Chapter 37: A Breakthrough and a Birthday

Only after Zhou Yan had departed did Lian Yueying produce a wine cup, offering a solemn tribute to Huang Qi. Afterward, she meticulously wiped the already pristine tombstone, plucked a few stray weeds, and with a final, respectful bow, took her leave.

The ‘Talisman Fanatic’s Handbook’ had proven to be a revelation for Lian Yueying, its myriad profundities encompassing knowledge she already possessed, insights entirely new to her, and even some perspectives that diverged from Huang Qi’s own, yet still offered valuable avenues of thought. Such a wealth of wisdom could not be assimilated in a mere blink of an eye.

[If only I could converse freely with this senior; at the very least, my path would not feel so solitary.]

The path of talismans, indeed, the entire immortal journey, was shrouded in an intricate obscurity, akin to navigating a lightless forest with only a flickering, dim lamp to guide one’s steps. Yet, while some paths were illuminated by the wisdom of predecessors, forming a continuous chain of guiding lights, the talisman path was uniquely solitary. The very lamp one held differed from all others, and without a precise understanding of its use, one might quickly abandon it, either veering towards a more conventional, well-trodden route, or becoming utterly lost in the encroaching darkness.

There was a time when Lian Yueying believed she hadn’t truly embarked upon the foundational step of immortal cultivation, viewing her time spent on the talisman path as a mere transitional phase, a diversion whose potential waste she wouldn’t mourn. Now, however, she was utterly convinced that a deep immersion in talismanic arts could indeed offer substantial aid along the boundless journey of immortality.

This assistance, she knew, was primarily in the realm of combat.

****

Following this, her days were a dedicated cycle of cultivating qi for body refinement, diligently transcribing texts in the library, intensely researching talismans, and cultivating with the aid of pill formations. Before she realized it, half a year had swiftly passed.

Lian Yueying sensed an impending breakthrough, prompting her to spend an entire day secluded at home, focused solely on internal breathing exercises. Fortunately, during her last descent from the mountain, she had a premonition and procured a sufficient supply of elixirs.

With each rhythmic breath, her Sea of Qi expanded considerably, marking a smooth and natural progression from the seventh to the eighth layer. This sensation, more than any mere advancement in cultivation, filled Lian Yueying with profound joy.

As previously established, each layer beyond the seventh demanded a cumulative total of all preceding spiritual energy, rendering cultivation agonizingly slow and breakthroughs as arduous as the leap from the sixth to the seventh. That this breakthrough proved so remarkably simple now signified the solidity of Lian Yueying’s foundation and the unequivocally profound effects of her body tempering.

Before the elixir’s effects could wane, Lian Yueying suppressed the burgeoning joy within her, resuming her breathing exercises to consolidate her newfound realm.

The pain inflicted by the elixirs remained as intense as ever; however, Lian Yueying had grown accustomed to this sensation. At times, during her hazy cultivation, she would even awaken with a jolt, not from the pain, but from its absence, as if the lack of that familiar ache left her feeling strangely unsettled.

Approximately an hour later, as the elixir’s effects finally dissipated, Lian Yueying rose to stretch her limbs, humming a light, carefree tune. Yet, moments later, a sigh escaped her lips.

“Li Niang, where might you be now?”

Truth be told, without her feline companion, Lian Yueying felt an undeniable void, lacking someone with whom to immediately share her burgeoning joy.

“Oh, that’s right, I should go down the mountain and find Huaxi; I recall her birthday is approaching.”

Her last descent had been in spring; now, the peak of summer had arrived. Lian Yueying typically ventured down the mountain quarterly to replenish her elixirs, and at last, she could don the new clothes she had purchased.

Immortal cultivators, blessed with longevity, were largely untouched by the ravages of age, and the tailor’s artistry was exceptional—a true master craftsman in the mortal realm.

As Lian Yueying emerged from her room at the medical hall, Yun Meng’s gaze happened to fall upon her.

“What a truly beautiful outfit! Where did you acquire it?”

Yun Meng stepped closer, her fingers tracing the fabric’s texture, her eyes examining the skirt’s material with an expression brimming with keen interest.

Sky blue, cloud white, accented with a touch of fiery yellow—the ensemble painted a picture of a clear summer sky. As Lian Yueying donned the attire and gazed at her reflection, her spirits lifted considerably.

Knowing Yun Meng’s penchant for elegant attire, Lian Yueying smiled as she replied, “I commissioned it from Li’s Garment Workshop in the Immortal Market down the mountain. They frequently feature new fabrics, and it’s said that the shop owner personally weaves and dyes many of them.”

