A patch of cloud drifted slowly through the Hidden Dragon Mountains. Two graceful figures stood atop it; a soft breeze brushed past, stirring their hair. The woman at the front looked calm and at ease, seemingly enjoying the breeze. The woman behind her, however, kept brushing back her hair. Though her face appeared composed, the unease in her eyes could not be hidden.

"Ah Xiu, I can tell you're nervous." The soft voice belonged to the Daoist nun at the front.

The other woman gave a bitter smile. After all, who could truly remain calm when returning to a place they once called home? "Master... do you really have to go this far?"

Sovereign Thatched Mountain said evenly, "Since you've made up your mind to become my disciple, you should've severed those ties long ago. Fame, attachment, family... all of it should have been left behind. But you never truly let go."

Wen Xiu was talented to begin with, and she had a real possibility of reaching the Golden Core Realm. After switching to the cultivation technique Sovereign Thatched Mountain bestowed upon her, her progress should have been fast. Yet after all these years, she remained stuck at the sixth stage of Foundation Establishment. At first, Sovereign Thatched Mountain assumed it was merely a temporary bottleneck. It was not until Zhang Jingqing came looking for her that she finally understood the reason.

Wen Xiu lowered her eyes and muttered, "But how can blood ties really be cut so easily? Little Qing is my daughter... I sacrificed my own blood essence for her. How am I supposed to just cut her off? And Master... back then, weren't you all the same?"

Sovereign Thatched Mountain frowned slightly. Back then, she truly had failed to cut those ties herself. Only after her loved ones passed away, and with time slowly erasing those attachments, had she gradually let things go. Being called out by her disciple now was undeniably awkward. Yet she did not grow angry. Instead, she let out a sigh. "Precisely because I've been through it myself, I know how much easier the Forgetfulness Scripture becomes once you truly let go."

Wen Xiu looked lost and uncertain.

Sovereign Thatched Mountain explained calmly, "Ordinary cultivators place too much emphasis on resources. Our Daoist lineage is different; we cultivate the heart first. Progress may seem slower at first, but once you are in the right state, you will advance easily, naturally, and far faster than others. More importantly, as the scripture says, the true wonders of this technique only begin to reveal themselves after reaching the Nascent Soul Realm."

Is that really true? Wen Xiu felt uneasy. She had heard a thing or two about the Daoist sects before, but they did not absolutely prohibit marriage and family ties. Was it just that they came from a different line?

Sovereign Thatched Mountain glanced at the confused woman beside her and shook her head lightly. "This trip isn't just for you to settle things with the Zhang family. I also want to visit an old friend. We'll make a stop at Surging Island first before we go to Lotus Picking Island."

"Mm."

As they spoke, the cloud crossed countless mountains before finally descending beside a vast mist-covered lake. The moment the cloud landed, guards from the Tempest Pavilion hurried forward to receive them. Sovereign Thatched Mountain's spirit pressure radiated openly, revealing her cultivation at once, and they immediately became extremely respectful. One of them spoke up, "Senior, may I ask if you're here to visit the lord of Surging Lake or the Zhang family of Lotus Picking Island... Eh? Madam?"

As the guard spoke, his gaze instinctively fell upon Wen Xiu, and the title slipped out before he could stop himself. Sovereign Thatched Mountain lightly flicked her sleeve. "Ah Xiu, you handle this."

"Alright."

Wen Xiu stepped forward to speak with the guard. She recognized his face. She had once lived in Surging Lake for many years and was thoroughly familiar with the rules here. After explaining that Sovereign Thatched Mountain had come at the invitation of Azure Yang, the guard immediately opened the way for them. After both women boarded a boat bound for Surging Island, the man hesitated, with a conflicted expression on his face, before ultimately heading toward Lotus Picking Island.

