156: Deeper love

"Xiao Yatou, since you know my personality, you should have known the outcome long ago, right?"

Jiang Hanwen sighed.

Now, he fully understood what Bai Youlan's pleading tone meant the first time she took his arm.

Because this might be their last meeting in this lifetime.

A sixth-grade Medicinal Pill, what kind of concept is that?

The entire Azure Flame might not even have one.

Even if there were, there wouldn't be many.

Would a power capable of producing such a Medicinal Pill not see through his background?

It seemed like a path to heaven, guaranteed by Bai Youlan's master.

But a path to heaven always has a bottomless abyss beside it.

Jiang Hanwen dared not gamble, nor would he.

In this world, no one's guarantee is useful; only matters he can decide for himself are reliable!

"Alright, cheer up. It's a good thing to be favored by a Senior.

What's the name of your master's Sect?" Jiang Hanwen asked.

"My master said it's called the Heavenly Talisman Sect."

After answering, as if seeing their destined separation, Bai Youlan's last trace of composure shattered. With a sob, she burrowed her head into Jiang Hanwen's embrace like a calf.

Xiao Yatou could be naive, but Jiang Hanwen could not. By the age standards of his previous world, he had already passed the age of knowing his destiny.

He had to be responsible for Bai Youlan, and even more so for himself.

He held Bai Youlan's hand, then interlaced his fingers with the beauty's, and said seriously:

"Cultivate well. Perhaps in the future, we'll have a chance to meet again."

Jiang Hanwen stood up and helped Bai Youlan upright.

Bai Youlan leaned against his chest, her face pressed close, her silken hair, smooth as satin, was ignored, letting it fall into disarray.

The bright moon in the sky seemed unwilling to witness their parting, and the crescent moon cast a bright moonlight, its silver glow enveloping the two.

The chirping of insects around them was soft, unwilling to disturb their final embrace.

Jiang Hanwen gently patted her back, comforting her:

"Alright, it's not like we'll never see each other again until we're old and dead.

Heavenly Talisman Sect, right? When I achieve success in my Cultivation, I can go see you.

By then, you can't have turned into an old hag; you'd be too ugly for me to fancy..."

Facing Jiang Hanwen's teasing in various ways, Bai Youlan remained silent.

All night, Xiao Yatou nestled in Jiang Hanwen's arms, hanging on like a koala.

Her heartbeat returned to normal, and her tears dried.

When a sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon, Jiang Hanwen whispered softly in the beauty's ear:

"It's dawn, time to go."

Bai Youlan slowly opened her eyes. She didn't want to leave, but Jiang Hanwen had already pried her hands open, and she couldn't maintain the same dependence as last night.

Wiping away the tear stains from her eyes, she took a deep breath and looked at Jiang Hanwen seriously:

"You... you have to write a poem for me."

A poem?

Here, on that snowy day, Jiang Hanwen stood up for Xiao Yatou, the beginning of their heart-to-heart connection.

Yes, it was time to temporarily put an end to it.

After ten breaths, Jiang Hanwen lightly summoned with one hand.

Snowflakes in the air, in the blink of an eye, condensed into a three-zhang-tall poster-like display of characters.

"You were born before me, I was born when you were old.

You regret my late birth, I regret your early birth.

The fragrant blossoms on the orchid terrace are pure, the withered tree is a knife in autumn.

If there is a day of eternal life, the sun and moon can all be cast aside."

The first four lines were about his and Bai Youlan's past, their origin of fate.

The last four lines were written by him, the outcome.

If Xiao Yatou could truly reach that step, they would always meet. If not, this would be a farewell poem.

Eternal life prevented Jiang Hanwen from fully expressing his emotions; he would live to become a fossil witnessing millennia of change.

And fossils are often dead; having an unreliable promise was already the limit.

Bai Youlan memorized the poem, then gave Jiang Hanwen one last deep look, trying to engrave his face into her mind.

"Alright, I'm leaving!"

Jiang Hanwen didn't move, standing in place.

One can escort a friend for a thousand miles, but eventually, one must part.

He and Xiao Yatou both had their own paths to walk.

Parting must be for a better reunion.

In her sight, Bai Youlan's figure grew smaller and smaller, a lonely little silhouette.

When she reached the bridge, Bai Youlan suddenly turned around, Spiritual Qi surging wildly, like an arrow released from a bow, flying back towards Jiang Hanwen.

"Bang!"

Bai Youlan rushed into Jiang Hanwen's arms, the powerful force almost knocking Jiang Hanwen over. He stumbled back seven or eight steps before steadying himself.

Xiao Yatou looked at him with red-rimmed eyes, then suddenly stretched out her hands, wrapped them around his neck, gripping him like she was climbing a tree, her entire body suspended in the air, and bit him on the face.

After a long while, their lips parted.

Bai Youlan released her hands, a complex smile on her lips, and loudly declared her ownership:

"I don't care how many women you have in the future, you are not allowed to forget me!"

