The mountain forest, shrouded in the aftermath of winter rain, was filled with the fragrance of grass and leaves.
Amidst the chirping of kingfishers in the forest, Ye Anping slowly awoke. He sat up, feeling that his body, which had been covered in scars from the heavenly tribulation, had fully recovered overnight. He understood what had happened.
A hint of helplessness flickered across Ye Anping’s face. He glanced at the simple clothes rack by the bed and then looked at his body through his collar.
The clothes he wore during his tribulation yesterday were hung on the rack.
However, the clothes that should have been stained with mud and dirt were now spotless.
His body was the same, clean and white, as if he had just taken a bath.
It seemed that Si Xuanji, after repairing his battered body, had also taken the time to clean him up and even used spirit arts to wash and dry his clothes.
“I owe her a great debt.”
Ye Anping sighed softly, got off the bed, and walked to the table where he had left his letter.
The tea leaves, pills, and Si Xuanji’s small strip of cloth that he had left on the table were gone. In their place was a letter written in a delicate, flowing script.
He picked up the letter and scanned its contents, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
“True Person Tianji…”
If he remembered correctly, this Daoist title was one of Si Xuanji’s many aliases from her youth, and one of the few that had not yet been revealed.
The game provided little information about Si Xuanji’s past, and what it did offer was fragmented.
It was like archaeology; players could discover various hidden identities of Si Xuanji from ancient sites across the Four Domains while completing side quests or collection achievements.
By piecing them together, one could get a general idea of her life.
Si Xuanji was born into a wealthy merchant family in the mortal world. She grew up in a privileged environment and trained in martial arts from a young age. However, in her teens, she was caught in mortal warfare. As martial arts flourished, she left home with a simple green bamboo sword, venturing into a place called “Jianghu” with the ambition of becoming a renowned martial arts hero in the world.
Years later, by chance, she obtained a cultivation technique from the cave dwelling of a deceased cultivator. She began to teach herself, refining her body and cultivating Qi. Then, using the cultivator’s technique, she stirred up great waves in the mortal martial arts world.
However, it wasn’t long before a cultivator took notice of her.
There was an unwritten rule among cultivators: cultivators were not allowed to cause trouble in the mortal realm.
Seeing that Si Xuanji was at the peak of Qi Refining, the cultivator assumed she was from some immortal sect and immediately captured her, taking her back to the immortal realm for interrogation.
After the interrogation, it was discovered that Si Xuanji was one of the rare individuals in the world who had ascended from mortal to immortal through her own intelligence and destiny.
From then on, Si Xuanji remained in the Four Domains, no longer as a mortal, but as a cultivator. She was sent to an immortal sect, which no longer exists, to begin her cultivation.
And ever since she officially became a cultivator, her dream of becoming a martial arts hero, which she had yearned for since childhood, was completely severed.
“Jianghu” and “Martial Arts Hero” had become a lingering obsession for Si Xuanji.
Recalling this, Ye Anping pondered for a moment, then took out paper and brush, and began to write:
“The storms of Jianghu never cease.
This junior dares to invite senior to stroll through the Primordial Chaos.
If senior does not mind, could you wait for this junior to awaken next time? This junior will prepare tea and express gratitude in person.
— Young Hero Ye”
Afterward, he placed a jar of tea leaves on top of the paper.
Ye Anping then changed his clothes and left the room, heading into the courtyard to retrieve his spirit sword.
*swish—*
In the small courtyard amidst the trees, a cold glint flashed.
Ye Anping held the Snow Jade Myriad Spirit Sword horizontally, his fingers tracing the subtle, thousand-year-old scratches on the Xuan Bing sword.
Then, holding the sword diagonally towards the ground, he took a deep breath and began practicing his swordplay…
… …
Silver-gray clouds galloped across the sky. Amidst the surging currents of cold air, winter days rose and fell. Heavy snow fell profusely and then ceased.
Vegetation withered, and wild beasts hibernated.
Twelve days later, golden thunder roared down.
