Li Fei woke up completely for the last time to see a brilliant glow outside the window, unable to tell whether it was dawn or dusk. Exhausted, she pulled the quilt over her head and turned over, only to find the other side of the bed cold and empty. Her heart skipped a beat, and the lingering drowsiness vanished instantly.
Where was Lei Xiuyuan?
Holding the quilt, she slowly sat up, feeling unexpectedly refreshed. All traces of sweat and intimacy had been wiped clean. Recalling the wild days they had spent together, Li Fei coughed awkwardly in embarrassment. She had failed her senior sister's warnings—she was at fault.
She rummaged around the bed for her clothes and finally found her neatly folded and seemingly washed underwear under the pillow—when had he washed them? And when had he placed them there?
As she dressed, Li Fei tried hard to recall but couldn’t figure it out.
Once fully dressed, she pushed open the door. The sky outside had darkened, with only a few lingering streaks of crimson in the twilight. The aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, smoke curling upward as weary birds returned to the woods. Everything was peaceful and quiet, giving Li Fei the faint illusion of returning to Green Mound.
A figure flashed in the kitchen, and Lei Xiuyuan peeked out at her, waving a cabbage in his hand. "Feeling alright?"
Waving a cabbage while asking such an intimate question—what was that about? Li Fei shook her head and strode confidently into the kitchen. The layout of this common earthen house’s kitchen was much like any other. Something fragrant was simmering on the stove. Li Fei deftly lifted the lid to find a pot of vegetable soup, its aroma far surpassing anything she could make.
As Ge Lin had said, if this guy ever quit cultivation, he could make a fortune as a chef.
"Give me the knife," Li Fei rolled up her sleeves. She couldn’t let Lei Xiuyuan outdo her here. After all, she had taken care of Master with good food and drink for years. If she couldn’t match him in cultivation, so be it, but if she lost in these mundane tasks, she’d be failing as a woman.
The cabbage was swiftly sliced and stir-fried. This sweet-and-sour cabbage dish had once been a favorite of Master’s. As she flipped the vegetables, Li Fei glanced around. "Where’s the plate?"
"Here." Lei Xiuyuan tapped her shoulder. Li Fei turned her head, only for him to plant a quick kiss on her lips before handing her the plate. Seeing her grip the plate and glare at him, he chuckled leisurely. "If you don’t dish it out soon, it’ll burn."
This kind of conversation, this kind of scene—it was as if they weren’t cultivation disciples but an ordinary newlywed couple, enveloped in the warmth of domestic life.
Li Fei served the rice, and the two sat facing each other, eating cabbage and drinking vegetable soup. She had originally intended to ask him for more details about that secret, but now she suddenly didn’t want to.
It didn’t matter where he came from. They were now bound by an even deeper connection, becoming true cultivation partners who would never part. Whether he was a celestial being or a demon, in her heart, he would always be her Lei Xiuyuan. If they weren’t cultivators, it would be fine to live forever as an ordinary couple, leaving their origins and pasts far behind. She could worry about what to cook each day, while he figured out how to earn money for meat. When in high spirits, they could chat nonsense; when not, they could each go about their own business—simple yet mundane."Was it Brother Lu who taught you to cook?" Li Fei asked between sips of soup.
Lei Xiuyuan curled his lips: "He couldn't even hold a kitchen knife properly."
Li Fei looked at him in surprise: "Don't tell me you learned cooking on your own too?"
His smile carried an unmistakable air of smug superiority: "I just tried a few times and got it. Is it really that hard?"
Li Fei had the sudden urge to pinch that infuriating grin off his face. There it was again—that "you're all idiots" attitude she hadn't missed one bit during their time apart. She snorted coldly: "You know, I really couldn't stand you back then."
Lei Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow: "Oh? I rather liked you from the start."
Suppressing a laugh, Li Fei countered: "Starting from when you called me 'Xiao Bangchui big brother'?"
This made him chuckle too, recalling their chaotic younger days—his initial deception, her righteous indignation, his later restraint, her eventual forgiveness. Every intersection of their paths seemed destined to separate, yet always wound tighter together. Perhaps from their very first meeting, when this boyish-looking girl had roared at him, he'd sensed a different kind of warmth in this desolate world.
They rose at dawn the next day, walking slowly along muddy country paths as the sun climbed. Villagers turned to stare at this extraordinary young couple. Being near Star Rectitude Hall, where Celestials often passed, locals regarded its disciples with near reverence. Yet seeing their unfamiliar attire, none dared approach.
"See that tree." Lei Xiuyuan pointed to a gnarled old locust at the mountain's base. "I used to wait there daily for Brother Lu."
A rare wistfulness crossed his face as he surveyed the familiar landscape—every plant, stone, and flower. The lonely boy waiting at the mountain's foot might still be there, outwardly indifferent while counting passing clouds and calculating when training would end.
Li Fei took his arm, trudging through mud toward the tree without hesitation. Noticing the villagers' stares, she whispered: "When you lived here, did you know anyone besides Brother Lu?"
Lei Xiuyuan tilted his head thoughtfully: "None of the local children could beat me in fights."
Li Fei burst out laughing—a non-answer that was quintessential Xiuyuan. His frail appearance must've made him a target for bullies, but he'd undoubtedly fought back fiercely, earning such a fearsome reputation that parents warned their children away.
