76 The Gap

Hongyu and Bai Nan exchanged glances, hesitating for a moment before Hongyu spoke: “All we know is that Lord Huayun suddenly went mad for some unknown reason, injuring the Immortal Lord and then being subdued and sent into reincarnation by Patriarch Liaowu. When Lord Xuanting came to find us, Lady Mingji had already been gravely injured and unconscious for a long time. He was about to take her to the upper realm to seek a rare spiritual medicine.”

“Oh? Did they go?”

“It seems… they didn’t make it. I heard the passage to the upper realm was sealed.”

“Sealed… was it?” Rong Ling tapped his finger lightly on the table, as if lost in thought.

“And Mingji?” he asked.

Hongyu glanced surreptitiously at Rong Ling, her eyes shifting to Hansu’s face. She hesitated: “You… still care about her?”

Rong Ling said nothing, merely pausing before asking, “And her injuries?”

At this, Hongyu’s face grew indignant. “She’s the reason you ended up like this! And she’s still tangled up with Lord Xuanting… Now that you have someone else by your side, why still care about her?!” She shot a fierce glare at Hansu, her expression full of exasperation.

Though Hansu knew these matters had little to do with her, she still listened carefully. Since coming to this world, she’d learned of spiritual herbs and spirit beasts, worked hard to draw spiritual energy into her body, and gradually increased her cultivation from the very first level. All in all, her progress had been swift and relatively smooth. Almost by accident, she’d even formed her Golden Core. But, truth be told, her world was still quite ordinary. Her cultivation was extraordinary for mortals but modest among cultivators; both her parents had reached the Nascent Soul stage, and the most powerful figure she’d met was a Divine Transformation ancestor who once gifted her something at a street stall.

Who would have thought she’d get involved with an Earth Immortal?

Well, an Earth Immortal gravely injured and in need of her help, at that. The more she thought about it, the more she found it surprisingly acceptable. She’d traveled with Rong Ling for nearly ten years. At first, she’d treated him simply as a patient, a statue; later, as a companion on the road, someone to laugh and talk with. He had never revealed his true strength, always suppressing his aura to the Golden Core stage. So much so that she’d almost forgotten he was an Earth Immortal.

His world was one utterly unconnected to hers.

Lost in thought, Hansu barely registered the conversation around her until she sensed a burning gaze and recalled what had just been said.

Wait—did that mean Lord Rong Ling… had someone in his heart? And she was involved with Xuanting? Yet Rong Ling still couldn’t let go of old feelings?

“Someone else by his side”—was that referring to her?

But wasn’t she just… the “medicine servant”…?

Seeing Hansu’s dazed look, Hongyu thought she really couldn’t rely on this girl. Compared to Lady Mingji, she fell far short. Even if Lord Immortal’s eyes were covered in mud, he couldn’t possibly like her, right? Sigh, it was better to think of another way.

Lord Immortal was a man of such elegance and integrity—how had he ended up so entangled with Lady Mingji? She didn’t understand what had really happened between them. Mingji was already with Lord Xuanting, yet Lord Immortal remained unchanged; didn’t he feel anger? If it were her, and Bai Nan had fallen for someone else, she’d chop her up first! And him next!

Hongyu, drifting into her own thoughts, was jolted by a nudge from Bai Nan just as she was about to act out her imagined vengeance.

“Hongyu, Lord Immortal is still waiting for your answer.”

Startled, she realized she’d drifted off again. “Uh, we don’t really know the specifics. All we heard was that Lord Xuanting wounded Patriarch Liaowu, but after that, we don’t know what happened. Lady Mingji also vanished without a trace.”

“Vanished… without a trace…”

“Immortal Lord, did you come here to find us?” Bai Nan, silent until now, finally spoke, his bright eyes fixed on Rong Ling—only to receive a flick on the forehead from Hongyu.

“Are you stupid? Lord Immortal has already dissolved our contract; how would he know where we are? Isn’t that right, Lord Immortal? Wait, why did you come here anyway?”

“When I awoke, thirty thousand years had passed. Uncertain of the present circumstances, I could only search for traces of old acquaintances. The first place I came was the Well-Xiang Realm.”

“So, what do we do next?”

