Endless immortal mountains, rustling falling leaves—yet the exquisite scenery of the cultivation realm was never bound by the changes of seasons.
Linghua Sect, the premier sect of dharma cultivators in the spiritual realm, was situated amidst steep cliffs and lofty peaks; above the sea of clouds in particular, its breathtaking views were unmatched under heaven.
Lingyue Pavilion: a wheel of moonlight fell through the hazy mist, illuminating a ground covered in frost. Osmanthus trees over a hundred feet tall shook down flecks of gold that fell along with the moon and snow. Such a majestic scene truly resembled the Guanghan Palace where the Moon Goddess Chang’e resided.
Yet, there was a difference.
At least here, there were no celestial maidens or moon rabbits, but rather a cool, elegant, and handsome immortal lord. Endowed with extraordinary talent, he had advanced to the Nascent Soul stage at barely over a hundred years old; everyone acclaimed him as an exceptionally rare genius master of Linghua Sect.
Rumor had it that his eyes were like polished jet and his skin as white as snow, his entire aura bearing the pure and frigid chill of the cold moon in the sky, perfectly matching his Taoist title: Lingyue Immortal Venerable.
Yet today, this distant moon in the sky seemed unusually accessible.
A faint blush touched his cheeks as he stepped out from a steaming hot spring curving beneath the moonlight. Ink-black hair cascaded down over his thin white inner robe. Those jet-black eyes, usually calm and unruffled, were now hazy with watery vapor as he gazed somewhat dreamily toward the long pavilion at the end of the bamboo bridge.
Hooked around his slender fingertips was a tiny wine cup, from which a sweet, warm aroma of wine faintly wafted.
His fingertips dropped limply; the jade cup fell to the ground, rolling silently into the frost and snow.
And the drunken Immortal Venerable had already stepped barefoot onto the bamboo bridge, seeking that pot of osmanthus wine in the pavilion.
“Master—”
“Master!”
Approaching from afar was a tall young man clad in a fish-white martial suit embroidered with sharp silver thread. His long hair was tied high, and beneath his silver crown were sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes; though his face still retained a touch of youth, he already carried the regal, awe-inspiring aura of an immortal sect’s Zhenjun. What’s more, he was the sole personal disciple under Lingyue Immortal Venerable. Having cultivated for only a few years, he had already become the top figure beneath the Golden Core stage—a genius rising star whose name echoed through Linghua Sect and other sects across the spiritual realm.
Black boots patterned with python scales trod over the snow, leaving the pristine ground in disarray. Su Li suddenly paused, picked up the wine cup dropped by Lingyue Immortal Venerable, and brought it under his nose for a sniff, his handsome eyebrows knitting together: “Oh no!”
He ran quickly toward the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
“I merely went to organize the junior brothers’ evening lessons, yet Master goes and drinks like this…” The young man’s helpless nagging was entirely swallowed the moment he laid eyes on Lingyue Immortal Venerable.
The Immortal Venerable before him had disheveled, wet hair and thin inner garments, slumped over the table while clutching the wine pot.
Lingyue Immortal Venerable possessed the highest-grade Ice Spiritual Root, so the alcohol rushed to his head extremely fast, causing him to get drunk almost instantly—he was down after just a single cup.
“Master…” The young man softened his voice, an unconscious indulgence and helplessness lacing his tone.
He extended his powerful arms and scooped the man up in a princess carry. As his gaze touched Lingyue Immortal Venerable’s ankles, his breath hitched.
The Immortal Venerable’s bare feet, which had never been seen by anyone, were like the finest suet white jade, with the toes and the edges of the soles flushed with a faint, endearing pink.
And around that slender, fair ankle hung a string of silver bells!
The silver bells were of an ancient and simple design, eight in total, each about the size of a pinky finger, appearing to be carved with different patterns. But after just one glance, the young man’s heart beat so wildly that he dared not look again.
In truth, this kind of silver chain locked around Master’s delicate ankle looked terribly like… a chain used by a muddled, foolish emperor of the mortal realm to cage a golden canary a torture device meant to lock someone onto a bed for torment.
Su Li’s heart pounded like a war drum. Daring not to overthink it any further, he carried his Master back to the main hall to settle him in, and then fled as if running for his life.
No one noticed that after he left, the bells chimed softly of their own accord, without any wind.
