“Have you heard? The Southern Fragrant Lord has eloped!”
“Haha, I knew this day would come. Zi State has been dragging it out for so many years. How can you blame her for getting lonely when they left such a beautiful flower unpicked?”
“I’ve always felt that those mixed with demon blood have too much yin energy. They can’t live without a man…”
“Bah! She just has a good background. Look at how many young female cultivators try to learn from her and snatch resources from male cultivators. Running around barefoot and bare-armed in broad daylight, where’s the propriety?”
In the teahouse, people were hotly discussing the recent rumors of the Southern Fragrant Lord’s elopement. An old woman at the Foundation Establishment stage, who had been listening for a while, coldly snorted:
“Isn’t Yin State only able to stand on its feet because of her fox-like charms? In my opinion, she’s nothing special. The women of Shen State are truly virtuous and dignified. Let me speak frankly, she may seem glorious now, but once she finds a husband’s family, she’ll know how despised she’ll be for her current actions. Even if she repents in time, I’m afraid she’ll spend the rest of her life atoning for her sins.”
“Hmm, I think what you’re saying makes sense. May I ask how old you are?” A woman’s voice sounded behind the old woman.
The old woman turned her head to look and saw a woman in red. Although she was dressed vibrantly, she seemed to be isolated by some force, invisible to those around her. Only when she spoke did the old woman suddenly realize that this was a rare beauty of unparalleled grace.
The old woman was momentarily speechless and unconsciously replied, “I’m over 140 years old.”
The beautiful woman laughed softly but didn’t say anything more. Instead, she stood up and walked towards the exit of the tavern. The sword cultivator sitting across from her also stood up, his brow as frosty as snow. Once outside, he frowned and asked, “If you’re displeased, I can make these people shut up.”
Nan Rao laughed carelessly and said, “No need. I just find it interesting. Someone over 140 years old feels qualified to preach, while I, at over 200 years old, still feel it’s too early.”
Having traveled with Nan Rao for two months, although Meng Xiaolou always kept a stern face, he couldn’t deny that Nan Rao was the kind of person who was extremely easy to like. When you were happy, she would joke around and annoy you; when you were unhappy, she would cheer you up.
Meng Xiaolou asked, “The things they say… have you been used to hearing them all these years?”
Nan Rao smiled and said, “The word ‘romance’ can be interpreted differently. Some see only pure wind and flowing water, while others see only sensuality and vulgarity. I’m not a person with a particularly good temper. In earlier years, I’ve cut out people’s tongues for such talk. Ah let’s not discuss these boring matters. I heard that your Wei State’s Tianqiao Peak has frost fireflies in early winter. Weren’t you going to take me to see them?”
Meng Xiaolou’s ears reddened slightly. He had sought advice from his peers in Wei State for days, and after much collective effort, the sword cultivators concluded that since Wei State was cold, only the spectacular frost fireflies of Tianqiao Peak would be suitable for lovers to express their feelings.
But everyone knew that the place to see frost fireflies on Tianqiao Peak was a sacred spot for lovers. Meng Xiaolou could never bring himself to say it directly, so he had hastily handwritten several guides to Wei State’s beautiful scenery and left them where Nan Rao could see, finally indirectly catching her attention.
Nan Rao was enthusiastic about it, but by the time they reached Tianqiao Peak, she deeply regretted it.
Her cultivation base was of the fire attribute. Although she wasn’t afraid of frost and snow, she feared the cold. Tianqiao Peak was one of the coldest places in the entire Upper State. Even though her cultivation level protected her from harm, she still couldn’t help but turn pale from the cold as they walked.
“Don’t you feel a bit cold?” Nan Rao asked.
Meng Xiaolou had grown up practicing sword intent in such places and was long accustomed to it. Walking together with Nan Rao, he not only didn’t feel cold but even felt his face heating up.
“I’m fine.”
Nan Rao felt a bit anxious and said, “You’re too cold! Can’t you do something to make a girl feel warm?”
Then she saw Meng Xiaolou nod and take off his outer robe. She thought he was going to drape it over her, but instead, he walked past her and dug out a hibernating snow frog from a mountain hollow, wrapping it in his clothes, trying hard to prove he was a warm-hearted, animal-loving good man.
Meng Xiaolou: “Do you feel warmer now?”
