301: Chapter 299 Dust Settles Away

A five-colored Escape Light landed on an uninhabited hill outside Linan City.

Yun Ming retracted his Escape Light, changed into a clean robe, suppressed his cultivation to the Early Golden Core Stage, and activated the Fuli Heaven-Concealing Record to completely conceal his Nascent Soul Stage aura.

Tianyuan City was teeming with experts, including many Soul Transformation powerhouses, and even His Majesty, who was at the Void Refining stage.

He had detonated a sixth-tier Formation in Tianyuan City; although he was forced into it, he had ultimately caused a massive disaster.

Being too high-profile would lead to a quick death.

Retrieving Xue Ji was a must, but it could not be done ostentatiously.

He returned to Linan City.

The city gate was still the same, and the soldiers were the same few soldiers; ten years had passed, and while a new batch of people had come, their lazy demeanor remained unchanged.

There were more people on the streets and more shops, but at its core, it was still that dusty little city.

Qingzhu Courtyard was still the same; the Cuizhu remained, and the moss on the stone steps had grown a layer thicker.

The courtyard gate was ajar, and Yun Ming pushed it open and entered.

A person was standing in the courtyard.

Ah Yuan.

She was wearing a plain green robe, her hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, and she was stooping to water the flowers in the corner.

Hearing the door creak, she straightened up and turned her head.

That face was much more mature than it had been ten years ago; the childishness in her brows and eyes had faded, replaced by a composed and calm temperament.

Standing there, she was like a tree that had stood in the wind for a long time—not flashy, but sturdy.

The moment she saw Yun Ming, her hand loosened, the watering can fell to the ground, and water splashed everywhere.

"Master!" She rushed over and threw herself into Yun Ming's arms.

Yun Ming reached out to hold her and patted her back. "I've returned."

Ah Yuan lifted her head from his embrace and looked him up and down. "Master, you... you had a Breakthrough?"

Her voice was trembling, and there was a light in her eyes.

Yun Ming nodded. "Nascent Soul."

Ah Yuan's tears welled up instantly, but she didn't cry out loud; she just wiped her face vigorously and then smiled.

"Master, you have finally finished your seclusion. Ten years, it's been ten years..."

Yun Ming didn't respond.

He waited for her to calm down for a moment before speaking: "Come back to Tianyuan City with me. We are going to retrieve Xue Ji."

Ah Yuan's smile froze for a moment.

She didn't answer immediately but lowered her head, looking at her toes.

After a few moments of silence, she looked up, her gaze somewhat evasive.

"Master, I... can I stay here for a while longer?"

Yun Ming was stunned.

He hadn't expected Ah Yuan to hesitate.

In his understanding, Ah Yuan should have been that little girl who always followed behind him, saying, "Wherever Master goes, I will go."

He looked at her without speaking.

The two returned to the room and sat down.

Yun Ming brewed a pot of tea and poured a cup for Ah Yuan.

Ah Yuan held the cup with both hands, looking down at the tea inside.

"What happened during these ten years?" Yun Ming asked.

Ah Yuan began to speak, her voice low and her pace unhurried, as if she were recounting something from a very long time ago.

She talked about Ning Yuanzhou's steady rise in the imperial court, how she helped him investigate evidence and eliminate rivals, how Ning Yuanzhou turned danger into safety at critical moments, and the years they spent together in the residence in the capital.

She spoke very briefly, skipping many details, but as Yun Ming listened, he gradually began to understand something.

It wasn't that he understood what had happened, but rather he understood why Ah Yuan was hesitating.

He held his teacup, looking at Ah Yuan's profile.

When she spoke of Ning Yuanzhou, the corners of her mouth would lift slightly, unconsciously.

Yun Ming saw that subtle change in expression very clearly.

His heart skipped a beat.

This is bad.

This kid is going to trick his precious Disciple away.

When Yun Ming originally sought Ning Yuanzhou to be his servant, his intention was very simple.

He intended to live in seclusion in Linan City for a while, focusing on his closed-door cultivation to achieve a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage.

In the Mortal realm, no one knew him, and no one would disturb him.

But in case some ignorant Mortal came to cause trouble, it would be inconvenient for him or Ah Yuan to act, especially if it risked exposing them and attracting Cultivators from Tianyuan City, so he let Ning Yuanzhou, this local snake, handle it, which was worry-free and effortless.

As for those good things obtained from the ten thousand-plus draws, that was completely accidental.

The Enlightened Dao Fruit, fusang divine tree, Kunpeng egg, and the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Heaven-Controlling True Formula—these items greatly increased his foundation and made him feel that the time was ripe for closed-door cultivation; it could be said that plans couldn't keep up with changes.

What he hadn't expected was that his closed-door cultivation would last ten years, and during these ten years, Ah Yuan and Ning Yuanzhou had actually developed feelings for each other.

"How is Ning Yuanzhou doing now?" Yun Ming asked, his tone as flat as possible.

Ah Yuan said, "He is doing very well. He is the Minister of Works, has entered the Cabinet, and is one of the Crown Prince's most trusted officials."

"Is he married?"

Ah Yuan's fingers gently rubbed against the side of the cup. "He is. He married the eldest legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Anping's estate and has two children. The eldest son is five years old this year, and the second daughter is two."

