Chapter 9: The Past is Gone, and So Are the People. She Is the Light.

Chapter 9: The Past is Gone, and So Are the People. She Is the Light.

The morning mist dispersed, leaving the stone steps on the mountain path still damp and slippery.

Fu Yu and the grass spirit made their way forward, their footprints gradually vanishing behind them.

"Master," the Foxtail Grass Spirit's voice sounded a bit muffled, "I'd bet a thousand spirit stones that the cousin's suicide act wouldn't even break the skin. Want to bet with me? Just a thousand."

Fu Yu: "That's a creative way to ask me for money."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit was stunned: "Master, you didn't even need to go over to know she was faking."

It lowered its head, kicking the stone steps one after another, looking all wilted. "How can that Lu fellow be so stupid?"

Fu Yu smiled.

"Here, a thousand spirit stones." She tossed it a small pouch. "Cheer up."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit stared at the pouch, stunned: "Master?"

Fu Yu sighed: "I know you want to buy that so-called Fu Lu Shou Three-piece Set [a set symbolizing Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity]. Go buy it."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit opened its mouth, the dissipating mist around slowly clouding its eyes like tears. "Master..."

Fu Yu gazed up at the sky: "If you don't fall for it, and I don't fall for it, the Diviner would go out of business."

"..." The Foxtail Grass Spirit's tears vanished instantly, its face falling. "Now you make me not want to buy it."

Despite saying it didn't want to buy, its hands moved swiftly as the wind, stashing the thousand spirit stones into its inner pocket.

It shook its head, playing innocent after a windfall: "Master, Master, you're so generous with your money, no amount would ever be enough to spend!"

Fu Yu smiled: "Out with the old, in with the new."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit disagreed: "Money doesn't grow on trees..."

"Senior Sister Xie!"

Someone waved to Fu Yu from the side of the mountain path.

Up close, it was Bai Xuan, the Steward from the External Affairs Hall.

"Senior Sister Xie, here!"

Bai Xuan handed over a Cosmic Bag filled with spirit stones.

The Foxtail Grass Spirit gaped: "Huh?"

Bai Xuan said: "That jade pendant of mine cost two hundred eighty. I got Senior Brother Lu to pay one thousand eight hundred. The extra one thousand four hundred and twenty is the money I recovered for Elder Xie!"

Fu Yu: "But..."

Bai Xuan: "Enough, everyone knows Miss Xie would rather suffer than lose face. Let me be clear, I'm not helping you. I just can't stand Senior Brother Lu and his cousin's behavior."

Fu Yu: "But..."

Bai Xuan waved her hand: "Don't say another word. Take the money and buy Elder Xie some calming and nourishing tonics."

Fu Yu: "But..."

Bai Xuan: "Ugh, you're so stubborn—Elder Xie once saved my master. Just think of it as me paying back a little of that favor, okay? Really, don't refuse! So annoying!"

Fu Yu finally found a chance to speak.

She murmured: "But isn't one thousand eight hundred minus two hundred eighty one thousand five hundred twenty?"

Bai Xuan: "..."

Bai Xuan glared at Fu Yu, took out a hundred spirit stones, and slapped them into her hand.

She turned away huffily, then let out a sudden chuckle.

Not long after Bai Xuan left, Fu Yu and the Foxtail Grass Spirit encountered another elder, dressed in wide robes and sleeves, carrying the scent of herbs.

"Xie Fuyu, come here."

Elder Muyun waited for Fu Yu to approach, then casually handed her something. "What I give, I never take back. Keep the Sword Intent yourself. Use it or sell it, no need to inform me."

Fu Yu accepted it.

A weighty piece of chill-jade, within which a wisp of golden light swirled.

It was precisely that precious Celestial Sword Intent.

The Foxtail Grass Spirit was gobsmacked: "...Master, you really have a golden tongue."

Speak of money, and money comes. No joke!

Fu Yu smiled without speaking.

