But as she snapped back to reality and met Chen Yi's gaze, Lu Ying shivered slightly. She had never been looked at with such an appraising, man-to-woman gaze before.

And then she remembered—he's a shameless rogue...

Moments earlier, Lu Ying had felt triumphant in their verbal sparring, but now a wave of realization hit her.

He's interested in me?! Doesn't that mean I'm doomed?

I won the argument, but it doesn't feel like I truly won...

Chen Yi was walking ahead, but suddenly felt a tug from behind.

He turned to see Lu Ying muttering gruffly, "No, you can't fancy me."

"Oh? Why not?"

"Because I…"

Lu Ying struggled to come up with a reason, and in the end simply yanked her mask down:

"… I'm a pig."

..................

Life up on the mountain was leisurely; the Taoists neither required fine delicacies nor luxurious clothes, and didn't need to worry about the mundane concerns of firewood, rice, oil, and salt. Their pursuits mainly revolved around debating the Dao.

Now, with news of Chongyang Temple's Secret Realm spreading across the region, countless Taoists roamed to Taihua Mountain seeking lodging, inevitably leading to lively debates on the doctrines.

After one such debate within Taihua Mountain, the visiting Taoists were sent to stay in mountain-side dwellings, while the presiding Taichua Goddess, Yin Weiyin, ascended the mountain alone to report to her elders.

For hundreds of years since its founding, Taihua Mountain had admitted very few disciples. Not even the outer sect disciples amounted to more than thirty—noteworthy for its modest size, at least in the eyes of the common folk and other cultivators. Yet contrasting its scale were the Taihua Goddesses of successive generations, who ascended to the ranks of immortality and achieved celestial flight in broad daylight.

Truly, a mountain's greatness lies not in its height, but in its immortal spirit.

Yin Weiyin climbed the steps, eventually reaching Elder Wei—currently Taihua Mountain's Vice Sect Leader and protector of the mountain's gates. Her white hair contrasted sharply with her youthful demeanor, coupled with a robe blending hues of green and yellow. Seen from afar, she resembled an unwavering pine tree, embodying true immortal grace.

"I've already received reports of your Dao debate. 'The surge builds fullness'—excellent, excellent. Yu Zhen certainly didn't misjudge you."

In response to Elder Wei's praise, Yin Weiyin replied with calm modesty:

"Just childish words, unbecoming of any true merit. Please, forgive me for being laughable."

"Oh, why deflect so much?" Elder Wei paused for a moment, her gaze gaining an inquisitive edge. "That young Chen Yi—do you truly intend to regard him as a cultivation furnace?"

This rumor had already reached Taihua Mountain long ago. The elders discussed it with wide-eyed curiosity, exchanging remarks and sighs in private.

What caused such intrigue? Her intention to forge a new path, abandoning the old ways of falling into emotion only to sever it later.

Thus, Elder Wei held high expectations for her. If Yin Weiyin truly succeeded in blazing a new path, Taihua Mountain would secure yet another route to immortality.

Yin Weiyin chuckled softly, saying, "A cultivator does not utter falsehoods."

"Good, good. Wan'er, stop hiding over there and admire your senior sister's composure." Elder Wei's face carried an expression of delighted approval as she called out to the bamboo grove behind her.

Soon, a green dumpling-like figure rolled out from within the bamboo foliage, shaking down a cascade of bamboo leaves. A young girl with a braided hairstyle hopped out.

Yin Weiyin glanced at her, and couldn't help but smile. Wan'er was the joy of the mountain, also Elder Wei's daughter.

"Senior sister, senior sister, you're so incredible! I saw those old Taoist geezers' eyes bulging out in surprise, muttering and murmuring the whole way down the mountain!" Wan'er grinned brightly with admiration. "Such poise! I knew you'd never care for that Chen Qianhu fellow."

"Never cared once," Yin Weiyin replied.

"Indeed! If you did care, he wouldn't be a cultivation furnace, would he?" Wan'er quipped swiftly. "Oh! You told the outer sect disciples to keep an ear out for any rumors of Jianghu heroes, didn't you? Recently there seem to be quite a few..."

