Jin.
【Carefree Sect * Philosophy of Life】
After Tantai Jin completed the Carefree Scripture that year, the abilities of his four senior brothers—Hai, Shu, Lin, and Feng—were no longer sufficient to teach him, so Zhaoyou took it upon himself to instruct Tantai Jin.
"Do you know how to play chess?"
Tantai Jin shook his head. "No."
"Come, sit. I will teach you."
Tantai Jin sat down opposite Zhaoyou.
Zhaoyou said, "Chess is like life. Observing a game of chess reveals one's heart."
Elder Zhaoyou carefully explained the rules of chess to Tantai Jin, and the master and disciple began a game. Zhaoyou took the white pieces, while Tantai Jin took the black.
The young man’s fingers were pale and cold, and the jade-like black chess pieces looked striking between his slender fingers.
Tantai Jin was clever—almost as soon as Zhaoyou explained, he grasped the concepts and could infer the rest.
A short while later, Tantai Jin lost.
He pursed his lips, his obsidian-like eyes igniting with interest. "Again."
Zhaoyou played another game with him. Watching the board, Zhaoyou sighed inwardly.
Observing the chess game revealed the heart: the young man’s moves were ruthless and cunning, treating the lives of the pawns as worthless, devoid of any compassion. Pieces fell in droves under his fingertips, yet his eyes saw only victory.
"By any means necessary"—Zhaoyou thought of this phrase.
"Jiumin, go to the library tonight and find the eighth book on the third shelf of the second row, the one with the blue cover. Memorize it and recite it to me tomorrow."
Though Tantai Jin didn’t understand the reasoning, to him, Zhaoyou was clearly far more capable than Canghai and the others. He didn’t hold Zhaoyou in reverence, but he lowered his eyes and replied, "Yes."
Following Zhaoyou’s instructions, Tantai Jin pulled out the book he was supposed to memorize.
The blue cover looked aged, and it was titled Enlightenment .
Seeing the name, Tantai Jin frowned.
Opening it, he found childish, tender handwriting clearly belonging to a young child. Carrying the book, Tantai Jin went to register it with the senior disciple in charge of the library.
The senior disciple was surprised. "Junior Brother Jiumin, why are you reading a children's enlightenment book?""
"It’s on Master’s orders," Tantai Jin replied. "Senior Brother, are you saying this is a children's enlightenment book?""
The senior disciple laughed. "This is a book for children under ten in our sect."
"...I see."
That evening, Tantai Jin opened the book. The first page was about love.
He stared at the word for a moment, then expressionlessly turned to the second page: "Kindness."
He flipped again: "Loyalty and Righteousness."
Tantai Jin read through the entire book and memorized it. The next day, he expected Zhaoyou to test him, but he did not.
"Come with me. I have a task for you."
This was Tantai Jin’s first mission since joining the Carefree Sect. He had assumed it would involve vanquishing demons or subduing monsters, but instead, Zhaoyou took him to a dilapidated alley in the mortal world.
Amid the wind and snow stood an old woman leaning on a cane.
"See her? After her son went off to war, she has stood here waiting every day. Fifteen years she has waited, but she doesn’t know her son already died on the battlefield. Tomorrow is her final day. Transform into her son and fulfill her one wish."
"Master," Tantai Jin frowned.
"Jiumin, go." Zhaoyou waved his hand, and Tantai Jin’s appearance changed.
Tantai Jin stood in the snow for a moment, then stepped toward the old woman.
Her dull, turbid eyes were heavy with the aura of death. The old woman, wrapped tightly in a tattered coat, resembled a withered log. Snow settled on her white hair.
"Zhi."
The moment she saw Tantai Jin, her emotionless eyes slowly welled with tears.
In a trembling voice, she said, "Zhi’er, is it you? Mother’s Zhi’er?"Those withered hands, like old tree bark, rested on Tantai Jin's face.
Tantai Jin remained silent. He had no mother, didn't know how people normally interacted with their mothers. He wasn't Li Zhi, and couldn't imitate Li Zhi's behavior.
The old woman joyfully welcomed him inside, chattering incessantly.
"Zhi'er, look—these are clothes I've made for you over the years. Try them on, see if they fit."
Several sets of clothing, for summer and winter alike, each stitch meticulously sewn.
Tantai Jin glanced at the new clothes beneath his palm, then at the old woman's thin, patched garments. "They fit," he said.
That night, he shared a meal with a stranger.
Outside, wind and snow raged. In the dimly lit room, the aroma of chicken soup filled the air. The chicken had been stewed until tender, and the old woman reminisced about Li Zhi's childhood. Tantai Jin listened with downcast eyes.