On the small boat, Sovereign Thatched Mountain calmly observed everything happening behind them through her divine consciousness. She then sent a voice transmission to Wen Xiu. "See? That's simply how people are. Back when you managed them, you treated them generously and showed them plenty of favor. Even after leaving, you never wronged them in any way. And yet now, the moment you returned, those very same people still chose to secretly report it to others. Barely a second of hesitation. Nothing cools faster than human relationships. Family and love run deeper, but even those rarely withstand true trials. Cutting them off early is the wiser path."

The woman behind her bit her lip, with pain flashing in her eyes, as if she could not believe the truth. Or maybe she had known these things long ago. It was just that, in the past, she had chosen to yield. When yielding no longer worked, she chose to flee instead, eventually taking Sovereign Thatched Mountain as her master under the banner of pursuing the Great Dao. But no matter what she did, she had only ever been avoiding the root of the problem.

Sovereign Thatched Mountain had long seen through her thoughts. That was why she brought her back, forcing her to face everything directly. If Wen Xiu still could not let go, then she would not keep this disciple by her side.

At some point, a welcoming voice drifted into Wen Xiu's ears. "Fellow Daoist, this way, please!"

"Azure Yang, you're too courteous. There was no need to come out personally to welcome a humble Daoist."

"Haha, it's only a few steps. Hardly worth calling a formal reception. Come, this way. I heard you enjoy scenic views. We happen to have a mountain here with a pavilion overlooking the lake. The scenery there is quite good; we can admire the view while we talk."

"Then I shall follow your lead." Sovereign Thatched Mountain nodded lightly before turning to Wen Xiu. "Ah Xiu, wait here for a while."

Wen Xiu acknowledged. The two left, and she stood alone on the edge of Surging Island, gazing into the distance. Her expression changed from time to time, as if she was struggling with conflicting thoughts.

***

Roughly half a day later, Luo Chen and Sovereign Thatched Mountain returned together. Both wore smiles, which suggested their discussion had gone smoothly. After landing beside Wen Xiu, Sovereign Thatched Mountain turned to Luo Chen with a faint smile. "You can decide the departure time. I'll prepare the necessary talismans beforehand, so it won't delay your plans."

Luo Chen smiled and nodded. "There's no rush. We still have some time. I also plan to invite another person to join us."

Sovereign Thatched Mountain was somewhat surprised. Even with Sang Jiugong involved, he still wants someone else as well? He really is determined to take Purple Spirit Island. Still... having more people along should make things safer. After all, we'll be venturing deep into the Demon Sea.

"In that case, I shan't trouble you any further." Sovereign Thatched Mountain gave a slight bow and prepared to leave with Wen Xiu.

But Luo Chen suddenly spoke up. "Do you want me to act as an intermediary?"

Sovereign Thatched Mountain hesitated briefly before agreeing. The Zhang family itself was insignificant, but behind them stood the Zhou family of Coral Sea, a Nascent Soul force. As a middle-stage Adept, she could not truly pressure them, even if she had no intention of using force. Luo Chen, however, was different. He was an honored guest of the Zhou family and also the Zhang family's actual superior. If he stepped in, everyone would have to give him some face.

But in the end, everything still depended on Wen Xiu's own decision.

Ah Xiu, have you made up your mind?

***

Luo Chen looked across the island overflowing with spirit energy, and his brows lifted slightly. He remembered clearly that this small island had once possessed only a low-grade second-tier spirit vein. Yet now, through his Spirit Eyes, he could tell that the spirit energy had reached mid-grade second tier, and was even approaching the top grade. And strangely enough, this additional spirit energy was not entirely drawn from the main vein of Surging Lake. He then looked toward the increasingly sparse lotus leaves and flowers, as well as the fields of Jade Green Coral spread across the lakebed below. His gaze grew thoughtful.

Back then, Heavenjade only mentioned that the Zhang family had grown more prosperous after Zhou Shanshan married into it. I thought it was just a matter of increased wealth and a larger family. But looking at it now... the changes go far beyond that.

