Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 529 - 498 Old Friend

Among the crowd.

Lu Qingfeng suddenly spotted someone.

It was an old woman, holding a sword-cane, standing straight, but her hair was white, her face aged, and patches on her face could not be concealed.

Cultivators usually preserve their youthful appearance.

Such agedness in this old woman, if not intentional, must mean that her lifespan is about to end, losing life too swiftly to maintain her appearance, leading her to continually age.

She might have a few decades left to live.

Just like the Supreme Elder Yue Lingxi Lu Qingfeng once saw in the Luoxia Sect.

Upon closer inspection.

This old woman slightly resembled the Elder Yue Lingxi he remebered.

"Senior Sister."

Lu Qingfeng watched quietly, feeling increasingly saddened.

After the ascension ceremony ended.

He saw the old woman leave with a group of Xuanyuan Sect cultivators. Once they left Xuanyuan Peak, they each took boats. The old woman headed toward Silver Frost Peak.

Silver Frost Peak.

With Silver Frost Trees growing, exhibiting a brimming Immortal Energy.

The old woman walked directly to a mountain outside Silver Frost Peak. Disliking the hustle, she specifically cleared a cave dwelling near enough yet not too far from Silver Frost Peak for cultivation.

The mountain was unnamed.

The old woman named it Upper Sun Mountain.

Returning to Upper Sun Mountain.

She saw two people awaiting her arrival.

One was an old man dressed in the robes of an elder in charge of affairs at Silver Frost Peak, and the other was a young female cultivator with a graceful face and figure. Upon witnessing the old woman return, the young female cultivator’s eyes lit up, but the Yellow Robed Elder stepped forward and said, "Disciple Zhou Ming has been waiting for Senior Sister Yue for a long time."

The old woman looked at the Yellow Robed Elder.

Earlier in her life, she was betrayed by a close friend, which made it difficult for her to trust others again. Only with help from a friend who rose from shared hardships and entered the Xuanyuan Sect did she continue to be solitary.

But she recognized this Yellow Robed Elder.

It was Zhou Ming, the elder who was in charge of distributing cave dwellings and mountain territories within Silver Frost Peak. Holding power that was neither large nor small but significant because of controlling the distribution, he did have a significant influence among the disciples.

The old woman’s gaze shifted to the young female cultivator. Seeing her Essence Qi growing yet somewhat unstable, she must have recently advanced into Spirit Void, causing her True Yuan to surge incessantly.

With suc...

She nodded slightly to Zhou, saying softly, "Elder Zhou, for what matter have you come here?"

Zhou Ming chuckled, pointing to the young female cultivator near him and speaking amiably, "This is Han Shuang, who recently advanced into Spirit Void. In the future, she is likely to contest for a True Inheritor position within our Silver Frost Peak. However, unfortunately, all the good cave dwellings are occupied by True Inheritors and older Spirit Voids, so we could not delay her cultivation development due to this. Thus, I shamelessly came to ask Senior Sister if we could use a part of Upper Sun Mountain to establish a cave dwelling for Han Shuang to cultivate comfortably."

Indeed.

The old woman thought to herself.

Seeing Zhou Ming’s amicable attitude, the old woman shook her head and said, "The cultivation of the younger generation is indeed pressing. I, a person close to death, yearn for my homeland. I had plans to leave early and stroll around Juyun Mountain Range. Upper Sun Mountain, managed by me for hundreds of years, is indeed a good spot for cultivation; it would be a pity to let it lie idle, so Elder Zhou, manage it as you see fit."

With those words.

She walked into her cave dwelling.

Soon after, as if she had packed up, she gestured with her hand, removing the Array Flags inside and outside the cave dwelling. She then turned to Zhou Ming and the young female cultivator, nodded slightly, and staggered away.

"Senior Sister Yue."

Watching the old woman leave, her figure lonely and facing ashamed, Zhou Ming hurriedly followed and asked, "Senior Sister Yue, what is this about?"

The old woman looked up, just silently watching Zhou Ming who blocked her path.

Looking at her slightly murky eyes, Zhou Ming felt increasingly ashamed, and repeatedly said, "Senior Sister Yue, forgive me. Indeed, the disciple acted rashly, but thought having a disciple at Upper Sun Mountain to establish a cave dwelling could keep you company."

As he spoke.

Zhou Ming bowed continuously in apology, saying, "Since Senior Sister prefers solitude, I understand now. I will definitely not arrange any junior disciples at Upper Sun Mountain in the future."

