Time flowed on, vanishing in the blink of an eye. By rough count, everyone had lived in Lu Residence for over ten years.
Over those ten-odd years, aside from occasionally causing everyone trouble, the Heaven-Piercing Sect had made no major moves.
Thus, heaven and earth once more sank into tranquility.
Everyone cultivated on their own, while Lu Dongbin also began teaching White Peony the Dao, hoping to help her become an immortal and avoid the millennium-long love tribulation.
At the same time, he hoped that through such companionship, they could be like Ling Qing and He Xiangu, transforming romantic love into familial affection.
Rather than becoming Dao companions who sought the Dao together.
That day, Ling Qing was in the courtyard with He Xiangu, admiring the lotuses in the ornamental pond.
On a whim, He Xiangu cradled a lotus in her hands and empowered it with divine incantations.
The previous Immortal-Slaying Net calamity had shown her just how formidable Iron Crutch Li's magical treasure was.
Now, she paid particular attention to this newly refined lotus, wanting to refine it into something like Iron Crutch Li's gourd—a powerful magical treasure of her own.
"Fourth Brother!"
Hearing the call, Ling Qing turned and saw Lu Dongbin.
He glanced at He Xiangu, who was wholly focused on chanting incantations and empowering the lotus. Then Ling Qing quietly left the courtyard and walked alongside Lu Dongbin.
"Why isn't Third Brother keeping Peony company today?"
"Alas!" Lu Dongbin sighed at those words. "I'm terribly lost right now."
Ling Qing asked, "Lost about what?"
Lu Dongbin said, "Each of the Eight Immortals has their own flaw. Iron Crutch Li is trapped by beauty, Han Zhongli by gambling, He Xiangu by delusion.
"And I am trapped by the word love.
"My current situation with White Peony has