Elder Jiu first ran to the mountain ditch and caught more than a dozen leeches, dripping a few drops of Green Dragon's blood on each of them. The bodies of these leeches immediately emitted a faint green light. Then, he placed the leeches on the bodies of those who were cursed.
These soft worms automatically found places to bite in the gaps between their scales, then remained still, beginning to suck their blood.
Elder Jiu said they weren't sucking blood but rather the demonic energy within these people. As the bodies of the leeches grew larger, the scales on these people's bodies slowly disappeared, and their strange appearances began to recover.
And the once smooth and moist bodies of the leeches gradually grew scales, resembling shrunken Jiao dragons.
When the demonic energy was drained completely, Elder Jiu caught these leeches and put them into a wine gourd covered with runes. According to him, after refining for forty-nine days within the wine gourd, these leeches would turn into blood and lose their demonic nature.
As for those who finally broke the curse, they all began to sleep soundly. After all, experiencing such a huge transformation also depleted their vitality, requiring a good rest.
While they were asleep, Xue Ranran could finally relax.
However, as she stood at the mountaintop looking down, apart from the soldiers surrounding the mountain, there were also numerous lotus lanterns of different sizes floating in the rivers and streams below.
Ranran couldn't help but think of the goddess. Just as Su Yi Shui said, after she sacrificed five hundred years of cultivation, perhaps it wasn't that she didn't love any more, but that she saw through the Medicine Immortal's obsession with cultivation and chose to withdraw?
After all, as Elder Jiu said, his brother had always been dedicated to cultivation, definitely more so than him.
Ranran suddenly admired the goddess even more. To love and hate so decisively, to make a clean break, was actually stronger than many immortals and mortals.
Could it be that she refused to respond to the Medicine Immortal's lotus lanterns because she had already guessed that in the long years to come, there would surely be someone else by his side?
If so, it would be better to forget each other in this world.
Just as she sighed, Su Yi Shui arrived behind her. "Your dear disciple has finally recovered from the curse, why are you still feeling down?"
Ranran shook her head. "It's not that I'm unhappy, just feeling a little sentimental…"
Su Yi Shui followed her gaze and saw the lotus lanterns in the river below, instantly understanding what she was thinking.
"The Medicine Immortal and you are also old acquaintances. Back then, he thought you were also as unambitious in cultivation as his brother."
Ranran smiled indifferently, "Being human or immortal is just a difference in longevity, why be so obsessed? The powerful Duntian achieved enlightenment, but in the end, didn't he also lose interest in life and chose to enter Nirvana?"
Her indifferent demeanor really resembled Mu Qingge from twenty years ago. In the past, Xishan had always been a place for leisure. Rather than leading her disciples to cultivate immortality, it was more like leading a group of children to frolic in the mortal realm.
Although they all honed their respective skills, most of them had little to do with becoming immortal. They simply indulged in their own various interests. Otherwise, with Mu Qingge's cultivation and skills, how could the three major sects flaunt their power?
Su Yi Shui used to detest Mu Qingge intensely, feeling that her carefree attitude hindered his progress. His earnest cultivation in Xishan was out of phase with his fellow disciples.
However, seeing the Medicine Immortal that day truly disgusted Su Yi Shui.
At that moment, he even felt that the goddess on Dragon Island was somewhat similar to his mother, who had been abandoned by the man who claimed to love her. That's why he couldn't help himself, but mock the Medicine Immortal.
In his opinion, a man could choose not to love, but he shouldn't love with such calculation. To enjoy romance when there's no trouble, but cast aside the lover whom he made promises to when things got tough, then occasionally reminiscing about that deep love later on—such people made him sick even with just a glance.
Unfortunately, such people were common in the world. Even Emperor Su Yu seemed to have regained appreciation for Zhou Feihua and was trying various ways to bring her back to the palace.
Early the next day, just as the sky was brightening, the soldiers below suddenly retreated one after another. It was said to be an order from higher ups, instructing them to no longer surround the mountain.
At this time, the people in the cave had also mostly recovered. They supported each other with sturdy branches as crutches and descended from the mountain.
When those people returned to the village, someone had already rushed to inform the villagers early on. Relatives came out tearfully to welcome them, but those who had once led the soldiers to besiege them all kept their doors tightly shut.
It seemed that the relationships in between neighbors in this village would need time to mend.
Wang Suizhi did not leave. After he made arrangements for his subordinates and settled the children, he explicitly expressed his desire to serve by Xue Ranran's side, fulfilling his filial duty.
