Volume 2 (Refining Immortal): Chapter 21

The winter moon was chilly, and there was no wind within the hall. Yet the small wooden donkey under Long Yi Pig’s foot began to tremble. Its round eyes were filled with terror. With a single glance from Long Yi Pig, the donkey shook like a sieve but dared not move an inch.

Long Yi Pig made a surprised sound and looked incredulously at Fan Yue, now mostly sober from his drink.

“Oh my god! It’s okay if you don’t eat it, but you also let it have soul power. Little Wood, are you crazy?”

He suddenly perked up his large ears and asked mysteriously, “You… Isn’t it because of that girl?”

Fan Yue’s cold glance silenced Long Yi Pig, who then sat upright and coughed with some seriousness. “Little Wood, don’t forget, your true form is the ancient Bodhi tree. If you don’t gather the scattered spiritual wood from the three realms, when the fire within you burns to your heart veins, you will turn to ash, and not even gods and Buddhas can save you.”

Fan Yue frowned, drank the rest of his wine, and let his sleeve fall, revealing seven faintly glowing stars on his chest. The first star was already lit, while the remaining six were dim. These stars formed a seven-pointed star pattern on his chest, with the last star positioned over his heart.

Perhaps Long Yi Pig’s words triggered Fan Yue’s memories, for a scene flashed in his eyes. In the far north, amidst the ice and snow, a boy in red opened his eyes. The world was covered in snow, all white, and he lay in a seven-star array, outside of which a ferocious Taotie stared at him.

“It was back then that I saved you from the Taotie’s clutches by putting myself to sleep!” Long Yi Pig flapped his wings and flew in front of Fan Yue, feeling a bit aggrieved.

“We had an agreement. I would help you find the seven scattered spiritual woods, and you would regain your divine power and memory to release me from this pig form! If not for the fact that the Bodhi tree is the ancestor of all trees and I was coincidentally sealed in a piece of wood, I would never have agreed to be your divine beast, serving you and risking my life for you! Don’t go back on your word!”

“I never break a promise,” Fan Yue finally said.

“Then why didn’t you absorb its power and instead let it awaken its own soul power? I warned you; you both come from the same ancient Bodhi tree. If you awaken its soul power and it becomes stronger than you, it could consume you to become a god! But in the end, whoever becomes a god doesn’t matter to me, as long as you can lift my seal.”

Long Yi Pig shrugged, yawned, and looked very nonchalant.

Fan Yue raised an eyebrow and looked at Long Yi Pig, then turned his calm gaze to Long Er.

“Do you think it can?”

Long Er Donkey blinks furiously.

If he could move, he would have wished to turn into ashes on the spot. Long Yi Pig looked at the cowardly donkey, then at the mighty Lord of Haoyue Palace, and said earnestly, “Highly unlikely.”

“Then why keep it… for meals?”

“Nothing much; just too boring. It’s amusing.”

Fan Yue got up, barefoot, and walked on the icy hall floor towards the outside. “Since it shares my lineage, what’s the harm in letting it live a few more years?”

“Hey! That strange girl, are you really going to leave her in the mortal world?” Long Yi Pig couldn’t hold back after many days and asked, “Perhaps with her around, you might find the other spirit—”

Before he finished, Fanyue disappeared from the palace.

Long Yi Pig looked at the aggrieved Long Er, resting his pig hand on his chin, and sighed in the direction Fan Yue had vanished.

In the far north, amidst the ice and snow, it seemed that only the boy in red remained.

Fan Yue gazed at the nearby full moon, closed his eyes, and memories flashed through his mind for the thousandth time.

In a vast peach forest, by a star-picking pavilion, a person in white leaned against it, holding a wine pot, and turned back.

A flash of light crossed his mind, and Fan Yue’s chest suddenly throbbed with pain, forcing him to his knees.

It was always like this. As long as he recalled the eyes in the mysterious star-picking pavilion, his heart felt like it was being torn apart.

What was that place? Who was she? And he himself… The Bodhi tree mentioned by that stupid pig—who was he really?

