Ling Luo had always known that Yue Liangze would leave Tianji, but for it to happen so suddenly, without warning, still left her stunned for a moment.

Chu Yi wandered around the courtyard and came out, saying languidly, “It’s been abandoned for at least a month.”

As he spoke, he watched Ling Luo from the corner of his eye, catching the subtle changes in her expression.

Ling Luo merely responded with a simple “Oh,” and then took out her jade pendant to send a message to Song Yuanyuan, asking him to come out and collect the pastries.

Chu Yi followed beside her and asked, “What if he entered the inner section and is now living in the inner dormitories?”

“He couldn’t even enter the inner section with a score of thirty on the written test, how could that be possible?” Ling Luo replied carelessly.

“Why couldn’t he enter?” Chu Yi was somewhat surprised. “A score of thirty should have been enough to get in long ago.”

“He didn’t want to go, just wanted to get by with basic meals,” Ling Luo answered with a snort.

Song Yuanyuan arrived quickly.

After two months apart, his sword flight had become much more practiced. He seemed to enjoy hovering on his sword so much that he didn’t want to come down.

“Ling Luo!” Song Yuanyuan waved to her, using his spiritual energy to stop steadily beside her. “You’ve finally returned! Was the wind demon that difficult?”

“Here, for you.” Ling Luo handed over the pastries she had bought. “Save some for me to eat when I come back! The wind demon wasn’t difficult, but it was exceptionally good at hiding.”

Song Yuanyuan clutched the pastry box preciously, but then looked sad: “Ling Luo, my little father…”

Ling Luo interrupted him, “I need to go back to Qingshi Ward with Senior Brother to see Master. I’ll find you tonight.”

She simply didn’t want to be told about Yue Liangze’s departure the moment she returned.

She preferred to hear it later.

Ling Luo returned to Qingshi Ward to see Yun Shouxi, giving a detailed report of her two-month demon-elimination experience, chatting with her senior brothers for a while, and then accompanying Yun Shouxi to attend to business at various halls.

There was little free time, with a tight schedule, yet Ling Luo constantly felt bored.

Initially, she hadn’t been happy about being reborn.

In her previous life, she had experienced everything—hatred, killing, and even battling the Heavenly Dao, which had been her obsession. During that battle, she had no attachments to the mortal world. Death was just death; after all, she had no desire to continue living.

But unexpectedly, upon opening her eyes, she had returned to those years.

She deeply despised this, believing the Heavenly Dao was a sore loser, afraid of death, and had therefore reversed time to save itself, forcing her to start over.

Had the Heavenly Dao allowed her to be reborn in the years before her sister’s death, she would have felt this rebirth meaningful. She might not have gotten involved in the mess of the immortal sects, instead taking her sister to find a safe place to live a good life.

But the timing of this rebirth was when she had nothing.

The only thing not entirely boring was her early discovery of Yue Liangze.

Tormenting him with sword techniques every day, watching him lose to her multiple times—that was the only pleasure she found in being reborn.

But now he was gone.

The next time she would see him would be as a disciple of the Holy Sword Sect, countering her move at the Jinluan Pool Banquet martial arts competition, and then drawing out the divine treasure Zhenxian Jade from West Sea Taichu with one hand in front of the Twelve Great Immortal Sects.

By then, it wouldn’t be so easy to casually torment his swordsmanship as if cutting melons and vegetables.

If only she had known, she would have tormented him a few more times before leaving the mountain!

How frustrating!

Ling Luo angrily slapped the table and stood up. It happened so suddenly that the teacup overturned, splashing tea into Chu Yi’s bowl, and the meatball he had picked up with his chopsticks fell onto the table and rolled off.

Chu Yi: “?”

Yu Xiu was holding his bowl with a confused expression.

Yun Shouxi smiled gently and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Ling Luo came back to her senses, immediately changing her expression, sitting down again with a pitiful look: “I just remembered how Senior Brother often stole the sweet melons and meat pastries the villagers gave me when we were down the mountain. I got too excited and upset…”

Chu Yi: “…”

Making me the scapegoat again?