However, when Su Yi Shui clearly stated that food resources in the Western Mountains were precious and not to be wasted on idlers, Xue Ranran had to tactfully explain that she was no longer the sect leader of Xishan, and she also had to make a living under someone else's roof, so she couldn't bring her disciples along.
But Wang Suizhi said, "Master, how can you endure grievances under Su Yishui's roof? The houses on Western Mountain must be old and unusable by now. Your disciple will find another mountain for you to cultivate and establish a new sect! That Western Mountain, you don't have to return there!"
As that imposter Mu Ranwu had planned the same thing before, Wang Suiji had already made arrangements for everything. Not only did he select a beautiful mountain, but he also bought the entire mountain and started construction already.
With a wealthy and ambitious disciple, Wang Suizhi said that if his master was dissatisfied and unwilling to yield to Mu Ranwu's tastes, he could also buy another mountain for her to cultivate.
This statement left Qiu Xier and Gao Cang gasping in awe, with envy written all over their faces.
However, Su Yi Shui's expression darkened slightly, and his sharp gaze pierced through Wang god of wealth like a knife.
He even channeled a private message to Xue Ranran, suggesting that if she wanted to establish a new sect on another mountain, Wang Suizhi should first prepare a tomb for himself!
Seeing the seriousness in Su Yi Shui's eyes, Xue Ranran, for the sake of her beloved disciple Wang Suizhi's life, had to mediate and say that the Feng Shui on Western Mountains was excellent for her, and she was already accustomed to living there.
Wang Suizhi nodded understandingly, then took out a palm-sized gold abacus and made a few clicks. He began to assess the value of Su Yi Shui's Western Mountain, stating that he was willing to buy it at ten times the market price, so that Su Yi Shui could relocate.
It was all Xue Ranran could do to firmly hold onto Su Yi Shui's waist with all her strength, to avoid conflict between former disciples and eventual bloodshed.
In the end, Wang Suizhi used his merchant's eloquence to its fullest. The result of the argument was that Wang Suizhi finally could return to Western Mountain as he wished and could serve his mentor by her side.
Through Wang Suizhi, Xue Ranran also learned more secrets about the Fantian Sect.
According to Wang Suizhi, the demonic ritual that used children as cauldrons to replenish Mu Ranwu's vitality seemed to be a method taught by the Fantian Sect.
Moreover, the influence of the Fantian Sect seemed to be growing. Back then, Mu Ranwu under the guise of Mu Qingge, had once proudly told him that the rise of the Fantian Sect owed much to her efforts. In the future, all major sects would be under the rule of the Fantian Sect.
As an Elder who contributed to this revival, she and her disciples would reap endless benefits. Once they resurrected the Sect Master, they wouldn't have to struggle to cultivate anymore. They could ascend directly without enduring the tribulations, and become immortals soon.
At that time, Wang Suizhi had felt uneasy about these grand promises. However, seeing how close that imposter and the Fantian Sect were, as a disciple, he couldn't say anything.
But now, looking back, wasn't this just a demonic path of evil? Those who bypassed the tribulations were not immortals but only demons. They had no place in the Upper, Middle and Lower Immortal classes, and could only be considered powerful demon kings.
After hearing this, Su Yi Shui asked, "Who did she say the Sect Master is?"
Xue Ranran had read "Records of the Fantian Sect" and had seen related descriptions in those two volumes. The one referred to as the Sect Master could only be the first-generation Demon Lord, the demon king whose skull was refined into gold!
Could it be that the Fantian Sect wanted to resurrect that golden skull?
At that moment, Ranran thought of the drained Green dragon again. Could the person behind all this be planning to use the dragon's blood to resurrect the gold-skulled demon?
She also remembered the Rebirth tree that she was reincarnated from and asked Su Yi Shui if he remembered how he knew of the method of resurrection.
But Su Yi Shui could not remember about that part any more.
As for Zhou Feihua, after disappearing for three days and nights, she returned to Qiongqi Village.
Ranran asked her if the Emperor wanted to rekindle their old relationship.
But Zhou Feihua smiled coldly, "How could someone who sits on the throne be as sentimental as you and me? It turns out that my father's old subordinates were difficult to control, so the Emperor had to reinstate my father and wanted to mend the relationship between ruler and subject. Thus, he thought of inviting me back to the palace… In his eyes, I am ultimately just a pawn with some remaining value."
Ranran asked, "So, did you agree to return?"
Zhou Feihua shook her head, "My father sent me a letter secretly. The Emperor is currently treating my father favorably as he is unable to manage those generals well. However, once the crisis is over, my father will probably be the first one to go. But to appease the Emperor, I have to go to the palace and deal with him for a few days. After that, I will bid you farewell and hope you take care."
