From This Day Forth, Do Not Laugh at a Young Wanderer

As winter fades and spring arrives, the pear trees in Qixia Mountain have just sprouted new buds. The tender green buds tremble slightly in the morning breeze, like countless tiny pieces of jade adorning the branches.

The snow on the mountains had long since melted, and the streams flowed again, carrying the crisp coolness of the melted snow, meandering through the pear orchards and flowing into Lake Encompassing Emptiness.

Deep within the cave abode, the stone door of one of the cave abode suddenly swung open, the dull sound echoing for a long time in the deep stone corridor.

A figure in purple robes slowly emerged from the cave abode. Although her figure was still somewhat slender, her steps were steady. It was Zilin.

Zilin stood at the entrance of the cave abode, the morning light falling on her face, illuminating her beautiful but slightly pale complexion.

She looked down at Zhang Su white Xuan paper in her hand. The ink on the paper was dry, but the creases were deep, indicating that it had been unfolded and folded many times.

On it was the short poem she had written herself, the one Su Yao had written in return, and the pear blossom with a crookedly added petal.

She looked at the six-petaled pear blossom, her lips curving slightly, but quickly fading away. Her brows furrowed, and a hint of inexplicable melancholy rose in her eyes.

"Master's wife."

A voice came from below the stone steps.

Zichuan had already appeared at the guard post sometime earlier, dressed in a green robe, his face respectful. Upon seeing Zilin emerge from seclusion, he quickly stepped forward and bowed.

"Master's wife, is your injury healed?"

Upon hearing this, Zilin tucked the Xuan paper into her sleeve and nodded slightly. "It's done. Qingzhu's pills are excellent."

Zichuan took out a jade bottle and handed it over, smiling:

"Senior Qingzhu naturally doesn't possess ordinary items. During the past six months of my master's wife's seclusion, Senior Qingzhu has visited her several times, each time leaving behind pills, saying they were for her."

Zilin nodded, her gaze passing over Zichuan and looking towards the end of the stone steps. After a moment of silence, she said:

Where is Su Yao?

Upon hearing this, Zichuan's expression changed slightly. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "My master's wife has been in seclusion for more than half a year, and the abbot went to Nanzhao half a year ago and has not yet returned." He paused, then quickly added, "But he should be back by now. Qingzhu just came over and said that the matter in Nanzhao has been resolved, so the abbot must have been delayed on the way."

Zilin's expression remained unchanged; she simply nodded and said calmly, "I won't disturb your duty any longer. I'll return to Pear Cloud Courtyard now." She paused, then added, "Please return the pills to Qingzhu. I'm healed, so I don't need them anymore."

Zichuan bowed and said, "Respectfully seeing off Master's wife."

Zilin said no more, put her hands together, and walked up the stone steps toward Pear Cloud Courtyard.

Her steps were unhurried, her purple robes fluttering gently in the morning breeze, her back straight, showing no sign of weakness. However, if someone familiar with her looked closely, they would notice that her shoulders were thinner than before she went into seclusion.

In Pear Cloud Courtyard, the pear blossoms have not yet bloomed; only tender green leaves hang on the branches.

A few withered leaves from early spring had fallen on the stone table. The teapot was still in its place, but the teacup had been taken away.

Zilin pushed open the door and entered the room, sitting down behind the desk. She took out the sheet of Xuan paper, unfolded it on the table, and her gaze fell on Su Yao's poem in response—

"Hidden from you is not out of deceit, but only to avoid causing you to ponder. I will watch the flowers fall, and wait for you to find the missing petals. Do not be angry, do not be angry, I will preserve the last vestiges of spring for you."

She looked at the phrase "The missing petals await your discovery," then glanced at the crooked, six-petaled pear blossom beside it, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

The smile was faint, yet it softened her originally aloof face, like the warm hue that shines through the surface of water when spring ice first melts, or like the morning dew on a pear petal, shimmering gently in the sunlight.

But that smile only lasted a moment.

She turned her head to look out the window; the pear tree in the courtyard swayed gently in the morning breeze, its tender leaves rustling.

It is early spring, and in just over a month, the pear blossoms will be in full bloom.

