Chapter 16: Should I Go Pick Him Up?
Cuiyu Mountain became a mass grave.
The head of Venerable Peng, who died with his eyes wide open, was impaled on the banner of the Immortal Alliance. Planted at the foot of the mountain against the backdrop a blood-red sunset, a truly beautifully gruesome sight.
Only the Cuiyu residence was spared, appearing like a secluded paradise amidst the carnage on the Cuiyu Mountain.
Rong Zhao leaned against the entrance of the Cuiyu residence, his expression blank and weary as he stared blankly at the squeaking spirit herb.
The injuries from his tribulation had fully healed, his spiritual energy had transformed into immortal essence, circulating endlessly within his body.
Despite possessing supreme power in the mortal realm, he felt utterly empty.
He sat there for a long time.
An Immortal lord who had attained the Dao and ascended to immortality could not linger in the mortal realm. The Heavenly Dao had repeatedly urged him to leave repeatedly, tirelessly, once even paving the path to immortality right at his doorstep.
Then Rong Zhao cleaved it away with a single sword strike.
"Stop pestering me," he said coldly.
In principle, after attaining the Dao, an immortal lord was allowed to remain in the mortal realm for six hours to handle unfinished worldly affairs.
After six hours, he could no longer interfere in worldly matters.
Seeing that he wasn't doing anything else and seemed quite obedient, the Heavenly Dao left him alone. If Rong Zhao continued to attempt to interfere in the mortal world with the power of an Immortal Lord, he would be forcibly taken away by the Heavenly Dao.
The Heavenly Dao had informed Rong Zhao of all the rules of the Heavenly Sea Realm in a special way.
Therefore, he did nothing, he didn't go to the Immortal Alliance headquarters to seek revenge; he simply stayed quietly in the Cuiyu residence.
He stayed from sunrise to sunset.
After watching the sunrise and sunset over Cuiyu Mountain one last time, Rong Zhao got up, went inside to find some clothes. He quickly washed himself by the well, and then gently cut off a lock of hair and tied it up with a piece of white cotton rope.
He carved a memorial tablet for Meng Zhifan, placed it on the table, and then put the lock of hair on it.
He had heard that if a mortal's attachments were too strong, they would refuse to drink the Meng Po soup when the time came to be reincarnated.
He had deceived Meng Zhifan so cruelly, leaving nothing in this life worth clinging to, Rong Zhao thought that Meng Zhifan surely wouldn't refuse to drink it. Only by forgetting everything completely, unburdened and unattached, could one find peace and happiness in the next life.
Rong Zhao didn't collect the corpse in the cave, nor did he intend to. Cuiyu Mountain had changed; firstly, it would be difficult to find, and secondly, since he had already entered reincarnation, the corpse was no longer so important.
The most important thing now was to go to the Heavenly Sea Realm and see if there was any way to find a reincarnated soul.
Once he found Meng Zhifan's reincarnation, he would simply watch him from afar, guarding him life after life. Although the lone star of calamity was said to bring misfortune upon himself and others, by staying far away and hiding well, it should no longer harm Meng Zhifan.
As he passed the entrance, Rong Zhao touched the spirit herb, leaving behind a wisp of immortal energy. With a flick of his sleeve, he concealed the entire Cuiyu Residence from view.
The spirit herb shuddered in fright: "?"
"Guard this place for me," Rong Zhao said. "Kill anyone who dares to trespass."
The spirit herb timidly shook its leaves, indicating that it understood.
After giving these instructions, Rong Zhao thought for a moment and moved the water vat from the kitchen to place it next to the herb.
Meng Zhifan had said that the flowers in the courtyard needed to be watered every two or three days.
"Do you know how?" he asked the spirit herb.
The spirit herb: "..."
After a long while, the spirit herb reluctantly stretched out a leaf, curled it around the ladle floating in the water vat, scooped up some water, and watered itself.
Rong Zhao nodded: "Then all the flowers and plants in the courtyard are in your care. If even a single one withers, I'll break you off."
The spirit herb: "…… ……"
Mortal items were not allowed to be taken to the Heavenly Sea Realm, but newly ascended Immortal Lords could choose three important things to take with them.
One of these was usually a cultivator's natal weapon.
Rong Zhao only took Rao Zhi Rou, He did not even bring the cultivation manual for the path of ruthlessness.
There was no helping it, he had negotiated with the Heavenly Dao; things like the Cuiyu residence couldn't be taken to the Immortal Capital.
The path to Immortality transformed into a soft ribbon of light that gently landed before him. Stepping onto it, one could hear ethereal immortal music, dreamlike and illusory.
Rong Zhao stepped onto it.
-
Heavenly Sea Realm, within Ming Chen's Immortal Mansion.
Ming Chen held his forehead, his long, silvery-white hair hung in disarray, obscuring half his face. He appeared not yet fully lucid.
