The next morning, Linglan pushed open the door and entered the small courtyard.
“Honored guests, my Biluo Sect is hosting the Miaoyin Immortal Assembly today, so we fear we won’t have time to entertain you all.” Linglan gave a slightly apologetic curtsy. “Once the immortal assembly ends, Linglan will take you to meet the elders.”
“The Miaoyin Immortal Assembly?!” Li Hanzhao’s eyes widened. “Can we go?”
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the Miaoyin Immortal Assembly was the event young male cultivators in the Cultivation World looked forward to most. Hosted by Biluo Sect, it invited young male cultivators of exceptional talent to enter the sect, where they appreciated music and discussed the Dao with the sect’s female cultivators—an elegant gathering of like-minded friends, utterly romantic and unrestrained.
Biluo Sect was filled entirely with female cultivators, each one skilled in song and dance, as beautiful as flowers shy of the moon. Everyone knew Biluo Sect’s true intention wasn’t the wine, but to select ideal Dao companions for its female disciples.
It was said that quite a few male cultivators from small sects or minor factions, despite their outstanding talent, had been chosen after attending the Miaoyin Immortal Assembly, marrying into Biluo Sect and bringing benefits to their original sects as well. Those with talent but no sect resources flocked to it like moths to a flame, all dreaming of being selected by Biluo Sect and ascending to the heavens in a single step.
Linglan covered her mouth and laughed. “You honored guests look like dragons and phoenixes among men at first glance. If you wish to attend the Miaoyin Immortal Assembly, Biluo Sect would naturally welcome you. If Han Zhao Lord is interested, Linglan can introduce you to a few of my senior sisters—they particularly like someone as fair-skinned, clean, and adorably obedient as you.”
Li Hanzhao’s face flushed red then drained white, and he stammered, “I-I just wanted to go see it, I d-didn’t mean that…”
“Mean what?” Wei Luoheng teased. “No wonder Han Zhao Lord insisted on staying. So this was your plan.”
“Wei Luoheng!” Li Hanzhao grew slightly angry and tossed the Falling Star Disk into his hands. “I fixed it—here, take it back!” With that, he ran out of the courtyard without looking back.
“Hey, Han Zhao Lord, that’s not the way to the Miaoyin Immortal Assembly.” Linglan waved toward his retreating figure but couldn’t call him back, so she simply followed after him.
“Honored guests, please make yourselves at home. I’ll go find Han Zhao Lord.” Her crisp voice gradually faded into the distance.
“How is he so easy to tease?” Wei Luoheng touched his chin and said to Xun Ji and Lu Yun Ting, “You two should go check out the Miaoyin Immortal Assembly too—it’ll be a good chance to probe Biluo Sect’s depths. I’ll stay here and divine. Once I have results, I’ll come find you.”
Xun Ji nodded; he had the same idea.
Biluo Sect’s mountains were clear with flowing water, lush with vegetation, and lined with blooming flowers along elegant paths.
“As expected of a sect of female cultivators—the scenery is far prettier than Du Xian Sect.” Xun Ji couldn’t help but sigh.
“Does Shizun like this kind?” Lu Yun Ting held his hand. “If you do, I’ll arrange Duansxue Peak the same way.”
He frowned to himself. “Forget it. Du Xian Sect isn’t a good place. Once our business here is done, I’ll take Shizun to find a cave abode with beautiful scenery elsewhere.”
“Yun Ting,” Xun Ji slowed his steps, “do you want revenge?”
Lu Yun Ting paused, silent for a long while, then finally shook his head.
“Revenge? Against whom? The True Dragon was slaughtered by the united efforts of the entire Cultivation World—should I slaughter the whole Cultivation World?” He met Xun Ji’s gaze. “Shizun said those were matters of the past. Now I only have the memories of Lu Yun Ting; I just want to live a good life as Lu Yun Ting.”
After last night, the Emotion Vein Restriction’s unsealing progress on the System Panel had risen to 80%. If this trip went smoothly and they unraveled Lu Yun Ting’s origins, completing the task wouldn’t be far off.
Xun Ji combined the items from the two new Scratch Cards he’d redeemed and placed them into a Brocade Pouch, handing it to Lu Yun Ting.
“If one day you fall into an unsolvable predicament and I’m not by your side, open this.” Xun Ji said.
A shadow flashed in Lu Yun Ting’s eyes. “Why wouldn’t Shizun be by my side? Where is Shizun going?”
“I’m not going anywhere—it’s just in case.” Xun Ji said warmly. “Lu Yun Ting, I’ll always be with you.”
Tree shadows swayed, sunlight sprinkling spots of light across Xun Ji’s body, flickering and blurring the line between illusion and reality. Lu Yun Ting gripped Xun Ji’s arm with some panic, a sudden stab of pain in his mind.
For some reason, the scene before him felt faintly familiar. It seemed someone had once said something very important to him amid dappled light and the fragrance of flowers.
But he couldn’t remember.
“Are you alright? Uncomfortable?” Xun Ji reached up to touch his face, only for Lu Yun Ting to grab his hand.
The light spots on Xun Ji grew even brighter, faintly scattering rays of light.
Lu Yun Ting’s expression sharpened. “Shizun, you’re glowing!”
Not sunlight filtering through the trees—golden radiance emanated from Xun Ji himself!
Xun Ji froze and looked down at his body. “Glowing? Why… urgh!”