Chapter 6 - 3: Fairy, Would You Like Some Noodles?
"I’ve already sent word to my junior sister. She should be nearby and will be able to return to the sect in a few more days."
He opened the door to the Fairy’s pale, weak voice.
Lu Changyuan placed the medicine on the wooden table inside. "This might be a little bitter. I added Poria Cocos, black aconite, and Green Pinellia."
Qiu Yuehan watched Lu Changyuan without a word. Her Elixirs were gone; now she could only rely on a mortal to brew her medicine.
"I have no reason to harm you, at least not right now," Lu Changyuan said, spreading his hands. "I’m just a Village Physician who’s desperate to become an immortal."
Qiu Yuehan didn’t believe a word of it.
She was growing more suspicious that Lu Changyuan was some Old Monster who had been in seclusion for hundreds of years.
A moment passed.
Only then did Qiu Yuehan take the medicine bowl, swallowing the contents in small sips. Her slender eyebrows furrowed slightly. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her delicate neck, its fair skin tinged with a blush that could dazzle any onlooker.
’This medicine is so bitter!’
’How could he make it so bitter?!’
Lu Changyuan’s voice drifted over. "And who is this junior sister of yours, Fairy?"
"The other True Inheritor in the palace." The medicine was so bitter her tongue went numb, but Qiu Yuehan’s expression remained unchanged. "There are only two True Inheritors in the palace: my junior sister and I. We’ve always had an excellent relationship."
"Then between you and your junior sister, Fairy, who is more likely to become the next Young Palace Master?"
Qiu Yuehan lowered her gaze. "I don’t know. I don’t care about the position of Young Palace Master."
Lu Changyuan couldn’t read her expression; she seemed to genuinely not care about the position.
The text appearing in his vision was also quite clear.
Everyone in the palace said that Qiu Yuehan would be the next Young Palace Master. While Qiu Yuehan herself didn’t care, her junior sister was so jealous she had been tainted by a Desire Demon.
’So, in other words, the problem is with the junior sister... or is it?’
Lu Changyuan changed the subject. "The Miao Yu Palace Master, is she already a Seventh Realm Yao Guang Cultivator?"
Qiu Yuehan nodded. "Not only that, the Palace Master has been in seclusion for a century, seeking the path beyond the Seventh Realm."
"That’s very difficult, going beyond the Seventh Realm."
The Seventh Realm of Cultivation is a stairway to the heavens. Upon reaching the Seventh Realm, the only goal is the Ascension that lies beyond.
Qiu Yuehan knew this, of course. "In the last three thousand years, only the Chang’an Daoist has managed it."
Lu Changyuan was stunned.
But he quickly figured it out.
Five hundred years ago, he had vanished from the Mortal World.
At the time, his power was so great that everyone in the Cultivation Realm combined couldn’t have defeated him. For such a deadly figure to vanish so bizarrely... it couldn’t have been an assassination. The only explanation was that he had ascended.
Lu Changyuan got up and opened the window, letting sunlight stream into the room. "I heard that Miao Yu Palace was founded less than five hundred years ago. It’s impressive that your Palace Master has such a profound foundation as to glimpse beyond the Seventh Realm."
The Fairy couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
’When the Chang’an Daoist was cleansing the Cultivation Realm back then, how did he miss sweeping up an old fossil like you?’
"That’s not entirely true. Although our palace was only established a few hundred years ago, we were quite famous before the turmoil."
Lu Changyuan already thought that the Swordsmanship Qiu Yuehan had used earlier looked familiar. He hadn’t expected that it might really be from an old acquaintance.
"Tell me more."
Qiu Yuehan said softly, "Actually, our palace used to be called the Yuyue Immortal Palace, and we only accepted women. But later... we barely survived that century of turmoil under the Palace Master’s leadership. Countless disciples died or were injured. Only then was the name changed to Miao Yu Palace, and we began to accept both men and women."
Lu Changyuan fell into a rare silence for a moment, then a strange smile appeared on his face. "So you’re saying I’ve come at a good time?"