The warmed-up snow frog: “Croak.”
Nan Rao: “Yes, yes, I’m warm. I give up, I give up.”
Nan Rao could only shiver as she followed him up Tianqiao Peak. Fortunately, the frost fireflies arrived as expected, like stars falling from the sky onto a snow-covered mountain.
She raised her hand to catch a frost firefly, but it only fluttered its crystal-clear wings in her palm before melting away. Nan Rao said regretfully, “Do they have consciousness?”
“There’s a ghost realm suppressed beneath Tianqiao Peak. It’s said that the frost fireflies are formed from fragments of wronged souls combined with the cold air. They should have some consciousness.”
Nan Rao pointed at the frost fireflies clinging to her hair and said, “Then what’s this? Frost fireflies drawn to fire?”
“Ghosts are fond of the energy of the living. They probably… probably like you.”
Seeing his red face and ears, Nan Rao laughed and said, “You didn’t invite me here just to discuss which frost fireflies like whom, did you?”
Meng Xiaolou lowered his head slightly and asked, “Do you like Ying Zewei?”
Nan Rao tilted her head and thought for a moment before saying, “He’s the good man chosen for me by the Dao Lord and my father. He also saved my life. I can’t say anything bad about him, and I’ve tried to like him, but…”
Meng Xiaolou saw Nan Rao point to her heart and asked, “What is it?”
“I always feel that when I see him, the emotion of ‘liking’ seems to have been dug out. It’s as if my heart is filled with ice, and I can’t soften it no matter what.”
Meng Xiaolou fell silent. Come to think of it, he had harbored these feelings for many years. In fact, in his early years, Meng Xiaolou had heard of the Southern Fragrant Lord’s reputation. After all, under the constraints of Daosheng Tian’s etiquette, not everyone could live so willfully.
She drank and caused trouble, disregarding etiquette. Yet heaven had bestowed upon her unparalleled beauty and background, allowing her to always be the most vibrant and arrogant splash of color amidst Daosheng Tian’s plain white and cyan.
He heard people’s jealousy, envy, and desire, until that absurd first meeting, when he finally understood why people loved to gossip about her so much.
Nan Rao was like the core of all desires in this world – beauty, power, strength, and even her soul was so good.
Meng Xiaolou simply closed his eyes and, using all his strength finally managed to say those words.
“I… I like you, Nao Niang.”
Nan Rao finally burst into laughter. Just as Meng Xiaolou was glumly thinking he had failed, Nan Rao leaned over and kissed him on the right cheek.
“I don’t know how long you’ve been preparing to say this. Although I can’t promise you anything, this feeling right now is worth cherishing. Consider it a dream.”
For a long time after that, Meng Xiaolou was in a daze. Much later, when he accidentally and stutteringly mentioned this incident, expressing his worry about whether a kiss could result in a child, the Dragon Lord of Chen State, while pounding the table, cursed that most scoundrels in the world had said such things to their discarded wives, and that old rogue deserved to die.
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, after her brief distraction in Wei State, Nan Rao returned to Yin State and ceased her provocative behavior. Instead, she diligently managed Yin State’s affairs with an iron fist, reminiscent of Chi Di’s rule.
For over two centuries, the cultivation world remained peaceful. Many older powerhouses retreated into seclusion, while Dao Sheng Tian Xuan Zai, Yin State’s Nan Fang Zhu, Chen State’s Dragon Lord, Si State’s Yu Xie Hou, and Wei State’s Sword Hero completely replaced the former Six Venerable Ones. This tranquility lasted until Nan Rao overcame her second celestial tribulation.
As Cloud Empress Dowager’s Thousand Autumn Festival approached, Nan Rao, despite her previously strained relationship with her stepmother, decided to organize the event wholeheartedly, considering Empress Dowager’s remaining decades. After handling most arrangements, Nan Rao personally delivered invitations to a few close friends.
Upon reaching Dao Sheng Tian, she found Ying Ze Wei lecturing his newly admitted disciples. Led respectfully by an attendant to a classroom, Nan Rao curiously observed Ying Ze Wei teaching like a proper private tutor, bamboo scroll in hand, surrounded by young children.
Nan Rao couldn’t help but smile. “Who are these children?”