His avatar had been ambushed when he went a mortal world, and his return to the Immortal Capital was also far from smoothl; both his immortal essence and memories were in a state of considerable chaos.
Any other Immortal Lord would probably have fainted long ago.
Fang Jiuhe pressed his wrist, helping to stabilize and smooth out the turbulent immortal essence.
After a moment, he withdrew his hand and asked, "How do you feel?"
Ming Chen shook his head, too weary to speak, only humming in response.
"Is it good or bad?" Fang Jiuhe reached for his wrist again, but Ming Chen dodged. "Ming Chen?"
"...I'm fine, I just want some peace and quiet."
Seeing his weary face, Fang Jiuhe realized it wasn't a good time for conversation, so he stood up and tugged at Shan Yin's sleeve, signaling him to leave with him.
Shan Yin hesitated, looking at Ming Chen as if he had a thousand questions he wanted to ask but was holding back.
He was pulled a little harder
... Finally, he was reluctantly dragged away.
The two of them stepped out into the garden.
"Why did you drag me away?" Shan Yin said unhappily.
"What are you planning to ask Ming Chen?" Fang Jiuhe glanced at him sideways. "I guess it'll be something like, 'Do you remember when I went to the mortal realm to look for you?' 'What did that cultivator named Rong Zhao do to you?' and 'How did you die?' Am I right?"
Shan Yin: "..."
Fang Jiuhe looked at him with an "I knew it" expression and exclaimed, "You really know how to talk, Immortal Lord Shan Yin."
Shan Yin: "...No need to insult me so indirectly."
"Knowing I'm insulting you, then there's still hope." Fang Jiuhe had just used his immortal essence and was a little tired after saying a few words. He sat down, leaning on the stone table, and said lazily, "You're teachable, after all."
"..." Shan Yin gritted his teeth. "Do you want to fight?"
"I'm a patient. Besides, I'm only insulting you out of kindness." Fang Jiuhe said seriously, "Ming Chen hasn't passed his tribulation of love and still has to go down to the mortal realm to undergo more tribulations. He won't be in a good mood during this time, so watch your words."
Shan Yin frowned: "How do you know Ming Chen's tribulation hasn't ended?"
"The Heavenly Dao hasn't come."
Shan Yin was taken aback.
"Have you forgotten? After each tribulation, the Heavenly Dao bestows blessings. This is Ming Chen's twelfth tribulation; the immortal essence the Heavenly Dao bestows would be enough to drown you. What are his minor injuries? Do you think I'd heal them?" Fang Jiuhe said leisurely. "Love tribulations are very difficult. So, really, watch your words."
After saying that, he stood up and patted his shoulder.
"Thump, thump," two heavy pats.
And just like that, the spark of gossip that had just ignited in Immortal Lord Shan Yin's heart was snuffed out.
-
Ming Chen sat quietly in the room, motionless.
He was somewhat confused about who he was. One moment he was a mortal on Cuiyu Mountain, the next he was an immortal in the Heavenly Sea Realm. The lingering pain in his heart, the disappointment and hatred in his chest that had not yet dissipated, were all tangled together in a mess, a thousand thoughts he couldn't sort out.
In the end, he only figured out one thing.
Rong Zhao would be coming to the Heavenly Sea Realm soon.
-
After sending Shan Yin away, Fang Jiuhe returned, carrying a cup of refreshing tea as he pushed open the door and entered.
"Feeling better? You seemed quite distracted earlier. I made your usual tea." He placed the tea on the small table in front of Ming Chen and sat down opposite him. "Don't worry, I didn't add any dried fruit or goat's milk.
Ming Chen glanced at it, picked up the teacup, and drank it all in one gulp.
The tea was so bitter it made one's liver and gallbladder tremble. He was already used to it; a cup of tea instantly made him much more awake. He held the empty cup and gently twirled it between his fingers, seemingly lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" Facing Ming Chen, Fang Jiuhe no longer had the carefree demeanor he had when teasing Shan Yin. "Now that you're back, let worldly affairs remain in the mortal world. Just treat it as a dream."
"I can't."
"You can't let go of them that much?" Fang Jiuhe took out a bamboo tube of dried fruit and goat milk tea from his Qiankun sleeve, poured himself a cup, and slowly brought up his past grievances. "You used to laugh at me, but now you're also troubled by love."
"It's not that I can't let go." Ming Chen pinched his brow, feeling a headache coming on, and looked up to find Fang Jiuhe drinking tea. "Don't drink anymore."
"What? Just telling the truth, and you won't even let me have some tea." Fang Jiuhe didn't seem to care, and took another sip with relish. "You've become quite stingy since your trip to the mortal realm."
Ming Chen patiently waited for Fang Jiuhe to swallow the tea before saying, "It's not that I can't let go, it's just that he... has attained enlightenment and ascended to heaven. He'll probably be at the Heavenly Gate in a little while. Do you think I should go pick him up?"
Fang Jiuhe paused: "?"
Fang Jiuhe: "????????????"
