Chapter 129

Chapter 129

The little fox’s request truly caught Lu Yun by surprise.

He wondered if the little fox had forgotten about it.

During the three hundred years the little fox was in slumber, Lu Yun had fallen into a profound bewilderment. He once believed his unwavering devotion was for the little fox himself—that merely possessing him would banish the emptiness within.

Yet, for those three centuries, even with the little fox nestled in his arms, as he watched the fifth tail gradually materialize from an ethereal wisp into solid form, a deep sense of loneliness persisted.

Many times, he had yearned to awaken the little fox, missing even his clinginess and playful coaxing.

He found it absurd, almost, that those three hundred years felt more unbearable than the thousands of years of waiting that had preceded them.

He had pondered the concept of Dao companions for over three centuries. Yet, upon waking, the little fox acted as if nothing had happened, never once bringing it up.

Was his disappointment truly that profound…?

Lu Yun couldn't discern whether this unpleasant emotion stemmed from the little fox having completely forgotten, or from the profound sense of loss he felt because, after guarding the little fox for three centuries, enduring all that time, the little fox treated it merely as a dream—waking up and immediately clamoring to explore the lower realms, casting him aside.

Perhaps it was a combination of both.

Though he was reluctant to let the little fox depart, ultimately, he couldn't bear to refuse. Gazing into the little fox’s watery blue eyes, he sighed inwardly.

Even if he were selfish enough to forcibly keep the little fox by his side, the little fox would still yearn for the vibrant allure of the lower realms. As seasons turned, the distance between them might not lessen, but rather grow.

So be it. Let the little fox do as he pleases.

Lu Yun, having lived for tens of thousands of years, quickly composed himself and made what he believed was the optimal decision.

Yet, watching the little fox skip out of the scripture pavilion with his usual joyful bounce, Lu Yun’s mood remained somewhat somber.

Back in his palace, Luo Ci began to pack his belongings—though there wasn’t much to prepare, as he wasn’t leaving for good.

He had already made up his mind: he would give himself ten years to thoroughly explore the lower realms, and then return to the Ancient Realm to remain by Lu Yun’s side forever.

However, upon hearing that the Little Fox Lord was about to descend, the divine attendants felt immense reluctance. It was the Little Fox Lord’s presence that had brought a vibrant vitality to the divine palace over the years; with his departure, the palace would once again fall silent.

Luo Ci had originally intended to pack a few things and leave immediately, but he ended up staying for several extra days—primarily because the divine attendants kept showering him with farewell gifts, more than he could possibly accept.

Finally, on the day of his departure for the lower realms, Qing Yue gently placed a small hat woven from celestial silk upon his head, cautioning, “Little Fox Lord, the spiritual energy in the lower realms is sparse, and its inhabitants, though seemingly immortal, can be treacherous, their hearts unfathomable. If you find it disagreeable, you may return home at any time.”

Luo Ci’s two fox ears drooped. He had initially thought this would be a simple trip, but now, he felt a profound sense of reluctance. He sniffed his tiny nose and nodded obediently, “Mm.”

Qing Yue gazed at the Little Fox Lord’s exquisite, jade-like face—so beautiful that one could hardly bear to look away. Such beauty, out in the world, would inevitably attract covetous eyes.

Though he rationally understood that the Little Fox Lord’s cultivation was more than sufficient to navigate the lower realms with ease, a deep worry still gnawed at his heart. It was akin to a parent watching a child they had raised embark on a distant journey—no matter how grown, one couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

No matter how large a cub grows, in a parent’s eyes, they remain a cub.

Luo Ci noticed many divine attendants hiding nearby, secretly gathered to see him off, and a wave of reluctance washed over him again.

As time grew late, he waved goodbye to everyone. Seeing that their hiding places had been discovered, the divine attendants awkwardly emerged, waving farewell until the little fox disappeared beyond the Prosperity Stone.

Luo Ci had long yearned for the vibrancy of the lower realms from the stories he’d heard. Now, finally having the chance to travel alone for an extended period, he felt both anticipation and apprehension.

But upon truly arriving in the immortal realm, beyond missing Lu Yun, he felt a profound sense of bewilderment. Where should he go? What should he do?

After pondering for a while, he decided to seek out any lively spots in the immortal realm.