After finishing his words, Zhou Ming left with the young cultivator at a brisk pace.

...

After leaving Upper Sun Mountain.

Han Shuang frowned, puzzled, "Isn’t the owner of Upper Sun Mountain always alone? She had to pull strings to enter back in the days, and now as her life dwindles, why does my grand uncle fear her so much?"

She indeed couldn’t understand.

Upper Sun Mountain had been managed for hundreds of years and was a better cultivation spot than many cave dwellings on the main peak of Silver Frost. She had set her sight on it early and knew that the owner of Upper Sun Mountain was a marginal figure in both Silver Frost Peak and Xuanyuan Sect, so she asked her grand uncle to seek acquisition.

After ten or several decades, when the old woman passes away, Upper Sun Mountain would be hers alone.

Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

However, she didn’t understand why, even though the old woman clearly let go of Upper Sun Mountain, her grand uncle still apologized and left.

"Senior Sister Yue is indeed a marginal figure, without power or influence, no disciples, no close senior brothers or sisters, all by herself."

"But she once charged forward for the sect and sacrificed a lot."

"And she’s approaching the end of her life."

"If Senior Sister Yue agreed, letting you establish a cave dwelling on Upper Sun Mountain would’ve been fine. But clearly, she prefers solitude and would rather leave Upper Sun Mountain to return to Juyun Mountain Range."

"The long journey, facing the end without a home, how could I be at peace with that?"

Zhou Ming turned back to look at Upper Sun Mountain, unable to help but heave a long sigh, "Not achieving True Man status, one can only live for eight to nine hundred years at best. I’m afraid I’ll also inevitably face the same situation in the future."

Unwilling to see that happen.

If he were in her shoes.

If one day, when old and frail, he were displaced from his cave dwelling, it would be difficult for him to remain detached.

Shaking his head, seeing Han Shuang seem incomprehensible, he said earnestly, "You’ve just advanced into Spirit Void, feeling high-spirited and proud; it’s natural not to understand. Go into seclusion for three years, ponder well. After understanding, then venture out to gain experience, to avoid causing trouble."

"Three years of seclusion?"

Han Shuang felt like disagreeing, but seeing her grand uncle’s determined expression, she dared not speak out, only nodding silently in agreement, "Yes!"

...

On Upper Sun Mountain.

The old woman watched Zhou Ming and Han Shuang leave the mountain, sneered at herself, then turned back to look at the mountain cave dwelling, shaking her head, "No regrets left here, might as well return!"

Muttering softly, she did not re-enter her cave dwelling but continued walking down the mountain.

At that moment—

"Senior Sister once established Miao Yin City in Upper Sun Country, so dominating."

"Today these two have bullied their way here; they’re shameless, why leave them any face?"

A familiar voice came to her ears, causing the old woman to stand still on the spot, immediately her face bursting into a smile.

...

Upper Sun Mountain Cave Mansion.

Lu Qingfeng and Yue Miaoyin sat opposite each other.

Looking at the wrinkles, dark spots on her face, pale hair, and emaciated figure, it seemed much of her vitality had faded, which made his heart filled with both melancholy and sighs.

Initially, in Miao Yin City of Upper Sun Country, the three siblings relied heavily on Yue Miaoyin’s protection. It was also with Yue Miaoyin’s help that Lu Qingfeng could be informed about the Cultivation World, and fortunately settle in Luoxia Sect upon entering the cultivation realm.

Years passed.

Now, even Qingyu and Qing Peak have already become Jiedan True Men.

Yet Yue Miaoyin was still struggling in Spirit Void, her life span nearly exhausted, and now she was almost having her cave mansion usurped by the juniors.

Truly pitiful and lamentable.

Indeed, if those two had been shameless enough to actually force Yue Miaoyin away and occupy Upper Sun Mountain, Lu Qingfeng wouldn’t have minded taking severe measures to cripple them.

However, it turned out that Zhou Ming was wise to amend his ways in time.

Unaware that he had narrowly escaped a disaster.

"I find it dull to stay here, I had already intended to leave. While I still have a few years left, I want to go back to Juyun Mountain Range, back to Upper Sun Country."

"Old Elder Zhou’s arrival was just coincidental. If he had arrived a few days later, it would have been an empty Upper Sun Mountain."

Yue Miaoyin smiled, delighted to see an old friend. Seeing Lu Qingfeng defending her made her feel even warmer.

Time is the most ruthless.