“Li’s Garment Workshop… that sounds like a new establishment. Come, let’s go explore it.”

With Lian Yueying’s assent, Yun Meng rose, tidied the counter, then stepped out, closing the medical hall door and securing it with a lock. Lian Yueying knew it to be a sound-transmitting artifact; should anyone be injured and require medical attention, they could infuse it with spiritual energy, alerting Yun Meng instantly.

However, the moment Yun Meng stepped outside the sect gates, her entire aura became incredibly subdued. Lian Yueying could detect no trace of spiritual energy from her, leading her to momentarily believe Yun Meng had transformed into a mortal. It was only as they walked the mountain path, and Yun Meng occasionally made an ethereal grasping motion towards the myriad weeds and wildflowers, extracting the mundane spiritual plants hidden within, that Lian Yueying realized Yun Meng was still very much herself.

“What formidable qi-concealment abilities! Senior, might you instruct me in this art?”

“This is hardly remarkable,” Yun Meng replied. “The spiritual energy of a Golden Core cultivator is inherently stable. To conceal one’s cultivation, short of employing a potent divine sense spell, only those of the same or higher cultivation realm can perceive it.”

Thus, the two conversed ceaselessly along their journey, and once they entered the Immortal Market, Yun Meng became even more loquacious. It was then that Lian Yueying realized many seemingly ordinary shops within the market might possess far greater capabilities than she had ever imagined.

For instance, the pastry shop she and Huaxi frequented, though outwardly unremarkable, held a surprising history. Yun Meng recalled that the establishment had existed since her own nascent steps onto the immortal path, and remarkably, the shop owner remained the very same.

“Senior…”

“Hush,” Yun Meng admonished softly. “Do not address me as ‘Senior’ in public; what would be the point of concealing my cultivation otherwise?”

“Then, Sister Che… Sister Chen, Sister Chen.”

Under Yun Meng’s piercing gaze, Lian Yueying swiftly corrected her address, only to see the other woman frown and inquire, “I don’t appear elderly, do I?”

“Not at all!” Lian Yueying quickly reassured her. “Sister Chen possesses a mature grace and a temperament of twenty, yet her beauty rivals that of a sixteen-year-old maiden.”

“Pfft!” Yun Meng scoffed good-naturedly. “You yourself only underwent your Coming-of-Age Ceremony (TL Note: Jiji, the traditional Chinese ceremony for girls reaching adulthood, typically at age fifteen.) three or four months ago; what gives you the right to speak of sixteen-year-old maidens…?”

Yun Meng’s playful remark, however, caused Lian Yueying to freeze, realizing she had completely forgotten her own birthday—and, moreover, the pivotal Coming-of-Age Ceremony so significant for women.

In the customs of the Liang Kingdom, men typically underwent their capping ceremony and women their Coming-of-Age Ceremony before they were permitted to marry, traditionally at twenty and fifteen years of age, respectively. In her tender youth, Lian Yueying’s mother had always yearned for her daughter’s recovery, hoping it wouldn’t impede her pursuit of an ideal husband. Reflecting on it now, a wistful shadow inevitably crossed Lian Yueying’s delicate features.

Unaware of the depth of her thoughts, Yun Meng merely assumed Lian Yueying was saddened by a solitary Coming-of-Age Ceremony, and chuckled, “Had you not recorded it upon joining the sect, and had I not chanced upon it at the Sect Master’s office, I would never have known this was your Coming-of-Age year.”

The twenty-second of March, the year Lian Yueying was born, fell on a Yin day. Correspondingly, a birth in a Yin year, Yin month, Yin day, and Yin hour, with all eight characters of the birth chart being Yin, formed the foundational ‘Eight Yin’. Coupled with her mother giving birth on the shaded side of a mountain, which imbued Lian Yueying’s primary soul with Yin energy, she was truly a person of ‘Ten Yin’—a genuine Great Yin Body.

This final detail was the most extraordinary; while many in the cultivation world harbored desires to artificially create a Great Yin Body, the three souls and seven spirits were beyond anyone’s manipulation. Their spontaneous generation was precisely what rendered the Great Yin Body so exceedingly rare and precious.

Noticing Lian Yueying’s quiet contemplation, Yun Meng smiled and gently patted her head, only to suddenly realize that she had grown considerably taller, now standing at the same height as herself.

Lian Yueying roused herself from her thoughts, meeting Yun Meng’s gentle, smiling gaze. “Come,” Yun Meng offered, “I’ll treat you to something delicious; consider it a belated birthday celebration.”

