nodded. In their eagerness to track the black-robed woman's movements, many had forgotten whether they had eaten, when they had eaten, and what they had eaten. Seeing this, the doctor looked questioningly at the people on the outer edge of the circle, and they all nodded in unison.

"Little Li! Go! Tell the kitchen! One bowl of soft porridge, three..." The doctor, having received the answer, glanced around at the people and made a rough estimate. "Three...five...five pots of noodles! Meat gravy, get some pickled vegetables! Tell them to hurry, the faster the better!"

"Hey! Right! Have them send someone over! After you're done cleaning up here, return the dishes and such to the kitchen." As he spoke, the doctor pointed at the people around him and instructed them. Everyone nodded in unison. Seeing this, the doctor waved to Xiao Li, telling him to hurry up and tell the kitchen so they could clean up.

Having received the instructions, Xiao Li turned and ran towards the kitchen. Seeing that Xiao Li had left, the doctor walked to his seat and waved to the host standing in the courtyard, indicating that they should find a place to sit. However, apart from a few senior members who obediently sat down, the rest of the people in the courtyard remained standing stiffly, staring at each other.

"Alright, stop pretending to be so serious. Find a place to sit down, okay? What's wrong? Is my chair going to bite your butts or something?" Seeing the amused expressions on everyone's faces, the doctor said with a smile. Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, then made way for each other and sat neatly on the ground on both sides of the courtyard. They stared straight ahead, either staring intently at each other or just staring blankly at the head in front of them, not daring to breathe or utter a word.

"What's wrong with them? Have they lost their minds?" Seeing the expressions on the faces of the people sitting on the ground, the doctor asked with a smile to a middle-aged man sitting next to him.

"Alright, Uncle-Master, stop teasing him. Although you don't come out much these days, and you're just a doctor treating their injuries and pains, who among them doesn't know your reputation? Besides, whether you like it or not, you still hold the title of Vice Dean. Letting them relax is like letting them fight with knives; at least they'd have a breath left to live, wouldn't you say?" The middle-aged man glanced at the young faces sitting on the ground and joked with his Uncle-Master beside him.

"Look at them, and look at you little brats. Look how well-mannered they are! When you were their age, you were like sheep being herded. Humph, really. Now, most of your classmates have gone out and made a name for themselves, establishing some reputation in the industry. But you little brats are just wasting your time. Tell me, what achievements have you made lately?" The doctor couldn't help but retort to the middle-aged man's teasing, giving him a lecture in return.

"Oh dear, Uncle-Master, what are you saying? We brothers haven't taken the name of the tree seriously, have we? If you insist that we go out into the martial arts world to fight for that reputation, I might as well commit suicide. The most important thing in life is to be happy, don't you think? What's the point of worrying about those things all the time? It's so boring." The middle-aged man smiled and waved his hand at the doctor after hearing his words.

"Hmph! You think you're so smart! Don't you even know how old you are? Aren't you ashamed..." The two continued their shameless banter, with a middle-aged man sitting in a chair occasionally chiming in, creating a harmonious scene. However, the younger generation sitting on the floor, their eyes fixed straight ahead, were having a much harder time. They knew everyone present, and these usually serious individuals were all unusually lively today, as if they'd taken some kind of drug.

It's not that this is bad, it's just that it's a bit painful to hold it in. When they get to the funny parts, everyone can only bite their lips to keep themselves from making a sound, and the deep breaths that rise and fall reveal their feelings. People who could look each other in the eye before now look away as if they are afraid that they will burst out laughing.

"Hey, do you think they're tired looking like that? Aren't they feeling uncomfortable?" The doctor, who was addressed as "Master Uncle" by the middle-aged men present, couldn't help but tease the middle-aged men next to him after noticing the appearance of the many young people.

"Hmm... I think it must be very tiring." After hearing their senior's words, the middle-aged men all looked at the young people sitting on the ground with strange expressions, and then nodded with smiles.

