Chi Zhong Yu began to drink the fish soup. He had promised not to cry, but as soon as the soup entered his stomach, tears streamed down his face. In truth, Chi Zhong Yu had always considered himself part of the Shan Dian Bie Yuan, never truly belonging to Fu Su Chang Cheng. The first day Lin Zhao brought him back to Shan Dian Bie Yuan, he felt he had taken root. However, his heart was unstable, and Liu Li Ying had always been a lingering obsession, forcing him to leave.
Now, a bowl of fish soup had rekindled those feelings. Thinking of Xiao Jiu Er, Chen Ben, Tang Guang Jun, Chu Yu, Mu Zha, and the others who had already perished in the realm, and with Huang Ting Yu, Tong Yu, and others’ fates unknown, a wave of sorrow washed over him. The great battle between the upper and lower realms had left Chi Zhong Yu with the feeling of a shattered home.
"Alright."
Lin Zhao glanced at him and smiled, "Stop crying. If your tears fall into the soup, it'll get a strange flavor."
"Yes."
Chi Zhong Yu awkwardly wiped his tears and said, "The white fish soup simmered by the Mountain Master is indeed unparalleled. The only thing that could rival this bowl of white fish soup is perhaps the mud carp soup simmered by the Mountain Master."
"Dream on, you're quite a picky eater."
Yu Wan Ning laughed, "The spiritual energy in this pond is not what it used to be, and there aren't as many mud carp anymore. You, a mere twelfth-realm cultivator, want to eat mud carp? Earn merit in battle for it!"
"Merit in battle will certainly be earned."
Chi Zhong Yu sighed slightly, looking at Yu Wan Ning. "When I was in Dong Yi Lin Hai, I heard about you. Yu Wan Ning, I didn't expect you to have reached the Rebirth Realm…"
"Mmm."
Yu Wan Ning replied, "Thanks to Lord Su Shan Jun's good fortune, I received the Mountain Lord's boon of destiny in return, which allowed me to break through to the Rebirth Realm during the Battle of Bai Cheng."
"Yu Wan Ning, there's no need to be modest."
Lin Zhao said, "Even without the fortuitous encounter gifted by Lord Su Shan Jun, with your talent and state of mind, you were destined to enter the Rebirth Realm. It might have just taken a few decades or a century longer."
"Mmm."
Yu Wan Ning nodded with a smile.
Chi Zhong Yu, on the other hand, felt a myriad of emotions. For ten years in Dong Yi Lin Hai, he had led the surviving Xia clan of Fu Su Chang Cheng in fierce battles against the ancient deities of the savage lands, forging himself into the peak twelfth-realm sword cultivator he was today. Yet, compared to Yu Wan Ning, he felt inferior. After all, the Rebirth Realm corresponded to the thirteenth realm for sword cultivators!
Moreover, Yu Wan Ning's Rebirth Realm was exceptionally strong, rivaling even Long Dong Jun at his peak. Chi Zhong Yu would need to reach at least the peak of the thirteenth realm to even consider slightly surpassing Yu Wan Ning. Otherwise, it was impossible.
No rush, no rush. When I return to Shan Dian Bie Yuan, I'll practice swordplay with the Mountain Master. The thirteenth realm will be within my grasp.
"Mountain Master."
He slurped down another bowl of soup and cupped his fists. "Chi Zhong Yu has led the surviving Xia clan of Fu Su Chang Cheng back. Not long ago, we annihilated all the demon cavalry in the city. Qin Yu has also reached the twelfth realm, and I've returned the City Lord's token to him. Therefore… Chi Zhong Yu requests the Mountain Master's permission to return to Shan Dian Bie Yuan!"
"Do you truly wish to return that much?" Lin Zhao asked with a smile.
"Mmm!"
Chi Zhong Yu nodded heavily. "This is Chi Zhong Yu's only wish now."
"Good, but there's no rush."
Lin Zhao popped another piece of flatbread into his mouth and said with a smile, "Shan Dian Bie Yuan hasn't been formally rebuilt yet, so there's no need to be overly eager. And Fu Su Chang Cheng has just returned home. After they've settled down, there will be a pile of things to do. You were the City Lord for ten years; there's no reason to just abandon your post overnight. I don't want Lin Wanhua to confront me later about this matter. So, you must return to Fu Su Chang Cheng and help them stabilize. When things are better at Shan Dian Bie Yuan, I will call you back. Shan Dian Bie Yuan will still need your sword, Chi Zhong Yu."
"Yes!"
Chi Zhong Yu nodded emphatically.
Lin Zhao then said, "Have another bowl of soup. Once you're full and satisfied, I'll take you up the mountain to visit the place where Li Ying made her final sacrifice. Then, you can return to Fu Su Chang Cheng."
"Mountain Master, I…" Chi Zhong Yu hesitated.
"You must face your inner demons."
Lin Zhao smiled slightly. "If you spend your whole life avoiding them, you'll never reach the thirteenth realm."
"Yes!"
Chi Zhong Yu's gaze turned resolute. "Then I'll have another bowl…"
…
Afternoon.
Yu Wan Ning and Shi Han Yin tidied up the dishes, taking over the tasks that Dong Cang used to do. As for Wu Zhi, she remained in Lin Zhao's study, using his space to refine ten demon soul swords. Once she began cultivating, Wu Zhi's body became like a parched well that had been dry for ten years, its spiritual energy beginning to surge.
According to Lin Zhao's estimation, it wouldn't take long for Wu Zhi to return to the thirteenth realm. After all, her foundation was still there. Although she hadn't cultivated in recent years, her sword intent had only grown stronger. A true peak sword immortal could nourish their sword intent inadvertently.