Yu Xiu immediately picked up a meatball with his chopsticks and placed it in her bowl. Yun Shouxi also gave her one.

Chu Yi stared speechlessly at his meatball that had fallen under the table.

On his first day back, Chu Yi felt he should leave the mountain and enter the mortal world.

At sunset, Ling Luo left Qingshi Ward for the inner section of Dingshan River to meet her young friends.

After two months apart, everyone had grown a bit taller.

Song Yuanyuan and Chang Fei were fighting over food, while Xu Shen was catching fish in the river.

Ling Luo came over and asked, “What are you catching fish for?”

Xu Shen focused intently on the flowing water and answered, “I’m learning the Eight Incantations and want to try practicing with it.”

Song Yuanyuan turned around and scolded, “Don’t openly talk about practicing forbidden incantations for me to hear!”

Xu Shen was puzzled: “Wasn’t I talking to Ling Luo?”

Song Yuanyuan found his answer incredible: “Do you think I can’t hear you?!”

Ling Luo casually took out a box of pastries, opened it, handed a piece to Xu Shen, ate one herself, and asked with a muffled voice, “What happened with Senior Brother Yue?”

“He violated sect rules and was expelled,” Xu Shen replied calmly, biting into the pastry. “About a month after you left for training, I went to deliver rice to Senior Brother and unexpectedly found the Sect Leader and two elders in front of his courtyard.”

Ling Luo’s eyelid twitched as she heard this. “Which Sect Leader?”

“The Great Sect Leader,” Chang Fei answered, holding down Song Yuanyuan who was trying to fight him for food. “The elders stood guard outside while the Great Sect Leader and Senior Brother were inside the house. They talked for quite a while. Xu Shen and I didn’t dare approach.”

Mu Hengtian.

Ling Luo chewed her pastry thoughtfully.

Chang Fei continued, “After about half an hour, the Great Sect Leader carried Senior Brother, who had fainted, back to the inner section. We had Song Yuanyuan ask Master Fan from the hall to find out if Senior Brother was being punished for taking someone else’s punishment.”

“But my master had gone down the mountain that day and wasn’t at Tianji. I went to the Discipline Hall and found there was no such matter,” Song Yuanyuan said gloomily. “Early the next morning, Senior Brother was escorted down the mountain by two elders. They wouldn’t let us approach, so we couldn’t even exchange a single word with him.”

“Why did the elders accompany him?” Ling Luo asked, puzzled.

Xu Shen said, “Because Senior Brother trespassed in a forbidden area. The elders said he should have been executed, but the Sect Leader showed mercy and compassion, and in the end, only destroyed his cultivation meridians, removed his name from Tianji, and expelled him from the sect.”

“Trespassed in a forbidden area?” Ling Luo’s eye twitched slightly. “Which forbidden area did he enter?”

Song Yuanyuan answered in a solemn tone: “The Half-Immortal Tomb.”

Ling Luo was slightly stunned, her gaze somewhat peculiar.

What a coincidence.

In her previous life, she had also trespassed in that Half-Immortal Tomb forbidden area.

“The protective formations there are extremely powerful. With Senior Brother’s weak spiritual meridians, it would be impossible for him to enter,” Ling Luo scoffed. “Besides, how could the Great Sect Leader possibly show mercy and compassion to an outer section disciple? If he could execute someone, he would never let them go.”

“With Senior Brother gone, we can’t ask the Sect Leader or the elders either,” Chang Fei lay on the ground with a heavy heart, looking at the night sky. “It’s been over a month, and I still can’t get used to it.”

“I searched for him in East Sea City but found no trace,” Xu Shen’s words also carried a hint of dejection. “His spiritual meridians were already weak, and with his cultivation and spiritual energy destroyed…”

His life could be in danger.

Although Ling Luo knew that Yue Liangze wouldn’t die and would live quite well, hearing Xu Shen say this still made her somewhat displeased.

