Forty-one re-ignited spiritual lamps
There are two people in the world who are most familiar with the Anling Lantern.
Now there's only one left.
Lu Yinche, who rarely gets melancholy about the passing of time, has one great advantage: he's not easily swept away by emotions. But being human, one must have a heart and lungs, and it's hard to let go. It was a separation that happened a long time ago, one he almost missed.
He wiped his face, his tone was good, and he wanted to joke: "Do you know what it means to win without effort? It means that you don't work hard and rely on the master to ascend. Now I am also the disciple of Master Yuhua, isn't it amazing?" Although there are many powerful people in this world, there are very few who can really reach that level. The depth of cultivation is only secondary. Only when you understand the great way and can break through the world can you ascend to perfection. Otherwise, you will just wait for a death at the end of your life.
Yan Yanshu stroked the top of his head, his movements gentle, as if coaxing a child: "Thousands of people hope to achieve enlightenment and ascend to heaven. Your master is one who has achieved enlightenment. This is a happy event. When you ascend to heaven in the future, we can be reunited."
"I don't think so..." Lu Yinche sighed. "The ancient texts all say that ascending to the upper realms will bring new avenues to enlightenment. However, no one has ever personally demonstrated this, and it's unclear whether this ascension is a massive scam, deceiving so many cultivators like hanging carrots in front of a donkey. I don't feel good about it... But my master has made it clear that he didn't ascend for the sake of ascension. If he doesn't keep his promise, he'll probably never be happy."
Yan Yanshu: "It's also a relief." His hand slid from Lu Yinche's head to his cheek, and his fingers tentatively rubbed Lu Yinche's lips, which were still a little wet from drinking tea, like a feather scratching.
Lu Yinche shook his head and changed the subject: "What are you doing? Are you taking advantage of me?"
Yan Yan, the calligrapher, was honest and answered, "Yes."
But her hands never stopped moving, and she refused to let go of Lu Yinche's face. She played with it like a jade ornament, cherishing it very much.
How to deal with someone who's so brazen about taking advantage of others? Lu Yinche had no experience. Glaring at him was useless anyway. Even if his eyes popped out, he'd still look innocent. Tsk, a sword cultivator, so deceptive. Anyone who dated this guy would be completely taken advantage of.
This "someone" turned out to be himself.
Lu Yinche sighed, but didn't dodge his movements. He generously lent his head to Yan Yanshu to study why he had two nostrils instead of three. He said casually, "It's not easy for Master to suppress his cultivation to this level. He is a person with a deep connection with the Tao. He can become an immortal by learning anything. He could have ascended to heaven two or three thousand years ago. If it weren't for Master's Wife, he wouldn't have delayed refining this lamp until he could accept me as his apprentice."
"You seem to have a good relationship."
"Of course, he only has me as his disciple." Lu Yinche thought for a moment, "I'll take you to the Fairy Island later. It's not far out to sea from Dongzhou. There are many good things there. I won't take them all with me after ascending. Speaking of which, I opened my eyes and found myself in Xizhou. How come the treasures in my retreat cave are gone? They say I've lost my memory, but that was real money. Do you know where it went?"
Yan Yanshu said, "It's just material possessions." He paused, "As for why you woke up in Xizhou, I know a little bit about it, and I can tell you."
About sixty years ago, the Immortal Alliance gained a new leader. Liang Xin, a man with lofty ambitions, wasn't content to be a despised mascot for his sect. He was determined to accomplish something earth-shattering. The target he chose was Lu Yinche. However, Lu Yinche had been struck by a sword from Yan Yanshu and had disappeared for over two hundred years.
During this period, even Yan Yanshu had no clear trace of Lu Yinche. This was Lu Yinche's request. For safety or other reasons, he always found reasons to convince those around him. Helping to conceal his whereabouts was also Yan Yanshu's good senior brother, the current leader of the Chengxiao Sect. He even sent people to Qichuan Lu to guard Lu Yinche's soul lamp to know that he was still alive.
Thanks to this, although Qichuanlu is in ruins, it has not been completely eaten up and nothing is left, but that is another story.
In short, for Lu Yinche, retreating to recuperate was his own decision. And because his injuries were related to his soul, perhaps something went wrong during the recovery process, a fragment of his soul misplaced, leading to his memory issues. Perhaps the cave where he was retreating was in Xizhou, and who knew what he was doing there.
