158: Cut off the Passion

“What do you mean by ‘you’? What do you mean by ‘me’? You should know that in Cultivation, the moon waxes and wanes, and a balance of relaxation and tension is the true Dao! It’s settled then!”

Before Han Yi could even utter what he wanted to say, Bai Sanren snorted coldly and said sternly.

Afterward, he spoke again, his tone softening: “Besides, this one day won’t delay anything. All things change, rest is essential for life and death; it’s a universal truth! I heard tomorrow’s lantern festival is very lively. Let’s go together and soak in the festive atmosphere. It’ll be much better than you cooping yourself up here, toiling away in boredom!”

“Yes, yes!”

Qian Xue nodded frantically like a pecking chick, expressing her approval.

“I say…”

“I’ve already humbled myself and asked you to come along, why are you still so troublesome! What, do you want me to beg you?”

Bai Sanren was furious: “Normally, Qian Xue and I enjoy ourselves, and you don’t show respect for the elderly or care for the young, but that’s fine. Why are you still like this at a time like this! What’s wrong with showing respect to an elder for once?”

“Indeed!”

Qian Xue spoke softly, nodding, and before Han Yi’s gaze fell upon her, she lowered her head again and looked left and right.

Seeing this, Han Yi couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile, teasing: “I haven’t even spoken yet, and you two have already said what I wanted to say.”

“Then what do you mean?”

Bai Sanren was delighted.

“One day isn’t much. Since Sanren Bai mentioned respecting elders, I’ll follow your wishes.”

Han Yi smiled faintly: “But speaking of caring for the young, I haven’t felt Senior’s care for me on a daily basis, have I? All my words and actions, did I learn them from you…?”

“Haha…” Bai Sanren’s old face instantly flushed upon hearing this, and he could only evade the topic.

Han Yi didn’t make it difficult for him, and leisurely picked up a pair of festive couplets from a large bag, tore them open, and glanced at them: ‘A thousand cups of fine wine bid farewell to the old year, ten thousand plum blossoms welcome the new spring.’ Then he walked out of the courtyard.

“Wait, you didn’t take the paste! This pair was carefully selected by me, you must paste them meticulously. And don’t forget to hang those five-colored door charms…”

Bai Sanren quickly called out, becoming garrulous.

Han Yi waved his hand, signaling that he understood.

Behind him, Qian Xue also quickly grabbed a pair of festive couplets and excitedly ran towards her small hut, full of joy and skipping and jumping.

Bai Sanren looked at the scene before him, then cast his gaze towards Han Yi, who was busy outside the courtyard with the large red couplets. His heart slowly relaxed, and a deeper, more aged smile appeared in the depths of his eyes.

‘Humans have seven emotions and six desires, and things have a hundred twists and turns. Han Boy, you must remember, Cultivation is about cultivating the human body and refining the human heart. Do not believe in the so-called severing of emotions and desires, or cutting off ties, for the sake of so-called strength! Those are Evil Path! I am truly worried that you will follow in that person’s old footsteps… Even if we don’t talk about love, it’s always good to have a bit more human warmth about you…’

He sighed inwardly. Han Yi’s various behaviors made him gradually overlap with a figure in his memory, becoming indistinguishable.

Back then, there was also a young man of Han Yi’s age. Although his talent was not outstanding, his Comprehension Ability was exceptional, and he Cultivated very quickly. However, it was his own mistake that led to…

Thinking of this, Bai Sanren seemed to return to that painful, self-reproaching time. He stood blankly in the chilling, bleak courtyard, his eyes somewhat moist…

On the street at this moment.

Many people were also decorating their courtyards with lanterns and streamers, performing Dragon and Phoenix dances. The entire street was a vibrant red, and the festive and lively atmosphere instantly dispelled the cold of winter snow, warming people’s hearts.

In an open space, several bold and mischievous children, dressed in thick cotton clothes, were gleefully lighting strings of firecrackers with long poles.

Crackling!

Suddenly, bright flashes of light appeared, tiny pieces of red paper scattered, and the cheerful and auspicious sounds shook half the street.

The smoke produced by the lit firecrackers, like a hazy mist, further obscured people’s vision, making it impossible to see the scene clearly.

But the joyful laughter was clear and loud, even the thunderous sound of the firecrackers could hardly conceal it, echoing through the Yun Xiao.

Amidst this bustling scene, there was a sense of harmonious leisure, suitable for both young and old.

Bai Sanren came back to his senses, wiped his eyes, and then his furrowed brows relaxed. He suddenly picked up a string of firecrackers and walked out of the courtyard.

“It’s good luck to celebrate the New Year! Let’s go, time to set off firecrackers!” he said with a smile.

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The next day

The sky was low and overcast. Unbeknownst to anyone, the north wind was howling, and silvery-gray clouds galloped across the sky. A cold current was brewing something.

Suddenly, sparkling things drifted down from the sky, it was snowing!

It was a huge snowstorm, with the north wind blowing smoke-like snow!

Goose feather-like snowflakes fell abundantly, landing on bare branches, on the edges of stone tables, and drifting into eaves, doorways, potted plants, and black stones.

Morning.

When Qian Xue woke up from her dream, she got up, pushed open the window, and leaned on the sill to look outside.