Rong Ling stood, hands clasped behind his back, pacing slowly as he spoke: “Since the Celestial Mirror was lost, no one in the lower realms has ascended in thirty thousand years. Regardless of past rights and wrongs, good or evil, the search for the Celestial Mirror must come first. The two of you should look for the whereabouts of Xuanting and the others and, along the way, gather news of the mirror. As for Mingji, I’ll search for her myself.”

Hongyu frowned at this but could only lower her gaze and agree. Bai Nan, as always, obeyed Rong Ling without question. Just as they were about to leave, Rong Ling called them back.

“What happened ten thousand years ago is not simple. Your identities are too distinctive; disguise yourselves and avoid drawing attention. Also, restore the Snow Spirit’s inheritance that Xuanting tampered with.”

“Yes.” Bai Nan’s crisp reply mingled with Hongyu’s muttered complaint, “Suddenly leaving traces everywhere…”

After receiving a new inheritance, Snow Spirit’s abilities grew even more remarkable. No longer fickle, it finally became Hansu’s own spirit beast. Overjoyed, Hansu hugged Snow Spirit tightly. The beast, in turn, no longer clung to Rong Ling as before, and Hansu was finally satisfied.

Hongyu and Bai Nan each assumed a new form and departed by another path, leaving Hansu and Rong Ling with Snow Spirit in the spacious cave.

“Immortal Lord, where are we going next?” Hansu, who’d been forced to overhear so many secrets, truly wished she could forget them all. Although Aunt Ju had once told her that she could return home upon reaching the Great Golden Immortal stage, Hansu had never believed it—she’d never heard of a mere mortal ascending to such heights.

After meeting Rong Ling—so close to Golden Immortality himself—she’d never imagined her life would become intertwined with theirs. Her heart still lingered in Yaohua, worrying over the feud between Lu Tanxian and Su Yunmo, and remembering Aunt Ju’s tales of corpses strewn across the land and rivers of blood.

She’d learned much from Rong Ling; it was her good fortune. If she were smart, she should cling to him. But she found herself wanting to leave.

How could she, of all people, be worthy of striving alongside the realm’s master to open the path to the upper world? How could she be worthy of helping him search for his beloved? Her heart was so small, unable to burn with the same urgent passion to scour heaven and earth for a trace of a loved one. She didn’t even want to see Rong Ling worry for her. Was this still the same Immortal Lord who once seemed so detached, as if nothing in the world could touch him?

She had so many things to do—she lacked the power to care for the world, to mourn for all cultivators unable to ascend. Her thoughts were still with her parents, her friends, her sect, her family. She’d set out to temper her heart in the mortal world—now?

She did not yet realize that a sentiment called “melancholy” was slowly spreading through her heart and mind. Bowing her head, her voice was soft but firm: “Immortal Lord, my abilities are limited. To stay by your side would only be a burden. I wish to…”

Rong Ling said nothing, only gazing at her with his cool, unfathomable eyes. Time stretched on and on until, unable to bear the silence, Hansu finally looked up, her face full of uncertainty, not knowing what to say.

At last, he spoke. “Bringing you down here exhausted all my spiritual energy. Come, heal me.”

(⊙ o ⊙) Though she found it hard to believe, Hansu dared not defy the Immortal Lord. Her fate was in his hands. He seemed a good man, but who could say? If she angered him and he turned out to be a madman, what then? Reassuring herself, she set about healing him—and two days slipped by.

Suddenly, Rong Ling’s ears twitched. “Someone’s coming. Let’s go.” With a wave, he swept Hansu and Snow Spirit back into the Celestial Palace, erased all traces from the cave, and activated the palace.

Hansu never quite understood how, even though she’d refined the palace herself, Rong Ling could wield it with such ease. Perhaps this was the difference in their ranks—no matter how intricate the restrictions or arrays, before overwhelming power, all was meaningless.

On Lotus Pool Mountain, most of the high-level cultivators of the Well-Xiang Realm had already gathered. Ever since the first group of Divine Transformation cultivators who ventured into the fissure returned battered and bruised, all below the Nascent Soul stage had retreated. Of course, there were always a few who, inspired by too many storybooks, believed that with mere Qi Refining and unbeatable luck, they could snatch treasures from under the noses of Divine Transformation experts, and so they hid, waiting for their chance.

