Chapter Fifty-Four: Worldly Ties Severed, the Journey Begins Anew

Night had fallen, and Andu Town was ablaze with brilliant lights. Yi Yi and I sat in a teahouse, gazing out the window at the bustling crowds, lost in silence.

“Father,” Yi Yi finally spoke softly after a long while, “after seeing them, I feel as if something has been completely let go inside me.”

“Letting go is so you may move forward more freely.” I poured her a cup of fresh tea. “We witnessed Lin Qinghan’s steadfastness, Qin Muyao’s fulfillment, Longya’s sacrifice and guardianship, and Lin Mo’s happiness. All these intersections of our past now each have their own destination. The bonds we shared with this era have reached their end.”

Yi Yi held her teacup and nodded.

She understood. I had brought her back to see these old friends, not to rekindle old affections, but to let her witness, firsthand, the act of letting go.

To witness the power of time, to see the course of a mortal life from birth, to growth, to love, to old age—a complete and beautiful cycle. And she, along with me, was merely an observer outside this circle.

“So, where shall we go next?” Yi Yi raised her head, her eyes clear and expectant, no trace of confusion remaining.

She had seen the gentle charm of the southlands, experienced the boldness of the northern realms, and reunited with old friends in the city. Her heart had been honed with each journey, growing ever more transparent and serene.

I looked at her and smiled. “The world is vast; home is wherever we choose. Perhaps we could visit the snowy mountains of the west, or listen to the waves of the southern sea. Or maybe we’ll settle in a small town where nobody knows us, open a medical clinic, and live a simple life for a while.”

“Yes.” Yi Yi’s eyes sparkled. “As long as I’m with you, anywhere is perfect.”

We paid for our tea and descended the teahouse steps, blending into the lively night of Andu Town.

Leaving behind the misty rains of the south and the neon lights of the city, we journeyed westward.

Eventually, at the foot of the majestic Tianshan Mountains, in a desert oasis ringed by the Gobi, we found serenity. There was a crescent-shaped lake formed from pristine snowmelt, groves of poplar trees, and a handful of families who had lived there for generations.

With our savings, we built a small stone house on the lakeshore, returning once again to a secluded, reclusive life.

This seclusion lasted ten years.

During those ten years, Yi Yi and I traversed the vast lands of the West. We gazed upon the dazzling stars over the Pamir Plateau, felt the boundless embrace of the Taklamakan Desert, climbed the icy glaciers of the Kunlun, and explored the ruins of ancient Loulan.

The grandeur and desolation of this land broadened Yi Yi’s heart. She possessed the delicate spirit of the southern water towns, the fortitude of the northern snows, and now, the tranquility and expansiveness of the western Gobi.

I believed these days would go on forever. That was until the day two unexpected guests shattered the peace of our oasis.

It was dusk, and Yi Yi and I were fishing by the lake. Two figures—a man and a woman—stumbled out from the poplar forest, clad in ancient azure robes embroidered with cloud patterns and sword motifs, wholly unlike modern attire. Both were wounded, especially the man, whose chest bore a deep gash, blood soaking his robes.

They spotted our stone house, hope flickering in their eyes, but before they could cry out for help, exhaustion overcame them and they collapsed.

I carried them inside, and Yi Yi skillfully prepared golden needles and medicinal salves.

While tending the man’s wound, I realized it was not caused by an ordinary weapon, but by a fierce and domineering energy—a remnant force lingering in his meridians, relentlessly destroying his vitality.

Carefully, I used my own inner essence to dissolve this foreign energy, then applied a special healing salve.

Half an hour later, the young woman slowly awoke. Seeing her senior’s stabilized condition, she struggled to her feet and offered me a traditional bow.

“I am Fang Qing, disciple of the Celestial Sword Sect of Mount Shu. Thank you, elder, for saving our lives!” Her voice was clear, tinged with vigilance and caution.

“Celestial Sword Sect of Mount Shu?” A ripple stirred in my heart. The name reminded me of Ling Qingzhu of Mount Shu.

“It was nothing, no need for formalities,” I replied calmly. “What brings you here, and who wounded you?”

A flash of anger crossed Fang Qing’s eyes. “My senior and I were sent by our sect to investigate the site of the ‘Heavenly Lake Sword Gathering’ at Tianshan. We encountered the Kunlun Sect. They... they abused their power, declaring all of Tianshan as Kunlun territory and forbidding us from setting foot here. At the slightest disagreement, they attacked. Had we not fought desperately to escape, we would surely have…”

“Heavenly Lake Sword Gathering?” Yi Yi asked curiously.

Fang Qing glanced at us, as if weighing whether we knew of the hidden sects of this world. Seeing my composed expression, she explained, “Elder, you may not know—this is a grand event held by the hidden sects once every few decades. But this time… though it is called a sword gathering, in truth it is Kunlun’s attempt to pressure our Mount Shu.”

She bit her lip, her eyes filled with humiliation and resentment. “The Holy Son of Kunlun has declared he will challenge our senior sister Ling Qingzhu at the gathering. If she loses… she must marry him, and our Mount Shu must send the sect’s treasured ‘Twin Swords of Azure and Violet’ as dowry to Kunlun!”