Having an immortal guide the way was like beholding a whole new world.
In the past, Xu Yingzhen had loved reading storybooks, especially those tales of demons and spirits, and the strange records of cultivation. Having read so many of them, her heart had naturally swelled with wild fantasies once or twice, dreaming that she might one day become one of those transcendent beings, commanding the world with a wave of her hand.
But that was only fantasy. The Xu family motto contained a teaching: "Gaze at the stars while keeping your feet on the ground." Even when looking up at the sky, one must remain grounded.
Yet at this very moment, as Li Xiu spoke her offer, Xu Yingzhen felt the entire world fall silent. She could clearly hear her own heartbeat and feel the rush of her blood.
Thump, thump—intense and heavy, like a beating drum.
Boiling, searing, like a blazing fire.
To take Li Xiu as her master, to ascend to heaven in a single step and cross the boundary between mortal and immortal; to tread upon the blue sky as if walking on flat ground like the two people before her, and to ride swords against enemies with effortless grace—what an incredibly magnificent, heroic life that would be!
But Xu Yingzhen reined in her drifting thoughts, took a deep breath, and offered a respectful bow with hands clasped before replying.
"Thank you for your kind favor, Immortal Master, but please allow me to explain first."
Earlier, the woman in green had been direct, revealing her identity right away. Xu Yingzhen had never dipped her toes into such matters and had no idea what those words meant, let alone how to tell truth from falsehood.
But the chasm between cultivator and mortal was like a vast abyss, a truth the snake demon had already thoroughly proven. To say nothing of this Perfected Master Mingluan, even the silver-robed man was powerful enough to easily decide her life or death with a mere flick of his wrist.
So, what need would they have to deceive her?
Recognizing this with absolute clarity, Xu Yingzhen candidly revealed her identity.
"My name is Xu Yingzhen. 'Ying' as in reflection, and 'Zhen' as in truth."
She was still young, and after surviving a series of sudden trials, encountering such a monumental opportunity naturally set her mind racing. She was merely forcing her voice to remain steady, unwilling to show cowardice or make any pathetic display of weakness.
Li Xiu saw through this easily, but the warmth in her eyes only deepened.
Sorting through her thoughts, Xu Yingzhen's emotions began to stabilize, and her words naturally became more fluent.
"I am from Yangzhou. My mother is the Marquis of Fengming, and I have a grandfather who is nearing sixty. As the only child in my family, my elders love and cherish me dearly. I cannot simply follow my own whims, accept your offer, and leave with you."
The only child in the family? Though Li Xiu was from the cultivation world, she had heard of certain customs in the mortal realm. She understood immediately, and a touch of curiosity arose within her.
Recalling the purpose of her and her disciple's journey to this mortal prison, a new idea formed in her mind.
Li Xiu had inherited the legacy of Tianxuan and was highly skilled in the art of divination. Activating her technique in secret, her brow suddenly twitched, and a look of deep surprise flashed across her eyes. She then spoke:
"This Perfected Master would like to accompany you on a trip."
***
"Is there any word on Zhen'er?!"
"Cough, cough..."
The old man sat in the main hall, dressed in a black robe embroidered with golden auspicious clouds and cranes. His hair and long beard were already snow-white. Years of exhausting his mental energy combined with chronic illness made the onset of old age and physical decline hit him all the harder.
This time, his granddaughter had gone to Mingjing Temple to burn incense and pray for a safety amulet for him, only to vanish when the snake demon went on a rampage. Despite having weathered many storms in his life, he could not help but be consumed by a mixture of worry and anger. He felt a sudden blockage in his throat, and for a moment, his coughing shook his very chest.
The housekeeper at his side hurriedly took out a small sandalwood box and fed a Ginseng-Lingzhi Qi-Nurturing Pill into the old man's mouth.
Old Master Xu washed the pill down with some water. It took effect quickly, gradually suppressing the painful itch in his chest. Only then did the reporting servant cautiously deliver the news.
"Replying to the Master, we have not found her whereabouts yet. However, we offered a reward of one hundred taels of silver, and someone who was at the temple at the time came forward. They claimed to have seen someone kidnap the young mistress with a drugged handkerchief amidst the chaos. We have already had an artist paint a portrait based on the description and have asked the prefect to deploy government runners to search for him."
"Please rest easy, Master. We acted quickly and used the Marquis's token to seal and search the city. They definitely haven't made it out of Yangzhou yet. The young mistress will surely be unharmed," the housekeeper consoled from the side.
Xu Jingguan knew this was true, but having dominated the business world for many years, he knew all too well how easily unexpected things and accidents could happen. His mind was a tangled mess of anxious thoughts, and he could only wave his hand.
