The Saintess Yu Die's Diary (6k bonus chapter for Mingshen)

"Something went wrong? What happened?"

You Su's eyes widened. He had waited so long, how could something go wrong just before the ten-day mark? Was this truly a cruel twist of fate?

"Young Master You, please don't worry, it's nothing serious. Please trust that Jade Ring Pool will definitely meet your needs. We originally thought the Lotus Root Heart would be ripe by tomorrow, but it seems we'll have to wait until the day after tomorrow. I'm just here to give you a heads-up, so please be patient."

You Su frowned slightly, seemingly unaware of the slight unease. "It's just a couple more days, no problem. Thank you for your hard work, Jade Immortal Master."

"Thank you for Young Master You understanding, Young Master Young Master You. Jade Ring Pool will not disappoint you."

As he spoke, Yu Zhen lightly flipped his hands, and a magnificent brocade box, about half the size of his palm, appeared in his hands.

He bowed and presented it to You Su, saying, "This is an apology gift from Jade Ring Pool to Young Master You. It is lotus root powder made from the spiritual lotus root of Jade Ring Pool through eighty-one manual steps. When taken internally, it can strengthen the meridians and stabilize the mind; when applied externally, it can heal external injuries without leaving scars. It can even be added to incense burners to become a top-grade incense, which has a unique flavor compared to the fragrance of these ten thousand jade lotuses."

You Su was surprised, thinking to himself that Jade Ring Pool was indeed very generous. Exchanging treasures was not a necessity for them, yet they were still willing to give such a valuable apology gift for the extra time You Su had given.

Perhaps... this lotus root starch might be able to awaken the Little White Fish again. However, You Su still needs to maintain her polite facade.

"It's just a couple more days at Jade Ring Pool; You Su cannot accept such a valuable gift."

Yu Zhen stepped forward again and said, "Young Master You, there's no need to be so polite. This is a gift from Venerable Shenxi. The patriarch himself delivered the gift, so Young Master You should accept it readily. Not everyone receives such treatment."

Venerable Shenxi? Has one of the three family heads finally noticed this visitor from the sacred mountain?

"Then... I shall respectfully accept your offer. Please convey my gratitude to Venerable Shenxi through Jade Immortal Master."

"Then Yu Zhen will take my leave. I will come to inform Young Master You as soon as I have any news."

You Su raised his hand in thanks, and Yu Zhen returned the gesture with a smile before turning and walking away.

"Do not enter the hall without my permission. I need to cultivate."

After giving instructions to Yu Meng and Yu Long, You Su returned to his bedchamber and opened the brocade box filled with lotus root starch. He didn't know where the little white fish was hiding, so he could only fish it out this way.

But the Little White Fish seemed to have completely disappeared, and there was no movement for a long time. You Su was helpless and could only sit on the lotus platform, breathing and waiting quietly.

Counting the time, it has been thirteen days since I left the sect. I wonder if my senior sister is getting impatient, and whether my Mistress has discovered that I am no longer in the sect. Now that success is imminent, I can only hope that the Third Elder can delay them.

With her eyes closed, You Su felt the faint fragrance emanating from the lotus root powder possess a magical power, unconsciously drawing her to concentrate and focus on her cultivation.

Time seemed to have been fast-forwarded, and when You Su opened his eyes again, it was already evening. He stood up, his body brimming with profound Mystic Qi, but unfortunately, his stomach was empty.

"Thinking about it, it really has been a long time since I've had a banquet at the Little Pond Palace..."

You Su sighed softly, secretly amused. It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Having grown accustomed to the delicacies and fine wines of Jade Ring Pool, could he ever return to the man who was content with a simple braised chicken with chestnuts in Chuyun City?

The answer is obvious: what matters is not what you eat, but who you eat with.

"Yu Meng Yu Long, prepare dinner for me," You Su called out to the outside of the palace.

"Yes."

Before long, two beautiful young women brought out a set of exquisitely prepared dishes and placed them on the table.

Even after nine days, the dishes are still completely different and brand new. Although the ingredients are all similar, such as fish and shellfish, there are always novel cooking methods.