“They’re this year’s new disciples. The first one on the left was personally recruited by Xuan Zai,” the attendant replied.
Intrigued, Nan Rao peered through the bamboo curtain. Most of the six or seven-year-old disciples fidgeted restlessly, except for the quiet child the attendant had pointed out. This child, head bowed, was rapidly reading through scrolls and had already begun transcribing the content from memory while others still struggled with their reading.
“He’s quite handsome. Which family is he from, to warrant the World Teacher’s recruitment?” Nan Rao inquired.
“Last month, Xuan Zai dreamt of the Dao Venerable’s instructions and found this child on a battlefield in Fan State. He’s been personally teaching him since. At just seven years old, he’s already cultivating qi without choosing a cultivation method.”
“Seven?” Nan Rao mused, recalling that at that age, she would have still been playing with bird nests if not for Chi Di’s spirit medicine.
“Is this child even human?” she wondered aloud.
The attendant beamed proudly. “Even the sect’s Dao Tian Upper Masters unanimously agree that this child’s aptitude surpasses Xuan Zai’s at the same age. He’s destined to become the next World Teacher.”
As Nan Rao watched in amazement, a slightly younger child with a jade ornament on his forehead stood up, bowed to Ying Ze Wei, and complained, “Master, senior brother isn’t listening again! He didn’t listen yesterday either, and he made me rewrite my homework five times because he said my handwriting was ugly!”
“Shao Cang,” Ying Ze Wei tapped the first child’s desk with his scroll, “Being intelligent is good, but Xing Zhen has a point. If you finish two hours of lessons in one, what will you do with the remaining time?”
The child neatly put away his brush, stood up, and bowed impeccably before replying, “Master, I’ll complete today’s homework in the remaining hour.”
Ying Ze Wei pressed further, “And what will you do after class if you finish your homework now?”
The child remained silent, but Xing Zhen eagerly raised his hand again. “Master, I know! Senior Brother Shao Cang has a chubby bird hidden in his blanket. He’s in a hurry to play with it instead of us!”
Other children chimed in, “That’s right! We can never have enough people for kickball because of him!”
As the children’s chatter filled the room, Nan Rao, laughing outside, tapped on the window frame. “Children, keep this up and you’ll all be punished. Since your senior brother is so capable, how about I propose a challenge? If any of you can outperform him, he’ll have to release the bird and only play with you from now on. How’s that?”
Ying Ze Wei looked slightly startled, a fleeting emotion crossing his eyes. “Lady Rao, what brings you here?”
Nan Rao waved the invitation. “The Empress Dowager’s Thousand Autumn Festival. I’m here to invite you for a drink.”
Feeling playful, Nan Rao climbed through the window and handed each child a sheet of paper. “Without using spiritual energy, whoever can make their paper fly the farthest wins. The winner gets a phoenix feather.”
She produced a golden long feather, its appearance filling the classroom with shimmering light and attracting birdsong from outside.
The children grew excited, most folding various insect shapes that flew only a few meters. Only Xing Zhen, looking smug, said, “Idiots.”
Amused, Nan Rao asked, “Little one, do you have a better idea?”
“They’re just dumb. This is how to make it fly farthest,” Xing Zhen declared. He tossed the paper up and puffed his cheeks, blowing to keep it aloft. The paper floated five to six meters before he ran out of breath, and then he turned to Ying Ze Wei, seeking praise.
“Xing Zhen, that’s quite clever,” Ying Ze Wei acknowledged before turning to his prized disciple. “Shao Cang, have you given up?”
While the others were folding paper, Shao Cang had finished his homework. “Master, if I beat Xing Zhen, can I keep the bird?”
“Of course.”
“Good.”
To Nan Rao’s surprise, he crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it with all his might. The paper ball flew seven to eight meters, leaving Xing Zhen’s smile to fade.
“Master, Shao Cang has succeeded. I’m leaving,” he said, packing his books and stepping out just as the class ended.
Nan Rao watched his retreating figure, astonished. “This child you’ve taken in, even his timing is impeccable. How frightening.”
“He’s a bit stubborn, always guarding what he loves,” Ying Ze Wei remarked, noticing Nan Rao’s distracted gaze. “Lady Rao?”
Nan Rao’s lips curved slightly. “Tell me, if we had married that year, do you think our grandchildren would be this age by now?”