Lan Jiwan seemed to have recalled something and murmured to herself: "They used to be very good to me, very concerned, perhaps too concerned. They always treated me like a three-year-old child, managing me strictly and worrying about everything.

The food they cooked was always too bland and overcooked. I protested, but they always said that it was nutritious and easy to digest. They said I was picky and didn't eat properly.

Later, I stopped talking to them about it because they wouldn't listen anyway.

The university I attended was quite close to home, only an hour's drive away, so they would come to pick me up almost every weekend, and sometimes even when it wasn't the weekend.

They often talked to the counselors to check up on me. My counselor was once their student too. What clothes I wore each week, who I befriended... they wanted to know all about it.

By that time, I was an adult, and there were many things they really didn't need to worry about. If they hadn't kept such a close eye on me, perhaps I could have hidden some things, and other things might not have needed to be so absolute..."

She suddenly stopped, as if unsure of how to continue.

He Kao picked up the conversation: "Your parents are both high school teachers, and many teachers might be used to managing things closely at home."

Lan Jiwan said timidly: "I want to mend my relationship with my parents, and if they are still as controlling as before, I don't want to end things with them.

But now I'm a disciple of the Hidden Moth Sect, and many things are not suitable for them to know, let alone interfere with. What should I do?"

Since she asked this, it showed she had already made up her mind, though there was still some worry in her tone.

He Kao laughed: "This is different from before. You are now a fully capable adult who can handle many things on your own — you must make them understand this.

There are so many sorcerers in the world; did they all just pop out of a crack in the stone? They also have parents and family. Others can handle it well; you are so smart and capable, you can certainly handle it even better."

His words were only a guideline, without a specific implementation plan.

Lan Jiwan said nothing, just looked up at him with a pitiful look.

He Kao smiled wryly: "Actually, there is a sneaky trick. As long as you're willing to spend the time and effort and aren't afraid of trouble, that is to reverse the roles and manage their issues instead.

Take control of both important and trivial matters, as strictly and thoroughly as possible, and always in the name of concern. The premise is that you must understand their preferences, and then go against them.

For instance, buy groceries and cook every day, even if you don't live at home, according to nutritional recipes. Whatever they don't like to eat, you cook exactly that for them. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

If they complain, tell them it's nutritious and easy to digest, and you can even show them the nutritional theory from the books to make it seem reasonable and well-founded.

Besides food, you can also manage their clothing, entertainment... basically, this is the approach. Adapt flexibly to specific situations. The biggest difference now is that you have your own economic ability, and can arrange everything for them.

If things aren't as you feared, this trick might not be necessary. The second child at home is still very young, and your parents may not have the energy to focus on you.

But once you do need to use it, it probably won't take long, maybe within ten days or half a month, to see results."

The tears on Lan Jiwan's face hadn't dried yet, but there was already a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth: "Senior Brother, is this what you thought of?"

How did he think of this? In fact, He Kao had seen it himself. Xiaopang used this trick on Mrs. Chen earlier this year. Although it wasn't as exaggerated as He Kao just described, it was quite effective.

He Kao certainly couldn't say that, so he just replied: "Just a little trick from Xingshen Sect."

Lan Jiwan: "Is this your only suggestion?"

He Kao shook his head: "Of course not! The key to this matter is actually how you account for yourself to them? This is an account for yourself, and an account they give to the observers!

They need to make up not just for the loss of a daughter, but also for their dignity as parents, including how those around them evaluate them, so you have to succeed.

How do you prove that you've realized your mistakes and have reformed? 'Succeeding' is the best proof!"

Lan Jiwan: "How can I prove that I'm successful?"

He Kao smiled again: "You have partnered to start a business and established Jiuliang Manufacturing, and you are now the chairman of Jiuliang Manufacturing. But just having this title isn't quite enough, as they don't really understand what this company is about.

You're still quite young, and their impression of you may still be stuck in the school phase, so continue with your studies.

Find a good university, better than your original one and with a higher ranking, like Qi Yuan University, and enroll in a full-time course, not part-time."

Lan Jiwan: "You mean the kind where I attend classes as a full-time student?"

He Kao nodded: "Yes! Even if it's not Qi Yuan University, it should preferably be a school far from home."

Lan Jiwan hesitated: "What about the affairs of Jiuliang Manufacturing?"

He Kao couldn't help but laugh: "Does being a full-time student mean you can't start a business? Isn't that another proof of your success? You can still handle the business of Jiuliang Manufacturing...

"Now it's the end of June. If things go well, you can enroll in September this year. If not, you'll have to wait until next September. Only then do I suggest you go back to find them."

Lan Jiwan: "If it's September this year, will there still be time?"

He Kao: "Graduate entrance exams are in December every year. Normally, there wouldn't be enough time, but we can find another way. There are many skilled people in the Magic Sect. I can ask an Elder to help; there should always be a way.