Meanwhile, Wen Xiu felt her heart tighten more and more. The once boundless green of the lotus leaves stretching to the horizon had become a desolate scene of withered lotus roots and ruined leaves under the chill of autumn. Things had truly changed beyond recognition. Yet for some reason, that suffocating feeling in her chest eased slightly as well. The people had changed, and so had the place she once called home. So what was the point of her holding on to it alone?

Perhaps news of Wen Xiu's return had already spread, or perhaps it was simply because Luo Chen and Sovereign Thatched Mountain made no effort to conceal their presence, but by the time they arrived at Lotus Picking Island, a large crowd had already gathered at the family's jade plaza in the center of the island.

As Luo Chen descended, the cultivators of the Zhang family, led by Zhang Jiadi and Zhou Shanshan, all bowed deeply in unison. "Greetings, Adept Azure Yang!"

The voices of over a hundred cultivators rang out together like crashing waves. Luo Chen had long grown accustomed to such scenes and paid them little heed. He casually waved his hand. "This is your family matter. I am only here to act as a mediator. Let's settle things peacefully."

With that, he strode directly toward the Zhang family's main courtyard, carrying himself with the ease of someone entirely at home. Behind him, Zhang Jiadi looked at Wen Xiu with undisguised affection, while Wen Xiu kept her eyes forward without sparing him a glance. Meanwhile, Zhou Shanshan pressed her lips tightly together as she stared at Wen Xiu, as though afraid someone would snatch away what belonged to her.

Now that Wen Xiu had gradually come to terms with things, she instead felt strangely calm. She followed behind Sovereign Thatched Mountain into the courtyard. Zhang Jiadi dismissed the gathered cultivators, bringing only Zhou Shanshan with him inside.

***

Luo Chen watched the entire affair from beginning to end, treating it almost like a show. In the end, it boiled down to Wen Xiu demanding a formal separation from Zhang Jiadi while taking the portion of property that rightfully belonged to her. Naturally, Zhang Jiadi resisted. But his resistance had nothing to do with wealth and everything to do with their relationships. He even resorted to accusations like "you're abandoning your husband and daughter" and "how heartless you are."

The more Wen Xiu listened, the more disgusted she felt. How had she ever fallen for a man like this? Her resolve to separate only grew firmer. In the end, his pleading failed, and he finally agreed to sign the separation document under the witness of the two Adepts.

Zhou Shanshan was unwilling as well. The wealth Wen Xiu intended to take away was no small amount. Though it would not seriously shake the Zhang family's foundation, in her eyes, it still belonged to them. Yet with Azure Yang present, she dared not make a scene. Normally, she could remain calm before other Adepts, including the stern Heavenjade and indeed Sovereign Thatched Mountain, but Azure Yang was different. Even the Zhou family's Grand Elder held him in high regard, personally sending him an invitation for his eight-hundredth birthday celebration.

Once the separation document was signed and the corresponding spirit stones were handed over to Wen Xiu, all ties between her and the Zhang family were finally severed.

By then, the night had grown deep, and mist hung heavily in the air. Sovereign Thatched Mountain declined Zhang Jiadi's attempts to make them stay and prepared to leave with Wen Xiu. Yet just as they stepped out of the courtyard, they suddenly stopped. Beneath the moonlight stood a graceful little girl, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Mom... are you abandoning me too?"

***

"Is this how Daoists pursue cultivation?"

"Not quite. Other orthodox Daoist lineages aren't nearly this restrictive. It's just that our lineage is somewhat... special."

Luo Chen raised a brow. "Doesn't that put a little too much emphasis on formality?"

"Wen Xiu's cultivation hasn't reached that stage yet, so she can't simply ignore such things. Whether you call it ritual or deliberate intent, at the very least, it leaves her with no way back."

"Haha... You really are a dedicated master."

"You give me too much credit, Fellow Daoist."