Qiu Yuehan paused, giving Lu Changyuan a strange look. "I suppose so. In the future, if you join the palace, you could find a junior sister to be your Dao companion and ascend the Great Dao together. After all... you’re not bad-looking."
Even by Qiu Yuehan’s standards, Lu Changyuan was considered a handsome man.
"Let’s not talk about that for now. Move over."
The Fairy’s pretty face turned frosty.
But Lu Changyuan said matter-of-factly, "I’m exhausted. I haven’t slept all night. I’m just a mortal; I can’t compare to you Immortals."
"You!"
"This is my house, right?" Lu Changyuan took off his outer robe and sat down on the edge of the bed without any ceremony. "You’re seriously injured, and I sympathize, so I’ll give you half the bed to rest. If you’re not happy with that, you can go meditate on that chair over there. But I’m really, really tired."
After killing the Heart-Eating Monk, staying up all night, and carrying Qiu Yuehan down the mountain, Lu Changyuan’s body was indeed quite fatigued.
Qiu Yuehan bit her red lip, too angry to speak. She pulled back her small feet and shuffled further into the bed.
Lu Changyuan lay down unceremoniously.
His bed now had the fragrant scent of a woman, which Lu Changyuan wasn’t quite used to.
"You... Don’t you move!"
It took Qiu Yuehan a long moment to finally force out those words, keenly aware that she was the fish on his chopping block.
There was no response.
Lu Changyuan was already asleep.
Qiu Yuehan’s beautiful eyes widened instantly.
’Asleep?!’
The Fairy tilted her head in disbelief and looked at Lu Changyuan’s face. His eyes were closed, his breathing even.
For some reason, Qiu Yuehan felt angry, though she couldn’t say why.
Finally, she pressed her red lips together, sighed, and tugged at the blanket.
Lu Changyuan hadn’t had much of the blanket to begin with, and now he had none at all.
The room fell quiet once more.
The Fairy closed her eyes, racing against time to recover.
But she couldn’t quiet her mind, no matter how she tried.
The root of the problem was the man lying next to her.
The most talented disciple of Miao Yu Palace, for the first time in her life, was this close to a man—so close they were lying in the same bed.
’How could this man just fall asleep?’
’He threatened me and even branded me with a Demon Pattern. What right does he have to be asleep?’
’Isn’t he afraid I’ll cut his head off with my sword while he sleeps?’
’Even if my life is in his hands, is he truly not afraid that I’ll risk mutual destruction?’
Apparently,
Lu Changyuan wasn’t all that scared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When he woke again, it was already the next night. The chirping of cicadas was the only music.
Lu Changyuan yawned. The Fairy was no longer in the bed.
’Time to get something to eat.’
After briefly straightening his wrinkled clothes, Lu Changyuan opened the door.
WHOOSH!
A sword, carrying powerful momentum, tore a rift in the quiet night.
The cool breeze under the moon danced with the Fairy’s blade.
Qiu Yuehan was practicing her swordsmanship.
Lu Changyuan called out, "You’re not even healed, and you’re already practicing with your sword?"
The Fairy remained silent, the only sound the rustle of her white robes.
After a long moment, Qiu Yuehan finally withdrew her sword.
"Miss one day of practice, and I know it. Miss seven days, and my sect knows it. Miss a month, and my enemy knows it. Miss a year, and my grave knows it."
Lu Changyuan patted down his clothes. "Well said."
Qiu Yuehan stared intently at Lu Changyuan. A passing cloud obscured half her face, a shadow that seemed to lay her vulnerability bare. "What did you think of my swordsmanship just now?"
"Very good."
"Any other thoughts?"
Lu Changyuan shook his head. "Nope. I’m going to get some food."
’Trying to get my guidance for free? Not a chance.’
’Besides, I’ve never practiced Miao Yu Palace’s Swordsmanship, so how would I know its intricacies?’
’Then again...’
’The swords of Miao Yu Palace, even the thirteenth form, are just so-so. Average at best.’
"I’m going to make some noodles. Want some?"
With her back to Lu Changyuan, Qiu Yuehan was silent for a moment before replying, "Yes."