Chapter 138 Outside the Crack (Supporting Characters' Main Scene) Xiao Wu and Xiao Lin...

In the Human Realm, somewhere in the Third Realm, it was springtime, and willow catkins filled the sky.

A few days may pass in the crevice, but a long time seems to have gone by in the outside world. On the deserted mountain path, the shadows of the trees are heavy and sway eerily.

A lone figure treads across withered branches and fallen leaves, her body still unchangingly white, forever bound by this single, monotonous color—the color of fresh snow and moonlight, frozen in time. Her expression is serene, the naivety of the past gone, replaced by a sharper edge.

Following the murmuring spring, the mountain path soon came to an end, revealing a bright and peaceful scene. Ahead, the outline of an ancient town faintly appeared in the misty blue lake, rippling gently like water as the boy approached. A sensation of passing through a barrier washed over his body. Wu Zhuyue drew his sword, his alertness heightened the moment he stepped onto the gray stone bricks. The surroundings seemed desolate, yet rustling sounds emanated from all directions.

A flash of red light. Wu Zhuyue swiftly swung her blade, and in the blink of an eye, the creature was cleaved in two in mid-air.

It is a red and white snake.

Wu Zhuyue gripped the hilt of his knife tightly and said bluntly, "I want to see the chieftain."

"It was arranged." After a long silence, she pursed her lips and added, "I'm here to retrieve the Gu."

A few months ago, during a mission, she managed to send a letter to the local leader through a connection made by someone else. Besides the common Daoist cultivators, the Nine Realms also have Gu cultivators, who combine beast taming and medicine cultivation, creating their own unique path.

This is the gathering place of some Gu cultivators, named Mao Village. Creating a Gu requires countless hours of effort, and the kind she sought was even more demanding. Therefore, she waited a long time before trekking over to check on the situation and confirm that the letter had arrived.

As soon as she finished speaking, Wu Zhuyue heard a soft tinkling sound and looked over to see a young man dressed in work clothes. They were not as the outside world imagined, always wearing gorgeous clothes or being evil. Their faces also showed signs of sun exposure, and their rolled-up sleeves revealed a section of their strong forearms.

The only adornment on her hand was a string of beads with a small silver bell hanging from it.

The young man's expression was unfriendly, and he said in a deep voice, "I haven't heard anyone say they wanted to visit. You've come to the wrong place."

She was giving Wu Zhuyue a chance to escape unscathed. However, the other party did not take her intentions, merely drawing the tip of her knife across the ground before pointing it at her brow. "I've heard that the rule of Mao Village is that only women are allowed inside, and those who enter without an invitation must leave. But what if I insist on seeing the village chief?"

"Then get past me first." The young man shook his head, producing a long flute. From her slightly open collar, a glossy black scorpion slowly crawled out, landing on her fingertips, before transforming into a form as tall as a person. Immediately afterward, a black and white patterned snake hissed and flicked its tongue, attempting to coil around her.

The melodious sound of a flute drifted out, and others slowly emerged from the house. Though their eyes held hostility, they had not yet made a move. The pleasant music, however, became a piercing, demonic sound in Wu Zhuyue's ears. She frowned, felt her consciousness waver, and slowly, blood with a metallic taste began to flow from her ears.

It wasn't until she drew a long gash on her hand with the knife that the pain barely brought Wu Zhuyue back to her senses. She moved with lightning speed, closing the distance to the young man in the blink of an eye, and calmly delivered a slash.

Blood slid down his arm and dripped onto the ground, shimmering in the sunlight.

The preemptive strike quickly lost its effectiveness. Before long, the poisonous insect was wounded and unable to move, and the young man had nowhere to retreat either. He sighed and put away his flute.

Wu Zhuyue then took two steps back and bowed slightly: "You flatter me. Take me to see the chieftain. I mean no harm."

She picked up the silver-ringed snake lying on the ground and draped it around her neck. The poor little snake twisted and turned unwillingly, trying to dart away, but could only be pressed against Wu Zhuyue's neck.

