Parting and Reunion, Sorrows and Joys

If life were only as it was at first sight.

It tells of all the joys and sorrows of the mortal world.

Those who hear it only feel its poignant beauty, but Chen Jinyu grew calmer with each word.

Decades passed in an instant—all the splendor and glory were but illusions, waiting only for this day's reunion.

"You haven't changed at all."

"Neither have you."

Zhou Yi stepped closer and measured their heights. Back then, the young girl had only reached his shoulder; now, it was still the same.

Chen Jinyu covered her face, her voice firm and resolute: "To see you once before I die—at least I won't have to close my eyes in regret."

Zhou Yi flipped his palm, revealing a bead as clear and green as jade, with a swirling mist at its core.

"The Condensing Jade Bead. Swallow it, and I'll guard you while you refine it. It can extend your life by decades."

This precious bead was a heirloom of the imperial family. Zhou Yi had obtained it only after agreeing to Emperor Li Yu's request to eliminate King Zhenbei.

Prince Guangyang, one of the Eight Great Kings, was merely a parasite of Great Jing, draining military funds without shaking the dynasty's foundation.

But King Zhenbei, who guarded the Northern Frontier, had already carved out his own fiefdom, even colluding with foreign tribes to plot secession and claim kingship—far beyond what Emperor Li Yu could tolerate.

The Condensing Jade Bead was the essence of jade, formed by the condensation of Earth Elemental Spiritual Energy.

Swallowing it could forge a Postnatal Earth Spiritual Root, and extending life was just one of its effects.

Its rarity rivaled the thousand-year wood heart Zhou Yi had once consumed.

"Take it back. I can't bear such a treasure."

Chen Jinyu shook her head and said, "Living alone holds no meaning. Why force it?"

Zhou Yi sighed. How could he not know what Chen Jinyu truly wanted? But he could give her everything—except a lifetime together.

"I've met Nian'er. He's doing well. One day, he'll be no less than me."

Zhou Yi placed the Condensing Jade Bead on the table, changing the subject. "Perhaps you should watch him grow, become a great figure who shakes the world."

"And what of it?"

Chen Jinyu snorted coldly. "I've already seen one great figure and been heartbroken once. Nian'er will inherit the family business. Unless I die, I'll never let him cultivate immortality or learn the Dao!"

Her words were heavy with resentment toward the path of immortality.

"Why must you be like this... I thought leading the Immortal Wine House to this point would give you a purpose."

Zhou Yi could see that Zhou Nian was born with a Dao bone—a true seed for cultivation. He was still young and could obey Chen Jinyu for now, but once he stepped onto the path of immortality, who could say?

Chen Jinyu didn't argue. The Immortal Wine House had become famous for its distilled liquor, expanding and swallowing rivals until it was the richest under heaven.

Half the credit went to Zhou Yi, but Chen Jinyu's contribution was no less.

A life's work—if she said it mattered less than Zhou Yi, even she wouldn't believe it.

The Chen Family of Jiangnan was not the Zhou Family of Jiangnan.

This "Chen" was not the Chen of the Golden Saber Sect—it was Chen Jinyu's Chen!

They faced each other in silence, words failing them.

Both had their own goals, but their paths diverged, and they could no longer walk together.

The feelings of the past remained, but they were no longer everything.

Zhou Yi broke the silence first: "Before I went into seclusion, I asked my senior brother Yan Chixia to look after the Immortal Wine House. Do you know where he is now?"

Pu Du Ci Hang was drawing closer. Zhou Yi's chances of winning alone were slim, and he urgently needed Yan Chixia's help.

Yan Chixia hated evil like an enemy. If he learned that the Imperial Preceptor of Great Jing was a demon in disguise, he would surely step in for Demon Slaying and Exorcism.

That was Yan Chixia's purpose in cultivation—to exterminate all Demonic Monsters and Ghosts and restore a clear world!

Chen Jinyu thought for a moment, then said slowly, "About forty years ago, rumors spread that you were gravely wounded and beyond cure. Someone couldn't resist trying to swallow the Immortal Wine House. In that crisis, Daoist Yan appeared, saved the Chen Family from danger, guided us in martial arts for a few months, and then went to the northwest to exorcise demons."

"Twenty years ago, Daoist Yan returned badly injured. Fortunately, he was lucky enough to find a thousand-year spiritual ginseng. After years of recovery, he went to the northern deserts to track a demon."

"The last time I saw Daoist Yan was in the autumn before last. He came from Qingcheng Mountain, passed through Jiangzhe, and was heading to Laoshan to visit an old friend."

Zhou Yi had only asked casually, but he actually got news of Yan Chixia.

"Knowing my senior brother's nature, he only drove that family away fifty years ago, right? Do you need me to step in?"

