"And the fisherman was deprived of his right to sail, left only to nightly play the melody he composed with the Saintess by the shores of Jade Ring Lake, yearning for his lover’s return until he withered away. That night, the Saintess could no longer hear the enchanting melody; she flew to the lake’s heart and left behind a dance based on the melody, encompassing all the joys and sorrows, and then fell into the lake, bidding a final farewell to the mortal world."

The young girl recounted the story gently, without a hint of sadness in her tone, yet the surrounding maids were moved to tears.

Though the story is not novel, the genuine feelings endure, prompting You Su to express:

"Though it’s merely a lake that separates them, it resembles an insurmountable chasm, keeping two lovers apart for eternity. Truly worthy of song and lament."

If it were merely a lake, it would be easy to cross, but Jade Ring Lake symbolizes the unbridgeable gap between the divine and the mortal. Thus, in the present world, it’s rare for immortals and mortals to fall in love. Black-haired people send off white-haired people, which brings regret as well as relief to the white-haired ones, yet leaves the black-haired ones falling into a lifetime of emptiness and torment.

"Mr. You speaks well; as a beginner in dance, you have perfectly portrayed the fisherman’s panic and helplessness at the time of separation. If you were a dance master, you might not capture this divine aura, so I said Mr. You danced well."

The young girl raised her wine glass, filled with fragrant floral brew, and spoke:

"I’ve talked at length without introducing myself; Mr. You, please don’t mind. My name is Yudie, and I am the lotus Saintess of this generation at Jade Ring Pool. Yudie punishes herself with a drink, apologizing to Mr. You."

Having said that, she lifted her head and drank the wine in her glass in one go.

She seemed to drink too hastily, choking on the wine, and coughed softly, causing her ample chest to rise and fall with her breaths. After she finished drinking, her face blossomed into rosy allure.

Despite being blind, You Su discreetly turned his head away and also raised his wine glass, saying:

"You Su didn’t realize Yudie’s status as a Saintess, and it was a fault of mine to dance with you so rashly. You Su shall punish himself with a drink too."

You Su similarly drank the floral brew in one gulp, and as the wine reached his throat, its fragrance immediately filled his chest, warming his abdomen like burning embers. He realized this was no ordinary drink but one that could intoxicate even immortals.

How can this Saintess Yudie, devoid of cultivation, drink such Immortal Brew?

"Mr. You indeed lives up to how he’s described in books, a young gentleman as elegant as pine and moon," Yudie glanced at You Su with gentle praise.

"Saintess, you flatter me too much. Wild books are not to be trusted; they’re mere fabricated tales."

"Does the Divine Mountain Gazette count as a wild book to Mr. You? The Divine Mountain Gazette is produced by the Pear Pavilion at the Immortal Ancestor Pagoda, tasked with collecting intelligence. It’s the largest circulation and most authoritative publication in Divine Mountain, published every seven days, documenting everything within Divine Mountain during this period. Mr. You was prominently featured on the cover of its latest issue, showcasing your brilliance." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Yudie smiled broadly and continued, "Since my birth, I’ve grown up by Jade Ring Pool, never encountering outsiders. This gazette is my important channel for knowing those outside the pool. I could hardly put it down with each issue. To see the living person from the book in reality, I couldn’t help but invite Mr. You to dance with me, and I hope you don’t mind."

No wonder the Saintess is so warm; she feels a connection through familiarity.

You Su modestly replied:

"Saintess worries too much; you are also a legendary figure to me, and it’s a fortune to meet you today."

"Mr. You can’t even lie properly. Jade Ring Pool isolates itself from the world, and its fame has diminished significantly. How could I, a Saintess without cultivation, have any legend outside?"

You Su was slightly astonished, more curious. Aren’t all Saintesses of exceptional talent, seen as pillars of Jade Ring Pool? How come Yudie is a mortal?

"Enough of this talk," Yudie filled her glass again, smiling graciously, "Mr. You has traveled a great distance, and the three Patriarchs intended to welcome you personally, but unfortunately, they’re all tied up with important matters. Hence, they specifically instructed me to host Mr. You properly, so I’ve arranged a feast in this small palace by the pool and hope Mr. You enjoys it. To show my sincerity, I toast to Mr. You."

Saying this, she raised her jade wine glass again.

You Su hesitated a little; mortals drinking Immortal Brew could easily end up in an eternal drunken stupor.

Seeing his hesitance, Yudie’s expression grew somewhat forlorn, she said, "The Gazette says Mr. You was born unable to see, yet you never refer to yourself as blind, instead you take on the identity of an ordinary person. Some people don’t understand Mr. You’s behavior, but I can empathize with it. Among the cultivators, isn’t Yudie, a mortal, inherently flawed? Everyone is exceptionally caring to me, but Yudie also wishes for others to see me ordinarily. I once hoped Mr. You would empathize with me, and never regarded you as blind, yet I find you no different from others..."

Her voice choked slightly as she trailed off.

You Su felt a jolt in his heart, realizing he might be the ’kind-hearted person’ who presumptuously labeled others as weaker.

He raised his glass and declared loudly:

"What the Saintess said is very true; a kindred spirit is hard to find. I toast to the Saintess instead."

Upon hearing this, Yudie smiled brightly, like spring snow melting. She eagerly raised her glass again to toast with You Su from afar, then decisively drank it all. Despite her discomfort with the liquor, she couldn’t help but cough softly after it.

You Su swallowed down the floral wine and reminded, "The Immortal Brew is strong; the Saintess would do well to drink slower."

Yudie wiped away the droplets at the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, her complexion reddening apologetically, "Mr. You was right; it was presumptuous of Yudie. Although the wine is good, we shouldn’t neglect these delicacies. Yo Meng, Yo Long, come slice the fish for Mr. You."