Lin Qingyao listened quietly, without any dramatic emotional fluctuations on her face.
The cultivation of the Jade Pool Holy Maiden, and her years of quiet contemplation and enlightenment, have made her accustomed to keeping her emotions hidden deep within her heart.
Her expression remained calm, even indifferent.
But Li Qingshan keenly noticed that when she heard him say the word "Changze," her long, thick eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly a few times, like the wings of a startled butterfly.
Her hands, which were hanging naturally in front of her, curled up almost imperceptibly at the fingertips before quickly relaxing.
Those who cultivate themselves, once they embark on the path of enlightenment, will know that separation and reunion are common occurrences in the world, and are necessary steps to temper their character and verify the Great Way.
She understood this principle from the very first day she embarked on her spiritual journey.
The Master's teachings, the records in ancient books, and the experiences of our predecessors all illustrate this point.
But rational understanding is ultimately different from the emptiness and longing that comes from personally experiencing the impending departure of a loved one with no prospect of return.
It was a more concrete, more lingering, and more difficult-to-soothe bitterness with reason.
"I understand," she said softly, but Li Qingshan felt that her voice was lighter and thinner than the night breeze that was blowing across the lake, with a fragile quality, as if it would be blown away by the wind and never be found again.
"The path of cultivation is a long and arduous journey. It requires following the guidance of one's own heart, cutting through the obstacles along the way, so that one can advance bravely and diligently, directly pointing to the origin of the Great Dao. If there are unresolved attachments in the heart, and the entanglements of Cause and Effect remain, the path will inevitably be stagnant, making it difficult to reach the state of perfect harmony and understanding. The longing for one's hometown is both your attachment and the mark of your origin. Perhaps it is also the very obstacle and tribulation that you must personally return to, resolve personally, and witness firsthand in order to completely overcome. This journey is both a tribulation and a destiny, an indispensable link in your path." Her understanding was so thorough, her analysis so calm, even carrying a transcendent wisdom.
This clarity and understanding, like a clear spring, should have been able to soothe the sorrow of parting.
However, it was precisely this overly rational and "correct" understanding that, like a clear mirror, reflected the undeniable fact of parting itself, making the reluctance and longing in Li Qingshan's heart, which was originally just hidden, spread more clearly and tenaciously, like vines illuminated by moonlight, and entwine his heart.
He gazed at her profile, so fair and ethereal in the moonlight, her delicate nose, her slightly pursed lips, and the faint shadows cast by her long eyelashes.
In the years of quiet cultivation at Jade Pool, in the countless times they watched the clouds, listened to the rain, discussed the Dao, and remained silent together, this quiet companion, this tacit understanding that needed no words, this peace of mind that made them feel like they had their own little world apart even in a bustling holy place, had unknowingly left a deeper and more indelible mark on the depths of his heart as he steadfastly pursued the Dao and overcame all obstacles. This mark was more profound and more difficult to sever than he had originally realized.
The marks were not from raging waves, but rather like spring rain nourishing the earth, silent and subtle, yet already seeping into the soil and nourishing the roots.
"Only,"
Lin Qingyao's voice suddenly lowered, so low that it almost blended into the continuous rustling of the lotus leaves, as if it were just a murmur that overflowed unconsciously, rather than words she intended to say.
She lowered her head slightly, her gaze shifting from the vast lake to her hands, which were gently clasped together in front of her.
Those fingers were long and slender, white, yet they now displayed a slightly forceful, even tense, posture.
This subtle movement revealed that her inner world was far from being as calm and composed as it appeared on the surface.
"But what?" Li Qingshan asked almost immediately, his voice unconsciously becoming even softer.
He took a half-step closer to her, the distance between them shrinking until they could clearly feel the aura emanating from each other.
The air was slightly warm, and one could smell a faint, pure fragrance, like that of a snow lotus, emanating from her hair.
The night wind seemed to pick up and become stronger at that moment.
It was no longer a gentle caress, but carried a slight chill, causing a few strands of soft hair that hadn't been tied up to brush against Lin Qingyao's smooth cheeks in a messy manner, and also causing the wide sleeves of her light and flowing dress to billow slightly, fluttering as if they wanted to ride the wind and return home.
She stood on the bluestone, her clothes fluttering, making her figure appear even more frail, as if she would be carried away by the night wind at any moment.
She did not answer Li Qingshan's question immediately.
Time seemed to stretch out in the silence, each breath clearly countable.
She seemed to be silently gathering some kind of courage, or perhaps she was trying her best to sort out the complex and tangled thoughts deep within her heart.
The moonlight cast her lowered profile onto the smooth bluestone surface, the shadow trembling slightly, just like the restless lake of her heart at that moment.