Yun Ming's hand tightened.

The Marquis of Anping's estate—royal relatives. Ning Yuanzhou married a woman from a noble house, had a family, and had children.

And what about Ah Yuan? She didn't even have a title.

She helped him investigate evidence, clear rivals, and devise strategies, yet in the end, she was merely a staff member, an outsider.

A fire suddenly rose in Yun Ming's heart.

He wasn't angry at Ah Yuan; he was angry at Ning Yuanzhou.

That bastard, what did he take his Disciple for?

He even had the thought of razing the Great Liang Kingdom to the ground.

But that had no meaning.

Ah Yuan was willing; he hadn't forced her.

"Ah Yuan, come back with me."

Yun Ming's voice lowered, carrying a persuasive tone, "Do not be attached to this Mortal world."

"Ning Yuanzhou is merely a Mortal; at most, he only has a hundred years of life, and furthermore, he is not young anymore."

"A hundred years later, he will be nothing but a handful of yellow soil. And you?"

"Your talent is peerless among your generation, a single-attribute Water Spiritual Root, one in ten thousand."

"The path of cultivation is boundless, and your lifespan will far exceed that of a Mortal."

"You possess a long lifespan of a thousand years; a single closed-door cultivation session could span his entire life. It is not worth it for you to delay yourself for him."

Ah Yuan lowered her head, not speaking.

Her fingers repeatedly rubbed the cup's side; the tea inside had already gone cold.

"Master, I know," her voice was very light, "I have thought about everything you said."

"Then why are you still hesitating?"

Ah Yuan lifted her head and looked at Yun Ming.

Her eyes were very bright, without tears, holding only a calm light, as if she had figured something out.

"Master, things between him and me are not as you think."

"He didn't trick me, nor did he use me."

"Him getting married and having children is his business. Me helping him is my own choice."

"He has never promised me anything, and I have never asked for anything from him."

"I just... want to stay by his side for a while longer. When he is old, when he no longer needs me, I will leave."

Yun Ming looked at her for a long time.

He suddenly realized that Ah Yuan was no longer the little girl from back then who held a fox and hid behind him.

She had her own thoughts, her own choices, and her own life.

He could not make decisions for her, nor could he use his status as her Master to hijack her.

"Are you sure?" Yun Ming asked.

"I am sure."

Yun Ming sighed.

That sigh was very long, as if slowly exhaled from deep within.

Ah Yuan took a Storage Pouch from her sleeve and placed it on the table.

"Master, these are the Magic Treasures you gave me. The array-breaking sword, xuanming heaven-covering umbrella, blood-transforming eerie glow needle, and the moonlight flowing frost robe. I don't need them anymore; I am returning them to you."

Yun Ming looked at the Storage Pouch, not reaching out to take it.

His gaze moved from the Storage Pouch to Ah Yuan's face, then back from Ah Yuan's face to the Storage Pouch.

His fingers tapped gently on the table twice, then stopped.

"What are you doing?" His voice was somewhat heavy, "Returning them to me? You are my Disciple; these things were given to you, so they are yours. I don't want them."

Ah Yuan shook her head.

"Master, I am no longer your Disciple. I have remembered everything you taught me. But this path, I want to walk it myself."

Yun Ming's expression changed.

He wasn't angry, but something was churning in the depths of his eyes.

He remained silent for a long time, long enough for the sun outside the window to move from the east to directly overhead.

Then he spoke.

"Did Ning Yuanzhou say something to you?"

Ah Yuan lowered her head.

"No. This is what I thought myself."

Yun Ming didn't believe it.

But he didn't ask again.

He pushed the Storage Pouch back in front of Ah Yuan.

"Take it. You will need these things. Even if you no longer acknowledge me as your Master, they are still yours. I never take back what I have given away."

Ah Yuan bit her lip, her eye sockets turned red, but she didn't cry.

She put the Storage Pouch back into her sleeve.

"Master, when Lord Ning passes away, I will come to find you. At that time, will you still accept me?"

Yun Ming looked at her, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He wanted to say "No," he wanted to say "Go wherever you like," but in the end, he just nodded.

"I will."

Ah Yuan smiled, and tears also flowed down.

Yun Ming stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window was that grove of Cuizhu, the bamboo leaves rustling in the wind.

Ten years had passed, and the bamboo had grown quite a bit taller; new bamboo replaced the old, generation after generation.

He watched for a moment and then turned around.

"I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."

"Master, where are you going?"

"Tianyuan City. To retrieve Xue Ji."

Yun Ming walked to the door, stopped, and didn't look back.

"Remember, regarding Ning Yuanzhou, do not trust him too much."

"He could marry the daughter of the Marquis of Anping for his future, and he could sacrifice you for something else. Keep your guard up."

Ah Yuan stood up and followed him to the door.

"Master, I will remember."

Yun Ming didn't say anything else.

He pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard.

The sunlight was just right, shining on the bluestone slabs, casting a warm glow.

He didn't look back at Ah Yuan, turning into a faint, almost invisible Escape Light, and disappeared into the horizon.

Ah Yuan stood at the courtyard gate, gazing at the receding Escape Light for a long time.

The wind blew through the bamboo leaves, rustling.

She reached out to wipe the corner of her eye and turned back into the house.

The cup of cold tea on the table was still sitting there.