Chapter 17: Encompassing the Heavens

“I already told you, this damned old man has a mental problem. He hasn’t accepted a single disciple yet. No matter what you do, it won’t matter.”

Wang Doushan chewed on a piece of grass as he spoke frankly. They were seated in an octagonal room in the Hidden Dragon Institute.

Su Chen sat on one of the lounge chairs in the room, leaning against the back and gazing out the window at the scenery near the lake. “Perhaps it’s because I haven’t found his weak point yet. There must be something that can move him.”

“I think he just doesn’t want to accept a disciple in the first place! Is there anyone else in the entire Hidden Dragon Institute who is more unreasonable? No! Tell me, how can he call himself a damned personal instructor if he doesn’t accept disciples? If you don’t want disciples, don’t fucking come to the Hidden Dragon Institute in the first place!”

“Yes, why come to the Hidden Dragon Institute if you don’t want to be a personal instructor?” Su Chen muttered. “Since he is here, he probably does want a disciple. Perhaps it’s because I haven’t yet achieved his standards yet.”

“Haven’t achieved his standards yet? If someone as talented as you isn’t good enough, who is?” Wang Doushan asked scornfully. “Does he have to wait until a genius that only appears every 10,000 years appears to accept a disciple?”

Upon hearing these words, Su Chen couldn’t help but think aloud, “He is pursuing the same dream countless others from the Intelligent Races have been pursuing for tens of thousands of years. With this in mind, it might not be that strange for his standards to be of a never-before-seen genius.”

“Still in the mood to joke around, huh?” Wang Doushan harrumphed.

He sat down opposite Su Chen, the grass in his mouth bouncing around furiously.

“I don’t understand. There’s so many outstanding personal instructors in the Institute, yet you only have eyes for this stubborn, crazy old man. Just what do you see in him?”

“Hmm......” Su Chen thought for a moment, then replied, “I have two reasons. One is because I respect him. I respect him not only because he is the only person so far who has scolded me like I’m a dog yet commands obedience from me, but also because he has a heart encompassing the heavens...... To know that it is impossible to do, yet continues doing it, is enough to command respect and admiration.”

Wang Doushan nodded. “Okay. Although that does make him a little silly, the old saying that ‘the world is driven by fools’ is quite apt. What’s the second reason?”

“The second reason is that I want to follow in his footsteps, pursuing the same dream the human race has had for tens of thousands of years. He’s the only one striving for such a goal among all the personal instructors, so who am I to find if not him?”

Wang Doushan smacked his forehead. “My goodness, you’re just as crazy as he is! Su Chen, have you still not realized it?”

He gazed at Su Chen intently, drawing out each word clearly. “It is impossible. You can’t do it!”

“Impossible?” Su Chen gazed at Wang Doushan.

Wang Doushan firmly nodded. “Tens of thousands of years have already passed. How many talented individuals from the Intelligent Races have pursued this dream? Yet no one has achieved it. Or what if we’ve already succeeded, and bloodlines are the best and most optimal way of controlling Origin Energy. Why seek alternative methods?”

“Because I don’t have a bloodline,” Su Chen replied. “And I’m not alone. There are many, many people who don’t have a bloodline.”

Wang Doushan froze.

“In addition, bloodlines aren’t powerful enough,” Su Chen added. “The enemies of the Intelligent Races are, in the end, the Beast Race, and it will only ever be them. But the power of bloodlines originates from the Beast Race! How can you rely on the strength of your enemies to defeat them? For example, you, Wang Doushan, have the bloodline of the Snow Crane. Even if you awaken your bloodline to its maximum potential – 50% – can you compare with the real Snow Cran Emperor? No, never! Never will you exceed the strength of the Snow Crane. This bloodline gave you power, but at the same time it has limited your potential!”

When Wang Doushan heard this, his jaw dropped. He wanted to argue, but couldn’t find the words to do so.

This was a principle every person understood.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Perhaps by putting all their efforts into cultivating, their strength would increase, surpassing that of another bloodline of the same level. However, the restrictions put on them by the bloodline set a limit on their potentials; they would never overcome this limit.

This was also why the human race was so helpless – even at the peak of their strength, no Intelligent Race could ever surpass the Beast Race.

Primordial Beasts were already almost impossible to defend against, not to mention an Origin Beast, which could single-handedly wipe out a prosperous nation.

Su Chen was correct. Bloodlines had given the human race great power, but at the same time it had placed a limit on their potential.

“Unfortunately, it’s just too hard. It’s a dream, impossible to realize,” Wang Doushan said, shaking his head.

“Perhaps. But if it’s impossible, why does that old man continue to do so? Why are there so many people dedicating themselves for this dream?”

“This......” Wang Doushan couldn’t find the words.

Su Chen answered his own question. “Because there are always people in this world who will continue to strive even if they know it’s impossible. For the human race, these people are unafraid of hardships, and they dedicate themselves without any regrets.”

Wang Doushan was stunned. After a long while, admiration appeared in his eyes. “When you put it that way, that old man really is quite a character.”

Su Chen smilingly said, “Unfortunately, not many people appreciate his extraordinary traits. Most people focus on innate potential and talent, not on character and attitude.”

As he realized the meaning behind the words he just said, Su Chen froze; it was as though he was struck by lightning.

Images of the old man surfaced in his mind, and he recalled the few words the old man spoke to him.

“How many heroes devoted their whole lives just to help the human race rise to prominence......”

“If you want to accomplish something great, your heart needs to be in the right place. You don’t possess such a vision, yet you think you are worthy to claim that you will bring the human race to prominence?”

“A rookie like you isn’t fit to defile ‘humankind’s rise to prominence!’ It needs to be something you spend your whole life chasing after.”

Every sentence, every word echoed in his heart, as if they were bells that rang resoundingly in his ears.

He was so stunned that his vision began to spin and his hands and legs began to tremble.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Wang Doushan asked him upon seeing Su Chen’s strange expression.

Su Chen stared blankly off into the distance, muttering, “I’m such an idiot. I should’ve realized this long ago. I thought that by displaying my own talent, I could receive his praise and trick him into accepting me as a disciple. I was so wrong. If I want to be his disciple, it’s not about whether or not I have talent or outstanding potential. Neither is he looking for someone with great intelligence.”

“I need to have a heart that encompasses the heavens!”

Wang Doushan was stumped. “A heart that encompasses the heavens?”

“Yes!” Su Chen nodded with conviction. “The old man truly does have standards for accepting disciples, but they aren’t about innate talent, but one’s temperament and willpower! Willpower isn’t just about continuing to cook for him. Rather, I need to have the willpower to continually walk along a road that may seem never ending until the end of my life!”

Wang Doushan’s jaw dropped.

A long time later, when he finally regained some of his composure, he asked, “So how are you going to reach his standards?”

Su Chen shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Just as Wang Doushan was about to feel disappointed, Su Chen smiled. “It’s fine if we don’t know, though. If we don’t know...... we just have to ask him.”