Chapter 97: A Blossom's Grace

That cool breath wandered through my body for a while, and I felt that my previously disordered meridians had largely recovered. Moreover, the pain throughout my body had indeed diminished significantly.

I had not expected her to possess such wondrous healing methods.

Calm now, I suddenly realized that this woman in white was the benefactor who had saved both me and Daoist Li, yet I did not even know how to address her.

“May I ask how I should address my savior?” I inquired.

She seemed momentarily taken aback by my question.

“You truly wish to know my name?” she asked unexpectedly. I was somewhat puzzled, but since she had saved my life, it was only right to thank her; how could I not at least know her name?

So I nodded.

“Hua Yuyan,” she replied.

The name struck me as quite unique. Before I could express my gratitude, another woman's voice came from nearby: “Princess, the two of them are fine. It’s getting late, we should return now!”

Princess?

I was surprised—was such a title still used nowadays?

“It’s all right,” she replied.

“Miss Yuyan, I—” I had barely begun when she raised her hand to silence me. A faint, cool fragrance emanated from her palm, soothing the mind. She said, “No need for thanks.”

“Then… Miss Yuyan, how can I ever repay your kindness in saving my life?” Since she forbade words of gratitude, I could only ask how to repay her.

She merely gave a slight, indifferent smile and replied, “There’s no need to repay me.”

After saying this, she asked in turn, “What is your name?”

“My name is Lin Yi.”

She seemed a little surprised. “So you are Lin Yi. I have heard of you.” With that, she was about to rise and leave. The two other women with her, dressed in simple blue garments, had the distinct air of refined attendants.

Before she left, she placed a jade flute in front of me—a thing of exquisite craftsmanship, clearly not ordinary. Inscribed upon it were the characters: “Hua Yuyan.”

I wanted to refuse; after all, she had already helped me, and I had yet to offer any thanks—how could I accept more from her?

But Hua Yuyan said, “Did you not wish to repay the debt of having your life saved? Accept this jade flute, and consider the debt repaid.”

With those words, I could hardly refuse, so I accepted it.

Seeing me accept the flute, she departed with her two companions, leaving only Daoist Li and me behind. After a while, Daoist Li awoke. I asked how he was feeling.

He nodded, indicating that he was not seriously hurt, and then asked me where Ma Zhenlei and his men had gone. I recounted all that had just occurred and asked if he had ever heard the name Hua Yuyan.

Daoist Li thought for a moment but seemed to have no recollection. “Never heard of it,” he replied.

I showed him the jade flute she had left behind. Daoist Li simply nodded and did not pursue the matter. Then I asked whether, during his journey to the underworld, he had found the soul of the Mistress in Blue. Daoist Li shook his head.

“It seems the underworld already knew I would enter to search for a soul and laid an inescapable trap. As soon as I entered, I was ambushed. I didn’t even reach the City of Unjust Deaths and had to make my way back.”

“So you suspect Ma Zhenlei might be colluding with the underworld?” I asked.

Daoist Li nodded slightly.

After a short rest, we returned to the White Cleansing Abbey and laid the Mistress in Blue to rest.

Her body was severely damaged. Even if we recovered her soul, she might have to train as a spirit rather than return to life.

The White Cleansing Abbey was destroyed, but the tower grove behind it remained. Daoist Li said his disciple had spent her entire life at the abbey, so she would have wished to remain there even in death. Thus, we buried her in the tower grove behind the abbey, surrounded by her fellow nuns—her disciples.

At her burial, Daoist Li cut a lock of his hair and placed it in her coffin. He said, “Qingyi, my disciple, you thought of your master every day of your life. Let this lock of hair be my company to you here.”

Witnessing this, I was deeply moved by the bond between master and disciple, though I understood that their affection went beyond mere mentorship.

After leaving the White Cleansing Abbey, Daoist Li and I returned immediately to the Mountain God Temple. As soon as we arrived, Weiyang was waiting at the entrance. She told me her grandfather had said we were in danger and she wanted to come rescue us, but my grandfather had assured her we would come through safely. I nodded and said we were fine, though trouble had befallen the White Cleansing Abbey.

Outside the temple, Madam Wang the spirit medium was also waiting for news. Of all people, she was the one I most dreaded telling. But in the end, the truth had to be told.

