Chapter 124 - How Can One Become an Immortal Without Severing Ties to the Mundane?

"Senior Sister Zhao." Yun Xiao's Sovereign Sword arched downward, the sword's tip spun, and in a graceful swirl of his white robes, he landed with an easy elegance. Beneath the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, a woman in a black gown sat leisurely, bathed in moonlight, quietly awaiting his arrival.

On the nearby stone table, a freshly made white robe lay folded alongside several jugs of rich wine...

Upon Yun Xiao's arrival, she stood, her steps graceful as a lotus flower, she approached him. Her eyes lowered to the stains on his white robe and whispered, "Change into this. I made a new one for you."

"Mmm!" Yun Xiao nodded, chuckling, "With all the fighting, my white robes get bloody too easily. Perhaps I should switch to black."

"That won't do. Pure white suits you best," Zhao Xuanran said, her beautiful eyes meeting his. In her eyes, no matter how fierce Yun Xiao became, he was always an unblemished, brave young man.

"Change in your room," Zhao Xuanran advised.

"I can change right here!" Yun Xiao declared, about to tear off his robe.

"Absolutely not!" She glared at him.

Reluctantly, Yun Xiao retreated to his room, donning another white robe made by his senior sister. Gazing at his reflection, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Damn, I look invincible in this!"

"Even cows would lose their minds over such beauty," Blue Star remarked with a sigh.

"Woman cows!" Red Moon corrected.

Stepping out of his dwelling, sure enough, the gleam in Zhao Xuanran's eyes brightened.

The courtyard was awash in moonlight, lanterns casting their warm glow. The young man seemed to step right out of a painting, merging with the world around him.

"Care for a drink?" Zhao Xuanran asked, crossing her legs, sitting atop the stone table. Illuminated by the lantern's radiant light, her face was faintly flushed, her figure enveloped as if by a dreamy mist.

"Cheers! Let's drink until our sorrows are forgotten," Yun Xiao declared, taking a seat next to Zhao Xuanran at the stone table.

Behind them stood the jugs of wine, and in front sprawled the misty mountains and rivers of the Azure Spirit Sword Sect. The enchanting moonlight painted a serene landscape, untouched by time.

With the gentle breeze and the moon overhead, the scene was punctuated by a beautiful woman and a passionate young man.

"If you're leaving, sip lightly," Zhao Xuanran cautioned. Turning, she fetched two jugs, placing one in Yun Xiao's hand. She gave a playful wink, teasing, "Remember, flying on your sword drunk might feel great tonight, but you'll regret it when you crash into a random grave tomorrow."

With that, she raised her jug, her eyes fixed on him, "A toast, Yun Xiao, for all you've done."

"A toast for me?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"For your feats against the demons and evil petty men, and for your resolve to clear your name in this life," she replied with a soft smile, her eyes narrowing into crescents. Who said older sisters couldn't be adorable? At this moment, with her carefree demeanor, she was the embodiment of charm. Her laughter and voice radiated a warmth that could melt the coldest of hearts.

"Then I'll toast to you too!"

Their jugs clinked. Yun Xiao lifted his drink and downed it in one go.

The potent drink immediately went to his head, setting his mind ablaze. He turned to gaze at the woman beside him, bathed in moonlight, her beauty unreal in her dark dress. "Senior Sister Zhao, I want to take you to the Heavenly Realm. Wherever I go, I want you with me."

"That's not possible," she replied, setting down her jug and looking at him earnestly.

"Not possible?" Yun Xiao hadn't expected such a decisive refusal. A hint of sadness appeared in his eyes. "In this vast world, I'm alone, save for you..."

"Shush." She silenced him with a gentle touch to his lips. "Worry not," she whispered, "you have an indomitable spirit. Your unique aura will attract many sincere people. You won't be alone on your journey."

"Why won't you come with me?" Yun Xiao wasn't thinking of the future; he was lost in the present.

