Kofi thanks to – once again – Choco
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(2/5)
Yushan Sect was located fifty miles away from Lin’an Academy, within the jurisdiction of Guangdu Prefecture in Zhongdu. It was a small sect.
Despite its size, Yushan Sect was widely known for one particular story:
A cultivator named Jing Lei from their sect had once suffered a destroyed dantian during his Nascent Soul stage. Somehow, he managed to repair his dantian and rebuild his cultivation back to the Golden Core stage.
However, Jing Lei had remained stuck at the Golden Core stage for over thirty years, and it seemed unlikely that he would progress any further in this lifetime.
Even so, many people visited him, hoping to learn how he had managed to reconstruct his dantian.
In the cultivation world, damaged dantians could still be saved, but shattered dantians were considered irreparable—hence why destroying someone’s dantian was such a severe punishment. Out of a million people whose dantians were destroyed, only one might miraculously recover.
It was said that even people from the Upper Realm had sent inquiries to Jing Lei. Yet, his recovery method was never publicized, and no one else succeeded in rebuilding their cultivation. After a brief period of bustling activity at Yushan Sect’s gates, visitors from major sects gradually stopped coming.
Only rogue cultivators or members of smaller sects continued to visit occasionally in search of answers. Eventually, Jing Lei grew tired of being asked and shut himself indoors, becoming a recluse within Yushan Sect. Outsiders rarely saw him anymore.
These bits of information had originally been idle chatter Chu Jinglan overheard when he first arrived in the Middle Realm. He hadn’t expected them to become relevant now.
“Sounds more reliable than seeking out Liu Shao,” Xiao Mo said as he tapped his flute against his palm. “Liu Shao may be the best healer in the Middle Realm, but he’s never successfully repaired anyone’s dantian. At least Jing Lei is a proven success story—a bowl of real chicken soup.”
“Chicken soup?” Chu Jinglan asked.
Was Xiao Mo craving food again?
Xiao Mo explained: “It means he’s an example of success—someone who gives others hope and encouragement.”
Another new metaphor. Chu Jinglan remarked: “But he’s been stuck at Golden Core for decades. It’s unclear whether it’s because he hasn’t made further progress yet or if his dantian wasn’t fully repaired and this is as far as he can go.”
Xiao Mo nodded in agreement. Considering that so many major sects had already sought answers from him and left empty-handed, if there were truly a foolproof method for repairing dantians, it wouldn’t have remained entirely secret.
And it was obvious that whatever method Jing Lei used couldn’t have been simple or easy.
Chu Jinglan wasn’t pinning all his hopes on one person. He intended to use every piece of information he could gather. If none of it worked, he would seek more intelligence elsewhere. If the Middle Realm offered no solutions, then once Xiao Mo’s cultivation advanced further, they would head to the Upper Realm.
He wouldn’t despair—and he wouldn’t give up.
The three children had already been sent off to rest—they needed time to process everything. After finishing their discussion about important matters, Xiao Mo left Chu Jinglan alone and went to talk with the children.
Chu Jinglan nodded in acknowledgment.
With only five days to prepare before starting at Lin’an Academy, Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan set out the next day to have the jade flute and protective talismans crafted.
Walking through Lin’an City toward the artifact shop, they noticed that the city had quieted down significantly after the lectures ended. The crowds of outsiders had dispersed, leaving the city lively but not overcrowded. Some shopkeepers who had been busy for days finally found time to take a nap and enjoy a brief moment of peace.
The Huanjian Sect members had departed via flying boat shortly after leaving Lin’an Academy’s gates. Dai Zisheng didn’t need five days for farewells—he had already settled into Lin’an Academy early. Meanwhile, due to Chu Jiao’s confession before his death about being involved in plotting against Dai Zisheng, Mu Jian and the special envoy planned to report this matter to their sect master upon returning. The remaining two Chu family members within Huanjian Sect were certain to face further investigation.
The Huanjian Sect’s base was far away, so Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan removed their masks as soon as they left, knowing they wouldn’t run into any Chu family members.
Normally, if two people who looked identical appeared together, most onlookers would first notice their resemblance and react with curiosity. But Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan were different—
Both were exceptionally good-looking. One radiated vibrant brilliance like the morning glow, while the other exuded the cool elegance of a frosty moon. Their temperaments were so distinct that anyone who looked at them would first be struck by their beauty before realizing that their facial features bore similarities.