Beneath the moonlight, a man and a woman stood side by side atop a drifting white cloud, chatting idly as they looked toward the mother and daughter embracing each other somewhere in the distance. After a while, Sovereign Thatched Mountain spoke again. "In the end, we're all walking toward the same destination by different paths. Those who pursue the Great Dao are destined to walk alone. Azure Yang... a thousand years from now, how many people do you think will still be beside you?"

The smile on Luo Chen's face gradually faded. Qi Refinement cultivators lived around a hundred years, and even the long-lived among them rarely surpassed one hundred and twenty-five. Initiates doubled that lifespan, yet even those skilled in life preservation techniques could not break through the limit of three hundred years. As for Adepts like them, reaching the end of their lives at four or five hundred years old was entirely normal. To ordinary people, such a long lifespan was already unimaginable.

Yet for those who sought the Great Dao, time still felt far too short. Along the climb toward the peak, people were bound to fall behind one after another. Even if a partner could walk beside someone for a time, when this walk stretched across centuries, one would ultimately be left alone. If a cultivator remained trapped in memories of the past and attached to old companions, those attachments would eventually hinder their cultivation and cause them to fall behind as well. Only by learning to endure loneliness could one continue moving forward.

What Sovereign Thatched Mountain was doing now was merely helping Wen Xiu take that step earlier. But what about Luo Chen himself?

Luo Chen pressed his lips together, a trace of confusion clouding his eyes. By the time he came back to himself, Sovereign Thatched Mountain had already departed with Wen Xiu.

Zhang Jingqing, now grown into a graceful young woman, stood at the edge of the island in a daze. Only when the moon climbed high overhead did she finally leap into the lake, disappearing into the depths like a fish slipping back into water.

***

"Heavenjade, do you know how old you are now?"

While waiting for the medicinal properties of the spirit pills to settle, Luo Chen casually opened up a completely new conversation. Heavenjade, who was controlling the flames with the Snow-Blowing Fan, looked slightly surprised before answering, "I should be a little over three hundred."

Luo Chen blinked in surprise. "That young?"

Heavenjade smiled faintly. "That's not young at all. People always say demonic beasts are naturally long-lived, but that really depends on the race. My own clan is considered rather short-lived. As far as I know, a Heavenjade Battle Gull King usually lives two thousand years at the very most."

Luo Chen shook his head. "That's still very long by our standards. Your lifespan is comparable to a human Sage's."

After that, he began asking about her family and old friends. Heavenjade seemed somewhat at a loss when the topic came up. Her clan was far too aggressive by nature, making communal living nearly impossible. Once they reached the second tier, they would leave the flock and live on their own. Because of that, concepts like family and friendship held little meaning for her. In the end, she merely let out a soft sigh. "If I hadn't met you, I probably would have either died to another demonic beast... or muddled my way through cultivation until I somehow reached the fourth tier."

Luo Chen could not help asking, "Have you never thought about what it means to live?"

"The meaning?" Heavenjade froze for a moment before looking back at him in confusion. "Isn't living simply to continue living?"

Luo Chen was momentarily stunned. At that exact moment, a strange sound suddenly rang out from within the cauldron. He immediately sent a strand of mana into it, and a streak of light burst forth like a flowing galaxy. The refinement of the modified fourth-tier Poison-Repelling Pill had finally succeeded!

He held the pill in his hand and reflected on Heavenjade's words. Slowly, a faint smile appeared on his lips. If the meaning of living was simply to continue living, then was not the purpose of cultivation itself immortality? What exactly had he been troubling himself over all this time? Had that not always been his original goal?

As for his relationships and loneliness, why dwell on them as long as they did not hinder his cultivation? Time would settle everything eventually. For now, all he needed to do was walk his path steadily, one step at a time.

He suddenly asked, "Did you get the news about Duan Li I asked you to look into earlier?"

Heavenjade rose to her feet. "He should've already finished his mission and returned to the division to report in by now."

"The division?" Luo Chen nodded slightly. With a flick of his sleeve, he strode out of the hall. "It's time for repay, sir."