Eternal Love Within A Smile - Chapter 45
Chapter 45
When Xu Manman and Ning Xi walked out of Lingbo Pavilion, it was already broad daylight.
The Sect Masters of the Daoist Alliance had spent the entire night deliberating here, obtaining crucial intelligence regarding the Blood Sect from Ao Xiu’s mouth.
Ao Xiu said that he had previously struck a deal with the Blood Sect. The Blood Sect helped him exchange his eyes, and in return, he lured and killed several Yun Jiao on their behalf, including Ao Cang. He swallowed Ao Cang’s Dragon Core, ascended to the throne of the Sea Emperor, and handed a Water-Devastating Pearl over to the Blood Sect.
“A Divine-Grade Water-Devastating Pearl can open up a blessed land with a ten-li radius a thousand fathoms beneath the sea. It is rich in water spirit energy and completely seals off external perception,” Ao Xiu said.
A thousand fathoms underwater was a place impossible to reach unless one had attained a Dharma Body. The Fate-Defying Division was hidden so deeply that no wonder Po Yue Jianzun and Ya Sheng Xingzun, leading thousands of cultivators from two sects, could not find their whereabouts even after digging three feet into the ground.
“Have you ever seen anyone from the Blood Sect?” Xu Manman asked.
Ao Xiu shook his head.
“I was blind at the time and could only hear voices, but voices can be disguised and might not be real. After exchanging my eyes, they threw me onto the sea. I never saw anyone with my own eyes from beginning to end.”
The Blood Sect was meticulous and cautious, so this was normal.
“Master, Master?”
Ning Xi called softly, pulling Xu Manman’s thoughts back.
“Did you think of something?”
Xu Manman frowned slightly.
“I just don’t understand one thing. Why did the Blood Sect strike yesterday? They clearly knew the Daoist Alliance had set up heavy defenses here. If their intention was to capture Tuntun, they could have acted before the Daoist Alliance was prepared, or they could have kept stalling to drain the Daoist Alliance’s strength. After all, remaining in the dark gives them the upper hand.”
Ning Xi pondered.
“Perhaps they were fearless. They captured Ya Sheng Xingzun in advance and thought the Fate-Defying Envoy would be unrivaled here, taking the opportunity to wipe out the Daoist Alliance in one fell swoop. They just didn’t expect Immortal Lord Lang Yin to turn into a demon and counter the Fate-Defying Envoy.”
“No.”
Xu Manman shook her head.
“I thought so initially too, but the Blood Sect acts with extreme caution and would never be overconfident or greedy. Thinking a single Fate-Defying Envoy could eradicate the Daoist Alliance is pure delusion. Even Ming Xiao’s Fazun Myriad Imagery Illusion is enough to counter the Fate-Defying Envoy. Even without Ya Sheng Xingzun, there were enough Practitioners here to rally a counterforce given a little time. They chose to strike on the day of the Shennong Sacrifice, so this date must hold special significance… I always feel their true intention lies elsewhere, and the Blood Venerable never showed his face… By the way, were there any other anomalies in Tiandu City yesterday?”
Ning Xi replied.
“The patrolling cultivators provided detailed reports. Due to the crowds, there were a few minor disputes, but nothing unusual occurred.”
“I hope I am just overthinking…”
Xu Manman laughed self-deprecatingly and shook her head.
The two walked shoulder to shoulder into the small courtyard where Langyin resided.
Pushing the door open, they found the room completely empty.
“Hmm?” Xu Manman frowned in confusion.
“He asked me to find him here, yet he disappeared himself…”
Xu Manman could not fathom what could tempt Langyin to leave this place when he was indifferent to everything.
“Master…” Ning Xi looked at Xu Manman’s face, hesitating before speaking.
“Does the Immortal Lord… toward you…?”
Xu Manman coughed twice, her face flushing slightly as she stammered.
“Um… well, maybe, perhaps, possibly a little bit…”
Ning Xi said earnestly.
“I feel like it’s definitely not just a little bit.”
Xu Manman’s eyes darted around, and she laughed dryly.
“I don’t even understand him myself, what nonsense are you talking about…”
Ning Xi chuckled lightly and said.
“This is probably a case of the spectator seeing clearer than the player. Yesterday, when you were trapped, the Immortal Lord disregarded his own safety to rescue you, shielding you from the lightning and flames of the formation all by himself. After you fell unconscious and he tried to take you away, he was stopped by the people of the Daoist Alliance. The Sect Masters worried he was of the Demon Race and might harm you. He didn’t bother to explain, drawing his sword instead and refusing to let go. I remembered you saying that the Immortal Lord is different from others. Since he is someone you trust, I knew I should do my best to protect him too, so I mediated and guaranteed to the Sect Masters that he wouldn’t harm you. Later, the Immortal Lord carried you inside, and I stayed outside to guard the room.”