Si Xuanji also appeared in the small courtyard in the forest on time. Seeing Ye Anping, who was covered in wounds, she stepped forward and helped him to the bed in the house, changing his clothes and bathing him.
Upon seeing the letter Ye Anping had left, a hint of amusement surfaced in her Yin-yang heteromorphic eyes. She pursed her lips and looked sideways at the unconscious Ye Anping on the bed:
“Quite cute… calling himself Young Hero Ye.”
She wrote a reply, then left:
“A small favor, why would this great hero need you, a junior, to repay it? I will come every twelve days. Just prepare some snacks and tea.”
Then, she shed her clothes and walked towards the bed.
*dinglingling…*
The next morning, Ye Anping got up and went to the table, smiling as he put the letter into his storage bag. After pondering for a while, he wrote a new one:
“May I ask why True Person Tianji is unwilling to reveal herself? Does senior perhaps suffer from some hidden ailment? Please rest assured, senior has a life-saving grace towards this junior. No matter what senior looks like, this junior will never dislike it.”
Afterward, he went to prepare the medicinal powder for the fourth heavenly tribulation, cultivating Qi in preparation.
Day and night turned. Twelve days later, Si Xuanji came into the room and saw the letter Ye Anping had left. A hint of emotion flickered in her eyes. She glanced back at the unconscious Ye Anping and wrote:
“Brat, do you not want to live? Believe it or not, I won’t come again. Hidden ailment, hmph!”
The next morning, as Ye Anping got up to change, he saw a “turtle” drawn on his forehead. He felt both helpless and amused. He continued to write:
“This junior apologizes for my previous words. In this junior’s imagination, Great Hero Tianji should be peerless and independent. One glance captivating a city, a second glance captivating a nation. Long flowing hair, petite and delicate, phoenix eyes, as beautiful as a spring peach…”
Twelve days later, Si Xuanji arrived as usual. Seeing the night’s worth of compliments, she pouted and wrote in reply:
“So in your imagination, this deity is like this? This deity is not small, tall like a reed, with a chest like a full moon.”
Ye Anping, wearing a thick winter coat, grinned and replied with ink:
“Senior Tianji, please forgive this junior’s bluntness, but usually only short girls boast like this.”
Si Xuanji pouted, stomped her foot, and fiercely twisted Ye Anping’s face until it swelled. She also left a long row of tooth marks on his shoulder:
“This seat is angry, hmph! I’m not coming anymore! Fend for yourself!”
Upon seeing this, Ye Anping was slightly startled. He thought he had truly angered the Old Loli with his joke and quickly apologized:
“Please forgive this junior’s presumption. I have specially prepared some snacks roasted by myself, hoping to earn senior’s forgiveness.”
Si Xuanji, on the night of the twelfth day’s tribulation, still arrived on time. Eating the cookies he had laid out before the tribulation, she wrote:
“You think one plate of snacks can appease this deity? This deity is not that easily appeased. Every time I come, if I don’t see your snacks, I’ll turn around and leave. You figure it out…”
“Thank you for your forgiveness, senior. This junior recently asked someone to buy some local spirit tea and melon seeds from Xiyu Nantian and is specially presenting them to senior for your enjoyment.”
“The tea and melon seeds from Tianzhu Mountain are unparalleled in the Four Domains, indeed. Spring has passed, and this deity has brought you two sets of clothes for you to change into. They are by your pillow, remember to change.”
… …
The conversations every twelve days, starting from the first lightning tribulation in early winter, never ceased.
From time to time, when Liang Zhu and Ye Wan’er brought spirit stones and pills to Ye Anping, they would also bring Ating and Tong Zilan to visit him, which somewhat alleviated Ye Anping’s loneliness on the isolated mountain.
The content of the letters with Si Xuanji gradually changed from greetings and thanks to something resembling a diary.
Ye Anping asked Liang Zhu to bring him some flower seeds. When he was relaxing, he cultivated a small flower bed in the courtyard.
From the initial failure to sprout, to raising the first blooming seedling with Si Xuanji’s help.