After saying that, a layer of cyan light appeared around Xiao Yatou, and with a whoosh, she was pulled into the sky.

"Whoosh~"

A sudden gust of wind tightened Jiang Hanwen's clothes.

He gently wiped away the red mark from his mouth, the scent of a maiden's fragrance still lingering on his nose.

He... was forcibly kissed?

Damn it, who would believe it if he told them!

Behind the clouds a thousand meters high, a stunningly beautiful woman in a pure white gauze dress, with purple jade earrings, looked down from above at Jiang Hanwen, who was like a black dot, a hint of curiosity flickering in her eyes.

On this man's body, his Qi and blood were condensed and unified.

Could it be that he followed the path of ancient Cultivation? But this lineage, wasn't it almost lost?

"Master, let's go." Bai Youlan was in low spirits, her little mouth pouting, unhappiness written all over her face.

The beautiful woman withdrew her gaze and smiled charmingly:

"This sweetheart of yours is not simple. If he has guidance from a Senior.

Perhaps, you two truly will meet again someday."

"Really?" Bai Youlan's eyes widened, and she excitedly looked up.

"When has your master ever lied to you? Let's go, you've delayed long enough."

The beautiful woman smiled slightly, sighing inwardly.

Of course they could meet, but that prerequisite of 'guidance from a Senior' was probably even harder than her finding her precious disciple.

On the ground, Jiang Hanwen clutched his chest, where it was slightly bulging.

Just now, that Xiao Yatou had slipped a ring inside.

It wasn't until he returned home that Jiang Hanwen opened the storage ring.

The ring was very clean, containing only three items: a letter, a thumb-sized notebook, and a Jade Slip.

He opened the letter, which was Xiao Yatou's confession.

Words she couldn't say in person, conveyed through the pen.

After reading the letter, Jiang Hanwen opened the notebook.

June 7th, clear.

Today is my first day back home. On the way, I met a strange, beautiful older sister. She said she could help heal my injured Soul, so I wouldn't suffer the heart-gnawing pain every night.

Her scent actually made me feel at ease, but it wasn't the smell of lotus seeds.

Shopkeeper Jiang is still waiting for me, so I can't agree to her.

Today, my family said that Zhuang Kongming of the Zhuang family has already reached the Ningquan Realm, and told me not to go out, lest I be caught by the Zhuang family...

June 8th, clear.

Yesterday, I took the Medicinal Pill my father gave me, and my head actually stopped hurting! Moreover, I feel like I can now completely engrave the Soul Seal and Breakthrough to Qi Induction.

Father, Mother, Shopkeeper Jiang, I don't want to be auseless person (useless person). I'm going to Breakthrough again.

Don't worry, this time I'll be very careful, engraving it bit by bit.

If it still doesn't work this time, I'll just be a fool in the bookstore for the rest of my life.

Shopkeeper Jiang, you'll take care of me, right?

...July 6th, cloudy.

I successfully Broke through!

From now on, I'm a first-grade Talisman Master, and I can draw talismans!

Father said a big shot wants to see me, and told me to prepare tomorrow.

Shopkeeper Jiang, wait for me. I can come to the shop for tea tomorrow. This time, I'll brew it for you!

July 7th, rainy.

It was actually that strange older sister from before. She told me to become her disciple.

Shopkeeper Jiang, she's not human. She actually threatened me with my parents' lives...

August 12th, clear.

Shopkeeper Jiang, I miss the tea you brew.

But Master said I must memorize the Heavenly Dipper Chart.

You owe me a pot of tea today. I'm keeping track; you'll have to pay me back then...

January 8th, heavy snow.

Shopkeeper Jiang, I heard you went into seclusion. The snow outside is falling so heavily.

Do you still remember that poem?

Ten steps, one kill; a thousand miles, no trace left.

When the deed is done, brush off the clothes and leave, hiding one's body and fame.

Shopkeeper Jiang, the snow in the courtyard isn't pretty at all; it's much worse than the snowflakes you conjured.

You owe me another meal, and my snow...

Page by page, from the first word to the last.

Jiang Hanwen spent an hour reading Bai Youlan's diary.

From the day she left the bookstore, except for her Breakthrough, Xiao Yatou diligently wrote every single day.

After her Breakthrough to Qi Induction, the diary entries changed to her master urging her to Cultivate, and him not being by her side, either owing her meals, or tea, or matters of giving her handicaps in Go.

Two months later, the diary only contained mentions of him.

This diary, filled with a young girl's affections, with the words 'I' and 'Shopkeeper Jiang' almost monopolizing every beginning.

Bai Youlan's feelings were deeper than he had realized.

Jiang Hanwen leaned back in his chair, gazing at the sky.

Did he regret not leaving?

No, he didn't.

He just regretted discovering it too late, that he owed her a hug last night.

"Xiao Yatou, Cultivate well," Jiang Hanwen's murmur echoed in the courtyard.

Whether they would meet at the peak or part ways here depended not on him, but on Bai Youlan.

He picked up the last Jade Slip.