Chapter 67

In Zhan Xueyang’s remaining memories, over the course of 7,400 years, there was one morning when he welcomed a patient from the Immortal Clan.

Mount You was most beautiful at dusk.

Looking westward, the sunset was grand and vast, and the gemstones shimmered brilliantly under the golden light.

At that time, he still had the heart of a youth.

Having been confined in Mount You alone for so long, every visitor seeking medical treatment was a gift to him.

He treated them with utmost dedication, and during their stay in Mount You, they would tell him many things about the outside world—about the current state of the Four Great Immortal Clans, about the rain and snow in the mortal realm.

Zhan Xueyang had lived for so long, yet he had never seen rain or snow.

The only things Mount You could retain were the setting sun and the occasional glimpse of the moon at night.

He couldn’t imagine what such a scene would be like—drizzling rain, or a world draped in silver with snowflakes lighter and more beautiful than feathers.

He pressed his lips together, forcing himself not to feel any longing.

Zhan Xueyang had known since birth that he was destined to remain in Mount You, spending endless millennia in solitude until the royal heir was born and the spiritual veins were restored—only then would he regain his freedom.

The day the immortal arrived was not during Mount You’s most beautiful hour.

The sky was unusually misty, and even the sun had yet to rise.

She came dressed in red, a striking cinnabar mark between her brows.

Her red immortal robes were embroidered with silver lotuses, and as she walked, her slender, fair legs were revealed—the slit of her attire reaching her thigh, its allure flickering in and out of view.

Zhan Xueyang was polishing his axe.

When he saw her, he nearly lost his grip and cut himself.

She paused in surprise, then curved her lips into a smile.

“Little demon, your eyes are quite unruly—where are you looking?”

Zhan Xueyang’s face flushed, half from embarrassment, half from anger.

He was the master of Mount You, yet his solitary existence made him seem pitiful.

The mountain had no other living beings, but it held rare magic artifacts, a flowing spiritual spring, and one of the last remaining ancient formations.

Countless people came begging for his aid, always treating him with the utmost respect.

Yet this peculiar immortal—dressed more like a demon—possessed a pure and powerful immortal aura.

But if she were truly a immortal, why would she dress like this? Did she have no shame?

His momentary suspicion of her identity had led him to take a second look.

He hadn’t expected to be called “little demon” and falsely accused of being a lecher.

A healer was no lecher! He wasn’t even at an age to think about women—his only concern was waiting for the prince or longing to witness a beautiful snowfall in the mortal world.

His expression darkened immediately, and he asserted his authority as the master of Mount You: “I won’t treat you. Leave.”

It was the first time he had ever turned someone away.

She wasn’t angry or flustered.

Instead, she stepped closer, bent slightly to meet his gaze, and coaxed, “Don’t be so petty. I was just teasing you. How about I apologize? I’m really in pain—won’t you take a look?”

She pressed a hand against her chest, her tone as if she were soothing a child, yet her face carried a playful smile.

Zhan Xueyang sneered and grabbed her by the collar, ready to personally throw her out of Mount You.

She was the most infuriating patient he had ever encountered.

In Mount You, he was the strongest existence.

No matter how arrogant she appeared, she could not resist him.

Just as he was about to toss her out, he heard a low, helpless sigh beside his ear.

She clung to his arm and softly murmured, “It really hurts… be gentle, will you? The great master of Mount You, so compassionate, yet here I am, dying in your hands.”

Zhan Xueyang felt tricked and turned back, glaring at her.

But she had already collapsed.

She hadn’t deceived him—she was truly gravely wounded.

At first, seeing her saunter in and still have the spirit to tease, he had thought she was feigning illness just to stir trouble.

But she was far worse off than any patient who had come before.

There was a gaping wound at her heart, her soul on the verge of scattering, and her spiritual core was beginning to disintegrate—wounds that were fatal to any immortal.

Yet she could still smile.

At that time, Zhan Xueyang was still young, not yet hardened.

He had saved too many people to simply watch as her immortal soul dissipated and she perished.

After a long hesitation, he carried her inside.

It was a strange experience—one that left him feeling utterly at a loss.

She lay motionless in his bed, the first patient he had ever treated so reluctantly.

She gave him nothing in return, not even the stories of the outside world like the others.