Ranran didn't understand the intrigues of the Great Qi Dynasty, but Zhou Feihua seemed to have already discussed countermeasures with General Zhou Dao. She didn't want to say much more, so after bidding farewell by the river, they went their separate ways.
Before leaving, Zhou Feihua specially reminded Ranran, "The emergence of various monsters everywhere has increased the Emperor's attention to the cultivation world. The Emperor is now very close to the Crimson Gate Sect. Like the Yiren Hall, the Crimson Gate sect will probably become another tool for the Emperor's ambitions. Your Xishan is currently ahead of the three major sects in everything, so you must be extra careful in the future!"
Ranran nodded and also advised Zhou Feihua, "You should be careful too. Su Yu's intentions are unpredictable. Being with such a person is like being with tigers and wolves. Your priority should be self-preservation. Once you settled General Zhou, you should leave quickly."
Zhou Feihua nodded and said, "Consort Jing has already passed. This time, I am entering the palace in the capacity of a guard. Su Yu has been having nightmares recently, said to be haunted by nightmares. So, he is using my father as leverage to make me return to the palace to continue doing swordplay for him and dispel his nightmares. Once his nightmares subsides, he probably won't cling onto me anymore."
Ranran felt that Zhou Feihua was being a little too optimistic, so she handed Zhou Feihua a few spiritual charms, "These talimans can command birds to deliver messages. If you encounter any unforeseen events in the capital, be sure to send me a message as soon as you can."
Zhou Feihua smiled and nodded. She couldn't help giving Ranran a hug, patting her back gently, "You take care too and love yourself more. In your past life, you carried too much burden, all by yourself, even immortals couldn't bear it. Now, Su Yi Shui is the sect leader of Xishan. If anything happens, let the tall man bear the brunt. If you sense any danger, be clever and know when to run. Do you know how heartbroken I was twenty years ago, when I heard you had died…"
Ranran couldn't remember how her friendship with Zhou Feihua was twenty years ago, but despite the age gap between them now, they could still connect as if nothing had changed.
Friendship is truly mysterious. Even across two lifetimes, it can still continue seamlessly.
The two talked by the river for most of the night before reluctantly parting ways.
When they left the Qiongqi Village, it seemed that the number of monsters in various places had decreased. It seemed like someone had released the monsters to cause chaos, but then removed more than half overnight, restoring peace.
However, Elder Jiu said that too many monsters had appeared before, and the balance between Yin and Yang in the world had already been disrupted.
Ordinary people might think that the world was slowly returning to peace, but those with profound cultivation could sense that the balance between Yin and Yang seemed to be changing slightly. Perhaps something big would happen soon.
But for Wang Suizhi, who had just returned to Xishan, it already felt like the end of the world, and his resentment was hard to quell!
What kind of Sect leader of Xishan was Su Yi Shui? The palaces of Western Mountain were once magnificent and luxurious. How did they become so dilapidated now?
According to Yutong, this was actually the restored appearance after she recently had craftsmen repair it! Moreover, his former mentor, the present Xue Ranran, didn't even live in the best house on Western Mountain; she just lived in the disciples' courtyard.
Although there were flowers and plants in the yard, and the furnishings inside were the style favored by young girls, Wang Suizhi felt that it was all too plain and petty, not suitable for living.
With the arrival of the God of Wealth to Xishan, even ordinary fish on the dinner table had disappeared, replaced by deep-sea fish from the East sea, bird's nest soup, and even prawns, each the size of a child's arm.
This made the several bumpkin disciples of Xishan confused every time they sat down to eat and had to ask about every dish, otherwise they would not know what ingredients they were consuming.
And in the following days, many of Mu Qingge's former disciples came one after another. They had acknowledged the wrong master in the past, but after hearing the truth, they came, crying and kneeling at the foot of Western Mountain, begging for forgiveness.
Xue Ranran had nothing that she couldn't forgive them for, but it was difficult to fulfill their wishes and bring them back to Xishan.
After all, Su Yishui was now the Sect leader of Xishan. He had recently favored peace and quiet, and had driven away the batch of disciples he had recently accepted. Obviously he wasn't going to allow Xue Ranran to bring back her disciples from her past life.
When Ranran asked him why he had asked the junior disciples to leave the mountain, of course, he wasn't going to tell the truth. Seeing those young disciples surrounding their blooming senior sister Ranran, that atmosphere of youthful vitality, made him feel uncomfortable.
