Chapter 015 - Osmanthus Tree, Daughter's Red

The night was seductive. A white silhouette darted through the silent woods, holding a woman in a black dress across his arms. In the depth of the night, her face was as delicate as peach petals, and her breath was fragrant. Clearly intoxicated, her soft hands lazily draped around the young man's neck. Her slender waist was supple and her figure alluring, creating an enchanting tableau.

But then, a huge, gaping maw was on the verge of ruining this serene moment. "Creator, can I peek under her clothes? What if she's nursing? Come on, please...?!"

Yun Xiao felt like he was about to lose it. "Shut up! Not so loud! She's just drunk, not dead!" He whispered frantically, feeling beads of sweat forming on his skin. "What have I gotten myself into?"

"Creator, I get it! You want to keep her all to yourself!" Red Moon pouted, its crimson eyes shimmering, seemingly on the verge of tears.

Yun Xiao just sighed deeply. Amidst the gentle night breeze, he glanced down. The lady in his arms was enchantingly beautiful. Her hair flowed like willows in the wind, her face flushed, and her half-closed eyes looked up alluringly. With a mumbled whisper, she clung tighter to Yun Xiao, her nails digging into his neck.

"Senior Brother... Senior Sister..." she murmured dreamily, her voice filled with dread. "Don't go to the Northern Wastelands... Don't go..." Tears filled the corners of her eyes, and she looked tortured as if trapped in a nightmare. "Father! Don't leave me alone!" she cried out, "Dark Abyss Mountain... Bluedrop Flag! When... when will you all come home?"

Listening to her, Yun Xiao realized she was speaking of past wounds, of tragedies buried deep within her heart. Before long, they arrived at her home. Looking up, he saw a wooden plaque that read,

Little Cloud Residence

. He kicked open the courtyard door and headed towards the room illuminated by candlelight.

The courtyard was elegantly designed, with numerous plants and a pond to the south where several koi fish swam. To the north stood an osmanthus tree with white lanterns hanging from its branches, casting overlapping shadows on the stone table beneath. The room, in contrast, was simple, with a meditation cushion, a carved wooden bed, and the rest was filled with books.

Moving softly, Yun Xiao gently placed the woman on the bed. He was about to turn and leave when a husky yet soft voice rang out from behind, "Care for a drink?" He stopped in his tracks. The woman had already sat up, rubbing her temples as she squinted towards Yun Xiao. The flickering candlelight bestowed a crystalline sheen to her face.

"I only partake in fine wine," Yun Xiao remarked.

"There's Daughter's Red stashed under the osmanthus tree in the northern part of the yard. Fancy a taste?" she suggested. Staggering slightly, she began to make her way towards the door.

"Daughter's Red?" Yun Xiao asked, recognizing the term. Wasn't that typically reserved for weddings, the father of the bride having specially aged the brew for at least a decade to commemorate the giving away of his daughter? It was quite the delicacy.

"Turns out, I've no use for it anymore. Why let it go to waste?" She smiled, her face flushed from the lingering effects of the alcohol. When she grinned, her eyes crinkled like crescent moons, portraying a playful innocence.

"How long has it been aged?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"A number of years," she vaguely replied, avoiding disclosing her age. Daughter's Red was traditionally buried upon a girl's birth.

Yun Xiao admitted, having been deprived of wine for three months, his cravings were peaking. Yes, he had a soft spot for liquor. Without further ado, he headed to the north of the yard, and beneath the osmanthus tree, he used his palms to excavate a hidden cache. As the dust settled, numerous exquisite wine jugs were revealed, their rich aroma wafting forth.

"All this?" Yun Xiao looked back at her, impressed.

"My father said I had a grand destiny, so he buried extra," she explained. She gracefully approached and took a seat on a stone stool, resting against the square stone table, eyes fixed on Yun Xiao.

"Bring them all out," she ordered.

Using his cultivation techniques, Yun Xiao summoned all the jugs of Daughter's Red to the stone table, creating a hearty pile. He took a seat across from her.

"Drink up, no need to stand on ceremony," she beckoned. Grinning, she shakily grabbed a jug, uncorked it, and began pouring the amber liquid down her throat. Some of the wine dribbled down her delicate neck, leaving a glistening trail.

"Cheers." Yun Xiao nodded, maintaining a formal posture and avoiding direct eye contact with her. He looked out towards the Azure Spirit Mountains in the night, taking generous swigs of his drink.

