The Embryonic Immortal Guides the Spirit

Finding him nowhere in sight filled Shang Qingzheng with heartache and regret.

On one hand, she blamed her own poor mastery of talismans for wasting time; on the other, she resented Jiang Yang for leaving so abruptly and breaking his word.

Shang Qingzheng suddenly felt moisture on the back of her hand. Looking down, she saw that Little Sixteen was gently licking her.

She stroked Little Sixteen's head, thinking the cat was comforting her.

"Meow~"

Seeing that she had misunderstood, Little Sixteen gave a cry, wriggled free of her arms, and landed on the ground. The cat caught the hem of her skirt between its teeth and tugged her deeper into the Jade Bamboo Grove.

Just then, a faint sound came from farther away. Understanding dawned on her, and she instinctively swept the area with her Spirit Sense. Her eyes promptly widened, delight lifting her brows.

She immediately turned toward the sound, her voice brimming with both surprise and reproach:

"Where did you run off to?!"

Jiang Yang emerged from the depths of the bamboo grove, brushing dust from his hands. The girl's raised brows and mingled delight and indignation left him rather bewildered. Not understanding, he said:

"I didn't go anywhere?"

As he spoke, he pointed to the impressions the stones had left in the ground and explained:

"I was just thinking, since I'm leaving, I should carry the stones I brought over from farther away back again. Return them to where they belonged."

Jiang Yang had brought those stones over to serve as makeshift tables and chairs when he first arrived. Now that he was leaving, he had taken the trouble to carry them back one by one. This was a True Person's cultivation ground, after all; keeping the surroundings in order was only proper.

"Oh..."

Shang Qingzheng had been so frantic that she had forgotten to search with her Spirit Sense and needed the little cat to remind her. At his explanation, she lowered her head, secretly abashed.

Yet as she lowered her head, she caught sight of the impressions the stones had left in the ground. A wistful sadness stirred within her, and a wordless sense of loneliness welled up in her heart.

After all, this was where the two of them had spent several months together, leaving behind plenty of laughter. Those days had also been among Shang Qingzheng's few truly happy moments in recent years.

"You're leaving, aren't you..."

Her spirits sinking, Shang Qingzheng let out a soft sigh.

Jiang Yang's expression sobered too, and he lowered his eyes as he answered:

"My duties are finished. Senior Sister Li inspected everything just now, so I no longer have any reason to come here. I came this time to say goodbye."

Shang Qingzheng knew that better than anyone. She pressed her thin lips together, then relaxed her delicate brows into a cheerful expression.

"Congratulations! You've put your heart and soul into tending this place day after day. Sister Zhou Ying must have rewarded you."

"Yes. I was lucky enough to receive a top evaluation, along with a Dao Merit reward."

Joy shone in Jiang Yang's eyes as he spoke.

"Then... that's good."

Little Sixteen seemed to understand that Jiang Yang was leaving too. The cat sprang from the ground onto his shoulder and affectionately rubbed its head against his temple.

Jiang Yang doted on the cat as well. Rather than shooing Little Sixteen away, he let the cat stay on his shoulder and reached up to scratch its chin.

Meanwhile, Shang Qingzheng pinched her cuff with her slender fingers. The words in her heart turned over and over, but when they reached her lips, they became:

"What are your plans from here?"

"My plans?"

Jiang Yang folded one arm across his chest and propped his chin on his other hand, pacing back and forth before replying:

"For now, I'm planning to visit the library and learn a Spells or two to have at my disposal, then cultivate hard in hopes of breaking through. After that, as you suggested, I'll set my sights on the Court Examination at the end of the year and see whether I'm fortunate enough to become a True Person's disciple."

The girl had revealed quite a few secrets to him, and Jiang Yang trusted her deeply. None of this was anything he needed to hide, so he simply laid it all out.

Shang Qingzheng covered her mouth and chuckled, her long, slender lashes trembling like branches laden with fresh snow. She said:

"So you still haven't given up. I told you, my master doesn't accept male disciples."

"Where there's a will, there's a way."

Jiang Yang was quite easygoing about it. Whether he succeeded or not, he had to try. With a clue to the Dao Fruit here, he could hardly allow himself to retreat.

"Then cultivate hard. At least raise your cultivation a little, and you'll have a better chance."

"Of course."

Jiang Yang answered in a clear, ringing voice.