Yan Yan went to Yaocheng for Xumizi's sake. Before leaving, he went to Jingwei Pavilion to have his fortune told by Ding Zhu. The astrological signs were complex, especially for a cultivator of his level. How could one easily predict the trajectory of fate? Ding Zhu studied for a long time before finally saying, "Let me go find my senior brother, the head of the sect."
Coincidentally, the Sect Master had just returned from outside with a promising young talent. Upon seeing Yan Yanshu, he asked if he wanted a disciple. Yan Yanshu had no interest in teaching and merely watched as his senior brother named his prospective disciple. When asked about his hometown, it happened to be Xizhou. Whether intentional or not, the Sect Master let it slip, "That's a great place. The renowned Mingye Sword Master left his homeland to settle there. It shows how extraordinary he is."
Yan Yanshu then realized that the sect leader seemed to have been keeping track of Lu Yinche's whereabouts. However, when he asked more questions, this slippery senior brother kept evading the question. Fearing that any rash action would disrupt Lu Yinche's plans, Yan Yanshu joined the Chengxiao Sect incognito, even bringing along Wei Qi, the elder doctor, which only added to Xie Qiaosheng's frustrations.
Lu Yinche touched his nose and said, "Don't overestimate me. What if I don't have any plans and just do whatever comes to mind?"
"I believe you." Yan Yanshu said, and took out the brocade box he had bought earlier from his arms, which contained the Xumizi. "This is for you."
Thinking about his previous actions, Lu Yinche suddenly realized: "I was wondering why you and I have the same hobby. So you prepared it for me? You prepared it back then? Wouldn't I still be missing?"
Yan Yanshu shook his head: "I think you will like it and will take it when you see it. There are many more in Ranchuan, my residence, and Kuxue Peak."
Lu Yinche was almost beginning to believe that love existed. He was shocked: "How can I be so embarrassed to do this?"
Yan Yanshu said seriously, "It's the betrothal gift." He then said, "Because of other things, we kept delaying it that day. We only signed the marriage contract and haven't yet arranged a banquet for everyone. Can I make up for it this time when I go back?"
Lu Yinche thought to himself, "Are you asking me this?" It's so sudden, so I can only respond with three meows.
He laughed and said, "Well, let's tinker with the Anling Lamp. It's one of the Four Secret Treasures after all. If we ignore it, it would be too disrespectful to it. The lamp would be heartbroken for three nights if it heard that."
Yan Yanshu didn't press him for an answer. He reached out and lifted the dim lamp. The wick flickered briefly, then extinguished itself as if powerless. With a flash of inspiration and a spell, the outer layer of dust fell away, revealing the ancient and majestic cloud pattern on the lampshade. This was no simple decoration, but a channel for the flow of spiritual energy.
"It can be used to heal your soul." Yan Yanshu looked at it for a few times.
This judgment was correct. The four secret treasures were essentially magical instruments that affected the soul rather than the body, making them extremely valuable. The Anling Lamp, as its name suggests, was particularly effective. It could not only mend the soul, but at least relieve pain and heal Lu Yinche's shattered sea of consciousness.
Lu Yinche himself didn't care: "I don't feel uncomfortable, really, the energy can't enter my body——"
"Take it." Yan Yanshu interrupted him, skillfully lifted the lampshade, input spiritual power into the wick, and with a snap of his fingers, an orange-yellow flame appeared, and a warm citrus fragrance filled the air.
Lu Yinche blinked. His sea of consciousness oscillated at a gentle rhythm, like the tides of a real ocean. Yan Yanshu's quiet, solemn face loomed close, his inviolable aura largely diminished under the orange light, the hairs on his face clearly visible. He mobilized his spiritual sense, extending a portion into Lu Yinche's sea of consciousness once again. Using the light from the Anling Lantern, he wandered through the fragments of Lu Yinche's soul, attempting to piece together the shattered pieces.
A little itchy.
Lu Yinche clenched his fist uncomfortably, but Yan Yanshu took it as a sign of resistance and held his hand.
This is the second time.
