Chapter 40: Life Was Becoming Unbearable!
“What do you mean?” Si Qinglan looked at her incredulously.
Li Yu didn’t answer, just turned and walked out, summoning a crane under Mu Tao’s confused gaze, and left.
Si Qinglan: “…Hey!”
How could she be like this? One moment she wanted company, the next she stormed out, her attitude changing so abruptly. Was she on medication?
She hadn’t said she couldn’t go with her…
Si Qinglan took a sip of tea and muttered, “Actually, I didn’t want to go either.”
Both Li Yu and Weisheng Xuanzhu were somewhat conversational when met individually.
But when they were together, the atmosphere became incredibly awkward.
Unless there was something important to discuss, she didn’t want to be caught between them, experiencing that oppressive silence.
Thinking this, Si Qinglan put down her teacup and glanced outside.
The spiritual crane was already flying towards Suiqiong Cave, so swiftly, so decisively, without any intention of waiting for her.
Although she didn’t know why Li Yu’s attitude changed so suddenly, she didn’t feel the need to follow.
The little girl she had sent outside was looking up at the receding crane.
When it disappeared, the girl turned and looked at Si Qinglan, asking timidly, “Qingxuan Revered One, where did Master go? When will she be back?”
Si Qinglan: “Don’t worry, your master hasn’t gone far. She just went to check on Suiqiong Cave for me.”
Mu Tao nodded, returned to the room, sat down in her usual spot, and resumed her cultivation practice.
Si Qinglan watched her for a moment, a sigh escaping her lips.
For the past two hundred years, Li Yu had always tried to keep Mu Tao away from cultivation.
She could see that Li Yu had only taken Mu Tao in as a disciple to prevent her from cultivating.
She initially thought Li Yu didn’t care much for the girl, but last winter, when the girl was severely injured during the Cloud Platform Trial, Li Yu recklessly broke through her own cultivation to save her.
Everything had changed since then.
Although she didn’t know the reason for Li Yu’s sudden change of heart, things were certainly looking up for Mu Tao.
A year ago, this little girl couldn’t even maintain her human form; now she could gather a faint layer of spiritual energy around her while cultivating.
Although many adult spirits could do this, it was a significant achievement for this little girl.
With her meridians blocked by the seal, to make such progress in such a short time, even with that specialized manual, required tremendous effort.
—This was good.
Since they had decided to keep her on the mountain, she should be allowed to grow up like a normal child, in a normal environment.
More than “good,” this was how it should be.
Thinking this, Si Qinglan walked to the door and said casually, “Little Taotao, when your master returns, remind her to send me a message.”
Then, she transformed into a streak of green light and disappeared.
Having been confined to Mount Chao Yao for so long, the only places Li Yu had been to, besides Si Qinglan’s Qianlizhu, were Chaoxi Pond and the northern lagoon.
Thankfully, the system’s navigation was reliable; otherwise, she would never have found Suiqiong Cave.
As the crane landed and dissipated, Li Yu took a deep breath.
Before her was a small, dark cave entrance, seemingly bottomless.
It was autumn, but the weather hadn’t turned cold yet.
Just standing outside, Li Yu felt a chill that even her protective spiritual energy couldn’t fully block.
She didn’t know if this chill came from the sealed object within the cave or from the colleague currently reinforcing the seal.
Or perhaps…both?
This was Suiqiong Cave? The forbidden grounds of Mount Chao Yao, where the Upper Spirit Lamp was sealed?
Whatever the reason, this cave entrance gave her a bad feeling, a cowardly urge to turn and run.
But this urge was fleeting.
—Don’t be ridiculous! If you can’t even enter a cave, you’ll never achieve anything!
She had flown in the sky, sailed the seas, and ventured into a haunted city; she had faced far greater dangers.
Just now, she hadn’t even gotten weak knees riding the crane!
This was just a small, dark cave entrance, and she knew exactly what was inside. There was no unknown to fear, no reason to be afraid.
Thinking this, Li Yu straightened her back, conjured a light at her fingertip, and bravely stepped into the dark cave.
The cave wasn’t as long as she had imagined.
She walked forward, her light illuminating the path, and soon saw a faint glow in the distance.
She dispelled the light and continued walking, noticing ice forming on the cave walls.
The thin layer of ice extended from within the cave, growing thicker as she went deeper.
A misty, icy blue light flowed through the cave, illuminating the ice crystals.
At the deepest part of Suiqiong Cave was a world of ice and snow.
Snowflakes fell silently, their origin and destination unknown.
Ice crystals, like blooming flowers, adorned the cave walls.
Within the ice and snow, a lotus-shaped lamp, seemingly made of ice, hung in the air.
A blue flame flickered on its wick, the light dimming and brightening, occasionally flashing a dark red, like resentment.
A faint blue light, like a cage, silently surrounded it.
Weisheng Xuanzhu stood before the seal, one hand behind his back, the other raised—a continuous stream of spiritual energy flowed from his palm into the seal, but the blue seal remained unchanged, like a bottomless pit.
