The Moon-Reflecting Sect had been very lively lately. Zhai Bairong’s advancement was even more renowned than Nie Shiyun’s had been, though the sectarian politics behind it were far more complex. Consequently, the number of sects coming to pay their respects was slightly fewer than those that had visited Nie Shiyun. Rogue cultivators knew better than to seek an audience with the Moon-Reflecting Sect only to be rebuffed, so the visitors were mostly from sects that maintained regular relations with them.
While Zhai Bairong didn’t detest obligatory socializing as much as Nie Shiyun did, his heart was already with his lover. His mind had long since drifted elsewhere; his smiles were more polite than usual, and he spoke little. Outsiders might not have noticed, but most of the disciples within the sect could tell he lacked patience and had no interest in exchanging pleasantries with the crowd.
However, while Nie Shiyun could push most of the burden onto Nie Li and Nie Xingan, Zhai Bairong had no way to hide. He could only endure it, returning to his cave dwelling at night to wonder when Nie Shiyun would arrive.
Earlier, he had informed Qu Zhanmeng of Nie Shiyun’s impending visit. Qu Zhanmeng had always been quite interested in this Daoist companion of Zhai Bairong’s, but at the moment, he was too preoccupied to care, merely nodding in acknowledgment. Seeing his master’s unsettled state of mind, Zhai Bairong did not press the conversation. After leaving the room, he turned to ask a junior cultivator by Qu Zhanmeng’s side why he was in such a foul mood. The junior looked left and right before sighing and whispering, "The Sect Ancestor came out of seclusion earlier and summoned Senior Qu. Since he returned, Master has been in low spirits."
Zhai Bairong didn't know what the two great seniors had discussed, but Qu Zhanmeng’s bad mood ultimately made life difficult for the juniors who served him hand and foot.
"Has Duan Mingyu been found?" Zhai Bairong asked in a low voice.
"No. But his soul lamp hasn't gone out, so he should still be alive. We just can't find him for some reason. With so many cultivators in our Moon-Reflecting Sect, we followed the trail but still couldn't find a single living person..." the cultivator sighed. He didn't know what grudge Duan Mingyu had with the seniors; he only knew that if the person wasn't found, those of them at the bottom would suffer the consequences.
Zhai Bairong nodded and cautioned, "Say less of this in front of outsiders. And don't pry too deep; it won't do you any good."
The cultivator nodded understandingly, not forgetting to express his gratitude. "Thank you for the reminder, Eldest Senior Brother. We naturally know these basic principles. If it weren't you, I wouldn't have revealed a single word to an outsider."
Those working by Qu Zhanmeng’s side were usually quite discerning. Zhai Bairong figured he didn't need to give further instructions, so he turned and left.
He hadn't expected Duan Mingyu to actually escape. Since the soul lamp remained lit, it meant he hadn't been captured by another sect. For a moment, Zhai Bairong couldn't imagine where the other man could be hiding to evade the pursuit of two major sects like the Moon-Reflecting Sect and Crimson Rock Cliff. Disciples from these sects had even paid for information from demonic cultivators, but word was that even the Soul-Summoning Valley hadn't seen him in the past six months.
Qu Zhanmeng had likely been unable to keep the secret any longer and was severely scolded by the Sect Ancestor. Zhai Bairong’s bond with Qu Zhanmeng as master and disciple was quite thin; at this moment, he felt it was better that his master was too busy to bother with him. This way, Nie Shiyun’s visit to the Moon-Reflecting Sect wouldn't be so constrained.
Nie Shiyun intentionally timed his arrival to avoid the peak of the visiting crowds, arriving quite late. By the time he showed up with several disciples from the Cloud-Clear Pavilion, most of the visitors had already departed.
Upon learning that Nie Shiyun was arriving, Zhai Bairong went down to the foot of the Moon-Reflecting Sect’s mountain early to wait in person.
Nie Shiyun saw him from a great distance. The two hadn't seen each other for over half a year. Although they had mostly been in seclusion and the time had passed in the blink of an eye, waking up without the other by their side still brought an immense sense of longing. He stepped forward quickly, carefully checking Zhai Bairong for any abnormalities after his advancement.
The inner disciples who had followed from the Cloud-Clear Pavilion were long accustomed to the blatant intimacy between Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong. They didn't feel ignored, standing behind them dutifully as background characters.
Nie Xingan had taken over many affairs within the Cloud-Clear Pavilion and couldn't easily leave. Du Zhi and Qi Xuan'er were still quietly organizing their wedding arrangements. In the end, Nie Shiyun decided to bring a few juniors along. He was a Nascent Soul cultivator himself, so by all rights, the Moon-Reflecting Sect could find no fault in his visit.
"You’ve all worked hard traveling from so far away. Please, follow me up the mountain." After speaking with Nie Shiyun for a while, Zhai Bairong noticed the disciples standing silently behind them and quickly snapped back to his senses.