The people of Jade Ring Pool are truly astonished by their attention to food. This makes You Su feel that the Lineage cultivators around the lake are not so much like immortals who cultivate the Dao, but rather like those unorthodox cultivators who have entered the Dao through cooking.

On second thought, that's not quite right. The exquisite taste of Jade Ring Pool extends beyond food; it pursues the ultimate beauty in everything, from clothing to cave abode.

Beauty is the core philosophy of cultivation for the people of Jade Ring Pool.

"Please sit down and eat with us."

You Su knelt beside the dining table and greeted the two women. There was so much food that he couldn't possibly finish it all by himself.

Yu Meng Yu Long were clearly pleasantly surprised, but they still pretended to be reserved. "This is against the rules, Young Master You, please enjoy your meal."

"That's an order." You Su had already picked up a piece of fresh, white fish with her chopsticks.

The two women exchanged a glance, and without further hesitation, sat down on either side of You Su.

They ate very restrainedly, savoring the food they were already tired of eating in small bites.

Yu Long was innocent by nature, and while eating, she suddenly burst into tears again, tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto the side of the plate on the table.

Seeing Yu Meng was extremely anxious and quickly whispered a reminder:

"Yu Long! Watch out!"

Yu Long tried to wipe away her tears, but she couldn't stop them and could only sob softly.

Yu Meng carefully observed You Su's expression. She had finally gotten closer to You Su, but her sister had caused such a mess, which made her feel helpless.

"Young Master You... Yu Long, she... she didn't mean it."

You Su ignored her, put down her chopsticks, sighed softly, and then asked in a low voice:

"Yu Long, what happened?"

Upon hearing Yu Long You Su's question, Yu Long forced back her tears and said, "Waaah, Young Master You... are you really leaving after getting the Lotus Root Heart?"

"Hmm." You Su nodded gently.

The affirmative answer made Yu Long cry even harder, while Yu Meng, standing beside him, also wore a sorrowful expression.

"Then could you take me and my sister with you...?" Yu Long sobbed as she asked her deepest plea.

"Yu Long!" Yu Meng glared at her younger sister, stopping her rudeness.

You Su held up a glass of fruit wine, and after a moment of silence, he said:

"You all know very well that I can't take you with me, so don't even dream about it."

Not everyone is as clear-headed as the Yu Die Saintess. Helpless girls always hope for a hero to appear and save them. But no one from Jade Ring Pool has ever left Jade Ring Pool in the past fifty-four years, and this will not change because of You Su's arrival.

Upon hearing this, Yu Long felt as if half her heart had died, and her tears froze at the corners of her eyes, refusing to fall. The Jade Ring Pool would one day reopen its gates, but not in her generation. She bit her lip, as if she had found a last glimmer of hope:

"Then... then Young Master You, please don't leave, okay? Just stay at Jade Ring Pool. Jade Ring Pool is wonderful in every way, and there's me, my sister, and the Saintess... They'll treat you even better than the Divine Young Master You treats you!"

Since You Su couldn't take them out, they decided to leave You Su behind.

"Is this the task assigned to you by the patriarch?" You Su sat up a little straighter.

Yu Meng pursed her lips and said apologetically, "Since Jade Ring Pool went into seclusion, there has been a shortage of capable successors. The only outstanding junior we have is the eldest young master. However, Jade Ring Pool values its roots highly, so it cannot recruit a wide range of talented individuals. We can only invite cultivators who have received favors from Jade Ring Pool to join, but there are few who respond. Young Master You is exceptionally talented and has a close relationship with Lotus Sword Venerable, having received his Lotus Sword Venerable seed. You can be considered half a member of Jade Ring Pool. From the moment we learned that Young Master You was coming, Jade Ring Pool hoped to keep Young Master You here. I believe Jade Ring Pool You has already seen Young Master You's sincerity."

"You Su is flattered, and that must be why you went to such lengths to have a pool of Saintess approach me." You Su's voice was like a cool lake breeze blowing in through the window.