No matter who he was, he had to live… to see her again.

Fan Yue abruptly opened his eyes, burning with determination.

———————————

In the outer seas of the east, a vast expanse stretched out. Ancient legends say that the immortal traces began here.

Over the vast sea, seabirds soared, fish and turtles frolicked, and thousands of islands floated on the water. A rainbow descended from the sky, landing on an island shaped like a black tortoise. On this island, mountains rose, surrounded by bamboo forests and peach blossoms. At its center, a maple forest burned like fire, with dozens of halls scattered within. This was the first island in the East Sea, Piaomiao.

Spring had arrived, and the peach blossoms were in full bloom. The island’s outer paths were thickly carpeted with petals, their fragrance filling the air. Four or five female disciples in white dresses carried baskets as they walked, each basket containing four or five white porcelain bottles filled with clear water and fragrant wine.

“Have you heard? Brother Chong Zhao has slain that octopus monster and is returning!” Er Lan, a second-generation disciple with bright eyes, lowered her voice, unable to hide her joy.

“Really?” Er Lian was startled and couldn’t help but say, “I heard that recently, a hundred-year-old octopus monster was wreaking havoc along the coast. Many people prayed for us at Piaomiao Island to slay the monster. The sect master sent several senior brothers, but the octopus was too fierce, and they returned injured. Only then did the sect master send Brother Chong Zhao, who was in seclusion. And now he’s returning in just three days; he must have made great progress in his cultivation. He might have even advanced to become an Immortal Lord!”

There were many cultivators, but not all could become immortal. Only those who reached the rank of Immortal Lord were considered part of the immortal realm and were respected as part of the immortal clan. Piaomiao Island, located in the East Domain, wasn’t a major immortal sect but was known for its scenic beauty. The sect master of the sect was known for his carefree nature, indifferent to worldly affairs. The island maintained peace over the East Sea and was revered by the locals, enjoying a tranquil and joyous life.

“We must celebrate properly for our senior brother!”

“Our senior brother has Senior Sister Er Yun by his side; there’s no need for us to curry favor. Besides, our senior brother is always aloof and only close to Senior Sister.” Er Lian pouted.

“That’s not all. Don’t forget the outer disciple in the medicine hut. Senior Brother Chong Zhao has always taken good care of her. I heard she’s an old acquaintance from the mortal world, even a childhood sweetheart.”

Erlan snorted, unable to hide her jealousy.

“Her? Daring to cling to Brother Chong Chao, she’s delusional!”

Er Lian was displeased.

“If it weren’t for the sect master valuing Brother Chong Zhao and allowing her to stay in the medicine hut as an outer disciple, with her talent, she wouldn’t even qualify to step foot on our island!”

“Alright, Sister Er Lian, why get angry over such a nobody? Let’s think about how to celebrate for Brother Chong Zhao…” Just as Er Lan finished speaking, two beams of light, one blue and one red, cut through the sky, heading straight for the main hall in the maple forest.

“It’s Senior Brother and Senior Sister! They’re back! Let’s go!” Er Lian smiled, and the female disciples turned into beams of light, following.

The peach forest returned to its tranquility. If you listened closely, you could hear small snores from within the dense foliage. A young girl lay on a tree branch, a large leaf covering her face, sleeping soundly.

Suddenly, a large caterpillar fell from the tree and landed on the young girl’s face. The young girl woke with a start and tumbled from the tree.

“Ouch!”

The voice was not young and tender but somewhat old. Below the tree, a large turtle lay on the ground, turning its head to look at the youth sprawled on its shell.

“You lazy girl! Get up! You’re going to break my old back!”

“Your shell is tougher than the rocks by the sea. I can’t break it.”

The young girl removed the leaf from her face, revealing a pair of cunning and lively eyes—none other than Bai Shuo. She looked a bit more grown-up than in previous years, wearing a medicinal apprentice’s outfit with a small bun and a medicine pouch at her waist. She stretched lazily, glanced at the beams of light in the sky, and kicked the turtle’s shell, calling out crisply.

“Old Black, let’s go back!”