Li Zhi's room was spotless, clearly maintained year after year. The bedding was thin but completely dry.
Tantai Jin lay with his arm beneath his head, awake through the night.
As dawn approached, he sensed something amiss and pushed open the old woman's door.
She was already dead.
She had passed away during the winter storm, surrounded by neatly folded sets of Li Zhi's clothes. Her limbs were purpled, but her expression was peaceful.
Tantai Jin watched for a moment, then closed the door and passed through the courtyard.
Chicken feathers were buried in the snow—the chicken she had relied on for survival, which she had used the previous night to nourish her "son."
For fifteen years, through wind and rain, she had waited. And in death, she was content.
Zhaoyou appeared and said to Tantai Jin, "Let's go."
The small courtyard's door closed in the snowstorm. Over the next year, Zhaoyou taught Tantai Jin little in the way of immortal arts but often took him on journeys.
Once, he had him play the role of a general. A lieutenant died protecting him in an encirclement.
Had the lieutenant been willing to betray him, he wouldn't have died. Instead, he would have been rewarded with rank and wealth, and his wife and child would never want for anything.
Yet the lieutenant donned Tantai Jin's cloak and declared resolutely, "General, you must go! Take care of yourself!"
In Tantai Jin's eyes, the morning sun painted the sky. The young soldier wearing his clothes and armor fell beneath a hail of arrows.
Another time, Zhaoyou had him become a seven- or eight-year-old child. The boy's beggar brother stole a steamed bun for him, was beaten black and blue, but ran back frantically to press the dirtied bun to his lips.
"Wen-di, you eat. Older brother already ate outside, I'm not hungry."
Transformed into a frail child, Tantai Jin sat before a broken temple, watching the pouring rain outside.
He took a bite. The bun was cold and hard. Beside him, the eight- or nine-year-old boy swallowed hard, trying not to look at the bun. Lying on the straw, he said with forced optimism, "Older brother passed by the school today and saw all the young masters studying. When Wen-di is older, I'll send you to school too. Once you study, you can take the imperial exams. Then you'll never go hungry again—you'll eat big chicken legs every day."
Tantai Jin chewed the bun and asked, "What about you?"
The boy replied, "Me? Once Wen-di becomes an official, just find me a job."
Tantai Jin said nothing. The next day, when the rain stopped, the boy woke from hunger, curled up.
"Wen-di? Wen-di?"
No one was there. Only an exquisite wooden box remained. The boy opened it to find a roasted chicken inside.
Tantai Jin did not use an umbrella, yet not a drop of rain touched his black robes.
Zhaoyou looked up and smiled. "You're back.""Yes, Master."
Zhaoyou never asked, and Tantai Jin never offered any explanation.
Much later, Zanghai brought up the matter: "Little Junior Brother, back when the master always took you out for training, what exactly did you learn?"
Several senior brothers craned their necks curiously, clearly intrigued.
During their own training, they had learned how to subdue demons and break through water formations. As a prodigy, would what their junior brother learned be completely different from them?
What had he learned?
He recalled the old woman in the snowstorm, the young captain who died for loyalty, the little beggar beaten for stealing a steamed bun...
One face after another flashed before his eyes.
After a long silence, Tantai Jin spoke coldly: "Mortals are foolish."
Zanghai, Zangshu, and Zangfeng: "......"
【Carefree Sect * Loving Someone】
Tantai Jin remembered that in his second year at the Carefree Sect, his third senior brother, Zanglin, had fallen in love.
It was a new female disciple taken in by an uncle from Little Camel Peak, named Nie Shui.
Zanglin would talk to his fellow disciples every day about how beautiful, clever, and understanding Nie Shui was.
Tantai Jin had seen her once. Dressed in the Carefree Sect's blue robes, with a tassel she had woven herself tied to her belt, her eyes slightly upturned at the corners, she always spoke with a hint of a smile.
She had the delicate beauty of a young lady from a modest family, with a sweet tongue.
The first time she saw Tantai Jin, Nie Shui’s eyes lingered for a moment before she smiled and leaned closer, her hand subtly reaching for the hem of his robe.
Tantai Jin curled his lips and looked at her with a mocking gaze.
He whispered, "Junior Sister Nie, my third senior brother is watching you from behind."
"What!" Nie Shui was startled and turned to look, only to find no one there. When she turned back to Tantai Jin, she was both embarrassed and annoyed, awkwardly withdrawing her hand.
Such a person had completely captivated Zanglin. The Carefree Sect’s spirit stones required disciples to go out and subdue demons or hunt magical beasts.
