A petal of white lotus shrouded in golden light shoots up into the sky, drawing everyone’s gazes. Then, the second petal follows, and the third, and the fourth until there are nine petals in total.
“Sang Mo completed Xue Lian Han Gong!” exclaims Qing Ling Xian excitedly.
“My good Mo Er,” Sheng Xue Tian Zun smiles in satisfaction.
Qing Yuan Xian and Qing Yun Xian are also looking at the sacred-looking lotus in appreciation. This is their lifelong dream and Sang Mo has completed it for them!
Feng Ran and Ji Shu Liu’s faces on the other hand, are solemn. Gong Sang Mo has succeeded, but what about Yun Qian Yu?
“I wonder what happened to the girl,” asks Sheng Xue Tian Zun in worry.
When the others hear that, the joy on their faces gradually dims down, especially the Three Celestials who personally saw her jump. They respect her for disregarding her own life for Gong Sang Mo.
Just as they start to worry, another kind of power shoots up from the bottom of the cliff.
Everyone anxiously looks on; does this mean that the girl has also successfully mastered Zi Yu Xin Jing?
A purple petal of lotus shrouded in golden light floats next to the white lotus, answering everybody’s question. Just like the white lotus, it also has 9 petals in total. Both lotuses shines magnificently in the night sky.
Everyone are stunned. At that moment, the view from the cliffside feels like something one can see in paradise. The two lotuses are surreal and otherworldly that no one can bring themselves to look away.
Feng Ran finally sighs in relief.
The owner of the valley has fully mastered Zi Yu Xin Jing, no one can pose a threat to her anymore.
Ji Shu Liu smiles bitterly as he looks at the two lotuses. They are match-made in heaven. Even their inner powers have similar forms.
He slowly turns around and walks away. As long as she is fine. He will not wait here for their victorious return. That is basically twisting the knife on his heart.
Su Huai Feng’s lips curves up, he expected this from his extraordinary Senior Uncle. Yun Qian Yu on the other hand, has taken him by surprise.
He knows that the painting is in Yun Qian Yu’s hands, he had been waiting for her to use it to recruit him, and yet she actually didn’t even bring it up. She even said that she cannot promise him anything, unlike the other kingdoms. This is probably the first time someone has been so straightforward in recruiting someone else.
Qing Ling Xian looks at the lotuses that are slowly fading, “How are they going to come up?”
All of them look at the bottom of the cliff that has been covered by fog. No one can find the answer to his question.
“Let’s just wait. They will find a way,” replies Qing Yuan Xian.
He heard that their Senior Ancestor could easily travel up and down the Jue Ming Cliff after mastering Xue Lian Han Gong.
At that very moment, the cohesive array is slowly losing it’s effect. Gong Sang Mo and Yun Qian Yu who have been floating above the jade platform slowly lands back on the ground.
Both of them open their eyes as they stand in the middle of the platform. They look at each other and smiles. Their beautiful faces have that enlightened look, as though everything in this world is but a speck of dust in their eyes. It is as though they have now transcends humanity.
Gong Sang Mo smiles at Yun Qian Yu, “Did you gain any new ability, Yu Er?”
He knows that Zi Yu Jin Xing is intertwined to her medical skills. Everytime she progresses in Zi Yu Xin Jing, she will gain a complementary medical skill.
Yun Qian Yu raises an eyebrow. She cannot feel anything different in her medical ability.
She stretches her hand and positions her fingers in the shape of a lotus. A petal immediately appears at the tip of one of her fingers. Not only has it made it easy for her to summon her Zi Yu Xin Jing, the petals are no longer polluted by golden strands. Instead, the golden strands have turned into a golden light that smoothly shrouds the petals.
The people who were able to master the mysterious art from the previous dynasties were all martial arts geniuses on their own, and yet she and Gong Sang Mo have actually managed to bring it to a whole new level!
Now that she is able to summon Zi Yu Xin Jing at will, it will be more convenient for her to treat people in the future.
Suddenly, Yun Qian Yu’s eyes widen. She looks at her own hands in surprise. She can actually see her own bones. She blinks and the vision is still there, she is not hallucinating. Is she actually capable of seeing through things now? Yun Qian Yu is ecstatic, this will be very useful in treating people!
Gong Sang Mo looks at Yun Qian Yu curiously, “What’s wrong?”