"Go quickly. Dispatch all the capable hands in the estate. If anyone can find Zhen'er, they will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver."
"Yes, sir!"
Knowing how anxious he was, the servants of the Xu residence were all on high alert.
The housekeeper, who appeared to be around forty, was named Xu Cheng. He was a hereditary servant born within the household and was highly trusted.
He hurried to issue the orders but made some adjustments. Naturally, he could not dispatch every single person to search for the young mistress, as that would leave the estate completely unguarded.
Between their rivals in business and the Marquis's political enemies, the old master was physically frail. If some mishap were to occur to him, it would trigger both internal and external crises, throwing everything into absolute chaos.
Once Xu Jingguan's emotions had settled a bit, he asked the housekeeper, "Have you sent word to Shu'er?"
"In recent years, the Xu Family Merchant Guild has scaled back its influence, showing no desire to compete. Coupled with our connections in the imperial court and the fact that Shu'er's appointment as marquis is currently at the height of its prestige, very few merchants would dare plot against us."
Therefore, it was highly likely that Zhen'er had run into trouble because of Xu Yingshu.
Xu Cheng bowed and replied, "Regarding the young mistress's disappearance at Mingjing Temple, I have already ordered a messenger to ride a Yellow Wind Steed to the royal capital. It will take six or seven hours at most to arrive, so the Marquis should have received the news by now."
Xu Jingguan tapped his right index finger gently on the table in a rhythmic cadence that mirrored the rise and fall of his anxious thoughts.
"If Shu'er knows, the Emperor will likely hear of it as well. Sigh."
Just thinking about it made his head spin, but at this moment, Xu Jingguan could only focus all his concern on his young granddaughter.
He closed his eyes. Even with the daily nourishment of precious medicines, the signs of age on his face could not be hidden, and this sudden turn of events made him look even more haggard.
Drained of mental energy, fatigue naturally set in. Having not slept at all the previous night, sleepiness now washed over him. Knowing there was no point in forcing himself to stay awake, Xu Jingguan leaned back in his chair. He was just about to take a light nap when he suddenly heard several startled cries from the courtyard, followed by a voice as clear and bright as a silver bell:
"Grandfather! I'm back!"
Xu Jingguan bolted upright from his chair, opening his eyes, but he rose too quickly and fell into a fit of coughing.
"Don't worry, Master! That is indeed the young mistress's voice."
Xu Cheng quickly supported the old man, poured a cup of warm water from the kettle, and gave it to him to drink with a lung-soothing honey pill. He then helped him walk out of the room and toward the courtyard.
There, they saw a young girl in a blue-green dress, her eyes bright and lively. Though she looked a bit disheveled, her high spirits were entirely intact as she ran toward them with wide strides. It was indeed Xu Yingzhen.
The heavy boulder on Xu Jingguan's chest was lifted, leaving him utterly relieved. Looking at the young girl who had rushed right up to him, he reached out his right hand to smooth her slightly messy hair.
"It's good that you're back. It's good that you're safe."
He noticed that Xu Yingzhen's clothes were torn in places, and her hand was wrapped in scraps of cloth around the web of her thumb, indicating she had suffered some minor injuries. His eyes naturally filled with heartache.
"Where are the scoundrels who kidnapped you? Absolutely audacious!"
"Your mother was recently made a marquis. Though she hasn't requested a title for you yet, you are still a young marquis in all but name. How dare these lowlifes prey on you!"
Xu Yingzhen seeing the fury written across her grandfather's brow, quickly took his hand to soothe him.
"Grandfather, look at me, I've returned completely fine! Please don't be angry anymore. Those wicked people got what they deserved—they've already ended up in the belly of a snake demon."
"A snake demon?"
Just as Xu Jingguan's confusion arose, he saw two people walking in behind her.
A young man in silver robes and a woman in a green gown, one following the other.
The man possessed striking looks, which Xu Jingguan silently estimated could rival his own in his youth. His eyes were clear and bright, reflecting his inner state, showing that he still possessed the passionate spirit of youth.
The woman, on the other hand, had eyes like still water. Her features were not particularly striking, merely elegant, yet the moment she raised her eyes to look over, his heart trembled as if he were gazing up at a towering mountain.
"Grandfather, these are the two who saved me. They are immortal masters who have stepped onto the path of cultivation," Xu Yingzhen introduced naturally as she saw their gazes meet.
Perfected Master Mingluan nodded in greeting to Xu Jingguan.
Through her secret divination, she seemed to catch a faint, hazy glimmer of light. She could not help but murmur in her heart, *Is that otherworldly Emperor Star about to arrive here?*
*What a pity. The body of a sparrow, yet the destiny of a phoenix—like dry wood caught in a raging fire, turned to a handful of ash in an instant.*