Chapter 117: Why Look Far When the Answer Is Near
“The spiritual energy is abundant here! Gazing up at sun and moon, looking down at mountains and rivers, absorbing solar essence by day and lunar essence by night—no wonder you could cultivate into a true spirit.” The Fire Rock Dragon flapped her tail happily. “What a wonderful place!”
The Pine Child turned to see this long, fiery dragon hanging from their true body. Not even the wind could budge them now, and their pine needles drooped sadly. Their eyes reddened as they burst into tears: “Get down! You fiery creature!”
The Fire Rock Dragon was chased down, coiling sheepishly to one side. Three non-human entities watched the Pine Child hug their arms while crying and saying, “A master’s duty to disciples isn’t the lack of instruction, but the fear of being too lenient. Without strictness, disciples become lazy and disobedient, their aspirations wither and their studies fail.”
Echo patted their head sympathetically. “Error really does love to play.”
“But she hasn’t committed to taking your classes yet. Today we’re just…… auditing!” Echo clapped her hands decisively.
“Right, right!” The Fire Rock Dragon nodded frantically, her tail curling to hide the pine cones she’d snatched behind her back.
Haven’t committed to taking their classes.
The Pine Child’s heart nearly shattered, tears streaming down their face.
“Actually,” Echo said in surprise, “I have a disciple who’s especially good at crying. I should bring her to learn how to cry without wailing from you sometime.”
“That’s….… unnecessary.” the Pine Child managed.
“It’s just that we had abundant rainfall this year. I absorbed too much rainwater, and when I get emotional, I can’t help but discharge it.” They wiped the tears from their eyes seriously.
All three of them: “Oh!”
The Fire Rock Dragon, feeling guilty for making the Pine Child cry, said earnestly, “I could help dry you out.”
If I roast you dry, you won’t need to discharge anymore.
“Absolutely not!” the Pine Child raised their voice, face changing color. Under the dragon’s confused stare, they cleared their throat. “I have my own way of surviving. No need to trouble yourselves.”
“I have my own cultivation path!”
All three of them: “Oh!”
Error transformed back into human form, crouched down, and scratched her face. “Are you a boy or girl child?”
The Pine Child replied sternly, “Call me Master.”
“Master!” Error said.
The Pine Child nodded with satisfaction. “I’m hermaphroditic.”
Error was amazed. “Wow!”
Echo also crouched down, cupping her face in her hands as she watched them chat. But her mind wandered to the dual cultivation manual in her inventory. She needed to find Seraphine a cultivation partner, someone suitable for dual cultivation. If Seraphine were also hermaphroditic like this tree, would she not need her anymore?
“……”
Water Dragon’s Hymn floated over and tapped Echo’s shoulder. The person with unfocused pupils suddenly said, “That won’t work!”
“What?” Water Dragon’s Hymn tilted her head questioningly.
“The situation is extremely complicated,” Echo said with feeling. “I’m theorizing about the future through unprecedented speculation.”
“But I’m very glad Seraphine is human.”
Not a tree.
Water Dragon’s Hymn blinked. “?”
Though she didn’t understand—“Fight?”
“My wielder is about to break through,” Water Dragon’s Hymn said. “The restrictions on my cultivation will lift. You still have a chance now.”
“Qiu Shuangshuang’s mother is breaking through? Congratulations, but I can still beat you after her breakthrough.” Echo grabbed Nine Heavens, bounced on her toes to loosen up, and grinned. “Let’s fight.”
Error, who’d been chatting with the Pine Child, saw them suddenly shoot into the sky and called out in surprise, “What are you doing—hey, why are you fighting? Didn’t we come here to play?”
The Pine Child quickly erected a barrier to prevent their battle from disturbing other academy members. It watched the fierce combat between person and spear in the sky.
What’s going on? Aren’t they friends? Why did they suddenly start fighting so intensely? Most importantly, why are you fighting on Prospect Peak? The Pine Child stamped their feet in frustration.
Frost-cold mist descended, plunging the mountain forest into premature winter. White frost covered the wilderness, and flowers, grass, and trees were instantly shrouded in icy chill.
Dragon roars echoed wildly as towering waves froze into ice mountains in the cold wind. The surrounding mist of Prospect Peak seemed to freeze as well, leaving only sword energy and the water-blue dragon howling through the pale landscape.
The Pine Child wept while saying, “Water Dragon’s Hymn is a famous divine artifact, but I didn’t expect the other person to be so formidable. She’s really not a demon?”
Error thought about it. “She’s not.”
