426: Origin and Gathering of Fate

When Han Yan and Liu Yan walked out of the Hall of Returning Spring, carrying the prescription and medical advice written by Old Physician Sun,

their faces bore the exhaustion of survivors and a faint glimmer of hope for the future. Supporting each other, they hobbled back into the main hall of the Drunken Immortal Residence, where a figure took the initiative to greet them.

It was none other than Yao Delong, who had transformed into the appearance of Xiao Chen.

Though he currently wore Xiao Chen's slightly feminine face, his eyes were as deep as an abyss.

His demeanor was as steady as a mountain, completely different from Xiao Chen's usual arrogance.

He solemnly cupped his hands toward the young couple, his voice gentle and clear:

"Fellow Daoists, I witnessed everything that happened at the Hall of Returning Spring just now from my window."

"The bond between you two is as strong as gold; you prove your Dao Heart with a mortal marriage contract. Such affection and loyalty are enough to move the heavens and earth. I... am deeply moved!"

Han Yan and Liu Yan suddenly halted, their faces simultaneously showing surprise and wariness.

The young man before them had a pure aura, a cultivation that was not weak, and extraordinary clothing; he was clearly a Sect Disciple.

They were merely low-level Loose Cultivators who had just experienced great sorrow and joy and were physically and mentally exhausted.

They instinctively kept their distance from any stranger Cultivator who approached them.

"Senior... you overpraise us."

Han Yan forced his weak body to stand firm, shielding Liu Yan slightly behind him.

He responded with a raspy voice, his eyes filled with inquiry and caution.

Yao Delong smiled slightly, a smile that softened the femininity of 'Xiao Chen's' features and exuded a reassuring steadiness.

He didn't say much, merely taking two tokens out of his Storage Pouch.

The tokens were neither metal nor jade, feeling warm to the touch and made of a peculiar material.

The front was engraved with a Yin and Yang fish pattern that flowed endlessly head-to-tail, while the back bore the elegant small character for 'Luo Xia'.

The tokens themselves had no powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, yet they faintly emitted a mysterious dao rhyme, showing at a glance that they had an extraordinary origin.

He handed the two tokens to Han Yan and Liu Yan respectively.

"I am a Disciple of the Yin Yang Sect's Luo Xia Peak."

Yao Delong's voice remained gentle, yet it carried an indisputable weight.

"This is the identity token of my Sect's Luo Xia Peak."

"Yin Yang Sect? Luo Xia Peak?!"

Han Yan and Liu Yan both gasped, their eyes widening instantly, almost unable to believe their ears!

The Yin Yang Sect!

To Loose Cultivators like them struggling at the bottom, that was a colossus like something from the Nine Heavens, a legendary top-tier immortal Sect giant!

The Yin Yang Sect was famous for its path of Dual Cultivation and mutual aid, where Yin and Yang complemented each other!

Every peak had its own characteristics. These tokens were no different from an Opportunity to ascend to the heavens in a single step!

Yao Delong looked at their expressions of speechless shock and continued:

"If you two intend to join hands in the future to explore the Great Dao and pursue longevity, you can take these tokens,"

"and head to the White Cloud Mountain Range within the borders of the Ba Xia Dynasty to seek the Yin Yang Sect's gate."

"Present the tokens, and someone will naturally lead you into the Sect."

"Our Sect emphasizes the path of Dual Cultivation and mutual aid, where Yin and Yang complement each other... It may share a fate with your Dao Heart of mutual affection and following each other through life and death."

These words were like divine music, striking hard at the hearts of Han Yan and Liu Yan!

Granting an immortal Opportunity was already a heavenly favor!

And this Senior's affirmation and praise for their sincere feelings in his words,

made them feel an unprecedented warmth and the immense emotion of being understood!

This recognition made their hearts surge even more than the immortal Opportunity itself!

The massive surprise and gratitude instantly washed away all their wariness.

The two of them trembled with excitement and hurriedly bowed deeply,

almost about to kneel, their voices carrying uncontrollable sobs:

"Thank you, Senior! My wife and I will never forget the grace of your reconstruction and the grace of bestowing the Dao! We are eternally grateful!"

Yao Delong reached out with a virtual lift, a gentle force supporting their bowing bodies.

He looked at their tightly held hands, and at the light of determination for each other and the future that had been rekindled in their eyes by receiving recognition and hope,

and a long-lost warmth and relief welled up in his own heart.

He nodded, his voice carrying a hint of expectation:

"Fate begins and gathers; take care. May you two Fellow Daoists walk the Great Dao together and never part until your hair turns white."

After saying this, he spoke no more, turned, and drifted away, his green-robed figure quickly disappearing around the corner of the stairs leading to the guest rooms.

Leaving Han Yan and Liu Yan behind, they tightly gripped the warm tokens in their hands as if holding the keys to a new life.

The two looked at each other and smiled, all their exhaustion and despair replaced by hope and determination,

their eyes filled only with each other and infinite longing for that unknown immortal path.

As soon as Yao Delong returned to his guest room, a flash of white light appeared.

The loach-sized Qiong Shuang, snowy white as jade, crawled out from his sleeve,

landing lightly on the table, tilting her little head, her sapphire-like eyes full of confusion.

"Big Brother!" Qiong Shuang spoke via Divine Thought transmission, her voice crisp.

"Why did you give those precious Yin Yang Sect tokens to those two people?"

"I see they're already in their twenties or thirties, but their cultivation is only at the fifth and sixth levels of Qi Condensation."

"Their skeletal structure is also mediocre; reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage in this lifetime would be their limit! Isn't this a waste?"

Yao Delong curled his finger and gave Qiong Shuang's furry little head a light tap.

"Ouch!" Qiong Shuang covered her head with her little paws, looking aggrieved.

"What do you know?"

Yao Delong walked to the window, looking at the deepening night outside, his voice flat yet carrying a trace of imperceptible emotion.

"I saw that their affection was as pure as a child's heart."

"In this world of cultivation filled with intrigue and deception, it is truly rare. I'm just giving them a chance."

He paused, recalling that bright red marriage contract and the resolute figures, and continued:

"There is an old saying: when husband and wife are of one mind, their strength can cut through metal."

"If they can always maintain this original intention, support each other, and walk firmly on this path,"

"it's not impossible for them to carve out a world of their own in this seemingly hopeless cultivation world."

Qiong Shuang blinked as if she didn't quite understand: "But... Big Brother, the cultivation world is where the strong prey on the weak. Isn't love a burden? Why today..."

Yao Delong was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the deep night sky in the distance, as if answering Qiong Shuang, yet also as if speaking to himself:

"People... always yearn for beautiful things. That purity is worth a chance."

He was indeed touched by that pure love; that bit of yearning for beauty deep in his heart,

had made him make this seemingly 'unprofitable' decision.

After all, given Han Yan and Liu Yan's current situation, without a great Opportunity, Foundation Establishment would be an insurmountable chasm.

Qiong Shuang gave a half-understanding "oh," wagged her tail, stopped asking, and lay on the table, starting to snore softly.

Time passed in quiet meditation, and soon it was the next morning.

The light of dawn was faint, and Ba Li City awoke in the thin mist.

The City Lord's Mansion teleportation array message jade talisman that Yao Delong had placed on the table suddenly lit up with a soft and steady white light!

Everyone was here!

Yao Delong snapped his eyes open, a sharp light flashing through them for an instant.

His body moved slightly, like a shadow blending into the morning breeze, and in a flash, he appeared near the teleportation array in the City Lord's Mansion square.

He didn't deliberately draw attention, simply walking over quickly like an ordinary Cultivator on a journey.