The clear sunlight shone brightly, and a gentle breeze wandered through the grove, sending a few fallen bamboo leaves tumbling to the ground.

For a time, both fell silent, neither finding anything more to say.

After a long while, Shang Qingzheng smoothed her hair. She hesitated briefly, then suddenly asked:

"What... do you think of me? What am I... like?"

The girl's faltering question made Jiang Yang's heart tighten, and he hurried to reply:

"You? You're wonderful."

Feeling that sounded too casual, he counted on his fingers and added:

"Generous and lovely, with an extraordinary bearing, and so knowledgeable. You've helped me so much too. In short... you couldn't be better."

Jiang Yang spared no praise, complimenting her again and again with genuine sincerity.

"All right, all right. I'm nowhere near as good as you say. You're exaggerating..."

Heat flooded Shang Qingzheng's face. She fanned herself with her little hand and avoided looking at Jiang Yang, though a clear sweetness bloomed within her.

Despite her exaggerated movements, her heart inexplicably settled into peace. Nothing could have made her happier than a definite answer.

Jiang Yang, meanwhile, found himself speechless too. The girl's blush spoke more than a thousand words, and he was powerless to resist it.

People said children matured early these days, but however early he might mature, Jiang Yang was still only a half-grown boy. He had never had any experience getting along with girls and had merely expressed what was in his heart with fumbling innocence.

After a good while, Shang Qingzheng composed herself and turned back to him. At last, she took the paper crane she had prepared long ago from her sleeve and held it out before Jiang Yang.

"Here, let me show you something."

Jiang Yang saw a pale yellow paper crane resting in her fair, delicate palm. Folded from talisman paper with crisp edges and covered in winding patterns, it was small and exquisite.

He asked:

"A paper crane? What is it?"

Shang Qingzheng's brows relaxed, and a lovely smile blossomed on her face. Holding the paper crane, she introduced it:

"This is an Embryonic Immortal Spirit-Guide Talisman. It has the wondrous ability to guide spirits and find paths, and can deliver messages and seek people out."

Jiang Yang looked at the little paper crane. Without the slightest spiritual radiance, it seemed no different from an ordinary object. Still not grasping her meaning, he asked curiously:

"It's that amazing?"

"Of course."

As she spoke, Shang Qingzheng blocked Little Sixteen's mischievous paw and continued:

"Legend has it that the crane is the progenitor of the Feathered Race and the steed of immortals. It can fly down from the Nine Heavens and is known as the Embryonic Immortal. It is born with the ability to guide spirits and convey messages. Later, our Sect's predecessors reproduced that wondrous power, giving rise to this talisman art."

Much of the time she had lost had gone into learning this talisman art. She had spent days drawing talismans, failing countless times before finally producing this one success, all for this very moment.

But the girl's tender heart was tangled in knots, and several times she had been too shy to speak. Only after ascertaining Jiang Yang's feelings had she felt at ease enough to take it out.

Jiang Yang had no idea she had put so much thought into it. Drawn to the exquisite talisman paper before him, he asked her:

"How do you use it?"

"Here, I'll teach you an incantation. Come, repeat after me."

Shang Qingzheng placed the paper crane in Jiang Yang's hand and softly recited:

"Embryonic Immortal of the hidden paths, heed my command. A spark of spiritual light, a message across a thousand miles."

Holding the paper crane, Jiang Yang softly recited after her. Sure enough, a hazy glow began to rise from the crane in his hands.

Seeing this, Shang Qingzheng explained:

"I left a spirit guide inside. Once you channel magical power into it, it can carry letters back and forth between us..."

At that, Shang Qingzheng paused, lowered her head, and said quietly:

"With it carrying our letters, you can contact me whenever you have any questions from now on. I... I can answer them for you."

Her words were timid. In truth, the girl's thoughts were adorably simple. All these twists and turns were merely her way of finding a plausible excuse to talk to the boy a little more.

With this paper crane to carry their letters, they would not have to worry about losing touch once they parted.

Though they would not be far apart, there was still a difference in their status, making frequent visits inconvenient. After thinking it over for so long, this talisman was the best solution she had found.

"This..."

Jiang Yang stared blankly. He could dimly grasp something of Shang Qingzheng's thoughtful intentions, and warmth stirred in his heart as he said:

"You've gone to so much trouble for me. I hardly know how to accept it."