"My name is Lin Zhao."
The young man stood tall and straight, facing the peach blossom demon, and slowly cupped his fists. "A descendant of the Great Chen Dynasty from the Snow Region's Heavenly Lake, a six-realm martial artist!"
"Young hero!"
The peach blossom demon's eyes widened. "Are you really... truly a Grandmaster of the Middle Five Realms of martial arts?"
"Grandmaster?"
Lin Zhao's old face turned red. "I've only just stepped into the path of martial arts; I'm still far from being a Grandmaster..."
But in the eyes of the peach blossom demon, a six-realm martial artist was absolutely a Grandmaster, someone capable of going toe-to-toe with a seven-realm Void Comprehension cultivator. How could that not be a Grandmaster?
...
"Something's not right..."
Lin Zhao narrowed his eyes. His six-realm martial artist cultivation allowed him to see through many things easily. "There's someone else in Mirror Lake, isn't there?" Big Wind Novel
"Mm..."
The peach blossom demon turned around and said softly, "Lu Hua, you can come out. Young hero Lin Zhao isn't a bad person."
At this moment, a slightly blurry green figure slowly emerged from the water. It was a woman of average looks, and also a demon. Lin Zhao, with his six-realm martial artist's eyes, saw her clearly.
"Greetings, Young Master Lin Zhao..."
Lu Hua curtsied.
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded with a smile.
The peach blossom demon then said, "Lin Zhao, would you be willing to visit my cave dwelling at the bottom of the lake for a chat and a drink of our Mirror Lake wine? That wine is brewed by Lu Hua and me with peach blossoms; it's very fragrant and mellow."
"Good, thank you!"
Lin Zhao didn't refuse. Otherwise, if the other party kept inviting and he kept declining, it would seem too deliberate.
...
The peach blossom demon waved her hand, parting the waves, and the three of them stepped into the lake bottom. Not long after, they arrived in front of a rather simple dwelling. Upon entering, everything was indeed very simple, and the dwelling was small, with only a few rooms, a main hall, and a couple of storage rooms. It was visible at a glance.
"My dwelling is humble, please don't laugh..." the peach blossom demon said.
Lin Zhao nodded. "Not at all, not at all."
"Lu Hua, stir-fry a few dishes. Something to go with the wine for the young master."
"Mm-hmm!"
Before long, a few rustic dishes were served, and the peach blossom demon personally poured the wine.
Lin Zhao didn't drink much, but he could hold his liquor. After a full gulp, the taste was mellow and sweet; it was indeed quite good. The dishes cooked by Lu Hua on the table were also exceptionally special.
After a few cups of wine, Lin Zhao's face turned slightly red, and he smiled, "Tell me, what exactly is going on?"
"Mm."
The peach blossom demon also finished a cup of wine and said, "I was originally the daughter of a prominent family here, and Lu Hua was my maid. You know what happened next. I parted ways with Zhang Sheng for ten years. With the nation in turmoil, he had no time to attend to me, so I never saw him again in this life. Later, the demon race swept south and passed through this place, killing my entire family."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "Because I still held feelings for him, I was unwilling to reincarnate. Lu Hua also stayed by my side. Only later did I transform into a peach tree, becoming what people call a peach blossom demon. I cultivated day and night, only wishing to see him again one day. Lu Hua only transformed into a reed flower demon decades ago. Her cultivation is shallow, so she dared not come ashore. Whenever cultivators passed by, they would shout and attack..."
She wiped away a tear. "Therefore, to avoid the hunt and capture of those cultivators, I sacrificed half of my cultivation and refined the bronze mirror I had carried with me since childhood. Taking advantage of a heavy rainfall, I conjured this Mirror Lake here. Since then, Lu Hua and I have hidden in Mirror Lake to cultivate, never daring to do the slightest wicked deed."
"Is that so..."
Lin Zhao frowned. "And Zhang Sheng..."
"I don't know."
The peach blossom demon shook her head. "I never saw him again..."
Lin Zhao hesitated, wanting to ask for Zhang Sheng's name. Perhaps if he encountered him while traveling the world, he could bring him back to see her. But life is strange; doing good deeds often cannot be forced, or it might backfire. Everything in life should be about reaching maturity naturally and going with the flow.
Therefore, Lin Zhao said nothing.
But this Mirror Lake... it was truly too unsafe. A mere Middle Five Realm cultivator could overturn this place. This made Lin Zhao deeply worried. He had saved the peach blossom demon today, but what if she was gone tomorrow? It wasn't helping them to the end.
...
Late at night, Lin Zhao rested in the guest room of the Mirror Lake dwelling. The warm and dry bedding gave the young man a feeling of being in a different world. Compared to sleeping in the wilderness in the biting cold a few days ago, this was incomparable.
He tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
So, he sat up, placed the ancient sword from under his pillow on his lap, and tentatively asked, "Sister Bai?"
"Swish~~~"
A streak of white light shot out, transforming into the graceful White Dragon Goddess, who stood before him with a playful smile. "Hmph... You wouldn't call me when facing your own life and death, why call me now when you want to help others?"
"In terms of mindset, it seems different..."
Lin Zhao scratched his head and smiled. "My own matters should be resolved by myself. But now I really want to help them, yet I'm powerless. It's still my cultivation that's too low..."
"Oh?"
