The Long Journey to Immortality

During her cultivation, she unexpectedly discovered that her cultivation efficiency had improved significantly compared to the past.

She attributed this change to "Sanfenglin being an excellent feng shui location" and "returning home".

Because he was leaving alone, only Han Lu was present when he saw him off.

Just as when they arrived at Sanfeng Forest, the two flew together and arrived at the edge of Sanfeng Forest.

Han Lu looked into the distance and asked, "How many days would it take to get from here to Zhulong's territory?"

Mo Zhehan waved his hand twice, indicating that Han Lu was looking in the wrong direction, "At my speed, I can arrive in ten days."

"Be careful on the road," Han Lu said, "and don't cause any trouble."

Mo Zhehan laughed and said, "In the wilderness, the identities of dragons and phoenixes are the best talismans."

"Back when I had just advanced to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, my journey to the Wilderness was smooth sailing."

"This time, it's only a short ten-day journey, so there shouldn't be any unexpected events."

This sounds like setting a "full flag" (a metaphor for making grand promises), but it makes sense.

Han Lu nodded slightly and said, "But we should still be careful, after all, this is the wilderness."

“Yes,” Mo Zhehan said with a grin. “To avoid any regrets and not being able to see me again, how about we have a goodbye kiss? Like the passionate kiss your best friend Yi Qiyan and Lü Zhi shared when they parted ways.”

Upon hearing this absurd suggestion, Han Lu did not "get furious" as Mo Zhehan had expected, but instead responded in a different way.

Han Lu changed her tune, echoing Mo Zhehan's words, "If it's a farewell kiss, I don't mind."

Upon hearing the words "farewell," Mo Zhehan immediately lost his composure, sounded the retreat, and stammered, "No, no, I'll be content just to hear you say goodbye."

"Alright," Han Lu chuckled, "Goodbye, Mo Zhehan."

Goodbye, Han Lu.

Before transforming into a candle dragon and flying away, Mo Zhehan boldly unilaterally blew Han Lu a kiss, and then fled as if escaping.

This "sneaky" behavior earned Han Lu a roll of her eyes, but that was all.

Flying slowly back into the Three Phoenix Forest, Han Lu bumped into Feng Hong, who was on his way to the orphanage to learn cultivation.

As the older sister, she showed concern for her underage younger brother, and Feng Hong finally found an opportunity to inquire about her "brother-in-law".

"Sister, I heard that your husband has been staying at your house for the past two days?" Feng Hong asked the question he was most concerned about.

"You mean Mo Zhehan?" Han Lu replied, forcing a smile. "Yes, he's staying in my guest room. What's wrong?"

Feng Hong craned her neck, looked around, and asked, "Then, sister, where did brother-in-law go? I haven't seen him today."

“Mo Zhehan has something to do,” Han Lu repeated Mo Zhehan’s name obsessively. “I just saw him off.”

"Oh, why is brother-in-law leaving so soon? Isn't he going to see Mom and Dad?" Feng Chu completely believed the "lie" that Han Lu and Mo Zhehan had woven together, thinking that this brother-in-law, who seemed nice and got along well with him, had reached the point of discussing marriage with Han Lu.

Han Lu didn't want to get entangled with Feng Hong on this topic anymore. She scratched the feather on his head and said, "Alright, don't worry about this anymore."

"Sister, you haven't changed your mind, have you?" Feng Hong had a vivid imagination and in just a few words, she added a dramatic scene of Han Lu having an affair.

Hearing this, Han Lu, relying on her status as the older sister, used her authority to say sternly, "Feng Hong, what exactly is in your little head? Don't talk nonsense here."

Seeing her sister's angry expression, Feng Hong quickly shut up, thinking to herself, "Judging from my sister's expression, it seems that my brother-in-law wasn't kicked out. Now I can rest assured."

Just as Han Lu was looking for an excuse to teach Feng Hong a lesson and take revenge, she happened to see Feng Luan watching the two of them from a distance.

So Han Lu brought up the period of puppy love again and gave me a lecture.

Upon hearing Han Lu threaten to tell her parents, Feng Hong quickly feigned pitifulness, apologizing and making promises before she could barely escape.

However, before parting ways, Han Lu made Feng Hong promise not to reveal Mo Zhehan's affairs.

For her own safety, Feng Hong had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

"Okay, sister, I promise I won't tell anyone about brother-in-law... no, I mean Brother Mo."

Only then did Han Lu nod in satisfaction, let Feng Hong leave, and pretend to be blind, ignoring the fact that he and Feng Luan went to school together.

The day after Mo Zhehan left, Han Lu's parents ended their seven-day retreat as promised.

Both were overjoyed to hear that their daughter had returned to Sanfeng Forest.

On the same day, a dinner party attended by four blood relatives took place at Fengyou's residence.

With her daughter finally returning home, Feng Rubing naturally put all her skills to use in the kitchen, serving up many of the new dishes she had developed in her spare time during her cultivation.

Han Lu helped out from the side, and the mother and daughter, whose relationship was complicated, chatted quietly while working together.

The topic shifted between the two.

It's been a long time since we last met, especially Feng Rubing. She's eager to know how her daughter has been doing all these years in the Central Plains.

After about fifteen minutes of this casual conversation, Feng Rubing changed the subject and asked, "Daughter, did you bring a friend home this time?"

Upon hearing this, Han Lu paused in her movements.

After a moment, he replied, "Yes, it's a friend of mine. We met when we were in the Foundation Establishment stage. He's from the Great Yu Dynasty and has the bloodline of the Candle Dragon. He was very helpful this time, escorting us back to our home."