With just one bite, it could pierce the boy's most vulnerable spot and inject venom.

This was a way of showing sincerity. The young man stared at Wu Zhuyue for a long while, then sighed, "Alright."

She was already one of the more skilled cultivators in the village, yet she was still no match for the young man before her. As for the village chief, he would probably be no match for her either.

To avoid trouble, let's just go ahead with the deal, since she doesn't seem like a bad person.

A tiny spider crawled out of the young man's sleeve and quickly disappeared into the cracks in the floor tiles. She gestured to the others, then turned and led Wu Zhuyue toward the slightly taller building in the town.

Simple houses flashed by. Seeing the curiosity in Wu Zhuyue's eyes, the young man spoke first: "Are you trying to ask why our place looks so 'ordinary'?"

Wu Zhuyue paused, then nodded obediently, "It looks like an ordinary village. I thought there would at least be a lot of gold and silver."

"The art of Gu was originally a medical technique that used other objects to assist in treatment. We were just a group of ordinary people who gradually came together because we were interested in it." The young man shrugged. "Ordinary people also find poisonous insects and snakes scary, but all things have spirits, and they can actually be very good companions. Snakes are very smart and can remember who fed them and who took care of them. After they develop intelligence, they also have feelings."

Master also said this.

She said that there are too many prejudices in the world, and the minority always submits to the majority. At best, one has nowhere to live; at worst, one is crushed and reduced to ashes. Whoever wins, whoever holds the pen, will be remembered for generations. The other will be infamous for eternity and stigmatized as a hideous monster.

Then I thought of my master. I wonder what she's doing? I came here to do something against her wishes, yet I still wonder if she's doing well.

It wasn't just Si Liuhua who was worried; Wu Zhuyue was also concerned about Si Liuhua.

"I see." Wu Zhuyue nodded. "They're not scary at all. You've taken good care of them and they're very beautiful and healthy."

"Thanks, if only everyone could speak as nicely as you." The young man grinned, revealing his teeth.

As they climbed the stairs, they had to be careful of the grain drying in the light-filled area on the second floor, which seemed to be specially prepared for the birds. After knocking three times on the door, Wu Zhuyue followed the young man inside.

An older woman sat resting in a wicker chair. The young man nodded, said "Let's chat," closed the door, and left, leaving the two of them in the room. On the wall were the dried remains of insects, and several snakes lay in their nests covered with layers of wood chips and grass. The sound of limbs rubbing together came from a corner.

The woman put down the spider she was playing with and calmly asked, "Who sent the letter?"

Wu Zhuyue nodded slightly: "Indeed, it seems she keeps her promise."

Without further provocation, the woman raised her eyes and said, "You only asked me to concoct Gu, but you didn't say what kind of Gu you wanted. First of all, I don't have anything here that can make someone love you to death, that's called losing one's mind; and I don't have anything that can kill someone with a single dose, anything that can erase emotions, anything that can cause amnesia..."

She seemed to have heard most of the legends about the human world, counting them one by one on her fingers. Wu Zhuyue smiled and said softly, "I don't need these. Love cannot be created by anything else; it only arises from the heart of another. I want a Gu that can temporarily incapacitate someone, putting them into a deep sleep or sealing their cultivation. A little while will be enough."

Then, Wu Zhuyue placed her hand on her chest.

“But the roles of mother and child must be reversed. In this case, the child Gu benefits from the mother Gu, and the child follows the mother. Conversely, if the child Gu disappears, the mother Gu will only wither and will not be in mortal danger.” She said slowly, “Can you do that?”

There must be a reason why Gu cultivators can live peacefully here. And some Gu techniques can bypass cultivation levels and directly target a person's most vulnerable points.

Are there any other requirements?

The boy breathed a sigh of relief, took out a mustard seed pouch from inside his clothes, and handed it to the woman, saying, "This is a thank-you gift."

She glanced at the bizarre and wonderful Gu-inducing agents on the wooden shelf; some were insects, some were dark, black pills, and some were even unidentifiable.

