Xuantian 1: Ancient Xuandongtian

Chapter 291 The Essence and Meaning of Existence
"what happened to you?"

Mu Han immediately asked and stepped forward.

Seeing that Jin Gui's eyes were glazed over and he was almost delirious, she quickly called out, "Qin Xi! Come out and help!"

The two hurriedly carried Jin Gui into the main room.

Mu Hanchan pondered for a moment, then immediately took out a five-foot-long parchment scroll with strange patterns and a six-pointed star array on it.

"what is this?"

Upon seeing this, Qin Xi couldn't help but ask.

"A peak third-tier formation, the Qi-Stabilizing and Spirit-Returning Formation."

After saying that, he immediately ordered, "Go to my storage bag and get a few pieces of black iron to stabilize the formation. I need them to keep things under control."

What is Xuan Tie Zhen Yan?

"It's a three-inch-long, rhomboid-triangular, bluish-brown stone. Go find it quickly; it's in my storage bag."

Mu Hanchan said while checking Jin Gui's condition.

So Qin Xi entered the east wing and found two spirit storage bags.

In a moment of desperation, she first untied the rather peculiar gray and white bag.

I was stunned.

"Are you done yet? Hurry up."

"Oh, wait a moment, dear, I'm looking for it."

"Oh right, it's that brown bag."

Mu Hanchan suddenly thought of something and immediately added.

"understood."

After searching for a while, Qin Xi asked, "How many do you want?"

"Three will do, take them one at a time."

Then Qin Xi took out a piece of black iron to suppress the rock, and its force almost pulled her to the ground.

"So heavy?"

After regaining his balance, he handed it to Mu Hanchan.

After all three were placed, Qin Xi couldn't help but ask, "This Xuan Tie Zhen Yan looks about the size of a fist, how come it's so heavy?"

"That's why it's called Zhenyan. This is only the first level, and it weighs a hundred jin. The second level would weigh a thousand jin, and the third level would weigh ten thousand jin."

"Even a stone like this has a grade?"

Qin Xi asked again.

Seeing that Qin Xi had no knowledge of formations and materials, Mu Hanchan said, "Any material that can be used by cultivators has a grade, but this mine is poor in resources, and even the spirit stones are all of the first, second or third grade below the lowest grade."

Such array materials are not commonly available.

In fact, most people below the Spirit Origin Realm don't know that array materials also have grades, because first, second, and third-grade arrays are sold as a package with pre-drawn array diagrams, array flags, and array aids.

Naturally, they were unaware of the intricacies and hierarchical levels involved.

"What's up with him?"

"Spiritual energy depleted..."

Mu Hanchan frowned, then made her judgment.

When the Qi-Strengthening and Spirit-Returning Array was activated, Jin Gui's body floated three feet above the array, surrounded by azure light that nourished his withered meridians and spiritual energy.

However, even with the support of the formation,

Its skin, hair, and even the bones and blood deep inside all showed different signs of decay.

Just one week later, Kim Gyu looked nearly twenty years older.

Mu Hanchan increased her spiritual power output, releasing nearly thirty mid-grade spirit stones in one go.

Why did he do this... and why did you go to so much trouble to save him?

Upon seeing the mid-grade spirit stone brimming with spiritual energy, Qin Xi couldn't help but ask a question.

"I…"

"Cough cough!"

Just as Mu Hanchan was about to answer, Jin Gui suddenly woke up.

Seeing himself suspended above the formation, and then seeing Mu Hanchan and Qin Xi, he struggled for a moment and said, "Senior, I..."

"Don't speak yet."

Mu Hanchan then asked Qin Xi to fetch a bottle of third-grade Spirit Nourishing Pills for Jin Gui to take.

Two days later, Jin Gui's complexion improved.

"Senior, I..."

"What exactly happened? Did that snake queen harm you?"

Mu Hanchan pressed on with a cold face.

She bit me...

"reason?"

"She said she wouldn't give me three bottles of purified water if I didn't want to..."

Are there any other reasons?

"I…"

"Okay, I see."

Mu Hanchan interrupted, saying, "Just focus on recovering. The mine will need you for the next thirty years."

A month later, after being soothed by the array and aided by elixirs, Jin Gui finally recovered. However, his appearance was withered and haggard, like a sixty-year-old man who had experienced many hardships.

But compared to Song Zhong's effortless eighty-year-old self, he appeared much older.

After Kim returned to his original residence,

Qin Xi asked him again, "Why did you go to such great lengths to save him?"

After a moment of silence.

Mu Hanchan replied, "Because I have no one else to use."

"Isn't there still me?"

"You can't overwork yourself; everyone has their own responsibilities. Besides, we have other plans for the future..."

“Okay…” Mu Hanchan tapped her head, feeling extremely troubled by the manpower problem at the mine.

The mine's manpower operations had reached a critical point. Due to the discovery of Mine 325, he could neither abandon this treasure of mid-grade spirit stones, nor allow the mine to be diluted or controlled, nor could he allow the normal operation of the mine to be affected.

Under pressure from three sides, Mu Hanchan suddenly thought of two people: the two rogue cultivators who had unexpectedly escorted her when she went to purchase materials to exchange for them.