She withdrew her gaze, picked up her brush, and began to write on the blank space of the rice paper.

The brushstrokes are delicate and graceful, yet they carry a hint of unconcealed melancholy.

Spring arrives, pear leaves begin to sprout, but when will the blossoms cease? I can no longer hide it from others, and I fear that by the time you return, autumn will have already fallen.

After writing it down, she read it aloud softly, her voice very low, as if she were only talking to herself.

When she read the line "But I fear that when you return, autumn has already fallen," her voice paused slightly, and the tip of her pen smeared a small blot of ink on the paper.

She lowered her head, reaching out to gently stroke the handwriting left by Su Yao. Her fingertips traced the crooked six-petaled pear blossom shape as if she were depicting something extremely precious and distant.

"Su Yao..." she murmured, a hint of unspoken bitterness in her voice, "You left too quickly."

She was afraid.

She feared that Su Yao would leave too quickly, so quickly that the Purple Cloud Unity Covenant wouldn't have a chance to prove its true usefulness before he was already preparing to seek gold.

She feared that if Su Yao succeeded in obtaining the gold and became True Lord, his personality would change drastically due to the influence of the Heaven and Earth Rank.

What she feared even more was that if she couldn't keep up with him, given her personality, she might actually choose to distance herself.

At that time, how should Mount Lao and Qixia Temple position themselves?

How will she face Su Yao?

She had never been someone who needed to be led by others since she was young, but if that person was Su Yao, she suddenly felt a little uncertain.

"Does my wife still resent me?"

Just then, a clear voice suddenly rang out from the courtyard.

Zilin suddenly looked up and saw that Su Yao had already stood in the Pear Cloud Courtyard at some point. He was dressed in a green Qingyi and stood with his hands behind his back among the old pear trees. The morning light fell on his shoulders, making his usually cold face look a little gentle.

A slight smile played on his lips as his gaze lingered on her face, as if he had been looking at her for quite some time.

Zilin stared at him, paused for a moment, then grabbed the inkstone from the table and threw it at him.

"How old are you? Still acting like a child!"

The inkstone, enveloped in Purple Qi, hurtled forward with tremendous speed. Su Yao dodged to the side, and the inkstone grazed his shoulder before crashing into the courtyard wall behind him, shattering in two.

He wasn't annoyed; he just smiled and walked over, pushed open the door, and sat down opposite Zilin.

"After not seeing you for more than half a year, the first thing my wife did was throw an inkstone at me." He shook his head, a hint of helpless amusement in his voice. "It seems my little poem was right—'Don't be angry, don't be angry,' she's still angry after all."

Zilin turned her face away, refusing to look at him, her voice cold and clear:

"Who is your wife?"

Upon hearing this, Su Yao remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his voice several decibels lower than before:

"Zilin, that short poem... I saw it."

Zilin didn't speak, but simply placed the Xuan paper in her hand on the table. The ink on the paper, which she had just written, was still wet. "But I fear that when you return, autumn has already fallen."

Su Yao glanced down at the text, his gaze lingering on it for a long time.

"You're afraid I'm moving too fast," he said slowly, as if carefully choosing each word. "You're afraid you won't be able to keep up with my pace, afraid my personality will change drastically after I become True Lord, afraid that you won't be able to keep up and will distance yourself from me."

Zilin's fingers tightened slightly.

Su Yao raised his head and looked at her, his gaze deep and calm:

"Qingzhu told me that He brought us together with the intention of having me take you with me, but I didn't expect to leave so quickly. Before the Purple Cloud Unity Covenant could even be truly used, I had to prepare to ask for gold. He said that He and Daozheng failed you and Danqiuzi Supreme True Person."

Zilin turned her face away, her voice lowering, "Qingzhu has already told you..."

"I did," Su Yao nodded. "But I also told Qingzhu that you've never been one to be led by others. The mutual support of the Purple Cloud Unity Covenant can indeed benefit you, but what truly brought you to where you are today is yourself. Back in the South Sea, you fought two against one, single-handedly battling two Purple Mansion Middle Stage cultivators, holding out until I arrived. Your cultivation of ' Purple Comes from the East ' relied on your own Dao heart and arduous practice, never on anyone's charity."