To gather such information, a tavern was naturally the best place.

He perked up his fox ears and, sure enough, overheard most patrons discussing the grand banquet for the newly appointed Yunshang Sect Leader—the most significant and talked-about event in the immortal realm recently.

“The Cloudtop Sect?” Hearing that many sects would attend to offer congratulations, Luo Ci imagined it would be bustling with activity and felt an urge to join the excitement. He had read about the magnificent spectacles of major immortal sects in storybooks, which were said to be incredibly grand, and he wished to see them with his own eyes.

He was told that heading east would lead him to the Cloudtop Sect, so he directed his luan carriage eastward.

This luan carriage was the most inconspicuous one he had painstakingly selected from his collection to bring with him.

He had casually purchased it in Wan’ei City during a previous visit to the lower realms.

The conveyances Lu Yun had gifted him, pulled by ancient savage beasts, were far too ostentatious—each beast taller than a ten-thousand-foot mountain, their movements blotting out the sky and shaking the earth. If he were to bring one to the immortal realm, he feared it would flatten the entire realm before he even reached his destination.

He dozed briefly on the couch within the carriage. Upon waking, he drew back the curtain to find what appeared to be a small village outside.

Suspecting he had taken a wrong turn, he disembarked from the carriage, intending to ask a villager for directions. As he entered the village, he saw many villagers gathered around a man in a long robe, holding an immortal banner and muttering incantations.

He listened for a moment and learned that this village was called Spirit Herb Village. As its name suggested, it was a village where generations had cultivated spirit herbs.

Even in the immortal realm, the growth of immortal plants relied on the heavens sending rain, and rainfall was not something minor immortals could control.

But in recent years, a decade-long drought had brought no rain. Seeing their herb gardens cracked and their carefully cultivated spirit herbs on the verge of withering, the villagers were desperate. Thus, they had sought out the robed man to pray for rain.

The robed man, while divining, shook his head. “No, no, it’s still not enough. I consulted the will of heaven, and it says that another hundred thousand *dan* of spirit herbs are needed for rain to fall.”

“Where would we get a hundred thousand *dan* of spirit herbs?!” At these words, the villagers felt only absurdity and despair.

Spirit herbs took at least decades, even centuries, from planting to harvest, and each one was hard-won. They had already given the robed man thousands of *dan*, and yet he demanded a hundred thousand more—the entire village couldn’t possibly gather that much.

Among those present was a young cultivator, tall and upright, with sharp, intelligent eyes. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but interject, “That quantity is far too excessive…”

The robed man swayed his head, self-important. “These spirit herbs aren’t for me; it’s the will of heaven, understand? You must show heaven your sincere devotion, then there will be rain. Otherwise, it will be difficult.”

Luo Ci understood the situation now. He slowly said, “I see. So, you need rain?”

Everyone turned to look. Luo Ci unhooked a small, exquisite bell from his waist—a divine artifact, the Spirit Bell, that Lu Yun had forged for him after he cultivated his fifth tail. This bell was usually silent, emitting no sound, and could only be activated by his Primordial Qi.

At first, the crowd was merely captivated by his ethereal beauty. Then, they watched as the youth gently shook the bell. In mere moments, dense dark clouds began to gather overhead, and a fine, sweet rain began to fall.

Seeing that he had encountered a formidable opponent, the robed man quickly gathered his belongings, intending to sneak away, but was kicked in the backside by the young cultivator. “…You charlatan!”

The villagers ran about, spreading the news, while others pulled Luo Ci, thanking him profusely and stuffing various spirit herbs into his hands.

Luo Ci felt it was merely a small favor. While everyone was busy finding containers to collect the rainwater, he quietly intended to return to his luan carriage.

Just then, the young cultivator caught up to him, his gaze fixed on Luo Ci’s face, his neck slowly flushing red. “Wait, are you… are you a water-attribute cultivator?”

Luo Ci shook his head. “I am not.”

“Then how did you…?” The young cultivator was about to press further but stopped himself, realizing this might involve the other party’s secret family techniques.

Luo Ci, having just arrived in the lower realms, naturally knew nothing of secret family techniques needing to be kept confidential. Since the other party asked, he answered, “My bell can summon spirit beasts. As it happens, there are water-aligned spirit beasts among them, so I simply asked them for a small favor.”

