Chapter 1819 — Old Matters of the Past
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Let me think it over... may I?" Tang Zhi no longer knew which way to choose, and could only decide to steady herself first and discuss it with Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu.
"You may, but you have only one day to consider it," said the Grand Elder.
"Why is that?" Tang Zhi was slightly taken aback.
"Your young man can hold out two days at most, I fear. If he is not treated soon, then even the Ice Spirit Sacred Fruit will likely be of no use," said the Grand Elder.
"Then... can't we just give him the Ice Spirit Sacred Fruit first?" Tang Zhi said anxiously upon hearing this.
"The Art of Heartlessness is, by nature, heartless," the Grand Elder said faintly. "In my dictionary there is no such word as affection. If you will not join the Snow Valley, then there is nothing to discuss."
"..." Tang Zhi felt a pang of sorrow. She wondered whether, after cultivating the Art of Heartlessness, she too would become like the Grand Elder. And then—would even Wei Zhao, seeing her, no longer care for her?
After all, who could love a cold, heartless person? And the Grand Elder was a living example: around her clung a powerful chill that made people keep their distance, that made one want to shrink away the moment one saw her, to flee far off.
Yet Elder Zhang, who had likewise cultivated another water-attribute art, was nothing like that—warm and kindly, utterly different from the Grand Elder and Xueli.
"Tomorrow morning... I will give you my answer. That should be all right, shouldn't it?" Tang Zhi asked after a moment's hesitation.
"It is all right!" said the Grand Elder. "That is no obstacle. To set your mind at ease, I can first channel a strand of chill into his body to suppress the fire-poison of his qi deviation. It will be enough to last until tomorrow evening!"
"Thank you, Grand Elder!" Hearing this, Tang Zhi's heart instantly eased, and gratitude lit her face.
"Do not thank me. This is merely a transaction," the Grand Elder said faintly.
Tang Zhi opened her mouth, then said nothing more. The Grand Elder was simply that sort of person; she had said as much before—she was heartless.
The Grand Elder rose, came before Wei Zhao, laid a hand upon his meridians, and channeled a strand of chill into them. At once Wei Zhao's body temperature plummeted—which left Tang Zhi marveling, while Little Shu breathed a sigh of relief. At last she no longer had to help Wei Zhao cool down.
"There. Before tomorrow night, there should be no problem!" With that, the Grand Elder turned and instructed Elder Zhang: "Elder Zhang, take them to the guest rooms to rest!"
"Yes!" Elder Zhang said, clasping his fists.
Tang Zhi, Gu Mengyao, and Shen Yushu, bringing Wei Zhao along, followed Elder Zhang back to the guest rooms they had used before. Elder Zhang gave them a courteous bow of the fists and was about to leave when Tang Zhi called him back: "Elder Zhang..."
"Miss Tang, is there something else?" Though Elder Zhang had treated Tang Zhi and the others well before, now there was plainly a note of ingratiation about him—and small wonder. If Tang Zhi truly stayed in the Snow Valley, she would become an existence on par with the Grand Elder, one of the three great figures of the Snow Valley. How could Elder Zhang not be courteous?
"Elder Zhang, I would like to ask—must the Art of Heartlessness really be heartless?" Tang Zhi had not dared to ask the Grand Elder too much before, but she had grown far more familiar with Elder Zhang.
"It has always... been so..." Elder Zhang thought for a moment, then nodded. "Down through the ages, all who cultivated the Art of Heartlessness have grown old alone, devoting the whole passion of their lives to the Snow Valley. Not one of them ever married or bore children..."
"Ah..." Though Tang Zhi had long guessed as much, hearing Elder Zhang's confirmation still left her somewhat disappointed. "Who on earth founded this Art of Heartlessness? What a wretched trap..."