Chapter 49 Part 2

“Go ahead,” Pi Changge said. “The Book Pavilion is behind the hall, full of ancient scrolls. Feel free to browse.”

Xiang Xian left the Sacred Tree area and headed to the Main Hall. He stood before the statue of the Queen Mother of the West, gazing up at her sacred features. Her eyes, inlaid with two green gems, shimmered with soft light.

Xiang Xian bowed three times before the statue of the Queen Mother of the West and turned to leave.

He thought Xiao Kun was at the Book Pavilion. Upon arrival, he saw from afar that Yuzhou lounged lazily, with Hulü Guang—the unexpected companion—at his side.

Hulü Guang stood with both palms extended, gathering power as Yuzhou instructed.

“Don’t steal my techniques!” Yuzhou squinted, legs crossed, reclining on the steps.

“Just looking.” Xiang Xian mimicked Chaosheng’s evasive tone.

For some reason, Hulü Guang had caught Yuzhou’s fancy.

Hulü Guang stopped and said, “No, I still can’t do it.”

“You can.” Yuzhou sat up and said casually, “When you first got the Heart Lamp, start from making it glow. Emit the light, and you’ll get it.”

Hulü Guang took a deep breath and circulated his power. Yuzhou instructed, “Your Pulse Wheel is incomplete. You have mortal roots, and your only talent is running fast. But don’t give up. Dragons have their strengths, ants have theirs—even a mayfly can do what a dragon can’t. Back then, I was just a carp, yet I leaped through the Dragon Gate.”

“Good! I’ll try again!” Hulü Guang, encouraged, said earnestly.

Xiang Xian observed their expressions and suspected Yuzhou had been touched by some past event, feeling a strong rapport with Hulü Guang and willing to guide him.

“Try moving,” Yuzhou said. “You’re not suited for static cultivation. Your talent lies in running. Once you run, your qi flows with the Zhou Tian, forming new Pulse Wheel. Then, circulate your Heart Lamp for twice the result with half the effort.”

“Great idea!” Xiang Xian had a sudden realization. Solving Hulü Guang’s Heart Lamp had always been a major issue. Wu Yingzong’s teachings followed the Yao Clan’s cultivation laws: sitting still, meditating, breathing in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy. Yuzhou’s words awakened him—it was about teaching to the student’s strengths, switching Hulü Guang to the path of “Dynamic Cultivation.”

Xiang Xian saw hope for the Heart Lamp’s power and didn’t disturb them further. Yuzhou seemed to know what he wanted to ask and said, “Xiao Kun is by the pond.”

Xiang Xian smiled and stood. “Practice well. Don’t give up.”

At the eastern edge of White Jade Palace lay the Ten Thousand Flowers Pool, territory of the deer herd. Xiang Xian counted the remaining pine nuts—about ten left—and divided them into two portions. He saw Mu Qingshan in human form, pillowing his arm, legs crossed, lying on a large rock by the pool. The deer clustered around him.

Xiao Kun stood on one side of the rock.

Mu Qingshan had short hair, refined features, and emerald-green eyes. In the moonlight, his profile faintly resembled a divine child from the Garden of Life even more than Chaosheng.

As Xiang Xian approached, the deer herd merely glanced up before resuming grazing unconcernedly.

Mu Qingshan knew Xiang Xian had arrived but didn’t turn, continuing his conversation with Xiao Kun: “…When did you notice?”

Xiao Kun said, “It was just a vague notion. Along the way, many things I experienced with Xiang Xian felt familiar, like ‘I’ve dreamed of this before.’ And not long after meeting him, I started having those strange dreams…”

Xiang Xian had meant to scare Xiao Kun from behind but stopped in confusion upon hearing his name.

Xiao Kun continued, “…So I often wondered. Qingshan, this is just my guess, but are these dreams closely linked to our Past Life…? ‘Past Life’ isn’t accurate. Or should I say, events regressed by the Wheel of Fate?”

Mu Qingshan said, “You’re very clever.”

Xiao Kun and Xiang Xian both showed shock. Xiao Kun quickly said, “So the battlefields and past events I dreamed of really happened? Because King Mu activated the Wheel of Fate, reversing time, we returned to now, and those past memories became dreams?”

“I don’t know what you dreamed,” Mu Qingshan said, half-asleep amid the abundant spiritual qi, leaning against a deer. “Nor can I distinguish for you which are real past events left from the regression of fate and which are mere dreams from your subconscious.

“But your guess is reasonable. Many memories in the world can’t even be erased when one dies and enters the reincarnation of the Heaven-Earth Veins. They carry over to the next life, hidden within, and reemerge as dreams upon certain triggers… Is this a conclusion you two reached together?”

At this point, Xiao Kun noticed Xiang Xian and showed obvious panic for a brief moment before regaining composure.

“Why so quiet?” Xiao Kun asked.

Xiang Xian smiled. “Didn’t want to interrupt. What were you talking about?”

Xiao Kun said, “Just a guess. I don’t know if it’s right.”

Hearing this, Xiang Xian immediately understood and said, “I’ve had many dreams too… Uh… Fine.”

Suddenly, he recalled the dream in the cave where he and Xiao Kun passionately entwined on the warm couch. He shut his mouth.

Xiao Kun: “So… Never mind. What are you here for?”

Xiang Xian held out the pine nuts. “Pi Senior gave them. Good stuff.”

Xiao Kun glanced and asked, “What about you?”

White Jade Palace was an Immortal Realm; every blade of grass and tree held spirituality, let alone the pine planted by the Queen Mother of the West herself. Even if the pine nuts from Pi Changge didn’t grant eternal life, they would surely extend one’s years.

“The good stuff goes to you first. I’ll take some leftovers,” Xiang Xian said casually.

Xiao Kun divided the pine nuts into two shares and asked, “What about the others? Not sharing?”

Xiang Xian stored his share. “Do Qingshan and Chaosheng lack pine nuts? Hulü Guang took Yuzhou Senior as his master; he won’t lack good things. Old Wu is with Pi Changge Senior—no need to worry.”