Chapter 3#

Immortal Venerable.

As the address left his lips, An Wuxue felt a moment of trance.

After he became Suxue, Xie Zefeng never returned to Luoyue Peak.

During the daytime at the mountain gate, he still regarded the person in front of him as that heartless and emotionless junior brother. Therefore, when all the cultivators bowed, he stood on the long steps, only wishing not to see the other person again, and said nothing.

Until this moment.

This was the first time he had called Xie Zefeng “Immortal Venerable” to his face.

In the past, no matter when, even when Xie Zefeng’s cultivation later surpassed his, he only called him “junior brother.”

After all, Xie Zefeng was the Cold-Dispelling Immortal Venerable of the entire cultivation world, yet he was merely his junior brother.

Now, with this “Immortal Venerable” uttered, it was as if an invisible sharp sword suddenly appeared from nowhere, piercing through the vast fog in his heart, completely drawing a clear line between him and Xie Zefeng, and thoroughly severing the emotions he hadn’t been able to sort out since he woke up.

He was suddenly no longer confused.

Even if Xie Zefeng was right in front of him now—so what?

Anyway, “An Wuxue” was already dead.

As long as he carefully hid the true identity of the soul in this shell, found an opportunity to quietly leave, the past would only be the past.

Xie Zefeng would be Xie Zefeng, the Cold-Dispelling Sword Venerable, and he would be his Suxue.

If he couldn’t afford to provoke him, he could always afford to hide, right?

His thoughts turned in an instant, suddenly clear.

But even with his resolve, listening to Xie Zefeng’s breathing so close by, memories that had lingered for a thousand years came rushing back like a storm, and his intact chest ached intensely. He couldn’t help but clench the spirit pouch tighter.

Xie Zefeng hadn’t spoken.

He didn’t want to sit in such silent confrontation: “Immortal Venerable, why have you come here in the middle of the night?”

“The lamp is dim, how do you know it’s me?”

“…This place is near the Buried Frost Sea, next to Immortal Venerable’s cave dwelling. No one dares to cause trouble. The only one who would enter my room late at night is Immortal Venerable.”

Xie Zefeng was silent.

An Wuxue then noticed that Xie Zefeng was sitting motionless by the bed, holding a slightly wiggling furry object in his hand.

—It was Kunkun!

Compared to its usual mischievousness, Kunkun, held in Xie Zefeng’s hand, was silent, looking like a quail that had done something wrong and been caught.

“…Immortal Venerable came for it?”

It was good that he wasn’t here for him.

“It saw you having many dreams, so it came here in the middle of the night to help you sleep peacefully.”

Miasma beasts are skilled with divine souls. The moment he saw Kunkun, he understood.

Since Xie Zefeng had found Kunkun, why wasn’t he leaving?

Did he still expect him to get up and see him off respectfully?

He hesitated, and the person in front of him suddenly asked in a deep voice, “What troubles you so much that you have so many dreams?”

When these words came from Xie Zefeng’s mouth, An Wuxue’s heart felt empty.

What troubles him?

What else could it be?

He knew Xie Zefeng was suspecting why he could attract Kunkun. He suppressed the chaotic emotions and calmly said, “I don’t know. I was just a mortal before, and I’m not quite used to it after coming to Luoyue. Perhaps I’m just missing the mortal world.”

Xie Zefeng stopped speaking. He could only sit in the corner between the bed and the wall, holding the useless spirit pouch, waiting for Xie Zefeng to leave.

But Xie Zefeng still didn’t move.

Not only did he not move, but he seemed to be staring at him.

Kunkun naturally didn’t dare to move either.

A strange silence fell over the room for a while.

An Wuxue had to speak again: “…Immortal Venerable?”

Xie Zefeng seemed to suddenly come back to his senses. His sleeve moved slightly, and spiritual energy brought a gentle breeze.

Two lotus lamps with luminous pearls dropped on either side of the small room. Warm light immediately spread throughout the room, and the dimness vanished without a trace.

That person was indeed staring at him, his expression even more stunned than his own. His black eyes lacked the sharp and severe look he had in front of everyone during the day. His gaze seemed dim, and a little misty.

This expression was not like the Cold-Dispelling Sword Venerable with his sharp sword light at the mountain gate during the day, but rather like the junior brother who practiced swordsmanship with him in An Wuxue’s memory.

An Wuxue immediately averted his gaze, looking up from Kunkun in the other person’s hand.

Xie Zefeng’s dark hair was tied high with a dark blue hairband engraved with runes, supplemented by a white jade snow hairpin. He wore a cloud-patterned white robe, a light blue sash with a spirit pouch hanging from it, and silver-edged boots stepping into the shadows where the light couldn’t reach.

His eyes paused, and his expression was stunned.

Did he see wrong?

Why was Xie Zefeng wearing this outfit?

Wasn’t this outfit… given by him?

