Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improving Spiritual Root Aptitude

Bai Ruanyu walked alone on the path ahead, then suddenly stopped, reached out and picked what she thought was the most vibrant camellia, and whispered to Wu Fan behind her:

"When I was little, I loved coming here the most. Whenever I was punished by my father or something unpleasant happened, I would hide in this camellia field. But my mother could always find me in the field with great accuracy, and then she would pull me to sit on the ground in this camellia field and talk to me for a long time, comforting me slowly."

As she spoke, the expression on her face gradually dimmed, and a hint of sadness lingered in her eyes. She slowly said, "But since my mother passed away a few years ago, I've been the only one coming here every time."

Upon hearing this, Wu Fan also thought of his deceased parents and felt a pang of sadness. He looked up at her somewhat frail figure and sincerely comforted her, "Miss, please accept my condolences."

"It's alright."

Bai Ruanyu smiled gently, her expression a mixture of relief and感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both relief and reflection). "Perhaps death was a relief for my mother. She came from a small cultivation family in Qingxi County and was sent to the Bai family through a family-arranged marriage. She had never met my father before her wedding. Although she had no worries about food and clothing in the Bai family and treated my father with respect, he always had the family and the main lineage on his mind and never truly opened his heart to my mother. I know that my mother was unhappy during those years in the clan."

She turned to look at Wu Fan, her gaze resolute, and slowly approached him step by step: "So after the marriage alliance with the Zhao family last time, I made up my mind that from now on, my Daoist partner must be someone I truly love and who truly cares for me, and I will never follow in my mother's footsteps."

At this point, she stopped in her tracks.

At this moment, Bai Ruanyu was only inches away from Wu Fan, and the emotions in her eyes were no longer concealed: "Fellow Daoist Wu, don't you think my thoughts are a bit too naive?"

Wu Fan lowered his eyes, avoiding her burning gaze, and said in a low voice, "Miss, you flatter me. In this world, who doesn't hope for mutual affection when seeking a partner? But mutual affection is rare, and being able to treat each other with one heart is even rarer. Miss's perseverance is all the more precious."

Bai Ruanyu didn't ask any further questions. Instead, she turned around and walked back towards the sea of ​​camellias. With light steps, the hem of her skirt swept across the low-lying branches, occasionally scattering a few camellia petals.

"I'm actually very happy about the Bai family's great victory this time."

Her voice drifted on the wind, "As the Bai family grows stronger, I will have more autonomy in my marriage."

Wu Fan felt a pang of anxiety, realizing that Bai Ruanyu had been extremely blunt, and pretending not to understand would only be self-deception.

But he had already made up his mind to go to Falling Star Valley and join the sect, so he could only remain silent and stand still.

Bai Ruanyu also stopped and slowly turned around. The coquettishness in her eyes faded, leaving only sincerity: "Fellow Daoist Wu, I was actually quite curious about you when I first met you. Why did you choose to be a thankless alchemy apprentice in the Hundred Pill Hall instead of cultivating your own spiritual fields? Later, I discovered that you have a rare tenacity. No matter what you do, you can concentrate. Even when faced with complicated alchemy furnace work, you never slack off. Yet, you also carry a faint sense of detachment, remaining indifferent to the surrounding conflicts and the power struggles within your clan."

Her gaze fell on Wu Fan's face, extremely gentle: "And that night, when I was being chased by Liu Xi, I thought I was going to die for sure, but you suddenly appeared and stood in front of me. Over the years, I've always liked to talk to you about trivial things to relieve my troubles, and you've never gotten tired of it, always listening patiently."

Bai Ruanyu took another small step forward, their shoulders almost touching, their breaths mingling.

"That's why I really enjoy being with you. It feels safe and secure, like being close to my mother when I was a child. Wu Fan, you should understand how I've felt all these years, right?"

Wu Fan looked up abruptly, meeting her sincere eyes, and felt a mix of emotions welling up inside him.