"Master! Master!" The middle-aged man had barely finished speaking when a long cry came from outside the door. Upon hearing this sound, the doctor felt a pang of bitterness and shook his head repeatedly, his hands covering his forehead. The middle-aged man, on the other hand, had a smile on his face, his eyes brimming with undisguised amusement.

"Master!!!!!" Soon, a spirited young man rushed forward like the wind, knelt down and hugged the doctor's legs, then began his performance by violently twitching the air.

"Master! How is my poor little sister Qin'er? I heard she was brought here as soon as I got back. Ah, Master, is she alright?" The young man cried, his voice filled with sorrow and pitifulness, making everyone feel sorry for him. But everyone present wore expressions of barely suppressed amusement, struggling to hold back their laughter.

The young man currently holding the doctor who diagnosed the woman in the black robe is her childhood sweetheart. The two grew up together and their relationship is extraordinary, making many people envious. However, everyone in the academy knows that no one can separate the two.

"Qin Hao, get up! Don't embarrass me! Get up now!" The doctor covered his eyes, refusing to look at the young man who was slumped on the ground, clinging to his leg. After all these years, he still couldn't do anything about him.

"No, Master, tell me clearly, I won't get up, I won't!!!" Qin Hao didn't give up after hearing the doctor's words. Instead, he became even more insistent, shouting loudly at the top of his lungs. His expression was truly heartbreaking to anyone who didn't know the situation.

The group of middle-aged men who had just been joking with their senior fellow apprentice, the doctor, were now all forcing themselves, just like the young men sitting on the ground, to avoid looking at the young man, suppressing their laughter as much as possible. Seeing their senior fellow apprentices' expressions, the young men sitting on the ground struggled even more to hold back, their rapid, deep breaths growing heavier. Finally, one of the young men on the ground couldn't help but burst out laughing, but he quickly composed himself, controlled his expression, coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment, shifted his position, took two deep breaths, closed his eyes, and desperately tried to calm himself.

The young people present couldn't help but burst into laughter at the man's comical appearance. The middle-aged people also couldn't hold back and laughed loudly. For a moment, the entire hall was filled with deafening laughter. Some people even laughed so hard that they clutched their stomachs and their eyes welled up with tears.

The doctor, startled by their laughter, peeked at them through his fingers and felt utterly humiliated by his disciple, who was now sprawled on the ground, clutching his legs and weeping. The doctor grew increasingly frustrated and angry, and in a fit of rage, kicked his beloved disciple, whom he both loved and hated. Qin Hao, startled, ignored the reactions of those around him and tried to climb back to hug his master's legs. Seeing Qin Hao's inclination, the old man, disregarding his image, nimbly leaped onto his chair like a monkey and hurriedly explained the situation of the woman in black.

"She's alright, she's alright! She's just tired! He's in the inner room right now, he's in the inner room right now!"

The old man's comical antics added much joy to the hall, and Qin Hao's eyes lit up upon hearing this, his expression instantly brightening. He hurriedly scrambled to his feet, rushed forward, and grabbed the old man's arms.

"Master, really? You mean really! Hahaha, that's great! I'm going to go see!" With that, Qin Hao ignored the old man's trembling expression and ran towards the inner room, no longer caring about the people in the hall. Seeing Qin Hao finally leave, the old man breathed a sigh of relief, his hand trembling as he gently wiped his forehead, finally rid of his disciple.

But in an instant, the old man's hand froze in front of his forehead. His eyes rolled around, blinked, and slowly, with slight movements, he moved off his chair. Seeing the old man's actions, the laughter in the hall froze instantly. Everyone watched the old man's movements silently, without even blinking.

Once the old man was seated, he gave everyone an awkward smile, avoiding looking at the people in the hall. Laughter erupted again, and the old man could only offer an awkward smile, inwardly cursing his unfortunate disciple.