After his and Xie Zefeng’s master perished in the Immortal Calamity War, the situation was precarious, and the position of Immortal Venerable was vacant. Xie Zefeng hastily took over the position of Immortal Venerable, but at that time, Xie Zefeng had not even cultivated for a hundred years. His cultivation was superb, but his reputation was not prominent. The Cold-Dispelling Sword was not like it is now, where unsheathing it could make all beings bow down.

An Wuxue was a little older and felt that as a senior brother, he should do something for his junior brother.

He entered and exited the extreme northern secret realm, picking the perennial ice and snow from the ancient treetops to refine into a snow hairpin; he also went to the Star River Ancient Path, taking a nebula as cloth; he also asked friends for help, and finally made this set of magic robes.

People in the cultivation world said that his methods were ruthless and decisive, and he was uninhibited, but no one knew that he even meticulously considered the patterns on that set of clothes.

Before Xie Zefeng took office, he gave the magic robes to Xie Zefeng, saying with some trepidation: “Junior brother’s cultivation is superb, but he is still young and lacks prestige. Wearing something solemn in front of the various sect masters will surely have a deterrent effect. Does junior brother like it?”

Xie Zefeng stared at the neatly folded magic robe and the jade hairpin placed on top of it. He didn’t know what he was thinking, and after a long while, he said, “Thank you, senior brother.”

He waved his sleeve and put the magic robe into his spirit pouch.

And that was all. He merely accepted it.

Xie Zefeng had never worn it.

Years passed in a flash, and Xie Zefeng was actually sitting by his bed, wearing this cloud-patterned snow robe.

Perhaps he had forgotten its origin and just picked it up casually.

This person was wearing the clothes he had given him in his previous life, sitting elegantly by his bed, and what about him?

He was now sitting sideways in a cramped corner, his hair disheveled and clothes disarrayed, with only a thin silk quilt covering his legs.

The sleeping gown prepared by the disciples of Luoyue Peak was a bit large, loosely draped over him. One half of his fair wrist was exposed, one hand clutching the spirit pouch, and the other supporting An Wuxue’s slightly leaning upper body.

This posture made him exceptionally tired. He moved slightly, and the ill-fitting sleeping gown slipped at his shoulder, making his shoulder bone feel instantly cold.

He quickly pulled the silk quilt.

He didn’t want to cause Xie Zefeng to misunderstand.

Immortals live as long as heaven and earth, their Dao hearts are clear and transparent, and they rarely develop inner demons. Even if they enter the Dao without emotion, they are not bound by restrictions after becoming immortals.

Xie Zefeng could indeed cultivate with others now.

If this person had changed his nature over the past thousand years and genuinely wanted to cultivate with him on a whim…

Suxue’s identity gave him no reason to refuse dual cultivation.

But…

Hiding his identity was one thing, but if he were to truly feign compliance and cultivate with Xie Zefeng, it would be absolutely impossible.

His face remained impassive, but his body grew increasingly tense, and the hand clutching the spirit pouch was white from exertion.

Xie Zefeng was still looking at him.

The man no longer held Kunkun, and Kunkun seized the opportunity, flipped over, and rolled directly in front of An Wuxue.

He quickly took the opportunity to lower his head and hide his expression, skillfully avoiding Kunkun’s belly, which it disliked being touched, and scooped it into his arms by its four limbs.

Xie Zefeng suddenly said, “You know where it doesn’t like to be touched.”

It wasn’t a question, but an affirmation.

“Woo woo…”

He stroked Kunkun’s fur, his eyes moving slightly, and slowly said, “When I came here during the day, I happened to meet Kunkun and played with it for a while. Later, Peak Master Xuan came looking for it, and only then did I know it was Immortal Venerable’s spirit beast.”

These words were half-true, half-false. Even if Xuan Fang were asked, no problems would be found.

He was worried Xie Zefeng would stay, and added, “I just arrived at Luoyue Peak and there’s a lot I don’t know. I didn’t expect Immortal Venerable to come tonight, and I wasn’t prepared. So…”

Xie Zefeng didn’t speak again, not knowing if he believed him.

This person used to be like this—that much hadn’t changed.

“Woo woo…”

Kunkun nudged his arm with its head.

Xie Zefeng then said, “It likes you very much.”

“Perhaps Kunkun and I are fated.”

When he spoke the words “fated,” Xie Zefeng’s eyes seemed to flicker.

The man’s voice was very, very low, not as if he was speaking to him, but rather to himself: “I was hesitant to keep you.”

What did he mean?

Xie Zefeng paused, then said, “Never mind.”

An Wuxue: “…”

The man finished speaking without beginning or end, then got up, picked up Kunkun, and only said to him, “You sleep.”

He had just been hoping Xie Zefeng would leave, but now he suddenly thought of something else and quickly called out, “Immortal Venerable, wait!”

He wasn’t sure if he could stop the other person.

If Xie Zefeng wanted to leave, no one could stop him.

But Xie Zefeng actually stopped, turned his head slightly to look at him, and waited for him to continue.