"The Saintess ... she isn't..." Yu Meng lowered her eyes. "At first, we also thought that the Saintess approached Young Master You with a purpose. The three family heads even gave orders to use some special methods..."

"If it were the Saintess from fifty-four years ago, the family heads certainly wouldn't dare speak to her like that. But the Yu Die Saintess is just a mortal without any cultivation. Her status is already merely nominal. How could all the cultivators in this pool possibly show such utmost respect to a mortal? But my sister and I observed the Saintess's behavior and realized that she wasn't approaching you to fulfill the three family heads' goals. She was just too lonely..."

As Yu Meng spoke, she seemed to empathize with the Saintess she had grown up with. The Saintess was actually far more lonely and pitiful than her sisters. She wiped her eyes and continued:

"So after Young Master You was willing to jump off the cliff to save the Saintess, the Saintess never dared to come to see Young Master You in person again. She was afraid that she really wouldn't want Young Master You to leave... So she went into hiding. My sister and I want to keep Young Master You here now, not because of the orders of the family heads, but because of our own hearts!"

The girl's face was flushed, as if she had exhausted herself from speaking a long string of heartfelt words. She looked at You Su nervously, barely daring to breathe.

A moment of silence fell between the two women, their gazes both intense and timid. You Su nodded slightly and simply said:

"I understand, but I will eventually leave."

He then downed the fruit wine in one gulp, stood up, his expression as cold as the ink-black sword in his hand:

"You guys take your time eating, I'm full, I'm going out for a walk."

As the weather grew cooler and the days grew shorter, before the lamps outside the door could even be lit, You Su's figure quickly disappeared into the night outside the courtyard.

Yu Long cried even harder, "Sister... are we really that unlikable?"

Yu Meng wiped away the tears from her younger sister's eyes, forcing a smile as she comforted her:

"No, it's just that he's blind and has never paid attention to us. How could he possibly leave anything for us..."

You Su walked along the wooden path by the lake, the fragrance of lotus flowers carried by the evening breeze was very pleasant, and she hardly encountered any other pedestrians along the way.

He once asked the Saintess why the cultivators of Jade Ring Pool rarely went out. The Saintess explained that the people of Jade Ring Pool had grown tired of the beautiful scenery they were surrounded by due to their long years of seclusion. They preferred to stay at home and cultivate diligently rather than go out for fresh air. Only during festivals or events would the cultivators of Jade Ring Pool come out to participate and join in the fun.

You Su understood and strolled along leisurely. This vast swamp was already familiar to the cultivators of Jade Ring Pool, but it was still novel to You Su.

His purpose in going out was certainly not to take a walk to digest his food, but to visit Little Pond Palace he hadn't visited for three days.

He always felt that the Saintess's deliberate avoidance had another reason, and his inner curiosity drove him here.

Returning after three days, You Su felt a sense of familiarity mixed with strangeness.

The pure white egrets that often perched on the top of the Little Pond Palace no longer seemed afraid of You Su, and did not scatter and fly away again because of his arrival.

However, the maids stationed Little Pond Palace were different from the egrets who were used to You Su. They, who had previously allowed You Su to come and go, now blocked You Su's way.

"Young Master You, please stop."

You Su frowned and said, "Please tell the Saintess that it is You Su who has come to visit."

The maidservant, however, did not move, as if she had been prepared, and replied:

"The Saintess is not receiving guests. Young Master You, please leave."

"When is the Saintess available to receive guests?"

The maid paused for a moment, her tone tinged with melancholy:

"This servant doesn't know either."

This maid was the personal maid of the Yu Die Saintess. Seeing her hesitant look, You Su knew very well that she probably knew something, but was deliberately hiding it from her.

"Then tell the Saintess that I was here."

"Yes, I will."

Since the other party was deliberately avoiding him, You Su had no intention of pressing the matter further and simply turned to leave.

Seeing this, the maid suddenly called out to You Su:

"By the way, Young Master You, the Saintess said that you helped her release the Sky Lantern that night, and she still owes you a question."

You Su stopped, and according to the deal, that was indeed the case. He could also ask the Yu Die Saintess a question.