"I just feel,"
She finally spoke again, her voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor, like ice about to crack, no longer the usual flawless, calm and undisturbed tone.
That subtle tremor touched Li Qingshan's heartstrings more directly than any of her words.
The road between us seems to be growing ever wider.
She raised her eyelids, her eyes glistening with moisture, as if veiled by a very thin mist under the moonlight, and looked straight at Li Qingshan.
This time, her eyes revealed no trace of concealment, clearly showing a hint of bewilderment, a touch of helplessness, and a faint, yet lingering, sense of melancholy.
That was a common sentiment among cultivators when facing the vastness of the Great Dao and their own insignificance, but at this moment, it pointed more to the seemingly silent distance that was widening between the two.
"You are now able to sit and discuss the Dao on equal footing with ancient Ancient Saint whose achievements have reached the pinnacle of Fortune. What you discuss are all momentous events that shake the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, such as the struggle for the imperial path, the secrets of forbidden zones, and the ancient paths through the starry sky. Your future is destined to be that imperial path, which is both radiant and fraught with thorns. It is a path where you will contend with the most amazing talents of all time and the oldest beings in the Life Forbidden Zone." Her voice was soft, yet it was like jade beads falling onto a plate, striking the silent night and resonating in Li Qingshan's heart.
"And me!!!" A faint, self-deprecating smile curved her lips, a smile that, far from making her appear more relaxed, only added to her loneliness. "I am merely the Holy Maiden of Jade Pool in this generation, cultivating and growing according to the sect's established practices. Even if I were to succeed to the position of the Queen Mother of the West in the future, I would only be guarding the inheritance of this sacred land, maintaining Jade Pool's pure land and transcendent status in this chaotic world. My path, in the end, is ultimately far beyond your reach, far beyond the supreme Emperor Realm peak that you aspire to climb. The Immortal Platform, to me, is still a distant, shrouded shadow of the future, let alone the Imperial Path?"
This was the first time since they met that she had so frankly and almost self-analytically revealed her inner anxieties and uncertainties about the differences in their identities, potential, and future paths.
At this moment, she was no longer merely the ethereal, otherworldly, and seemingly untouched-by-the-worldly Jade Pool Holy Maiden, but a genuine, ordinary woman who felt insignificant and lost because her beloved was too dazzling, her progress too astonishing, and her future vision too grand.
This revelation, stripped of the saintly radiance and reserve, appears exceptionally real and all the more heartbreaking.
Li Qingshan's heart jolted, and a strong, burning impulse instantly dispelled the heaviness and bitterness that had arisen in his Central Plains due to the separation.
The impulse stemmed from heartache for her vulnerable expression, from deep pity for her unease, and even more so from a burning emotion that had long taken root in his own heart but had never been as clear and distinct as it was at that moment.
He no longer hesitated.
As the night breeze lifted another strand of her hair and brushed against her lips, he reached out and, firmly yet gently, took her slightly cool, slender hand, which was a little stiff with nervousness.
Lin Qingyao's fingers trembled slightly in his palm, like a startled fawn instinctively wanting to retreat and curl up.
The coolness of her fingertips contrasted sharply with the warmth of his palm.
But eventually, the slight trembling of her fingers subsided, and the faint sense of retreat dissipated. She let her hand rest in his broad and warm palm, and even her originally taut fingertips, almost imperceptibly and tentatively, relaxed a little.
Her palms were delicate, slightly cool, and covered with a thin layer of moisture that had seeped out due to nervousness.
" Qingyao," he called her name, his tone more solemn than ever before, yet also carrying an undisguised tenderness capable of melting ice, "Look at me."
Lin Qingyao did as she was told, raising her eyes, which were still slightly misty but brighter than the stars, and looking deeply and unreservedly into his eyes, which were as deep as the night sky but now burning with a blazing flame.
There, she saw her own reflection, as well as his unwavering determination and the burning light hidden deep within his eyes, a light that burned solely for her.
The night wind still blows, the lotus leaves still rustle, and the lake still shimmers with silver light, but at this moment, the world seems to have quieted down, leaving only clasped hands and meeting eyes, silently conveying a thousand words.
"The path of cultivation is long enough for stars to be born and then vanish, long enough for oceans to dry up and turn back into fields. The level of one's cultivation, the strength of one's combat power, the prominence or obscurity of one's reputation—these are merely the changing scenery along this long journey, or the baggage we are forced to carry due to fate." Li Qingshan's voice was steady and powerful, like a stone thrown into a deep pool, each word clear and solemn, reaching her ears and striking the lake of her heart. "They have never been, and never will be, the yardstick by which to measure a person's fundamental value."
