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"Yan Shishu—ah, no, Junior Sister Yan!"

On their way back from Yunning Great Marsh to the Guiyuan Sect, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang didn’t travel solely by flying boat.

Sometimes, they would transform into their true forms—the Teng serpent’s massive body coiling around Yan Luoyue’s form as they rode the wind.

Whenever the Teng serpent’s wings cast a vast, sky-darkening shadow, people below would instinctively look up, waving or laughing at the sight of the "Black Tortoise."

Other times, Wu Manshuang would descend from the skies, and the two would take human form, strolling leisurely along emerald-green paths where wild grass grew knee-high.

Their general direction was toward the Guiyuan Sect, but they had no fixed destinations along the way.

Sometimes, hearing that Huawu City nearby was hosting a Flower Festival, Yan Luoyue couldn’t resist joining the lively celebration.

Or, when passing by a town, they might learn that Longxin City was famed for its fine wine—prompting an impromptu detour for a taste.

During these travels, they repeatedly crossed paths with Shen Jingxuan.

After the great battle, Shen Jingxuan had experienced an epiphany and stayed in the demon realm for a period of secluded cultivation.

Meanwhile, the martial monks and nuns who had accompanied her were recalled to their sect, the Fan Yin Temple, as per its arrangements.

Before their departure, it was said that every one of these monks and nuns emptied their pockets to pool together a sum of spirit stones for Shen Jingxuan.

Though these masters from Fan Yin Temple lived ascetic lives with little to their names, they spared no generosity for their fellow disciple—preferring to endure hardship themselves rather than let Shen Jingxuan go without.

When Shen Jingxuan received the spirit stones, she was both moved and bewildered.

"Senior brothers and sisters, why go to such lengths for me?"

The senior nun closest to Shen Jingxuan grasped her hand, shaking it three times with an expression so solemn, earnest, and grave that Shen Jingxuan almost thought she wasn’t just staying in the demon realm for a brief retreat—but settling there permanently, never to return.

And for some reason, the senior nun’s tone made it sound as though this farewell might be their last.

She said, "It’s just because… ah, well. Junior Sister Jingxuan, if you can’t find your way back to the temple, don’t force it. If need be, just hire a merchant caravan heading in the right direction!"

—Given Shen Jingxuan’s sense of direction, the senior nun truly feared that this parting might indeed be their final meeting.

For instance, right now, if you asked Shen Jingxuan to point east at the rising sun, could she even manage that?

Shen Jingxuan: "…"

As it turned out, Shen Jingxuan lived up to her fellow disciples’ expectations.

She wandered the demon realm for three full months without finding the passage back to the human world.

Upon hearing this, her fellow monks and nuns: "…" They knew it!

When the news reached the Zhunti Flag Master: "…"

Only then did the Zhunti Flag Master belatedly realize:

Perhaps, most likely, during their earlier battles, Shen Jingxuan hadn’t been divinely inspired or exceptionally skilled at locating the hiding places of their enemies.

She had simply been lost.

In the end, Shen Jingxuan wandered aimlessly until she stumbled upon Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang, who were constructing a spatial passageway there. The two then kindly escorted her back to the human realm.

Recounting the incident, Yan Luoyue couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat for Shen Jingxuan.

Had she gotten lost just a few days later, the passageway would have been completed, and Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang would have already departed.

And that passageway didn’t lead to the human realm—it connected to the newly established diplomatic ties with the spirit realm.

In other words, Shen Jingxuan had nearly wandered straight into an unfamiliar world.

This incident made Yan Luoyue realize that the opening of these spatial passageways wasn’t purely beneficial.

Take Shen Jingxuan, for example. In the past, if she got lost, people could simply ask around, and someone would eventually have heard of her whereabouts.

But with spatial passageways now linking multiple realms, tracking Shen Jingxuan down would require inquiries across four worlds and eight directions.

And if left to her own descriptions, Shen Jingxuan might very earnestly inform Yan Luoyue that she was standing "under the sun"—

Since returning to the human realm, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang had been traveling east, yet they kept running into (the supposedly westward-bound) Shen Jingxuan.

After enough encounters, Shen Jingxuan seemed to develop a reflex.

The moment she spotted Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang in the distance, she would nod, then immediately pivot 180 degrees and march back the way she came.

This time, however, was different.

Watching Shen Jingxuan turn on her heel without hesitation, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang exchanged a glance before quickly catching up to stop her.

"Hey, Jingxuan!"

Shen Jingxuan pressed her palms together in a Buddhist salute, murmuring a chant, her clear eyes reflecting mild confusion.

"Amitabha. Did this humble nun go the wrong way again?"

Had she accidentally turned 270 degrees this time without realizing it?

"Not that." Yan Luoyue chuckled helplessly, pointing at Shen Jingxuan’s head. "This… how did you two meet?"

Though Yan Luoyue had once joked about sending the Wuti Flame to Shen Jingxuan for "cursing lessons" after everything was over, it had only been in jest.

