Qingshui Bay.
This was the closest cultivator settlement to the Qingzhu Mountain market town, under the jurisdiction of the Lihuo Palace.
It was also where Elder Lu resided.
Upon learning that Elder Lu was gravely ill, Lin Chang'an and Li Erniu immediately set off for Qingshui Bay.
"Brother Lin, we're almost there," Li Erniu said.
Riding their spirit beasts day and night, they managed to cover the 3,000-li journey in just three days.
These mounts were tamed spirit beasts. As a live-in son-in-law of the Beast-Taming Zhou family, it wasn't difficult for Li Erniu to borrow two of them from the clan. However, due to his status, he still had to report to the family before leaving the market town.
…
At dawn, under a dim, grey sky, the crisp sound of hooves echoed through the street.
"Brother Lin, we've arrived."
The two dismounted and looked toward the small market town of Qingshui Bay, nestled by the river's edge.
It was noticeably quieter than Qingzhu Mountain.
Before entering, they presented their identity jade plaques—also known as travel permits—and passed through the protective formation.
Familiar sights brought back memories. Twenty years ago, when they failed their entrance trial, it was Elder Lu who brought them here. After two months of instruction, he recommended them to Qingzhu Mountain's market.
Dust-covered from the journey, they soon arrived at Elder Lu's old residence.
"Elder Lu!"
The small courtyard, now adorned with white mourning cloth, was quiet and somber.
Entering and seeing the memorial tablet in the spirit hall, Lin Chang'an and Li Erniu couldn't hold back their tears.
They were still a step too late.
"Elder Lu… we came too late," Lin Chang'an said with a heavy heart.
Both men solemnly lit incense and knelt to pay their respects.
Twenty years had passed in a blink.
Elder Lu practiced the Longevity Art and passed peacefully at the age of 138—a rare full life in the cultivation world.
"Brother Lin, Brother Li," a voice called.
"Brother Shen!" they replied.
Seeing the visitor, Lin Chang'an and Li Erniu's eyes lit up as they stepped forward respectfully.
Shen Lie, once a young noble known as the "Little Marquis," showed no airs as he greeted them with nostalgic emotion.
"Elder Lu passed with a smile on his face," he said. "Princess Yun is also here—she's inside comforting Junior Sister Lu."
Lin Chang'an was stunned to hear this, and Li Erniu was even more surprised.
"I heard the princess is now an inner disciple of the Lihuo Palace—I didn't expect her to come."
Back then, there were four of them: Princess Yun Yao, Shen Lie the young marquis, Lin Chang'an the sword prodigy from the prince's manor, and Li Erniu, a peasant boy.
"Junior Sister Lu" referred to Elder Lu's granddaughter.
"I didn't expect Brother Lin and Brother Li to have already reached mid-stage Qi Refining," Shen Lie said, full of sincere admiration. Lin Chang'an, however, replied humbly, "We can't compare to you, Brother Shen."
Shen Lie was already at the fifth layer of Qi Refining.
Among the three, Lin Chang'an was the eldest, then Li Erniu, and Shen Lie the youngest. But in the cultivation world, strength determined seniority, so they respectfully called him Brother Shen.
"I only heard rumors that you two went to Qingzhu Mountain all those years ago. I didn't expect that the next time we'd meet would be twenty years later."
Back then, all three had low-grade spiritual roots and were rejected in the entrance trial. The difference was that Shen Lie had connections and access to cultivation resources that the other two couldn't dream of.
After all, mortal dynasties were backed by powerful sects.
As the three quietly caught up, the previously empty courtyard began to fill visibly.
Seeing this, Shen Lie gave them a subtle, disdainful smile and sent a voice transmission.
"These people claiming to be old classmates or past beneficiaries of Elder Lu's kindness… they're only here because they heard Princess Yun was coming."
"I see…" Lin Chang'an murmured in realization, recalling the delicate, doll-like girl who once pretended to be all grown up.
Yun Yao—now an inner disciple of Lihuo Palace.
She possessed a top-grade water spiritual root and was rumored to be one step away from a rare earth-grade root.
While she might not be considered a peerless genius in a great sect like Lihuo Palace, to bottom-tier cultivators like them, she was completely out of reach.
"May you rest in peace."
"Brother Shen, about Elder Lu…" said one cultivator as he entered, putting on a sorrowful face.
Some spoke genuinely of Elder Lu's kindness; others shamelessly claimed to be personally guided into the cultivation world by him.
They all claimed to be fellow disciples.
The disdain on Shen Lie's face had long disappeared, replaced by solemn sorrow and ease as he conversed with the crowd.
"Princess Yun is already at the ninth layer of Qi Refining and is preparing for the sect's internal tournament. There's a high chance she'll form her Foundation soon."
Hearing Shen Lie's voice transmission, both Lin Chang'an and Li Erniu felt a pang of envy.
They had entered the path of cultivation together, yet Yun Yao was already preparing for Foundation Establishment, while they had just broken through to mid-stage Qi Refining.
This was the difference in spiritual roots.
"The princess and Junior Sister Lu are coming out."
As the rear room opened, the murmuring crowd fell silent.
Lu Qingqing appeared in a simple white mourning dress, her demeanor gentle and sorrowful. But it was the figure beside her who drew all attention.
"Thank you all for coming to see Elder Lu off."
Her voice was cold and refined, yet carried an innate nobility.
Princess Yun Yao, dressed plainly but elegantly, had brows like mountain peaks and a serene, commanding presence. Her composed grief was palpable.
The delicate girl of the past had completely transformed.
Lin Chang'an couldn't help but feel nostalgic.
"Fairy Yun, you're too kind."
"Fellow Daoist Yun, many thanks."
The crowd addressed her with various titles—some as "Junior Sister Yun," others as "Fairy," or "Fellow Daoist."
Because of her youthful appearance and high cultivation level, none dared call her "Senior Sister." Most preferred the respectful yet somewhat distant terms of address.
Everyone wore somber expressions, but how much of it was real sorrow, and how much a performance, only they knew.
Under the direction of Yun Yao, an inner disciple at the late stage of Qi Refining, what would have been a quiet funeral became a lively gathering.
It reminded Lin Chang'an once again of the harsh realities of the cultivation world.
Only after the burial did the place return to its usual quiet state.
Knowing their place, Lin Chang'an and Li Erniu remained inconspicuous, and after the funeral, they prepared to leave—only to be stopped by Shen Lie.
"Brother Lin, Brother Erniu, the princess invites you to the Juxian Tower."
"A gathering?" Lin Chang'an was taken aback, and Erniu seemed at a loss.
He had always been the one with the lowest status. Now, facing someone on the cusp of Foundation Establishment, the gap in status had only widened.
"It's just a classmate reunion," Shen Lie explained with a warm smile.
"The princess may seem cold, but she's actually very kind. Back then, we agreed to reunite every five years. But you two were far away at Qingzhu Mountain, I was always traveling with royal cultivators, and Yun Yao was busy within the sect. It's rare for us to all be in the same place."
As Shen Lie spoke, Lin Chang'an's mind drifted to memories of their early days—of the four young cultivators from different walks of life making a vow to reunite every five years after failing the entrance trial.
But later, life on the path of cultivation took them in different directions, with only occasional letters exchanged.
The reunion had become nothing more than a youthful promise.
In the cultivation world, people are often powerless against fate—especially when separated by distance and destiny.