She leaped lightly onto the crooked locust tree, shading her eyes to survey the view. Her gaze settled on the distant peak with its massive gap, now veiled in morning mist where Star Rectitude Hall was said to reside.The scenery here had been admired by Lei Xiuyuan for three years. Just as she was engrossed in the view, she suddenly felt someone gently grasp her ankle. Lei Xiuyuan stood beneath the tree, using leaves to wipe the yellow mud from her shoes. It was surprising to see this usually proud young man doing such a thing. Li Fei obediently stayed still, letting him carefully clean her shoes. She chuckled softly, "Thank you."
Lei Xiuyuan tightened his grip on her ankle and said nonchalantly, "Thank me with actions tonight."
Li Fei's face flushed instantly. She tapped his forehead lightly with her finger and was about to speak when she suddenly sensed two bursts of spiritual energy fluctuation rapidly approaching from afar. She immediately jumped down from the locust tree, and Lei Xiuyuan stepped forward, shielding her behind him. In the blink of an eye, two gatekeeper disciples from Star Rectitude Hall landed before them on their swords. Seeing the two dressed in No Moon Court's direct disciple attire and both having broken through the third bottleneck in cultivation, the disciples immediately bowed, their attitude exceedingly friendly. "So it's fellow Daoists from No Moon Court. Our apologies for not welcoming you sooner. May we ask if you have any important business at Star Rectitude Hall?"
They were still hundreds of miles away from Star Rectitude Hall—why were they being so cautious? Li Fei pondered for a moment before realizing. Recently, due to the surge of strange phenomena, all major Immortal Sects had heightened their vigilance. The two of them had been lingering nearby for several days—no wonder they were being questioned.
The two of them also smiled and bowed in return. Lei Xiuyuan spoke gently, "How embarrassing. This place holds my former residence, and I was momentarily lost in nostalgia, staying a few days longer than intended. We regret disturbing the fellow Daoists of Star Rectitude Hall."
The two gatekeeper disciples had already noticed the small courtyard nearby, concealed by an illusion spell. One of them grew somewhat intrigued. "Fellow Daoist once lived here? Forgive my bluntness, but you seem quite young—likely a disciple newly ascended within the past five or six years. Yet you’ve already achieved such cultivation. With such extraordinary talent, why did you not join our Star Rectitude Hall?"
Lei Xiuyuan smiled. "It was merely a twist of fate. The late Senior Lu Shanhua had the kindness of raising me, and Elder Zhen Yunzi of Star Rectitude Hall once acted as half a teacher to me. I wonder how the venerable elder fares now."
Hearing him mention the name of a long-deceased Star Rectitude Hall disciple and even Elder Zhen Yunzi, the two realized this person must have some connection to their sect. Moreover, his refined and courteous speech naturally inspired goodwill. One of them replied with a smile, "Thank you for your concern. Unfortunately, former Elder Zhen Yunzi is not currently at the sect. Otherwise, your reunion would surely bring joy."
Li Fei remained silent on the side. Leaving the task of extracting information to Lei Xiuyuan required no worry—since childhood, he had always been adept at charming people into revealing things. No wonder nothing had happened during their days near Star Rectitude Hall. Zhen Yunzi wasn’t even there. Had he been present, given his temperament, he would have likely captured them long ago.
Lei Xiuyuan sighed repeatedly in regret. "What a pity. After this visit, who knows when I’ll have the chance to return to my old home or meet Elder Zhen Yunzi again? It truly is a great regret. Might I trouble you two fellow Daoists to pass a message to Elder Zhen Yunzi for me? Just say that this junior, Lei Xiuyuan, waited long for him but could not stay indefinitely. I am soon heading to the Eastern Sea to meet friends and wonder if fate might allow us to cross paths along the way."One of them laughed again: "Fellow Daoist is heading to the Eastern Sea? What a coincidence. There's no need for us to relay messages—Former Elder Zhen Yunzi also left the sect several days ago for the vicinity of the Eastern Sea. May the two of you reunite soon."
Zhen Yunzi went near the Eastern Sea? These gatekeeper disciples kept referring to him as "Former Elder." Presumably, his cultivation had deteriorated to the point where he could no longer serve as an elder. Had he gone to the Eastern Sea to ease his sorrows?
Lei Xiuyuan exchanged a few more polite words with the two before seeing them off. Once they left, Li Fei couldn't help but ask quietly, "Why did you ask about his whereabouts?"
Even if his cultivation had declined, he was still a Celestial and had once been an elder. With their current level of cultivation, confronting him would be like an egg smashing against a rock—something to avoid at all costs. Was he really thinking of charging headlong into danger?
Lei Xiuyuan pondered for a long moment but didn't answer. Instead, he said, "Let's go back first. We need to write a letter to Ye Ye."
The two hurried back to their room, where Lei Xiuyuan quickly dipped his brush in ink and filled an entire sheet of paper. He tossed it into the fire, but moments later, the letter was ejected back out. Frowning, he attached a strand of Chang Yue's hair to the letter and tried again, but it still wouldn't send.
The No Moon Court's message-delivery technique only failed under two circumstances: either the recipient was no longer among the living, or the recipient's current location was incorrectly written. Had Ye Ye and Baili Changyue also left the Earth Treasury Gate long ago?
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