Hearing Ning Xi recount the events in detail, Xu Manman realized how much she had missed.
From her perspective, many details had been blocked. She had been held in his arms, unable to see the lightning and fire he bore on his back.
She had been unconscious, unaware that he had defied the Daoist Alliance just to stay by her side.
Xu Manman felt a wave of heat rush to her eyes, her heart turning soft and tender, and her voice unconsciously softened.
“Did he… say anything else?” Xu Manman asked.
Ning Xi recalled for a moment and said.
“The Immortal Lord asked if I knew your identity from the start. I didn’t dare to lie, so I admitted I did. He didn’t say much after hearing that. The Immortal Lord rarely shows his emotions, so I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.”
The smile on Xu Manman’s face froze. Thinking of Langyin’s subsequent questioning and complaints, she pressed her hand to her forehead with a bitter smile.
“He… probably blames me for telling only you and Tuntun, but keeping it from him…”
She also felt a little aggrieved.
It was clearly Ning Xi and Tuntun who figured it out themselves, forcing her to confess. But then again, her understanding of the Immortal Lord was indeed inferior to his understanding of her. He could see through her disguise, yet she couldn’t see through his. She had foolishly acted in front of him, believing she concealed it well, when in fact he had known all along and simply went along with her game…
She suddenly remembered the Immortal Lord’s several confessions.
Were those spoken out of sentiment triggered by the scene, or were they intentional?
Ning Xi cautiously observed Xu Manman’s expression and lowered her voice to ask.
“Master… do you… also like the Immortal Lord?”
Xu Manman’s breath hitched, her eyes flickering as she stammered.
“Well… I have a broad heart and fall in love with everyone I see. No, I mean, my love is boundless and impartial…”
Ning Xi suppressed a smile and said.
“Master, why pretend in front of me? If you think about it yourself, you should know. The things the Immortal Lord did for you, and the things you did for him—if it were anyone else, could you accept it?”
Xu Manman’s face burned. She suspected whether Ning Xi knew a bit too much. What exactly did “those things” refer to? The images flashing through her mind were all too embarrassing to speak of, causing her heart to skip a few beats.
Covering half her face, Xu Manman said guiltily.
“Sigh… he sacrificed so much for me, yet I was late to realize it and offered nothing in return. I even did… some unbecoming things to him.”
Ning Xi asked curiously. “What unbecoming things?” She paused, her eyes sparkling. “Is it something I can hear?”
Xu Manman coughed twice.
“Leave your Master some dignity.”
Ning Xi smiled broadly and said.
“Alright… I understand. Master has spent her life saving lives and accumulating countless virtues, only sinning against the Immortal Lord, which is why you dwell on it so much.”
Xu Manman coughed awkwardly again and smiled.
“You truly are my good disciple, speaking so harshly yet so accurately.”
Ning Xi couldn’t help but laugh and said.
“So, does Master intend to offer herself in marriage? Can the Siyi Sect host a wedding soon?”
Xu Manman waved her hands repeatedly.
“That’s not what I mean. I… I just feel guilty and want to repay him, but I don’t know what to do…”
Xu Manman’s feelings toward Langyin were complex. During her youth, she had felt an innocent spark of attraction, but she buried it deep inside.
Only after learning everything the Immortal Lord had silently done for her recently did she resurrect those romantic sentiments.
A strange, secret pleasure grew quietly within her, and she couldn’t tell whether it was mostly gratitude, guilt, heartache, or… love.
Langyin had asked her if there was a sliver of affection in her heart.
In truth, the answer had been on the tip of her tongue, just unsaid.
She naturally liked him a little, but that tiny bit felt unworthy of his deep affection.
Furthermore, the person she had always been familiar with and admired was the Immortal Lord Langyin who stayed by her side and guarded her silently.
Suddenly discovering his other side—his dominance and sharpness—made her feel unfamiliar and lost.
Yet, she didn’t dislike it…
Just as Ning Xi said, regarding the “offenses” he committed against her, though she was flustered and annoyed, she was never truly angry with him.
Had it been anyone else, she would rather die than submit.
This was probably how Langyin differed from everyone else…
“Master, you have spent many years with the Immortal Lord and should know his preferences best. Aside from you, what else does he like?” Ning Xi asked meaningfully.
Xu Manman cleared her throat uncomfortably, trying her best to put on the demeanor of a respectable teacher in front of Ning Xi, but the blush on her face betrayed her.
“He doesn’t have many hobbies. If I had to say, it would be staying alone.”
Xu Manman recalled the past and said slowly.