After a long while, Wu Zhuyue finally spoke: "Uh... do you have any that are a little cuter?"

As if sensing her slight disdain, the commotion of snakes and insects in the room subsided for a brief moment.

Two days later, the boy carefully put the fragile Gu into his mustard seed bag.

A light drizzle had started outside sometime earlier. Spring days are always like this: damp, lukewarm, and persistent, a gentle, continuous drizzle.

As she stepped out of Mao Village, she suddenly felt a stirring in her heart and subconsciously looked up. In an instant, a figure loomed down, blocking her view.

“Master…” She seemed not to have used that title in a long time, and said blankly, “Master.”

Unable to call Yi Xiaohan "Master," she always addressed him as "Teacher," as if that would lessen her embarrassment. The person before her was wearing the same mask as always, but Wu Zhuyue sensed a weariness even greater than she remembered.

"Mm." Si Liuhua nodded and put her hand on the boy's shoulder.

Years have passed, and her appearance has remained unchanged, while Wu Zhuyue has grown taller and stronger, like a little mountain colt. Wu Zhuyue felt half excited and half flustered. Her previous aloofness disappeared, and she became the child who only smiled at her master again. She wanted to bury herself in Si Liuhua's arms, but then she remembered that she had grown up and was no longer suitable to do so.

But Lu Changqing also acted coquettishly with her mother in the same way.

In the end, he didn't take a step, and the boy lowered his head anxiously. Si Liuhua remained silent, and Wu Zhuyue didn't know what she was going to do.

A pure and gentle warmth suddenly flowed into her meridians, gradually guiding the chaotic spiritual energy accumulated within them to disperse and clear the blockage. Wu Zhuyue instantly felt much lighter, and the inner demons that had been swelling and tainting her golden core were significantly reduced.

The light shone in again.

—She had already formed her core during this time. The formation of her inner demons did not hinder her cultivation; on the contrary, it allowed Wu Zhuyue to advance by leaps and bounds. However, the foundation she had built in the past was likely largely wasted under the increasingly fragile and loose cultivation. She concealed these abnormalities very well, and coupled with her constant avoidance of seeing the various immortal venerables, they remained undiscovered.

However, Wu Zhuyue didn't really care anymore. She was someone with no future anyway... so why should she care about whether she could attain immortality? Lu Changqing couldn't see through it, which was actually a good thing, as she didn't need to worry about it or shed tears for him.

But what happened next made the boy's eyes widen, and he began to struggle.

However, Si Liuhua's hand gripped her tightly, giving her no chance to break free. A shackle slowly formed within her body, suppressing her cultivation, which was on the verge of another breakthrough, until it ceased to move.

—The rest, even crueler tasks, will be left to her teachers over there. Once they discover that Wu Zhuyue's cultivation is unstable, they certainly won't stand idly by.

Once the shackles were complete, Si Liuhua released his grip and calmly said, "Xiao Wu, I only asked you to do something, not to give you my life. You have a good physique and are very likely to reach the Upper Realm, so why would you harm yourself in this way?"

...It is because of the task you gave me that I am in deep pain every moment.

Wu Zhuyue couldn't speak. She just stared blankly into those calm, dark eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. Plop, plop.

The next moment, Si Liuhua squatted down and gently embraced her.

The familiar scent of herbs enveloped the boy once again. The hug he dared not ask for was given to him by the other.

A gentle voice whispered in my ear: "I have said that sacrifice is necessary. But you are my protégé, and I will protect you and keep you safe. This is my promise. Even if I ultimately give my soul to the stars, you will live on."

But Master, the one who survived seems to be suffering even more.

Wu Zhuyue couldn't bring herself to say it. She simply raised her hand and gripped the back of Si Liuhua's clothes tightly, leaving several creases on the spotless white garment.

If a person feels pain, it is actually because they have too much greed. Greed leads to anger, anger leads to resentment, and this cycle goes on endlessly.

She felt like she couldn't breathe and began to let her heart become numb. Just then, Si Liuhua came again and told her to live a good life.