Zhubi Residence in Lingyue Pavilion was Su Li’s living quarters.
Five years ago, he was still a beggar on the streets. After Lingyue Immortal Venerable found him and brought him back to Lingyue Pavilion, he had no cultivation at all. Severely chilled by the vast, desolate Lingyue Pavilion high up on the immortal mountain, Lingyue Immortal Venerable had specially assigned him this courtyard. Built with red bricks and glazed tiles, it was no less grand than a palace in the mortal world, to say nothing of the stationery and ink treasures placed in the study, every single one a spiritual or immortal tool. He even had a dedicated martial arts training room to hone his skills, equipped with all eighteen types of spiritual weapons, all custom-made for him.
Everyone said he was a rare, promising talent of Linghua Sect, yet he knew deep down that this was all thanks to Master’s meticulous cultivation of him.
With so many resources poured into him, even someone with a mixed five-element spiritual root would likely gain enlightenment!
Master, no, Shifu.
He recited it softly in his heart, as if changing “Master” (Shizun) to “Teacher/Father” (Shifu) could draw him closer to that moon-like Immortal Venerable.
Lu Yin Shifu… He even repeated Lingyue Immortal Venerable’s name in his heart, trembling even more at such intimacy.
The young, handsome favorite of heaven sat on the daybed, letting out a small smile.
Lighting the ice-flake incense gifted to him by his Master and smelling this familiar, reassuring scent, Su Li closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Wisps of smoke curled gracefully, yet occasionally twisted into strange lines in the air. This was because the room’s master was experiencing some intense dream, causing his spiritual energy to leak out and disturb the incense.
Indeed, for some unknown reason, Su Li had transformed in his dream into a muddled, tyrannical emperor, tormenting the “favored concubine” whose face was flushed red from being drenched in wine. In his blur, a tiny mole near the corner of the “favored concubine’s” lips was revealed amid his disheveled hair; seeing it only excited Su Li further, and he sucked and kissed it without a shred of pity…
Su Li woke up covered in a light sweat!
How could he have such a sacrilegious dream?!
He knew that mortal men reached a certain age and would dream of such things… but he had already entered the path of cultivation; his mind ought to be pure and serene, free of desires!
Why, then, in his dream, did that “favored concubine” have a tiny mole beside his plump lips—just like his Lingyue Immortal Venerable, Lu Yin!
Thinking of his teacher Lu Yin, his Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously, and he licked his lips.
The next second, a strange sound was carried into his ears by the wind.
In this Lingyue Pavilion, usually only Lingyue Immortal Venerable and Su Li resided. The sound of wind, snow, and the rustling osmanthus trees were common occurrences, but this particular sound was something Su Li was hearing for the very first time.
It was—the sound of bells ringing!
He heard the bell sounds rolling on continuously, sometimes soft and sometimes heavy, completely devoid of any pattern. When gentle, it was as subtle as a feather brushing across the heart; when heavy, it rang out crisp and undulating, resounding loudly!
Su Li could not help but perk up his ears, stepping out the door and following the sound of the bells all the way.
Yet the end of this ringing left Su Li dumbfounded: This… this was Shifu’s sleeping quarters!
Recalling Shifu’s bare feet tonight, could it be that the silver bells on Master’s ankle were ringing?!
Shifu… what on earth was he doing? Why would the bells on his ankle ring like this?!
Su Li instinctively wanted to step into the barrier around the sleeping quarters. This barrier was set up specifically for outsiders of Lingyue Pavilion, but it was in a half-open state for him he only needed a single spell formula to enter.
Yet today, just as Su Li formed the hand seal, he suddenly felt a fierce, scalding sword intent sweep across with immense heat. Su Li took an emergency step back, and a lock of black hair floated down from the air had he not reacted quickly, what was severed might have been his neck!
There was someone in Shifu’s sleeping quarters! And it was an extremely powerful sword cultivator!
Were they fighting?! But the barrier of Lingyue Pavilion was unique; if someone harbored malicious intent, the enemy-repelling grand array would have sounded long ago, alarming the entire Linghua Sect!
Yet right now, the grand array was dead silent, with only the crisp bells ringing in an alternating rhythm of soft and heavy notes.
