Chapter Ninety-One: A Visitor Arrives

Beyond that, what pleased Mystic Sun the most was Yi An’s slyness. To have Yan Chixia remain at his side—so that those who kept close to vermilion would grow red, and those who kept close to ink would grow black—he had never believed that honesty and simple goodness were virtues, especially in such a chaotic age. One moment’s carelessness, and the darkness incarnate in evil would begin to devour you.

“Master Daoist, where does this talk of care and protection come from? My skills are still shallow, and you know it. Young Daoist is hardly any weaker than I am; we ought to support one another.” Yi An did not shut the door completely. Mutual support was one thing, but in his view there was a hidden meaning in the old Daoist’s words. It was clear as day that he meant to drag him into the mire—just as with the last affair involving Miu Shihai, a mess without end.

For such thankless trouble, he had no wish to be involved.

Any sign of it had to be stamped out in the cradle.

“Yes, yes, mutually support one another. It was this old Daoist who misspoke.” Mystic Sun gave a dry laugh. He had the uneasy feeling that he had been seen through, yet his expression remained unchanged.

After that, the group discussed the details of their departure date.

Thus Mystic Sun and his disciple temporarily took up residence with Wei Liang.

Li Zihe was broad and easygoing, and he and Yan Chixia quickly became fast friends. Their personalities were uncannily alike.

Soon Li Zihe discovered that Yan Chixia was also a master of the innermost strength.

Yan Chixia did not deny it. After all, he could hardly say he was an immortal cultivator, could he?

So, like Yi An, the realm of innate mastery became the best cover story.

It was not that he meant to deceive anyone; rather, matters of the immortal path were best not revealed lightly, or they might bring endless trouble.

Mystic Sun had warned him of this time and again.

Yan Chixia believed it without the slightest doubt.

As for Li Zihe, at first, upon hearing this, his heart had been a storm of conflicting feelings. When had a master of innate strength become so worthless? The dream that once seemed so distant to him might, in another’s eyes, be nothing more than a trivial matter.

Yan Chixia had caught every change in Li Zihe’s expression.

After a round of questioning, once he had successfully learned the reason behind it, he did not hesitate to pass on to Li Zihe a technique for cultivating vital energy. Though it was not an immortal art, it was far beyond ordinary martial methods.

For Li Zihe at his present stage, it was the best choice by far.

He had examined Li Zihe’s foundation: it was steady, and his true energy was abundant. If it had been anyone else, Yan Chixia would not have dared to say when they might break through their shackles. But if it was Li Zihe, he could declare with certainty that within a year or two, the man would surely break through to innate mastery.

In truth, Li Zihe’s foundation had not originally been so deep. It was all thanks to the methods Yi An had previously taught him that it had become the groundwork for today.

At first, Yi An had intended to wait until his foundation was fully stabilized before passing down the method for breaking through to innate mastery. He had not expected Yan Chixia to get there first.

Still, that mattered little; the result was the same either way.

Two more days passed, and Yi An had already packed his bags and made ready to depart.

Not far from here, at the west gate, a man and a woman were slowly entering the city. The man was extraordinarily handsome, the woman graceful as jade and transcendent as a fairy—an exquisite pair that drew the eyes of many passersby.

Before long, they had reached their destination.

A knock at the door.

When the door opened, they clasped their hands in greeting. “Brother Yi, long time no see. Is the Daoist doing well?”

Seeing them, Yi An was slightly taken aback, but he quickly welcomed the two inside with a smile. “Brother Miu, Miss Shen, it has been many days. I trust all has been well with you.”

Soon afterward, Mystic Sun also arrived upon hearing the news.

The visitors were none other than Miu Shihai and Shen Baiyu. Yet when she saw Yi An and Mystic Sun, a faint awkwardness crossed her face, and she seemed a little ill at ease.

In truth, the reason for this visit was entirely Miu Shihai’s wish. Unable to refuse him, she could only comply.

Miu Shihai had fused the memories of his former life, but the one still in command was this life’s self. Influenced by the memories he had once known, he believed that a drop of kindness deserved a spring’s return. Mystic Sun and Yi An had done so much for him before, and he was not the sort to repay grace with cruelty. Once his body had recovered, he immediately brought Shen Baiyu to their door.

He had come, first, to offer thanks for what they had done that day, and second, to bring Shen Baiyu to apologize.

Yi An smiled. “From Brother Miu’s appearance, I’d say your body has mostly recovered, if not fully. This is truly cause for celebration. Congratulations to the two of you on being reunited at last.”

Miu Shihai glanced at Shen Baiyu, every gesture and glance thick with tender affection.

That day, Shen Baiyu had not wasted a moment before taking him back to Mount Tiantai to seek her master, Old Mother Wuyue. But according to her master, damage to the soul was the hardest of all to cure. In severe cases, even where a treatment existed, the final effect was often negligible. When they heard this, both their hearts nearly turned cold with dread.

Fortunately, Old Mother Wuyue had not truly been without a remedy; she had merely wanted to frighten them a little. Her disciples had been gone for years, and if she said she felt no resentment, that would have been a lie. Especially after learning what had happened, she was both heartbroken and furious. That Moruo Cult was courting death. What, did only Taoist Nine-Fold have powerful backing? Did her own disciple have none?

So it was that one day, a month later, one of the Moruo Cult’s branch strongholds in the Jiangzhe region was abruptly wiped out.

Though Old Mother Wuyue’s words had been meant largely as a threat, the underlying truth remained. The soul is the most vital part of every cultivator. Once damaged, it is exceedingly difficult to mend. Leaving aside the exorbitant cost of treatment, the sheer complexity of the process alone kept countless people at bay.

Thus Old Mother Wuyue came up with a solution that was, in her eyes, the best of both worlds: use the arts of dual cultivation to nourish the soul slowly and steadily.

And the wonders of dual cultivation did not end there. While healing the soul, it also, to a greater or lesser extent, greatly aided the increase of cultivation.

After half a year, not only had Miu Shihai’s soul recovered by more than half, he had also successfully taken the first step onto the immortal path and entered the foundation-building stage.

Between Miu Shihai and Shen Baiyu, theirs was a bond forged in life and death. Everything unfolded naturally, as if fate itself had paved the way. Under their master’s witness, the two joined in marriage. At last, that love which had crossed hundreds of years bore its fruit.

Yi An sighed in admiration. “Brother Miu and Miss Shen truly live like an immortal couple. It is enough to make all others envious.”

At his words, Shen Baiyu’s lips curved slightly, revealing the hint of a smile. In that instant, the past seemed to flow back through her mind in countless fragments—danger, sweetness, and more besides...

At that moment, she felt that everything she had given over the course of hundreds of years had been worth it.