What game was that old man Mu Hengtian playing?

“I believe in my little father! He’ll be fine!” Song Yuanyuan held the pastries earnestly and said, “Think about it—to score exactly thirtieth place out of over three hundred disciples, precisely eliminating that person’s ranking—that’s not an easy feat. At least I don’t have that kind of intellect.”

“That’s right! Although Senior Brother Yue doesn’t talk much, he knows a lot!” Chang Fei also sat up and said, “From major subjects like swordsmanship, incantations, and medical classics, to minor things like planting, cooking, and various trinkets—he knows everything!”

Ling Luo rolled her eyes as she listened: “Go ahead, keep praising him.”

“Don’t worry, Ling Luo, my little father knows how to take care of himself!” Song Yuanyuan reassured her.

Ling Luo bristled: “Who’s worried about him!”

Xu Shen also said, “Anyway, Senior Brother knows we’re at Tianji. Once he settles down, he’ll find a way to contact us.”

Song Yuanyuan nodded in agreement: “That’s right, my little father wouldn’t forget me.”

Ling Luo gave a cold laugh. She didn’t believe Yue Liangze would contact them.

Otherwise, why did no one know in her previous life that Yue Liangze had once been an outer section disciple of Tianji?

He probably found this identity embarrassing, so he cut off all former connections. By the time they met again, he was already the beloved youngest disciple of the Guaici Immortal Leader, admired by all.

The Holy Sword Sect was very far from Tianji East Island.

It was hidden in the deepest part of the boundless snow plains.

Unless one was a member of the Holy Sword Sect, it was impossible to find.

Although the Holy Sword Sect wasn’t among the Twelve Great Immortal Sects, its successive sect leaders had been Immortal Leaders of the cultivation world, with a lineage spanning thousands of years. The Holy Sword Sect guarded the Gate to Immortality, rumored to connect to the immortal realm, with only disciples of this sect able to enter.

There had been disciples of the Holy Sword Sect who entered this gate and ascended to immortality in a single step.

Disciples of the Twelve Great Immortal Sects were spread throughout the world, yet those of the Holy Sword Sect could be counted on one’s fingers throughout history.

The current Sect Leader was named Guaici, the Guaici Immortal Leader of the cultivation world, already one hundred and eighty-six years old.

He had three disciples.

The eldest disciple always resided in the sect. Though he had never entered the world, he knew all worldly matters.

The second disciple had once battled the Yi Demon and remained in the sect nursing his wounds.

The third disciple acted on behalf of the master. At any banquet of the immortal sects or occasions requiring the presence of the Holy Sword Sect Immortal Leader, the third disciple would represent him.

Vast snow stretched endlessly, and howling winds blew. Passing through the snowy mist ahead in the night, one suddenly arrived at a green mountain path.

The path to the sect gate was spacious and grand.

A giant rock reaching to the heavens stood at the highest point of the sect gate, with the three characters “Holy Sword Sect” carved on it. The strokes were sharp, the style like a startling phoenix or swimming dragon, unforgettable at first sight.

“Kneel three times and kowtow nine times at this spot, and you shall enter our sect.”

The old man’s hoarse voice carried a gentle smile.

A man in a black and white robe walked ahead. Though his temples were graying, suggesting age, his complexion was ruddy and very healthy.

The young man followed behind him, kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times.

In front of the giant rock gate, all members of the Holy Sword Sect were present.

Guaici stood at the high point, looking back, extending his hand to the young man with a smile: “From today, you are the last disciple of me, Guaici, and a disciple of the Holy Sword Sect. I bestow upon you the character ‘Danshui’.”

This young man from the distant East Island became a disciple of the Holy Sword Sect.

His senior brothers were all extraordinary talents with exceptional gifts. Their cultivation far surpassed his, so every day, they took turns teaching him the sect’s core techniques.

At first:

The eldest senior brother told him: “You’ll master it in three days.”

