The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 1256 - 1229: Behind the Mary Sue 28

Anning had actually been pondering this question all along.

After gaining the memories of her original self, she began to have a deep understanding of this issue.

The reason her original self ended up with such a fate was also due to this problem being calculated against her.

"Father, don’t you think the path we cultivators are taking is wrong?"

Anning posed a question to Family Head Zhu.

Family Head Zhu frowned, "Wrong? How is it wrong?"

Anning handed a piece of paper to Family Head Zhu.

She had written many things on it, "Father, take a look. I hadn’t considered these issues before, but after a trip to the mortal world, many things became clear to me. I discovered that our cultivators on the Dongling Continent are really too similar to mortals. Logically, we cultivators should be nobler than mortals, act more openly, and be more true to ourselves. But look at what these people on the Dongling Continent are doing: fighting for power and profit, killing for treasures, committing all sorts of evil deeds. For the sake of profit, they betray their conscience and disregard principles. Husbands and wives can turn against each other, and even relatives can betray each other. Father, is this what a cultivator should be doing?"

Anning’s words left Family Head Zhu speechless.

Sweat rolled down his forehead drop by drop.

He realized he was one of the people Anning described.

"Is it not supposed to be this way?"

Family Head Zhu asked Anning, "Cultivation is based on strength, survival of the fittest..."

Anning shook her head, "I always felt it shouldn’t be this way. We are different from mortals; we cultivate our heart, seek the laws of the world, and already defy the heavens in doing so. Yet, at this moment, if we betray our heart, only pursue benefits blindly, and kill people indiscriminately, accruing evil karma and becoming entangled in cause and effect, even if we truly achieve high cultivation, we will fail at the tribulation crossing."

Anning’s words enlightened Family Head Zhu.

He suddenly realized that cultivators could become entangled in cause and effect.

Nowadays, cultivators are just focused on killing for treasures and grabbing others’ things, but who considers what happens after snatching things?

Robbing others leaves one with more cause and effect entangled, killing others causes evil karma to stick, and although snatching treasures might bring momentary joy, it ultimately destroys one’s path to immortality and obliterates the path of ascension.

Seeing Family Head Zhu in contemplation, Anning continued, "I have crossed the Nascent Soul Tribulation and developed some insights into the ultimate truths of the world. After some calculations, I deduced that during ancient times, the Heavenly Dao of Dongling Continent had issues, losing some Laws, making the Heavenly Dao incomplete. This caused many cultivators to be unable to affirm the Great Dao, and over time, those cultivators couldn’t remain calm. They thought that since they couldn’t ascend anyway, they might as well follow their hearts, leading many to begin committing evil deeds. These individuals set examples for future generations, and thus, over generations, cultivators became engulfed in evil karma, becoming progressively worse. In ancient times, there were still some true powerhouses; now, I’m afraid my Nascent Soul Ancestor status is among the strongest here on Dongling Continent."

Anning spoke with a mix of mockery and regret, "If this continues, what will happen to the next generation? Nascent Soul Ancestors might cease to exist, and then... Must the cultivation path be severed, turning Dongling Continent into the End of Dharma Era before being content?"

Cold sweat flowed from Family Head Zhu.

He was frightened.

Previously, no one had thoughtfully considered these matters, nor had anyone explained this rationale.

In fact, this rationale is quite simple, but no one pointed it out. Over so many years, none of these cultivators figured it out - were they all foolish, or was there someone trying to blind them?

Family Head Zhu gazed at Anning. He wanted to ask but couldn’t find the words.

Anning leaned closer to Family Head Zhu and whispered, "The Heavenly Dao had problems, causing Spiritual Energy to leak and Laws to become incomplete, making this world’s Spiritual Energy incapable of supporting so many high-level cultivators, therefore..."

Before Anning could finish, Family Head Zhu understood.

The Spiritual Energy of Dongling Continent cannot support numerous high-level cultivators, thus the Heavenly Dao can only strategize to cause internal consumption among them, first exhausting high-level cultivators and then preventing low-level cultivators from advancing.

He understood, feeling both terrified and indignant.

For thousands of years, these cultivators competed and fought, believing themselves clever, thinking they had gained advantages, but little did they know that by doing so, they were entirely within the calculations of the Heavenly Dao.

They vainly felt pride, assuming themselves to be victors, yet who knew that they were all failures, treading a path to self-destruction, with each one thinking their pace of demise wasn’t fast enough and yearning to hasten their extinction.

Ha!

Family Head Zhu laughed self-deprecatingly, "We were all too clever for our own good."

Family Head Zhu thought of how he had previously schemed against distant relatives to secure a strong backing for the Zhu Family and gain more cultivation resources, even plotting against his own children, calculating the cost and benefit of every action, realizing he had lost that pure heart for the Dao, and his face turned red.

"Father, we cannot just wait for death."

Anning said firmly.

Family Head Zhu feebly waved his hand, "What can we do? Under the calculations of the Heavenly Dao, who can safeguard themselves?"

Anning lifted her head to look at the azure sky outside, "Father, our generation is meant to fight against the heavens, meant to go against the heavenly order. If we first lose spirit and determination, our cultivation will likely make no further progress. How can it matter if the Heavenly Dao calculates against us? Should we meekly submit to its calculations? Even an ant struggles before death, let alone us. Father, will you willingly accept dying without a fight?"

Family Head Zhu closed his eyes, tears streaming down, "What else can be done? What else can be done?"

"Father, I want to challenge this fate."

Anning declared loudly by Family Head Zhu’s ear, "I control my destiny, not the heavens. No matter if it is the heavens, it cannot calculate against me."

Family Head Zhu’s whole body shook; he opened his eyes wide to look at Anning, seeing strength and confidence in her eyes.

In that instant, he felt a little ashamed.

Simultaneously, he also understood why Anning could so quickly succeed in the Nascent Soul transformation.

Her heart was far more open than theirs; her vision and aspirations were different. Most importantly, she had never lost her original intentions.

"Alright."

Family Head Zhu smiled.

If his daughter dared to contend with the heavens, why shouldn’t he?

"Then let us fight together; tell me what you need me to do."

Anning smiled.

She realized this adoptive father of hers was quite clever, and his conscience remained intact, along with having the will and courage to change. This made her path much easier to traverse.

"We need to first consolidate the Zhu Family, educate our children well, then unify the entire Dongling Continent, awakening the conscience and true intent of our peers, ensuring that everyone doesn’t scatter into chaos and strife. Additionally, we need to find a way to complement the Heavenly Dao Laws, as only by completing the Heavenly Dao Laws can Dongling Continent cease its decline."

Anning shared her thoughts, "Father, purging the parasites within the clan and disciplining our children, ensuring they no longer commit evil deeds, is the first priority."