Time passed by, and gradually, amidst the laughter of the crowd, the evening arrived. Everyone, full and in high spirits, left the doctor's courtyard and headed towards their own residences.

"My name is Tian Qin. That's my name, and it's also the reason why I have the surname Tian that I only found out that day. All of this was a lie he wove for me." As she said this, the woman in the black robe looked noticeably more haggard and her eyes were filled with a deep, lingering weariness.

"He thought everything he did was flawless. He thought I was following the path he had planned. He thought I was still the person who listened to him and obeyed his every word. But he didn't know that before that experiment started, I had done everything I could to gather information about my parents. And when I fainted that time, it was just me breaking the seal on my memories."

Chapter 1219 Reason

"My name is Tian Qin. That's my name, and it's also the reason why I have the surname Tian that I only found out that day. All of this was a lie he wove for me." As she said this, the woman in the black robe looked noticeably more haggard and her eyes were filled with a deep, lingering weariness.

"He thought everything he did was flawless. He thought I was following the path he had planned. He thought I was still the person who listened to him and obeyed his every word. But he didn't know that before that experiment started, I had done everything I could to gather information about my parents. And when I fainted that time, it was just me breaking the seal on my memories."

Tian Qin, the woman in black, suddenly became incredibly determined, her eyes flashing with a hint of murderous intent. But it vanished in an instant, her gaze returning to its previous listlessness and vacant focus. Weiwei, who had witnessed all of Tian Qin's changes and attitudes, couldn't help but want to step forward and comfort her.

"Senior sister..." But as soon as the words left her mouth, Weiwei abandoned her idea, because she suddenly realized that what Tian Qin needed at this moment was not comfort, nor was it to hold her and gently stroke her back. What she needed was quiet, just to be alone. Weiwei withdrew her hand, her eyes filled with urgent concern.

"You might ask, what does all this have to do with you, right? Because my story has absolutely nothing to do with you from beginning to end." After a while, Tian Qin, whose emotions had finally calmed down a bit, turned around and looked at Weiwei with a wry smile. Weiwei didn't react for a moment when she heard Tian Qin's words. After thinking about it carefully, she nodded hesitantly. Indeed, these things seemed to have nothing to do with her.

"If the situation like in your dream happens again, remember this: don't look back, don't look around, just run straight ahead. Don't worry about me, and don't let anyone else come. You absolutely, positively must remember this well." Tian Qin looked at Weiwei with firm eyes, gripping Weiwei's arms tightly with both hands, her tone revealing a deep and unyielding meaning.

"But, but... but senior sister, why is this happening?" Weiwei was taken aback by Tian Qin's words. This time, she truly didn't understand. She couldn't figure out why. Shouldn't she have rushed to help Tian Qin immediately when she was in trouble? Why was she running away?

“Someone told me that I had done many things, but I didn’t know what happened. I couldn’t control it, and I didn’t know when it would suddenly appear or flare up. So I’m afraid that if one day… if one day it really comes back and hurts you, I really can’t imagine that scene.” Tian Qin seemed a little lost, a little regretful, and mostly in pain.

Weiwei fell silent upon hearing Tian Qin's words. She stared blankly at the woman before her, at the woman she called "Senior Sister." She couldn't imagine what else she had gone through, nor could she bear to think about what her beloved Senior Sister had endured. Suddenly, she felt utterly lost. Looking at Tian Qin's bewildered expression, she herself seemed somewhat at a loss as well.

Time slipped away slowly, second by second. Tian Qin and Weiwei both fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts, pondering their next words, wondering how to begin. They didn't know when it had happened, but the once inseparable pair had become so inexperienced that they didn't even know what to say. Weiwei kept stealing glances at her senior, her mouth moving but unable to utter a word.

After a while, Weiwei, who had been quietly thinking, suddenly remembered something. In the year or so since she enrolled with her senior sister Tian Qin, she had never seen anyone call her senior sister, nor had anyone mentioned her name. She had never seen the so-called doctor or Qin Hao, nor had she seen the large group of people who had stood guard outside Tian Qin's room without eating or drinking for her sake.