Zilin didn't speak, but her shoulders trembled slightly.

Su Yao continued, "You're afraid my personality will change drastically after I become True Lord. I can't guarantee you anything about that, since the influence of the Heaven and Earth Rank is beyond our control. But there is one thing I can guarantee you."

Zilin turned around and looked at him.

Su Yao reached out and gently took her hand in his. His palm was warm and steady, as if he were holding something extremely precious. "The Purple Cloud Unity Covenant, I have cultivated it with you, and that is a lifelong commitment. If you cannot keep up, I will slow down and wait for you. If you do not want to be a burden to me, I will tell you that I do not care. If you distance yourself from me because I am moving too fast, then I will also tell you that I will not allow it."

Zilin stared at him blankly.

Su Yao looked at her, his voice low but clear:

"Back then, under the osmanthus tree, you asked me if these were the words Su Yao wanted to say to you. I didn't answer you then, but today I answer you—yes. Those poems, those two osmanthus trees, that chess game in the snow, that pear blossom with its petals patched—these are all the words I, Su Yao, wanted to say to you, Zilin. Apart from the matter of cultivation, I have never lied to you."

Zilin's eyes reddened slightly, but she still turned her face away, her voice carrying a hint of reproach:

"You've certainly learned to talk now, but you weren't this eloquent back under the cassia tree."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao chuckled softly:

"Back then, under the osmanthus tree, I hadn't even finished saying 'you and me' before you ran away."

Zilin's face flushed slightly, then she straightened her expression:

"Who ran away? I just... didn't want to listen to your nonsense."

"Yes, yes, yes." Su Yao nodded repeatedly, but couldn't suppress the smile on his lips. "My wife is right, I was just talking nonsense."

Zilin glared at him and tried to pull her hand back, but Su Yao gripped it even tighter.

"Zilin." His voice suddenly became more serious. "The day I seek the gold will be within this hundred years. If I succeed, you can focus on your cultivation and don't rush to catch up with me. The gap between True Lord and Purple Mansion is indeed vast, but you have never been one to be deterred by such a gap. If I fail..."

He paused, Zilin's hand tightened slightly.

"If I fail," he continued, "You must live well and see the sights I haven't seen."

Zilin gazed at him, remaining silent for a long time.

She suddenly remembered years ago in Nanzhao, when Su Yao asked her "Is it scary?" and she shook her head. At that time, she believed him.

She still believes in him.

"Su Yao," she said softly.

"Um."

"I must become True Lord."

"Good."

Don't lie to me.

"Don't worry, it won't."

"If you truly become True Lord and your personality changes drastically, I will smash you with an inkstone until you revert to your old self."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking with laughter:

"Alright, alright, my wife, go ahead and smash it. I, Su Yao, may not be good at anything else, but I'm certainly skilled at taking hits from inkstones."

Zilin couldn't help but smile.

The smile was faint, yet it completely dispelled the resentment and worry in her eyes, like a spring breeze blowing away the last sheet of thin ice to reveal a pool of warm spring water.

She withdrew her hand, picked up her brush again and added a line of text to the Xuan paper, then pushed the paper to Su Yao.

Su Yao looked down and saw that the line of text read:

Remember, when the pears ripen in autumn, lest the branches break in vain when the frost deepens.

Su Yao looked at the line of text, remained silent for a moment, and then said softly, "Okay. I've got it."

He picked up his brush and began to write on the back of the rice paper, his strokes clear and sharp, carrying a rare hint of mischief:

When the pears ripen, I will return home, and together we will pick a basket full. Don't worry that the branches are too high to climb; I'll help you up by stepping on my shoulders.

Zilin stared at the crooked poem for a moment, then her cheeks flushed red, and she reached out to pinch Su Yao's waist:

"Su Yao! What kind of nonsense have you written!"

Su Yao gasped as he was pinched, begging for mercy, "Ouch, ouch, ouch! My wife, please have mercy!"