The group waved their hands, saying it was no trouble at all. They hadn't been able to get a word in earlier, but now that they were noticed, they congratulated Zhai Bairong in unison on his advancement to the Nascent Soul stage. They told Zhai Bairong and Nie Shiyun to talk freely and not worry about them.
They all knew very well that Senior Nie could have come alone, but that would have been somewhat improper in terms of etiquette, so he had simply chosen a few of them to accompany him. These juniors felt that with food and drink provided, and the chance to tour a major sect to broaden their horizons, why not?
Guided by Zhai Bairong, the group mounted their flying swords. They passed the main peak of the Moon-Reflecting Sect and flew toward Crimson Cloud Mountain, which was under Qu Zhanmeng’s jurisdiction. Nie Shiyun had been to the Pavilion of Elegant Sounds and had some understanding of the layout of major sects, but the other disciples, who rarely left home, were truly having their eyes opened. The Moon-Reflecting Sect truly lived up to its reputation as the head of the four great sects; even located in the Central Plains, it was more than three times the size of the Pavilion of Elegant Sounds. Aside from the central main peak, the six surrounding peaks were each managed by a Nascent Soul Elder, and the disciples under their respective lineages lived separately. Crimson Cloud Mountain was the most central and towering of these peaks.
Nie Shiyun reserved judgment. With so many people, it was indeed difficult to manage, so dividing them into departments was the most convenient method. But over time, as disciples and masters formed their own camps, it would be a miracle if power struggles didn't arise within the sect.
Since they were the juniors brought by his Daoist companion, Zhai Bairong arranged exceptionally favorable accommodations for the Cloud-Clear Pavilion group, not sharing them with visitors from any other sect. However, the Cloud-Clear Pavilion members were used to living close to their fellow disciples and were accustomed to the noise. Suddenly staying on this quiet, secluded mountain peak with servants to wait on them made them quite uncomfortable.
Naturally, Nie Shiyun wouldn't stay with the juniors. After carefully instructing everyone on the rules, he followed Zhai Bairong back to his residence.
It was Nie Shiyun’s first time at Zhai Bairong’s home, and he was quite curious. He had heard that after Zhai Bairong came to the Moon-Reflecting Sect as a child, he first lived in the large communal courtyards with most disciples. Before long, he was highly valued and assigned a private residence. He must have lived here for many years. Yet, looking around the rooms, there wasn't much of a "lived-in" feel. There were few pieces of furniture, only many floral arrangements and plants, and the spiritual trees outside were growing very lushly.
"Does it feel a bit lonely? Since that year... after the failed advancement that year, I went out to travel and haven't lived here much since. The few times I returned to the sect were only for seclusion to advance. These plants and trees are things I used my Wood Spiritual Root to stimulate when I was practicing my spiritual energy as a child. They are easy to maintain; even after all these years of neglect, they remain lush." Zhai Bairong only relaxed once he returned to his own quarters. He hurried Nie Shiyun to sit and rest, explaining as he brewed spiritual tea.
Thinking of a young Zhai Bairong squatting in front of a tree in the courtyard, working hard to help it grow and then looking full of joy upon seeing the results—even just imagining it made Nie Shiyun chuckle.
"What are you laughing at?" Zhai Bairong handed over a teacup.
"As expected, now that the weather is cold, drinking some hot tea is comfortable." Nie Shiyun took the spiritual tea from Zhai Bairong, smiling as he changed the subject. He took a few sips, feeling warm in both body and heart.
"By the way, rest for a bit and then go pay your respects to your master, otherwise he might find fault with you." Nie Shiyun didn't have a specific understanding of the rules in major sects, but he knew a bit from common sense.
Zhai Bairong replied, "No rush. He’s in a bad mood; let’s not walk into the line of fire. You just arrived today, and being tired from the journey is a valid excuse. We’ll see how things are tomorrow before going."
"What happened?" Nie Shiyun asked casually.
Zhai Bairong’s expression turned serious as he told Nie Shiyun about Duan Mingyu’s whereabouts still being unknown.
"The Moon-Reflecting Sect couldn't find him, so they went to High Peak Mountain, claiming their disciple had abducted Duan Mingyu and incited him to betray the sect. In the end, High Peak Mountain didn't protect Rong Lü at all. They stated on the spot that Rong Lü had left privately without notice and struck him from the sect, declaring he was no longer their disciple. The Moon-Reflecting Sect had no choice but to return empty-handed."
Nie Shiyun raised an eyebrow, thinking this was indeed something High Peak Mountain would do. Although Rong Lü was a good prospect, he had always been a loner since joining the sect. After reuniting with Duan Mingyu, he had done nothing but revolve around him. It could be said he was only a member of High Peak Mountain in name. It was perfectly normal for them to wash their hands of him rather than care about his disappearance.