This left Jiayan, who had awaited Hansu and the others, extremely anxious. That day, after the two and their spirit beast leapt into the chasm, they vanished without a trace, unlike the later group of Divine Transformation cultivators, who at least returned injured. Jiayan had grown fond of their company and could not bear the thought of their senseless demise, so he ignored the odd looks of others and kept his vigil above.

Now, as the second group of late-stage Divine Transformation cultivators prepared to descend, Jiayan worried that if they returned battered as well, no one would spare his dignity as a direct descendant of the Jiang family.

Just then, something caught Jiayan’s eye—a leaf fluttering before him.

“Spirit beasts are dangerous. Hansu and I have left through a secret path underground, heading for the Stone Dominion. You should return. Thank you, and take care.”

What? Jiayan hurriedly looked around, surprised that no one else seemed to notice the conspicuous leaf drifting in front of him. He reached out to catch it, but it dissolved into fragments of light, leaving no trace behind. Was this some kind of mystical art? Could Hansu’s friend, Arong, actually be a cultivator above the Void Fusion stage?

Leaving aside Jiayan, who hurried back to report to his father on Hansu and her companion, the two had already departed from the Well-Xiang Realm, heading in a new direction. Under Rong Ling’s control, the Celestial Palace was far more obedient, moving at a speed several times faster than before.

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Hansu set foot on the land of the Stone Dominion.

True to its name, Stone Dominion was a realm of clear blue skies stretching for thousands of miles, strange peaks rising in unbroken chains, cliffs like knife-edges, and bizarre stones standing alone—all with scarcely a blade of grass. Its unique environment fostered a unique culture: a land famed for its physical cultivators. Its basic structure was much like Yaohua’s, with sects forming the mainstay and family clans in support, but among its four great sects, three were devoted to the refinement of the body. Here, brawny, muscular men were a common sight. And the fourth? Surprisingly, it was a sect of female cultivators known for their seductive arts, treading the line between good and evil.

The moment they arrived in the Stone Dominion, Rong Ling let Hansu out.

Since he’d agreed to let her travel, he would not force her to follow him in search of the Celestial Mirror. Besides, no one knew where the mirror had ended up, and it was impossible to judge, based on one-sided accounts, who was right or wrong in the events of the past. Whether the journey would be safe, whether anyone was still secretly watching, all remained uncertain.

Rong Ling’s departure left Hansu with a profound sense of relief. She’d been on edge these past few days.

As for whether she harbored any designs on the Immortal Lord, that was pure nonsense. Rong Ling was powerful, noble, handsome, and possessed a fine character—he was the object of every starry-eyed girl’s dreams. But he was not hers, and she had not the slightest intention in her heart. She was simply struck by a thought.

Aunt Ju had once said that if things took a turn for the worse, if she was overwhelmed, she should seek out Master Mingxin in the Bodhi Realm. He had the power to purify them, but only if she reached Divine Transformation. But that could take years—couldn’t she resolve the matter sooner?

She knew she had no grounds to act against Lu Tanxian before her corruption became clear, but what was the point in watching her wreak havoc within the sect? Would it not be better to end the matter quickly? Should she ask Rong Ling for help…?

But she dared not dwell on that thought, for it became an obsession, a heart devil. If she asked Rong Ling for help, everything would be solved—her worries would vanish. If he stepped in, so powerful and high above, everything would be perfect. Why struggle herself? Why should she bear debts and burdens for others?

But she knew it was wrong. All things have their cause and effect. Since she’d been brought to this world because of them and become a cultivator, she must settle this karma herself. Only after resolving it by her own power would her life truly be her own.

No matter how strong Rong Ling was, he had no obligation to help her. Besides, for an immortal to intervene in the struggles of lower-level cultivators—who could say what effect that might have on him? One must rely on oneself.

These two mindsets churned in her heart, the words on her tongue countless times.

Yet in the end, she did not speak.

Hansu sighed, looked ahead, and resigned herself to her journey. Since she could not escape, she would press bravely forward!

Here in the Stone Dominion, there were still people waiting for her.