Chapter 116: Reminiscence (6)

Time flies; in the blink of an eye, several years have passed. By now, Gu Mojian has mastered several cultivation techniques bestowed upon him by Ye Zheng. Although the process was arduous and fraught with difficulty, the results are evident. Since passing his first month of trials, Ye Zheng’s attitude toward him has softened significantly, and he has been teaching him more and more.

However, Gu Mojian’s ambitions do not stop there. He desires to learn everything Ye Zheng knows, and perhaps even surpass him. Thus, Gu Mojian practices day and night, working with a desperate fervor, all for the day he might transcend his master.

Recently, Ye Zheng had to travel for business—a trip expected to last quite some time—so he tossed another manual to Gu Mojian before packing his belongings to depart. He was headed to Duan Tianya (Cliff of Severed Heavens). He hadn't been there in years; in fact, he hadn't visited since taking on an apprentice. He anticipated taking the young master of the Yu family as his student this time, though he wondered if the lad would be like Gu Mojian—troublesome at first before eventually settling down. Logically speaking, when it comes to spoiled young masters, there is always a more pampered one. However, the Yu boy had one advantage: he was reasonable. Gu Mojian, on the other hand, was impossible to reason with; he was a man who only recognized his own stubborn logic.

Before leaving, Ye Zheng gave Gu Mojian a few brief instructions, left him a stack of spirit charms, and set off. He expected to stay at Duan Tianya for a long time, and he had entrusted Bai Kun and Qing Dai to keep an eye on Gu Mojian, so there shouldn't be any issues.

Yet, Ye Zheng did not head straight to Duan Tianya. Instead, he traveled slowly, stopping along the way to enjoy the scenery. Calculating the time, he realized he might encounter "the little one" soon; his trial of love was about to begin. It would likely only be a few days before they met, and he wondered what kind of girl she would be. Beyond his interactions with Qing Dai, he had never truly understood other women; he was, in truth, quite ignorant of the workings of a girl’s heart. But that did not matter; it would not affect their meeting, nor their future of getting to know one another and falling in love. If he could successfully pass this trial of love, it would benefit the little one as well, though the specific nature of that benefit remained unclear.

The mortal realm was actually quite interesting when one took the time to wander through it. The Lower Three Realms were simple places without much complexity, and Ye Zheng found his time there quite comfortable. However, destiny dictated that he could not dwell there permanently; he could only stay as long as possible to slowly understand everything that piqued his interest.

While he understood the mortal realm well, he had rarely experienced it firsthand. He spent his years either at Wu Mei Mountain (Foggy Eyebrow Mountain), Duan Tianya, or his former residence at Tian Ming Mountain (Heavenly Bright Mountain)—these three places were essentially his world. He was not suited for prolonged stays in the mortal realm, as any carelessness could invite unnecessary trouble, so he was reluctant to show himself. Conversely, the mortal realm was well-versed in his affairs; rumors of his past and present were widespread. Truth and falsehoods were intermingled, though parts of the tales were indeed accurate. He remained indifferent to this. No matter how high a vantage point one occupies or how formidable one's strength, there will always be those who gossip. It mattered little; being talked about caused him no real harm, so he let them speak.

Because of his unique status, Ye Zheng usually only interacted with people from those three fixed locations. Having had so little contact with outsiders, Ye Zheng was often cold and detached. Even the basic seven emotions and six desires that everyone possessed seemed foreign to him. He was entirely oblivious to the nuances of human emotion. He did not realize that his aloofness was merely because his status made others afraid to approach him, leading to the current state of isolation.

"That’s the Chu family estate ahead. You’d best take another path, young master; the Chu family are not people you want to reason with," a woman running a stall at the crossroads kindly warned, urging Ye Zheng not to invite trouble on Chu territory. The Chu clan members were generally known for being arrogant and selfish; unless one had true ability and strength, it was best not to provoke them.

Ye Zheng nodded at the woman, left some silver as a token of gratitude, and continued down the road. The Chu family estate was, after all, the very reason he had come. Had it not been for them, he would have bypassed this area entirely—he had come to the Chu territory solely for the sake of the little one.

"Stop! None but the Chu clan may enter!" A guard at the foot of the mountain blocked Ye Zheng, signaling for him to leave immediately. This was the Chu estate, not a place for any stray cat or dog to wander into. He warned him not to think that having a bit of good looks meant he could do as he pleased; such things meant nothing to the Chu clan, who only recognized their own clan tokens.

Ye Zheng looked up at the mountain. The Chu estate was large, and the security was indeed rigorous. Seeing guards stationed every ten meters, Ye Zheng stopped his advance and stood silently in place. He did not intend to enter; he was merely waiting here to catch a glimpse of the little one. Once he returned from Duan Tianya, he would come to see her again.

"What is happening? Who is this, and why is he blocking the path?" A cold, feminine voice suddenly rang out from behind him. Ye Zheng knew the one he was waiting for had appeared. He turned and saw a woman holding a long sword.

Her appearance leaned toward the stunning and icy, with delicate, dignified features. At just one glance, Ye Zheng felt his heartbeat quicken. She wore a moon-white martial robe with her long hair tied high, giving her a sharp and intelligent look. Unlike Qing Dai, this woman clearly had her own thoughts and opinions; she was not your typical sheltered young lady of a noble house. She possessed the grace of a lady, but she carried more of a free-spirited, heroic aura—a sense of dominance that suggested she answered to no one. Such a woman was truly unique, entirely different from others. The aura that should have belonged to a man felt completely natural on her, creating an illusion that it fit her perfectly.

"Second Young Miss, this gentleman likely took the wrong road. I have already warned him to leave," the guard replied cautiously to his mistress before stepping back into his position.

The second young lady of the Chu family, Chu Xingran—the very person Ye Zheng had been waiting for. She was the one meant to accompany him through his trial of love. Yet, looking at her now, Ye Zheng found that he did not wish for the trial to proceed smoothly. Chu Xingran truly captivated him, and he did not want her to be hurt by love after being with him. He could not bear to see her suffer any harm.