“Sounds like a good friend.” Feng Rubing’s reply had a somewhat deliberate and suggestive element to it.

Han Lu could tell from the conversation, and she wondered how her mother had found out about Mo Zhehan.

"Hmm, hmm." Han Lu's reply was somewhat perfunctory, but it seemed more like a tactic to lure the snake out of its hole.

After clearing her throat, Feng Rubing began, "Daughter, do you like him?"

The sudden "frontal charge" caught Han Lu off guard.

[Author's Note] I imagined a scenario where I was attacked and killed on the way after leaving... but I'd rather not write it that way.

Chapter 954 Guiding the Way

"Hey, hey," Han Lu subconsciously took a half step back, looking at Feng Rubing with surprise, "Mom, where did you hear this from..."

Han Lu found a good word: "rumor".

"Rumors?" Feng Rubing's smile seemed to suggest she had seen through everything. "I think there's no smoke without fire."

“I had some doubts at first, but now…” Feng Rubing rubbed Han Lu’s cheek with her hand and said, “It seems my suspicions were correct.”

Upon hearing this, Han Lu became even more flustered, her eyes darting around as she searched for a solution.

However, because she couldn't see her own true feelings and didn't know what her opinion was on the matter, she subconsciously chose to escape and deny, in order to avoid potential trouble.

"You're completely wrong." Han Lu said this with a weak voice and lack of confidence.

Feng Rubing's smile deepened as she said, "Is that so? Then tell me, where did you go wrong?"

"This..." Han Lu was speechless for a moment, and then said, "Mom, what did you ask me just now? I forgot."

"Forgot? I'm asking you, is it that friend of yours who likes you?" Feng Rubing put away her smile and discussed this very important matter with Han Lu in a manner that was somewhere between serious and relaxed.

Han Lu chuckled dryly, "Which friend?"

"Is he the one who sent you to the Wilderness? I think his name is Mo Zhehan?" Feng Rubing's knowledge was only vague.

Hearing Feng Rubing's words, Han Lu was certain that Feng Hong had not broken his promise.

After a moment's hesitation, Han Lu replied, "He is indeed pursuing me."

Having had a brief respite, Han Lu came up with a simple, roundabout solution: to only discuss Mo Zhehan's thoughts and not her own.

"Oh?"

Gossip is a common trait among female cultivators, and Feng Rubing is no exception. Not to mention that Han Lu is her daughter, so she naturally cares about her even more.

"Be more specific," Feng Rubing pressed.

Han Lu paid attention to Feng Rubing's changing expressions. Seeing that Feng Rubing had indeed led her questions astray, Han Lu felt much more relaxed and felt that she had "successfully escaped" again.

"It was probably sixty or seventy years ago," Han Lu recalled, "At that time, I was still a Foundation Establishment cultivator..."

Han Lu recounted how she met Mo Zhehan.

When asked about her feelings that night while boating, Han Lu described her emotions as best she could, trying to find a way to ask Feng Rubing for advice and hoping her mother could help her resolve her worries.

Help her clear away the fog and see into her heart.

Feng Rubing clearly understood Han Lu's intention. After listening to Han Lu's vivid description, she shared her thoughts during the brief pause Han Lu had given her, without waiting for Han Lu to ask any questions.

"This is what they call a flutter of the heart, something related to love, but it's just a feeling from the first impression and can't be used as proof of whether you'll end up together," Feng Rubing, as someone who's been through it, gave a very professional assessment. "It's like the word 'love at first sight,' which is undoubtedly a good word for a couple of opposite sexes."

"But true love should last forever."

“One is short, and the other is long,” Feng Rubing put down the spatula in her hand and gestured to indicate the length. “Your feelings at that time were undoubtedly wonderful, the budding of love, but the final outcome was not determined by that budding.”

"Don't get too caught up in the feelings of that time; true love is more like calm water."

Although Feng Rubing's words did not enlighten Han Lu, they did give rise to some thoughts that were different from those in the past.

“Let’s continue,” Feng Rubing said, taking the opportunity to reflect on her own love story for a moment. “I suppose it wasn’t just this one time that led you to this relationship.”

"Mm." Han Lu nodded slightly and continued her work, helping Feng Rubing prepare the ingredients.

As Han Lu continued her story, when she mentioned the period in which Mo Zhehan used so-called official business to come to the Central Plains to "date" Han Lu in the following years, Feng Rubing couldn't help but laugh out loud and commented, "What an innocent guy."

Then, for the first time, she told Han Lu some stories about her love affair with Feng You.

These stories are naturally meaningful when told at this time.

Feng Rubing hoped to enlighten her daughter in this way, rather than through lecturing.

Han Lu did indeed grasp Feng Rubing's intention.

However, she was not as intelligent in this respect as she was during her spiritual practice.

Han Lu, who is emotionally oblivious and resistant, only grasped some superficial wisdom, and did not fully understand the core of the story or the true moral lessons that Feng Rubing wanted to teach.

In this relatively relaxed environment, the mother and daughter, whose relationship was complicated, continued to discuss this very sensitive topic that Han Lu had been hoping to avoid.

"How do you feel about him at this time?" Feng Rubing asked a question similar to the first one, but slightly different.

Han Lu recalled the situation at the time and summarized, "We were just ordinary friends. In fact, because of his attitude towards me, I even had the idea of ​​keeping my distance from him."

"However, he is indeed a good person. His character, talent, and other qualities are all top-notch."

"Perhaps this is why I didn't simply refuse and drive him away, even if it meant not being able to be a regular friend."

Although Han Lu could be considered a "decisive and ruthless" person to some extent, she values ​​relationships and would not easily sever ties with a friend she gets along with for some vague reason.