Every time Zanglin returned, barely alive and still wounded, he would give the spirit tools he had bought to Nie Shui.
Sometimes it was a jade bracelet for protection, other times a hairpin for setting up formations.
Zanghai, Zangshu, and Zangfeng couldn’t stand it anymore and tried to persuade him: "Zanglin, we all know you like Nie Shui, but she accepts your gifts without ever reciprocating and avoids talking about forming a cultivation partnership with you. I don’t think Junior Sister Nie is as good as you say."
Zanglin shook his head: "Senior Brother, how can you say that about Junior Sister Nie? She didn’t ask for these things. Her spiritual power is weak, so I’m just giving her some items for protection."
After Zanglin left, Zangfeng said: "Junior Brother Jiumin, you should try to talk some sense into Senior Brother Zanglin."
Tantai Jin lifted his narrow eyes and said, "Don’t waste your effort."
One midsummer night, Tantai Jin was lying on a tree branch when he came across Nie Shui secretly meeting with a disciple from the Joy Union Sect.
The man from the Joy Union Sect had red lips, white teeth, and a handsome, spirited appearance. Nie Shui clung to him, moaning and gasping incessantly.
As the waterfall rushed past, none of her usual shyness remained.
"What did that fool give you this time?"
Nie Shui laughed: "A century-old spirit essence."
The Joy Union Sect disciple raised an eyebrow: "That’s a great thing for marrow cleansing."
"It’s nowhere near as good as when you take me for dual cultivation. That guy is such a blockhead, always talking about 'restraining emotions and adhering to propriety,' insisting that I form a cultivation partnership with him first."
Tantai Jin watched coldly for a while before lying back on the tree branch.
His heart was cold, and he had no desire to meddle in such trivial matters. For Tantai Jin, reviving Ye Xiwu was the only thing that mattered.Zang Lin was blind in his own eyes; falling for such a person meant he deserved to pay the price for his foolishness.
At that time, the Soul-Calming Lamp had not yet appeared in the world. Tantai Jin often ventured to the caves beyond the immortal realm to search for Soul-Guiding Grass. Gathering a thousand stalks of this grass could match the efficacy of the Soul-Calming Lamp once.
Returning from the caves beyond the immortal realm, Tantai Jin encountered an extremely anxious Zang Feng: "Little Junior Brother, you’ve returned just in time. Third Senior Brother is in trouble."
Tantai Jin followed him and found Zang Lin lying on a bed, his face bluish-purple, with two large venomous snakebite marks on his ankle.
"How could it be the Scarlet Serpent Demon?"
The Scarlet Serpent was a major demon, and its venom was highly toxic. The fellow disciples all wore grim expressions as they worked to expel the poison from Zang Lin. It wasn’t until Zhaoyou arrived that Zang Lin’s condition stabilized.
In his arms, everyone noticed a pair of well-preserved earring artifacts.
Zang Hai, enraged, slapped the gourd at his waist and clenched his fists, saying, "It’s because of Junior Sister Nie again."
Zang Shu sighed and said, "Foolish boy, if this continues, he’ll end up dying because of Nie Shui."
Tantai Jin leaned casually against the doorframe, detached and unconcerned.
Zang Feng exclaimed, "Hey, what’s this?"
Zang Hai picked it up and said, "It’s a few stalks of Soul-Guiding Grass."
"What does Zang Lin need this for?"
Tantai Jin paused, lifted his gaze, and saw in Zang Hai’s hand several stalks of Soul-Guiding Grass shimmering with an ethereal blue glow.
In his ears, he seemed to hear Zang Lin’s cheerful laughter from the past: "Although Little Junior Brother refuses to say what he needs the Soul-Guiding Grass for, if Third Senior Brother ever comes across any, I’ll definitely gather it for you."
Tantai Jin walked over, took the stalks of Soul-Guiding Grass, and without a word, turned and strode out.
"Little Junior Brother, where are you going?" @Infinite good stories, all in Jinjiang Literature City.
Tantai Jin rode his sword out of Carefree Immortal Mountain and tracked the scent to find the Scarlet Serpent Demon.
He cut his finger and laid out an array.
The Scarlet Serpent, who had been cultivating, was forced back into its original form by the terrifying baleful energy in the blood, writhing and shrieking as it emerged.
Tantai Jin had no intention of killing it. The Scarlet Serpent Demon, noticing the patterns on Tantai Jin’s robes, asked warily, "Who are you? Have you come to avenge your fellow disciple?"
