Three hours later, Li Ye found the entrance barrier to the Kan Sect with an unpleasant expression.
Er’er followed beside him, shrinking her neck. Sensing the great master’s bad mood, she didn’t dare to jest, only pretending as if nothing had happened while looking up and remarking: “The Kan Sect is truly magnificent.”
White jade dragon pillars stood on either side. At first glance, immortals in blue robes of varying shades were entering and exiting. Milky white mist encircled the entrance, flowing past the hems of the immortals’ robes, gentle and lingering.
Li Ye found it extremely irritating.
He detested the Kan Sect’s dragging, dawdling manner—not straightforward at all.
Looking down at his fiery battle robe, Li Ye restrained himself and closed his eyes, making a sweeping gesture with his hand.
The vibrant crimson transformed into a blue shade, appearing similar to those Kan Sect minor immortals.
He nodded with satisfaction and was about to ride his cloud into the barrier.
Er’er quickly grabbed him.
…
…
“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm mm-hmm mm-hmm mm-hmm.” Her little head shook like a rattling drum.
Li Ye looked at her as if she were an idiot, slightly raising his chin: “Speak properly.”
“Master, dressing like this won’t work,” Er’er exhaled, gesturing with her hands to compare. “Ordinary minor immortals don’t have ancient feathers on their shoulders, not even blue ones. Please don’t move.”
With that, her small hands reached toward him.
Li Ye very much wanted to dodge, but her movements were swift. With a delicate pinch of her orchid fingers, his neat blue garment transformed into a flowing water-blue cloud-embroidered robe. The feathers on his shoulders were all tucked into a sachet hanging at his waist, and his golden crown became a jade hairpin of emerald green.
Looking him up and down, Er’er praised generously: “Master usually harbors lightning in his brow, commanding awe. Who would have thought that with a change of attire, you could become such an elegant scholar, carrying the moon in your demeanor, with wind filling your sleeves.’ Marvelous, truly marvelous.”
“…” This small immortal might be inadequate in many ways, but her aesthetic sense was genuinely excellent.
Li Ye snorted lightly, too lazy to quibble over the style of the robe, merely giving her a sidelong glance.
A young woman’s thoughts were so simple to understand—she had changed him into a water-blue robe and herself into a water-blue dress. With the jade hairpin in her hair, standing beside him, they truly looked well-matched.
Really, too blatant—didn’t she know anything about subtlety?
Li Ye looked away, sighing and shaking his head.
Er’er remained completely unaware. She examined the Kan Sect minor immortals in the distance, then looked down at her own and the great master’s attire. Feeling there was no difference now, she happily pulled the great master down from his cloud to walk through the barrier on foot.
The Kan Sect, having lost Kan Ze, could hardly be called relaxed in atmosphere. But with the centennial Sweet Dew Festival approaching, there were still many small immortals on the streets. Li Ye, having concealed his divine sense, walked among them without being discovered as an outsider.
This place had much more human warmth than Upper Bing Palace, or rather, this was how an immortal palace should be.
Er’er walked along, looking around.
The immortal palace stood on the highest mountain peak, with countless mountain paths turned into markets and immortal inns. Small immortals lived like mortal commoners, except their trading was mostly done with immortal dew.
Where did immortal dew come from? Er’er looked at herself, still severely injured, paused, and then gazed very expectantly at the person beside her.
Li Ye didn’t look at her, just flung out a porcelain bottle with his hand.
“Whoa,” Er’er received it with both hands, eyes widening. “So much?”
A single drop could buy a set of fine immortal clothes, and the great master gave her a whole bottle at once.
She truly hadn’t followed the wrong person.
Again with that inexperienced look, Li Ye disdainfully flipped his hand and tossed her another bottle: “Something obtained without effort—what’s so special about it?”
Another exclamation came from beside him, and then the little creature hugged his leg with both arms.
“Master is too amazing. I’ve seen many wealthy people in the mortal world, but none as generous as Master. We could buy a small house with these—does Master prefer bamboo and wood houses or brick and tile houses?”
Li Ye walked forward with difficulty, his leg raised, expressionless: “We’re not staying here long; what house do we need?”
“Master doesn’t understand, staying in your own house is more comfortable than an inn. Why do we become immortals? Isn’t it to live more comfortably? So with food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, we shouldn’t shortchange ourselves on anything.” Er’er stated emphatically.
With such a comfort-seeking nature, it would be strange if she could achieve true cultivation. Li Ye kept shaking his head as he listened. How was cultivation about comfort? It was clearly about becoming stronger than others. Once stronger, it required less effort to crush others. With less effort spent, one could crush even more people.
Such was the cycle, the true path of the great way.
Li Ye felt this small immortal couldn’t comprehend even such a simple principle—truly pitiful.
Since she was already so pitiful, he might as well buy her a house.
And so, half an hour later, Li Ye stood in a small house with blue-grey tiles.
The house’s owner left with profuse thanks after receiving the immortal dew, while the small immortal still clung to his leg, unwilling to let go.
Li Ye snorted lightly, looking down: “Haven’t you hugged enough?”
Er’er responded vaguely, then released her grip and plopped to the ground with a thud.
Her body was limp, collapsing in a heap.
Li Ye was startled and quickly bent down to check.
They had spent too much time on the road. This little creature’s internal injuries were severe, and she couldn’t hold out any longer, finally developing a high fever.
It had been tens of thousands of years since such a fragile life had appeared around Li Ye. Suddenly confronted with this, he was momentarily at a loss. To leave her be? After all, she was his disciple. But to take care of her? This little creature was too troublesome.
He gathered her up in his arms, intending to hold her by the waist to help her stand. But as the image of those purple bruises on her smooth waist in the Upper Bing Palace hot spring flashed through his mind, Li Ye paused, reluctantly easing his strength.
Er’er murmured something, her chin nestled in the hollow of his shoulder, nuzzling like a cat.
His body stiffened slightly, and Li Ye mercilessly tossed her onto the bed.
What kind of immortal was so delicate? Leave her be—just leave her there. Life and death are predetermined, wealth and honor heaven-sent. He had no time to care for such a low-level small immortal.
Li Ye sat down at a nearby tea table and coldly began to drink tea.
A moment later.
The great master looked at the old bedding on the bed with disdain, then waved his hand to transform it into satin brocade quilts.
Another moment passed.
The simple candlestick became a palace lantern, and layer upon layer of gauzy curtains hung down from the pear wood bed frame.
A moment later still, there was an additional person within the bed curtains.
In Li Ye’s mind, one should recover from injuries after a few days of self-cultivation. So he stared at this pale-faced small immortal, completely unable to understand why she was so weak.
How much longer would she sleep before waking? Hmm, why was her forehead even hotter?
He frowned, reaching into the void to pull out a yellowed book, hesitating for a long time before finally flipping through it with a rustle.
Er’er was burning with fever, constantly dreaming.
She dreamed that Li Ye’s chest was pierced by a snake-tailed blade, the bright red blood soaking through his water-blue robe. People surrounded them, whispering among themselves, not one willing to step forward to save him.