"I really must sever all ties with the past,"

"And let tomorrow find its own way."

"So please don't desperately ask for news of me..."

Perhaps because he was on the verge of borrowing a reliable Alchemy Furnace, Su Xuan was in an excellent mood and found himself lightly humming a well-known old song from the world below the mountain.

The worlds above and below the mountain were separate, with a natural barrier obstructing any exchange of entertainment and culture. Because of this, the Third Elder, despite his profound achievements in the Dan Art, had never heard this song before. He listened with great relish, his thoughts slowly drifting back to a time long past.

Back then, he was in the prime of his youth, handsome and elegant.

In Jiuding Gate, there was a junior sister named Ah Lian. She was cute and charming, with a sweet way of speaking. Every time she saw him, she would sweetly call him "Senior Brother," making his heart flutter and secret feelings blossom. He had spent countless sleepless nights thinking of none other than his junior sister Ah Lian.

However, Fu Yong—who also had considerable skill in the Dan Art and was the brother of the Jiuding Gate Sect Leader—also developed feelings for the junior sister. His methods were far more brazen than his own. With the Sect Leader's support, he launched a fierce pursuit, and their relationship progressed at lightning speed.

As for him, he could only harbor his lovesickness in secret.

This eventually led to him publicly exposing the flaws in Fu Yong's Dan Art, which directly triggered Fu Yong's departure to establish his own sect. And, of course, Fu Yong took their junior sister with him.

Was I not being narrow-minded as well?

"Ah!" The Third Elder suddenly sighed, glancing down at his bright red robe.

In recent years, he had been trying to find news of his junior sister. He'd learned that she and Fu Yong never had any children and that their marriage was not a happy one. Could this be a chance for him to rekindle their past connection?

But is that even possible? No, it isn't. I'll just see her, ease this longing, and that will be all. Perhaps it will be the very last time I see her in this life.

"Brother Su, could you write down the lyrics for me later? Every word of this song hits home," the Third Elder said with a flick of his whip, murmuring, "'Life is no different without me, leaving the past in the wind.' How beautifully said, just beautiful..."

"No problem," Su Xuan replied.

"What do you think of that girl, Ning Wan?" the Third Elder asked.

"She's quite impressive," Su Xuan said. "The city lord's daughter, the precious lady of Hua Shui City. She has a distinguished status and impeccable looks."

"She seems to like you," the Third Elder remarked.

"Heh." Su Xuan gave a faint smile.

Ning Wan doesn't like me. She's using me. She just wants to use me to kill the fake city lord and avenge her father. That girl is actually quite scheming.

"Third Elder, don't ask me about that. Let's talk about you," Su Xuan said bluntly, having long since noticed the older man's strange mood. "Is there someone at Ten Cauldrons Sect you fancy? After Fu Yong founded his own sect, did he poach your sweetheart?"

"Nonsense, there's no such thing," the Third Elder replied vaguely, his old face flushing red.

"Fu Yong's departure wasn't just because you exposed his lack of skill in the Dan Art, was it?" Su Xuan pressed.

"It wasn't just that one reason," the Third Elder admitted, squinting into the distance and changing the subject. "Besides being narrow-minded, Fu Yong is a man who covets pleasure. His elder brother Fu Shen, the Sect Leader of Jiuding Gate, is a simple and low-profile man. Fu Yong couldn't stand the simple, austere life at Jiuding Gate, so he found a flimsy excuse to leave and become a Sect Leader himself. When we get to the Ten Cauldrons Sect, don't be intimidated by their magnificent and opulent halls."

"Alright," Su Xuan said with a smile.

The carriage continued to jolt along the bumpy road as the two chatted on and off.

After a while, they both grew tired of talking. Su Xuan leaned back in the carriage and closed his eyes to rest, a pile of Moon Profound Stones placed beside him for absorption even as he rested. Although he had the system to help him, making his cultivation far more efficient than others, he never allowed himself to slack off. He knew he had no one to rely on in the world of the mountain. It was a place where people were treacherous and lives were easily lost; strength was his only means of survival.

But perhaps it was because he had discussed so many worldly matters with the Third Elder that he drifted off and had a short dream.

He dreamt he was driving a Koenigsegg on the smooth city streets. Tall buildings slid past his window, and up ahead, people were waving at him as if they had been waiting. They were all such familiar faces! There was even an adorably clumsy panda blinking at him.

He let out a soft breath, rubbing his eyes. "I'm homesick," he murmured.

Su Xuan suddenly lifted the carriage curtain and looked behind them. His white horse was following the carriage as always, looking completely nonchalant.

Su Xuan whispered to the horse, "Do you know why I call you Little White, instead of Big White?"

The horse had no idea what he meant. It just snorted, its nostrils flaring.

Su Xuan let the curtain fall. He was about to seize the moment to cultivate when he heard the Third Elder say, "Brother Su, what kind of sachet are you wearing? It smells quite pleasant."

"Hmm?"

Su Xuan froze for a moment. He only had one sachet on him—the one with the magical space—but it had never emitted any fragrance.

He sniffed his own arm, a strange look on his face. "Why is it back again?"

Back in the world below the mountain, his body had once been strengthened by the system and had suddenly started emitting a strange fragrance that could leave women utterly infatuated. The scent later disappeared, and he had assumed he'd gotten it under control.

Why had it reappeared now?

He thought for a moment and came to a conclusion: his physical body was about to break through to a new level, undergoing a complete transformation. This made sense. He had received several rewards from the system in the last two days, strengthening his body considerably.

"Brother Su, we're almost there! You take over driving; I need to rest a bit."

Just as Su Xuan was wondering how to cover up the scent, the Third Elder suddenly stopped the carriage. Su Xuan climbed out and took the reins.

"Mind your appearance." Before climbing into the carriage, the Third Elder thoughtfully straightened Su Xuan's slightly wrinkled clothes. He sized him up and added, "You make for a decent coachman!"

CLIP-CLOP. CLIP-CLOP.

Su Xuan drove the carriage forward.

After getting inside the carriage, the Third Elder didn't rest. Instead, he wet his palm with a bit of saliva, rubbed it evenly, and slicked back his hair until every strand was perfectly in place. He tugged forcefully at the hem of his robe, making sure every inch was perfectly flat.

Sitting upright, he appeared calm on the outside. Yet inside, his heart was like a rushing stream—a little cheerful, but mostly a chaotic mess.

Around three in the afternoon, Su Xuan drove the carriage up to a mountain gate.

The gate consisted of two exquisitely carved stone pillars depicting a dragon and a phoenix. They supported a large archway upon which were written three characters, both domineering and fluid:

Ten Cauldrons Sect.

So they really do have one more cauldron than Jiuding Gate...

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