Elder Wei asked with some suspicion, "Weiyin, are you truly so concerned about that Chen Qianhu?"

"Concerned? Hardly. Just a casual notice—after all, he's still a furnace."

Wan'er then piped up, "Several stories of Jianghu heroes have emerged recently, but it's unclear whether he's one of them."

The Taoist nun tilted her head and looked at Wan'er, asking, "Wan'er, were any of them accompanied by other women?"

Wan'er scratched her head, replying, "Doesn't seem like it."

"Then it wouldn't be him."

Yin Weiyin smiled faintly and walked away without a backward glance.

Her aura, so akin to that of a drifting cloud mingling with cranes, caught Wan'er off guard until her eyes widened in admiration:

"Mother, I want to become the Taichua Goddess when I grow up!"

The Taoist nun's figure disappeared into the picturesque, verdant mountain woods. After some time, she returned to her private chamber.

Yin Weiyin pushed open the door slowly, then closed it, falling into silence.

She took off the cloud-patterned, smoke-colored hairpin from her temple, clutching it tightly in her palm.

The chamber remained quiet, its austerity and simplicity reflecting the Taoist scriptures' teachings of tranquility and non-action. To prevent distraction and stray thoughts, there were neither gold nor jade decorations—everything was utterly minimalist.

Worldly desires lead to pollution, which in turn breeds Heart Demons. Only purity brings enlightenment and eternal life; thus, the sanctuary followed those principles.

But a single tear disrupted the purity of the chamber.

"You… why aren't you here yet?"

Yin Weiyin muttered softly, then carelessly shed her Taoist robe, burying her face in the bed.

She pressed her face firmly into the bedding.

Not stopping there, she rolled the bedding into a human-like shape and smacked it hard, as if venting her frustrations on someone.

"You said you'd be my divine attendant!"

"You don't keep your promises!"

"I've said so many soft words to you, yet you still don't come. Didn't you say you liked how I taste?"

Yin Weiyin grumbled several accusations, before curling into the bedding and huddling in her own arms.

She quieted herself for a long while.

Then, as if uncovering a great secret, she suddenly raised her head sharply,

"I know it—you've gone to see Tingxue, haven't you?! That's why you haven't come to see me!"

Yin Weiyin clung to the bedding and mumbled:

"What's so good about her, anyway? She's skinnier than I am, shorter than I am. You clearly love me the most, yet you won't come to see me first…"

The chamber remained quiet, save for Yin Weiyin's murmuring soliloquy, with no response in return.

After a long while,

Knock, knock...

Startled, Yin Weiyin darted up, her expression changing instantly as she threw on her Taoist robe, recovering her ethereal composure.

Yin Weiyin opened the door to find Wan'er's little face staring at her.

Wan'er said, "Senior sister, there's been news about the Chongyang Temple Secret Realm. The Chongyang Temple's Jiangxin Zhenren has invited us tomorrow to Shantong City for a banquet and detailed discussion. They also plan to introduce us to an esteemed guest."

Yin Weiyin took the invitation and remarked, "So this is why you came to bother me, you mischievous girl."

Wan'er beamed gleefully, her face breaking into a bright smile.

"Run along now."

"Alright… Senior sister, you're so calm! I heard about the Secret Realm opening and couldn't contain my excitement. I wonder when I'll ever be as composed as you."

Soon after, Wan'er's cheerful figure disappeared from the Taoist nun's sight.

Yin Weiyin shut the door, cast aside her Taoist robe, and flung herself back onto the bed.

"I want to sever the crimson dragon. Why aren't you here yet?!"

Through the slits in the window, sunlight streamed in warmly. In one small corner, it illuminated a pile of items—paper money, a paper wedding attire, and various offerings like miniature paper buildings collected for death rites. At the time, these had been prepared by the matron in case Chen Yi met an untimely end, ready to be burned for him later.

She thought, upon attaining immortality herself, she would descend to find him—but he must wait for her.

To stave off his loneliness, the pile even included two exquisitely painted paper dolls meant to serve as his brides...

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