After hearing everything, Madam Wang fell silent.

But then my grandfather approached and said, “Qingyi’s soul has been taken to the underworld, naturally she’s being held captive. As long as her soul is found, can’t she be like you?”

These words finally eased Madam Wang’s grief.

“That’s right, Qingyi can cultivate as a spirit.” But then she added, “But the underworld is dangerous—what if she’s…”

“Of course not. The underworld has conspired with the Daoists to annihilate our sect—how could they let go of a soul like Qingyi? Daoist Li entered and was trapped—this proves they intend to use Qingyi as bait, forcing us to attempt a rescue. In other words, as bait, her soul is in no immediate danger,” my grandfather explained.

He made sense, but rescuing her would not be easy. The power of the underworld could not be underestimated. Daoist Li survived only because of his profound skills—an ordinary person would not have returned.

Once this was discussed, my grandfather had everyone sit down. He said, “Now that Ma Zhenlei has escaped, he will surely use the deaths of Zhang Yu and Qiu Yuanzhen to slander the Ghost Sect, portraying us as evil. In this way, he’ll rally more Daoist factions to attack and destroy us.”

“Ma Zhenlei must not be allowed to live!” Madam Wang declared.

My grandfather nodded. “Indeed, but to kill Ma Zhenlei, only Lin Yi can do it. However, at present, Lin Yi cannot yet oppose the power of the Millennium Dragon Essence.”

Aside from me, Daoist Li was still recovering from his wounds. Even when Daoist Li had injured Ma Zhenlei, it was only because Ma Zhenlei had been agitated by his swordplay and, more importantly, had not yet fully absorbed the Dragon Essence.

Continuing, my grandfather said: “Now, the Star of Yinghuo is at its zenith, and the Ghost Sect will face suppression from all sides. Thus, we must find our Left and Right Aides. The Left Aide is Dongming, the Right is Yingguang; when both stars appear, only then can we truly stand firm.”

“And who will be the Left and Right Aides?” I could not help but ask.

My grandfather only shook his head. “This is fate; all will come to pass as destined. So long as our star burns bright enough, the aides will reveal themselves.”

He then mentioned that a great disaster was about to befall the northern frontier, yet hidden within this catastrophe lay an opportunity for our sect. Therefore, he said, I must journey northward—if fortune smiles, I may draw forth the Left and Right Aides.

When our sect stands firm, our fortune will rise. Then, and only then, can we suppress Ma Zhenlei’s fate and defeat him.

That night, I sat alone on the mountain path outside the temple, reflecting on all that had transpired. My heart was heavy.

“Child, what are you thinking about, sitting here alone?” my grandfather asked.

Since Weiyang and I were united by fate, so much had happened—too much to bear. Whether it was Er Pang, or my mother, I could not set these matters aside. In the silence of night, they always came back to me. When my grandfather asked, I did not know how to reply. “The legendary leader of the Ghost Sect was a peerless genius, but me—if not for my innate spirit and the Dragon Scale Armor, how ordinary I would be.”

He patted my shoulder. “People only see the brilliance, never the blood and tears behind it.”

“The return of the Ghost Sect will never be easy. The Way leaves one path out of fifty—within this single path lies our hope, but it’s clear how difficult that is. Lin Yi, no matter what, believe in yourself. Behind you stand countless others—so long as you do not fall, they will always be your strength.”

His words brought clarity. He was right—so many stood behind me. What reason did I have to retreat or collapse?

Then, as the conversation turned to the northern frontier, my grandfather spoke of the shamans, who had now largely become the so-called “Spirit Masters.”

In the northern folk tradition, the household spirits are not true immortals, but foxes, weasels, snakes, rats, and other creatures. Worship of these beings has both benefits and dangers. Their origins lie in the late Qing dynasty, when the “Willow Boundary Decree” left the region sparsely populated and coveted by foreign powers. The court allowed settlers to move north, but strange occurrences abounded, and thus, the “Spirit Masters” evolved from shamanic practices.

The place I was to visit lay beyond Shanhai Pass, not far from Changbai Mountain.

I was to go alone—though Weiyang wished to come, my grandfather insisted that I must undertake this journey by myself. If she came too, things would not go as planned.