I think?
The Pine Child looked a little surprised, their jade-green eyes turning to Echo. Demons and humans were different—like their eyes.
For instance, Echo’s eyes were different from theirs. She carried the clean scent of snow and ice, and her long silver-white hair made it easy to assume her roots were somehow tied to winter. But to their surprise, Echo wasn’t a demon cultivator at all.
“I can’t sense her aura at all. I thought perhaps she was concealing her demonic energy,” the Pine Child said. “Too bad—I was hoping the academy palace might have demon cultivator students.”
Demonic energy?
Error lifted her sleeve to sniff it. She smelled lovely!
Echo fought with Water Dragon’s Hymn for two days. Error and the Pine Child went from initial surprise and worry to eventual calm indifference, then started playing Go out of boredom.
Finally, Water Dragon’s Hymn’s spear crashed to earth with a “bang” gouging a deep crater in the mountaintop.
The Pine Child wept tears of distress.
Water Dragon’s Hymn took dragon form and said with satisfaction, “Next time we fight again.”
There’s going to be a next time? The Pine Child glared angrily.
Then Echo said to them, “How about I trade Error to you? She can stay here and study with you.”
The Pine Child glanced at the honest-faced Fire Rock Dragon, looking conflicted. This dragon did have some ability—she played Go quite well.
“Oh, if you’re satisfied with Error, you could let her use your secret realm token,” Echo added. “She’s not an academy disciple, but she’s a contracted spirit beast of an academy disciple, so she counts as academy personnel.”
“You seem to only have this one disciple anyway.”
Just let her use it.
Echo pressed her palms together, bowing to the Pine Child.
“You really are human—so cunning!” the Pine Child said in anguish, having figured out Echo’s purpose.
Huh?
This was the first time anyone had described her this way. Echo was equally shocked. “If you don’t want to let her use it, that’s fine too. Water Dragon’s Hymn and I will find another place to play next time. We won’t break your floor again. Here are some gifts as compensation.”
Echo pulled out lots of snacks from her storage ring.
The Pine Child’s expression immediately brightened. “Never mind. A single pine on a mountain gets lonely anyway. You can come find me anytime to play—I can set up barriers for you.”
How nice!
Echo smiled, found a spot to meditate, and when she opened her eyes, Error was flying around the mountains carrying the Pine Child on her back, while Water Dragon’s Hymn coiled on the ground studying the Go board curiously.
Seeing Echo wake up, Water Dragon’s Hymn turned her head. “This sparring session—did you gain anything?”
She did.
Echo patted the dust off her clothes and said honestly, “I’m definitely very strong.”
She’s a powerhouse.
The world’s only divine artifact tilted her head. “Fight again another day.”
“Another day when we fight, I’ll still beat you.”
“Don’t believe it. Waiting for you.” Water Dragon’s Hymn replied.
Echo waved goodbye to Water Dragon’s Hymn, strapped Nine Heavens to her waist and held her jade flute, heading down the mountain in the evening light toward Master Mingyan’s classroom.
Along the way, Thousand Beauty Valley disciples carrying umbrellas passed by, chatting and laughing. Their clothes were like brocade clouds, their faces like lotus flowers, carrying the scent of medicine.
When the Thousand Beauty Valley girls saw Echo, their eyes brightened and they whispered to each other, then burst into laughter and waved.
Echo bowed politely across the flower beds. As she looked up, the gentle, beautiful Yu Xuefei, whose fragrant reputation spread across the world, covered her lips and tossed her a medicine bottle.
“Fellow Daoist Xi, these are fasting pills we made today. We added some pastries that Palace Lord Velka gave us. Please try them.”
Echo held the small bottle, shook it, and heard the pills rattling inside. She quickly thanked her and said honestly, “I prefer eating actual food.”
The Thousand Beauty Valley disciples laughed even more happily. One female cultivator holding Yu Xuefei’s arm called out loudly, “Senior Sister Xi, we’re not good at cooking, but we’re experts at brewing medicine. Would you like to try some?”
Echo’s face looked pained as she quickly shook her head.
“Haha, Senior Sister Xi, do you often cook for Palace Lord Velka too?”
“Senior Sister Xi, what do you and Palace Lord Velka like to eat most?”
The medical cultivators asked question after question, completely lacking their usual composure.
Echo asked curiously, “Why are you asking these questions?”
The medical cultivators covered their mouths and giggled. Yu Xuefei cleared her throat and smiled, “We just want to try making fasting pills taste better. Don’t mind us, Senior Sister. Go about your business.”
