Lin Yanzhi’s hobby was raising flowers.

Everyone in the immortal realm knew that Lin Yanzhi was an exceedingly boring immortal. He rarely went out during ordinary days, staying home in his dao palace daily. He neither cultivated nor comprehended the dao, but just tended to a bunch of flowers and plants, carefully nurturing them.

He had raised countless flowers and plants. Any difficult-to-cultivate spiritual plant in the world could flourish luxuriantly in his hands. Yet there was one rose seed that had been buried in the soil for several hundred years without showing the slightest sign of life.

Lin Yanzhi cared for this rose seed extraordinarily. According to Nujun of Jishan, the reason Lin Yanzhi became the immortal realm’s foremost flower-raising expert was precisely to nurture this rose seed alive, hoping that one day it would bloom.

This rose seed bore one soul and one spirit fragment containing Su Tanyin’s memories. When Su Tanyin cultivated the dao in the past, she lacked only the final tribulation. If she could comprehend it, her great dao would be complete, and she could regenerate her three souls and seven spirits, reincarnating in the immortal realm.

Initially, when the rose wouldn’t bloom, Lin Yanzhi thought it lacked sufficient spiritual energy, that Su Tanyin had not yet awakened. So he selected a blessed land where it could receive the essence of sun and moon daily. He himself watered it with his spiritual power, carefully tending it.

After raising it for over a hundred years, this seed of Su Tanyin’s was surrounded by spiritual energy. Never mind rebuilding two souls and six spirits—even direct rebirth wouldn’t be impossible.

Yet the seed still wouldn’t bloom.

Lin Yanzhi had no choice but to seek out Siming for consultation. Siming was well-informed. After thinking, he only said: “Perhaps it’s not a matter of insufficient spiritual energy, but that its consciousness hasn’t awakened?”

Lin Yanzhi was puzzled: “Then what should I do?”

“You should talk to it more.” Siming came up with a solution for him. “Talk more, and the flower will become intelligent.”

Lin Yanzhi thought this made sense. From that day on, he began attempting to talk to the rose.

For one person to talk to themselves and say many words was extremely difficult. But Lin Yanzhi wasn’t someone who feared difficulty. He established a rule—every day he would chat with the seed for one hour and read to it for three hours.

The books were also categorized—storybooks, travelogues, and historical legends respectively.

He maintained this one-sided communication with the seed for fifty years. The seed remained motionless.

Though the seed wouldn’t bloom, his speaking ability greatly increased. He could now talk to himself for several hours.

And during these fifty years, his communication with the seed grew increasingly intimate. Fearing his words weren’t sufficient, he placed the seed in a small flowerpot, and whether subduing demons and evil spirits, eating or sleeping, doing anything at all, he would carry this potted flower.

Carrying it around constantly, inexplicably some yearning arose.

If only Su Tanyin would return.

Then it wouldn’t be just a solitary seed—someone would talk with him.

This thought arose while he lay in a hammock, gazing at the moon in the sky.

In the silent night, only cicadas chirped ceaselessly. He pillowed one hand behind his head, chatting with the seed on the table: “Hurry and wake up. I’m too bored alone.”

The seed was silent. He didn’t know whether this seed would remember what he said now in the future, but thinking about it, probably not. Just as people who reincarnate drink Mengpo’s soup, when seeds sprout, they should forget the matters of their seed days.

Realizing this, he relaxed considerably, gently brushing the soil in the flowerpot, his voice very soft: “Let me see your glory once more.”

After speaking, he sighed lightly. At that moment, spiritual energy suddenly coalesced. Lin Yanzhi froze, then grew excited.

This reaction proved Su Tanyin wanted to bloom!

He suppressed his heartbeat, held his breath, staring intently at the flowerpot.

He didn’t even dare move it, fearing any accident would disturb this seed with no will to survive.

However, as the spiritual energy gathered and gathered, it suddenly paused. A moment later, the spiritual energy dissipated.

This rose seemed to have decided not to bloom after all.