Zhao Xuanran was taken aback by Yun Xiao's fervor, pausing momentarily. She tenderly grasped Yun Xiao's hand, holding his gaze for what seemed like an eternity. Then, with a hint of melancholy, she whispered, "You have your path to the Heavenly Realm, and I have my moonlit wine. Your future isn't bound to this realm, while I'm but a fleeting insect in this worldly dust. Why pine for me?"

Yun Xiao faltered. Mortal, Immortal, Creator Immortal... was he truly just a mortal or was he the Creator Immortal? For the first time, he felt torn.

"Yun Xiao," she began, her voice soft and gentle, "as cultivators, our hearts transcend the worldly, our thoughts aim for the vast heavens, and our intent aligns with the cosmic will. Why be anchored by worldly concerns? If fate wills it, our paths will cross again. You have heavenly ambitions; don't get ensnared by mere earthly sentiments." Her soft-spoken words flowed like a refreshing spring, pouring into Yun Xiao's soul.

Mortals often found it hard to escape the snare of emotions. But did a Creator Immortal even know what emotion was? Yun Xiao, lost in his thoughts, stared at the radiant beauty before him.

"Go," she said, adjusting his collar and playfully pinching his face. "That holy maiden awaits you at the Divine Dawn Pavilion. Don't keep a smitten heart waiting."

With a deep sigh, Yun Xiao replied, "I wish to stay here with you a bit longer."

"How long?" she inquired.

"Until dawn," he responded.

She shook her head, "She's expecting you tonight..."

Before she could finish, Yun Xiao handed her a flask of wine, flashing a smile, "Drink?"

"Yun Xiao," she began, her tone more stern, her patience waning, "I don't want to belittle myself, but we must face reality. You are so far out of my reach, like a figure atop the clouds, beyond my grasp..."

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, a crimson hue painting her cheeks. "Will you listen to me for once?" she quivered. "Our time together, though brief, was beautiful. Clinging further will only hinder your path of cultivation. With your aspirations aiming sky-high, how can you allow worldly desires to trap you? Without severing ties with the mundane, how can one ascend to immortality?"

"Without severing ties with the mundane, how can one ascend to immortality?" The words reverberated in Yun Xiao's mind like a thunderclap.

"To become an Immortal, one must cut off worldly desires, detach their heart from the world, focus solely on the path, and become indifferent to everything else?" Heat surged in Yun Xiao's throat. He gripped the wine jug tightly, staring at the teary-eyed woman under the moonlight. In that moment, he felt a coldness enveloping the world.

Mountains, rivers, the heavens—all seemed to lose their warmth. The world transformed into a place of indifference, cruelty, and heartlessness. Only the silhouette of the woman in the black gown, with her tears shimmering in the moonlight, appeared like a blazing fire, scorching his heart.

Yun Xiao couldn't contain himself. Rage consumed him. At that very moment, he realized he could never be one of those lofty, detached Immortals. He was born in this mundane world, and for sixteen years, every memory, every warmth, was gifted to him by it. If he severed his ties now, where would his true self be?

If he solely pursued immortality, could he still feel outrage for injustices or anger for the hardships of common people? At the end of this path of cultivation, was he destined to become a heartless machine, devoid of emotions and passions, whose only purpose was to mindlessly swing his sword?

"What then would be the point of living another lifetime?" Fire blazed in Yun Xiao's eyes. He uncorked the jug and downed its fiery contents in one go. Face flushed, he looked fiercely at the teary-eyed woman and roared, "Tell me! Who decreed that to become an Immortal, one must sever ties with the world and forsake love? Was it the edict of the Heavenly Court or the decree of the Supreme Immortal?"

Zhao Xuanran looked startled, her hand tightening around Yun Xiao's. Words escaped her.

"If this is what it means to be an Immortal, maybe I don't want it!" Yun Xiao exclaimed, a storm of emotions roiling in his chest.