Most of this was true. A nine-tailed fox’s innate abilities were illusions and telepathy. As his cultivation advanced, he could subtly influence the emotions of other spirit and demonic beasts around him.

To some extent, he could even command them to act according to his will. The Divine Bell could, to a certain degree, amplify his abilities.

“So that’s how it is…” The young cultivator rubbed the back of his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, “I was planning to go to the Cloudtop Sect. Are you heading there too?”

“Mm-hmm, I heard it’s very lively there.”

“That’s wonderful! I am Man Yu. If you are willing, perhaps we could travel together?”

Luo Ci hadn’t expected to make a friend in the immortal realm so quickly and was immediately delighted. Moreover, he could sense Man Yu’s genuine affection for him. “I’m Luo Ci, and I’ve just arrived in the immortal realm.”

Hearing that he had just arrived in the immortal realm, Man Yu assumed Luo Ci had recently ascended from the cultivation world. Having gone through the same phase himself, he knew how challenging the initial period after ascension could be.

Man Yu was straightforward. At first glance, he found Luo Ci to be the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Later, seeing him casually help those villagers without expecting anything in return, he felt such a temperament was rare.

He had been in the immortal realm for over two hundred years and knew that immortals were not much different from mortals. Take the simple matter of summoning rain: any water-attribute cultivator could do it, but cultivators rarely acted out of pure kindness. They always sought something in return, valuing equivalent exchange even more than mortals did. The spirit herbs grown in this village were not particularly valuable, so naturally, few would bother.

Man Yu had always been fond of little foxes, and hearing that Luo Ci had just arrived in the immortal realm, he grew even more protective. “You must feel very out of place, having just arrived in the immortal realm, right?”

Luo Ci nodded. “Yes, it’s all so unfamiliar. I don’t know anyone here.”

Man Yu: “I felt the same way. Everyone finds it hard to adjust at first.”

Luo Ci thought about it. He really did feel uncomfortable. Compared to the Ancient Realm, the spiritual energy here was far too thin.

Man Yu: “The spiritual energy in the immortal realm is much richer than in the cultivation world. When people first arrive, they all rush to the places with the densest energy.”

“…” Luo Ci tilted his head in confusion. If the immortal realm’s spiritual energy was considered abundant, he couldn’t imagine how sparse it must be in the cultivation world.

“But what truly troubles most people is the sense of disparity,” Man Yu said, speaking from experience as he tried to comfort Luo Ci. “Everyone comes from the lower realms, where they were once mighty figures who could command the winds and rains. After ascending, they realize they’ve jumped from a well into a vast ocean. It’s hard not to feel unbalanced… Some who were revered in the cultivation world end up as mere peddlers in the immortal realm.”

Luo Ci wagged his invisible tail and looked surprised. “So the stories in those books are true.”

Man Yu met those beautiful watery eyes, and his face flushed without him realizing it.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to look away to steady his mind.

His mood grew heavy. The youth was clearly new to the immortal realm, still pure and innocent. But after witnessing its vastness and cruelty, he would either temper his spirit, take root here, and grow stronger—or, like some, might have his spirit shattered and descend into demonic cultivation…

Having seen too many of the latter, and feeling fond of Luo Ci, Man Yu didn’t want him to suffer such a blow. That’s why he’d offered those words of comfort earlier.

Man Yu exhaled slowly. “Everyone feels that disparity and imbalance. But the most important thing is to adjust your mindset quickly and focus on improving your cultivation.”

“Improving cultivation…”

“For example, joining a sect or noble clan. The Cloudtop Sect is one many cultivators dream of joining, but…” Man Yu shook his head silently.

Luo Ci was curious. “What about the Cloudtop Sect?”

“This happened before I ascended, so I only know from hearsay,” Man Yu said. “Years ago, the Cloudtop Sect was just an ordinary third-rate sect. Then the demon realm launched a massive invasion, throwing the immortal realm into chaos. Many sects declined as a result. Apart from the Nine Provinces Immortal Isle, only the Cloudtop Sect survived under the protection of Yunxi Immortal. Now it’s the top sect in the immortal realm, and only the most talented can hope to join… It’s too difficult.”