Shan Dian.
Lin Zhao brought Chi Zhong Yu to the stone wall. Looking at the shattered murals scattered on the ground, Chi Zhong Yu's heart felt as though it were being torn apart. However, he was no longer the same as before. While his eyes held deep affection, they now also possessed boundaries of self. He bowed slightly before the stone wall and said softly, "Li Ying, Chi Zhong Yu is late. As a first-rank honored guest of Shan Dian Bie Yuan, I failed to draw my sword for this catastrophe. My heart is filled with boundless guilt!"
Lin Zhao smiled faintly, saying nothing, but his eyes were filled with admiration. Chi Zhong Yu's state of mind was indeed much broader than it had been ten years ago. While the emotional hurdle remained, his heart now contained more. The world, the path of the sword, familial love – were these not as important as romantic love? Love and romance, the foremost sentiment in the human world, were merely the result of people elevating the status of love.
"Mountain Master."
Chi Zhong Yu turned, looked at Lin Zhao, and said, "Then… Chi Zhong Yu will return to Fu Su Chang Cheng first."
"Go."
"Yes!"
Chi Zhong Yu floated away on his sword. Lin Zhao smiled contentedly. In truth, there was no need to rush so much. It was too deliberate. Wouldn't this just show that he still couldn't let go of Liu Li Ying? If Chi Zhong Yu had stayed even a few more seconds in front of this stone wall, he probably would have burst into tears. After all, from this day forward, he would never see Liu Li Ying again!
"Li Ying…"
Lin Zhao turned, gently caressed the remaining piece of mural, and said softly, "Look, many people in this world still remember you, including me. If only you were still here…"
He said this with a hint of melancholy and then went down the mountain to cultivate and draw talismans.
…
Several days later, in the morning.
A spring snow fell upon the northern region. The heavy snow began to fall from late at night, and by morning, a thick layer had accumulated. Lin Zhao awoke from his cultivation of the Eternal Sword Scripture, his spiritual and physical strength completely depleted. He glanced at Wu Zhi, who was sitting on the bed behind him, refining demon soul swords. Without disturbing her, he got up and opened the window, only to see the northern snow.
"Ah, it's snowing."
He couldn't help but laugh, his youthful spirit still intact.
Suddenly, Wu Zhi lost interest in refining swords. She raised her hand and stored the refined demon soul swords into her spiritual void. She got up and came to Lin Zhao's side, and together they watched the falling snow. The snow was so heavy that one could barely see anything a few meters away. She chuckled, "It really is snowing. And it's snowing so heavily. It hasn't snowed this much in Xue Yu Tian Chi for many years."
"What do you want to eat this morning?" Lin Zhao asked.
"Anything."
Wu Zhi said, "Since Dong Cang isn't here, it's rather inconvenient that you're serving me and Yu Wan Ning for meals. Please sit, I'll go make you a few bowls of noodles. For the mud carp stew, should we add loach or eel?"
"Either is fine."
Lin Zhao smiled, "I'm not picky."
"Mmm!" Da Feng Novel Network
Not long after, three steaming bowls of noodles were ready. Wu Zhi, cooking for the first time in a while, had made them quite well. Yu Wan Ning took a bite, her face lighting up with a smile. Although Wu Zhi rarely cooked before, she was a very intelligent woman. Through observation and imitation, she quickly learned.
Lin Zhao held his bowl of noodles, eating and admiring the snow. He said, "What a pity… If Old Huang, Tang Guang Jun, and Chen Ben were still here, it would be so lively with more people eating."
Wu Zhi said softly, "I wish Dong Cang was here. Dong Cang's noodle-making skills… are truly beyond compare. My own noodles always seem to lack something."
"Mmm."
Lin Zhao said, "In the past, Dong Cang himself prepared the broth for the noodles at Shan Dian Bie Yuan. If you make it yourself, it won't taste the same. Don't be too hard on yourself. The noodles you made are much better than what that rascal Tang Guang Jun could make."
Wu Zhi rolled her eyes. Comparing herself to that rascal Tang Guang Jun? Who did he think she was?
"Mmm?"
Suddenly, Lin Zhao, holding his noodle bowl, frowned and looked to the north. The perception of an eleventh-realm sword cultivator was like a super-radar, able to perceive everything in the Xue Yu Tian Chi area. At this moment, he sensed a powerful sword intent approaching from the north. It was moving slowly, and along with this sword intent came a less powerful aura, filled with a sense of familiarity.
In an instant, Lin Zhao seemed to realize something, his eyes involuntarily reddening. "Shall we go down the mountain to meet them?"
"Mmm!"
Wu Zhi and Yu Wan Ning put down their bowls together.
…
Outside the North Mountain.
In the snow-covered forest, snow fell in abundance.
In the early morning, two figures emerged from the direction of the demon realm. The one walking in front was a swordsman dressed in a green vine-colored long robe, with a long sword strapped to his back and a cloak covering his head. Snow had accumulated on his cloak and shoulders. He walked through the snow, one step at a time, holding the reins of a lean horse.
Perhaps it was too cold, as the lean horse snorted and shook its head.
On the horse sat a petite woman, dressed in simple coarse cloth, wrapped in a thick cloak. Her entire face was hidden within the hood.
The two figures traveled from the demon realm without revealing their presence, encountering no trouble along the way. It was only as they neared Xue Yu Tian Chi that they subtly revealed a trace of their aura.
On the mountain, a figure clad in grey arrived with the wind.
"Rustle..."
He landed in front of the lean horse and took the reins from the swordsman. A handsome face was filled with a smile as he looked at the woman on the horse, his voice slightly choked with emotion. He said with a smile, "Dong Cang, it's been a long time…"