The Yunke Restaurant, much like the Xuan Yu Pavilion, was centrally located within the Immortal Market.

Seated in a private room on the third floor, Lian Yueying and Yun Meng perused the menu. As Yun Meng rattled off dish names, Lian Yueying felt an inexplicable pang of reluctance, a ‘heartache’ for the spiritual stones she knew would be spent.

[Who in their right mind pays over twenty spirit stones for a single dish! There are so many better ways to spend that money.]

Once their order was placed and the waiter had retreated from the room, Yun Meng, having already noted Lian Yueying’s expression, chuckled. “I know you’re a bit of a miser,” she teased, “but a new experience is always worthwhile.”

“Mmm, thank you, Sen… Sister Chen,” Lian Yueying murmured. “I always feel as though Sister Chen is more akin to a revered elder to me.”

Even with the substitution of ‘elder’ for ‘master,’ Yun Meng discerned the underlying sentiment in Lian Yueying’s peculiar phrasing. Her delicate brows furrowing slightly, she remarked, “Are you forgetting your master simply because I’m treating you to a good meal?”

“Sister Chen misunderstands me,” Lian Yueying quickly clarified. “My master has always been kind to me, yet after imparting her cultivation techniques, she vanished without a trace. Sometimes I wonder if she truly acknowledges me as her disciple.”

Yun Meng understood implicitly that companionship was what a child needed most. Knowing Lian Yueying was not one to betray loyalty for profit, she spoke with profound sincerity, “Your master merely lacks the ability to express herself. She doesn’t know how to navigate the relationship between master and disciple; she only understands the need to care for her disciple. And it is precisely because she cares for you deeply that she descended the mountain for your sake.”

“For my sake?”

Yun Meng nodded, offering no further explanation, and instead smiled, “Well, whether immortal cultivator or mortal, a Coming-of-Age Ceremony is always a significant event. In the mortal realm, it would certainly be celebrated with a grand feast. You, however, were so engrossed in your cultivation that you completely forgot all about it.”

“A feast. It sounds as though Sister Chen hails from a noble clan.”

“You could say that. It’s not an immortal cultivation family, though, so it’s of no use for cultivation.”

Lian Yueying heard a term she hadn’t encountered in her books, appearing somewhat puzzled. Yun Meng proceeded to explain.

“In the mortal realm, wealth and prosperity lead to a flourishing lineage, with descendants benefiting from its influence. Those that endure naturally evolve into established clans. The cultivation world is no different. Within the Dao Alliance, various immortal cultivation families, both strong and weak, exist. The largest might fall short of the Dao Alliance’s Eight Great Sects but surpass many others, while even the smaller ones possess strength comparable to a sect like the Mountain-Supporting Sect.”

[I never imagined such powers existed in the cultivation world. But then again, cultivators are still human. Their pursuits merely shift from silver to spirit stones, and from power to cultivation, so it’s not unreasonable to apply mortal logic to them.]

After a brief chat, the dishes began to arrive. The ingredients were entirely unfamiliar to Lian Yueying, and the cuisine leaned towards a bland taste, not quite matching her preferences.

“Do try them,” Yun Meng encouraged. “Yunke Restaurant has been open for centuries, and their dishes remain meticulously prepared, all designed to aid in cultivation.”

Upon hearing Yun Meng, an expert in medicinal arts, speak thus, Lian Yueying’s interest in the dishes immediately piqued. She picked up a mouthful and, though still bland, she discerned other flavors.

[It’s not bland, it’s more like the food retains its original taste.]

The bitterness was that of cultivation; the lingering sweetness, its rewards; the myriad flavors, all experiences. Lian Yueying understood these principles but approached it differently. She was more inclined to investigate the specific effects of each dish, effectively turning a pleasant meal into a regimen for strengthening her foundation and nourishing her vitality. Seeing her enjoy the food, Yun Meng paid no mind to her thoughts, patiently explaining each dish to her.

Leaving Yunke Restaurant, Lian Yueying led Yun Meng to Li’s Garment Workshop. Yun Meng surveyed their surroundings. “Hmm, it’s merely changed its name. The current shop owner is the apprentice of the original owner. Initially, they only made cultivation robes, but it seems that wasn’t profitable enough, so they switched to ready-to-wear clothing.”

With that, Yun Meng turned to Lian Yueying. “I recall you came to the market to meet a friend, didn’t you? Go on, I’ll browse on my own.”

“Yes, then afterwards…”

“I might not browse for long. It’s possible something will come up at the medical hall, and I’ll return early. You may do as you please.”

Lian Yueying nodded, watched Yun Meng enter the shop, and then turned to depart.

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