Xuanzhen Dao Court.
Tao Junran sat upright behind his desk, his gentle, calm eyes fixed unwaveringly on Fu Juan. Only after a moment did a gratified smile emerge on his face. He spoke with a hint of emotion, “Your parents always took pride in you. If they knew your legs could recover, they would certainly be very happy.”
Fu Juan lowered her eyelids, pressed her lips together, and softly responded, “Mm.”
“The incident at the Ghost King Mausoleum originated with Xu Heng. He commanded the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent to secretly devour Bashe’s remnant soul, replacing Bashe’s mythological concept, and through that, entered the Mountains and Seas Realm to obtain a wisp of Nüba’s Breath… Later, he persuaded Zhang Suzhi, Zhao Qiande, and that group… In any case, involving the relationship between Shenzhou and Dongying, this is no small matter.”
Fu Juan raised her eyes slightly, meeting Tao Junran’s gaze. She gave a very brief laugh and asked, “Is Alchemist afraid I’ll act impulsively?”
Tao Junran stroked his beard with an awkward smile. If Zhang Xuanji were still here and she encountered this matter, she certainly wouldn’t heed Old Fu’s counsel and would directly storm into Dongying to slay the gods with her sword. As Xuanji’s daughter, Fu Juan likely possessed a similar recklessness and unrestrained spirit deep in her bones. Hadn’t she directly barged into the Zhang family upon learning the truth before? Not pursuing this question further, Tao Junran’s gaze grew stern. He scrutinized Fu Juan for a long moment before speaking again, “You didn’t accept what they left for you?”
Fu Juan shook her head.
“That’s for the best.” Tao Junran nodded. “If you can walk step by step on your own, your foundation will be laid more solidly and securely. Borrowed things are ultimately not your own.” After pausing for a few breaths, he asked again, “Your legs—how is it?” After all, Jiang Li had been constantly on the move, searching for countless precious materials, but could never resolve the “Ghost Fiend.” They thought only the Kunlun Immortal Flower from the Mountains and Seas Realm could extract it. Yet in just a few months, the problem that had plagued everyone was suddenly resolved.
At this point, Fu Juan no longer concealed the truth and stated directly, “I went to Azure Hill once, but I only managed to stand up, not a complete cure.”
“Hm?” Tao Junran’s eyes widened abruptly, though his loss of composure only lasted a moment. He asked with concern, “How do you feel now?”
Fu Juan said, “A bit better than before.”
“I see…” Tao Junran glanced at Fu Juan, then smiled warmly. “So, regarding what I asked you to consider before, what have you decided? To cope with the great calamity of Shenzhou, the Dao Court will advance the ‘Enlightenment Plan.’ We’ll also compile foundational cultivation techniques, available to all of Shenzhou, to bolster the power to resist tribulations. The teaching materials and such will be handled by us old relics, but the ‘Enlightenment Plan’—that still depends on you young people. Azure Hill has given an answer: if you meet their standards, they will allow young people to venture into the Mountains and Seas to explore and train.”
“You were always a member of my Xuanzhen Dao Court. Weren’t you taking on demon-slaying and monster-exterminating tasks before? I see your recorded merit points are still quite substantial.”
“Oh, right, and that lass from the Jiang family. She’s grown as well. It was us old fellows who misjudged her back then. Jiang Li’s daughter, how could she possibly be lacking? Ha.” Tao Junran laughed heartily.
“I—”
Fu Juan had just begun to speak when Tao Junran cut her off.
Tao Junran smiled: “No need to answer now. Consider it further. Back then, everyone believed you could become our Xuanzhen Dao Court’s Young Dao Lord… but who could have predicted that fate would play such tricks?” Toward the end, Tao Junran’s tone held a measure of wistful melancholy. The existence of that “Ghost-Fire Baleful Qi” not only confined Fu Juan to a wheelchair for eight years but also suppressed the growth of her Dao Body and Innate Dao Bone. Otherwise, with that “heaven-sent grace,” Fu Juan likely would have already been able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who had cultivated for decades.
Fu Juan’s thoughts shifted, and she suddenly asked, “Earlier, Zhao Qiande mentioned the situation within the Dragon Vein. Aunt Jiang… is she truly there?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room grew somewhat heavy. Tao Junran’s expression became even more solemn: “Impossible to deduce, impossible to calculate. We’ve gone to the Dragon Vein several times and haven’t seen that phantom image again, but we have detected a peculiar power within the Dragon Vein. That power is suppressing and regulating the Dragon Vein’s Fortune. Otherwise, during the last Tachi sword’s severing of the dragon, the Dragon Vein would have completely erupted, leading to the Mountains and Seas overlapping the Mortal Realm.” His voice gradually lowered. “If Jiang Li is truly inside, we currently have no way to find her. However, the Dao Court will do its utmost to locate her. After all, it’s for the sake of Shenzhou.”
Fu Juan nodded, her expression calm, like a deep pool in a secluded forest, without the slightest ripple.
Tao Junran continued, “Jiuying was wounded by the Mystic Weapons. Shenzhou’s spiritual energy is unsuitable for her recovery; she will return to the Mountains and Seas Realm. We’ve been monitoring her movements and will set up a formation to seal that rift soon. There should be no incidents for a while. Take some time to rest well.”
Fu Juan assented.