Chen Jinyu's brows shot up at the mention. That life-and-death crisis had left a deep impression.

"That family did every evil deed imaginable, luring bandits and outlaws until they were all wiped out..."

Zhou Yi was stunned. A pang of regret struck him—had he been wrong to get involved with women in the first place?

"Good. I'm going to Laoshan to find Senior Brother Chixia. If anything comes up, send word to the capital. The three favors I owe you still stand."

Chen Jinyu raised an eyebrow. "Are you chasing me away? This is the capital of Great Jing. The Crown Prince, Li Zhu, is your disciple. The Chen Family's stake is all on him."

"Don't get too close to the Crown Prince. The capital is a den of trouble. Leave as soon as you can."

Zhou Yi's voice was already fading into the distance: "In this world, there are only thousand-year clans, never a thousand-year dynasty."

Chen Jinyu stared blankly in the direction where Zhou Yi had vanished.

Sixty-two years of anticipation, and they met for one face-to-face—barely even a quarter-hour from start to finish.

"My wish is fulfilled. From now on, I am merely the head of the Chen Family..."

Partings and reunions among mortals are ever ordinary...

Zhou Yi did not head directly to Laoshan.

At the start of the year, during the struggle for the Grand Tutor position, Xuan Qing Zi of White Crane Temple had studied under Laoshan.

Zhou Yi had disrupted the Magical Combat and ultimately seized the Grand Tutor seat, making himself a thorn in the side of both the Buddha Dao and the Daoist sects.

This journey to Laoshan would not be peaceful.

He first met with his disciple Li Zhu. Matters concerning King Zhenbei were for the disciple to handle.

Li Zhu had changed since their last meeting; an intangible aura accompanied his every step, gripping the heart.

"Master, King Zhenbei has passed down his legacy through generations on the frontier. The Imperial Guard has only five thousand men—isn't that too hasty?"

Li Zhu hesitated, adding, "Moreover, the Imperial Guard Directorate has found evidence that King Zhenbei is colluding with foreign tribes. If the Northern Frontier erupts into chaos..."

"These five thousand soldiers are no longer ordinary. Each one, placed in the martial world, would be a Body-Tempering expert."

Zhou Yi goaded him, "If you can't win with this, then the Great Jing Court is utterly hopeless. You'd best start planning an escape route."

At the mention of the Great Jing Court's safety, Li Zhu struggled to keep his composure.

"Master, rest assured. Your disciple will lead the troops to subdue King Zhenbei. I will not return until the Northern Frontier is pacified!"

With that, Li Zhu turned and left.

Moments later, the military camp rang out with uniform shouts.

The five thousand Imperial Guards had undergone daily training that pushed beyond the limits of the human body.

Now the results of that training became evident; within the time it takes a stick of incense to burn, they had already marched out toward the Northern Frontier.

Zhou Yi lingered in the command tent for a long while, until Li Zhu and his troops had faded into the distance.

"He's condensed a thread of Dragon Qi. After pacifying King Zhenbei, he'll at least become a hidden dragon... Seek and ye shall find. As your master, I am helping you too..."

Zhou Yi spoke to the shadows in the corner, "Yang Bai, go to the Northern Frontier. Ensure the Crown Prince's safety at all costs, and prevent King Zhenbei from assassinating him."

Yang Bai emerged from the shadows and bowed.

"Ancestor, King Zhenbei claims to have a hundred thousand elite troops. If the campaign with five thousand men goes poorly?"

"Then we replace the Crown Prince. Li Yu doesn't want to take the risk himself—he has over a dozen sons anyway!"

Zhou Yi said, "Everyone gets something, but they must pay the same price. Everyone, including you and me."

"Your subordinate understands."

Yang Bai's expression remained unchanged, but a chill ran through his heart, deepening his fear of Zhou Yi.

With all matters settled, Zhou Yi directly employed an Escape Art and headed southeast from the capital.

The Five Elements Escape Technique was a talent of the Corpse Spirit, consuming very little True Essence. A distance of one thousand eight hundred li took him a single day and night.

Roaming the capital at dawn, reaching the eastern sea by dusk.

Laoshan sat on the coast of the East Sea.

Zhou Yi went straight to the Prefectural Magistrate's hall and revealed his identity as Grand Tutor.

Prefect Yu Shijie was a clever man. He immediately issued an order for all constables in the eighteen counties of Spring Prefecture to search for Yan Chixia.

Yan Chixia's appearance was extremely distinctive; anyone who saw him would remember.

Sure enough, news came on the third day: someone had recently spotted Yan Chixia on Taiqing Peak in Laoshan.

"Taiqing Peak..."

Zhou Yi employed his Escape Art and ascended directly to Taiqing Peak.

From afar, he could see a cluster of pavilions and palaces—the heart of Laoshan's Daoist arts.

Taiqing Palace.