"You have a long life ahead of you, which you can use to forget and let go. Many people, even if you feel irreplaceable at the moment, will ultimately be just a tiny part of your life."

"So, start learning to let go from now on."

The world doesn't seem to be black and white; right and wrong are too complicated. But at least she knows what she wants—not "a short while," but to walk together with her senior sisters and Lu Changqing forever.

After a long pause, Wu Zhuyue softly said, "Okay." When they parted, her face was streaked with tears and rain, clinging wetly to her skin.

Si Liuhua reached out and wiped away the tangled dampness from her face, saying gently, "I've temporarily sealed your cultivation. It will naturally be released once you've come to terms with it. I might have to leave for a while, so please take good care of yourself and be extra careful."

She didn't ask Wu Zhuyue why she was there. After wiping away the boy's tears, Si Liuhua stood up, washed Wu Zhuyue's clothes to remove the rain, and handed her an umbrella.

The memory of my childhood illness is still vivid. It's better to carry an umbrella just in case, as getting caught in the rain is not pleasant.

She turned around and slowly walked up the mountain path. Just as her figure was about to disappear, she heard Wu Zhuyue's voice behind her.

"Master!" Wu Zhuyue cried out, "What are you going to do?"

The voice that answered was like a pale wisp of smoke, blurred in the rain.

"Go find someone very important."

-

During Emperor Taihui's reign, Bailu Peak welcomed a rare visitor today.

The tall, archer leaned against the door with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the flowers and plants beside her, lost in thought. But what she was looking at was nothing more than a pair of grasshoppers fighting.

Soon, the wind arrived even before people did, whistling in their ears. Zu Lan looked up and smiled, "Junior Sister Lin."

Lin Yuxian jumped off the sword, straightened her sleeves, and asked, "I heard you wanted to see me?"

After saying that, she quickly opened the door, her eyes full of apology: "There is a small test at Yingyue Hall today, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Senior Sister." However, she didn't really expect Zulan to come, after all, their relationship was limited to being fellow disciples, and they rarely showed up in front of each other.

They were all incredibly busy and had little time for anything else. Besides, even in her spare time, Lin Yuqian preferred to stay in her room playing chess, drawing diagrams, writing a couple of pieces of calligraphy, and flipping through books.

After they were seated inside, Zu Lan spoke, "During my last mission, I discovered a secret realm that no one has ever explored. It's very dangerous there, and it seems to be guarded by a demonic beast with ancient bloodline, but its aura is extraordinary. So I wanted to ask you if you would be willing to go with me?"

“You can talk to my master first,” Lin Yuxian blinked, “and have them deal with the monsters first, then clear the area into a safe place.”

Zu Lan shook his head, a burning glint in his eyes: "No, we've always been in the sect, never experienced life-or-death battles, and have always lacked true sharpness. People say that fortune and honor are found in danger, but I believe that to improve, one must first experience life and death, and feel what it's like to be on the verge of death. That demonic beast is like a snake and a bird, and from a distance, the markings on its body are rounded, just like array patterns... Perhaps it would suit you well."

Hearing her say that, Lin Yuxian nodded slightly, but still waved her hand and said, "Let me improve my strength a bit more. I don't have any plans to travel far at the moment. There is still much to learn by my master's side. I'll talk about it when I've learned enough. Why don't you invite the others to go and explore first?"

"It's alright, I'll wait for you to get ready." Zu Lan smiled slightly. "Anyway, that secret realm is very hidden, it's not like it can grow legs and run away."

But what if a second person finds out? Lin Yuxian thought about it, but didn't ask, and just said "okay".

At least for now, she really has no intention of leaving. She'll probably only choose to leave when she absolutely has to.

After all, this place felt like her real home; though there was no blood relation, there was a warmer and more genuine affection there.

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The author's note: In fact, eternity is itself a fleeting concept.

(From now on, I'll add extra notes to scenes featuring supporting characters, just in case any viewers who don't want to watch accidentally consume this content.)