“Back then, the Siyi Sect was tiny and poor. Your Master’s master was an unambitious recluse who only cared about his small herb patch, so nobody was willing to join as a disciple. As the youngest disciple in the sect, all the heavy labor fell on me. I followed your grandmaster to learn planting immortal herbs, working tirelessly for four years before I met the Immortal Lord. Ever since he arrived at the Siyi Sect, he stopped letting me plant flowers with your grandmaster. He said it wasn’t something a girl should do, so I devoted myself entirely to cultivating under his guidance.”
Xu Manman paused, suddenly realizing something.
Back then, what the Immortal Lord actually said was that a young girl playing with flowers and plants was quite unseemly.
At that time, she hadn’t thought much of it, assuming he disliked the dirty, earthy smell on her.
But thinking about it now, could it be that he simply didn’t like her touching other flowers?
Ning Xi asked curiously. “Did the Immortal Lord already like Master back then?”
“Probably not…” Xu Manman laughed self-deprecatingly and said.
“What kind of figure is the Immortal Lord? How could he fall for a grimy, ordinary mortal?”
“The Immortal Lord is no ordinary mortal; he can naturally see Master’s charm.”
Ning Xi curved her eyes into bright, smiling crescents, showing her affectionate admiration for Xu Manman without reservation.
In her eyes, her Master was the most warm and endearing person in the world.
She was the one who gave her a second life and taught her how to cherish herself and pity all living beings. Ever since her Master’s death, she had been trapped in grief. When she uncovered her Master’s true identity, she was overcome with a mix of surprise and joy, yet frustrated that she couldn’t acknowledge her openly. Unaware of her Master’s thoughts and plans, her heart was filled with sorrow. Only today, when her Master finally revealed her identity, could she unabashedly call her Master and cling to her just like in her youth. Though she was now the Sect Master of the Siyi Sect, commanding respect at a single call, what she missed most were still those days of traveling the world, sleeping in the open, and finding joy amid hardship.
Looking at Ning Xi’s expression, Xu Manman couldn’t help but chuckle softly and patted her head.
“You’re overthinking it. Back then, the Immortal Lord disliked me quite a bit. My aptitude for cultivation was terrible; even at fourteen, I hadn’t opened my spiritual aperture. That’s why your grandmaster made me learn herbs with him and give up cultivation. However, the Immortal Lord didn’t give up. He forced me to temper my body every day. I was exhausted to the point of trembling limbs daily, yet he remained cold and didn’t even let me eat…”
Ning Xi was shocked.
“Why?”
Xu Manman laughed and said.
“He forgot.”
Back then, the Siyi Sect was far less grand than it is today, consisting of only three or four dilapidated tiled houses housing a few senior brothers who wished to leave the mountain every day. Venerable Nian Yi focused entirely on the herb garden, so the Immortal Lord flew her through the clouds, deliberately choosing perilous places to discipline her.
With her thin arms and legs, she climbed mountains carrying giant rocks while he followed behind. Whenever she collapsed from exhaustion and tumbled down the mountain, he would gently wave his sleeve from behind, sending a soft force to catch her.
Before she could recover from the shock, she would hear him say coldly, “Continue.”
She was thrown into swarms of demon bees, fleeing in disgrace and getting stung all over, itchy and painful. He watched with an indifferent expression, only brushing over her wounds afterward, purging all the bee venom wherever his spiritual energy touched.
She was also blindfolded to fight snakes, locating them by sound and testing her agility. Though non-venomous, the snakes bit her until she was covered in wounds.
Yet no matter how severely she was injured during practice, the Immortal Lord could effortlessly erase the pain and scars afterward.
Except for one detail: he forgot she was human, a mortal who hadn’t achieved bigu yet. Consuming so much energy daily while tempering her body, how could she not be starving?
Since the Immortal Lord didn’t mention it, she didn’t dare to bring it up either. She could only wait until the end of the day’s training to eat a full meal upon returning to the Siyi Sect at dusk.
Until one day, unable to hold on any longer, she fainted during cultivation. When she woke up, she was already back at the Siyi Sect.
Opening her eyes dazedly, she heard her master scolding the Immortal Lord.
“You haven’t let her eat all these days? Do you have any humanity left?”
“I am a flower, so naturally I have no humanity.”
“You…”
“She drinks medicinal broth daily, is that not enough?”
“Of course not! That only cleanses her meridians. Tempering the body takes a huge toll; she needs spirit rice and spirit beasts to replenish her energy.”
“Mortals are too fragile and troublesome.”
She weakly called out to her master, interrupting their conversation.
Her master rushed over, voiced his concern, and told her to get up and eat. Just as she sat down and took a sip of porridge, her master ran out again.
She asked blankly.
“Where did Master go?”
The Immortal Lord said. “He went hunting to nourish your body. Ordinary meat won’t do; he needs to catch some spirit beasts.”