Was her senior sister lying to her? This was the question that suddenly occurred to Weiwei, but she couldn't believe the possibility. Even if her senior sister wanted to deceive her, why would she fabricate all this? The presence or absence of these people seemed to have no impact on the course of events; they could simply be ignored. If it wasn't important, why would she make up so many people? Was it simply to showcase her charm? In Weiwei's memory, Tian Qin had never valued fame or fortune, let alone empty titles. If someone else had said these words, Weiwei might have believed it, but if it was Tian Qin, Weiwei would be the first to vehemently deny it.

Although Weiwei and Tianqin only spent a short year together, and while they couldn't be said to know each other intimately, and there were many things the other didn't know and secrets they didn't want to share, overall, they were both genuinely sincere towards each other. There was no pretense, no hypocrisy, and no so-called reciprocity. If you insist on not believing it, ultimately, this kind of thing can't be explained, because some things are just feelings, without any reason or explanation.

Tian Qin insisted on keeping Weiwei by her side and personally guiding her. It's undeniable that Tian Qin saw a reflection of herself in Weiwei; this ability to see herself in Weiwei was a crucial reason why she decided to break her unwritten rule and deepen her friendship with Weiwei. Tian Qin's attitude towards Weiwei, and all her actions towards her, reveal a genuine and heartfelt affection, untainted by any other motives.

Tian Qin's attitude towards Weiwei, and all her actions towards Weiwei, reveal a genuine and heartfelt affection, untainted by any other factors. Ultimately, it's an indescribable feeling, a wondrous feeling, a feeling that makes one unwilling to let go or abandon it. The world is vast, but life is truly wondrous, so wondrous that their meeting, acquaintance, and understanding seemed preordained, unfolding naturally, step by step.

"Senior sister, I want to..." After much deliberation and countless struggles, Weiwei finally decided to take the initiative and ask the truth she wanted to know.

"I want to ask you something."

"Ah? Ah! Weiwei, ask away. If I know the answer, I will definitely tell you." Tian Qin looked at Weiwei, who was looking hesitant, as soon as she heard Weiwei speak.

"I...I wanted to ask..." Although she had received confirmation from Tian Qin, Weiwei still seemed a little flustered and conflicted; she was still considering it. Finally, Weiwei gritted her teeth, clenched her fists tightly, and looked firmly at her senior sister, Tian Qin, in front of her.

"What I want to ask is, why have I never seen or heard of any of the senior brothers, uncles, or elder brothers you mentioned since I entered the academy? And why haven't I seen the doctor you mentioned, who is also the vice dean, or the senior brother who grew up with you?" As she spoke, Weiwei suddenly stopped talking, quietly looking at her senior sister in front of her, not saying another word. But anyone could see that Weiwei still had something to say, but she swallowed the words back down and didn't say them.

Tian Qin stared at Weiwei for a moment, then seemed to understand something. He lowered his head and smiled bitterly. He knew what Weiwei hadn't said, and he understood what she had left unsaid.

"Are you trying to say why you only ever see me all alone at the academy?" Tian Qin said with a wry smile, filling in the blanks that Weiwei hadn't said.

"Senior sister, I'm done." Weiwei, her face flushed red, looked at her senior sister in front of her, unsure how to respond. Indeed, she had really wanted to say that, but when the words reached her lips, Weiwei felt it was inappropriate, so she swallowed them back.

"Yes, I know, I know you're done, I know." Tian Qin smiled at Weiwei's embarrassed expression, nodding repeatedly in response. Her voice trailed off, her gaze growing increasingly unfocused, as if lost in some unknown emotion. Seeing Tian Qin like this, Weiwei dared not disturb her, holding her breath and remaining silent. She could only wait quietly for Tian Qin to speak.