The White Dragon Goddess stepped forward and sat in the chair before him, looking at the young man. "Isn't our young hero Lin a second-realm great cultivator whose fists thunder and sword strikes flash like lightning? What problems can't you solve?"
Lin Zhao's old face turned red. "Sister Bai, please stop teasing me."
"Hmph!"
The White Dragon Goddess smiled lightly and said, "Speak, what help do you need from me?"
Lin Zhao pointed below him. "This dwelling, this Mirror Lake, and the peach forest next to it. I hope no one will be able to trample all over them anymore..."
"Mm..."
The White Dragon Goddess nodded and smiled meaningfully. "So, our young hero Lin wants to do good deeds, and have Sister Bai work tirelessly for it?"
Lin Zhao scratched his head again. "I don't have enough strength, what can I do?"
"Hmph~~~"
She slowly stepped forward, placed her hands on his shoulders, and said softly, "You sleep. The problem will be solved by morning."
"Really?"
"Mm."
...
Thus, Lin Zhao fell into a deep sleep. A wisp of white light flew out from the ancient sword and left Mirror Lake.
Twenty miles west of Mirror Lake, in a mountain range that soared into the clouds, a woman in white descended from the sky. In her hand, she held a sword blade almost identical to the ancient sword, though its outline was quite blurry. She lightly tapped the ground with the tip of her sword. "Mountain God?"
"Coming, coming..."
On the mountaintop, in a long-abandoned shrine, an elder radiating golden light, leaning on a cane, flew over. He immediately knelt before the woman in white, kowtowing repeatedly. "This humble deity pays respects to the celestial immortal..."
The woman in white glanced at him. "This place has long been ownerless land. You, the Mountain God, without incense offerings, have managed to live so comfortably. You must have become a rogue cultivator, foraging in the wilderness?"
"No..."
The Mountain God turned pale with shock. "How would this humble deity dare? I dare not, I dare not..."
He raised his head and cautiously asked, "Does the celestial immortal seek me for something?"
"Mm."
The woman in white nodded. "The peach blossom demon in Mirror Lake, and that newly formed reed flower demon, are friends of my master. From now on, if anyone dares to harass that place, you must do your utmost to protect them, understand?"
"I understand. This humble deity will do his utmost to ensure their safety."
"I won't let you do it for free."
The woman in white flicked her fingers, tossing a golden shard to him.
"Ah?!"
The Mountain God was startled. He quickly hid the golden shard in his sleeve and then kowtowed even more fervently, shaking the entire mountain.
...
The woman in white soared through the air, patrolling the world at night.
As she descended from the sky, she stepped into a very hidden cave dwelling within a mountain. Inside the cave, a Star River realm female cultivator hurriedly stood up. As a female cultivator who was only one step away from the Upper Five Realms, she quickly curtsied like an ordinary mortal to the other party. This was because the aura of the woman in white was so terrifying that she couldn't probe it at all. It was no longer about the Upper Five Realms, but likely a taboo. Just a sweep of the other party's divine sense told this Star River realm female cultivator that it would be too easy for her to kill her, perhaps with just a flick of her finger.
"Immortal fairy, may I ask why you seek me?"
After all, she was a Star River realm cultivator and was relatively composed, much stronger than the seven-realm Mountain God.
The woman in white smiled slightly. "The peach blossom demon and the reed flower demon in Mirror Lake are friends of my master. I hope you will look after them. If anything happens at Mirror Lake, please render your full assistance!"
The female cultivator was stunned, then nodded. "Yes!"
The woman in white smiled. "Actually, you are not without hope of reaching the Upper Five Realms in this life."
"Ah?!"
The female cultivator immediately knelt, raising her head and saying, "Please... please teach me, immortal fairy!"
The woman in white smiled. "I will give you four words: mending fences after sheep are lost. Some things, doing them late is always better than not doing them at all."
The female cultivator suddenly realized, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, immortal fairy. I know what to do now..."
...
The next morning.
When Lin Zhao woke up, the ancient sword was filled with spiritual energy. Sister Bai had already returned. He tidied his belongings, slung his ancient sword and bamboo basket over his shoulder, and walked out of his room. The peach blossom demon was already waiting outside, smiling. "Young Master, you're awake?"
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded. "I should be on my way early today. I shouldn't trouble you further."
The peach blossom demon pursed her red lips. "Will you leave after breakfast? Lu Hua has already prepared it. Her noodles are delicious."
"Mm, alright, thank you!"
Lin Zhao readily agreed.
Indeed, the noodles cooked by the reed flower demon were very fine and chewy, and the soup was also extremely flavorful with a rich aroma. Lin Zhao ate the entire large bowl of noodles in one go, then returned to the surface through the opened waterway.
The peach blossom demon and the reed flower demon escorted him to the lakeside.
"Young Master!"
The reed flower demon was reluctant to part. "In the future... if you have the time, please come visit more often. My lady rarely speaks throughout the year. She only talks when you are here..."
"I know."
Lin Zhao cupped his fists and nodded. "If I have the time, I will come again!"
"Mm."
The peach blossom demon's beautiful eyes were filled with emotion as she looked at Lin Zhao. She curtsied and said, "I wish you a bright future and a smooth journey. Also, young master, my name is... Han Yurou. If you happen to meet someone who knows Han Yurou, please..."
Lin Zhao cupped his fists again, feeling a sense of relief in his heart, and said solemnly, "Lin Zhao has noted it!"