So, he just said solemnly, "In cultivation, besides cultivating Qi, one must also broaden their horizons and gain worldly experience. If one stays on the mountain for too long, they will only cultivate narrow-mindedness. Letting them leave the mountain for adventures will help them cultivate better."
Such a dignified explanation, truly earned respect. Ranran recalled that he had also brought the new disciples to get experience at Wangxiang Pass in the past, which did indeed broaden their horizons, and their cultivation progressed rapidly thereafter.
So, when she saw off those tearful junior disciples leaving the mountain, as their senior sister, she was filled with encouragement, promising them a bright future.
The gentle words of consolation from their beautiful and kind senior sister, made these young men who had been coldly driven away by their master, feel the warmth of their sect once again. With lifted spirits, they carried their bags and left the mountain for experiences, vowing to return to Western Mountain as new individuals.
As for Su Yi Shui's reasons for preventing the old disciples of Western Mountain from returning, they were even more lofty and grand.
"They have been away from Xishan for twenty years, each already having their own lives. Moreover, some of them have associated with Mu Ranwu. The human heart is inscrutable and must be guarded against. It's fine if you want to acknowledge them, but it's not suitable to bring them all back here… And as for that Wang Suizhi, although he is as wealthy as a nation, there's no need for such a display on Western Mountain. Our Xishan's financial strength is not inferior to his, we don't lack his gold and silver."
After saying so much, perhaps only the last sentence was actually heartfelt. However, Xue Ranran remembered that Yutong had once said that Su Yi Shui disliked extravagance, so his aversion to Wang Suizhi might indeed be due to an incompatibility of lifestyles.
So, Ranran secretly advised Wang Suizhi to be frugal and not to bring expensive ingredients, furniture and ornaments to the mountain, especially to her courtyard.
Wang Suizhi listened with tears in his eyes, "Master has been reborn for so long, yet you have to live under someone else's roof this way? It's regrettable that I didn't know anything and couldn't take care of Master properly. That Su Yi Shui is a selfish and heartless person! Clearly knowing that you are his master, he still acts like the sect master himself… Master, you should leave with me and establish a new sect in another mountain!"
The tears of this middle-aged man were actually more difficult to handle than the tears of a pitiful young girl. Moreover, when Wang Suizhi cried, it was truly heartfelt and difficult to hold back.
Ranran didn't know how to comfort her beloved disciple, so she looked desperately at Su Yi Shui who was not far away, half-hidden in the window of a small building among the flowers.
He had been eavesdropping for a long time, it was time for him to show up and help her out of this predicament.
However, that man with a cold face just snorted and walked away without even looking back.
Ranran couldn't help but feel a little angry and even thought that the idea of establishing a new sect and living alone was not all bad. At least, she wouldn't have to see someone's cold face anymore.
However, after a short while, Yutong hurried over and unceremoniously pushed away the still-sorrowful Wang Suizhi with her shoulder. She said to Ranran, "Master has already brought your parents and Mr Zeng back to Xishan. Tonight, Master wants to welcome them with a good meal, so help me plan a menu with dishes that your parents like."
possession left by Mu Qingge. Yutong told him that in these past twenty years, Su Yi Shui's greatest hobby was playing this zither. His proficiency was supposedly quite high, which was somewhat inconceivable.
When Su Yi Shui saw Ranran playing the zither, he found that he no longer had an aversion to the deep and melodious sound of the zither.
Ranran tried to play half a tune but couldn't get one note right no matter what. So, she looked up at Su Yi Shui and asked, "Shifu, how should this part be played?"
Su Yi Shui inititally wanted to say that he didn't like playing the zither, but he still inexplicably got up and sat behind Ranran, wrapping his long arms around her and placing his fingers on the zither strings.
It seemed that sometimes *muscle memory was more useful than brain memory. Su Yi Shui didn't even think much; his fingers automatically stroked the zither strings, playing a melodious tune.
The tune he played was "Living in seclusion in Mountains and rivers" the favorite of Mu Qingge in the past.
*渔樵 1 打鱼砍柴 2 渔人和樵夫 3 指隐居
山水 Mountains and rivers
This tune was quite difficult, but he played it effortlessly. He couldn't help but wonder how much effort he had put into playing the zither in these past twenty years?
No wonder he hadn't made any progress in cultivation in these twenty years. It turned out that, like the past life of this little demoness, he had been pursuing frivolous endeavors…
But when he saw Ranran turning joyously to look at him, immersed in the elegant music, Su Yi Shui suddenly thought that occasionally indulging in such distractions and frivolous pastimes wasn't bad either…