"That day, when I regained consciousness in the evening, all my senior brothers had left. Nothing seemed amiss, but shortly after, during a mission, a young senior brother who was present when I collapsed was killed. Of the three who went on the mission with him, two had been with me, but upon their return, one was dead and the other missing. That left one person, who wasn't there initially. By seniority, he was just a junior brother, but that night he went mad, and no one could control him. He kept using his techniques indiscriminately within the academy. We all knew it wasn't intentional, but for everyone's safety, Vice Dean Wang decided to eliminate any future threat and ordered his execution."

"But actually, that mission was a very, very simple mission. It could have been solved by that junior brother alone. But nobody knows what they went through. Later, the body of the missing senior brother was found. He had been skinned, had his tendons pulled out, had his ten fingers and four limbs severed, had his eyes gouged out, and had his tongue and ears cut off." At this point, Tian Qin couldn't control his emotions. He was reluctant to recall the horrific state of his senior brother. He covered his mouth in anguish, tears streaming down his face.

"At first, we thought that the three of them might have run into some tough opponent, and that the two senior brothers had risked their lives to protect their junior brother and escape. But then things seemed to get out of control. After some time, two more senior brothers were murdered. It looked like a natural death; they had smiles on their faces, no pain, and no injuries. But they still died. The doctor's autopsy said it was drowning, an impossible way to die, because they died in their own dormitory."

"After the doctor demonstrated it to us, we finally understood the whole thing. But thinking about it carefully, these two senior brothers were usually easy-going and had never had any grudges against anyone. After investigating and investigating, no one could come up with a reason. Due to the situation in the academy at the time, we had no choice but to put the matter aside."

"After some time, more people were killed. Yes, these people were still connected to me. But no matter what we did, we couldn't find any clues. Vice Dean Wang reminded everyone in the hospital to be careful and gave special emphasis to those connected to me, but the result was obvious: it was useless. The number of deaths continued to increase day by day, but no one could do anything about it."

"Until one day, the doctor died. The doctor who was considered the least likely to be killed died. Like the senior brother who was the first to be discovered, his death was gruesome. The next day, Qin Hao and all the remaining people disappeared. They vanished without a trace. To this day, no one knows where they are, and no one has seen them. That's why you won't see them in the academy, and you won't see anyone next to me."

"The reason I'm keeping you here is simple: I have the ability to protect you."

Chapter 1220 Longing

"Until one day, the doctor died. The doctor who was considered the least likely to be killed died. Like the senior brother who was the first to be discovered, his death was gruesome. The next day, Qin Hao and all the remaining people disappeared. They vanished without a trace. To this day, no one knows where they are, and no one has seen them. That's why you won't see them in the academy, and you won't see anyone next to me."

"The reason I kept you here is simple: I have the ability to protect you." Tian Qin's eyes were particularly firm as she looked steadily at Weiwei in front of her. Although there were traces of tears on her face and her eyes were red, her expression was unyielding and her face was unusually serious.

"Senior Sister..." Looking at Tian Qin's resolute gaze and serious face, Weiwei suddenly felt a deep sense of fulfillment and was filled with emotion. At this moment, she didn't know what to say to express her feelings, nor did she know what actions to take to prove her trust in her senior sister.

“You never asked before, and I never told you my name. At that time, I was actually wondering whether I should tell you my name, my experiences, and even whether I should stay by your side. No, I should keep you by my side. I was really conflicted. I said I would protect you, even risk my life to protect you, but after all these years…” Tian Qin seemed very distressed.

"But for so many years, I still don't know who my opponent was, I don't know who killed my senior brothers, and I don't know what they went through. You know, many times I've wanted to question those elders in the academy, those deans and vice-deans. Ask them why they didn't investigate this matter, ask them what they were thinking. One of their vice-deans was killed, many of their students died or disappeared, and their deaths were so cruel, yet they didn't investigate."