The turtle slowly crawled south, away from the main hall.

“Such bad luck. I waited all morning for the peach blossom dew, took a nap, and they took it all.”

Bai Shuo picked up a horsetail from the roadside and chewed on it, grumbling.

“You were just sleeping too much! Your talent is already worse than that of the inner disciples, and you’re lazier than them. What kind of immortality are you cultivating? You might as well go home early! Stop wasting my herbs and food!”

“Ouch, you old turtle! If it weren’t for me searching for immortal herbs and elixirs for you every day, helping with the fire and refining pills, would you be so strong and sturdy?”

Bai Shuo knocked on the turtle’s shell, looking mischievous.

“Keeping me around isn’t a loss. Besides, I haven’t needed to eat these past few days. Maybe soon, I’ll successfully achieve fasting!”

Bai Shuo chuckled contentedly as she spoke.

“You’ve been cultivating immortality for three years and still haven’t achieved it. You’re not even as good as the lowest-level immortal beasts. I don’t know why you’re so pleased. Just now, they said that Chong Zhao has already become an Immortal Lord. Girl, in a few more years, if he really becomes a supreme Immortal and ascends to the Heavenly Palace, you won’t even be able to see him.”

The old turtle sighed, exasperated by her lack of progress. Bai Shuo lay on the turtle’s shell, squinting at the sky in a daze as she basked in the sun.

From a young age, Bai Shuo had seen immortals, and her lifelong obsession had been to become one and find the person she felt deeply indebted to. But Bai Shuo never imagined that she wasn’t fated to become immortal.

Years ago, when she and Chong Zhao left the capital, they endured countless hardships before finally reaching the East Sea. Faced with the vast sea and the empty world, she realized how laughable it was for a mortal to become an immortal.

She and Chong Zhao ventured out to find the immortal island dozens of times, each time a near-death experience. On their last attempt, when even she was ready to give up, they happened to save Daoist Songhe, the sect master of Piaomiao Island, who was gravely injured and unconscious after a battle with a sea serpent. This was how they were brought to Piaomiao Island.

It was coincidentally time for Piaomiao Island’s once-a-decade disciple selection ceremony. Chong Zhao, born with spiritual energy and excellent natural talent, turned out to be an exceptional genius in cultivation. Songhe accepted him as a disciple. However, no matter how they tested her, Bai Shuo showed no signs of having immortal bones or roots. It was only due to Chong Zhao’s plea and Songhe’s special permission that an exception was made to the island’s hundred-year rule, allowing her, a mere mortal, to stay on the island. But she couldn’t enter the main hall and could only work as a medicine boy in the herb garden.

Although Daoist Songhe returned to Piaomiao Island alive, his injuries were too severe to heal. On his deathbed, he passed his immortal energy to Chong Zhao. Within just three years, Chong Zhao surpassed his senior brothers, who had cultivated for a century, becoming the outstanding figure among his peers on Piaomiao Island. He stayed in the back mountain day and night to cultivate, and even Bai Shuo rarely saw him. The last time she saw Chong Zhao was half a year ago, when he went into seclusion.

It was a full moon, and the herb garden was quiet, with only a faint glow coming from the cauldron in the thatched hut. Bai Shuo was dozing by the cauldron, with an old turtle hibernating at her feet.

Chong Zhao sat beside the dozing Bai Shuo for a long time, silently watching her. It wasn’t until dawn broke that he stood up to leave, but a hand tugged at his sleeve.

“It’s just dawn. There’s heavy frost outside; it’s cold. Stay by the fire a bit longer and leave after the sun comes out,” Bai Shuo said, waking up with a carefree smile.

Chong Zhao turned back and, without sitting down, patted Bai Shuo on the head. “Today, the sect master’s uncle has opened the Piaomiao Forbidden Land for me. I’m going in to cultivate in seclusion and came to see you.”

Bai Shuo’s hand, which was holding Chong Zhao’s sleeve, paused. She beamed, her eyes sparkling. “Really? The sect master opened the Piaomiao Forbidden Land for you? That’s great! Then go quickly. Why are you wasting time here in the herb garden?”