Who could have guessed that this chaotic little fireball and the no-nonsense young nun would actually cross paths?

Shen Jingxuan remained unflappable, her expression serene as she replied, "That day, while passing through Tonghua Town, this humble nun encountered another flower thief…"

Perched atop Shen Jingxuan’s smooth, bald head, the golden Wuti Flame flapped its wings.

The flame’s radiance was dazzling to begin with, and its movements only amplified its brilliance. Reflected against Shen Jingxuan’s mirror-scalp, it was as if two suns now graced the world.

With their keen senses, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang overheard murmurs from the crowd:

"No wonder in those murals, every Bodhisattva and Buddha has a halo behind their head—it turns out they really do glow!"

Yan Luoyue: "…"

Wu Manshuang: "…"

No, no, how to explain this? Normally, nuns don’t actually have halos…

The Wuti Flame let out a string of melodious chirps. First, it lazily corrected Shen Jingxuan:

"Little nun, you got it wrong again. That town was called Tongzi Town—tsk, so silly. Even a little flame like me remembers."

Then, with the pride of someone announcing a groundbreaking discovery, it informed Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang:

"You know this little nun? Let me tell you, she’s really good at talking!"

Yan Luoyue: "…"

Wu Manshuang: "…"

The two exchanged another glance, then, with perfect synchronization, one looked up at the sky while the other studied the ground.

Yes, they could imagine exactly what kind of "good at talking" Shen Jingxuan was.

The Fire of Crow’s Cry flapped its wings and puffed out its little chest. "So I’ve decided—I’ll stay by her side for a while and learn the art of speaking before I leave!"

Yan Luoyue wiped her sweat. "Crow’s Cry, what exactly do you plan to do with this... uh, 'art of speaking'?"

Times had changed, and their greatest enemy had already been dealt with.

As a divine flame born of heaven, Yan Luoyue couldn’t think of any situation where Crow’s Cry’s masterful cursing skills would still be useful.

Crow’s Cry widened its round little eyes.

"Of course, I’m going to the ruins of Hongtong Palace to curse at the graves!"

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Wu Manshuang: "..."

Well... alright then.

Compared to Crow’s Cry, Shen Jingxuan was the more concerning one.

Because she clasped her hands together humbly and murmured, "This humble nun also has much to learn from the divine flame about the art of speech."

Yan Luoyue closed her eyes, not daring to imagine what kind of linguistic marvel—or disaster—would emerge when this nun and this fire joined forces in the future.

Oh well. Looking on the bright side, at most, Jingxuan would refine her already elegant way of speaking.

She couldn’t possibly pick up Crow’s Cry’s bad habits and start hammering enemies with her fists while also growing a beak to peck at them, right?

...

After bidding farewell to Shen Jingxuan and Crow’s Cry, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang continued their journey.

Perhaps because Crow’s Cry had given Shen Jingxuan directions, they didn’t encounter the lost little nun again along the way.

Thank heavens. Yan Luoyue sincerely hoped Shen Jingxuan would return safely to the Temple of Chanting Peaks without any detours—like accidentally stumbling into the dimensional passages leading to the Spirit Realm, Demon Realm, or Monster Realm.

Some time later, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang arrived at the Bihuo River.

Deep in the heart of the river lived a group of mermaids, friends of the two.

So, of course, they had to pay the mermaids a visit while passing by.

Wu Manshuang had already prepared the mermaid whistle.

But just as they reached the upper reaches of the river, before he could even bring the whistle to his lips, a few graceful figures emerged from the crystal-clear waves.

Among them were Quan Xiang with her golden tail, Qian Jia with her violet tail, and another stunning sister whose tail shimmered like a swirl of ice cream.

The mermaids hadn’t surfaced because they sensed Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang’s arrival.

Instead, the three of them were half-perched on the rocks by the rushing currents, their tails splashing dazzling sprays of water as they chatted animatedly with someone on the shore.

As for the girl they were speaking to...

Yan Luoyue took a closer look, and her eyes instantly curved into crescents of delight.

"Oh! It’s Wangyou!"

The girl, dressed in simple green robes with an air of quiet refinement, was none other than Yin Wangyou—the rising star of the cultivation world, renowned for cracking the genetic code of the Hybrid Evolution Tree!

No one knew how Yin Wangyou had become acquainted with the mermaids of Bihuo River, but such were the strange and wonderful twists of fate.

The reunion was filled with joy and surprise.

The mermaids playfully draped sheer white mermaid silk over the faces of Yan Luoyue and her companions, allowing them to move freely underwater.

They led their guests to the riverbed, then mischievously tucked tiny rainbow-colored fish into Yan Luoyue and Yin Wangyou’s hair like living ribbons.

After the laughter and teasing, they exchanged updates on their lives.

Yan Luoyue learned that Yin Wangyou had come to Bihuo River at Chang Lili’s request, to retrieve mermaid pearls for her.

