Under One Person: The Forbidden Files of the Magician

Chapter 38: Minister of Magic vs. Zhang Chulan!

Faced with Lu Jin's heavy and probing question, Lu Xiaobai simply shook his head slightly.

"It's not that the wrong path was chosen."

His voice remained calm, as if he were stating an objective fact.

"I was simply stating my understanding and raising hypothetical questions."

"Each technique aims to achieve a different effect, and the final results are vastly different."

"There are countless paths, but the initial intention is the same: the path of cultivation is nothing more than so that one can go further and see more."

If you can't see the path beneath your feet, how can you walk it with determination...?

As Lu Xiaobai spoke, he slowly extended his right hand.

With your palm facing up, a barely perceptible wisp of dust, or a tiny grain of sand, silently rises to the surface.

Everyone unconsciously held their breath, their eyes focused on that tiny palm.

A gentle breeze swept by.

The fine dust seemed to come alive, drifting lightly and obediently, following the wind's path, from between Lu Xiaobai's fingers and from the slight indentation in his palm, wisps of dust drifting away.

They did not struggle, nor did they stop.

It simply and naturally blended into the flowing air, disappearing without a trace in an instant, as if it had never existed, returning to the most authentic state of the world.

Lu Jin stared blankly at the scene, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Yes... what about myself?

Blinded by deep-seated hatred, their steps were halted, and they couldn't even see the way back.

Have I long forgotten the great path to heaven that my master pointed out back then, the expectations and trust he placed in me, in my long obsession with revenge, or even... begun to question its very foundation?

At this moment, am I not just like the dust in this palm?

Blown away by the winds of hatred, losing their way, how are they any different from ordinary people among the masses who are swept up by desire?

A life without flaws? Haha...

They have even lost the courage to challenge the second peak realm and face that perilous step!

Master... Your disciple is unfilial!

Not only have I failed to comprehend the Dao you left behind, and failed to avenge my fellow disciples, I haven't even reached your level of attainment...

I feel ashamed... ashamed before my sect, ashamed before you...

Lu Jin closed her eyes tightly, her face filled with undisguised grief and self-blame.

Lu Xiaobai watched the old man, who was caught in a huge emotional vortex, without saying another word.

Is it a choice to continue carrying the burden of hatred?

Or should we try to reclaim the forgotten path of our sect and strive for that perilous peak?

Or perhaps we should let go of our obsession and seek another path?

Regardless of the outcome, this is a choice that Lu Jin must make herself.

This is also the dilemma that all those who embark on the path of spiritual practice will eventually face: to see their true nature clearly and choose their own path.

……

On the other side, at the North China branch's villa training ground...

Xu Si grabbed a small stool from somewhere and sat down casually.

Xu San stood to the side, while Feng Baobao quietly squatted in the corner, crunching potato chips, her eyes fixed on the two figures not far away.

As for the Minister of Intelligence, he was holding his magic tablet, seemingly preparing to record battle data.

At this moment, in the center of the arena, Zhang Chulan seemed to be facing a formidable enemy.

"The profound origin of Heaven and Earth, the root of all Qi!"

"Through countless eons of cultivation, I will attain my divine powers!"

Zhang Chulan muttered incantations, accelerating the flow of Qi within his body.

A dazzling golden light instantly emanated from his body, like a tangible thin film of armor, wrapping around his entire body layer by layer.

However, no matter how bright the golden light was, it could not hide his slightly trembling calves and the cold sweat constantly sliding down his forehead. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.

"Pfft!" Xu Si laughed so hard he slapped his thigh.

"Hahahaha! Look at Zhang Chulan, such a coward! The fight hasn't even started yet, and he's already scared to death! Xu San, what's your bet on the odds?"

Xu San adjusted his glasses and, unusually, joined in the joke: "Let's split it 30/70!"

"Hehe, Xiao Bai can make Zhang Chulan kneel down seven times in three seconds."

Unlike the others who were relaxed watching the show, Zhang Chulan in the audience was under immense pressure.

His opponent was Lu Xiaobai, the Minister of Magic, who stood opposite him with a blank and even somewhat timid expression.

At this moment, the two formed an extreme contrast.

One was sweating profusely with nervousness, its golden light shimmering wildly; the other was as quiet as if in a daze in a laboratory, as if afraid of accidentally damaging the "precision instrument" in front of it.

"That... Zhang Chulan."

The Minister of Magic spoke in his characteristically gentle, hesitant tone:

"Wait a minute... I'll control my magic output to about one-third of yours. Hmm... as long as you can deplete about one-third of the magic stored in this body?"

"How about... um... you win if you get a quarter of the points!"

He seemed to be discussing something, or perhaps setting experimental parameters.

Then, the Minister of Magic seemed to feel he should encourage the test subjects, and tried to add in a more positive tone:

"Don't worry! I won't use any other alchemical tools or potions!"

"If you just hold on and wear yourself down, maybe...maybe you really can win!"

"Go for it, Zhang Chulan! I...I believe you can do it!"

Good guy!

This is the first time I've seen someone so gentle and honest before a match, setting limits, goals, and even encouragement for their opponent!

This sincere declaration of "letting things slide" actually made Zhang Chulan a little embarrassed, and even eased his tension somewhat.

Even though he knew that the other party was just a clone, and that it had given him so many "friendly" debuffs, Zhang Chulan still took a deep breath and his eyes became serious.

Giving it our all is a must!

After all, standing in front of him was Lu Xiaobai, the top genius with supernatural abilities known as the "Mage"!

Even if this was just a clone of his, it still managed to defeat the infamous Jia Zhengyu in a single move.

Therefore, I absolutely cannot be careless and must put in real effort.

"I'm ready, Little White!"

Zhang Chulan assumed a fighting stance, and the golden light became even more refined.

The Minister of Magic remained standing there, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, seemingly completely unprepared for the impending attack.

He kept muttering something to himself, as if he was thinking about what kind of magic he should use.

"call--!"

Zhang Chulan's eyes sharpened as he suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind.

The next moment, he exerted force with his feet, and his figure, enveloped in a dense golden light, shot out like an arrow, accompanied by a whistling wind, and rushed towards the seemingly unprepared "weak figure" opposite him!

Golden light, carrying the force of a punch, tore through the air and hurtled straight at the Minister of Magic's face!

This peculiar battle, aimed at "consuming magic power," began with Zhang Chulan's initial attack!

The Minister of Magic's calm, expressionless, and innocent eyes seemed to flicker slightly the instant Zhang Chulan's fist rapidly approached.

Thus began the clash between fantastical magic and Taoist practices.