Yun Qian Yu looks at Gong Sang Mo and sees through his skin. The corner of her lips twitches, what a pretty skull! She lowers her eyes and can see his internal organs as well. Then, she looks lower, past his waist. Her face reddens and she covers her eyes, making a surprised noise.
Gong Sang Mo frowns as he inspect himself. Is something wrong with him? His robe has some tears here and there, but nothing is afoot. What is wrong with her?
Gong Sang Mo looks at Yun Qian Yu’s red cheeks. His eyes flash: don’t tell him…..
“Yu Er…”
Before Gong Sang Mo even speaks, Yun Qian Yu waves one hand while the other continues shielding her eyes, “I didn’t mean to see it!”
Correct! Completing Zi Yu Xin Jing allows Yun Qian Yu to see through things.
Gong Sang Mo is stunned. Then, he looks at his own waist before laughing, “What did you see, Yu Er?”
Yun Qian Yu peeks through a narrow slit between her fingers. When she sees that he is completely unruffled, she lowers her hand from her eyes. Her face remains pink as she refuses to look at Gong Sang Mo.
“It’s okay. Just look if you want to look, Yu Er. Besides, I already saw you anyway,” Gong Sang Mo has understood Yun Qian Yu’s new-gain power.
For a moment, Yun Qian Yu forgets about her embarrassment, “When did you see me?”
Impossible! When?
Gong Sang Mo smiles; his extremely handsome face making everything else pales in comparison, “When you were poisoned the other day.”
Yun Qian Yu finally knows that he had seen her when she got poisoned back in Xian Wang’s manor. She thought the one who fished her out of the hot spring was Chen Xiang, turns out it was Gong Sang Mo!
“But, you are not allowed to look at other men ‘over there.’” Gong Sang Mo finally realized a potential problem. If Yun Qian Yu can see through him, she can also see through other people, other men. Unacceptable!
Yun Qian Yu pats her warm face as she lowers her head quietly: she is not that obscene alright!
She looks at her hands, summoning Zi Yu Xin Jing. Then, she looks at her feet. Sure enough, her eyes see past through her shoes and right into her flesh. She can see everything, from her bones to her blood vessels.
She sighs; is this really good? What if she goes into battle in the future? If she looks at her enemies, will she be looking at their skeletons instead? How frightful would that be? She might vomit out of fear.
She puts her power away, feeling depressed for the first time. She lowers her head, looking at her own hands.
Gong Sang Mo can sense her downturning mood. Other people would be happy beyond word if they completely mastered their art, Yu Er on the other hand, is dejected.
“Don’t worry, you will be able to control it,” comforts Gong Sang Mo.
Yun Qian Yu nods; she definitely needs to figure out the way to get over this. If she can’t control it, might as well not use her inner power from now on!
“What about you? What has changed now that you mastered Xue Lian Han Gong?” Yun Qian Yu finally remembers that Gong Sang Mo has succeeded as well.
Gong Sang Mo smiles and outstretches his hand. A petal of white lotus flies out from his palm and strikes one of the pillars ahead of them. That pillar is immediately covered with ice.
Gong Sang Mo throws another petal to the pillar and the ice slowly disintegrates.
“Ice! I won’t have to worry about summer anymore!” Yun Qian Yu looks at Gong Sang Mo. He has practiced so hard, only to become her personal refridgerator.
Gong Sang Mo looks at Yun Qian Yu speechlessly. He waves his arm again, this time, directing the white petal to one of the eagles. The eagle immediately becomes immobilized when hit by Gong Sang Mo’s snow lotus.
He throws another petal and the eagle is freed.
The eagle look at his partner curiously, wondering why she is fussing over him.
Yun Qian Yu looks at the eagle in surprise. He was petrified by ice and is currently running around just fine right now.
“He is fine, he was just immobilized by me,” explains Gong Sang Mo.
Xue Lian Han Gong is a cold-based inner power. Now, Gong Sang Mo is able to harness that cold inner power and use them to petrify other people’s body.
Yun Qian Yu nods, taking it in. Why is it so easy for other people to control their inner power upon succession? Why couldn’t she do the same?
Regardless, she is confident enough in herself to know that she will be able to figure out how to control her new ability.
Gong Sang Mo walks over to the two eagles and pick up the two robes that they dropped on the ground.
He helps Yun Qian Yu put on hers first before putting his robe on himself.