As far as the eye could see, the courtyard was a vast expanse of white. Looking into the distance, the world was covered in white, and the dense curtain of snow, like a thick fog, enveloped the intricate rooftops.

“It really snowed heavily last night…” she sighed inwardly.

At this moment, the weather was cold, desolate, and bleak. The surroundings were eerily quiet, as if absorbed into that silence.

After a long time, the subtle sounds of rolling wheels, neighbors chatting, and people closing doors gradually entered her ears, making her feel vibrant. The entire Fu City also seemed to awaken within this plain white scroll, gradually becoming lively.

Qian Xue looked at Bai Sanren’s and Han Yi’s rooms. There was no movement from either of their rooms.

She counted on her fingers, calculating that there were still several hours until the lantern festival. So, she pushed the snow-covered window shut again, yawned, and returned to her warm bed, intending to go back to sleep and drift off soundly.

Thump, thump, thump

After an unknown amount of time, Qian Xue was startled awake by a knock on the door.

“Who, who is it? I was sleeping so soundly…”

Qian Xue mumbled drowsily.

“It’s me. The lantern festival is about to begin. If you don’t get up now, we won’t get good spots!”

Han Yi’s clear and gentle voice came, with a hint of helplessness in his tone.

“You, you, wait a moment!”

Qian Xue’s small face blushed with shyness, and she quickly dressed and tidied herself up.

Now, the winter evening wind had risen, and the courtyard was enveloped in a hazy twilight. However, occasional bursts of fireworks shot up and exploded, dyeing the thin, silvery-gray sky with a golden hue.

Outside the door, Han Yi was wearing a white fox fur cloak, his posture tall and straight like a green pine. Illuminated by the fireworks, he looked radiant, like a celestial being.

Qian Xue was momentarily captivated, remaining silent for a long time.

“This is for you…”

Han Yi smiled faintly and handed over an object he held in his hand.

“What is this?”

It was then that Qian Xue came back to her senses. What she held in her hand was a pure gold filigree lock, also known as a longevity lock, symbolizing peace and auspiciousness.

“Bai Sanren instructed this. He said that according to custom, during the New Year festival, unmarried men and women would be given a longevity lock by their elders. Wealthy families would give gold locks, ordinary families would give copper locks, and if they were even poorer, impoverished families could carve a lock from wood.”

Han Yi explained a few words to Qian Xue.

“Good!”

Qian Xue joyfully unfastened the gold chain on the lock and carefully hung it around her neck. She had lived deep in the mountains for a long time and had never seen such a rare item. To be honest, this was her first proper New Year festival, so it was no wonder she was so excited!

After everything was ready, she examined herself in the bronze mirror for a while, then turned around and said coyly: “Yi Gege, that…”

“It looks absolutely beautiful!”

Today, Qian Xue was wearing a pink blouse and skirt, with bright eyes and white teeth. The small gold lock hung on her delicate neck, making her appear even more beautiful and charming, with skin so fair it seemed it could be broken with a touch.

“The lantern festival has already begun. Sanren Bai is waiting for us ahead. If you keep dawdling like this, you’ll have to wait until next year!”

Before Qian Xue could respond happily, Han Yi said teasingly.

“Let’s go, then let’s go quickly!”

Qian Xue nodded repeatedly.

But when she had lightly applied makeup and fully tidied herself, pulling Han Yi and rushing out of the courtyard gate, the street was already densely packed with people, bustling with activity. Many families were running around, telling each other and making plans to go see the lanterns.

The crowd was bustling, and shouts were constantly heard.

“Cao Ji Yuanxiao, come one, come all, don’t miss out~”

“Finest silk, the most popular patterns in the palace, come and see~~”

“Pangzi Wang’s new signboard, wood-smoked roast duck, with half a catty of rice cakes, guaranteed to make you round and full, come quickly…”

Those were the street cries of peddlers, bargaining with customers, and the cheerful chatter of strolling tourists.

Everywhere, large red lanterns hung high, and colorful arches and flower corridors were adorned with festive lights, dazzling to the eye.

Qian Xue walked through the crowd, a little bewildered, yet unable to stop her excitement. Her beautiful eyes couldn’t help but look left and right, as if seeing such a lively market life for the first time, finding everything new and fascinating.

“Boss, how much are these ornaments?”

She hopped and skipped like a little rabbit, asking the vendor.

“Not expensive, not expensive. Jade hairpins are 150 fen each, jade bracelets are three taels of silver each. Oh, and here are some fine ornaments meticulously carved by a Great Master from Fu City…” The boss, wearing a short leather cap, sized up the attire of Qian Xue and the two men, and said with a smile.

Then, he added: “Small business, no discounts…”

“Oh, then I’ll look around…” Qian Xue frowned, looking troubled.

“Sanren Bai, I say, even though I am devoted to Cultivation, I am not a stone or a tree. Although you hide it very well, why do I feel that after the Breakthrough, you are not happy, but rather constantly worried…

And you even want to arrange a marriage for me, insisting on pulling me into the human world. Are these arrangements because you are afraid of something…?”

Bai Sanren was startled upon hearing this. Although the crowd was dense at this moment, no one could brush against the two of them.

This was because the words, spoken so close, only circulated between the two of them.