"Show mercy!" Zilin pinched him again. "Step on your shoulder? How could you even think of that! Me, Purple Mansion True Person, stepping on your shoulder to pick a pear, what kind of talk would that be!"

"Then... then instead of stepping on my shoulders, I'll step on the stool?" Su Yao laughed as he dodged. "I can hold onto the stool."

"You still dare to talk back!" Zilin angrily, chasing after him and pinching him again.

The two chased and dodged each other in the room, knocking over a pen holder on the table and a lampstand in the corner. The room was filled with Zilin's angry reproaches and Su Yao's laughter.

The pear tree in the courtyard rustled in the morning breeze, its tender leaves swaying gently, as if it were laughing along.

At this very moment--

A clear and melodious melody came from the depths of the Great Void, like the grand sound of a great bell, piercing through the protective array of Qixia Mountain, landing in Pear Cloud Courtyard, among the newly sprouted pear leaves covering the mountain, and in the ears of every disciple of Qixia Temple:

"I Zique, have attained enlightenment today in the Purple Mansion Continent, achieving the Purple Qi Attainment Rank and advancing to the rank of True Lord."

The voice paused, then continued, its tone carrying a faint smile and an indescribable ease:

"Purple Qi is the breath born from the union of Heaven and Earth. Immortals take it as their root, hence it is the essence of immortality. From this day forward, the path of Purple Qi has a place to belong, and the essence of immortality has a master. The order of the Three Yangs is all revealed through Purple Qi; the foundation of the Immortal Dao is all illuminated through Purple Qi. All disciples of the Purple Yang Temple of Mount Lao, who carry Purple Qi in their actions and rely on this path, can borrow the power of the Three Yangs, can condense the smoke of incense burners, and can suppress the forms of mountains and rivers."

"Once this path is completed, my path will flourish."

As soon as he finished speaking, a wisp of Purple Qi shot into the sky from the depths of the Great Void, like incense boiling for the first time, with purple smoke rising and dyeing half the sky a brilliant purple.

Within that Purple Qi, the faint outline of a majestic Daoist palace could be seen, with Purple Qi flowing above the palace like fluttering banners.

All the disciples on the mountain, whether it was Zichuan on duty or Su Yao and Zilin in Pear Cloud Courtyard, sensed that overwhelming and irresistible aura of True Lord Monarch.

Zilin stood in the room, staring blankly at the Purple Qi deep within the Great Void. After a long silence, she bowed slightly and gave a solemn salute.

Congratulations, sister.

Su Yao also bowed towards the direction of Great Void: "Congratulations to the Abbot of Zique Temple on attaining the status of True Lord."

The Purple Qi surged in the Great Void for a long time before slowly receding.

The last sound of Zique's voice reached Qixia Mountain, its tone now carrying a rare gentleness:

"Zilin, I did it. Mount Lao, I'll be here for you from now on."

Zilin's eyes welled up with tears, but she forced them back and whispered:

"I know."

The mysterious sound dissipated, Great Void returned to clarity.

Zilin stood there, gazing in the direction where the Purple Qi had dissipated, remaining silent for a long time.

Then she turned her head and looked at Su Yao, her gaze filled with an indescribable complexity—a sense of relief, a touch of emotion, and a faint hint of sharpness.

"My elder sister has become True Lord," she said softly. "I can't fall too far behind."

Su Yao looked at her and smiled slightly:

You never fall too far behind.

He paused, his smile slowly fading, his gaze turning serious. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke:

"Zilin, I might... need to attain enlightenment ahead of schedule."

Upon hearing this, Zilin was slightly taken aback, but then understood what he meant.

He was referring to seeking gold; Purple Qi represents the will of immortals, and Rainbow Clouds are close to immortality...

She looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then simply nodded.

There were no follow-up questions such as "why," "how much earlier," or "how confident are you?"

She simply nodded, as if he had said something utterly ordinary.

Su Yao was somewhat surprised by her reaction:

"Aren't you going to ask why?"

Zilin turned her face away, her voice very soft:

"Since you've said it, you must have your reasons. You never do anything you're not sure about."

Su Yao paused for a moment, then reached out and gently squeezed the back of her hand:

"Wait for me to come back."