Blessed?

She had always been the one blessing others. She herself was that light.

This scene caught Lu Xingchen's eye.

He stood frozen in place, oblivious to the dew from the leaves soaking his shoulders.

A dull pain spread in his heart, mingled with waves of guilt.

Lately, there had been too many misunderstandings that hurt Xie Fuyu's heart. Even outsiders who didn't know the truth came to stick up for her.

He shook his head with a bitter smile: "But Fuyu, there's really nothing between my cousin and me. I just felt sorry for her..."

Such a weak woman, if left alone, would certainly not survive in this cutthroat world.

He was only helping her out, unrelated to romantic feelings. If only Xie Fuyu were more magnanimous, less suspicious, couldn't the two women get along like sisters?

Yet now it had come to this.

Lu Xingchen sighed, dragging his feet as he approached them.

"Fuyu!"

Seeing him, both Fu Yu and the grass spirit jumped.

The Foxtail Grass Spirit instinctively shielded Fu Yu behind it, one hand protecting its master, the other not forgetting to guard the thousand spirit stones hidden in its embrace.

Fu Yu was instantly on guard.

This Lu Xingchen was shrouded in dark clouds, radiating misfortune and ruin, his karmic burden so heavy even she, the instigator, was afraid.

Like someone on death's door isn't bothered by a sniffle, with Lu cursed to this extent, casting more Incantations on him probably wouldn't work.

Without a word, she hid the Celestial Sword Intent behind her back.

Seeing her so guarded, Lu Xingchen’s gaze trembled, a pained look crossing his face.

He rasped, “What do you take me for?”

A scene from the past flickered before his eyes.

She had run up to him, beaming, hands behind her back, head tilted, her eyes sparkling with playful pride.

She'd teased him to guess what treasure she held, promising to give it to him if he guessed right.

He’d guessed and guessed, never getting it right.

In the end, she gave it to him anyway, wrinkling her nose and calling him a fool as she thrust that very Celestial Sword Intent into his hand.

It felt like only yesterday.

Now, she stood with her hands hidden behind her back again, holding the same object. Yet now, everything was different.

Did she really think he would take it from her?

Lu Xingchen’s expression was sorrowful, his eyes turning red. He frowned and repeated slowly, heavily, “What do you take me for? It’s just a mere Sword Intent. Would I really snatch it from you?”

The Foxtail Grass Spirit sneered, “Have you forgotten how you snatched the Heart Elixir?”

Lu Xingchen didn't miss a beat. “That was different. Matters of life and death can’t be called ‘snatching’.”

The grass spirit nearly fainted from rage.

It clenched its fists, teeth grinding audibly.

Fu Yu patted its shoulder to calm it down, sighing softly. “By that logic, if you couldn’t advance to the Golden Core stage on your own, would that count as a matter of life and death? Would you come snatch my things again?”

Lu Xingchen's eyes stung, provoked by her words.

Since joining the sect, he had cultivated with barely any rest, risking his life, refusing to fall a single step behind others. This was for himself, but also to show everyone that Xie Fuyu hadn’t misjudged him.

He had always relied on himself. Those resources were merely icing on the cake.

He had long wanted to clear his name!

Thinking this, Lu Xingchen replied stiffly, “Absolutely impossible!”

A surge of indignation rose in him. Without time for deeper thought, he just wanted to defend himself—he was no live-in son-in-law dependent on others’ charity!

Unexpectedly, Fu Yu immediately nodded. “Good, I understand. You’re noble, you have integrity, you rely on yourself for everything. Then it's settled. Your word is your bond.”

Lu Xingchen: “...”

Before he could untangle his swirling emotions, she was already walking away with that Foxtail Grass Spirit.

“Hey—”

He wanted to chase after her, but saw someone emerge from the thatched cottage ahead—Wu He, the person he’d found most grating lately.

Fragments of their conversation drifted faintly on the wind.