Both opted for silence, letting the wine fill the gaps in their conversation. They were, after all, strangers. With their sentiments drowned in wine, what more was there to say?

As Yun Xiao lost himself in the vast expanse of the night, the woman sipped thoughtfully, pondering the myriad experiences life had offered her. Though they sat across from each other, it felt like worlds separated them.

The wine was divine! Aged to perfection underground for years. One jug... Two jugs... Ten jugs... She was not stingy, and so Yun Xiao indulged without restraint. The stone table was dampened by spilled wine, and the wine jugs on it steadily emptied.

Flushed with drink, Yun Xiao's face had gained a ruddy tint, a wild glint dancing in his eyes and a burning passion in his chest. That was his spirit! "The people I killed. You saw it, didn't you?" After finishing another jug, he lifted a questioning brow towards the alluring woman who seemed barely held up by the stone table.

She responded with a silly laugh. A mouthful of wine trickled down her lips. In this seemingly ungraceful act, she appeared authentic, and there was a certain charm about it. "In the world's many affairs, everything can be resolved with a drink," she remarked, passing him another jug of wine.

"Cheers!" she exclaimed, her actions bold but her voice gentle.

"Down it goes." As the wine took hold, Yun Xiao began to open up more. "You've already been drunk once. Maybe go easy this time?" he advised.

"I'm not drunk!" she replied, her voice playful and teasing. She slapped the table and challenged, "Are you chickening out, looking for excuses now?"

"Bullshit!" Yun Xiao thumped his chest proudly, boasting, "Back in the day, at just twelve years old, I drank soldiers under the table! That spirit of mine earned me the title of Invincible Young Hero!"

"I wasn't there. I don't believe it!" she giggled.

"You don't need to. Women, all so short-sighted and cold! What would they know about a good drink?" he shot back, gesturing animatedly.

"You look down on women? Scoundrel, think you can outdrink me?"

"Who's afraid of you? Bring it on!"

"I'll drink you under the table!"

Yun Xiao's head buzzed, his belly felt like it held molten lava, and the world spun around him. In that moment, all he could see clearly was her flushed face and the white lanterns hanging from the sweet osmanthus tree.

"I can't lose!" That was him, ever-competitive. Once his fighting spirit rose, he never backed down, not even in death. Wine could muddle the senses! But it also had the power to unleash everything buried deep within, erupting like a volcano. The vast Azure Spirit landscape and the silent night only amplified his profound sense of loneliness.

His parents had left him too early. At twelve years old! At that tender age, he wore the imperial robes and sat on the throne. He had no one by his side to help, guide, or mentor him. Everyone considered him a mere puppet. But with his determination and strength, in a mere span of four years, he carved out a path fit for an Emperor. At twelve years old, he dominated the Cloud Nation! Unwavering to the ancestors! Steadfast to the people! And most of all... true to his parents!

However, a loneliness persisted deep within Yun Xiao's heart. In this vast world, he felt isolated, as if there was an invisible wall between him and everyone else. He tried to let down his guard with Jiang Yue, to tear down that wall. But just as he made a little progress, she stabbed him in the back with her Sword Soul.

Yun Xiao thought death would be his end. But fate had other plans in mind for him... the ghostly realm, reincarnation, and avenging his own death by annihilating the entire Jiang Family. Driven by a burning vengeance in his heart, he made his way to the Azure Spirit Sword Sect. Now, with an unstoppable drive and ambition for the future, no one could block his path to greatness.

However, the loneliness in his heart wasn’t something that could be dispelled just by slaying a few foes. Only the fiery burn of strong liquor could sear it away. And Yun Xiao loved his drink. Tonight, the mellow warmth of this vintage had thawed his cold loneliness, transforming him into a passionate being, letting him revel in its intense embrace.

"Ha... ha..." At some point, Yun Xiao found himself sitting on the stone table, leaning close to the bewitching woman. She swung her jade-like legs back and forth, humming a tune, her face flushed from the drink, and looking incredibly alluring. His vision was blurry, his nose filled with the aroma of wine and the intoxicating scent of the beauty before him. All he could see were her captivating drunken antics and her enchanting, inebriated smile, resembling a bewitching blossom.

Only one jug of wine remained. As Yun Xiao and the woman jostled for it, their hands clasped together.

KLANG!

The wine pot crashed to the ground. Their eyes met, locked in a fiery gaze. Her eyes, they seemed like a raging sea of passion, burning intensely, challenging Yun Xiao. Their touching fingertips felt like a bridge of flickering flames.

