Even though we're together every day, we're still separated by fog.
After clearing my mind of distractions and delusions, I finally calmed down, by which time I was drenched in sweat and completely exhausted.
At this moment, he cannot afford to be unsettled. Every time he releases his primordial spirit to settle karmic debts, it will have a certain backlash on him. He cannot relax. If he does, the consequences will fall on Chao Lan.
In recent years, I have been increasingly constrained by the will of Heaven, which probably means my time is running out and I don't have much time left.
Without much hesitation, he hid in the ice chamber and began a short period of seclusion. He needed to suppress his panic in this way.
Pushing open the door, I noticed a few flickering candlelight. Sitting there was Chaolan, who had been waiting for a long time.
Hearing the sound, Chao Lan turned around. Her small face, no bigger than a palm, had dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept well for several nights.
"Master, you've come out!"
You Youju gazed down at him quietly, her two fingers resting on his forehead, calming the restless spiritual energy within him. Chao Lan felt a sense of relief, as if a gentle breeze was caressing his pulse, swallowing his unease.
You Youju then sat down, calmly took out a piece of candy, and fed it to Chaolan.
"What happened? It's chilly at night, why did you come wearing only one layer?" she said, gently stroking Chaolan's back.
His body and soul were warmed, but the unease on his face remained: "Master, why is there someone who looks exactly like you among this batch of red fruits? And me too? But I am not me... and you are not you either! I am someone else, and the person next to you who looks like you is not me!"
His tone was somewhat flustered, and You Ju frowned, tapping her fingers on the table intentionally or unintentionally.
Candles were lit inside, and several moths fluttered against the lampshade, making dull, self-destructive sounds.
One, two, and the atmosphere became heavy in the moment when You Youju was lost in thought.
Chao Lan panicked even more, gripping You Youju's hand tightly, desperately wanting an answer.
In this case of cause and effect, didn't I eliminate this matter from the equation?
You Youju sighed and comforted him, "It must be because I often force my primordial spirit to leave my body. They haven't fully returned to their original positions, and a wisp of their souls has dissipated. It's alright, he has his tribulation. Don't panic, it's not a big deal. Rest assured."
Seeing his certainty, Chao Lan felt relieved. He gently leaned on You Youju's shoulder and said, "They say that if something is out of the ordinary, there must be something fishy going on. I'm so scared that I don't even dare to sleep. I'm afraid... of some kind of unexpected event."
You Youju pulled him into her arms, stroking his hair as she often did, but her eyes held a different emotion.
"Chaolan, I'm here. You don't need to be afraid of anything. Sleep, sleep..."
Looking down at the shadows of the two people on the ground, his heart ached for a moment. He sighed and whispered, "Plants and trees are indifferent, and the wind and thunder will hasten their departure. This time, your master will be in seclusion for a while. You must cultivate diligently and listen to the other senior masters."
After Chaolan fell asleep, a light rain began to fall outside the window, and gradually the sound of raindrops hitting the windowsill grew louder.
You Youju leaned out, and the rain and puddles did not wet him at all.
The cold rain pattered on the jasmine, dispersing its fragrance. Many of the delicate petals had already fallen, leaving only lonely buds. Only a few clusters in the inner part of the plant remained intact, soaked with rainwater, and exuding a faint, cool fragrance.
The orange tree provided a shield for them, and the bent flowers trembled as they stood up again, letting the water droplets fall and emitting a faint, shimmering white light.
The two sets of white clothes that had been in the wardrobe for many years had disappeared at some point, and even when circulating spiritual energy, he could feel that he had lost 20% of his power, and his fingertips were weak.
It seems that "oneself" has already appeared, and nothing can be changed.
Now he no longer needs to go to great lengths to find the weakness of the barrier in order to find Zhu Xun.
Youyouju has become a caged bird, unable to fly out of this mountain even for a moment.
Do they... want to refer to themselves and Zhu Xun in this way? Yes, their path has arrived.