The second senior brother coughed twice and said: “Learn with me, you’ll master it in two days.”

The third senior brother laughed lazily: “Little junior brother, there’s no need to rush with cultivation. Even if you can’t learn it in ten days or half a month, it’s fine. Although you won’t be expelled from the sect, you’ll be thrown into the Ten Thousand Demons Cave for half a year.”

Yue Liangze: “…”

Under the threat of the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, Yue Liangze mastered the sect’s core techniques in just one day.

He truly pushed himself to the limit.

Between the eldest and second senior brothers, everything was a competition to determine superiority.

This was even more pronounced in the teaching of their junior brother.

Thus, Yue Liangze would often complete the assignments left by the eldest senior brother, only to have to do those assigned by the second senior brother.

Finally, after staying up late to finish everything, the fun-loving third senior brother saw this and also gave him a set of assignments, saying: “Interesting, I also want to see who can teach you first.”

Plus another from his master.

Yue Liangze: “…”

Was this retribution for skipping classes at Tianji?

In the Holy Sword Sect, meals were casual and self-sufficient.

Meaning, that if you wanted to eat, you had to cook for yourself.

This was what Yue Liangze was most satisfied with.

His master’s cultivation was unfathomably deep, having transcended mortal constraints—drinking water was sufficient for him.

Though his senior brothers were strong in cultivation, they were hopeless in daily life.

The eldest senior brother could even tie a knot messily with both its length and system.

The eldest senior brother, like their master, could restrain himself.

The second senior brother only knew how to boil plain eggs.

The third senior brother only knew how to cook porridge.

The Holy Sword Sect had Four Seasons Valley, with four valleys corresponding to the four seasons, containing all kinds of animals and plants.

The Holy Sword Sect lacked nothing, yet they could only achieve this level of cooking.

One day, the three senior brothers, attracted by an unusual fragrance, came to their junior brother’s courtyard.

On the table were four dishes and a soup.

Perfect in color, aroma, and taste, with small dishes of sauce as accompaniments.

The second senior brother pointed at the food on the table and exclaimed indignantly: “Is this something a human can do?”

How could anyone make such fragrant dishes?

The eldest senior brother swallowed.

The third senior brother pushed open the door and said: “Little junior brother, your senior brothers have come uninvited. You don’t mind, do you?”

Yue Liangze: “…”

How could he mind? He didn’t want to write assignments all night anymore.

On occasional festivals, when Yue Liangze cooked, Guaici would also join them at the table.

The second senior brother asked: “Master, why didn’t you come last year?”

Guaici said: “To see you boil a few eggs?”

The eldest senior brother laughed without restraint.

At the end of the year, with light snow falling.

Yue Liangze was hanging decorative lanterns in the sect with his senior brothers.

The eldest senior brother casually asked: “Little junior brother, do you have anyone outside to whom you want to send a letter?”

Yue Liangze was slightly surprised. “Can I send letters?”

“Of course, you can,” the eldest senior brother turned to look at him. “Didn’t I tell you before?”

Yue Liangze shook his head.

The second senior brother mocked: “With that little brain of yours, what can you remember? I see you’ve even forgotten that our little junior brother is an orphan, yet you still ask if he wants to send letters. Senior brother, are you doing this deliberately?”

Eldest senior brother: “Do you want to fight?”

“Wait until my wounds heal, then we’ll fight.”

“Oh, you’ve been injured for seven or eight years. If you don’t dare to fight, just say so, useless.”

“…Little junior brother, don’t hold me back. Today I’m going to settle this with him!”

The third senior brother, hanging lanterns, said: “No one’s holding you back. He’s gone to write letters.”

Yue Liangze sent one letter to Song Yuanyuan, mentioning Chang Fei and Xu Shen, and another separately to Ling Luo.

He didn’t mention where he was, only that he was well, diligently cultivating, and wishing them well for the festival.

The Holy Sword Sect’s spirit birds delivered letters quickly, arriving in just one day.