As these flowers bloomed and withered, several months passed.
Every time Si Xuanji visited, she would bring him small trinkets, like potted plants, extra clothes, or small toys to pass the time. She even occasionally gave him riddles or couplets to test him.
A few times, she noticed his bangs had grown to cover his eyes and even trimmed his hair while he was unconscious.
Although Ye Anping felt his hair was strangely cut, he had to reluctantly trim it himself with scissors. However, Si Xuanji later scolded him: “I cut it so nicely for you, why did you cut it yourself?!”
Sometimes, Si Xuanji would also leave a pair of underpants or a hairpin there.
Ye Anping would wash them clean and place them beside the letters, reminding her to take them when she came.
… …
Working at sunrise and resting at sunset.
A year passed like an arrow.
Ye Anping gradually came to understand the longing of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl.
The conversations with Si Xuanji every twelve days became the most anticipated event during his solitary life on the mountain.
If he didn’t know that the person he was replying to was Si Xuanji, he reckoned he would have already lost his heart to the letter writer.
Winter turned to spring, spring to summer, summer to autumn, and autumn to winter again.
Unknowingly, of the original seventy-two heavenly tribulations, only the last eleven remained.
… …
Black clouds obscured the moon, and light snow fell unexpectedly.
Snowflakes, like flying willow catkins, swept across the mountain peak, now filled with the spiritual essence of the Heavenly Dao. Ye Anping, as usual, awoke by the bedside on the second day after the heavenly tribulation.
Anticipating Si Xuanji’s reply this time, he paused, then quickly sat up in bed.
As he sat up, a small golden figure poked its head through the wall:
“Anping, are you here?”
Xiao Tian, as if unsure, looked at the room with concern, then finally set its gaze on his face.
Upon confirming it was Ye Anping, its eyes lit up. With a flash of golden light, it flew over and clung to Ye Anping’s face:
“Anping, I missed you so much!!”
“… …”
Ye Anping was speechless, but seeing Xiao Tian, he felt a surge of emotion. He didn’t wave it away but let it nuzzle his face for a while.
“Xiao Tian, how are my junior sisters doing with their Core Formation?”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tian buzzed around Ye Anping like a mosquito for a few excited circles, then landed on his shoulder and said:
“Seven days ago, Pei girl formed her core. She was the last one to come out of seclusion. Yu Die saw her come out and immediately told me to run and tell you the news.”
“Is that so? Did anything happen during the Core Formation process?”
“No, Xuan Xing Sect had Elder Qin from Tianyun Peak and Elder Dan Shu from Moon Spring Peak, both late Nascent Soul cultivators, accompany them. Nothing unexpected happened. For the past two years, all three of them have been living in Elder Qin’s cave dwelling.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Ye Anping breathed a sigh of relief, then stood up and walked to the table in the room, focusing on Si Xuanji’s letter.
Si Xuanji had also hinted at the smooth Core Formation of his junior sisters in her letter:
“Young Master Ye, a few days ago, Xuan Xing Sect experienced celestial phenomena, with three golden core phenomena appearing consecutively. It seems the Western Regions now has three cultivators with Heavenly Dao Golden Cores. I will inquire about it in a few days.”
It seemed Si Xuanji also wanted to put his mind at ease.
However, he had never worried. Whether it was Xiao Yunluo or his junior sisters, theiraptitude was beyond his reach, let alone Feng Yu Die.
Moreover, they had better aptitude and no less resources than him.
How could they possibly fail to form their cores?
Ye Anping fell silent for a moment, picked up the paper and brush from the side, and wrote:
“The three from Xuan Xing Sect are all acquaintances of this junior. If senior does not mind, could you convey a message to them on behalf of this junior: ‘My Core Formation is going smoothly, but I just need a little more time. Once my core is formed, I will immediately come to see you.'”
After finishing writing, Ye Anping felt a sense of relief.
Xiao Tian, on the side, looked puzzled and tilted its head, asking:
“Anping, who are you writing to?”
“True Person Tianji.”