This realization made Lin Yanzhi very anxious. He stared at the flowerpot all night. After confirming the seed had changed its mind, unable to bear it any longer, the next day he carried the flowerpot to Jishan, wanting to find a solution.

When he went to Jishan, they were noisily playing mahjong there.

Cuilu, Xie Gutang, Qin Wanwan, and Jian Xingzhi sat around the table. Jian Xingzhi had an infant strapped to his back and a small boy sitting in his lap. He slammed down a tile imposingly, loudly declaring: “One bamboo! Whoever wants it, take it!”

“Xingzhi.”

Lin Yanzhi’s voice sounded. Everyone instinctively turned their heads. Cuilu jumped up first, speaking in alarm: “Shenjun…”

“No harm.” Lin Yanzhi smiled, raising his hand toward Cuilu in a soothing gesture, saying gently, “I’ve only come to ask you a question. Just keep playing. It’s merely entertainment—no harm.”

Hearing this, Cuilu breathed a sigh of relief, then reacted: “Does Shenjun have some difficulty?”

Lin Yanzhi didn’t respond. He only placed the flowerpot on the table, saying steadily: “It’s still this matter.”

“This…”

Cuilu was somewhat troubled, glancing at Jian Xingzhi. Jian Xingzhi noticed Cuilu’s look, raised his head for a glance, quite impatiently: “Why are you looking at me? Didn’t we discuss this thing long ago? If we had a solution, would we let him wait until now? Whether it blooms or not is its own decision. No one can help someone determined to die.”

“Last night she almost decided to bloom.”

Lin Yanzhi stated last night’s facts. Everyone froze. Jian Xingzhi unconsciously pressed: “What situation?”

“I told her, let me see her glory once more, and she suddenly began gathering spiritual energy. I thought she was planning to make an effort.”

“And then?” Jian Xingzhi was curious.

“The flame went out.”

Qin Wanwan supplemented. She stood up, went to the flowerpot’s side, circled it once, thinking left and right, then turned to look at Lin Yanzhi: “Elder Brother Lin, let’s go outside to talk.”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi’s ears perked up, but he pretended to be calm, watching Nanfeng substitute for Qin Wanwan as she and Lin Yanzhi went out together.

The two had just left when Jian Xingzhi immediately followed, crouching in the corner, wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation.

But the two had set up a barrier. Jian Xingzhi could only watch the two people chatting in the garden with his heart and liver itching.

“Would Daojun Lin find it convenient to describe last night’s situation in detail?”

Qin Wanwan probed. Lin Yanzhi nodded: “Naturally I can.”

Lin Yanzhi described last night’s situation specifically. Qin Wanwan contemplated for a long time, then said hesitantly: “I have an idea, though I don’t know if it’s correct…”

“Please speak freely.”

“I’m thinking this way,” Qin Wanwan analyzed, “Su Tanxin has already experienced over a thousand lifetimes. Think about it—if we ordinary people carried our memories through a thousand lifetimes, would we still have expectations for this world?”

Lin Yanzhi felt this made some sense and nodded: “Indeed not.”

“So, since there are no expectations, why make an effort?” Qin Wanwan drew her conclusion. “The first step Daojun Lin needs to take is perhaps to make Senior Su kindle a desire for the world.”

“So… Fairy Su has no expectations for life, and therefore gave up making an effort?”

Lin Yanzhi understood. Qin Wanwan nodded: “Exactly. In my previous world, this is called lying flat in Buddhist style. Last night was perhaps an opportunity—she received some encouragement, made an effort, then suddenly felt it was meaningless and gave up.”

“Then what should I do?”

Lin Yanzhi pondered. Qin Wanwan considered: “You provide her with some ideas, mention some things she hasn’t done? Perhaps she’ll get excited and break through?”

Lin Yanzhi was greatly inspired.

What Qin Wanwan said made perfect sense. Su Tanyin had lived a thousand lifetimes—she was probably tired of living.

Now with him providing for her like this, perhaps she even found it bothersome.

He thanked her and departed. Qin Wanwan saw him out of the courtyard. As soon as she turned back, she saw Jian Xingzhi following behind her.