The first thing You Youju did after leaving the pass was to go to the hot spring. She found that her clothes had already been folded up and a magnolia hairpin, longer than the one in her hair, was stuck in her clothes.
It was prepared for him by Chaolan.
Youyouju sheds its clothes, picks up that lifelike magnolia branch, and feels its warmth upon touching it, smooth and tender.
He coiled his long, ink-black hair into a bun before slowly entering the water. Mist climbed onto his eyelashes, as if obscuring the shimmering light in his eyes. Bored, he raised his withered hand from the water, then slowly clenched his fist, gathering his spiritual energy. With a flick of his finger, the nearby hot spring exploded like thunder, unleashing a torrent of hot spring rain.
There's no time to hesitate anymore; everything is unavoidable.
Chao Lan was practicing her sword when she saw her master return. She happily stepped forward and said, "Welcome back, Master!"
You Youju nodded in acknowledgment, smoothed his hair, and let him continue practicing, while she checked on him from the side.
After a few moves, Chao Lan's sword light was like a bolt of lightning, his momentum like a rainbow, his figure agile, and his skills proficient. The sword light made his eyes shine like sword blades; his waist-length curly hair shone brightly. Man and sword were one, piercing through the cold wind and breaking through the withered. He was a spirited, bright, and radiant young hero, and the image of him leaped off the page, leaving You Youju speechless.
Is this the main character?
Sweat dripped down her temples, her forehead glistening in the sunlight. Cen Chaolan's smile was not like spring water, but more beautiful than a summer breeze.
With her eyes crinkling into a smile, she asked, "Master! How is it?"
She looked just like a little dog begging for a reward. You Youju seemed to be hallucinating about the ears and the wagging tail. Even though she was taller than him, she still squatted down slightly and looked up at him.
You Youju smiled more deeply, feeling proud: "Beautiful!"
Cen Chaolan was still not satisfied, tilting her head back for him to touch her: "Please reward me, Master~"
You Youju was used to his coquettish manner, and smiled kindly. His slender hand touched Cen Chaolan's cheek. His hand was very white, but Cen Chaolan's skin was not fair and tender. The contrast was obvious when his hand touched hers.
She gently touched his cheek, and thinking about the turbulent days that were destined to follow, she couldn't help but murmur, "After you leave, Master will no longer be able to touch me."
Cen Chaolan rubbed her palm affectionately: "Then please stay with your disciple, Master." Her tone was gentle, but her eyes were like fire and claws.
You Youju made a slapping motion, lightly tapping his cheek, but not scolding him: "Chaolan, it's time for you to grow up."
Yundi Peak is solitary and proud; unless it is an emergency or an important matter, elders from other peaks will not easily visit it.
You Youju felt a headache coming on as she watched the incessant chatter of the elders.
"Guichen, last time you told us that the Demon Regent was secretly searching for extraordinary people. Our disciples investigated thoroughly and confirmed it was true. We've already started to take control. But this can't go on forever. You've finally figured out where the new demon was born, so you can give us a chance to deal them a heavy blow!"
You Youju sighed, her smile unchanged: "Elders, please don't worry. Gui Chen has divined that the Demon Prince is not an extremely evil person and has the strength to contend with the Regent. The human and demon realms will be at peace again."
One of the elders asked, "What are the chances of success? But the demons might fight amongst themselves. In my opinion, we should eliminate them to prevent future troubles!"
Yu Youju replied: "There will inevitably be some internal strife. The most urgent thing right now is to implement security measures to avoid widespread impact."
"This demonic child is so mysterious, even you can't figure him out? Although things have been peaceful on the surface for a few years, I'm always uneasy inside." The elder's white eyebrows furrowed as he paced back and forth in the hall.
"If the divination is wrong, I will personally descend the mountain to punish that demonic child and leave no future trouble." You Youju changed the subject, not wanting to be drawn into this anxious atmosphere. "Elder, how is the control of the plague in the south going? Do we need to send more people?"
