When Li Fei finally woke up completely, she saw the sky outside the window ablaze with colorful clouds, unsure if it was dawn or dusk. Wearily, she used the blanket to cover her head and rolled over, only to find the other side of the bed cold and empty. Her heart skipped a beat, and the lingering sleepiness instantly vanished.
Where was Lei Xiuyuan?
She slowly sat up, hugging the blanket. Surprisingly, her entire body felt fresh, all traces of sweat and intimacy had been wiped clean. Recalling their reckless behavior over the past few days, Li Fei awkwardly coughed twice. She had failed to heed Senior Sister’s warnings; it was her fault.
She fumbled around the bed looking for clothes to wear, finally finding her undergarments neatly folded under the pillow—they seemed to have been washed. When did he wash them? And when did he put them under the pillow?
As Li Fei dressed, she tried to recall, but couldn’t figure out the details.
Fully dressed, she opened the door. Outside, the sky had already darkened, with only traces of crimson remaining in the evening clouds. The aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, smoke curled upwards, and birds returned to their nests. Everything was peaceful and quiet. Li Fei had a vague feeling of being back in Qing Qiu.
A shadow flickered in the kitchen, and Lei Xiuyuan poked his head out to look at her. He waved the cabbage in his hand: “Feeling better?”
What was he doing, asking such an ambiguous question while waving cabbage… Li Fei shook her head and simply walked into the kitchen. In these rural houses, kitchen layouts were all similar. Something delicious was cooking on the stove. Li Fei skillfully lifted the pot lid to find a vegetable soup simmering inside. The aroma was enticing, much better than what she could make herself.
This guy was as Ge Lin said—if he ever gave up cultivation, he could make a fortune as a chef.
“Give me the knife,” Li Fei said, rolling up her sleeves. She absolutely couldn’t lose to Lei Xiuyuan here. After all, she had taken care of her master’s meals for so many years. She could accept being surpassed in cultivation, but if she was outdone in these mundane tasks, she’d be a disgrace to womanhood.
The cabbage was swiftly sliced and tossed into the wok for stir-frying. This vinegar-flavored cabbage dish was one her master used to enjoy. As Li Fei flipped the vegetables, she looked around: “Where are the plates?”
“Here.” Lei Xiuyuan tapped her shoulder. Li Fei turned her head, and he suddenly pecked her lips before handing her the plate. Seeing her glaring at him while holding the plate, he couldn’t help but smile, saying leisurely: “If you don’t serve it soon, it’ll burn.”
This kind of dialogue, this kind of scene—it was as if they weren’t cultivators, but an ordinary newlywed couple, with a warm, domestic atmosphere.
Li Fei served the food, and they sat face to face, eating cabbage and drinking vegetable soup. She had originally wanted to ask him more specific questions about that secret, but now she suddenly didn’t want to ask anymore.
It didn’t matter where he came from. They now had a closer connection, having become true Dao companions who would never part. Whether he was a celestial being or an evil spirit, in her heart, he would always be the Lei Xiuyuan who belonged only to her. If they weren’t cultivators, it would be fine to be an ordinary mortal couple forever, throwing their backgrounds and origins to the wind. She could worry about what to cook each day, while he figured out how to earn money for meat. When in high spirits, they could chat and joke; when not, they could each mind their own business—simple yet intricate.
“Did Brother Lu teach you how to cook?” Li Fei asked while sipping her soup.
Lei Xiuyuan curled his lips: “He doesn’t even know how to hold a kitchen knife.”
Li Fei looked at him in surprise: “Don’t tell me you taught yourself to cook too?”
His smile seemed both smug and superior: “I figured it out after trying a few times. Is it that difficult?”
Li Fei had an urge to pinch that insufferable smile of his. There it was again, that “you’re all idiots” flavor. She hadn’t seen it in a long time and didn’t miss it at all. She snorted with a cold laugh: “You know, I used to dislike you.”
Lei Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow slightly: “Is that so? I quite liked you back then.”
Li Fei held back a laugh: “Since you called me ‘Little Stick Brother’?”
This made him laugh too, recalling the chaotic events of their youth—his initial expectations, her kindness, then later his scheming, and her forgiveness. Each interaction seemed to break their connection, yet in the end, they were always tightly bound together. Perhaps from their first meeting, when this tomboyish little girl shouted at him angrily, he had discovered another kind of warmth in this desolate world.
The next day, they set out at dawn, walking slowly along the winding, muddy country road. Passing villagers turned to stare at this extraordinary young couple. This place was close to Xing Zheng Guan, and immortals often passed by. The nearby mortals had an almost worshipful admiration for the immortals and disciples of Xing Zheng Guan. However, seeing that their attire was different from Xing Zheng Guan’s, no one dared to approach and chatter.
“Look at that tree,” Lei Xiuyuan pointed to an old, crooked locust tree at the foot of the mountain. “I used to wait there every day for Brother Lu to come.”
His face showed a rare hint of nostalgia as he gazed at every blade of grass, every flower and stone here. The lonely boy who had waited at the foot of the mountain for Brother Lu years ago seemed to still be there, putting on a cold exterior while inwardly counting the passing clouds over and over, calculating the time when cultivation would end.
Li Fei, arm in arm with him, walked towards the old locust tree, not minding the mud on her feet. Seeing many villagers glancing in their direction, she said softly, “When you lived here before, didn’t you know anyone besides Brother Lu?”
Lei Xiuyuan tilted his head, thinking for a moment: “The local kids couldn’t beat me in a fight.”
