Once upon a time, there was a certain sword cultivator.

Holding a sword in his hand, he aspired to protect the world he lived in.

For that reason, he gained power.

As he gained power, he realized that it was not enough.

So, he trained and trained to seek more.

Seasons passed.

Months turned to years. Years turned to decades.

Yet he never stopped.

When he finally gained enough, he realized that the world he tried to protect had already changed.

But he did not try to save it.

He simply ran instead.

He betrayed and felt betrayed.

He drowned in his power and forgot why he gained so.

He ran from his responsibility.

He ran from his plane.

He ran from his identity.

He thought he could change.

He believed he could start over again.

Yet, when a group of normal residents in Spiritual plane placed their foot above his bloodied chest, he realized that nothing had changed.

He was the same runaway he was then.

One of those people who beat him to submission came near to his ears and asked him once in a volume so little that you would think it was a whisper.

'????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ?????????'

'???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????.'

.........

(A few minutes before choosing disciple, MC's POV)

My eyes were hurting.

No seriously, they were really hurting.

Not only because of the blinding light coming out of the crystal screen without any filter whatsoever.

But also from the visually destructive sight of a few old men getting red and excited like they are going to meet their first date.

"Heavens! I knew that the villager and youngster Quan's potential would be high. But not this high."

"My god, does this mean that our sect will have a new high elder in the future."

Mob elders C and D were commenting excitedly as they looked at the screen.

How these two managed to become elders or cultivate to such high state despite being so easily surprised like children and why they were so attached to the words 'Heavens' and 'My god' were things I could never comprehend, nor would I ever want to.

Hence, I tacitly decided to not involve myself with them as I focused my sight to the crystal screen.

The result was as I expected.

Or, should I say, it was exactly as I remembered?

Brat Che and Chef Luo had the highest blinding light which kept on going higher and higher like their ego.

Chicken girl and Macho men had similarly flickering light which seemed as confusing as their supposed bloodline or physiques.

Mob entrants had mob light intensity which seemed as forgettable as their background.

All in all, it was nothing noteworthy.

Noticing my attention to the crystal screen, peak master Lin Fen asked me.

"So Elder Fan, whom do you have your attention on?"

His words made all the other elders and peak masters focus their attention to me.

The reason for their attention was quite simple.

Like I mentioned earlier, I am a genius (in mortal plane).

Hence, if I said I wanted a certain disciple, chances are that I would get him because of my special status as well as the fact that similar talents would make me a better teacher.

In my past life, I foolishly used this time to choose brat Che and ruined my life.

This time..

I am gonna act like a potato.

Giving my standard business smile, I politely rejected his intentions.

"I would like to wait for the opportune moment."

Shaking his head a little, peak master Lin Fen laughed a little.

"Elder Xin Fan remains reluctant to accept a disciple."

With a mischievous smile that really did not suit his aged face, he then asked me.

"Why is it so?"

The moment he asked that question, numerous reasons formed in my head.

Yet none reached my lips.

Why, I wonder.

Was it perhaps because of Young Che?

If it was only that, I could simply choose another one.

Was it because none of the entrants were noteworthy?

They may not be up to my standard, but I knew that no better ones would come along for fifty years.

So why?

Actually, deep down I knew the reason.

I was scared.

I was scared that they would be a runaway like me.

My time in the heavenly plane village managed to bring me up to my feet again but that did not mean it healed my scars.

Frankly speaking, I was not confident.

Was I truly qualified to guide others?

Would my chosen disciple manage to find their own path and be different from me?

I had no certainty and I was no longer willing to dwell in the path of uncertainty.

So, I looked back at peak master Lin Fen and answered with a slight chuckle.

"I truly wonder why?"

Peak Master Lin Fen's eyes widened a little in surprise before laughing a little.

"If you say so."

After saying so, he joined the fierce debate with other peak masters on who would teach Young Che or Quan Luo.

Sighing a little, I diverted my attention to the crystal screen again.

In the middle of numerous pillars of light was a single location which was not graced by any of it.

It was the place where the beggar in rags was standing.

Playing a closer attention to her, I realized that she was a little girl instead.

Well, that was a surprise.

Both her gender and light intensity.

There was no light being generated from the platform despite her passing the trial which only those with spirit root could pass.

This could only mean one thing.

That she most likely had contrasting spirit roots.

That could explain why the elders nor the platform could find anything about her.

After all, both simply determined roots based on generated frequency.

The purer the root, the higher the frequency.

That was the principle of mortal plane.

Hence, two contrasting roots with similar grade would naturally be missed by them.

Perhaps, it could be detected by those in smaller sect.

Not that it would mean anything because the value of contrasting roots is only known starting from the spiritual plane.

There may be some of those in mortal plane who can communicate with people of spiritual plane, however the communication is heavily regulated by numerous natural Dao laws.

Thus, I am positive that no one in the mortal plane can teach her better than I can.

But that was not the reason why I was staring at her.

'She is not running away'

By now, she should have realized that no light would fall upon her.

Despite this, she was not running away.

With the little hope she had in her heart, she was seeing it all till the end.

She was different from me.

I hoped she would continue to be so.

It was a selfish wish of mine considering that I had no relation to her.

I thought back to what peak master Lin Fen said to me.

Why am I reluctant to take a disciple?

I was reluctant to face my mental demons.

But how would I overcome it by running away again.

How was I any different from my past?

Standing on the platform was a girl who was watching her future till the end.

Maybe, I should also try changing once more.

Laughing at myself a little, I called out to Peak Master Lin Fen and said.

"Sorry about what I said earlier. I have decided to take a disciple this time."

Saying so, I made my way towards the little girl.

Maybe she would also learn from me as I learned from her.

She would be my disciple after all.