Clothing and demeanor indeed had a significant impact on appearance. While Xiao Mo’s initial Inner Demon form had resembled Chu Jinglan by about seventy percent, he had since refined his features to the point where only twenty to thirty percent of the resemblance remained.
Today, Xiao Mo wore a robe in hues of luminous dawn, resembling the light of morning clouds—graceful and lively. Chu Jinglan, who typically paid little attention to his attire, had been pulled into a tailor shop by an enthusiastic Xiao Mo shortly after leaving. There, he was dressed in a flowing robe of watery blue. It was a color Chu Jinglan had never tried before, but he didn’t refuse.
To him, clothing didn’t matter much. If Xiao Mo enjoyed it, he would go along with it.
Under Lin’an’s morning sun, the two young men walked down the long street like jade trees swaying in the wind. Their presence caught attention from above—two silk flowers drifted down from a pavilion.
When something floated into his line of sight, Xiao Mo instinctively reached out to catch it. Feeling the softness of the petals between his fingers, he looked up and saw graceful women on the pavilion smiling down at them. One of them called out playfully: “Young gentlemen, these flowers are for both of you—don’t let one of you keep them all!”
Xiao Mo held the two silk flowers in his hand and curved his lips into a charming smile as he replied: “I’ll have him wear one for you to see.”
The pavilion erupted into laughter as the women giggled and teased: “We’ll be waiting then!”
Though they said they’d wait, none of them called out to stop the two young men from leaving. Meanwhile, upon hearing Xiao Mo’s words, not only did Chu Jinglan refrain from stopping or acknowledging them—he actually quickened his pace and walked ahead even faster.
Xiao Mo caught up with Chu Jinglan, twirling the flowers in his hand and teasing, “Young master, why are you running?”
Chu Jinglan fell silent at Xiao Mo’s deliberate use of the playful term “young master.”
The women’s teasing earlier had been soft and melodious, like the lilting tones of Wu dialect. Xiao Mo’s tone, however… was difficult to describe.
But for Chu Jinglan, there was a more pressing danger at hand. His gaze carried a warning as he said, “I won’t wear a flower.”
Xiao Mo raised the flowers in his hand slightly. “They’re beautiful.”
One was a Night Blooming Cereus, its white petals faintly tinged with the palest blue—elegant and fragrant, like a celestial flower blooming in snow. The other was a Rain Lily, red with hints of purple—charming yet refined, like a vivid stroke of cinnabar on one’s heart.
It was clear that the flowers had been chosen to match their appearances.
Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan might not have noticed this detail, but it didn’t stop Xiao Mo from thinking that the Night Blooming Cereus suited Chu Jinglan perfectly.
Under Chu Jinglan’s wary gaze, Xiao Mo gestured playfully near his ear as if pretending to pin the flower there before slowly withdrawing his hand. “Alright, I won’t put it on your head.”
Yet the wariness in Chu Jinglan’s eyes didn’t fade.
And for good reason—his caution proved justified. In the next instant, Xiao Mo flipped his wrist and deftly hooked the flower onto Chu Jinglan’s belt with swift precision.
Chu Jinglan didn’t wear jade ornaments at his waist, so the Night Blooming Cereus now rested there quietly, outshining any gemstone or gold accessory.
Xiao Mo stepped back two paces and gave Chu Jinglan an appraising look before commenting: “Beautiful—like an immortal in snow.”
Whether he was referring to the flower or the person was unclear.
What the women on the pavilion couldn’t see, Xiao Mo now had all to himself.
Chu Jinglan glanced down at the flower now adorning his belt but ultimately didn’t remove it. As long as it wasn’t pinned to his head, it remained within his tolerance. However, his gaze carried a hint of curiosity as he asked: “You seem unusually spirited today.”
Was it because of the children’s heartfelt determination yesterday? Or perhaps because they were going to have a flute made today?
But these were things they had already known about—surely not enough to make Xiao Mo this cheerful.
Xiao Mo twirled the remaining Rain Lily between his fingers and shook it lightly at Chu Jinglan. “Don’t look at me like that. Life is short—you’ve got to find joy wherever you can, even in small things. Otherwise, wouldn’t life be exhausting?”