Chong Zhao was silent for a moment.

“I might be gone for a long time. Ah Shuo, take care of yourself. Stay well in the hut until I return. If anything happens, crush this. I’ll come to you immediately.”

Chong Zhao took out a small bamboo flute from his pocket. The flute, crafted with immortal energy, was green and exquisite. One could tell it was made by Chong Zhao with his immortal energy.

“There can’t be any danger on the island. Focus on your seclusion and don’t worry about me!” Bai Shuo waved her hand dismissively.

Chong Zhao frowned and pushed the bamboo flute closer. Seeing Chong Zhao’s insistence, Bai Shuo reluctantly took the flute.

“Alright, I’ll take it.”

Chong Zhao squatted down to be at eye level with Bai Shuo.

“Ah Shuo, after I become an immortal, I will find a way to open your immortal veins and help you cultivate into an immortal. Wait for me.”

Bai Shuo’s expression froze for a moment, then she turned away to poke at the firewood under the cauldron, waving her hand.

“Alright, alright, you just focus on your cultivation. I’ll take care of myself. It’s already dawn; you should go.”

Watching her small figure by the cauldron, Chong Zhao stretched out his hand, wanting to pat her head again but holding back.

“I’m leaving now.”

“Mm.”

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away. Bai Shuo stared at the fire under the cauldron in a daze. Piaomiao Island was lively and beautiful, but she felt lonelier than ever. On the entire island, the only ones who cared about her existence were probably Chong Zhao and the old turtle that lived in the herb garden.

Bai Shuo rubbed the bamboo flute in her hand and sighed quietly when no one was looking.

The sunlight dazzled her, bringing her back to her senses. Although she stayed on Piaomiao Island, she couldn’t truly practice the immortal arts. She couldn’t form an immortal sword or chant a spell; she only knew the simplest cloud-riding and fire-controlling techniques.

She had learned these only after waking the old turtle from its long hibernation in the medicine hut. The turtle had repaid her with immortal medicines, allowing her to barely step onto the path of immortality.

Despite this, Bai Shuo couldn’t gather immortal energy, but she was a genius at alchemy. No matter the medicinal book, she could memorize it at a glance. After three years of following the old turtle, she could already produce third-grade immortal medicine. While third-grade medicine couldn’t make her immortal, it could extend her lifespan.

The old turtle had said that if she could miraculously create a first-grade immortal medicine, she might transform directly into an immortal body. Even if she didn’t become an Immortal Lord, she could at least become a loose immortal.

As Bai Shuo was lost in thought, the old turtle had already crawled into the herb garden. The garden was filled with medicinal herbs, exuding a fragrant aroma. Bai Shuo ran into the thatched hut, took out a bamboo vial from a medicine bag, and poured the dew inside into the cauldron. A flash of spiritual light appeared in the cauldron, and a red pill slowly rose. Bai Shuo widened her eyes, nervously rubbing her hands. Moments later, the spiritual light on the pill faded, and it crumbled back into powder, falling into the cauldron.

Another failure… Bai Shuo looked disappointed and sat pitifully beside the cauldron, her shoulders slumped, saying nothing.

“Did you think a first-grade immortal medicine is as easy to make as those common fake medicines in the mortal world? If it were that easy for a half-immortal like you to make, the entire immortal realm would be in an uproar.”

The old turtle crawled in, glancing at Bai Shuo’s forlorn appearance, then lay back on a lounge chair, stretching out comfortably with all four legs in the air.

“I’ve told you before that making immortal medicine requires immortal energy. You have exceptional talent and can use the medicinal power of immortal herbs to create third-grade immortal medicine with this cauldron, but that’s your limit.”

The old turtle closed its eyes to rest.

“After consuming third-grade immortal medicine, living for a few hundred years is no problem. Whether you become immortal or not is fate, so don’t be too obsessed.”

Bai Shuo stared at the cauldron, then turned and walked away without a word. The old turtle opened its eyes to watch her leave, then sighed.