Watching the Mountain

Ye Qingxue stared blankly at the confident Xu Ran before her, feeling as if she were seeing him for the first time. He had always been so low-key and cautious, rarely showing such a confident expression. This was the first time she had ever seen it.

Moreover, she knew all about his talent.

And yet, a person like him was now telling her he was going to achieve the Dao.

"You... achieve the Dao?" Her voice was filled with astonishment.

"Why not? I’m serious."

Hearing this, she fell silent for a long time before sighing softly. "I finally understand why Senior Brother became friends with you. It’s because you’re even more arrogant than he was."

"Perhaps," Xu Ran replied, his expression calm.

Ye Qingxue watched his reaction, her eyes flickering slightly. Then, she gave him a small smile and said in a solemn tone:

"If you can really do it, then I’m counting on you. Let me... marry Senior Brother."

"I will," Xu Ran replied, his voice firm.

After he spoke, the room fell silent once more, leaving only the sounds of the two of them chewing the Fire Spirit Chicken and drinking the Hundred Fruit Wine.

After a while, Xu Ran’s Communication Jade Talisman stirred. He picked it up and formed a finger seal, and an urgent voice immediately came from within:

"Fellow Daoist Xu, what’s going on? I heard that Fellow Daoist Qingxue failed her breakthrough and is now on the verge of death. Is this true?"

As soon as the voice finished, another concerned voice chimed in, "That’s right. With Fellow Daoist Qingxue’s talent, how could she fail her breakthrough? And even if she did, she wouldn’t have been so severely injured, right? This has to be a rumor, right?"

The speakers were none other than Zhao Wuyang and Liu Yunge.

Ever since Ye Qingxue had said she was "jealous," they had come to see her as their dearest friend. To them, that jealousy was the highest form of approval; in their hearts, Ye Qingxue was the one person in the world who truly understood their love.

Xu Ran was a little surprised that the two of them were actually together. That was quite rare. Given their statuses, it was very difficult for them to find an opportunity to be together.

Hearing the concern in their voices, Xu Ran didn’t hide the truth. "It’s true. Elder Qingxue is in very bad shape right now."

"Ah, how could this be? We said that after we reached the Divinity Transformation Stage, we would invite her to our wedding! We even said we would travel the world and enjoy life together. How could this suddenly..."

"How is Fellow Daoist Qingxue’s condition now? We’re on our way, but we have to hide our tracks, so it’ll probably take two or three days to arrive. Can she hold on until we get there?"

"You’re coming over?" Xu Ran was astonished.

"Of course we are! Those days at the Profound Pure Sect were the most carefree and happiest times for us. Fellow Daoist Qingxue is a friend we truly cherish. Now that something has happened to her, we have to see her one last time, no matter what."

"This..." Xu Ran was stunned, shocked by Zhao Wuyang and Liu Yunge’s words.

’Perhaps it was just as they said,’ he thought. ’We had gotten along so well during those days—gossiping and laughing together, dreaming about the future, and even playing some games.’

’But I had always thought it was only because we stumbled upon Zhao Wuyang and Liu Yunge’s secret, and that we were all forced to get along. After all, since we were thrown together, playing around happily was better than being at odds, right?’

’Who knew? Judging by what they were saying, they had genuinely come to see us all as friends.’

"What’s wrong, Fellow Daoist Xu? Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t tell me Fellow Daoist Qingxue has already..." Liu Yunge’s urgent, trembling voice came from the other side.

Hearing this, Xu Ran quickly replied, "No, she hasn’t. I’m with Elder Qingxue right now. I’ll let her speak to you."

After saying that, he handed the Communication Jade Talisman to Ye Qingxue.

As Ye Qingxue took the Communication Jade Talisman, Liu Yunge’s relieved voice came through. "You’re with Fellow Daoist Qingxue? That’s great! Quickly, let her talk to us."

When Ye Qingxue heard this voice, her expression faltered for a moment, and a ripple of emotion crossed her gaze.

She was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and spoke, her voice trembling slightly. "It’s me. How did you two get out?"