"Where do you think they went? To think they could evade the pursuit of two major sects..." Zhai Bairong asked with a frown. Although there were many wildernesses in the cultivation world, as long as the two of them occasionally went to towns to buy Disguise Pills and necessities, their tracks would eventually be found.
Nie Shiyun thought for a moment, and a guess actually formed in his mind.
"How often does the celestial ship travel between the Cultivation World and the Mortal Realm?" Nie Shiyun asked.
"Are you saying..." Zhai Bairong stopped halfway, a realization dawning on him. It was indeed a possibility.
To go from the Cultivation World to the Mortal Realm, one had to cross a boundless ocean. It was said that Spirit-rank or even Nascent Soul-rank demonic beasts inhabited the deep sea. Even flying on a sword without rest, it would take a year to cross, during which one might be attacked by beasts and buried at sea. It was extremely dangerous.
However, if one boarded a celestial ship, they could lie back for two or three months and reach the destination without worry.
The spiritual energy in the Mortal Realm was so thin it was negligible. Ordinary cultivators would never waste time going there. At most, various sects would visit once every few decades to select disciples. More often, it was those born with spiritual roots who took the initiative to come to the Cultivation World, attempting to enter a sect.
"But if they really went to the Mortal Realm, the spiritual energy there isn't enough for a cultivator to continue practicing. Forget advancing to Nascent Soul; even raising one's level by a minor stage would be harder than reaching the heavens," Zhai Bairong said.
"When your life is on the line, you can't worry about that. They could hide for a hundred years, until that Ancestor of yours..." Nie Shiyun gestured, mindful that this was someone else's territory, "then they could quietly come back. It's not impossible."
Of course, this was just Nie Shiyun’s casual guess. The two talked in the cave dwelling for a while, and the topic gradually shifted to other matters. Nie Shiyun didn't forget to present the Thousand-year Willow Wood. Zhai Bairong’s eyes lit up upon seeing it. He hadn't expected Nie Li to be so mindful of him. Although he knew it was largely thanks to Nie Shiyun, he was still deeply moved.
"You must thank him on my behalf. No, I will definitely go and thank him in person next time."
Nie Shiyun laughed. "A bit of politeness is enough. He is your father too, after all."
"Yes," Zhai Bairong replied, feeling a bit bashful. He was still somewhat awkward about calling Nie Li "father," but he believed he would slowly get used to it.
Meanwhile, in a village far away from the Cultivation World, Nie Shiyun’s guess was—unbeknownst to him—entirely accurate.
"There, we're settled in." Rong Lü finished tidying the house and poured himself a cup of warm water.
Along the way, they had gathered spiritual herbs to exchange for spirit stones in towns. Most of those stones were then spent on tickets for the celestial ship. By the time they reached the Mortal Realm, the two were almost empty-handed. Fortunately, spirit stones were rare items containing spiritual energy in the Mortal Realm. Most people born there relied on them for cultivation; if they could open their spiritual roots, they could head to the Cultivation World to win a place for themselves. Therefore, the exchange rate of spirit stones for silver was very high.
"Tomorrow I can go out and find some work. As long as I'm careful with my spiritual energy, I should be able to earn a lot of silver easily without much effort." Rong Lü lit a candle. In the dilapidated house, there were only the two of them. They no longer needed to live in fear of being tracked. Although the conditions were harsh, he couldn't help but let out a small smile.
"Does it feel a bit like when we were children?" Rong Lü sat down beside Duan Mingyu and asked softly.
"A little. But it's so cold here, and the bed is so hard..." Duan Mingyu tightened his cotton coat, looking aggrieved. Having come to the Mortal Realm, he was destined to be unable to continue his cultivation. Without reaching Nascent Soul, he had no defense against those cultivators. He felt utterly hopeless about their current situation.
"There's always a way when the carriage reaches the mountain. We'll hide for a while; maybe there will be a turning point," Rong Lü comforted him gently, knowing he was asking a lot of Duan Mingyu.
Rong Lü’s spiritual roots had opened late, so he had missed the time when the sects came to select people. Later, in order to find Duan Mingyu, he had saved up silver as an adult to exchange for spirit stones and took the initiative to go to the Cultivation World, where he had also endured a long period of hardship. But unlike him, Duan Mingyu had been taken away by the Moon-Reflecting Sect as a child. He had long forgotten the thatched huts of his youth. Now that decades had passed, how could he be used to living like this?
"Do I have to go out and find work too? I've never done it. Will people notice something is wrong?" Duan Mingyu was quite worried, his face full of sorrow.
"Of course not. I'll go. You just stay here carefully. Don't talk to outsiders and draw attention to yourself."
Hearing Rong Lü’s assurance, Duan Mingyu finally nodded in relief.
***
**Glossary**