Li Yu watched from afar, not understanding anything, her mind filled with a single thought: impressive but confusing.
She thought Si Qinglan must have been overthinking it.
Weisheng Xuanzhu didn’t seem to be struggling at all.
He was only using one hand.
Usually, things that could be done with one hand weren’t that difficult.
Thank goodness, it seemed she didn’t have to do anything.
If she had to help, given her current control over spiritual energy, she would definitely need the system’s assistance.
And the system had said that using intermediate spells was risky. If she forced it, she would be bedridden again for ten days or half a month.
Since everything seemed fine here, she could just leave, right?
Thinking this, Li Yu, seeing that Weisheng Xuanzhu hadn’t noticed her, quietly took two steps back.
Just as she was about to leave, the flow of spiritual energy into the seal stopped abruptly.
Li Yu’s heart skipped a beat.
She had always thought this sensation was reserved for romantic scenes in novels.
Having lived a law-abiding life, she only learned today that being caught red-handed could also cause one’s heart to skip a beat.
Of course, she wasn’t doing anything wrong.
She just felt inexplicably guilty, like a thief who hadn’t actually stolen anything.
Realizing there was no reason to feel guilty, Li Yu suppressed her urge to flee and looked at the colleague she least wanted to see.
Weisheng Xuanzhu turned and walked towards her.
She met his dark eyes again, as deep and unreadable as an abyss.
“You’re here,” he said calmly, his voice betraying no surprise.
More accurately, it wasn’t a lack of surprise but a complete lack of any discernible emotion.
Li Yu replied with a noncommittal “mm,” then looked up at the ice lotus lamp hanging in the air.
She could feel his gaze on her.
No one spoke; time seemed to freeze.
This wouldn’t do; she had to break the silence.
—Is the seal secured?
No, no, if Si Qinglan couldn’t tell, how could she, as “Li Yu,” know?
—You’ve worked hard.
No, what if he hadn’t finished and only stopped because he didn’t want her to leave immediately?
If that were the case, not only would she not be helping, but saying “you’ve worked hard” would be incredibly insensitive.
This was a difficult question; she didn’t know how to answer…
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “The seal is almost reinforced.”
He spoke first?
And even provided a progress report.
Li Yu was relieved, the tension leaving her body.
She hesitated, then said, “Si Qinglan asked me to come. She was worried that you might be…overworking yourself.”
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Mm.”
Li Yu: “Mm…”
Damn it, another conversational dead end.
Mo Yichu’s poor conversational skills must have come from his master!
Just as Li Yu was wondering how to continue, Weisheng Xuanzhu spoke again.
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “I heard your internal injuries flared up in the human realm.”
Li Yu: “Mm…”
Even Weisheng Xuanzhu knew about her injuries.
Bad news traveled fast…
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “I can handle this alone.”
Li Yu: “I thought so.”
Thank you, colleague, for saying exactly what she wanted to hear!
“You recklessly broke through your cultivation that day; your injuries must be serious. Using divine power in the human realm further aggravated them. If you continue like this, it will damage your cultivation.” Weisheng Xuanzhu looked at the blue seal. “I will secure this before my hibernation. You should rest and avoid using divine power for the next hundred years.”
Wow, the big iceberg actually spoke so many words.
She had thought he was the type who valued brevity, as if every word caused him physical pain.
Although his tone was cold, the concern in his words was genuine.
Li Yu knew that his concern was for the original owner, not for her, the imposter.
This made her feel slightly guilty.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”
Li Yu turned to leave, but he called her name.
“Cangming Revered One, please wait.”
“…”
Was there something else?
She knew she shouldn’t have come alone.
Meeting someone with a complicated relationship in private always led to awkward situations.
Li Yu sighed and stopped but didn’t turn around.
“What is it, Lingyao Revered One?”
“Nothing, I just…I will be entering hibernation soon, by winter at the latest.”
There was an unusual note in his voice, no longer the usual indifference, as if he was…expressing emotion.
But Li Yu didn’t know how to respond.
Not knowing how to respond, she chose silence.
This silence made the atmosphere even more awkward.
What would the original owner say if she heard this? Li Yu wondered.
Or perhaps, she should consider what kind of response Weisheng Xuanzhu wanted.
Whatever it was, the original owner wouldn’t have given it to him.
Following this line of thought, Li Yu said tentatively, “Rest well. I will watch over the seal.”
—Her tone indifferent, her words practical, focusing on work, avoiding emotions.
She felt her response was perfect, completely in line with the original owner’s personality.
She braced herself for the sound of a heartbroken colleague.
Time seemed to freeze again.
The already cold Suiqiong Cave became even more frigid in the oppressive silence.
Li Yu admired Si Qinglan even more now. That person could actually work with this silent, emotionally stunted iceberg for so long and even address him casually.
What incredible social skills!
After a long, agonizing silence, Weisheng Xuanzhu finally spoke.
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Li Yu.”
Oh dear, he dropped the formal address…
When someone who usually addressed you formally suddenly called you by name, there must be a reason.