He had a child strapped to his back, held a child by the hand, looking at her with some guilt in his eyes.

She raised an eyebrow: “What are you doing?”

“Well…” Jian Xingzhi looked left and right, somewhat unnaturally: “The children missed you. I brought them to see you.”

Saying this, Jian Xingzhi coughed lightly, pulled the child forward, and grabbed her with his other hand: “Come, come, come, let’s go back and play mahjong.”

Jishan bustled noisily with mahjong. Lin Yanzhi returned home alone.

That night he held the flowerpot, contemplated for a long time, and finally spoke: “Is there anything you haven’t done?”

“A thousand lifetimes—you’ve probably done everything.”

Lin Yanzhi said, somewhat nervously: “Then… then have you had someone you liked? Have you been in love? Have you married? Have you had children?”

The flowerpot trembled. Seeing Su Tanyin actually respond, Lin Yanzhi was greatly encouraged!

He extended his hand, gently grasping the flowerpot, somewhat embarrassed: “Want to try? With me?”

As soon as the words fell, spiritual energy suddenly gathered rapidly. Brilliant light blazed forth. The rose seed broke through the soil, rapidly sprouting, taking root, growing, blooming.

Lin Yanzhi stared blankly at that rose, then heard a woman’s gentle tone from the air: “Wait for me.”

Having spoken, a stream of light departed, leaving only one rose in the room, blooming perfectly.

Lin Yanzhi was completely dazed. After quite a while, he finally reacted—that’s it?!

Motionless for several hundred years, suddenly realizing she’d never been in love, instantly moved to breakthrough?

Lin Yanzhi felt he couldn’t quite process this. He drank a mouthful of water, calmed his shock for a while, then finally accepted this scenario.

Then he felt a trace of vague secret joy. Su Tanyin’s reaction was so strong—surely she was like him… had never liked anyone before, right?

He might perhaps become the first person she liked?

Thinking of this, Lin Yanzhi felt quite happy.

He turned to look out the window, thinking to himself: just wait, wait. Once Su Tanyin reincarnated and grew up, they would meet again.

This wait lasted eighteen years.

During these eighteen years, Lin Yanzhi didn’t raise flowers. When he had nothing to do, he would visit various immortal families.

He was good-looking, had profound cultivation, and a good temperament. Many immortal families took a liking to him, actively arranging blind dates for this solitary male immortal.

Lin Yanzhi couldn’t refuse, and his heart also secretly harbored some expectation, so he occasionally went a few times.

Meeting person after person, none seemed to be the person he wanted to see.

Eighteen years later, one day Siming suddenly sought him out, mysteriously pulling him aside: “Mingjing, your red phoenix descends from heaven—happy events are approaching.”

“Oh?”

Lin Yanzhi was indifferent. Siming lowered his voice: “The youngest daughter of the Antarctic Immortal Elder personally found me to matchmake. She wants to meet you.”

Lin Yanzhi’s heart jumped, only saying: “Good.”

He agreed. Siming immediately made arrangements. The next day, he met this youngest daughter of the Antarctic Immortal Elder on the Magpie Bridge.

The immortal realm was wreathed in clouds and mist. That day, a fine drizzle fell. From afar, he saw a white-clothed woman holding an umbrella, standing at the bridge head. Her figure was vaguely somewhat familiar, yet also seemed very strange.

His heartbeat involuntarily quickened. He controlled his steps, pretending to be calm as he walked over.

Hearing the sound, the woman turned her head. Several hundred years ago, in that moment when he was about to be devoured by Xieshen, that face that appeared stunningly amid the light now appeared before him again.

She looked at him with a smile brimming in her eyes, introducing herself: “This humble one is the youngest daughter of the Antarctic Immortal Elder, Nujun of Chuxiang, Su Tanxin.”

Hearing these words that seemed to be a first meeting, Lin Yanzhi smiled faintly.

He bowed respectfully, finally speaking the words he had waited several hundred years to say.

“This humble one is Lin Yanzhi, dao name Mingjing. I have awaited Nujun for a long, long time.”