Yours and Mine . . .
Far from Jun Yinglian's presence, an elder within the palace couldn't hide their discontent and voiced, "My Queen, that woman is exceedingly arrogant. Despite your efforts to accompany her humbly during her tour of our realm, she conducts herself shamelessly. I suggest that we teach her a lesson."
Moon Queen cast a cold glare at the elder and replied, "Teach her a lesson? You? What do you possess to provide such a lesson? Are you willing to risk your life, or would you rather jeopardize the lives of everyone within our realm just to satisfy your ego? Do you not comprehend the significance of my actions? She is a woman who has recently lost her beloved; she could willingly relinquish her life at any moment. She will undoubtedly seek to bring down the three factions, possibly to the point of her own demise. We've long dreamed of dismantling them, but we've never had the audacity to do so. Yet now, you suggest creating problems for this woman? If you're eager for death, let me assist. I cannot allow you to endanger my entire palace by provoking her at this moment."
"Remember, we must ensure she remains in optimal condition. We may even assist her in launching an attack against the three factions, ensuring they don't have the opportunity to surpass us. Provide her with whatever she requests." Moon Queen paused abruptly, a deeply unsettling realization striking her.
In the tranquil Flower Villa, where the only sounds were the rustling leaves and the fragrant blooms, Jun Yinglian approached the door. It was a door made of mist, and as the mist dissipated, it unveiled the villa's interior.
Walking over the fallen flowers that carpeted the floor, Jun Yinglian entered the villa's premises.
In the villa's courtyard, a woman dressed in white stood in silent anticipation. Her long, unadorned hair cascaded like a waterfall, blending seamlessly with her all-white attire. Her demeanor was natural, her face carrying an air of serene indifference. It was as though there was nothing left in the world to which she was tethered.
Her visage appeared pallid, displaying the ravages of time both on her physical form and her psyche.
She stood amid the fallen petals, resembling a wilting flower herself, on the brink of dissolving into the mist.
Jun Yinglian gazed upon her and let out a sigh. "Yue Gongxue, it's been some time."
The woman, who was none other than Cha Eun Xiao's mother, the former Moonlight Saintess of the Great Qiong-Hua Palace and Cha Nantian's wife, Yue Gongxue, raised her head upon hearing Jun Yinglian's voice. Her expression remained tranquil, and she uttered with a serene smile, "Thank you, Master Jun."
Jun Yinglian responded, "You're welcome. Even without my visit, it's nearly the day you would have been set free, isn't it? I simply hastened the process. No need for gratitude."
Yue Gongxue continued to smile and commented, "In truth, the difference between staying here and languishing in that cold cave is inconsequential."
Characterized by her candor, Yue Gongxue's remarks may have seemed unreasonable. She had experienced the piercing cold of the Moon Penalty Cave for sixteen years, and the contrast with the Flower Villa, despite its isolation, was stark. Jun Yinglian had extended a significant favor by facilitating Yue Gongxue's release, and yet her words could have inadvertently stung.
Nevertheless, Jun Yinglian was not offended. Instead, she empathized deeply with Yue Gongxue's suffering. She walked over to her and gracefully conjured a tea set and cups onto the table.
"Nineteen years ago, we first met and shared tea and conversation. You once told me that my tea had a wonderful fragrance," Jun Yinglian recalled, her voice carrying nostalgia. "Since my visit this time is to see you, I brought this tea set and tea leaves with me."
"If anyone deserves this tea set and tea, it's undoubtedly you. I've brought them, and I want you to have them. I believe I won't have much use for them from this point onward."
Yue Gongxue was taken aback. She looked at Jun Yinglian with surprise. "I don't understand. You're an incredibly skilled cultivator. Why would you speak such sorrowful words? Why?"
Jun Yinglian remained silent for a moment, her expression solemn. Then, she spoke with a hint of melancholy, "I forgot that you aren't aware of my recent circumstances. Xiao Monarch... Cha Eun Xiao is no more."
Yue Gongxue was shocked, her body trembling, and her gaze locked onto Jun Yinglian. Having spent sixteen years confined in that cave, she had been oblivious to Xiao Monarch's passing.
Jun Yinglian continued to focus on brewing tea, and her eyes welled with tears.
Yue Gongxue sighed, a sigh weighted with lament and heartache. She raised her gaze and spoke in a soft voice, "Master Jun, I apologize for bringing up your sorrow."
Jun Yinglian responded gently, "We're close friends; there's no need for apologies."
With a wave of her long sleeve, she drew the surrounding spiritual energy into a stream that flowed into the teapot. In her other hand, she held the teapot, and within moments, it began to heat.
She continued in a placid tone, "When we first met, you and I became fast friends. I never could have foreseen that, after all these years, we would find ourselves in such dire circumstances. You and I, we bear the same grief... In truth, I fear our hearts may have perished long ago. Perhaps we are just two soulless human bodies."
Yue Gongxue stared at the mist rising from the teapot, seemingly lost in reverie. After a while, she spoke, her voice heavy with the weight of time, "You're right. I believe there's nothing left in this world that can ever bring me joy. Nothing that can rekindle my heart."
Jun Yinglian spoke matter-of-factly, "I trust that you will see a brighter day. Yet, I am equally certain it will never come for me."
Yue Gongxue sighed and clenched her teeth. "Master Jun... the passing of Xiao Monarch... I offer my condolences. But I must tell you one thing... Xiao Monarch may be gone, but Cha Eun Xiao... may still be alive."
"He will never truly die!"
Jun Yinglian's emotions wavered as she responded, "Yes! My Cha Eun Xiao is no more, but your Cha Eun Xiao... may live on forever!"