Without any hesitation, Mu Hanchan immediately sent them a telepathic message.

A patch of dry land in the Wuxi Marsh.

Two rogue cultivators were resting. They were brothers who had traveled together and were fellow cultivators who had ventured into the world of cultivation together.

He is both an elder brother and a friend.

"Hey bro, when will this ever end?"

Ling Yanzhou complained bitterly.

"There's nothing I can do, buddy."

"With our aptitude, it would be a stretch for a major sect to hire us. We can't blame them; it's because we lack the strength."

Fu Jing comforted him.

"Why do they look down on us? Maybe we'll amount to something someday, maybe even as good as their disciples."

"You're right, but how can we prove it?"

Fu Jing countered with a question.

"If they won't accept us, how can we prove it?"

"Then why would they give us the opportunity to prove ourselves? Think about it. So many people are lining up to join the sect, why would they choose us?"
None of us were selected for the screening queue.
Don't you understand?

"But their selection criteria eliminated us completely; we didn't even have a chance to get in front of them."

"Then this is our own problem, and it is also the underlying rule and mechanism of the cultivation world."

If it were you, you would have made the same choice. Stop complaining and keep trying, buddy.

"Ugh…"

These two were none other than Ling Yanzhou and Fu Jing, the two rogue disciples that Mu Hanchan had encountered during the trial in the Valley of the Withered Demon.

When the two participated in the trial, Mu Hanchan happened to be short of materials to exchange, so she impersonated a guardian cultivator and temporarily escorted them.

The two have a fundamental difference in understanding regarding "selection" and "choice".

Choice and selection
When disassembled, it actually consists of three layers:

First level: Whether you can stand in front of the other person → 100% your problem
To be appreciated by the strong, one must first cultivate to the corresponding level and do things that others can see.

You can't even step over the threshold, you can't even get into the other person's field of vision.
They are not even qualified to talk about it:

"Others don't think much of me."

"Having eyes but not recognizing a gem".

It's not that the world has buried you; it's that you haven't even earned the right to be selected.

Second level: Whether or not they choose you → 100% their decision.

You've already met the standards; you're already on the front page.
Whether he chooses you or someone else is a matter of his vision, judgment, and perspective.

His misjudgment was his loss, a result of his incompetence.
He made the right choice; he had a keen eye for talent.

This step is no longer your concern; you've done all you could.

Third layer: Ultimately, who is right and who is wrong → Time will tell.

When you have truly stood in front of the other person and entered their field of vision through your own abilities and efforts, and have gained the qualification to be chosen and considered, but they still do not choose you, then there is no need to argue, no need for internal friction, and no need for self-doubt.

All you need to do is stay true to yourself, improve yourself, and leave the results to time.

If you are valuable enough, even if you miss out this time, you will eventually meet someone who truly understands and cherishes you, and your goodness will eventually be seen.

The person who misjudged the situation back then will eventually realize what they missed through comparison and experience. This is the best proof of their misjudgment.

Even if it turns out that you are still lacking, time will allow you to see the gap clearly and continue to hone and grow, instead of simply blaming others for "not recognizing your worth".

This is the underlying logic of choice and selection, and also the true rule governing the cultivation world.

It's not simply a matter of subjectively believing that "you shouldn't underestimate a young person's potential."

When that day comes,
When you reach a certain height, or even stand on the mountaintop, that is the real proof of the adage: "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years east of the river" (meaning things used to be different).

At that time,
You can completely use the same standards you used to apply to them in reverse, and that is the real proof: things change over time (nowadays).

However, from the three macro perspectives of civilization, history, and eternity...
No matter how glorious someone is,
(Past/Present/Future)

In the end, we are all just a speck of dust.

From the three essential perspectives of the individual, consciousness, and existence,
Regardless of your success or failure, your life still holds unique meaning and value.
And no one can replace him.

This is the ultimate certification bestowed upon individual human life and soul by the Way of Heaven, which cannot be changed by any external force.

This is the meaning of your existence.

Just as the two were feeling depressed about their miserable situation and comforting each other, their communication stones suddenly vibrated at the same time.

When I opened the audio, it was the exact same words.

"Have you successfully joined the sect?"

"Have you successfully joined the sect?"

The two quickly replied:

"No, senior. Why did you suddenly think of us?"

"No, that sect is blind to our talent. They rejected us without even conducting an interview."

A moment later, a voice came, consisting of only one sentence.

"Tell me your current location, then come to my mine. I'll send you the corresponding coordinates later."

“Wuxi Marshland, located in the southeast of District 42, at the intersection of the west and central regions, stretching approximately 8,000 li to the south.”

After a while, Fu Jing's sound transmission stone vibrated again.

"Why did you only send a telepathic message to me, senior?"

Ling Yanzhou asked with some confusion.

"Dude, they obviously know we're together."

"So what does he want with us?"

"Whatever it is, let's go first and talk about it later."

Fu Jing said.

When the two were almost at their wits' end, news from a distant place tens of thousands of miles away became the greatest ray of hope in their lives.