Alright, alright.
Echo stored the fasting pills in her storage ring and pulled out a white paper covered with crooked writing—many names scrawled across it. She continued walking.
She thought: The Thousand Beauty Valley female cultivators are beautiful and gentle, but they seem to misunderstand her relationship with Seraphine. Not good for matchmaking.
The crooked ink on the white paper was erased by spiritual power.
She passed the training ground and saw Zhu Shiyu from Taiyan Sect. She thought: Zhu Shiyuhas features like a painting, but she cultivates the Ruthless Path. Not good for matchmaking.
Qiu Jingyue from Ten Directions Sect was also there. She thought: By human age calculations, Qiu Jingyue and Seraphine have a significant age gap. Too much generational difference. Not good for matchmaking!
As she neared Master Mingyan’s classroom, a white-clothed woman of exceptional beauty passed by. They made eye contact, nodded, then went their separate ways. She thought: Red Lotus Saintessis a lifelong bachelorette with her own beliefs. She’ll never marry. Really too difficult to set up!
She worked hard considering options for Seraphine when she suddenly stopped walking.
Not far away, Seraphine leaned against a tree, apparently waiting for someone. Her crimson whip coiled around her arm, revealing a stretch of snow-white wrist. Points of firelight danced around her fingertips, illuminating the bright red nail polish on her fingers.
She seemed bored, listlessly lowering her eyes, her black lashes concealing the fire in their depths.
Echo couldn’t see the expression in her eyes, only her devastatingly sharp beauty burning like flame in the dying light—a flame that ignited in her heart in an instant.
“Ah.”
Echo suddenly pressed her hand to her heart, remembering the first time she’d met Seraphine—that fire falling at the end of the jade steps.
Years had passed, but this flame still burned bright and fierce. Every time she looked at it, she couldn’t look away, her heart filled with joy.
Hesitating, Echo opened her interface panel.
[Investigation: A heart’s flutter. Target: To discover what truly makes the heart move.]
Heart’s flutter: refers to rapid heartbeat, sudden unease; inner emotional stirring; the notion of wanting to do something.
She pressed her hand to her pounding heart. Ever since that thought had appeared, she’d often felt her heartbeat speed up. Was this unease? She looked at Seraphine again.
Why had her heart been beating so fast lately?
Was this emotional stirring?
What did she want to do?
The white paper crumpled in Echo’s tight grip. The beauty under the tree casually turned her gaze, spotted Echo standing on the mountain path, raised an eyebrow, and the cold distance in her eyes transformed into a smile. She crooked her finger at Echo across the distance.
What took you so long?
Come here.
“Thump.”
“Thump thump.”
In that instant, Echo heard her heartbeat echoing in her ears, making her panic and yet feel drawn in, her heart swaying.
She understands now.
She looked down at the white paper in her hand as her heart pounded.
Half the names had already disappeared from the paper, but crooked text still listed many names waiting for her review.
Xue Bufan
She thought: Protagonists in power fantasy novels are usually promiscuous with harems of beauties. Though she doesn’t know how many girlfriends Xue Bufan currently has, he’s foolish and inflexible—unreliable. This man won’t do.
One name faded away.
Zhao Hangyi
She thought: Sunset Glow Cityis incredibly wealthy, and the young city master seems polite but actually calculates every penny. Seraphine spends money without blinking—their philosophies don’t match.
Another name disappeared.
Qiu Shuangshuang
Echo looked at the next candidate. She thought: Qiu Shuangshuangis her disciple. Since she’s her disciple, she could also be Seraphine’s disciple. Though she’s beautiful with a sweet voice and a bit simple, she’s still young with low cultivation—she couldn’t protect Seraphine.
Every name on the white paper had flaws, but more importantly—none of them were strong enough.
If they’re not strong, how can they protect this flame?
After reviewing them all, Echo raised an eyebrow. The list in her hand crumbled to fragments.
Paper scraps fluttered down, shredded by spiritual power into tiny pieces that scattered into the soil.
Forget it.
She thought to herself.
Why look far when the answer is near? She’ll do it herself.
[Author’s Note]:
Work Log Update…
[Objective: To discover what truly makes the heart move.]
[Status: Complete.]
[New Objective: Make Seraphine fall for me.]
[Status: Initiating execution.]
I’ve completed my research, and it turns out the best candidate was right under my nose the whole time. Seraphine, get ready—you’re about to meet your perfect match. See how I execute this brilliant new objective 20 chapters ahead at Pxtreon➡️LoveisLove520!