“Help him… advance… Golden Core?” (The Drum Spirit Elixir helped Li Xueke break through to the Golden Core stage)

“Dream on… trying to freeload…”

“Spirit stones… troublesome…”

Lu Xingchen clenched his fists tighter and tighter, nails digging into his palms, unnoticed.

He knew exactly what that petty man Wu He said about him behind his back.

Those sharp words always found their way into his ears, gnawing at his heart on countless nights.

What did they say? What else could it be?

Naturally, they looked down on him, believing his advancement to Golden Core would inevitably still rely on her.

On her spirit stones, her resources, that Sword Intent of hers.

Lu Xingchen felt as if he were being roasted over a raging fire.

“Fu Yu, I will never let you look down on me.” His gaze grew firm and resolute. “This time, I will clear my name!”

Lu Xingchen had actually been ready to attempt the Golden Core breakthrough for some time.

Previously, Elder Xie had always held him back, advising him to accumulate more, solidify his foundation further, aiming for a meteoric rise and the emergence of a supreme-grade Sword Core.

Later…

After Elder Xie’s incident, he happened to rescue his cousin in distress. Xie Fuyu became emotionally unstable, constantly picking fights with him, forcing the Golden Core breakthrough plans to be shelved.

Delayed until now, it had truly led others to look down on him, thinking he relied entirely on the Xie family.

Lu Xingchen sped along the mountain path, his expression growing increasingly determined.

Coincidentally, the Sect Ancestor was about to emerge from seclusion to take disciples. It was time to elevate himself to the next level.

His mind made up, he swiftly returned to his residence.

Pushing the door open, he froze.

His usually cold, tidy room was now in disarray—a chair here, a quilt there, his teapot even hanging behind the threshold.

Before he could process it, a figure draped in a bedsheet shot out from the bedroom, crashing into him with a “thud.”

Lu Xingchen looked down, stunned.

Su Jiabao, dressed as a tiger, waved his claws menacingly at him.

The curtain moved, and Su Yiner chased out.

“Oh dear, A Bao, you bumped into Cousin! Cousin, A Bao said he wanted to see where immortals live. I couldn’t dissuade him… Cousin, you’re not angry, are you?”

Lu Xingchen took a breath. “It’s fine. I actually have something to tell you. I’m going into seclusion to attempt the Golden Core breakthrough.”

Su Yiner covered her mouth. “Cousin, how impressive!”

Lu Xingchen solemnly instructed, “Keep an eye on him. Don’t let him cause trouble.”

She quickly drew Su Jiabao into her arms. "Don't worry, cousin, I know!"

Lu Xingchen still wasn't entirely convinced.

Su Yiner held a finger up next to her ear. "Cousin, for something this important, I know what I'm doing. You can trust me, can't you?"

Lu Xingchen nodded.

He stepped into the inner chamber, locked the door, took out spirit stones, and laid out a protective formation around himself.

Originally, Elder Xie was supposed to guard him during his breakthrough, but his fate was unknown. Given the recent conflicts with Xie Fuyu, it was naturally impossible to seek her help now. Determined to become a disciple under the Patriarch, his former master had been displeased, and they hadn't been in touch for a while.

For a moment, he couldn't find anyone suitable to guard him.

So be it. It wasn't absolutely necessary to have a guardian.

He slowly exhaled, pushing distracting thoughts aside.

He focused his spirit and entered meditation.

His energy circulated through his meridians, flowing freely in all directions. As he clenched his teeth, essence gathered and condensed into a pure core.

Time lost meaning in deep meditation.

Just as he was gradually reaching the optimal state, with a faint sound like golden jade and a dragon's roar echoing in his dantian...

A series of loud shouts shattered the tranquility.

"Cousin, save me!"

"Cousin! Cousin! Something's happened! Something's wrong!"

"Cousin, save me—"

Because it was missing eighteen hundred spirit stones, the weak point in the protective formation allowed the desperate cries to seep through.