This life

However, Bai Shi and Gongye Fusu were both efficient people. One of them said, "Alright, the Gongye family's Qianjin Incense Shop is not far from our Tianxiang Garden. The two sides often cooperate. I know the way. Why don't I take this pot of 'Twin Flowers' along with your instructions, young master, so that the young master of the Gongye family won't have to make another trip."

The other readily agreed, saying, "Thank you very much, Painter Bai, for saving me the trouble of running errands."

Then the three of them realized what was happening and exclaimed, "Twin flowers blooming?"

Bai Shi then realized what was happening and smiled awkwardly but politely, saying, "This flower... is quite rare, and it's a two-colored plant, so the owner specially gave it an auspicious and beautiful name. In my hometown... noble families often use it as a wedding gift or as a betrothal present..."

Gu Yi made a decisive statement without room for argument: "From now on, this flower must be renamed: Brotherly Love and Respect."

Gongye Fusu readily agreed. Bai Shi, however, could only manage a dry laugh, thinking to himself: These flowers are usually named after beautiful women and love, inspiring longing and pity in those who see them, which makes them easy to sell. If they were named like this young master's, sales would probably drop by more than half immediately—who would buy a pot of flowers to take home and feel as if they were being lectured by a sage, constantly reflecting on the ways of reverence and caution? But seeing that Gu Yi was of extraordinary and noble status, someone he couldn't afford to offend, he dared not go against his wishes and was now in a difficult position.

But Gu Yi certainly wouldn't think that way. He was the Imperial Tutor, and his words carried weight. It was already an extraordinary honor that he was willing to personally name this flower. If this flower were named by him in the capital, it would surely become famous and its value would skyrocket.

Gongye Fusu, being a merchant himself, understood the situation perfectly. He immediately gave Bai Shi a wink and said, "Please trouble the painter to take this flower to Qianjin Incense Shop and specify that it is a 'brotherly love and respect' flower that our young lady specially sent to the Left Prime Minister. This is an offering, so it must be handled with extra care. Other local flowers can remain unchanged."

Bai Shi immediately breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I will take care of it right away." She turned around and called to her servants, "Send these brocades and flowers onto the carriage. This pot of 'Brotherly Love and Respect' is for the young lady to send to Qianjin Incense Shop. It must be handled with special care and placed separately from the others."

She then cupped her hands in greeting to the three people present and said, "I will now return to report to my master." She then prepared to leave.

Gu Yi's cold and stern voice rang out: "There's no need to go back. We're going into the mountains today." After a moment's pause, he said without room for doubt: "You'll come with us."

Bai Shi had previously asked Gu Yi and A Qiu if they could take her along if they went into the mountains to search for Li Wujiu's whereabouts. Gu Yi had agreed at the time. However, the sudden departure was somewhat unexpected for her, as she was unaware of Gu Yi's condition last night and could not delay any longer. After a slight pause, she immediately said, "Let me go outside and tell the coachman a few things, and I'll be right back."

A Qiu knew that she would have to try her best to keep the Meng family, who were outer disciples of the Hidden World Sect, from knowing about this move, so she had to find an excuse. She frowned and said, "Painter Bai came to deliver something, but she just left and didn't return. Won't your master have any questions?" She asked tactfully, but in fact, she was testing whether Bai Shi had a proper way to reply to the Meng family so as not to arouse suspicion from the Hidden World Sect.

Bai Shi smiled and said, "It's alright. The Meng family hired me as a guest, not a servant. I have never shown any signs of it before. In the past, I often went deep into the mountains or visited famous gardens to paint and explore rare flowers and plants. It was common for me to not return for several days. The Meng family will not care about my comings and goings. After instructing the driver, we can set off."

The Hidden World Sect is located in Dawan Mountain, southwest of Huanhua City. More than twenty miles from the city, the area gradually becomes sparsely populated, shrouded in mist, and presents a lush natural forest scene. One can often see hundred-year-old vines entwining towering ancient trees, and even the sunlight filtering through the gaps carries a sense of desolate coldness.

Of the five people in the group, Lie Changkong was the least involved in such naturally formed geographical features. This was because he was a young master from a famous martial arts family. After becoming Gu Yi's charioteer, he handled government affairs and traveled to and from densely populated cities and prefectures.

The others, such as Gongye Fusu and Bai Shi, had been searching for rare plants and herbs, while Gu Yi and A Qiu had been to deserts, cliffs, snowfields and other desolate places because their cultivation required facing the power of nature. Therefore, they did not show any unusual symptoms.

Upon seeing the vast wilderness and towering mountains, Lie Changkong frowned and asked, "Would there be poisonous snakes or ferocious beasts roaming here? Why would a renowned sect like the Hidden World Sect, with a history spanning over a century, choose such a place to reside?"

His question was also pointed. Leaving aside the powerful aristocrats of the capital, even martial arts sects mostly reside in scenic, easily accessible mountains. Unless it's a place like Lanling Hall, teeming with assassins, their sect's location wouldn't be easily discovered. A sect as isolated and fortified as the Hidden Sect is a rare find.

Gu Yi looked out the window, sighed, and replied, "This is the meaning of seclusion. It is neither a beautiful mountain nor a shortcut to Zhongnan Mountain, so one cannot use it to gain fame and fortune. People who are interested in worldly fame and fortune are not interested in it. It cannot be entered easily, so only those who sincerely yearn for the Great Way will not be afraid of the dangers and step into this mountain."