Xu Ran could tell she was suppressing some kind of emotion, trying hard to maintain her composure.

"Fellow Daoist Qingxue, is that you? Your voice sounds so much older... But as long as you’re alive, that’s all that matters. Just hold on. I’m on my way. Our Creation Sect is most skilled in the Path of Life. Before I left, I got a Ninth Grade Nine-Turns Life Creation Pill from my master. I’m not sure about your condition, but I’m sure it will help your injuries."

Ye Qingxue’s hand trembled, and she nearly dropped the Communication Jade Talisman.

"Such a precious Elixir... your master just gave it to you like that?"

"I told him I was going to fight Wuyang to the death—either he dies or I do. But just in case, I said I needed to prepare a life-saving Elixir. My master agreed."

"Then what will you do when you both return to your Sects alive? How will you explain it?"

"I haven’t thought that far ahead. As for what comes next, I’ll discuss it with Wuyang and figure it out then."

Ye Qingxue was silent for a moment, then said, "There’s no need. My Dao Foundation is destroyed, and my flame of life has already been extinguished. I won’t be able to hold on until you arrive."

She took a shallow breath. "In the past, all my thoughts were of Senior Brother. I didn’t get along well with my fellow sect members. My master tried to advise me, but I never listened."

"Because of that, I... never had any real friends."

"Thank you for considering me a friend. You probably know about me and Senior Brother. I hope you don’t follow in my footsteps. I hope you can stay together forever and always be by each other’s side."

"You have to be happy."

With that, before Liu Yunge and the others could react, she cut off the connection.

A long time passed before she slowly raised her head to look at Xu Ran. "Back then, did you believe them? Did you consider them friends?"

Xu Ran shook his head. "I just thought they wanted to borrow my Cave Mansion for their secret dates."

Hearing this, the Little Witch, Ye Qingxue, broke into a smile. "Me too. I always thought they were just worried I would expose their secret, so they kept me in their sights. That’s why I deliberately played along..."

"I never expected that they actually saw me as a friend."

She tilted her head, gazing at the sky outside the window, an unreadable light shimmering in her eyes. "This is the first time I’ve ever felt what it’s like to be cared for by friends. Now that I think about it, it’s actually quite nice."

"It’s just a shame that back then, all I could think about was Senior Brother. If I had made more friends... I’m sure I would have been much happier."

After she spoke, she turned back to Xu Ran and asked, "Xu Ran, back then, they said all five of us were friends, and that included you. Will you... consider me a friend?"

This was the first time the Little Witch had called him by his name.

Xu Ran smiled faintly. "If you don’t mind, I’d be glad to."

She smiled slightly. "Then I have one more friend now."

Then, with a serious expression, she said to Xu Ran, "I’m entrusting Wuyang and Yun Ge to you. I hope you can be there to see the moment they find their happiness."

"Also, if you really do achieve the Dao in the future and resurrect Senior Brother and me, don’t be in a rush to help us get married. I want... to experience a different kind of life. If, at that time, I still love Senior Brother, then you can help us get married."

In her heart, she never truly expected Xu Ran to be able to achieve the Dao and pull her and her Senior Brother from the river of time. She was only saying this to express her feelings.

Xu Ran looked at the smile on her face, nodded gently, and replied, "Alright. When that time comes, the decision will be all yours."

The Little Witch smiled faintly at his words. "Then I’ll be counting on you."

She had spent her entire life pursuing her Senior Brother, even seeing him as her very Dao. In the end, however, she had failed to keep him by her side, and her own Dao had shattered when he disappeared.

Now, in the final moments of her life, she had gained a few friends.

’This... isn’t so bad after all,’ she thought.

’It’s really nice.’

’At least, I’m truly happy right now—so happy that I don’t want to die. I want to stay in this world a little longer, to watch my friends find their happiness, and then to travel together with them all.’

’That would be wonderful, wouldn’t it?’

As these thoughts crossed her mind, a smile bloomed on her face. Holding on to the scene she pictured in her mind, she slowly closed her eyes.