She remained in deep sleep, her injuries so severe that he had to use his own treasured artifacts to mend what felt like a bottomless pit.

Every time he passed by her bedside, he grew more and more irritated.

Irritated, and deeply frustrated.

What kind of healer had to exhaust their personal resources to treat a patient who wouldn’t even pay?

What vexed him even more was that when other patients sought treatment and needed to remove clothing, they always declared with righteous sincerity, “Master, please treat me—I trust you.”

The master of Mount You, Zhan Xueyang, could usually maintain a calm, serious demeanor, viewing his patients like lifeless flesh or the sand people outside.

But when it came to removing her garments, he couldn’t bear to look.

He felt as if just one more glance would make him exactly what she had accused him of earlier—someone taking advantage of her.

Just as he was about to lose his temper, she finally woke up.

When Zhan Xueyang returned with spiritual spring water, he saw her cradling a tiny sand spirit, pinching and poking it playfully while it struggled in vain.

Her eyes gleamed with delight, like blossoms in full bloom.

“So cute!”

Zhan Xueyang: “…!”

With a cold face, he set down the water.

“You’re well now, so get out. And pay your medical fees before you leave.”

She sat cross-legged beside him, still hugging the tiny sand spirits.

“I don’t have spirit stones. My family kicked me out. No money. Want to stab me again?”

It was the first time anyone had refused to pay him—so boldly, with such confidence.

He turned back, only to see her tilting her head up at him, smiling mischievously, clearly making things up.

That suppressed anger surged again.

He was contemplating which medicine to give her to rot her intestines when she gently pried open his hand and placed a small golden lotus in his palm.

“Angry? This is all I have—my companion lotus. Will this do as payment?”

It was an exquisite lotus, trembling slightly in his hand, about to bloom.

Zhan Xueyang wanted to show disdain, to throw it back at her.

But after hesitating for a long moment, he found he couldn’t look away.

Mount You was desolate.

It could not grow flowers.

Even when people gifted him vibrant blossoms or rare spirit beasts, they would wither or die by the next day.

But this lotus radiated a soft golden glow—so beautiful, so impossibly alive.

She tilted her head, gazing at her still somewhat naive savior.

Seeing his fascination, though he stubbornly tossed it back at her, he coldly remarked, “No need. Nothing in Mount You survives past a day.”

She placed it back in his hands.

“It will. As long as I’m alive, it won’t wither. Try it and see, hmm?”

His lips moved, but he ultimately hesitated and held onto the lotus.

That night, he stayed awake, watching it.

When dawn arrived, he hurriedly checked.

It was still there.

Radiant and alive, just as beautiful as the day before.

A quiet, unending joy bloomed in his heart.

Immortal stood at the door, smiling softly, “It’s rare to see you smile. Do you like it?”

Caught like a child who had done something wrong, he immediately suppressed his smile.

“I didn’t ask you to come in.”

She yawned, “Little demon, I had no choice. You stared at me all night, practically drooling. I was afraid you’d eat me. Staying up all night with you, I worried that if you kept this up every day, you’d go mad from staring at the flower. What then?”

He frowned, “Who stared at you all night?”

She pointed to the flower on his windowsill, “I told you, that’s my companion lotus. I can feel everything about it.”

She blinked, “Just like when you touched it earlier, it’s the same as…”

Heat rushed to his face. Zhan Xueyang snapped, “Outrageous! Absurd!”

Her laughter was clear and bright, “I have no choice. You saved my life, and it’s my life too. This is all I can give you. I, a dignified…”

She paused, “I won’t go back on my word.”

He pressed his lips together, the lotus in his hand feeling like a hot coal.

He couldn’t throw it away, nor could he keep holding it.

She cupped his face and sighed, “Promise me, don’t look at it like that tonight. It’s scared, and so am I.”

He quickly swatted her hand away.

Immortal’s fair hand instantly turned crimson.

His gaze fell on her hand, and a strange panic stirred in his heart.

But she raised an eyebrow, seemingly indifferent, and asked casually, “Do you have any wine?”

His mind was in turmoil, and without thinking, he pointed in a direction.

She said, “You’re such a good little demon.”

With that, she gracefully went to fetch the wine jar.

By the time she was far enough, Zhan Xueyang finally snapped out of it and quickly put the lotus down, stepping several feet away from it as if facing a formidable enemy.