Su Li thought for a moment and formed the hand seal again. This time, the barrier rippled like water, and the scalding sword intent did not strike again—as expected, that sword intent was not directed at him, but was merely an uncontrollable overflow of spiritual power caused by intense emotion.
However, could such a powerful sword cultivator actually leak spiritual power like this?
The next second, the noise Su Li captured made him stand frozen on the spot, his whole body stiffening.
That scalding sword intent was clearly dispersing outward from Lingyue Immortal Venerable’s sleeping quarters, and accompanying the sword intent was the soft, kitten-like whimpering of his habitually cold and distant Shifu: “No, too… it’s too hot…”
Su Li pinched his ear hard, while at the same time, a sudden dryness in his throat surged straight to his heart.
He must have misheard, right?!
How could Master possibly make such a sound?
Another wave of sword intent exploded, and it was distinctly Lu Yin’s voice, laced with a sob: “I really don’t want it anymore… it’s too hot, boohoo…”
Heavens!
Su Li only felt his entire body heating up. The moment he realized what Shifu was doing, he fled in panic, exiting the barrier.
That Sword Venerable must be Shifu’s Daoist companion!
But… it was unimaginable that someone as cold, pure, and abstinent as Master like the cold moon in the sky could actually make such a sound?
No, put another way, what kind of coercion could make a distant moon like Master make such a sound?
A thought stirred in Su Li’s mind, and the following scene flashed before his eyes: rough, large palms with prominent knuckles were clamped around Lu Yin’s neck, which was like fresh snow; scorching, honey-colored fingers wantonly kneaded Master’s snow-white cheeks, rubbing the tiny mole below the corner of his lips until it turned red, while his Master’s ink-black hair was scattered messily across the daybed, gasping for breath with tears in his eyes, trembling uncontrollably from the heat.
Stop!
How could he harbor such worldly desires toward Master?!
Su Li opened his eyes in panic.
Impure senses!
Unclean mind!
Go back and copy the Sutra of Purity a hundred times!
Su Li had no idea how he managed to flee back to Zhubi Residence, the hot waves in his heart surging up and down, unable to settle no matter what.
He simply went out to the courtyard, fetched snow water, and poured it over his head.
The ice water containing bits of snow poured over his tall, robust body, actually steaming up a cloud of white vapor; Su Li looked as though he had a high fever, his entire body flushed red.
After splashing three whole buckets of water, the heat on Su Li’s body barely subsided. He opened his palm, where a streak of blood-red was spreading along his meridians in the center of his hand.
This was a trace of sword intent he had instinctively captured at the time; had he not possessed truly superb skills, he would have long been melted by the sword intent.
To be of this level and so intensely scorching—could it be… a sword cultivator from Crimson Blood Lake?
The Sect Grand Competition was coming up soon, and they had indeed arrived at Linghua Sect…
He shook his head violently, picking up another bucket of snow water and pouring it over his head again: Regardless, Master’s Daoist companion was Master’s private matter; he shouldn’t make wild guesses.
After that, wearing only a single thin garment, he transcribed the Sutra of Purity, copying continuously from the dead of night until the sky turned pale, before his mood finally managed to calm down.
Having stayed awake all night, but having completed his task with the Sutra of Purity, Su Li dressed neatly and rushed off to pay his respects to Master ahead of the first ray of morning light.
Arriving before the sleeping quarters, the barrier had already dispersed. Standing beneath a tree of golden osmanthus, Su Li saw a remarkably tall figure stride out from Lu Yin’s sleeping quarters.
He wore a tight-fitting outfit of crimson and dark black, his outer robe draped over him casually, and a heavy bronze sword strapped to his back.
The first ray of the morning sun fell upon him, as if setting the fiery red on his body ablaze, the hem of his robe fluttering wildly and domineeringly.
Su Li also caught sight of his face thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes, handsome and untamed. At this moment, between his brows and eyes was a thick, intense look of satisfaction.
Su Li felt as if a small sword had pierced his heart, a blinding, scorching red before his eyes.
He… was Master’s mysterious Daoist companion…
Master had never mentioned him, yet he could possess Master openly and legitimately…
Su Li clenched his fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands, yet he was helpless, able only to watch as the man stepped into the morning light with his sword on his back and disappeared from sight.
Su Li?” From the direction of the sleeping quarters, the inquiring voice of his teacher, Lu Yin, suddenly drifted out.