Then, he looks up. “The sky is dark. We should go now.”
“En,” Yun Qian Yu can just feel her inner power bursting within herself, eager to be used.
Both of them wave their arms and shoot up towards the sky.
The two eagles hastily follow them.
The ascend is different from their descend. Back then, they had nowhere to go but down. But now, they could actually regulate their own speed.
Yun Qian Yu is very excited.
Halfway there, Yun Qian Yu looks down and finds that she can no longer see the bottom of the cliff clearly. The eagles are desperately following them from behind, stumped that these human could actually fly even faster than them.
Yun Qian Yu wants to laugh at them. She pulls at Gong Sang Mo, slowing them down a little to allow the eagles to catch up to them.
She suddenly feels a little emotional. Just three days ago, they almost lost their lives because they couldn’t fly over the dark poisonous lake. But now, they are actually flying high up above the cliff base and are hardly breaking a sweat.
After a moment, the eagles manage to catch up to them.
Yun Qian Yu let go of Gong Sang Mo and lands on the female eagle. Gong Sang Mo, on the other hand, settles on the male eagle.
“Let them send us back,” says Yun Qian Yu as she pets the eagle fondly. She feels very reluctant to part with them.
“Sure!” replies Gong Sang Mo without hesitating. If Yun Qian Yu want something, he will do everything he can to give it to her.
The two eagles soar into the clouds. Once they break through the clouds, the first thing they all see are the people waiting for them by the cliffside.
The eagles hover mid-air, not knowing where to land.
Gong Sang Mo stands up and launches himself up, landing right on the cliffside.
Then, he turns around to face Yun Qian Yu who is reluctant to part from her eagle, “We are back, Yu Er!”
Yun Qian Yu does not have the heart to jump off from the eagle. The eagle hoots at her too, seemingly conveying her reluctance as well.
Yun Qian Yu pats her in the back, “I’ll be going.”
She gets up and flies towards the cliff while the eagle screeches behind her.
Once she lands on ground, the two eagles swoop down and start hovering over everyone, unwilling to part from them.
She waves them over and they happily comply, landing at the very edge of the precarious cliff while watching everyone alertly.
“Shifu!” Gong Sang Mo bows in front of Sheng Xue Tian Zun.
Sheng Xue Tian Zun looks at him, his white hair and beard swaying with the wind, “Mo Er, my good child! You did not disappoint shifu.”
“Qian Yu greets Sheng Xue Tian Zun,” bows Yun Qian Yu.
Sheng Xue Tian Zun laughs in delight, “You talented girl!”
Yun Qian Yu raise an eyebrow. This old man doesn’t seem to dislike her, and his mood seems to be good at the moment; this is the perfect time to ask something from him!
“Are you in a good mood, Sheng Xue Tian Zun?”
“Of course! For the first time in 100 years, someone from Mount Celestial have managed to master Xue Lian Han Gong!” acknowledges Sheng Xue Tian Zun readily.
“Then, can I make a little request?” asks Yun Qian Yu.
The three celestials look at her vigilantly. Is she going to ask for Su Huai Feng?
Although Sheng Xue Tian Zun hasn’t known Yun Qian Yu for long, he can see what type a person she is from their first meeting. He knows she is nothing like what his three oldest disciples have in mind.
“Just say it, this old man promise to give you what you want! Even if I don’t want to, Mo Er will persuade me to do that anyway,” Sheng Xue Tian Zun laughs while stroking his beard.
The three celestials look at their shifu in surprise. Who knows what Yun Qian Yu would want, how could their shifu simply promise her like that?
“Can I let them live in Mount Celestial while I am here?” Yun Qian Yu motions at the two eagles obediently waiting for them.
Sheng Xue Tian Zun laughs, “Of course you can!”
“That’s great!” this is the first time Yun Qian Yu has ever been so happy. She smiles at them, one that comes from her heart. That beautiful smile of hers affect the crowd greatly.
The three celestials lower their heads discreetly, ashamed for assuming the worst of a little girl.
Yun Qian Yu runs towards the eagles happily, conveying her idea to them. The eagles nod excitedly.
Everyone who are watching are stumped; the eagles understand human language?
Su Huai Feng is standing at the very back, watching Yun Qian Yu thoughtfully.
Qing Yuan Shan takes one look at their tattered robes before saying, “Go back first. Both of you need to bath and change.”
