Watching Li Jiyan calmly leave, Yu Ziyu blushed and said awkwardly, “That man is so rude! He didn’t even come over to bow to Your Highness. I’ll go and teach him a lesson!”
After saying that, Yu Ziyu rushed up to chase after Li Jiyan.
After catching up, she drew her curved sword and placed it on the man’s shoulder.
”You have no manners. You don’t even bow to His Highness the Third Prince. Although I hold a high position and great power, I can’t protect you all the time. If you continue to be so presumptuous, even a god can’t save you.”
”You’re going to protect me?”
In the dim light, Li Jiyan’s gaze was sharp and intense.
Yu Ziyu sheathed her curved sword swiftly and said, “If you become my husband in the future, I, as your wife, will naturally protect you.”
”When can I become your husband?”
Li Jiyan pressed her for details, thinking he wanted to kiss her, and he really wanted to right now.
Yu Ziyu’s gaze drifted downwards, settling on Li Jiyan’s lower back. She raised her chin and said, “I haven’t even had a chance to see clearly whether your lower half has become more attractive or not. If it doesn’t suit my taste, I won’t want you.”
Li Jiyan pursed his thin lips and hesitated before saying, “Then do you want to take another look? Let’s find a secluded place.”
Yu Ziyu carried the oil lamp and walked forward: “Let’s see in a few days. I have to go home and cultivate now, I don’t have time.”
Returning to the banquet, Yu Ziyu kept urging her mother to go home, and the family had no choice but to comply and leave the banquet first.
Back home.
Yu Ziyu entered her bedroom and eagerly found her cultivation books, studying them late into the night. Her conversation with the emperor and Ling Xuzi further strengthened her resolve to cultivate immortality.
She is the Purple Star of the Great Xuan Dynasty. Once she succeeds in her cultivation, not only will she be able to attain godhood, but she will also be able to protect the people of Great Xuan and bring good fortune to the country!
Yu Ziyu couldn’t help but feel that the burden on her shoulders had become even heavier.
Personally, achieving immortality through cultivation was her lifelong pursuit. Professionally, she was the Purple Star of the Great Xuan Dynasty. The combination of these two factors compelled her to strive diligently.
The maid Qinghe came in to make the bed for her and said, “Miss, I’ll go and call someone to prepare hot water. Shouldn’t we rest after our bath?”
Yu Ziyu shook her head: “You go to sleep first, don’t worry about me, I have something to do tonight.”
”What’s wrong? You can’t stay up all night to cultivate immortality. Get some sleep so you’ll have the energy to cultivate tomorrow morning.”
Qinghe advised.
Yu Ziyu was particularly stubborn: “Cultivating immortality requires staying up all night. You should go back to sleep and don’t worry about me.”
Qinghe knew her young mistress’s temperament and couldn’t persuade her otherwise, so she had no choice but to give up and said, “Then I’ll go down first. If you need anything, just call me here and I’ll come right away.”
”knew.”
Filled with passion, I didn’t sleep a wink all night.
Yu Ziyu read one Taoist classic after another, carefully studying the three great Taoist classics, the Tao Te Ching, the Zhuangzi, and the Chongxu Ching, from beginning to end.
I filled page after page of notes, and even wore out a wolf-hair brush.
It was still dark when dawn broke at 5 a.m.
A moth flew in through the window and landed on the wick of the oil lamp on the table. With a crisp “snap,” the moth was burned black, and the lamp went out.
The entire room was plunged into endless darkness.
Yu Ziyu finally awoke from the abyss of knowledge in the ancient books and looked up at the dim surroundings.
They were just about to find a tinderbox to relight the lamp.
Suddenly, a white light flashed inside the house, and lightning outside tore through the sky with devastating force, followed by a deafening clap of thunder. Yu Ziyu was terrified and stood frozen in place.
Immediately afterwards.
Thunder rumbled again, and dark clouds gathered in the night sky, obscuring the starlight and moonlight.
Lightning flashed intermittently, occasionally illuminating the pitch-black room. A cool breeze swept in, swirling over the paper and pens on the table.
Yu Ziyu turned to look at the Taoist scriptures that had been scattered by the wind, and suddenly burst into laughter.
”Hahahaha, I’ve got it! I’ve got it! Spring thunder roars, all things come to life! This year’s spring thunder is so fierce, perhaps today is the day I will face my tribulation!”
”When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it first tests their will and strengthens their body! The thunderous roar is the time for the Taoist to undergo tribulation. How wonderful, how wonderful!”
Yu Ziyu rushed to the bedside in a flurry of activity.
She threw back the covers, took out the long sword and scimitar from the bed, and neatly tied them to her body.
Then she put on her boots, pushed open the door, and ran wildly into the misty rain.
She followed her usual route and went out through the side gate in the backyard.
At this moment, the entire Yu family was shrouded in rain and wind. The father had not yet gone to court, and the servants on night watch had also gone under the eaves to take shelter from the rain.
The entire Yu residence was silent; no one saw that Yu Ziyu had left.