The lotus sat there, exuding an innocent and pitiful beauty, quiet and serene, completely unlike its owner.

After a long while, Zhan Xueyang finally remembered his wine!

That wine was the strongest divine brew in the world, with only a few jars in existence across the Eight Wilderness.

He hadn’t even dared to drink it himself.

Sure enough, when he rushed over, the immortal was already drunk, lying beneath the gemstone rock.

He gritted his teeth.

Perfect, she hadn’t left a single drop for him.

But he couldn’t blame her.

He had pointed her in the right direction, essentially giving her permission to drink.

Zhan Xueyang’s heart ached, his face darkening.

As a young demon with a heritage, he had never tasted wine before.

He smelled the fragrance, afraid that he might get drunk and cause trouble.

He had planned to drink it after settling the matters with the sand people.

Now, she had drunk it all.

He shook her roughly, “Take your lotus and leave tomorrow.”

Immortal opened her eyes drowsily, her cheeks flushed, a smile that could topple nations on her lips, her words slurred, “Little demon.”

Zhan Xueyang snapped, “I’m not a little demon.”

She said, “Oh, so you’re a big demon with a heritage?”

He gritted his teeth, “How… how did you know?”

His demon bloodline was supposed to be a secret.

Everyone thought he was of the immortal race.

She smiled and beckoned him with a finger, “Come here, I’ll tell you quietly.”

Back then, his curiosity was still strong.

Hesitantly, he leaned in.

Her breath was like orchids, “It’s my talent. I can see through a person’s true form at a glance. I’m only telling you.”

He was shocked.

He had never heard of anyone with such a talent.

Zhan Xueyang knew she must be extraordinary.

Someone with a companion lotus couldn’t be an ordinary immortal.

But to see through his true form at a glance? That was even more terrifying than the ancient demon-revealing mirror.

Then he remembered something, and his face turned crimson.

“You… you can see my true form?”

She tilted her head, resting on his knee, “Yes, what are you? A snake? No, not quite. A dog? Or maybe a tiger with claws…”

As she spoke, she laughed softly, curiously asking, “Do you have two of those?”

“What?”

Zhan Xueyang, still too young, didn’t understand what she was referring to.

She whispered a few words in his ear, and his mind went blank.

His face burned as if on fire.

He gritted his teeth, “I’m not of the snake clan!”

“Oh,” she said regretfully, “So only one then.”

His voice trembled, “I’m going to kill you!”

Her watery eyes blinked, the divine brew making her eyes and brows exude an endless spring charm, yet she was thoroughly drunk.

She sat up, grabbed his neck, and laughed uncontrollably, “Who taught you such vulgar words? Do you even know what they mean?”

He didn’t really understand. From the stories he had read, calling himself “old man” made him sound imposing and fierce.

His neck was held, as if the back of his fate was being gripped.

Zhan Xueyang stiffened, “You… what are you doing?” He wasn’t afraid she would harm him. On Mount You, no one could kill.

Even if he died, he would come back to life.

Their eyes met, and he couldn’t help but want to turn away.

But the next moment, the thoroughly drunk immortal did something that made him want to perish together with her—though that was impossible on Mount You.

She pressed his head against her chest and patted the back of his head like he was a little dog.

“Don’t use vulgar words. I don’t like it. Don’t be like my annoying stepbrother. Be good,” she mumbled, “With me injured like this, he must be either dead or crippled.”

Zhan Xueyang couldn’t hear anything, his face buried in the softness of her chest, her fragrance enveloping him.

He froze for a moment, then pushed her away and fled as if running for his life.

He ran to the stream at the back of the mountain, scooping up water and frantically washing his face.

He… he had been defiled by this wicked woman.

The cold water couldn’t dispel the heat in him.

He plunged his head into the stream.

But it was no use, not the slightest bit.

He felt his pulse, which was racing.

He gritted his teeth, lifting his wet head, and couldn’t help but touch his face.

That feeling just now…

No, he couldn’t think about it.

He grabbed a sand person, “Throw her out. You, throw her out for me.”

The sand people obeyed and left.

“Wait,” he gritted his teeth, “She… she hasn’t paid the consultation fee. Who wants her stupid lotus?”

They scratched their heads, looking at Zhan Xueyang, who felt as if he had been seen through.

“What are you looking at? Get out of here!”