Li Fei chuckled. It was a non-answer, yet a typical Lei Xiuyuan response. He used to be so thin, weak, and delicate-looking, an easy target for bullying. Living alone here, he must have been the target of the children’s bullying. He must have beaten those troublemakers who bullied him until they were black and blue, gaining a notorious reputation that made parents afraid to let their children near him.
She lightly jumped onto the crooked old locust tree, shading her eyes with her hand as she looked around. Finally, she gazed at the distant high peak with its huge gap. Now, in broad daylight, the gap was hidden behind clouds and mist, barely visible. The legendary Xing Zheng Guan was said to be located there.
Lei Xiuyuan had gazed at this scenery for three years. As she was lost in thought, she suddenly felt someone gently grab her ankle. Lei Xiuyuan stood below, using a leaf to wipe the yellow mud from her shoes. To think this usually proud young man would do such a thing. Li Fei obediently stood still, allowing him to carefully clean her shoes. She laughed lightly: “Thank you.”
Lei Xiuyuan gripped her ankle and said calmly: “Tonight, please thank me with actions, not words.”
Li Fei’s face instantly turned red. She raised her hand to tap his forehead, about to speak when she suddenly sensed two streams of spiritual energy rapidly approaching from afar. She immediately jumped down from the locust tree. Lei Xiuyuan stepped forward to shield her. In the blink of an eye, two Xing Zheng Guan gate-keeping disciples descended on their swords before them. Seeing that they wore the attire of Wu Yue Ting’s direct disciples and both had cultivation levels beyond the third bottleneck, they immediately bowed, their attitude very friendly: “So it’s two fellow Daoists from Wu Yue Ting. We apologize for not welcoming you from afar. May we ask if you have any important business at our Xing Zheng Guan?”
This place was still hundreds of miles from Xing Zheng Guan; why were they so cautious? Li Fei thought for a moment, then understood. Recently, due to the frequent occurrence of strange phenomena, all major immortal sects were much more vigilant than usual. They had been lingering in the area for several days; no wonder someone came to inquire.
They both immediately smiled and bowed in return. Lei Xiuyuan said gently: “I’m embarrassed. This place holds my former residence. Overcome by nostalgia, we couldn’t help but linger for a few days. We’re sorry to have alarmed the fellow Daoists of Xing Zheng Guan.”
The two gate-keeping disciples had already noticed the small courtyard not far away, concealed by an illusion technique. One of them became quite interested: “Fellow Daoists used to live here? Forgive my impertinence, but you look quite young. I assume you’ve only been a disciple for five or six years, yet you’ve already achieved such cultivation. Why didn’t you join our Xing Zheng Guan?”
Lei Xiuyuan smiled: “It was just a twist of fate, I suppose. The late Senior Brother Lu Shanhua showed me great kindness in raising me, and Master Zhen Yun Zi of Xing Zheng Guan was once like half a teacher to me. I wonder if the old master is still well?”
Seeing that he mentioned the name of a long-deceased Xing Zheng Guan disciple and also brought up Elder Zhen Yun Zi, the two disciples realized this person must have had some connection with Xing Zheng Guan in the past. Moreover, his speech was elegant and refined, naturally inspiring goodwill. One of them also smiled: “Thank you for your concern, fellow Daoist. Unfortunately, former Elder Zhen Yun Zi is not in the sect. Otherwise, your reunion would surely be a joyous occasion.”
Li Fei stood silently to the side. When it came to social niceties, she could leave everything to Lei Xiuyuan without worry. He had been able to charm people since he was young. Come to think of it, no wonder nothing had happened while they stayed near Xing Zheng Guan for several days. It turned out Zhen Yun Zi wasn’t at Xing Zheng Guan. Otherwise, given his temperament, he probably would have captured them both long ago.
Lei Xiuyuan expressed his regrets repeatedly, sighing: “What a pity. Having come here, I don’t know when I’ll be able to visit my old home again, or when I’ll have the chance to meet Elder Zhen Yun Zi again. It’s truly regrettable. May I trouble you two fellow Daoists to leave a message for Elder Zhen Yun Zi? Please tell him that his junior, Lei Xiuyuan, waited for him but couldn’t stay long. I’m about to head towards the East Sea area to meet some friends. I wonder if we might have the fortune to meet along the way.”
One of them smiled again: “Fellow Daoist is going to the East Sea? What a coincidence! You don’t need us to pass on the message. Former Elder Zhen Yun Zi left for the East Sea area just a few days ago. May you two meet again soon.”
Zhen Yun Zi went to the East Sea area. These gate-keeping disciples kept calling him “former Elder,” so it seemed he could no longer serve as an Elder due to weakened abilities. Had he gone to the East Sea to clear his mind in his disappointment?
Lei Xiuyuan exchanged a few more polite words with the two before seeing them off. Li Fei couldn’t help but ask softly: “Why did you ask about his whereabouts? What are you planning to do?”
Even if his powers had weakened, he was still an immortal who had once been an Elder. With their current cultivation level, confronting him would be like an egg smashing against a rock. Shouldn’t they be avoiding him instead of seeking him out?
Lei Xiuyuan pondered for a while but didn’t answer. He only said: “Let’s go back first. I need to write a letter to Ye Ye.”
They hurried back to the house. Lei Xiuyuan quickly dipped his brush in ink and wrote a full page, then threw it into the fire. To their surprise, moments later, the letter was bounced back. He frowned slightly. This time, he attached a strand of Chang Yue’s hair to the letter, but it still couldn’t be sent.
There were only two situations where Wu Yue Ting’s message-sending method would fail: one was if the recipient was no longer in this world, and the other was if the current location of the recipient was incorrect. Had Ye Ye and Bai Li Chang Yue also left Di Zang Men early?