Zilin did not withdraw her hand, nor did she look at him; she simply nodded slightly.

After a moment, she suddenly spoke, her tone returning to its usual coldness:

"Su Yao."

"Um?"

Have you ever pruned those two osmanthus trees in front of the octagonal pavilion on Golden Ao Mountain?

Su Yao was taken aback upon hearing this, and then said:

"It has been trimmed, of course."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zilin suddenly had a long sword in her hand, its blade shimmering with purple light, and she thrust it towards Su Yao.

"You're lying again!"

Su Yao dodged to the side, the sword's edge grazing his sleeve. He quickly retreated a few steps, shouting as he dodged:

"My lady, let's talk this out! Why are you drawing your sword again!"

"Easy to say?" Zilin drew her sword and chased after him, her voice tinged with anger. "You've been in Nanzhao for half a year. Did you prune those two osmanthus trees in front of the octagonal pavilion?"

"I... I didn't have time!" Su Yao tried to explain while dodging, "There were many things to do in Nanzhao, so I rushed back."

"Didn't have time?" Zilin's swordplay continued unabated. "But there's time to write that crooked poem!"

"Isn't that... isn't that a reply!" Su Yao ran around the pear tree in the courtyard, with Zilin chasing after him with her sword in hand. Her purple clothes fluttered, and the sword light flowed. The courtyard was filled with Zilin's anger and Su Yao's laughter.

"Su Yao, you stop right there!"

"Stop right there!"

The two ran and chased each other in the Pear Cloud Courtyard, startling the pear trees in the courtyard, causing tender leaves to flutter down, landing on Zilin's purple clothes and Su Yao's green robe, scattering fragments of green on the ground.

After running several laps, Su Yao suddenly stopped, turned around, and pulled Zilin, sword and all, into his arms.

Caught off guard, Zilin was completely held captive, unable to thrust her sword forward. All she could do was glare at him and say, "Let go."

"I won't let go." Su Yao shook his head, his eyes crinkling with laughter. "If you let go, you'll chase me with your sword again."

"You..."

"Zilin." Su Yao suddenly lowered his head, leaned close to her ear, and whispered so softly that only she could hear, "When I return with the gold, the first thing I'll do is go to the Octagonal Pavilion to prune the osmanthus tree. After that, I'll accompany you back to Mount Lao to see your elder sister."

Zilin was held in his arms, and after struggling a couple of times without breaking free, her ears turned slightly red when she heard him say those words.

"Who needs you to keep me company?" She turned her face away, her voice trailing off.

"Then I'll go myself," Su Yao said with a smile.

"You..."

"Alright, alright." Su Yao released her hand, took a step back, and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture. "My wife, I'll go prepare for the gold-seeking matter now. When I return, the osmanthus tree will be pruned neatly."

Zilin sheathed her longsword in her sleeve, turned her face away from him, and whispered:

"Su Yao."

"Um."

"I must become True Lord."

"Good."

Don't lie to me.

"Don't worry, it won't."

Zilin didn't say anything more, just nodded slightly and turned to walk into the house.

After taking a few steps, he stopped again, without turning around, and whispered:

"Those two osmanthus trees... we'll prune them together when you come back."

Su Yao stood in the courtyard, watching her retreating figure. He remained silent for a moment before smiling and replying, "Okay."

There is a word cloud:

Spring arrives, pear leaves begin to sprout, but when will the flowers finally bloom? I can no longer hide it from others, and I fear that when you return, autumn will have already fallen.

The inkstone shattered the youthful sorrow, and with a laugh, I said, "Don't wait until the frost deepens; a returning boat awaits in the depths of the purple clouds."

A new master of Purple Qi has been confirmed at Mount Lao, and the immortal intent now has its roots. The old promise made at Liyun remains in this life.

A playful remark drew a pinch to the waist, and the new leaves covering the mountain seemed to blush with embarrassment. Tenderness is where the heart finds peace.

Do not ask why the cassia tree is not yet pruned; a sword strikes, and autumn fills the courtyard. From now on, do not laugh at the carefree youth.