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “I know you don’t want to talk to me. If it weren’t for your concern about the seal, you wouldn’t even bother coming here.”
Li Yu: “…”
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “I’ve guarded this seal for you for three thousand years. This time, I don’t know when I’ll wake up.”
Li Yu: “…”
Oh god, these were the classic lines of a lovesick fool. Just listening to them was painful!
Why did she have to be here, listening to such lines from someone she barely knew?!
Was he about to ask if she had ever loved him?
As Li Yu’s mind raced, she heard the next sentence and breathed a sigh of relief.
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “My disciple is still young, if you…”
“No problem!” She interrupted without hesitation.
He was just asking her to look after his disciple before going to sleep!
This was from the original story; she remembered!
That was her newly acquired tool; whether Weisheng Xuanzhu mentioned it or not, she would keep an eye on him.
She would make sure that blockhead didn’t develop any feelings for Mu Tao.
This way, Mu Tao would be safe, he would be safe, and the entire Mount Chao Yao would be safe!
Thinking this, Li Yu looked at Weisheng Xuanzhu and made a sincere promise, “I will look after him for you.”
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “…”
Li Yu: “Is there anything else?”
If there wasn’t, she was leaving. If she stayed any longer, she might start carving a villa into the ice.
She looked at him expectantly, hoping he would understand and tell her she could leave.
But instead of the words she wanted, she saw a strange look in his eyes.
Li Yu’s heart sank; she had a feeling her compatibility was about to drop.
Her eagerness was not in line with the original owner’s personality.
But then she thought, with the kill threshold so low, she wasn’t afraid of a few deductions.
Li Yu straightened up and said, “Nothing else? Then I’m leaving!”
As she turned to go, Weisheng Xuanzhu stopped her.
Li Yu couldn’t help but sigh. “If you have something to say, say it. If not, go back to reinforcing the seal. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can rest, isn’t that right?”
She glanced at her character compatibility.
—97%!!!
Strange, it hadn’t decreased, it had actually increased?
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Just one last question.”
Li Yu: “…Ask away.”
Please don’t let it be “Have you ever loved me?”
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “About what happened back then…are you still unwilling to tell me the truth?”
Li Yu: “…?”
Huh? What?
What happened back then?
Which “back then,” which event?
This question was so vague, how was she supposed to answer?!
He might as well have asked about love!
Li Yu lowered her gaze, avoiding his eyes, lest he see her confusion.
System, System!
Say something! What “back then”? Which event?
She had no idea about their shared past, how was she supposed to answer?!
She called the system repeatedly, but it remained silent, making her want to roll her eyes.
Weisheng Xuanzhu didn’t press further, just quietly waited for her response.
After a long silence, Li Yu closed her eyes and sighed dramatically.
She had no choice but to resort to the universal formula.
Li Yu: “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “…”
Did it work? Did she pass?
“I don’t believe you don’t understand.” There was a hint of anger in his voice.
This reaction wasn’t unexpected; she could continue with the formula.
Li Yu opened her eyes and looked at him coldly. “Why do you think what I said back then wasn’t the truth?”
As their eyes met, she saw a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
Clearly, she had hit a nerve.
This was the art of conversation!
Even without knowing what he wanted to know, she responded confidently and flawlessly.
Blindly following the other person’s rhythm would only disrupt her own. She had to turn the question back on him to gain the upper hand.
To end the conversation quickly, before he could speak, she cut him off.
“I don’t know what answer you want to hear; I only know that no matter how many times you ask, my answer will remain the same.” Li Yu turned away, no longer looking at him, her voice cold and firm. “What I said back then was the truth.”
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “…”
Li Yu: “Lingyao Revered One, if I can’t give you the answer you want, how long do you intend to keep me here?”
She said this coldly, and she noticed his hand, blocking her path, tremble slightly.
After a few seconds of standoff, he lowered his hand and stepped back.
“I wouldn’t dare, Cangming Revered One, you may leave.” His voice returned to its usual indifference, with a hint of regret. “We won’t see each other for a long time.”
His tone made Li Yu feel slightly guilty. “You…aren’t you hibernating in winter…?”
“It makes no difference.”
He said this with a sigh, then turned towards the lotus lamp, channeling his spiritual energy into the blue seal.
Li Yu quickly left Suiqiong Cave, her hands and feet numb with guilt.
What had she even done today?
She hadn’t done anything but nearly had a heart attack from a single question.
She didn’t know what unspoken past existed between the original owner and Weisheng Xuanzhu, or what impact her formulaic answers had on him.
Judging by his reaction, her response was what he expected.
Clearly, it wasn’t the first time he had heard this answer.
But if he knew what her answer would be, why bother asking again?
Forget it, why bother thinking about it?
He was about to go into hibernation. By the time he woke up, she would have completed her mission and returned to her peaceful life.
If the original owner returned by then, they could sort it out themselves.
She had to go back and appease her disciple.
On their way here, Si Qinglan must have said something to Mu Tao; her blackening value had increased again!
It was now at 43%. If it continued to rise like this, life would truly become unbearable!
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