But what should be asked?

He already had a basic understanding of the Jade Ring Pool, and even if he asked about its deeper secrets, the other party wouldn't really tell him the truth. So, this opportunity to ask questions seemed somewhat redundant.

Seeing that You Su remained silent, the maid bowed again and said:

"Young Master You, there's no need to rush. You can ask before you get the Lotus Root Heart. You can take your time to think it over."

You Su paused for a moment, replied "Okay," and turned to leave.

This is the tenth day since I arrived at Jade Ring Pool, the day I was supposed to receive the Lotus Root Heart as promised.

After Yu Meng Yu Long were rejected when they confessed their motives yesterday, their interactions with You Su became awkward. You Su was happy with this and tried to avoid their service as much as possible.

After having dinner, You Su went to the Little Pond Palace again.

His Divine Sense couldn't penetrate the confines, so he had no idea what was happening inside.

He wanted to use that question as an excuse to meet with the Saintess, but he couldn't think of anything to ask. He just paced back and forth outside the Little Pond Palace, looking very anxious.

The Yu Die Saintess's personal maid was still blocking the door. Seeing You Su's distressed state, she couldn't bear it and leaned closer, saying:

"Young Master You, have you decided what question you want to ask?"

You Su thought for a moment before saying, "I want to ask about my master's seclusion back then."

The maid shook her head. "Young Master You, please leave. That's not the question you really want to ask."

What is the real question you want to ask?

You Su looked somewhat surprised and walked away thoughtfully.

The maid watched You Su's retreating figure and sighed deeply.

The eleventh day.

Yu Meng Yu Long noticed that You Su was about to go out again, and unable to resist the urge, they asked:

"Young Master You, are you going to see the Saintess again?"

You Su nodded. "Not bad."

"But the Saintess sees no one, so why does Young Master You want to go looking for her?"

"The Saintess still owes me a question. Once she tells me the answer, I will no longer seek her out."

"Young Master You is truly... very meticulous."

Yu Meng Yu Long exchanged a glance, their hope rekindling. In their eyes, the problem was just an excuse; You Su's real intention was to see the Saintess.

"Have you thought through your question, Young Master You?"

You Su stepped out the door without looking back, silently walking down the same path once more.

You Su arrived Little Pond Palace, the maidservant stopped him and asked with concern:

"Young Master You, have you thought about your question? Tomorrow... the Lotus Root Heart will be ripe."

"Yes, I've thought it through." You Su put his hands behind his back and asked solemnly, "How is the Saintess?"

The maid looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes, and bowed slightly, murmuring:

"Young Master You. In fact, I should have answered your question on behalf of the Saintess Young Master You yesterday, but I took it upon myself to refuse."

Why?

"I am the Saintess's personal maid. The Saintess once complained while bathing that Young Master You had spent six days with Saintess and asked her no fewer than dozens of questions, but not a single one of them was about her, which made her feel extremely frustrated. I couldn't bear to see the Saintess sad, so I secretly remembered her words, which is why I wanted to wait until Young Master You asked her questions about the Saintess before answering."

The maid glanced at You Su, who looked worried, and sighed inwardly. She was right. You Su was not completely indifferent to her Saintess. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken the initiative to come to the Saintess, let alone ask about Saintess situation.

"So is she alright or not?" You Su didn't pursue the matter of the little maid's presumptuous decision.

The maid wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and took out a book with wrinkled pages from her bosom. The book exuded a pleasant fragrance, the kind that You Su could tell was not the maid's own scent. He clearly remembered that it was the fragrance of the Saintess.

"Young Master You will understand once you've seen this."

The maid handed the book to You Su You Su, who hesitated for a moment before taking it.

When You Su returned to the Qinglan Hall, Yu Meng Yu Long were still waiting for him in the courtyard.

You Su's face was solemn, his brows were tightly furrowed, and his silence made the atmosphere somewhat oppressive, like the dark clouds gathering in the deep night sky.

This was the first time Yu Meng and Yu Long had seen You Su in this state, and both were somewhat frightened. Finally, Yu Meng mustered her courage and quietly asked:

"Has Young Master You seen the Saintess?"