Luo Ci listened and nodded. The name “Yunxi Immortal” sounded very familiar, though it could just be a homophone. Since he was heading to the Cloudtop Sect anyway, he’d find out soon enough. “What sect are you from, Man Yu?”

“Me?” Man Yu said, “I’m from the Nanshan Sect.”

Luo Ci hadn’t heard that name and remarked, “That’s a very unique name.”

Distracted, Man Yu nodded absentmindedly. “Yes, it’s a rather special immortal sect…”

He realized the little fox knew nothing about the immortal realm and grew deeply concerned. If Luo Ci had been plain-looking, it might not have mattered, but that face would attract attention wherever he went.

As the luan carriage drew closer to the Cloudtop Sect, Man Yu’s excitement had turned to unease.

Watching the little one sprawled cheerfully in the carriage, admiring the immortal realm’s scenery, he sighed and finally couldn’t resist sending a letter via spirit crane to his friends at his sect, urging them to come to the Cloudtop Sect as soon as possible.

Even if their sect wasn’t impressive.

But with more people around, surely, he thought, no one would dare cause trouble.

***

Seven days later, the luan carriage finally arrived at the Cloudtop Sect.

True to its poetic name, the Cloudtop Sect consisted of over thirty main peaks, interconnected by ethereal bridges, making the entire sect appear to float among the clouds.

The Sect gates were crowded with spirit steeds and immortal mounts, while cultivators from various sects, their robes fluttering, streamed in to offer congratulations. Fortunately, there were plenty of Reception Disciples to guide the guests.

Luo Ci watched as Man Yu spoke with a Reception Disciple. After registering, they were led to a courtyard beside a side peak.

Upon entering the Cloudtop Sect, Luo Ci detected a familiar scent. He sniffed carefully and traced it to the largest main peak.

The peak towered magnificently, like a colossal sword piercing the clouds.

He couldn’t help asking, “What’s that place for?”

The Reception Disciple, meeting those watery eyes, felt his cheeks grow warm. “Th-that’s Yunxi Peak,” he stammered.

Man Yu: “Will Yunxi Immortal attend the sect master’s succession ceremony?”

Reception Disciple: “Yunxi Immortal is still in seclusion, but he should emerge soon.”

Luo Ci lifted his eyelids. He felt quite pleased. The familiar scent all but confirmed that Yunxi Immortal was indeed his little clay figure. Several centuries had passed, and he missed him more than he’d realized.

After the Reception Disciple left, he and Man Yu looked around the courtyard.

Man Yu nodded approvingly as he looked around. This was as expected of a major sect—even casual guests like them were provided with quiet, clean accommodations, better than what he had at the Nanshan Sect.

Exhausted, Luo Ci knew that sleeping in the carriage was no substitute for a proper bed.

Pulling out the small pillow and blanket Qing Yue had prepared for him from his sleeve, Luo Ci wasn’t picky about where he slept, but he was sensitive to cold and loved soft things. Without something to hug at night, he couldn’t sleep. The pillow was woven from cloud silk by Qing Yue using phoenix branches, while the blanket was made of fire beast hide—a natural heat source, both soft and warm.

After settling into his own room, Man Yu stopped by to chat.

When he entered, he noticed many new items on Luo Ci’s bed but politely avoided staring.

Approaching, he saw Luo Ci bent over the desk, writing something.

As Luo Ci wasn’t hiding it, Man Yu glanced over—the paper was filled with sketches and notes about Luo Ci’s recent experiences: Spirit Herb Village, the scenery along the way, and the Cloudtop Sect. Alongside the drawings were colorful commentary.

Man Yu couldn’t help but smile at the childish handwriting. “Writing a letter?”

Luo Ci rested his chin in his hand. “Mhm.”

“To whom…” Man Yu recalled Luo Ci saying he just arrived and asked, puzzled, “Do you know someone else in the immortal realm?”

Luo Ci shook his head. “He isn’t here.”

He rolled up the letter and tucked it into the belly of a crystal lantern. Letting go, the sapphire-blue lantern drifted slowly into the sky, its scattered glimmers fading into the night like fading fireflies.

Man Yu frowned.

Not in the immortal realm?

Then it must be in the mortal realm.

He hesitated, the words dying on his lips.

How should I put this… those still in the mortal realm have no way to receive letters from the immortal realm.