Yu Ziyu arrived at the city gate wearing only a pure white nightgown, soaked in the rain. The soldiers at the city gate all recognized this crazy young lady.
He lit the oil lamp to look at her and asked, “Miss Yu, it’s raining. Where are you going? Why didn’t you bring an umbrella?”
”I want to go up the mountain.”
Another soldier found a tattered oil-paper umbrella and handed it to her: “Take this umbrella with you; you can’t get soaked in the rain like this.”
“Thank you.”
Although Yu Ziyu thanked him, she did not accept the umbrella and rushed out against the cold wind.
The slender, upright figure quickly disappeared into the darkness, vanishing without a trace in the falling rain.
The soldier who handed over the umbrella laughed and said, “This Yu Ziyu is really crazy. She wants to go out to cultivate immortality before dawn. How did such a proper young lady develop hysteria?”
The companion said, “She usually leaves the city gates to go up the mountain at dawn. Why is she here so early today? Could something have happened? Should we inform the Yu family?”
Soldier: “Alright, you stay here and keep watch, I’ll go and inform them.”
Yu Ziyu left the city gate and headed straight for Jueyin Mountain.
The rain had made the muddy path incredibly slippery. There were originally no paths on this mountain; it was only through Yu Ziyu’s frequent walks that a few trails had been created.
The muddy road became increasingly difficult to walk on. She was soaked to the bone, and slipped and fell several times as her feet sank into the wet, yellow mud.
Yet, she felt no pain or cold at all; it was as if her body was burning with charcoal. Her only thought, in her frenzy, was to reach the mountaintop quickly, summon heavenly lightning to strike her, and thus transcend this tribulation!
She groped in the dark and cut off a branch to use as a walking stick.
It was still dark, and she couldn’t see the road clearly, but she wasn’t confused at all. The path was in her heart; she just needed to keep going up, forward… until she reached the summit!
”Cultivate immortality, comprehend the Dao, become a god! Regulate your family, govern your state, and bring peace to the world!”
Yu Ziyu kept telling herself this, and she felt that the road under her feet was becoming smoother and less muddy.
……
The maid Qinghe was awakened by the thunder. She got up, lit a lamp, and looked out the window. It was already raining outside.
Worried that Yu Ziyu might catch a cold, she went to the side room and got a blanket to take to Yu Ziyu.
When she arrived at Yu Ziyu’s room, the door was wide open and the room was pitch black inside.
Qinghe called out “Third Miss” but received no response, so she hurriedly went inside and relit the lamps.
On the table in front of the bed, paper and pens were scattered about, and various cultivation books that smelled of decay were scattered all over the table and the floor.
Qinghe quickly came to the bedside.
She lifted the covers, but there was no one there. Even the swords and knives that Yu Ziyu usually kept on her bed when she slept were nowhere to be found.
Although Yu Ziyu often goes up the mountain to “slay demons and monsters,” she always sets off before dawn and always tells her family in advance before leaving.
Qinghe was restless and hurriedly went to the main house.
She shouted from outside, “Madam, Master, something terrible has happened! The Third Miss has gone missing!”
Yu Ningying and Zhao Tianjun hurriedly got dressed and came out. Yu Ningying asked anxiously, “What happened?”
”After the Third Miss returned from the palace last night, she said she was going to stay up all night to cultivate and told me to go and rest first. She often stays up all night to read, so I didn’t pay much attention this time and went to rest first.”
”I was awakened by the thunder and was worried that Miss would catch a cold, so I thought I would bring her a blanket. But when I entered the room, I found that Miss was gone, and her sword was also gone.”
Zhao Tianjun immediately ordered, “Go and inform the steward immediately, wake up all the servants, and let’s all look for Ziyu together!”
”yes.”
The entire Yu family compound was instantly illuminated. Everyone held lanterns and searched the entire Yu residence in the rain, but they still couldn’t find Yu Ziyu.
At this moment, the soldiers on night duty at the city gate came to the Yu residence to deliver a message.
It is said that Yu Ziyu left the city gate alone early in the morning, without an umbrella, carrying swords and knives in the rain, saying that she was going to the mountain to cultivate immortality.
Upon hearing this, Yu’s parents were extremely worried. They immediately gathered their guards and servants, and together they went out of the city to find Yu Ziyu.
The commotion from the Yu family was quite significant, and Li Jiyan of the General’s Mansion and Xiao Jin of the Prince of Jing’s Mansion also received the news.
Li Jiyan took a short sword, went to the stable, mounted his horse, and headed straight for the city gate. He arrived at the city gate a quarter earlier than the Yu family members, and went straight to Jueyin Mountain after leaving the city.
The mountain path was difficult to traverse on horseback, so he tied his horse down at the foot of the mountain and hiked up in the rain.
It was already dawn.
Li Jiyan could see some scattered footprints on the muddy road, which he assumed belonged to Yu Ziyu.
He was a military man by birth, and his skills were exceptional; he climbed the mountain very quickly. When he reached the halfway point following the footprints, he heard the Yu family calling for Yu Ziyu from the foot of the mountain.