“Hmm? Tianji…” Xiao Tian twisted its eyebrows and continued to ask, “Who is it?”
“She is an expert who helped me with my Core Formation. It is thanks to her help these past two years that I have managed to live peacefully. Otherwise, I might have already died in the heavenly lightning tribulation.”
“Heavenly Dao tribulation…”
Xiao Tian’s expression turned to shock. Without a word, it flew up and plunged its head directly into Ye Anping’s stomach.
?
Ye Anping’s face darkened, feeling a strange sensation.
After a while, it poked its head out, still looking astonished, and flew in front of Ye Anping, furrowing its brows and reprimanding:
“Anping! … Why would you go through the Heavenly Dao tribulation? Anping, even though… the Heavenly Scroll of the Dao recognizes you as its master, you are still a dual spiritual root. Do you know how dangerous that is?!”
“I know…”
“You know what?!” Xiao Tian yelled anxiously. “The Heavenly Scroll of the Dao records that in the past thousand years, only two people have attempted to form a Heavenly Dao Golden Core with dual spiritual roots. And even among those two, one of them died of inner demon tribulations not long after forming their core due to the immense pain during the process.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine, aren’t I?”
“What do you mean fine!! You…”
Xiao Tian seemed on the verge of tears. It bit its lip, then suddenly realized that Ye Anping had been enduring the torment of the Heavenly Dao tribulation for the past two years. It felt an overwhelming pain in its heart.
This single Heavenly Dao tribulation was enough to make him feel the pain of a thousand needles piercing his bones, and it had already been two years…
Xiao Tian quickly went up and rubbed his head, comforting him:
“Anping, are you okay? If you need anything, tell me… I’ll help you through it.”
“Look at my complexion. Do I look like there’s anything wrong?” Ye Anping shook his head helplessly and said, “Two years have passed, and only eleven lightning tribulations are left. It will be over soon.”
“Wuwu… My heart aches! Yu Die will also be heartbroken when she hears about this.”
Ye Anping’s eyebrows twitched. He retorted, “Will her heart ache because no one will buy roasted chicken for her anymore?”
“… … Of course not! Anping, let me tell you, Yu Die has been thinking about you every day for the past two years.” Xiao Tian imitated Feng Yu Die’s tone and said, “How is Young Master Ye? I haven’t seen him in a long time, I miss him so much… and so on! She says it every day.”
Ye Anping looked at Xiao Tian emotionlessly. He didn’t believe a word of it.
Xiao Tian had always wanted to matchmake him and Feng Yu Die, so it was likely trying to manipulate him now.
Ye Anping sighed slightly, then turned to put on his clothes, picked up a small shovel from the corner of the room, and walked into the courtyard.
“Ah? Anping, don’t ignore me. I’m telling the truth! Yu Die misses you so much…”
“… …”
“Yu Die mentions you to me every day.”
Ye Anping squatted down, tending to the lush garden he had spent two years cultivating with his own hands. He felt Xiao Tian buzzing around his ears like a bee.
It was so annoying!
“Xiao Tian.”
“Hmm? ~ What is it?”
“Why don’t you go back? I don’t need you here.”
“… … I’m not going back! I miss you too! Besides, Yu Die has already formed her core, so I’ll stay with you. You need someone to talk to here, right?”
“Others can’t see you. If Brother Liang and the others come over and see me talking to you, they’ll probably think I’ve gone mad.”
Xiao Tian pouted and zipped into Ye Anping’s collar, clinging to his chest:
“Hey! I’m not going back! I’m staying here! You can’t drive me away! Hmph~~”
“Hey—”
Ye Anping shook his head and said nothing, continuing to tend to his garden.
However, after a moment’s thought, he added:
“Xiao Tian…”
“Hmm? What?”
“The ‘True Person Tianji’ I mentioned before sneaks into my room every night after the lightning tribulation and… you’d better be mentally prepared. Don’t be surprised when it happens.”
?
Xiao Tian looked bewildered, tilting its head: “Hmm?”
… …
