On the path to immortality, I can see destiny.

Chapter 106 The Origin of Su3

The next morning, as dawn broke, a large, dark mass of people had already gathered in front of the gate of Yuhua Mountain.

Zhao Fan stood behind Su San and looked up. He saw forty or fifty cultivators standing in twos and threes, some talking in hushed tones, and others resting with their eyes closed.

They were dressed in different clothes and their auras varied in strength. Some were bright and beautiful, wearing magical artifacts that shone with spiritual light, while others were simple and low-key, standing silently in the corner.

These people came from various families within a radius of thousands of miles. There were first-level families like the Su family, as well as several second-level families whose strength Zhao Fan could not discern.

At the very front of the group stood three cultivators dressed in the Zhou family's standard robes, their hands behind their backs. The leader was about forty years old, with a cold and hard face and a deep aura. Zhao Fan couldn't even tell the depth of his cultivation.

This must be the Qi Refining Peak leader that Su San mentioned.

The two men behind him were slightly younger, one at the seventh level of Qi Refining and the other at the eighth level of Qi Refining. Their gazes swept over the crowd with a somewhat condescending air.

Zhao Fan recognized the cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining; he was the Zhou surnamed Zhou who had previously planned to harm him with the young master.

The middle-aged man was assigning positions to other families, along with two other team leaders.

"The Su family? Go to the very back."

When they arrived at the Su family's place, the middle-aged man immediately told them to be assigned to the last position, speaking as casually as if he were dismissing a beggar.

Su Ziyan's expression changed immediately. He had been learning weapon crafting in Zhoujiafang Market for more than a year and had suffered a lot of humiliation. He thought that he could be more respectable this time when he came out with his third uncle, but he did not expect to be treated like a roadside weed.

His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but Su San stopped him with a look.

Su San's expression remained unchanged, and she even nodded slightly. She then led the group to the end of the line and stood there, looking as if she had been instructed to do this countless times and was already used to it.

Zhao Fan followed behind, watching everything unfold, but said nothing.

The team set off quickly.

Dozens of people walked north along the official road in a grand procession.

The Zhou family owns three Wind-Riding Boats. Unlike the flying boats of smaller families, the Wind-Riding Boats are high-grade flying magical artifacts, and each boat can carry up to twenty people.

The cultivators boarded the flying boat one after another in order.

Subsequently, propelled by spiritual energy, the flying boat gradually increased its speed and soon left the Zhou family's territory.

After walking for about an hour, Su Ziyan finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Third Uncle, why were we put last?"

He lowered his voice, but his tone was full of anger.

"Even at our worst, the Su family is still a first-class family. Why are those smaller families ranked higher?"

Su San did not answer, but simply closed her eyes and sat in meditation.

Su Ziyan was unwilling to give up and asked another question.

"And that servant of the Zhou family, you gave him a bribe yesterday, and he didn't even give you a smile. And today, this team leader is the same, he didn't even look at us properly..."

"Ziyan."

Su San finally spoke, her voice calm.

"Do you feel wronged?"

Su Ziyan paused for a moment, then nodded.

Su San smiled slightly, a smile devoid of emotion, just a faint smile.

"Let me tell you a story."

Upon hearing that Su San was going to tell a story, Zhao Fan and Su Ziyan unconsciously moved closer.

Su Zixin was still meditating with her eyes closed, seemingly uninterested in these words.

Su Ziqiu was at the very back, head down, lost in thought.

When I was young, my name wasn't Su San.

Su San's voice was very soft, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her.

"My name is Su Mingxiu, Ming is the generation name, Xiu is the character for cultivation."

Zhao Fan was slightly taken aback. He had never heard anyone mention Su San's real name. Everyone usually called him Su San, and after a while, they assumed that this was his real name.

"And then what happened?"

Su Ziyan asked.

"later……"

Su San paused.

"Later, when the Su family was to be registered with the Suyang Sect and become a first-level family, the Suyang Sect sent a Foundation Establishment stage deacon to check. That person looked at our family genealogy, then looked at me, and asked me what my ranking was in the family."

He stopped, took the gourd from his waist, and took a sip of water.

"I said I was third, and he nodded, picked up a pen and wrote Su San in the book. I told him that I had misspelled my name."

"But he just tossed the booklet to me and left."

Su San hung the gourd back on her waist and continued walking forward.

"I think I didn't even have the right to speak to him back then, and he could change my name so easily with just one sentence, and I was powerless to do anything about it."

"From then on, I was called Su San. I've been called that for so many years, I've gotten used to it."

Su Ziyan fell silent. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately did not.

Zhao Fan walked to the side, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Su San walked for a while, then suddenly spoke again.

"Ziyan, do you know why I'm telling you all this?"

Su Ziyan shook her head.

"I want to tell you that there are many unfair things in this world."

Su San's voice was calm.

"It's not wrong for you to feel wronged or looked down upon, but as much as you feel wronged, you need to think about two things clearly."

He held up one finger.

"First, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this for you?"

Su Ziyan was stunned; she clearly hadn't considered this question.

Su San extended her second finger.

"Secondly, what price will you pay for accepting this? What price will you pay for rejecting it?"

He lowered his hand and glanced at Zhao Fan and Su Ziyan.

"I understand you were angry that the team leader put us at the back, but if you had reacted and argued with him, what would have been the good thing? Getting some satisfaction? What would have been the bad thing? Offending the Zhou family could have resulted in you being kicked out of the team and not even getting a chance to participate in the apprenticeship ceremony."

"Accepting this would only mean being at the back and losing face, while refusing it could mean the entire Su family would be targeted by the Zhou family from then on."

He paused.

"You do the math yourself, which one is more cost-effective?"

Su Ziyan lowered her head and remained silent.

Zhao Fan walked to the side, memorizing every word of these words.

"Cultivation begins with cultivating the mind."

Su San's voice rang out again, but it was a little softer than before.

"You've heard this a lot, but few of you truly understand it. Cultivating the mind isn't about sitting there meditating and chanting scriptures; it's about being able to control your emotions when faced with problems, to clearly understand the pros and cons, and to swallow your pride and wait until you have the strength to get it back with interest."

He didn't speak again, but just stared silently at the distant mountain peaks.

At this moment, Su Ziyan finally accepted it.

"Yes, Third Uncle, I was wrong."

Su Zixin, who was standing next to her, also opened her eyes at this moment. Looking at Su San's back, she didn't know what to say for a moment.

She never imagined that her third uncle had suffered such a great humiliation for the sake of the family.