After leaving Xuanzhen Dao Court, she returned directly home. Although both body and mind were utterly exhausted, sleep eluded her. She merely sank halfway into the sofa, staring at the ceiling, her gaze somewhat vacant. If that incident eight years ago hadn’t happened, what would her future have been like? She would have evolved from “Zhang Xuanji and Fu Heng’s daughter” to simply “Fu Juan.” She would have, as her parents hoped, shouldered the heavy burden of “Shenzhou’s rise and fall”… She wouldn’t contemplate whether it was worth it or not, but rather exist like a verdant bamboo—upright, righteous, and nobly principled.
But now, she harbored resentment in her heart.
Yet the fickleness of human relationships was the norm of the world; what grounds did she have for grievance?
Her thoughts were chaotic, and the ripples in her heart remained uncalmed even past midnight. Fu Juan forced herself to sleep. It wasn’t until she rose the next morning and busied herself for a few hours that she carried the freshly brewed bone broth to the hospital to visit Jiang Yiguang.
Zhao Sujie wasn’t there.
An unopened takeout box sat on the bedside table.
The hospital bed had been raised. Jiang Yiguang reclined against it, both hands holding her phone, playing a game. However, the dual-handed movements inevitably aggravated her wounds, causing her to hiss in pain, and her actions became somewhat sluggish. In the end, she could only helplessly accept the outcome of “defeat.”
“Why did you come?” Jiang Yiguang looked up, still carrying the frustration of losing the game. Her tone shed its usual restraint, revealing the underlying fluctuating emotions.
“Mm.” Fu Juan exchanged a glance with Jiang Yiguang, then lowered her eyes again. While unhurriedly opening the insulated lunch box, she asked calmly, “Have you eaten?”
Jiang Yiguang glanced at the unopened takeout box and shook her head: “No.” The takeout was either bland and tasteless or overly salty… she had no appetite whatsoever.
Fu Juan didn’t ask further, simply serving Jiang Yiguang some soup and handing it over.
As Jiang Yiguang leisurely drank the soup, Fu Juan sat quietly on a nearby chair, her hands folded in her lap, her fingertips rising and falling alternately.
Jiang Yiguang stole a glance at Fu Juan, who looked deep in thought. She looked down at the delicious soup, her brows involuntarily furrowing. It was agreed: after her fate became autonomous, she would keep her distance from Fu Juan. Yet they seemed to be gradually returning to that state from their childhood. On the surface, Fu Juan always appeared cold and indifferent, impossible to read, but her “care” was omnipresent.
This wasn’t greed for something Fu Juan had cooked.
This was for a speedy recovery, so she could continue her unfinished business, not a revival of the “licking dog”(simp) mentality.
Jiang Yiguang silently recited to herself.
“What dog?” Fu Juan’s voice suddenly rang out.
Jiang Yiguang: “…” Had she spoken her innermost thoughts aloud? She cleared her throat. A flash of inspiration struck, and she explained, “I was talking about the Tengu… the Tengu devouring the sun. Could it be that Dongying’s Sun God is usurping the Great Sun’s authority?”
“Perhaps.” Fu Juan frowned. She took the empty bowl from Jiang Yiguang’s hands and said, “After you’re discharged, Alchemist Tao will likely invite you to join Xuanzhen Dao Court again. What do you plan to do?”
Join the Dao Court? Jiang Yiguang’s expression flickered with oddity. She lifted her eyes to meet Fu Juan’s, raised an eyebrow with a smile, and countered without answering, “Did they invite you again?”
Fu Juan simply gazed steadily at Jiang Yiguang without speaking.
Seeing her expression, Jiang Yiguang was the first to concede, having to answer Fu Juan’s question first.
She said, “I won’t join.”
Fu Juan said, “The Dao Court will help search for Aunt Jiang.”
Jiang Yiguang gave a sardonic laugh: “Does that mean if I don’t join, they won’t help find people? I’m a petty and grudging person… those people aren’t exactly bad, just pragmatic at most, but I still don’t like them. As for you—” Jiang Yiguang paused, then continued, “You were always a member of the Dao Court, joining that plan is only right, isn’t it? Even when you were marginalized by the Dao Court earlier, you kept looking for opportunities to earn merit points and enhance your skills.”
“Born with the Innate Dao Bone, you are the future Dao Lord.”
Fu Juan was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Do you think so too?”
Jiang Yiguang was taken aback. She actually didn’t know how she truly felt. Sometimes she thought Fu Juan should reach that peak meant for her; other times she felt that path was too lonely… The future she envisioned for Fu Juan was uncertain, but the most vivid impression remained those dead, empty eyes, where all emotions flickered to life and then instantly perished, the Great Dao eternal while emotions and will were utterly absent. But that was Fu Juan’s future; what did it have to do with her? Jiang Yiguang smiled gently: “What I think doesn’t matter.”
Fu Juan curled her fingers, tapping lightly, a thoughtful look on her face.
Just as she was about to inquire further, a rhythmic “knock-knock” sounded, followed by the creaking of the door being pushed open.
Zhao Sujie’s voice arrived before she entered the room: “I’m here to visit you! I specially went to a private—” However, the second half of her sentence abruptly ceased under Fu Juan’s chillingly cold gaze. A chill shot up her spine, and Zhao Sujie shivered. She discreetly moved away from Fu Juan, guessing that she and this Innate Dao Bone bearer, perpetually active in the “gossip and rumors,” simply had incompatible auras. Steadying herself, she noticed the un-stored insulated container and couldn’t help but say with a trace of melancholy, “You’ve already eaten? That restaurant’s food is quite good; I go there often, especially their stewed soups, absolutely top-notch…”