For a moment, Chu Jinglan considered asking: So when you focus on Su Baimo and cause him trouble—is that also just for fun?
But since Su Baimo was irrelevant and unimportant, Chu Jinglan saw no need to bring him up in front of Xiao Mo when there was no pressing reason to do so.
He swallowed the words back down.
The Rain Lily was smaller than the Night Blooming Cereus. Xiao Mo compared its size and then used spiritual energy to pin it neatly to his shoulder. The color matched his robe perfectly—it looked as if a lifelike flower had been embroidered onto his clothing.
Walking leisurely as if on a casual stroll, the two finally arrived at the artifact shop.
True master craftsmen charged exorbitant prices for their work. However, ordinary shops catering to everyday customers offered fair prices and friendly service. The blacksmith greeted them warmly as they entered.
Chu Jinglan took out the piece of white jade and explained what they needed. The craftsman measured its length and nodded. “It can be made into a flute. Do you have any specific requirements for its design or patterns?”
Chu Jinglan looked at Xiao Mo.
Xiao Mo gestured toward the flower on Chu Jinglan’s belt and said, “Could you carve a Night Blooming Cereus like this onto the flute?”
The craftsman replied enthusiastically, “Of course!”
If Chu Jinglan were making something for himself, he would prioritize practicality over appearance. But with Xiao Mo involved, aesthetics were bound to take center stage.
“As for the remaining material,” the craftsman continued, “you mentioned wanting to make protective talismans. If you want five, they’ll have to be cut to this size.” He used spiritual energy to outline the dimensions on the jade, showing Chu Jinglan and Xiao Mo. Each talisman would be a small square jade plaque with grooves left for inscribing runes.
“Do you want any designs or inscriptions?” the craftsman asked.
Xiao Mo nudged Chu Jinglan’s arm playfully. “You come up with something.”
Although Chu Jinglan thought plain jade plaques would work just fine, Xiao Mo’s suggestion made him lower his gaze and think for a moment.
While Chu Jinglan didn’t care much about appearances, it wasn’t because he lacked an aesthetic sense.
The sunlight today was warm and gentle, and a soft breeze stirred the flowers on Xiao Mo’s shoulder and Chu Jinglan’s belt. Chu Jinglan’s gaze briefly passed over Xiao Mo’s smooth forehead, where there had once been a fiery red lotus mark—now hidden by Xiao Mo.
His eyes flickered slightly.
Picking up a brush, Chu Jinglan sketched a nine-petaled lotus on the blueprint and handed it to the craftsman. “Please make it according to this design.”
It had to be said—Chu Jinglan was also skilled at drawing. With such a detailed draft, the craftsman confidently patted his chest and promised he’d carve it perfectly.
The lotus Chu Jinglan drew wasn’t identical to the one that had once adorned Xiao Mo’s forehead. The nine-petaled lotus in his sketch was in full bloom, while Xiao Mo’s lotus mark had yet to fully open.
Xiao Mo found the design vaguely familiar but didn’t dwell on it.
Since the three children were starting at Lin’an Academy soon, the protective talismans were prioritized and would be ready in three days. After paying the deposit and finishing their business, Chu Jinglan intended to head straight home—but Xiao Mo stopped him.
“Let’s go to a restaurant and order a few more dishes,” Xiao Mo suggested.
Chu Jinglan was puzzled. “Didn’t we already arrange with a food shop yesterday to deliver meals for the next few days?”
“I want to add more variety,” Xiao Mo said after thinking for a moment. “Hmm… I also feel like having some spiritual food.”
Chu Jinglan had already arranged for spiritual food from the shop as well.
It seemed that Xiao Mo was simply craving something extra. Fine, Chu Jinglan thought. A few more dishes wouldn’t hurt. As Xiao Mo often said—they could afford it now.
Food and clothing were no longer concerns for them.
They went to the best restaurant in town, ordered several dishes, and carried them home in food boxes. Along the way, Xiao Mo also bought some freshly baked pastries and candied fruits—likely meant for the children again.
Back home, there was still some time before dinner. Chu Jinglan wasn’t one to waste time; he returned to his room intending to read a few pages of sword techniques before heading out to practice. Meanwhile, Xiao Mo announced that he’d go check on the children’s studies and floated away leisurely.
1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter
thanks for the chapter!