Be Gentle, Immortal Master

I practiced the whole process a few more times in the days that followed. When I felt comfortable enough with the procedure, I started working on the pills with the new recipe that Bai Ye wrote down for me. By the time that the trip to Jade Temple finally came, I had made enough of them to last for a month.

Now the only thing I had to worry about on this trip was … how to hide the reason for these pills from the rest of the group.

I never intended to keep what was between us a secret forever, and I knew Bai Ye didn't either. We wanted a future together, but now wasn't the time, and Mount Hua wasn't the place for it. No matter how deeply we felt for each other, Mount Hua had its rules, and people had their beliefs and judgments. As much as I had learned to not dwell on others' opinions of me, a future at Mount Hua buried in chastisements and ridicules didn't sound inviting. Not when a peaceful life elsewhere was an option.

But I couldn't go that route quite yet. Cultivation was much easier within a sect compared to practicing on one's own. Resources were much more plentiful, and Mount Hua was located in a place with strong spiritual power that helped tremendously in accelerating a cultivator's progress. Not to mention all the techniques that were kept secret from the rest of the world. If I wanted to reach my ascension within my lifetime, I couldn't leave Mount Hua any time soon.

All we had to do was to wait a little longer, I told myself. As soon as I get that immortal lifespan I wanted, we would be free. Even though Bai Ye didn't promise that he would leave with me, I believed he wanted this just as much as I did. I believed that once the day comes, all our obstacles would be gone, and we'd be able to live like any other couple, unafraid to pledge our love in front of everyone else.

But before that … we still had to tread carefully at Mount Hua. That was the thought ringing in my head on the morning of our departure as I followed him to the main peak.

A crowd was already gathered at the main gate, and I pinned my eyes eagerly on the group when we approached—as much as I wanted to look at Bai Ye, I didn't want to risk anyone noticing my burning gaze, so I needed a way to distract myself. Fortunately, the first thing I saw was Xie Lun's group standing at the closest corner, and Qi Lian was waving at me.

I suppressed the urge to glance at Bai Ye and strode straight towards the group, a perfect smile on my face.

"I had hoped to see you on the preparation trip, Senior Xie," I nodded my greeting and said. "I'm sure all of us could've learned from seeing your techniques more."

Xie Lun chuckled. "Believe it or not, I had intended to join. But Master made me work on something else."

That response piqued my curiosity, and I found my excuse of a conversation turning interesting. "What's more important at the moment than this trip?" I asked. Jade Temple had been the only thing everyone talked about since the tournament. Even the daily field lessons for disciples in medicine on the main peak had been suspended because of it, so that the participants could focus on their sword training instead.

Qi Lian gave me a mysterious look. "It's for this trip as well, Senior Yun, and a lot more exciting than the preparation gathering. You'll see it soon."

"I wouldn't say it's more exciting," Xie Lun said, "not when you ran into an invisible demon on that trip. I've only read about those in books before, and I wish I was there to see a real one." He looked at me. "Light and fire are the only ways to drive them away. It was impressive that you figured it out on your own."

Fire? Of course … Light and fire were always the twin solution when it came to things in the shadows. "What books do you read to know all these?" I asked curiously. "No one else in the group had ever heard of an invisible demon before, and none knew how to use a light spell except Senior Wen. She told me she learned that from you as well."

Qi Lian glanced at Xie Lun. "You taught Senior Wen spells?" he asked. "When?" He hadn't heard the conversation between Wen Shiyin and me in the forest.

"A long time ago," Xie Lun said. His eyes landed behind me. "I didn't expect you would still remember it."

I followed his gaze and looked over my shoulder. Wen Shiyin was walking towards us. Her face showed no expression, though she must've heard what we said. "Senior Wen," Qi Lian and I both greeted her. Then we fell silent. Qi Lian winked at me—a conversation between her and Xie Lun was rare, and we were both eager to see it.

Wen Shiyin stopped beside me and nodded to us. To my surprise, she looked Xie Lun straight in the eye. "I remember everything you taught me," she said calmly.

For a little while, none of us spoke. All was quiet except the murmurs from the rest of the group busy with their own discussions. I wondered if Wen Shiyin and Xie Lun had exchanged anything between their gazes, though I didn't have much time to speculate on it before the Gatekeeper's voice filled the pause: "It is time now. Let's board."

All attention turned onto the Gatekeeper. I looked towards the center of the crowd as well. While the Gatekeeper raised a hand and started to chant a summoning, Qi Lian inched closer and whispered to me, "Get ready to see Senior Xie's great work. He spent almost half a month on it. I guarantee you'll be impressed."

With those words, a huge flying ship came into view.