Spiritual connection should be a very comfortable experience. Lu Yinche only knew the principle, occasionally joking about it, but he also knew that spiritual connection could only be achieved between very close relationships. This was a bit contradictory. How could a cultivator who had reached the Nascent Soul stage and possessed spiritual awareness trust others so easily, willing to expose their most vulnerable parts unconditionally to others as a back garden? Even a Taoist partner would inevitably have reservations.
He was like this because his sea of consciousness was weak and chaotic, leaving him unable to resist the invasion, but he instinctively didn't want to resist. The subtle itch was not painful, like the sun melting on his soul, and he felt his breathing slow down.
But his soul was too fragmented, and Yan Yanshu had a lot of effort to piece it together. He frowned and concentrated, but the results were not good.
"Sorry, I'll try again."
Lu Yinche comforted him: "It's okay, it's okay, we can ask Wei Qi to come later. You are a sword cultivator, stabbing people is your specialty, so don't steal the doctor's job."
This made Yan Yanshu silent for a few breaths before he said, "Is the wound healed?"
Lu Yinche was also stunned for a moment before he reacted and smiled: "Do you want to see it? Wei Qi said that he deserves credit for it. There is no scar at all." As he said that, he pulled open his clothes and showed him his skin without any defense. It was indeed snow-white and delicate skin, without any trace of being hit by a sword.
He said self-deprecatingly that he must have been squatting in the deep mountains and forests for a long time and had no chance of getting any sunlight.
Yan Yanshu stretched out his right hand, paused it in mid-air, and asked, "Can I touch it?"
"Sure." Lu Yinche simply pulled his collar open a little wider. "I don't even know where the wound was. Chest? Stomach? Lu Denghe described it as blood gushing out. I don't want my intestines to fall out. I have to be careful to pick up my internal organs while running for my life. It's really a bit funny."
His joke only amused himself, and Yan Yanshu did not support him.
The swordsman's calloused fingers traced the wound he remembered, his lips pursed as he recalled the scene of that day. They'd agreed it was just a show, but his lover had never been one to play by the rules. He charged upwards, facing the sword's edge, faster than he could retract it. The abyss lacked the sword's power, yet it remained a razor-sharp divine weapon, piercing a defenseless body in a split second.
Sizzle——
The Immortal Alliance was in uproar.
The sound of wind and snow on the Somekawa River.
Only Lu Yinche was smiling.
But Yan Yanshu knew that he must be in great pain.
His A Che must be in pain.
Yan Yanshu wanted to hug him and transfer the glaring wound to his own body, but in fact it could only be transferred to his dreams that came one after another.
From then on, Yan Yanshu hated the taste of blood and also hated Qianyuan, who was stained with blood.
Lu Yinche was still chattering, "I'm in good health. I heal quickly. I've never been afraid of falls since I was a kid. Whenever I got into trouble, they'd let me clean up the mess. They really put me to good use. Look, there's no sign of any injuries, right?"
Yan Yanshu was not very happy: "Internal injuries are difficult to treat."
"Take your time. I'm not in a hurry, so you shouldn't be either," Lu Yinche said, raising the still-glowing Anling Lantern. "With this lamp, it should be able to heal, right?" He wasn't sure. Lanterns were designed to guide the souls of the dead, so they might not be as specialized in treating the living. His expression of indifference was primarily to discourage Yan Yanshu from frowning. If he saw the Sword Saint looking so fearful, he'd think the world was doomed.
He continued, "I still want to know, what am I thinking of using this thing to blow up the Heavenly Gate? What's the point? Could it be that the Heavenly Gate is actually the Ghost Gate, and I have to use the lantern to clear the way and send the ghosts to reincarnation and rest? This is a monk performing a ritual, right? At least I have to chant a Buddhist name on my head. How about a Northern Monk? He sounds like a tall man."
Seeing that his thoughts had wandered off, Yan Yanshu looked helpless and turned the subject back, saying, "I want to try again."
Seeing him staring at her chest, Lu Yinche swallowed the words "go back and try again" and opened her hands in cooperation: "Come on, Master Sword Saint, please don't pity me, a delicate flower. Stretch out your spiritual sense and enter from where? Wherever you like, how about it? Anyway, I'm leaky from all sides, so anywhere will do."
He is a talkative person.
Yan Yanshu blocked that mouth.
He kissed her.
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