He paused briefly, his gaze seemingly piercing through the night sky above the Lotus Lake, looking towards the far-reaching river of time. "Before the Western Emperor attained enlightenment and became Emperor, Jade Pool was newly established, its foundation unstable. Who could have predicted that that exceptionally talented woman would eventually reach such a supreme height, suppressing the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, and commanding the respect of all races? Looking back at ancient history, how many brilliant geniuses in their early stages perished halfway, and how many unknown dragons soared to the heavens? What truly determines how far one can go is always one's character, the unwavering perseverance that remains steadfast despite hardships, the pure and untainted Dao heart that sees through the vanities of life, and the courage to forge ahead despite knowing the obstacles and the long road ahead."
He gripped the slightly cool, soft hand in his, as if to convey the power and conviction in his words to her without reservation through the touch of skin. "And in these years at Jade Pool, observing the changing seasons and living among my fellow disciples, what I cherish most, and what I admire most deeply, is precisely this innate Daoist spirit and temperament within you, so perfectly at peace with heaven and earth."
His gaze lingered on her delicate features, his tone growing increasingly gentle yet resolute. "You do not covet empty fame or fleeting fortune, nor do you contend with others. Your heart remains as clear as the water in this lotus pond, reflecting the brilliance of the moon and the traces of the Qingfeng. This sincerity, this tranquility, this harmony—these are treasures that countless so-called strong individuals, lost in the chaos of war and the turmoil of the world, have long since lost in the past, and which they can never reclaim, no matter how hard they try. Your brilliance lies not in vying for external glory, but in seeking within, nourishing your very essence. Your path has never been beneath my shadow or any so-called 'shadow'; it lies only beneath your own feet, in every breath you take, in every moment of contemplation and enlightenment—guided by your pure and exquisite heart."
He leaned slightly forward, bringing their eyes closer together, his words of encouragement like a gentle spring breeze. " Qingyao, do not underestimate yourself, and even more so, do not underestimate the ancient path passed down through the ages by Jade Pool. The Western Emperor's path to becoming emperor also began at Jade Pool. Your path, purifying your mind and body, harmonizing with nature, and comprehending the ceaseless cycle of life in the universe, may very well lead to that pinnacle that the world looks up to. The path I walk may be one that requires constant battles and breaking through laws with force; while your path may be another that requires quiet contemplation of your true self and inner communion with the heavens. Of the three thousand great paths, they can all ultimately lead to the same destination."
Lin Qingyao stared at him blankly, forgetting to blink and forgetting everything around her.
The tears in her eyes gradually gathered, thickening and eventually transforming into shimmering waves that flowed gently within her eye sockets.
The shimmering water clearly reflected the bright moon in the sky, and also his face, so close to mine, filled with earnestness and sincerity.
He seemed to have never spoken to her so deeply and at such a length before.
In the past, their exchanges were mostly brief discussions when exchanging ideas on Daoist principles, or unspoken understanding when standing side by side. Occasionally, they would touch upon each other's ideas, but only briefly.
"My return is indeed uncertain," Li Qingshan's voice pulled her back to reality. He continued, his thumb unconsciously and soothingly stroking the back of her hand, the subtle touch sending a tingling warmth through her. "The vastness of the universe far surpasses imagination. The Starry Sky Ancient Road is not a smooth path; it is fraught with unpredictable changes and dangers. Perhaps it will be smooth sailing, and we can find our way home in a decade or two; perhaps it will be fraught with difficulties, and it is common to spend decades or even centuries."
His gaze drifted into the distance, as if he could see the boundless, desolate sea of stars, but then he looked away, his eyes deeply imprinted on hers. "But no matter where I am, no matter which corner of the universe I wander to, the Big Dipper, the Jade Pool, this will always be the place deep in my memory, the place that first and foremost accepted me without reservation, giving me peace and a sense of belonging."
Here,
He paused, his chest rising and falling slightly, as if trying to calm some turbulent emotions, or perhaps gathering enough strength to declare a decision of paramount importance.
He took a deep breath, the cool night air and the fragrance of lotus filling his lungs, making his tone both gentle and resolute, like the most steadfast mountain making the gentlest promise, "And here, where you are, is for the first time, on my path of cultivation, that I, Li Qingshan, have felt a genuine desire to stay; for the first time, in the pauses between my resolute progress, I couldn't help but want to look back; for the first time, I clearly perceived that in this vast world, amidst the endless sea of stars, there is a place, there is a person, that is the human realm I yearn to return to, no matter how far I travel or how many storms I weather."
As the last word fell, the night wind seemed to stand still for a moment.