"But without becoming Immortal, how will you become powerful? How will you defend yourself?" Zhao Xuanran asked, lost.

"Who said without achieving this so-called immortality, one can't be strong? Who sets these rules? Who dares dictate how I should live? I'll cultivate this path to immortality my way. I'll decide who I kill and spare! Who's to say that because I have emotions and desires, I'm any less than the real Creator Immortal reborn? I may be a mere mortal with great fortune, but I'm also full of desires and flaws! If I can't ascend to immortality without severing my worldly ties, I'll tear down that path and forge my own! Anyone who tries to stop me will meet their end!"

In the heat of his passion, Yun Xiao grabbed Zhao Xuanran's shoulders. His normally handsome face, reminiscent of the Creator Immortal, twisted into one of fierce determination, projecting his beliefs onto her.

Zhao Xuanran was dumbfounded. Who was this man? Although his words might seem naive, laughable, and ignorant to any top-tier cultivator, she believed him. Those fiery eyes, that unyielding gaze, and his vast determination were like a massive sword piercing the heavens.

He refused to be indifferent! He wouldn't suppress his anger or his hatred, he didn't want to be selfish, and he certainly didn't want to use the path of immortality as an excuse to lose his humanity, becoming an aloof showoff.

"Alright, alright," Zhao Xuanran said, flustered. "Just stay with me for one more night. You promised to meet that holy maiden tomorrow. After standing her up, you owe her an apology."

"Shut up!" Yun Xiao snapped, gripping her shoulders tighter. "Who does she think she is, ordering me around?"

Zhao Xuanran playfully scolded, "You said it yourself. She's a big shot from the Heavenly Realm and can help you greatly in the upcoming War of Immortals. If she takes a liking to you, you could rise to power with her support. Such a divine maiden guiding you is a rare opportunity..."

"Divine maiden? Mortal maiden?" Yun Xiao's temper flared even hotter. He suddenly pinned Zhao Xuanran to a stone table, his gaze lowering, and said angrily, "I just like my lanterns big! Is that so wrong?"

"What do you mean by... lanterns?" Zhao Xuanran's mind went blank.

Zhao Xuanran stared, dumbfounded, as Yun Xiao thrust a piece of armor at her. "I bought this protective armor for you. Put it on for me!" he demanded.

"..." Zhao Xuanran didn't manage a single word.

"Creator, you shameless cur!" Blue Star and Red Moon, mischief in their eyes, poked their heads out, anticipating a spectacle. Suddenly, a hand reached out, gripping them both. With a forceful fling, they found themselves wedged into a rock crevice, utterly flattened.

They squinted towards the distant cloud dwelling. "Well, that was a tad brutal," Blue Star commented, tongue-in-cheek.

Red Moon sighed, "Well, he's angry now. It goes to show, in all the vastness of heaven and earth, nothing is as vast as our appetite. Creator, we truly are kindred spirits!"

Blue Star scoffed, "Kindred my foot! Your appetites are completely different."

"What? How can our appetites be different?" Red Moon asked, genuinely puzzled.

"You'll understand when you're older," Blue Star replied, smugly.

"What? We share the same body. If you've grown up, doesn’t that mean I have too?" Red Moon's gears ground to a halt.

Blue Star took a deep breath, its deep blue eyes gleaming with amusement. "Forget it," he chuckled, "This is interesting. Really interesting!"

"What's so darn interesting?" Red Moon blinked in confusion.

"Creator now has a mortal heart—one that's fiery, temperamental, and teeming with desires and emotions! He used to be like an innocent child amidst chaos, powerful yet easily fooled. But to break the cycle, one has to first join it. With this new array of passions, a new path to immortality beckons!" Blue Star declared with zeal.

"You missed the word lust'," Red Moon hastily added.

Blue Star glanced in the direction Yun Xiao had gone, coughing slightly. "Indeed, I did. And, to be precise, it should be at the very forefront."