You Su remained silent, yet his silence was reminiscent of the calm before a storm. He handed over the book he had just received from the maid. Yu Meng didn't know what it was, but she could sense something unusual about it.

She led her younger sister closer to the lamplight and carefully opened the book.

The handwriting on the pages is neat and beautiful, each stroke written with care, as if writing is not a chore for the author, but something to enjoy.

Yu Meng read two lines before realizing that this was actually a diary written by the Saintess Yu Die herself.

Each page of the diary was written very briefly, recording the Saintess's life from childhood.

She was born a Saintess, but unlike the Saintess who were revered as the hope of the pool from birth, everyone's hopes were dashed after they discovered she had no Spirit Vein. Because she was a mirror reflecting the state of the Jade Ring Pool, her lack of Spirit Vein meant that the Jade Ring Pool, on which so many people depended for survival, had not improved.

This child, who should have been showered with love and affection, received almost nothing but cold indifference. She was confined to the Little Pond Palace as she grew up; it wasn't a palace, but more like a prison.

In the world of immortals, it is unacceptable for an immortal to have a mortal as a symbol of faith. For that mortal, the pressure and expectations she bears are enough to crush her mortal body.

Fortunately, Yu Die was strong-willed, lively, intelligent, and kind. If she could cultivate, she would certainly be a highly qualified Saintess. She also gradually changed the opinions of those close to her through her personal charm; at least in the eyes of these maids, she was the true Saintess.

The Saintess rarely recorded painful memories in her diary, only noting things that brought her joy, so her diary was very brief. But Yu Meng noticed that the latest few pages were filled with writing, making one feel her joy leaping off the page.

After reading Yu Meng discovered that it contained details of her interactions with You Su.

"I danced with Young Master You today, and it was the happiest dance I've ever had. But I shouldn't have told him the story of Jade Immortal Rushing Pool. He also drank a lot of wine. He probably thought that drinking Immortal Wine would make me the first to get drunk, right? Humph, that's the price of underestimating Yu Die. But he looked quite handsome when he was drunk, though. He just kept muttering 'Junior Sister, Senior Mistress, Master's Wife, Master,' why didn't he say 'Yu Die'?"

"Today, I went to the West Lake Pavilion with Young Master You to enjoy the lake. On the way, we met the eldest young master and Miss Ji. Young Master You's poems and prose are truly masterpieces, but he insisted that the author was someone else. If that's true, how come I've never heard of him? Later, when we arrived at the West Lake Pavilion, he recited several more poems, each one enough to be remembered for eternity. I secretly memorized them, but I can't bear to tell anyone, especially Miss Ji."

"Releasing Sky Lantern on the mountaintop was actually a capricious request of mine. I'd never stood so high before, and looking down, it felt like I was a celestial being, transcending mortals. But actually, when I reached the edge of the cliff, I was still quite scared. However, the thought of Young Master You standing behind me made me feel inexplicably at ease..."

"I dare not see him again. He doesn't belong here, and he shouldn't stay here."

"There's a problem with the Lotus Root Heart, but the day I promised Young Master You is fast approaching. Will he think I'm lying to him? He traveled all this way to get the Lotus Root Heart; it must be very important to him... It's alright, I'm the Saintess. I will definitely deliver the Lotus Root Heart to him... It's a promise, and I'll be there soon anyway..."

The last page was covered with round, wrinkled marks, mostly dried tears, blurring the final word "death."

When Yu Meng and Yu Long looked up again, tears were already streaming down their faces. They had thought that the Saintess had won You Su over with her charm, but they never expected that the Saintess had already become someone else's 'captive'.

The diary rolled to the ground, and a tattered page even fell out.

Yu Meng quickly picked it up; it turned out to be the last letter of the previous Saintess.

Like Yu Die, the previous Saintess unable to cultivate. In her will, she mostly recounted her many experiences at Jade Ring Pool as a mortal.

But the last sentence made Yu Meng gasp in shock.

"I didn't wither away naturally at all."