My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 735 - 469: Enduring as the Earth and Eternal as the Sky (Combined)_2

As for why the incense offerings in front of the Ancestor Hall are so sparse, the root cause lies in a particular ancestral teaching by the third generation ancestor, "Once you ascend, you no longer partake in the human world."

In front of the ancestor tablets, where there used to be three steadfast incense sticks, today three more sticks have been added.

Zhou Yitang stood facing the ancestor tablets, her expression unclear, the disciples tasked with sweeping the Ancestor Hall could never figure out what this elusive Sword Armor was contemplating, or why she suddenly came to offer incense today.

The one-armed woman turned and left through the door, walking down the mountain path for less than a few dozen paces before stopping.

Master Baiyu approached head-on and said, "Lu Ying passed the test, receiving a mid-to-high evaluation."

Zhou Yitang nodded slightly.

"Her mindset surpassed that of 'Dao Heart Like a Crane,' earning considerable praise from a few Peak Masters, and Wang Zhanglu was quite excited, immediately casting some fate hexagrams, pointing towards the south." Master Baiyu paused and continued, "However, the south is a bit restless these days, with the White Lotus Sect causing trouble, destroying many Daoist Temples, even the mountain gate of Dragon and Tiger Mountain was impacted."

"That's a matter for the Heavenly Master Dao."

"I know you want to say this matter has nothing to do with our northern Taoist sects," Master Baiyu didn't dwell on the topic, seeing Zhou Yitang coming out of the Ancestor Hall, she asked, "Why did you come to offer incense today?"

"…I'm troubled in my heart." Zhou Yitang candidly replied.

"Even you have troubles?" Master Baiyu was slightly surprised.

"I am human too," Zhou Yitang paused inexplicably, "naturally, I would."

Master Baiyu's expression remained unchanged, but her mind couldn't help but stir; she and Zhou Yitang were not of the same generation. By seniority, she was of the "Silent, Harmonious Departure" generation, two generations senior to Zhou Yitang, yet their peaks were founded almost simultaneously, which is a testament to Zhou Yitang's extraordinary talent of that time.

Every generation seems to admire a Sword Armor, and the veneration for Master Tongxuan within the sect was unmatched for several generations. Even Master Baiyu, two generations older, could not help but speak with admiration when mentioning her to outsiders.

"Your sword is high enough." After contemplation, Master Baiyu still expressed surprise, "And yet your heart is troubled?"

Zhou Yitang paused after hearing this and then replied calmly, "That means my sword is not high enough."

The reasoning was quite simple, that she knew well enough herself.

Master Baiyu was correct; the root of her troubles was that, although the path was there, she was certain it was the right path to transcend the Sword Dao upon reaching the end; but it seemed she could never reach the end, no matter how hard she tried.

Her previous life's deviation into madness was precisely because of this.

The sword Chen Yi exhibited seemed born of heaven and earth, as if it was naturally at the end.

Seeing that Zhou Yitang's thoughts and concerns were about the sword, Master Baiyu was unable to give an answer. She then changed the topic, "Has that person been found?"

Zhou Yitang came back to her senses, shook her head, and said, "Can't find them, probably fled far away."

She paused for a moment and murmured, "Too far from me."

......

Inviting a deity is easy, but sending one away is hard. Chen Yi had come to Yin Sword Mountain and didn't wish to leave. He quickly entered Yin Tingxue's small building. He was not one who naturally enjoyed sightseeing. What he wanted most was a moderately comfortable nest, and in this regard, Chen Yi's ambition was surprisingly small, lacking the grand spirit of accomplishing extraordinary feats that traditional heroes possess.

Years ago, Qin Qingluo repeatedly looked down on him for this personality; being able to plot favorable conditions for himself one moment, only to indulge in matters of passion and desire the next, heedless of consequences.

Chen Yi didn't care who admired him or not; living a good life was all that mattered to him.

And fortunately, even when Yin Tingxue liked him least, the real princess in her naturally desired a good life too.