“This place is next to Immortal Venerable’s cave dwelling, and the spiritual energy is abundant, suitable for cultivation. I know Immortal Venerable’s kindness, but I…” He softened his tone, “I am completely ignorant of cultivation, my cultivation is low, and my status is humble. It truly wastes such a good place. Luoyue Peak has many experts, and there must be many senior masters coming and going here. I feel a bit uneasy. Could I move to a quiet and remote place?”

This place was simply too close to Xie Zefeng, with too many constraints and troubles.

He also didn’t want to live next to Xie Zefeng.

The longer this matter dragged on, the harder it would be to bring up, so it was better to try now.

Unexpectedly, Xie Zefeng looked at him with considerable confusion: “This place was designated by me. No one dares to comment. Cultivating here can also be considered a stroke of luck, better than being a mere cauldron at the mercy of others. Do you have other concerns?”

The man’s words implied that he currently had no intention of dual cultivating with Suxue, so he dared not say more, only retorted, “No… it’s just—”

“Then so be it.”

Before the words finished, the man’s figure receded further. With a flick of his sleeve, the door closed, blocking the frosty wind and completely blocking An Wuxue’s sight.

The two lotus lamps with luminous pearls were left in the room.

The luminous pearls were refined from fire essence, not dazzling, but dispelling the icy coldness in the room.

It wasn’t as cold as before.

•

Outside the house.

Xie Zefeng walked out holding Kunkun, and after closing the door outside, he looked back at the tightly shut door.

Kunkun struggled in his arms, seemingly still wanting to go back, muttering, “Woo woo…”

Xie Zefeng seemed to be talking to himself.

“No wonder you don’t stay in the spiritual energy-rich Frost Sea, but run here in the middle of the night to find him.”

The portrait of Suxue sent by the Cloud Sword Sect, although extremely similar to his senior brother, only captured his form, not his spirit. At a glance, it was just a similar facade.

He kept the person only because he couldn’t bear for Suxue, with this face, to become someone else’s cauldron.

But the moment he lifted the veil at the mountain gate, he suddenly realized that the charm in the portrait was only two or three tenths.

“He really resembles senior brother.”

Kunkun rolled in his arms.

Near the sky, frost fog and sea of clouds intertwined in the night, hiding the moon that couldn’t be found on Luoyue Peak.

It was in this courtyard.

A thousand years ago, someone also stood here, raising a hand to cast a spell, ringing the soul bell in front of his cave dwelling, and saying, “Junior brother lives so far from me, it’s troublesome to find you every time. How about I find a treasure land next to your Buried Frost Sea and move my cave dwelling over? How about that?”

“…”

“If not, then forget it.”

“…”

“Really not?”

“…”

If that person were standing here, would he say something like, “Could I move to a quiet and remote place?”

And that kind of restraint, aloofness, unfamiliarity just now…

He was deluding himself.

Xie Zefeng lowered his head and looked at Kunkun.

“I know you miss him too. But no matter how much he resembles him…”

The man’s voice faded into the long night, growing softer and softer.

“…he is ultimately not him.”

•

Inside the house.

An Wuxue remained in his previous posture, silent for a long while, then finally loosened his grip on the spirit pouch, gently adjusted his sleeping gown, and lay down again.

But without Kunkun’s help, and with Xie Zefeng having disturbed his peace, he could no longer sleep.

He lay awake, staring at the lotus lamps Xie Zefeng had casually left in the corner of the room, his mind growing clearer.

In the past, his heart was entirely focused on Xie Zefeng, and in the end, he gained nothing. Now, he wanted to leave Luoyue Peak, but found it impossible to move an inch.

Before, he wanted to live next to Xie Zefeng, but the other party gave him no response. Now, he didn’t want to live next to this person, yet he still couldn’t get a response from him.

What he had sought but failed to obtain in his previous life was now right before his eyes, yet he was terrified and unwilling to touch it.

He had previously wondered if it was fate deliberately making things difficult for him, giving him a new life, yet placing him in such a dilemma.

Now, it seemed that perhaps it was fate’s last mercy to him, allowing him to witness the current cultivation world and Luoyue Peak with his own eyes.

A thousand years after the Immortal Calamity, although turbid energy still caused mischief in the four seas, there were no longer corpses strewn everywhere.

Luoyue Peak was magnificent and majestic, still the foremost sect that produced Immortal Venerables for generations.

Xie Zefeng, as the only one who had ascended to immortality in this era, commanded the reverence of all beings with his sword.

Both realms prospered, and the four seas were peaceful.

Only him.

Only An Wuxue, the Head of Luoyue Peak, had disgraced Luoyue Peak’s ten-thousand-year reputation, committed countless crimes, was besieged and killed by cultivators, fled to the foot of the tightly shut Luoyue Peak but could not enter, and perished at the end of the Immortal Calamity a thousand years ago.

He deserved his fate, dying without a complete corpse.