Seeing Yue Miaoyin, not only had her appearance aged and become old, even her mindset had changed significantly. The sharpness of the past had faded with the passing of life. Everything seemed petty, seemingly seeing through it all, but truly just feeling that when life is about to end, all external matters seem futile.

"Sister sees it clearly."

Lu Qingfeng did not point it out explicitly, just vocalizing his thoughts.

Yue Miaoyin’s face was full of smiles, the older and closer to death she got, the more she reminisced about the past. Most of her life was spent cultivating in Xuanyuan Sect, and in her travels exterminating demons.

But the years in Upper Sun Country left the deepest memories.

In Crying Swamp for seven years, she felt most relaxed and joyful.

Even when her life was about to end, her thoughts were on crossing Crying Swamp, returning to Upper Sun Country.

"Eight hundred years apart, I wonder how Upper Sun Country is now."

Yue Miaoyin murmured.

Without asking Lu Qingfeng’s purpose or whereabouts in these years, she simply indulged in casual conversation. Recollecting the past, sharing about herself, or asking about Qingyu and Qing Peak.

Hearing that both had ascended to True Men, she was genuinely elated and joyous from heart. Hearing that Qing Peak had founded a family and had a child, she immediately smiled.

She told Lu Qingfeng, in Upper Sun Country and in Crying Swamp, Qing Peak had first fallen in love, often secretly watching her, somewhat harboring feelings.

Lu Qingfeng, always immersed in the "Primordial", hadn’t noticed any hints.

But Yue Miaoyin was perceptive.

Yet she kept it hidden.

Just intentionally distancing herself. Over time, the young man’s feelings naturally faded.

Now bringing it up.

Yue Miaoyin simply found it amusing.

When she first met the three siblings, Qing Peak was just a novice in cultivation, while she was the City Lord of Miao Yin City, almost reaching Foundation Establishment, renowned across all Upper Sun Country.

Now Qing Peak had started a family, even achieved True Man. And she was approaching the end of her age, trapped in Spirit Void, destined to die alone.

Life is unpredictable.

Full of changes.

Just like that.

Separation and death, ultimately, are inseparable from sorrow.

Yue Miaoyin, lonely for so long, cherished this rare meeting with an old friend, and couldn’t stop talking. Lu Qingfeng listened quietly, also enjoying this rare tranquility. Occasionally making interjections. When reaching amusing parts, both burst into laughter.

Laughter carried out from the cave mansion.

But the more they laughed, the more sorrow became apparent.

After a long while.

Yue Miaoyin seemed to have poured out all her heart, relaxed completely, the smile finally fading from her face, sorrow climbing over her eyebrows. Lowering her head, she said softly, "In this world, there is much reluctance. The path of cultivation has just begun, yet it’s coming to an end."

As she spoke.

She then raised her head to look at Lu Qingfeng, bitterly smiling, "Sometimes I really envy junior brother. I know junior brother’s cultivation is not easy either, but every time I see junior brother, he has made a breakthrough. Yet, I remain forever stuck. Throughout my life, I barely stepped into the Spirit Void Fusion Realm."

"In my heart, there remains discontent, resenting heaven for its unfairness!"

This is the inner voice of every cultivator whose lifespan is ending.

Some hide it, showing magnanimity.

Others become extreme due to this, unpredictable in their happiness and anger.

Yue Miaoyin, seeing Lu Qingfeng, both coming from Upper Sun Country, felt he was the only person in the world worthy of her true confessions. In front of this enigmatic junior brother, there was no need for any cover.

"Yes."

"Heaven is indeed unfair."

Lu Qingfeng thought about himself.

He had "Primordial," therefore his cultivation in reality was smooth and rapid, progressing swiftly. But like Gu Bu Yan and Yue Miaoyin, unable to breakthrough, dwindling in old age.

Has heaven ever been fair?

However.

He still belonged to the favored ones.

But fate is determined by heaven, yet it also depends on personal effort.

Postnatal efforts are also indispensable.

Yue Miaoyin’s efforts were sufficient.

Now, only a bit of opportunity was lacking.

"Opportunity."

Lu Qingfeng looked at Yue Miaoyin, a slight smile edging his mouth, suddenly pointing a finger, landing right on Yue Miaoyin’s forehead.

"Junior brother—"

Yue Miaoyin was stunned, unflinching, confusion in her eyes.

"Don’t panic, sister."

"Stay calm and collected."

As Lu Qingfeng’s voice floated past her ears, then suddenly, endless spirit light burst forth in her mind, thousands of mysteries unveiling.

Boom!

She was unconsciously immersed into it.

...