Seven Songs(Yin Deng Jue/Secret Of Leading The Light) - Chapter 23
Chapter 23: The Lonely Soul Market—Part 4
“I secluded myself for a hundred years, leaving you alone in the Jiwu Palace. It must have been lonely for you; I don’t blame you.”
“Really?”
Yusang couldn’t believe it.
She hesitantly lifted her head slightly to steal a glance at the man across from her, trying to discern if his words were sincere.
“What, you don’t trust me? Or… do you feel you won’t be satisfied unless you accept some punishment?”
The man’s lips curled into a faint smile, and with that smile, it seemed as if the entire carriage warmed, like a gentle spring in March.
Yusang, delighted and flattered, immediately grinned and said, “No, no, no. If the Immortal Lord doesn’t blame me, I’m relieved—no punishment needed.”
“Look at you. You act as if I’ve been cruel to you in the past. Anyone who doesn’t know better would think a poor girl ran into an oppressive tyrant.”
The man laughed lightly, his tone casual.
“Who doesn’t know that Immortal Lord Bai Zhi is the kindest immortal under the heavens? Compassionate and benevolent, the most gentle-hearted immortal in existence.”
Yusang beamed, flattering him as she picked up her teacup again.
She took a sip, and the familiar aroma filled her senses, flooding her heart with warmth as if the taste had traveled directly to her soul.
“Look at you. A moment ago, you were trembling like a mouse facing a cat, pale with fright. Now, in the blink of an eye, you’ve changed your demeanor, jesting at my expense. It seems I’ve been far too lenient with you. Perhaps it’s time to set some rules.”
Although Immortal Lord Bai Zhi said this, his tone carried no reproach. He merely raised a hand and brushed it across the table.
Suddenly, a delicate food box appeared on the table.
Inside were neatly arranged five-colored pastries, each housed in its own separate compartment.
The pastries had a translucent, crystal-like quality, shimmering with a radiant gloss.
They were made from the unique five-colored rice of Jiwu Mountain, an ingredient that could not be found anywhere else across the six realms or eight wildernesses.
“Five-colored pastries!” Yusang’s eyes lit up in surprise.
She eagerly reached for one and popped it into her mouth.
Watching Yusang’s impatient, almost greedy manner, Immortal Lord Bai Zhi didn’t seem the least bit offended. With anyone else, such behavior might have seemed improper. But from Yusang, it felt completely natural.
In fact, he seemed to prefer this unrestrained, even slightly impolite version of her over the timid and overly cautious one from earlier.
“So delicious! I haven’t had five-colored pastries in almost a hundred years. I’ve missed this flavor so much,” Yusang mumbled through a mouthful of food.
“Then come back to the Snowy Regions with me. Stay on Jiwu Mountain, and you can eat them whenever you want.”
Hearing this, Yusang froze, her hand midway to another pastry.
She looked up at Immortal Lord Bai Zhi, her expression losing all its joy and her eyes reflecting a clear sense of unwillingness.
“Immortal Lord, I… I can’t go back.”
Immortal Lord Bai Zhi seemed slightly disappointed but not surprised.
He nodded calmly, as if he had anticipated her response.
“Have you thought about what you’ll do from now on? If you decide to proceed with that matter, there will be no turning back.”
Yusang shook her head, then nodded, hesitating.
“I don’t know. But if I don’t try, I won’t be able to let it go.”
“You’re so stubborn. You’ll regret it someday.”
“Immortal Lord…” Yusang spoke hesitantly, uneasy.
She wanted to continue but stopped when she saw Baizhi gazing at her.
She immediately fell silent, unable to utter another word.
Immortal Lord Bai Zhi picked up the teacup before him, sipping gently. After a long pause, he said softly, “Staying on Jiwu Mountain with me—is that really so impossible? If you wish to cultivate, I can teach you the path. If you don’t, I can ensure you live a life of peace and joy. I can give you anything you desire. Wouldn’t that be better?”
There was no discernible emotion in Bai Zhi’s voice, yet it was precisely this lack of emotion that revealed his displeasure.
Yusang realized he was upset.
She gripped her teacup tightly, took a deep breath, and summoned all her courage.
She spoke earnestly, enunciating every word:
“I know that on Jiwu Mountain, I can have anything I could ever want, enjoy the best the world has to offer, and be protected for eternity. But even so, I would never truly be at peace. I would always regret it. My surname is Yuwen. I will never forget my father’s last words to me.”
Bai Zhi remained silent for a long time.
His expression unchanged, his eyes half-lidded, his long lashes casting shadows over his face. His gaze was calm, like a still lake.
It was unclear whether he was looking at Yusang or through her.
“Bai Zhi, please let me go. I will always be grateful to you.”
Yusang pleaded sincerely, making one final effort.
Bai Zhi acted as though he hadn’t heard her.
The carriage had come to a stop at some point, the surroundings eerily quiet save for the faint crackle of the small flame in the clay stove on the table.
Just when Yusang began to think he had refused her request and would forcibly take her away from the mortal world, Bai Zhi suddenly waved his fingers at her.
Yusang stared in surprise.
After a brief moment of confusion, she realized Bai Zhi had agreed.
Overjoyed, she stood quickly, ready to leave.
But seeing Bai Zhi sitting there, motionless and avoiding her gaze, she realized she had truly hurt him.
Yusang wanted to say something—to comfort him, to explain herself—anything to ease his pain. But no words came to mind.
In the end, she bit her lip, lifted the carriage curtain, and leapt out before she could dwell on it any longer.
The carriage was parked in a grove of trees, far from the bustling market.
Yusang didn’t stop to take in her surroundings, hurrying away instead.
She couldn’t bear to see Bai Zhi’s calm, detached expression again.
Though he rarely showed much emotion outwardly, his serene demeanor had never made her feel uneasy before.
But today, it left her deeply unsettled and sorrowful.
If not for Bai Zhi, she would have perished in the barrier that day.
She remembered being carried out, barely alive, with someone holding her hand tightly and calling her name.
“Don’t sleep. I’ll take you out of here. Stay strong. You’re Yuwen Sang, princess of the Fengjian clan. You can’t die. You must live. You must.”
In the chaos between life and death, it was that voice that kept her going.
Over the next two thousand years, Bai Zhi had kept her alive on Jiwu Mountain, prolonging her life and giving her the best of everything.
When her spiritual essence was damaged, leaving her blind and deaf, Bai Zhi had stayed by her side through her most painful years, holding her hand every day until he found a way to restore her spiritual essence and rebuild her physical form.
He used the purple bamboo demon to merge with her soul, giving her a new lease on life, allowing her to see and hear the vast world again.
For nearly two thousand years in the boundless snowy lands of the north, Bai Zhi had been her only companion.
She had countless reasons to be grateful to him and never wanted to hurt him in this lifetime.