Her eyes welled up, and she lowered her head to take small sips of the hot porridge made from spirit rice.
“You feel sad and want to cry. Why?”
The Immortal Lord sat down in front of her, his dark, bright eyes staring intently at her as he asked in confusion.
“Is this porridge really that terrible?”
She couldn’t help but laugh, holding back her tears, and whispered.
“Immortal Lord, I’m not crying, nor am I sad.”
“Don’t lie to me, I know everything,” the Immortal Lord said coldly.
“No matter how exhausting your training was, you never felt this sad. Yet a single bowl of porridge makes you want to cry. If it isn’t terrible, what else could it be?”
“Immortal Lord, I really am not sad. I want to cry simply because… Master is very good to me.” She paused and added. “And so are you.”
“I am good to you?” The Immortal Lord lowered his gaze and murmured, asking.
“Good in what way?”
She smiled and said. “The fact that you are willing to spend so much time and effort on me means you are very good to me. Master also cares for me deeply, buying spirit rice and catching spirit beasts for me. You two are the best people to me in this world.”
The Immortal Lord pondered for a moment and said. “So you were happy just now, which made you want to cry.”
“It’s happiness, and also being moved.” Holding the bowl with a smile, she took a satisfying sip of the hot porridge that indeed didn’t taste very good.
“Mortal emotions are truly complex.” The Immortal Lord frowned slightly, uncomprehending confusion lingering in his eyes. “You collapsed from hunger yet bore it willingly, but when you are happy and moved, you shed tears of sorrow.”
“Mortals are just like that—laughing when pushed to extreme rage, weeping when overwhelmed with joy. The joy and sorrow in one’s heart can rarely be judged entirely from the surface.” As she spoke, she peeked cautiously at his cold, handsome face and whispered.
“But you are an immortal, so it is normal not to understand the joys and sorrows of common mortals. There is no need to force it.”
“What if I want to understand?” The Immortal Lord gazed at her steadfastly.
“I want to know what makes you happy and what makes you sad. Toward me, you need not hide anything.”
His voice sounded as if steeped in thin ice—cool and distant. Even his dark eyes carried a background of frost, yet he spoke words that could easily flutter one’s heart without any improper thoughts.
She was startled for a moment and hurriedly bowed her head, not daring to let him see the panic in her eyes.
“U-Understood…”
She heard her own slightly trembling voice reply.
From that day onward, every time the Immortal Lord took her out to practice, he would choose places rich in spiritual energy so they could pick spirit fruits and hunt spirit beasts to prepare lunch along the way.
The Immortal Lord’s cooking method was even cruder than her master’s—he simply chopped off the head and expected her to eat it.
Between laughter and tears, she told him it couldn’t be eaten like that.
The Immortal Lord frowned and said.
“Why can’t it be eaten?”
Saying that, he reached out toward the spirit beast, and the roots of a flower emerged from thin air, piercing into the spirit beast’s flesh and blood, sucking its essence clean within a single breath.
Frightened, she stammered.
“But I’m a human, I don’t have roots…”
“Then how do you want to eat it?” the Immortal Lord asked.
Afterward, the Immortal Lord watched her build a fire, slice meat, season, and cook, producing a table of delicious dishes in less than half an hour.
“Immortal Lord, this is food fit for humans. Please try some.”
Before he could reach out to release his roots, she dutifully handed him utensils, saying with a smile.
“Using chopsticks and putting it in your mouth is the only way to taste the flavor.”
The Immortal Lord hesitated for a moment. Seeing the anticipation in her eyes, he took the chopsticks and awkwardly picked up a piece of food to place in his mouth.
Having taken human form, he possessed a mouth and tongue; with a mouth and tongue, he could taste the myriad flavors of the mortal realm.
“Immortal Lord, how does it taste?”
Smooth, delicious, and lingering on the palate.
Yet he couldn’t find the words to describe it, so he simply nodded and said.
“Good.”
She was overjoyed and began using her chopsticks alongside him.
Looking at her thoughtfully, he murmured.
“So eating delicious food makes one this happy?”
“Of course.” Her eyes curved pleasantly as she said.
“All things in heaven and earth do not grow easily. To survive, we have no choice but to slay them. Cooking them attentively and savoring them carefully to live well is the only way to do justice to every life we consume.”
The Immortal Lord’s eyes trembled slightly, seemingly infected by her joy, as a warm, gentle curve formed at the corners of his lips.
“Immortal Lord, if you like it, how about I cook for you every day from now on?”
“Good.”
With just that casual sentence, she cooked for a hundred years, until she attained the Golden Core stage and left for distant lands after achieving bigu.
Recalling it now, during those days warmed by the spring breeze, he taught her how to become a strong person, while she taught him how to be a human.