Sheng Xue Tian Zun nods.
The crowd slowly leaves the cliffside.
Yun Qian Yu is at the very front, following the two eagles closely.
Gong Sang Mo is walking with his shifu, but his eyes are trained on the blue silhouette in front, a doting look on his face.
Both of them return to Gong Sang Mo’s residence first.
Chen Xiang and the rest have prepared meals and hot water for them.
Both of them bath separately before going to the dining table. They haven’t been eating or drinking for the past three days, so they try not to eat too much right now.
After dinner, Gong Sang Mo lets Yun Qian Yu rest first while he heads over to his shifu’s residence.
Chen Xiang begins brewing jasmine tea while lighting up incense to let Yun Qian Yu relax.
Although this action seems small, it means a lot to Yun Qian Yu who had to endure the cave for three days. Had she not gone through that, she would not have learned to appreciate this.
The two eagles are outside. They were originally inside with her, but they are too big and leave barely any space once they are inside. Yun Qian Yu can tell that they don’t like being indoors as well, so she let them out. Gong Sang Mo has already instructed the other disciples to not hurt the two eagles if they see them.
And so, the two eagles are now leisurely strolling around the celestial mountain.
Because of the eagles, the cold mountaintop is now lively.
Yun Qian Yu is currently lying on the warm jade bed.
Feng Ran is sitting on a small stool next to the bed, conveying everything that has happened for the past 3 days to her.
First of all, Su Huai Feng has not made any decision yet. He was supposed to leave the mountain today, but ended up delaying it for Gong Sang Mo and Yun Qian Yu.
Feng Ran can see that Yun Qian Yu does not seem worried at all. “Aren’t you worried Bei Tang Gu Qiu might snatch Su Huai Feng away?” asks Feng Ran.
A confident look flashes on Yun Qian Yu’s beautiful face.
“Neither Long Jin nor Bei Tang Gu Jiu managed to recruit him. If I fail, that means that he has no intention to enter politics to begin with. No one will be able to recruit him.”
“Why?” asks Feng Ran curiously.
“Will he have the courage to be his Senior Uncle’s enemy?” Yun Qian Yu raises an eyebrow.
Feng Ran is rendered speechless. He has never even considered that.
“But based on Bei Tang Gu Qiu’s brain, he ought to have thought that sooner. Why is he still here then?”
“If you tell me that Long Jin is here purely to recruit Su Huai Feng, I will believe you. Bei Tang Gu Qiu, however…. He is only here to make sure I fail to recruit Su Huai Feng.” Yun Qian Yu’s eyes are full of confidence.
Feng Ran frowns. “That day, Bei Tang Gu Qiu was inside Su Huai Feng’s chamber for an entire noon.”
“Perhaps they were chatting, perhaps they were playing chess. There are a lot of things people can do for an entire noon,” dismisses Yun Qian Yu.
When she sees the doubt in Feng Ran’s eyes, she says, “He did that on purpose, to make me think Su Huai Feng favors Jiu Xiao Kingdom.”
Feng Ran has always thought he was a smart person, but after entering the palace and seeing all these political intrigues with his own eyes, he realizes that he is not that smart after all.
“Do you think he will choose Nan Lou Kingdom?” might as well ask straight away. Thinking is just too tiring.
“He will,” Yun Qian Yu smiles. If she had not been confident before, her confidence has grown tenfold now.
Feng Ran then begins relaying news about Yu Jian.
Yu Jian has been doing great. He has been accompanied by the Retired Emperor to court, where he has been receiving Hua Man Xi’s backing. After the court ends, he has been getting tutored by Lu Zi Hao. The entire court is stable at the moment.
After chatting with Feng Ran for a while more, Yun Qian Yu leaves the chamber to check on the eagles.
Speaking of the eagles, Yun Qian Yu did not see them from the window, but the moment she steps out of the room, they rush towards her as though they have been watching the entrance all along.
After checking up on them, she tells them to rest as she too wants to go to bed.
The two eagles reluctantly fly away.
Yun Qian Yu does not bother to wait for Gong Sang Mo. It is very unlikely for him to return tonight.
She returns to the room where Chen Xiang has finished preparing the beddings.
She takes off her outer dress before laying on the bed. This is the best sleep she’s ever had in a while, not counting when Gong Sang Mo is there with her. She is just too tired.