Now, she was nostalgic about the Yintai Temple, simply because of her youthful years and the enduring memory of that time.

Chen Yi understood quite well, faintly sensing it from the day he took her away, otherwise, he wouldn't often use Yintai Temple to threaten her.

However, in the end, Chen Yi's outlook was slightly broader than Yin Tingxue's. The little fox's world was just the Yintai Temple, her mother, and Chen Yi; whereas his world included many, many women.

The little fox ran around Yin Tingxue's legs, watching her lower her head, seriously making tea, and Chen Yi couldn't help but compare her to many other women.

Thinking of Yin Tingxue's impoverished situation, along with the long periods spent in such poverty, Chen Yi couldn't help feeling melancholic.

He sighed thinking how even a short-lived place like Great Yin could be limitless, or that Zhu E or Dong Guifei would all be feasible, even incapable Min Ning had her unique warrior woman spirit. But now there was only Yin Tingxue, which felt like a glutton accustomed to gourmet food suddenly reduced to a simple bowl of cabbage soup.

In the corner of his eyes, he caught Yin Tingxue's ear move slightly.

Chen Yi regained his composure and laughed, "You heard all that?"

Yin Tingxue didn't turn her head, but softly said, "Hmm."

"You're not happy?" Chen Yi, rather shameless, attempted honesty, "What's the use of being unhappy? Facts are facts. Just look at you, not growing for nearly a year, no flavor anywhere, so easily wasted."

Listening to his shameless remarks, Yin Tingxue's face turned red, yet she dared not contradict him, only raising her voice slightly to say, "Stop saying those things, will you?"

Chen Yi stopped talking as she finished preparing the tea.

If there was anything he missed most about the little fox, it was when she served tea—head down, bringing the tea slowly, then looking up at him, waiting for him to finish before smiling lightly.

It was precisely this faint smile that defined a corner of what felt like home.

Chen Yi accepted the tea but didn't drink from it right away, remarking on something he recalled, "Help me write a letter later."

Write a letter...

Yin Tingxue thought for a while, surmising what it meant, letting her brow lower, as surely... after so much time, that child must be due.

The subtle emotions manifested in her eyes, Chen Yi paused with his teacup, softly asking:

"Do you still think of me as a mother?"

"...Is that not allowed?" Yin Tingxue pondered for a good while before simply replying.

Chen Yi couldn't help but smile bitterly; he knew full well, but for a long time he had allowed things to happen naturally, especially after the drug-related Bodhisattva targeted Yin Tingxue, even more so.

Yet now, with the drug-related Bodhisattva gone, should their relationship be reassessed...?

Yin Tingxue lifted her gaze to meet his, quickly saying, "I'll fetch paper and ink for you."

Chen Yi glanced up, rendered speechless, merely nodding gently, "Okay."

After she left, the little fox eyed Chen Yi, arching its neck with an intimating gesture, but Chen Yi paid no heed, lowering his gaze, his thoughts unknown. Yin Tingxue was swift, quickly declaring, "All set," prompting him to down his tea and stand up.

After a prolonged absence, Chen Yi's conveyed messages were little more than inquiries about their well-being, any wishes of prosperity, followed by concerns regarding his daughter: her birth details, weight, name, and such trivial matters, without a word out of the ordinary.

With each plain utterance from Chen Yi, she transcribed tenderly, with fine, beautiful script. She always obliged him, and now she wrote as he spoke. Yet when Chen Yi uttered a remarkable phrase, her brush halted for a moment.

"Can a drop wear through stone?"

The girl contemplated for a long time, but without waiting for Chen Yi's answer, she inscribed a sentence, 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"By lasting long, anything will endure."

The ink bled through the paper,

If only it could remain like this...

On the eleventh day of the tenth month, the letter awaited by the Prince's Mansion for so long was finally sent far away.

One missive heading southwards, set out in the twelfth month, arrived in the coming year, and who knew when a reply might come next.