The elder, already advanced in years and nearing his passing, squinted and replied, "You're even more confused than I am, Guichen. You resolved this during your seclusion. This time, after five years of seclusion, have you perhaps turned into a tree or grass again? You're still young! Your mindset is unstable; you weren't as composed as you were when you were a child!"
"The elder's words are correct."
And so, with each word spoken in turn, Youyouju, seemingly distracted, dodged another "trouble" and escaped again.
Chao Lan had just returned from practicing her basic skills all the way down the mountain when she saw her master looking worried again, so she went up to him and asked, "Master? Have the elders come again?"
Seeing that the heat on his face hadn't dissipated, You Youju poured him a cup of cool tea: "Yes." He was also suffering in silence at this moment, the words stuck in his throat but he couldn't find a way to say them.
"Is Master worried about the Demon Emperor? Huaijing will practice diligently to share Master's burdens and protect the people and the human world." Chaolan's eyes were bright, and she looked very serious.
You Youju wiped the sweat from his forehead and massaged his shoulders, praising him, "You can now carry 500 pounds of weight up and down the mountain without using your magic power. You're also exceptionally talented, and your sword qi has broken through to the seventh level. I estimate that the tenth level is just around the corner. You're so amazing, why does Master have any worries?"
The male lead is simply outrageous!
Chao Lan blushed with pride at the praise.
You Youju looked at him intently, a hint of sadness in her eyes. She reached out and tugged at a strand of his hair, saying lightly, "Your curly hair is quite beautiful."
Chao Lan pulled the strand of hair back, looking somewhat troubled: "I think this hair is too feminine and lacks masculine charm. Zi Tang even laughed at me when he saw it."
Zitang? Oh, Song Song. More than ten years, only more than ten years? He's been trapped for more than ten years. These more than ten years, broken down into thousands of years, seem to have made him forget many things, and he seems to have become many people.
What still makes him You Youju is that lingering resentment, that yearning, that regret. He is You Youju, an ordinary mortal, not Elder Guichen who sacrificed himself for the heavens.
With a doting smile, Ju Xiao casually ruffled Chao Lan's soft hair: "Does a man's spirit depend on his hair?"
Chao Lan took his hand. At fifteen, his palms weren't as large as You Youju's, but they were warm. Chao Lan was always understanding and meticulous. There was always someone who, just by standing there, you could understand why they were different from others.
"Master, has something been troubling you lately? I've seen you looking worried and distressed for days. Is there anything I can do to ease your worries?"
You Youju's fingers unconsciously curled slightly, and his gaze towards Chaolan was somewhat dazed, but only for a moment. He thought he had hidden it well.
You Youju pulled out her hand and took out a sheepskin map from the bookshelf behind her, handing it to Chaolan: "Many of your senior brothers and sisters have already gone down the mountain to gain experience. Because you often suffer from karma, I have not let you go down the mountain. But you must experience it yourself to gain enlightenment."
I think your time has come, and I can no longer keep you by my side; it will inevitably sadden me. You must travel alone, following this map, and send back messages of the people and events you encounter along the way, along with your reflections.
Consider this homework assigned to you by your master. Because of your striking appearance, you must not reveal your true face on the journey, lest you invite misfortune.
This map perfectly avoided the locations he and Zhu Xun had visited, yet it didn't miss most of the main characters' storylines. This selfishness towards Chao Lan caused You Ju's heart to clench; he had never been a truly pure and innocent person…
Only the morning orchid.
Chao Lan took the map, her eyes sparkling, seemingly full of anticipation.
He said confidently, "Chao Lan will certainly live up to Master's expectations!"
But in You Youju's eyes, he saw intense self-reproach and sorrow. That expression, which he had never seen before, wounded him. He seemed to have a premonition that this departure would take him further and further away from his master.
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