The young man curved his lips into a smile. "No, I’ve come to ask for your help."
Legend had it that the Scarlet Serpent could take on male or female forms, both enchantingly charming and passionate. By its nature, the serpent was lustful, and Tantai Jin believed it would be willing to help. If not, then it could die.
The Scarlet Serpent, looking at the young man’s icy smile, nodded repeatedly. "I’ll help. I’ll do whatever you say."
Before winter arrived at Carefree Immortal Mountain, a major incident shook the sect. Nie Shui of Little Hump Peak was discovered in an illicit affair with the Scarlet Serpent Demon. No matter how liberal the Carefree Sect was, it could not condone such an alliance between an immortal and a demon.
Moreover, Nie Shui had stolen spiritual pills from the sect to gift to the Scarlet Serpent. When she was discovered, she was already pregnant with the demon’s child.
The entire sect was in an uproar. If Nie Shui wished to survive, she would have to have her immortal marrow extracted and walk the Spirit-Severing Stairs.
Nie Shui knelt, kowtowed, and wept, "No, I know I was wrong. I beg the masters and elders to spare me."
Having her immortal marrow extracted would reduce her to a mere mortal, and walking the Spirit-Severing Stairs would be more agonizing than being burned alive.
The elder in charge of enforcement coldly stared at her and said, "If you don’t want to walk it, then let the Scarlet Serpent Demon take your place."
Nie Shui’s face turned deathly pale. She wanted to seek help from the smooth-talking Scarlet Serpent Demon, but the one who had once smiled so charmingly had long since vanished without a trace. There was no way she could find him to suffer in her stead.
In despair, Nie Shui collapsed to the ground. The enforcement elder, having anticipated this outcome, snorted coldly.
Zang Lin watched Nie Shui from afar.Before Nie Shui’s immortal bones were extracted, he spoke hoarsely, “I’ll take her place.”
“Cang Lin, have you lost your mind?” His senior brothers exclaimed in shock and anger.
Tan Tai Jin turned his gaze and coldly stared at Cang Lin.
Cang Lin kowtowed to Zhao You and bowed to each of his senior brothers in turn.
“Master, your disciple is unfilial. Senior brothers, junior brothers, just consider Cang Lin mad.”
Nie Shui was pregnant. If she were to truly walk the Soul-Severing Steps, she wouldn’t even remain human—she would die.
Zhao You closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
And so, that day, Tan Tai Jin watched as that foolish man walked step by step up the thousand Soul-Severing Steps, spitting blood and collapsing before him.
He paused for a moment, then reached out to support Cang Lin.
Tears welled in Cang Lin’s eyes as he smiled bitterly and said, “Little junior brother...”
“Mm, third senior brother.”
“When you come to love a woman someday, remember to choose someone worthy.”
Tan Tai Jin asked softly, “Do you regret it?”
Cang Lin shook his head. “No regrets. A man must take responsibility for the one he loves. It’s just that from now on... Cang Lin will no longer care for her.”
If you fall in love with a girl, even if she is wicked, a liar, or promiscuous, you must treat her well and protect her.
On the day Cang Lin descended the mountain as a mortal, he was remarkably composed. Carrying his pack, he clasped his hands and said, “Though mountains rise high and rivers run long, may this life grant us another meeting, brothers.”
Cang Hai turned away, his eyes moist.
@Infinite good stories, all in Jinjiang Literature City
The Carefree Sect could not tolerate Nie Shui. Yet at this critical moment, Nie Shui was unwilling to follow Cang Lin. Her immortal marrow remained intact, and she resolved to stake everything on seeking out male cultivators from the Scarlet Refinement or Harmony Joy Sects.
On the day she fled the Carefree Sect, a pair of black boots appeared before her.
A young man tilted his head and smiled at her.
“Your life is not worth his cultivation.”
My third senior brother... how lonely he must be, all alone.
Before the heavy snow of winter arrived, Tan Tai Jin lay on a rooftop, his body drenched in blood, his face stained with Nie Shui’s blood, thinking of the liar who had driven the Soul-Extinguishing Nail into his heart.
His fingers traced the roof tiles of the mortal world, scratching through the pristine snow.
He murmured, “Ye Xi Wu, am I so selfish that I do not love you?” @Infinite good stories, all in Jinjiang Literature City
The me who killed Nie Shui without a shred of guilt—have I never changed?
At that time, Tan Tai Jin did not know what he would one day sacrifice for Su Su, how he would swallow his loneliness and tears, carve a tombstone in the imperial mausoleum, walk the Path of Shared Sorrow alone, and bring spring to the six realms.
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