After proposing the Hybrid Evolution Tree theory—which had since gained widespread acceptance in the cultivation world—Yan Luoyue’s talent earned her a place in the Guiyuan Sect.

Since she had joined later than Yan Luoyue, technically, she should address her as "senior sister."

But just like how Yin Wangyou and Chang Lili always called each other by name, familiarity made such formalities unnecessary.

After carefully accepting the small pouch of mermaid pearls from Quan Xiang and storing it securely in her waist pouch, Yin Wangyou finally answered Quan Xiang’s question.

Her serious expression made Quan Xiang cover her mouth in laughter, her golden tail flicking playfully to send gentle waves of bubbles toward Yin Wangyou.

"It’s just a bag of pearls—no need to be so tense. Even if you lose them, you can always come back for more."

Quan Xiang smiled warmly. "You’re Lili’s friend, so you’re our friend too."

Yan Luoyue, more familiar with Yin Wangyou’s nature, added, "Wangyou is just like this—meticulous in everything she does, not just with mermaid pearls."

Without that scrupulous attention to detail and relentless curiosity, she might never have produced research so groundbreaking it sent shockwaves through the cultivation world.

Only after ensuring the pearls were safely stored did Yin Wangyou speak.

"Lili said the ancient jade slips you provided recently helped her progress tremendously. At this rate, she might be able to cultivate a mermaid-bearing tree within three to five years."

"Wow~~~"

The mermaids clasped hands, exchanging delighted smiles.

Their already melodious voices seemed to ripple with extra waves of sweetness, nearly melting everyone’s hearts.

Hearing "ancient jade slips," Yan Luoyue had an inkling.

Mermaids were inherently kind and open-hearted, never the type to hoard knowledge. If they had possessed such records earlier, they would’ve surely shared them with Chang Lili for her research.

The fact that they’d only handed them over recently suggested...

Before Yan Luoyue could ask, Quan Xiang giggled and revealed the truth:

"If they helped, that’s wonderful! Those jade slips were gifts from our demon kin."

Yes—just as the turtle clans of Yunning Great Marsh had reconnected with their main lineage among the monsters, the mermaids of Bihuo River had also received messages and gifts from their homeland.

Quan Xiang plucked the little rainbow fish from Yan Luoyue’s hair and dangled it playfully before her eyes.

"See? We sent bundles of these adorable little fish to our kin in the Demon Realm too!"

The shadows of the past had lifted.

Under the newborn glow of the rainbow, the bonds between humans, monsters, and demons stretched across the skies like bridges, reconnecting once more.

Watching this scene, Yan Luoyue couldn’t help but smile.

...

As they prepared to leave, Quan Xiang called Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang back.

With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, the beautiful mermaid exclaimed, "Ta-da!"

She unfurled an exquisitely woven mermaid silk painting, its colors vibrant and strokes delicate.

Once again, the mermaids had captured Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang’s shared moments in their art.

In this unfolding scroll of their lives, their fingers intertwined, their eyes brimming with affection as they smiled at each other. The little boy and little girl from the past had now grown up.

...

On the way back to the Guiyuan Sect, Yan Luoyue was deep in thought about another matter.

—Who would have thought that after such a long absence, Senior Sister Chang Lili’s research had already made such groundbreaking progress?

If she could cultivate merfolk, then perhaps she could cultivate other races as well—such as nightmares, mirage maidens, or even human vessels?

If that were possible, then the souls residing within the Moonfall Tree might just...

Lost in these thoughts, upon arriving at the Guiyuan Sect, she didn’t even stop by her peak to see her eldest and second senior brothers. Instead, she turned straight toward the Alchemy Peak.

But at this moment, Yan Luoyue had no idea what awaited her when Chang Lili finally laid eyes on her.

As fellow sect members who had always gotten along well, after the great war, Yan Luoyue had once told Chang Lili about her and Wu Manshuang’s true identities as divine beings.

However, she had only mentioned it in a letter—they hadn’t met face-to-face.

So it was no surprise that when Chang Lili saw Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang, her eyes practically sparkled with excitement. Like a tiger pouncing on its prey, she lunged forward and seized Yan Luoyue’s hands with a death grip!

“Senior Tree—no, Junior Sister Yan! I’ve finally waited for your return!”

Yan Luoyue: “...”

Didn’t that slip-up in your greeting just expose your inner tree-obsessed maniac?!

Chang ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Lili held Yan Luoyue’s hands tightly, her grip full of passion, and bombarded her with a rapid-fire series of questions.

“After discovering you’re actually a tree, how has it affected your daily life? Do you feel the urge to bloom when you see Junior Brother Wu? Can you drink water through your heels? There’s a pile of fertilizer in the corner—do you start salivating when you notice it?”

Yan Luoyue: “...”

What a cultivation-world version of Pavlov’s Chang Lili.

Maybe… she should just leave now?