He added, "The path we are taking now is not the main entrance to the Hidden World Sect, but another route, because the main entrance mountain path is guarded by Hidden World Sect disciples. What we are going to is the sect's forbidden area, 'Another Paradise,' where Sect Master Li is in seclusion."

He added, “After we arrive at the forbidden area, the three of you will guard the area outside to protect us and prevent others from entering. A-Qiu and I will enter the cave to find Li Wujiu.”

Gongye Fusu asked, "If it is as you say..." He glanced at Bai Shi, the only outsider among the five, before changing his words, "As you said, Sect Master Li is currently facing a life-or-death crisis. Would your entry disturb him and affect his Dao heart?"

Gu Yi replied, "Others can, but I can't."

He said in a calm and even tone, "Because I have also entered that life-or-death barrier."

Bai Shi had been very obedient and silent the whole way, knowing that this group did not intend to reveal their identities to her, and therefore dared not harbor any intention of testing them. Now, hearing Gu Yi speak so frankly about the life-or-death situation in front of her, she finally couldn't resist her curiosity and asked, "May I ask, young master, what exactly is the life-or-death situation?"

Although Gu Yi was wearing a bamboo hat and veil, Bai Shi could feel his gaze directed at her. But after only one glance, Gu Yi replied, "The life-and-death barrier is a realm that all cultivators, whether Buddhist, Taoist, or martial, will eventually face. The higher one's cultivation, the more questions will arise from the heart: What is the purpose of this life?"

Lie Changkong said, "For me, that doesn't seem to be a problem. As a son of the Lie family, it is my duty to master superb martial arts and serve the young master. If I weren't serving under the young master, I might be a general on the border or serving in the court right now. In short, this is our family's duty."

The Lie family of Tianquan has always been the leading force in the Jiangzuo righteous martial arts world. Therefore, Lie Changkong was influenced by this from a young age, and his purpose in learning martial arts was for this purpose.

Gongye Fusu pondered and said, “This is different in our family, which cultivates the art of incense. The identification and refinement of scents is a feeling that goes straight to the heart. I have never thought about this question. I just feel that the world formed by fragrance is ever-changing, full of vitality, and has a kind of spirituality that is obviously beyond the visible mundane world. I have liked to immerse myself in this realm since I was a child, and I have naturally been in this realm without thinking about any other questions.”

Everyone else's gaze turned to Bai Shi. This was because she was sitting beneath Gongye Fusu's shoulder. And at this moment, even her usually gentle and calm eyes showed a hint of nervousness.

To answer Gu Yi's question, Bai Shi would have to reveal her origins and her initial motivation for joining the sect's cultivation path. Everyone present was a seasoned veteran with keen insight into the ways of the world; Bai Shi couldn't possibly get away with lying, and if she harbored any ill intentions, they would surely be revealed now.

Bai Shi tried his best to remain calm and said, "Our sect's cultivation path is to communicate and resonate with the natural world. Like the young master of the Gongye family, I am naturally gifted in this area. By sensing the divine workings of nature with my mind and expressing them through my writing, I can depict the world I see in my heart. This makes me feel peaceful and happy, and I don't think about anything else."

Gu Yi calmly said, "Therefore, the world in which Chang Kong lives and exists is the sum of the social relationships and family responsibilities he was born into. The world in which you two live is another world beyond the reach of the naked eye, which may be called the 'world of spirits'."

Knowing that Gu Yi would surely see through her identity, Bai Shi had no choice but to stand up. As she bowed, she addressed Gongye Fusu, saying, "Bai Shi, the head disciple of the Inner Sect of the Divine Witch Clan, greets the esteemed master of the Outer Sect, the Gongye family." Then she earnestly bowed to Gu Yi, saying, "Please enlighten me, young master, who this esteemed master or senior is."

Even the usually mild-mannered and calm Gongye Fusu showed surprise on his face, saying, "Master Bai, you are actually a disciple of the Zhuyou Sect?" Although the Gongye family was an outer sect of the Shenwu Sect, they rarely interacted with the Zhuyou Sect, as the Zhuyou Sect was usually hidden in the martial world and rarely made contact. He cupped his hands and said, "I am Gongye Fusu, the current head of the Gongye family." He then pointed to Gu Yi and said, "This expert you mentioned is Gu Yi, the Junior Tutor of this dynasty." He then pointed to Lie Changkong and said, "This is Young Master Lie Changkong of the Lie family of Tianquan."

Bai Shi's originally indifferent expression had turned into one of astonishment and confusion. When Gongye Fusu pointed to A Qiu again, she immediately replied, "This must be Miss A Qiu, the chief dancer of Bai Zhu in this era, the only female music official in the Music Bureau, and the successor of the Junior Master." She then bowed to each of them and said, "Miss A Qiu's name is even more renowned among the female guests of our Tiangongfang and Tianxiangyuan than any of you. Therefore, although I am a wild man, I have heard of her many times."

A Qiu was surprised that her reputation was so widespread in this remote southwestern region, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm afraid I'm just riding on my master's coattails."

Bai Shi's eyes shone brightly as she said decisively, "That's not the case! The southwest region is home to many ethnic minorities who love music and dance. 'Bai Zhu' is a representative of the Qing Shang music and dance of the Han people and led the fashion of the time. The news that came from the capital a few days ago was that the performance of 'Yan Shining' was unprecedentedly stunning. The young lady blocked the assassination attempt on the Marquis of Guannei by the eldest princess, 'Su Shou Yama,' with her bare hands in front of the emperor. At this moment, in the hearts of us border women, the young lady is not only a celestial dancer, but also a heroine who can openly resist tyranny."