Because of the rain, Yu Ziyu’s muddy footprints were very clear. Li Jiyan followed the footprints all the way up to the top of the mountain, wondering why Yu Ziyu was going up the mountain so early.
This spring rain was more intense than usual. Although it wasn’t as heavy as the summer downpours, the intensity of the rain was still considerable.
Moreover, thunder continued to rumble in the sky, showing no sign of the event ending.
Finally reaching the highest point of the mountain, Li Jiyan couldn’t help but gasp when he saw Yu Ziyu.
She was only wearing a white nightgown, completely soaked, her long black hair disheveled and clumps of it falling over her shoulders.
She sat cross-legged on the highest rock, her hands forming the Three Pure Ones Finger, each placed on his left and right knees.
”Yu Ziyu, what are you doing?”
Li Jiyan shouted.
Yu Ziyu opened her eyes, turned to look at him, and felt a surge of anger. She cursed inwardly for this brat trying to ruin her Dao heart again, but the situation was dire and time was of the essence, so she didn’t have time to discipline him.
She simply said, “I am summoning heavenly lightning to overcome this great calamity. You should leave immediately; this is not a place for you.”
Li Jiyan walked towards her. Thunder was still rumbling in the sky. He said honestly, “You can’t stay in high places when it’s raining, or you’ll get struck by lightning.”
Yu Ziyu closed her eyes again.
”I’m just waiting to be struck by lightning. Stay away from me and don’t bother me. If I don’t survive this tribulation today, you’ll be in trouble.”
Another violent flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.
Yu Ziyu spoke clearly: “Thunder strikes, sending forth three souls: one enters the immortal realm, one falls into the demonic path, and one descends to the mortal world! Spring thunder guides me on the path to immortality, immortals stroke my head, and I ascend to the blissful realm of heaven!”
Yu Ziyu still carried a long sword on her back and a curved knife at her waist.
From word of mouth to his own years of experience fighting abroad, Li Jiyan knew clearly that carrying iron objects to a high place during a thunderstorm made one most vulnerable to being struck by lightning.
He jumped forward, grabbed Yu Ziyu’s waist, and pulled her down from the rock.
Yu Ziyu was furious and struggled to climb up the rock. Li Jiyan carried her away from the mountaintop.
”Li Jiyan, are you trying to harm me?! I need to undergo my tribulation! Let me go, or I’ll kill you!”
When they reached a patch of low grass, Li Jiyan put her down and took off his coat to wrap her up.
”Yu Ziyu, there are no gods in this world. If you get struck by lightning, you’ll only die, not become an immortal!”
Yu Ziyu beat him wildly, grabbing a handful of dirt and stuffing it into his mouth: “Nonsense! You bastard, how dare you disturb my Dao heart and corrupt my mind, how vicious!”
Li Jiyan grabbed her shoulders, spat out a mouthful of mud, and shouted, “Don’t be crazy! They’re all lying to you! Your parents are lying to you, your master is lying to you! There are no gods in this world! Don’t be silly!”
”You’re the liar! I’ll kill you!”
In a moment of desperation, Yu Ziyu drew her long sword and held it to Li Jiyan’s neck.
Li Jiyan stared into her wet eyes: “Can you kill me?”
Yu Ziyu was so angry that veins bulged on her forehead. She shouted, “I have divine protection above and imperial permission below. How can I not kill you?!”
The rain was still falling, but it had lessened somewhat, and the thunder and lightning in the sky had silently disappeared.
Yu Ziyu lowered her sword in terror, looked up at the brightening sky, and cried out in despair, “It’s dawn, there’s no more thunder, I can’t undergo my tribulation…”
Li Jiyan boldly grasped her hand: “Yu Ziyu, there really are no gods in this world.”
With bloodshot eyes, Yu Ziyu lowered her head, sobbing uncontrollably. She went into a frenzy, grabbed Li Jiyan by the neck, and slammed his head against a nearby tree trunk.
”You vile man! You’ve ruined my path to immortality, you’ve truly caused me immense suffering!”
Li Jiyan held down her wrist: “Wake up, stop going crazy.”
Yu Ziyu gritted her teeth, grabbed Li Jiyan’s collar, and dragged him down the mountain, braving the rain to reach a cemetery behind the mountain.
Pointing at a pile of wild graves in front of him, she roared, “Can’t you see? There are wandering ghosts and spirits everywhere here! Do you still dare to say that there are no gods in this world?”
Li Jiyan’s expression was cold and stern as he said in a deep voice, “No, there are no immortals in this world.”
Yu Ziyu slapped him hard across the face and asked again in anguish, “I’ll ask you one more time, are there any gods in this world!”
”No.” Li Jiyan’s firm tone made Yu Ziyu’s heart race.
She slapped him again, making half of his face swell and turn red. Overwhelmed with grief, she cried out in anguish, “I’ll ask you one more time, are there any gods in this world?!”
”No.” Li Jiyan stood straight as a spear, unyielding.
As expected, Yu Ziyu slapped him again, this time with all her might, making Li Jiyan’s eardrums ache and his head buzz.