This way, in the eyes of your parents and their acquaintances, you are a good child who pursues further education while also starting a business, achieving a balance between studies and career.

You also have another identity, a disciple of the Hidden Moth Sect. This will aid you in breaking through Tier Four Cultivation of the Insect Concealment Skill. From my own and Erji's experiences, this process might align with a certain promotion ceremony..."

The promotion ceremonies of the various Magic Sects have been summarized over generations by the ancestors according to the characteristics of cultivation techniques. In the Illusion Realm, He Kao once tried to analyze the rules for breaking through from Tier Three to Tier Four in the Insect Concealment Skill based on Erji's experiences.

Recently, Lan Jiwan also had a concern: the Hidden Moth Sect had another disciple, Erji. Erji's Insect Concealment Skill had already broken through to Tier Four, making her somewhat envious and even a bit anxious.

However, breaking through in cultivation is not only about diligence but also about timing, ensuring both cultivation level and state of mind meet the requirements.

He Kao's suggestion today was also a point for her cultivation.

Lan Jiwan whispered, "Thank you, Sect Leader Senior Brother!" Then she remembered something and asked, "You mentioned earlier that there was another purpose in coming here today, which is to check the Feng Shui. What results did you find?"

He Kao looked back in the direction they came from and asked in return, "Encountering Bitter Tea back then was the beginning of your misfortune. But change the time, change the place, change the person. Take that girl you saw this morning, for instance.

Let's suppose, suppose the person she met today wasn't us, but Bitter Tea. Suppose she had a great talent for cultivation and was taken by Bitter Tea to treat her ailments and teach her techniques; what would become of her?"

Only after Lan Jiwan had untied the knots of the past could He Kao speak so frankly about such things.

Lan Jiwan was truly stunned, squinting and murmuring, "She would probably follow Bitter Tea wholeheartedly!"

From the dawn in Luoshan City to now, as night fell, He Kao finally pointed out the main issue.

Meeting Bitter Tea was the beginning of Lan Jiwan's nightmare. Meanwhile, that girl's life had long been trapped in a nightmare. If she had encountered Bitter Tea and experienced what Lan Jiwan had back then, she might see it as a salvation.

Bitter Tea was the angel sent by God to save her.

Even if she wasn't inherently a bad person, she might not possess Lan Jiwan's discernment. More importantly, her experiences and feelings are entirely different from Lan Jiwan's.

He Kao continued, "Let's suppose she didn't encounter Bitter Tea, but a sorcerer from the Xiao Alliance. The sorcerer trains her like Bitter Tea trained you back then and then has her carry out missions against the Magic Sect. What would happen then?"

Lan Jiwan was startled again and finally understood completely what Sect Leader Senior Brother meant, but she didn't reply, as the answer was obvious. Yet, to analyze it further was particularly complicated.

It's not to say that everyone in the Xiao Alliance is like that, but such people must exist! Because they are born in this soil, and someone will always have similar experiences.

And everything has two sides; where there is such a scenario, there is the opposite kind as well.

The Xiao Alliance has long considered itself a force for justice and progress, depicting the Magic Sect as decayed and evil, consistently launching targeted and subversive actions against it.

But if someone could break out of these constructed cognitive frameworks, if they had the chance to stand high enough and see further, they might just doubt everything the Xiao Alliance advocates.

He Kao always had a question in his mind: why did Hu Weidong choose to cooperate with the Magic Sect, while still claiming he did not want to defect from the Xiao Alliance? From the perspective of many observers, these two things are contradictory.

If Hu Weidong were just an ordinary sorcerer, this might be understandable, as people inherently have many internal contradictions that manifest in specific words and actions.

But at Hu Weidong's realm, since he chose to do this and said that, it truly reflects his inner wishes. Before He Kao broke through the Sixth Realm, he had an unclear understanding of this, but now, with his breakthrough, he naturally seeks an answer.

After today's journey, He Kao vaguely grasped Hu Weidong's mindset.

Hu Weidong is far more experienced than the average disciple of the Xiao Alliance, with a broader vision. In his view, the world shouldn't be like this. He even wants to send his children back to the Eastern Country to study.

He believes the Xiao Alliance shouldn't be like this either. Perhaps he can't change this world here, but he wants to try changing the Xiao Alliance. His status as a senior elder of the Supreme Council could aid him in realizing this wish.

Regardless of whether Hu Weidong's wish can be realized, having such thoughts is very dangerous for his situation... When dealing with the Xiao Alliance, He Kao must at least be aware of the kind of people he might encounter.

Having achieved most of the objectives for today, He Kao finally waved his hand and said, "Jiwan, let's go back!"

...

"Isn't this Qi Yuan University? Senior Brother, why did you bring me here again?"

**

PS: Suddenly I thought of a question: He Kao is very smart, and so is You Fang from "Earth Master." How are their smarts different?

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