Spirit birds would find the recipient directly based on the imprint given by the sender.

So one of the spirit birds flew into Qingshi Ward, was stopped by the barrier, and alarmed the spirit tiger. It came out to tangle with the spirit bird, eventually biting it and taking it to Yun Shouxi.

Yun Shouxi recognized the Holy Sword Sect’s spirit bird and was somewhat surprised. Seeing it was addressed to Ling Luo, he narrowed his eyes.

He opened the envelope.

After reading what was written, Yun Shouxi smiled slightly and with a thought, burned it to ashes with a flame from his fingertip.

He stood up and told the spirit tiger: “In the future when you see one again, intercept it for me.”

One letter after another was sent to Tianji, yet never received a response.

Every day when the spirit birds were due to return, Yue Liangze would wait early at the sect gate.

Today, his third senior brother was about to leave the mountain and enter the world, only to find his little junior brother at the sect gate even earlier than himself.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

Yue Liangze answered: “Waiting for the spirit bird.”

The third senior brother yawned, his expression lazy, putting his arm around Yue Liangze’s shoulder: “Is the person you’re writing to male or female?”

Yue Liangze blinked: “Both.”

“I mean the one you wrote to separately.”

“…”

Yue Liangze fell silent.

The third senior brother smiled suggestively, “What’s the point of sending letters? How boring. Wait until you’ve cultivated for a few more years and mastered your skills, then go down the mountain to see her directly.”

The spirit bird flew back, carrying nothing. It perched on Yue Liangze’s shoulder, tilting its head affectionately to rub against his face.

“Looks like you might not need to meet after all. It’s been a year, and she hasn’t bothered to write back a single word,” the third senior brother glanced at the spirit bird, then reached out to ruffle his junior brother’s hair. “Don’t be too sad. Romance is just a fleeting, boring thing. You’re still young, and our sect doesn’t encourage it at this age.”

Then he muttered: “You’ve grown taller again?”

“I’m leaving now. Take good care of Master for me.”

Yue Liangze bid farewell to his third senior brother, stood at the sect gate watching the sky for a moment, then lowered his head and said to the spirit bird: “Thank you for your hard work. Send one last letter.”

The spirit bird nodded quite happily.

It loved delivering letters!

Each time it could tease that stupid spirit tiger for a long while.

He picked up his brush and wrote:

Wishing you well for the Jingshen Festival.

Cultivation is demanding; I shall enter closed-door training soon and can no longer send letters. Hope you are well.

Yue Liangze rolled up the letter, thought for a moment, then unfolded it and added a few more lines.

“Why do you never reply to me?”

“What did I say wrong?”

“I waited for you in East Sea City for dozens of days—”

Without realizing it, when he came back to his senses, he found he had written several pages densely packed with words.

Yue Liangze was speechless.

In the end, he crumpled up the other pages into a ball and only sent the first two lines.

The spirit bird crossed mountains and seas, arriving at Tianji East Island, and as usual, was chased all over the mountain by the spirit tiger.

Qingshi Ward.

The spirit tiger bit the envelope and went to find Yun Shouxi, giving him the letter.

Yu Xiu looked on with some curiosity.

Yun Shouxi opened the envelope and asked: “Little Yi hasn’t arrived yet?”

“According to the jade pendant message, Senior Brother has already reached the outer section,” Yu Xiu said. “Although Senior Brother loves to leave the mountain, he always returns for important festivals.”

“What about Ling Luo?”

Yu Xiu replied somewhat helplessly: “She fought a sea demon in the Tiantian Tower yesterday and is still sleeping.”

Yun Shouxi smiled indulgently, pressed the letter into a box, and stood up: “Let her sleep. Wake her up when it’s time for the evening meal.”

In the lower west courtyard, Ling Luo had been sleeping for almost an entire day without waking.

In her dreams, there were many things she had never seen before, things that puzzled and troubled her, things she couldn’t let go of.

But when she woke up, she couldn’t remember any of it.