After leaving the Medicine King Pavilion, Yang Fan was filled with a surge of complex emotions. Having grown up in Yang Family Fort, he had long experienced the brutal, profit-driven world of cultivation, with its cold calculations and harsh realities. Over twelve years, he had transformed from the fort's golden prodigy to its most derided failure. This shift had taught him much.
The dream of immortality was a distant, almost unreachable aspiration. In this long and perilous journey, countless cultivators perished, consumed by their greed in fleeting moments of weakness. Yet, despite the cruelty, deception, and bloodshed that veiled this world in darkness, Yang Fan knew deep down it was not entirely devoid of warmth and sincerity. Even as he stood now, seemingly empty-handed, regarded by others as a worthless wastrel, there were still those who treated him with genuine care.
His teacher, his mother, his younger brother, and sister... And even the elderly man he had just parted ways with, Elder Xu. The man, a powerful Condensing Spirit stage cultivator, might have taken many lives in his past, but he possessed a depth of wisdom. Driven by some inexplicable impulse, Xu had gifted Yang Fan not only a precious alchemy furnace but also a jade slip containing a lifetime's worth of alchemical insights.
These thoughts flickered across Yang Fan's mind as he walked, yet his heart remained as resolute as iron. His eyes saw clearly the ever-shifting dynamics of the cultivation world, understanding its vicissitudes all too well.
Having achieved the majority of his goals at the Medicine King Pavilion, Yang Fan slowed his pace, contemplating his next step: to seek out some rare medicinal seeds. Yet there was something else stirring within him, something far more exhilarating.
Before she left, Yun Fairy had secretly transmitted a message to him, asking him to meet her at the "Jingxuan Pavilion" within the Xiu Yu Pavilion complex. The meeting was set for half an hour later.
Yang Fan's heart quickened with anticipation as the appointed time neared. He left the bustling central market, traversing several water bridges and glancing at the items displayed in the various pavilions scattered over the lake. After wandering for a short while, and asking a couple of fellow cultivators for directions, he finally arrived at Jingxuan Pavilion.
The lake's water was a crystal-clear blue, shimmering like sapphire. Numerous pavilions floated serenely on the surface, while large, fan-sized green leaves drifted across the water, their purpose unknown, as if they carried out some hidden duty.
Yang Fan's eyes swept the surroundings, searching for Yun Fairy's ethereal presence. His heart trembled slightly with nervousness—was it truly possible she would wait for him here? Or was it all a fleeting illusion?
At last, his gaze landed on a distant corner, where a delicate silhouette stood quietly near the edge of a pavilion. A lone figure in white, her perfect form veiled beneath a gauzy white robe, her clear eyes tranquil as still waters, exuding a gentle, serene beauty. She stood there, like a lotus in bloom, ethereal and untouched by the mundane world.
Sensing his gaze, Yun Fairy's eyes brightened with a playful glimmer as she looked in his direction, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"She really is here!" Yang Fan thought with joy, feeling the subtle charm of her womanly grace.
But his delight was short-lived as he encountered a small problem. Between him and Yun Fairy lay dozens of feet of open water, with no bridge connecting them.
"How am I supposed to get across?" he wondered, anxiety creeping in. With his current cultivation at the Qi Refining stage, was he expected to fly across using his sword?
Then, his eyes fell on the large, green leaves floating upon the lake's surface.
A glimmer of understanding lit up his eyes. Perhaps these leaves could provide the solution.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Fan activated his "All-Knowing Mode," drawing upon the life force mist within him and connecting it to the vital energy surrounding him. In this moment, he felt intimately attuned to the subtle movements within a radius of two hundred feet, sensing every ripple and shift around him.
Simultaneously, his body entered a state of heightened perfection, and with a light leap, he soared into the air.
His body, now as light as a feather, floated gently upward, neither hurried nor slow, descending gracefully onto one of the large leaves. His foot barely touched the surface when a splash of water erupted, sending ripples radiating outward.
In that brief moment, Yang Fan felt his life force merge with that of the leaf, intertwining with the vitality within it. A cycle completed, and an extra surge of life energy flowed through his body, invigorating him.
With newfound strength, he sprang into the air once more, lightly soaring several feet before landing gracefully on another leaf.
After several more bounds, he felt like a feather, effortlessly gliding from one leaf to the next. Soon, he reached the pavilion and landed softly on its stone platform, as though the entire passage had been but a dream.
After the journey, Yang Fan felt rejuvenated, his understanding of the profound mysteries of the "Xianhong Jue" having deepened. He had a newfound appreciation for the vitality of life and the harmony of nature.
"Well done, Master Yang," Yun Fairy softly praised, her voice like a delicate breeze. She smiled, her eyes filled with a curious, mischievous glint.
Yang Fan felt slightly uncomfortable under her gaze. Could it be that she, like other women, was captivated by his charm?
Of course, he quickly dismissed the thought, knowing better than to indulge in such vanity, even for a fleeting moment.
"Why are you staring at me?" he asked, trying to conceal his unease.
"Nothing," Yun Fairy replied with a playful twinkle in her eyes, her long lashes fluttering as she smiled. "Please, Master Yang, have a seat."
Slightly bewildered by her change in demeanor, Yang Fan sat down next to her on a stone bench. The distance between them was only a few feet, close enough for them to sense each other's breath.
Once again, that intoxicating fragrance of flowers and herbs filled his senses, and as their eyes met, a connection deeper than words seemed to form between them.
In that silent exchange, Yang Fan saw in her tranquil gaze the reflection of a vast, verdant forest—a world alive with the vibrant greens of trees, the blossoming of flowers, the bubbling of clear streams, and the joyful calls of unseen birds.
It was a world of life, harmony, and peace.
After just a few breaths, they both averted their gaze. A strange and subtle tension lingered in the air, and Yun Fairy's eyes shone with a hint of something more—a mix of surprise and shyness.
Suppressing the urge to lose himself again in that moment, Yang Fan asked, "What did you see in my eyes, Yun Fairy?"
Intrigued, Yun Fairy smiled softly and answered, "I saw a world full of green, full of life. That must be the essence of your Wood Element cultivation."
Yang Fan, somewhat mesmerized, whispered, "And yet I also saw the withering of trees, the fading of flowers, and a sense of solitary helplessness…"
At his words, Yun Fairy's expression shifted, surprise flashing through her eyes before she looked away, her gaze momentarily evasive.
"And what did you see in my eyes?" Yang Fan asked with curiosity, wondering if this connection stemmed from their shared understanding of the Wood Element.
Yun Fairy paused, her gaze growing distant as if lost in thought. After a long moment, she softly murmured, "I saw…"