He hastily averted his gaze, his tone apologetic: "Miss, I know your feelings. But..."

"Why!!!"

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but only a heavy sigh came out.

Bai Ruanyu stared at him silently, the expectation in her eyes gradually fading into disappointment. After a long while, she asked softly, "Can't you stay? Staying in the Bai family is far more carefree than going to Falling Star Valley. If you're willing to stay, I'll agree to whatever your conditions."

"Young Miss..."

Wu Fan slowly shook his head, remained silent for a few breaths, and then said firmly, "I have decided to go to Falling Star Valley to pursue the Dao and have no intention of starting a family for the time being. I have failed to live up to your kindness, Miss, and I hope you will forgive me."

The color drained from Bai Ruanyu's face instantly, but she didn't cry or make a fuss; she just quietly looked at him.

After a long pause, she blinked quickly, suppressing the moisture in her eyes, and nodded gently, the light in her eyes gradually dimming.

She forced a smile, took two steps back, her shoulders slumped slightly but she maintained a composed demeanor: "I know. Actually, I should have guessed long ago that you were never meant to be trapped by a particular family."

As she spoke, she handed the brightly blooming camellia in her hand to Wu Fan, slowly turned around, and said in a soft but resolute voice, "This flower...you take it."

Looking at the beautiful camellia, and then at Bai Ruanyu's forced calm face, Wu Fan felt a pang of guilt, but still accepted the flower and solemnly bowed, saying, "Thank you, Miss."

Bai Ruanyu, carrying Wu Fan on her back, took several deep breaths before turning around. She then bowed respectfully, her tone returning to calm: "Fellow Daoist Wu, I am deeply grateful for your past life-saving grace, and I thank you once again today."

"You flatter me, young lady."

Wu Fan also returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

Bai Ruanyu's hands, which were hanging by her sides, curled up slightly, and her tone became cheerful: "By the way, don't you still have a batch of pills being warmed in the furnace? Hurry back and take care of it, don't delay the pills' cooking time."

Wu Fan understood, raised his hand to bow again, and replied in a low voice, "Then... Miss, I shall take my leave."

"Um."

Bai Ruanyu nodded slightly, but her gaze fell on the distant sea of ​​camellias. Her voice became very soft, "May Fellow Daoist Wu's immortal path last forever. From now on, let us each go our own way and live well."

After saying that, she turned around and walked into the depths of the flower sea. From a distance, her back was straight, but her steps were much slower.

A gentle breeze swept by, lifting her skirt and scattering a few camellia petals onto the road.

Wu Fan stood there, watching her figure gradually blend into the colorful flowers covering the mountain. He looked down at the camellia in his hand, but ultimately did not follow. He then turned and walked down the mountain path.

Only after Wu Fan's figure completely disappeared around the bend in the mountain road did Bai Ruanyu slowly stop, turn around, and look at the empty intersection with a heavy heart.

She had long known that this camellia appointment would most likely be a dignified farewell, but she still wanted to ask in person, even if it was just to get the answer she had already anticipated, it would put her mind at ease.

The wind carried the fragrance of camellias to her face, and she finally couldn't help but raise her hand to press it against her eyelashes. Tears slowly slid down and landed on the petals beneath her.

Upon returning to his residence at Yunxi Manor, Wu Fan immediately began to sit cross-legged in meditation, but he was unable to enter a meditative state for a while.

He wasn't heartless; at this moment, he was also unsettled. How could he really be unmoved by Bai Ruanyu's gentleness and sincerity?

However, the path to immortality is long and arduous. If he stays in the Bai family and indulges in the romance between the two of them, his life and the path to immortality will be in vain.

He carefully placed the camellia flower into a jade box and sighed softly.

Since we have chosen to follow this path, we are destined to brush shoulders with many people in this life, and those feelings of excitement and warmth can only be kept hidden in our hearts.

Rather than adding to the pain after starting, it's better to cut off the idea from the beginning and leave each other with dignity.