Douluo Continent: The Legend of the Gods

On the other side.

Yun Qinglin sat at his desk in the dormitory and drew the blueprints for the first-level soul guide ray today, while thinking about the matter of Dai Hao and Dai Yueheng during the day.

He recalled the look Dai Yueheng gave him as she left. What was in that look? Resentment? Curiosity? Judgment? Probably all of those.

Dai Yueheng is the eldest son of the White Tiger Duke. He has been pampered since childhood. It is normal for him to feel uncomfortable when he suddenly finds someone his age sitting in a side hall, on equal footing with him.

But that's not what Yun Qinglin was thinking about.

He wondered what Dai Hao would say to Dai Yueheng after he returned. He would probably tell him about the value of the Emerald Swan Martial Soul on the battlefield, advise him not to antagonize others, and suggest he try to win Dai Hao over.

Having spent so many years on the western border, Dai Hao knew all too well what a top-tier healing-type Soul Master meant. He wouldn't let go of any potential recruit, even if that recruit was only six years old.

"The son of the Duke of White Tiger..." Although he wouldn't stoop to such despicable schemes, he could still make use of any resources available to him.

However, if one wants to associate with the White Tiger lineage, one must first inform Xu Jiawei.

He put away the completed drawings, picked up three leaves from the table, and prepared to practice his distraction control.

As soon as the leaves began to fall, Electrolux's voice rang out in the sea of ​​consciousness, tinged with a hint of amusement.

"Aren't you torn?"

Yun Qinglin paused for a moment, and the three leaves wobbled, almost falling. He steadied the leaves and silently replied, "A little."

"What are you hesitating about?"

"Dai Yueheng. If he really comes to me, how should I treat him? A pure exchange of benefits, or..." He didn't finish his sentence.

"Or is it a genuine friendship?" Electrolux spoke for him, and Yun Qinglin did not deny it.

Electrolux was silent for a moment, then spoke again, his tone much gentler than usual: "Qinglin, do you know what your greatest strength is?"

Yun Qinglin thought about it, but couldn't come up with an answer.

“It’s kindness,” Electrolux said. “You can’t bear to see people suffer, you can’t bear to see commoners unable to afford medical care, and you can’t bear to see spirit beasts being slaughtered indiscriminately. You promised that little green goose, swearing an oath with your spirit, that you really meant it, not just said it. That’s your true nature, and you can’t lose it.” He paused, “But that’s also your weakness.”

Yun Qinglin remained silent.

"You're too upright," Electrox said calmly. "You believe that people should treat each other with sincerity."

You feel it's wrong to take advantage of others, even if they're taking advantage of you. You're wondering if you should approach Dai Yueheng with ulterior motives. You want to utilize his family's resources, but you feel that's not entirely pure.

Yun Qinglin's leaves trembled again. Electrolux had hit the nail on the head regarding his deepest inner conflict.

"Child, how old were you in your past life?" Electrolux suddenly asked.

"Twenty-seven," Yun Qinglin said.

"Twenty-seven," Electrox read the number aloud, then chuckled. "I can't remember how many years I've lived. But I've seen more people than you've seen in two lifetimes combined."

In my eyes, you're still a child. Your social circle in your past life must have been very simple: running a small clinic, seeing patients, and prescribing medicine. Most of the people you met were people you helped and who were kind to you. You haven't seen how complex the human heart can be.

Yun Qinglin did not refute him. He was telling the truth.

"The world isn't black and white." Electrox's voice slowed down, as if he was thinking about how to explain it to him.

"People will always do things against their own will for the sake of their goals. But that doesn't mean that person is bad."

Wasn't that emperor good to you? He gave you a royal tribute order, cultivation resources from Star Abyss Pool, and the best soul guidance teachers.

But why is he so good to you? Because you're useful to him. Your Emerald Swan Martial Soul, your talent, what you can bring him in the future. Isn't that exploitation? Yes. But do you hate him?

Yun Qinglin shook his head.

"That little white tiger approached you for the benefit of the Duke's mansion; you approached him for your own sake."

You each have your own desires and take what you need; this is not a bad thing.

Xu Jiawei needs your talent to consolidate his rule, and you need Xu Jiawei's resources to gain a foothold. Your relationship isn't purely that of ruler and subject; it's something far more complex. But this doesn't affect your respect for him, nor does it affect his kindness towards you.

You know your own goals.

You want to change the world's order, to make healthcare affordable for ordinary people, and to stop the indiscriminate killing of spirit beasts. You need many people to help you; your excessive sense of morality will make this path very tiring.

"Then what should I do?" Yun Qinglin asked.

"Stay true to yourself," Electrox said. "You heal the common people for free, that's your true nature. You promised Brigitte not to kill spirit beasts indiscriminately, that's your true nature. You research formulas to pass them down, that's also your true nature. As for the rest... using others, or being used by others, those are all means. Means can change, but your true nature cannot."

Yun Qinglin remained silent for a long time. The leaves twirled in the air, circling slowly and steadily.

"The Dai family has deep roots in the Star Luo Empire." He spoke slowly, as if to himself, "If I want to benefit the common people in Star Luo, I can't avoid the White Tiger lineage and the Zhu family. Making enemies with them is not the best course of action..."

"Why don't we each get what we need?" Electrolux finished for him.

Yun Qinglin nodded.

Perhaps it will be difficult for him and Dai Yueheng to get along, since he absolutely cannot see the common people, but the ties of interests can make the two cooperate.

"Old Master Yi," he suddenly spoke.

"Um?"

"thank you."

Electrolux chuckled softly, "What are you thanking me for? I'm staying here, so I have to pay some rent. But you can't change this habit of yours anytime soon."

Being too upright will lead to losses in this world. But you don't need to change; being too slick isn't you. You need to find the right balance yourself.

"I understand." Yun Qinglin breathed a sigh of relief.

The leaves twirled in the air, going around and around, slowly and steadily.

Looking at them, Yun Qinglin's inner turmoil slowly dissipated. It wasn't gone, it was let go.

Once you understand something, you won't dwell on it anymore.

"Your relationship with your royal family won't become distant just because you've been in contact with Dai Yueheng, you can rest assured about that," Old Master Yi's voice suddenly sounded with a hint of teasing.

"What?" Yun Qinglin asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Xu Jiawei won't restrict you because he knows that your relationship with that girl is irreplaceable by Dai Yueheng. You cultivate together every day, attend classes together, and go to the Soul Guidance Department to hammer iron plates together. You're inseparable, and he's happy to see it happen."

Yun Qinglin blushed. "Elder Yi, Jiu Jiu and I are just..."

"Just what?" Electrox's smile deepened. "I didn't say anything else. Why are you blushing?"

Yun Qinglin shut his mouth. He didn't really have any other thoughts right now. He just felt that Xu Jiujiu was showing a maturity that was different from her peers at the age of six. He felt comfortable with her and therefore did not mind studying with her.

After all, he's very mature mentally!

Sigh, let's train our mental strength first.