"Are you up for it?" she teased, a playful challenge evident in her intoxicated gaze.

"Bring it on!" Yun Xiao replied, his eyes a fierce shade of red.

"Then let's go!" she said, pulling him closer.

"Alright!" Yun Xiao exclaimed, sweeping her into his arms.

"Wait, what's going on here?" Blue Star and Red Moon asked in unison, puzzled.

Before they could get their bearings, Yun Xiao grabbed them and flung them tens of feet away. They crashed into a crevice between two large rocks, almost getting squashed.

They were flabbergasted.

"What in the world is happening?"

?ι══????????══ι?

In the courtyard, shadows of the osmanthus trees swayed. The stone table quivered, and the fish in the pond were startled. Everything seemed anew.

"Lil Blue, what in the heavens are they doing?" Red Moon looked perplexed.

"Mating!" Blue Star rolled its eyes dramatically. "What did you think? That every creature in this realm hopped out of rocks?"

"I don't understand," Red Moon said, looking even more confused.

"Numbskull, you don’t need to." Blue Star suddenly burst into laughter. "But now, I get it!"

"You get what exactly?" Red Moon retorted, clearly irked.

"Creator and Yun Xiao, they're not the same," Blue Star said solemnly.

"What's so different about them?" Red Moon inquired.

"Creator isn't exactly alive. He's more of a principle. He has no humanity, only divinity. Yun Xiao, on the other hand, is human and full of emotions!"

"With this rebirth of his, he will surely craft a unique Creator Immortal!"

?ι══????????══ι?

Dawn slowly began to creep over the horizon. Yun Xiao's head throbbed, a painful reminder of the previous night's indulgence. He shook his head to clear the fog and tried to focus. In front of him, a woman stood, her back to him, her figure outlined by the shadows of the trees. Memories of last night's escapade flooded back. At the time, it felt natural, but now he realized, it was just the alcohol playing tricks on his senses. What's done was done. His eyes shifted to the stone table where vibrant red, reminiscent of peonies, caught his attention.

"Was that... your first time?" He hadn't expected it. Otherwise, he would have shown some restraint. She didn’t turn, so he couldn’t see her expression.

"Aren't you the same...?" Her voice sounded carefree, not that much of a surprise given she'd been the proactive one.

Yun Xiao, slightly embarrassed, admitted, "In the mortal world, I was an Emperor. When I reached the right age, the palace arranged my... initiation."

She remained silent.

"But it was never heartfelt," Yun Xiao added.

"Was this time any different?" she asked coolly.

"I don’t even know your name," Yun Xiao replied.

She pointed towards the gate of the courtyard and declared, "What happened is water under the bridge. No need to dwell on it. Now, leave."

"Alright, until we meet again," Yun Xiao said, nodding.

With that, he turned to descend the mountain. Along the way, he reached into a crevice, plucking a small, dark creature.

"You're just going to leave like this?" Blue Star asked, his voice echoing with a hint of playfulness.

"In the vast journey to immortality, if our fates are intertwined, we'll meet again," Yun Xiao responded.

A chuckle escaped Blue Star. "The Creator Immortal was like an innocent child born from chaos, devoid of desires and wants. Yun Xiao, on the other hand, is a lone traveler in the mortal world, embodying all aspects of human vice, especially lust!"

"You could've stopped at

human vice

, you know. Why'd you have to tack on the

lust

?" Yun Xiao shot back, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Before he could continue, Red Moon interrupted, "Enough of that! Where's my milk?"

Yun Xiao's expression was one of utter disbelief. "Good heavens, can you stop being such a dimwit for once? How about this? When I descend the mountain, I'll catch you a cow, alright? Please, for the love of all things sacred, stop embarrassing yourself in front of the ladies. Got it?"

Red Moon's brows knitted in genuine confusion. "Why is a female cow not embarrassing, but a human female is?" It couldn't understand the intricacies of human nature, or the need for tact.

Yun Xiao sighed heavily. "It's called a woman, not a human female.'"

"Fine, then catch me a woman cow," Red Moon retorted cheekily.

Yun Xiao simply stared, dumbfounded.

Upon returning home—well, to Cai Maomao's home, to be precise—Blue Star casually regurgitated a few deep-red Heavenly Dao Sarira beads.

"For the Dragon Spring Realm, you just need to harness your energy. Eat up! They have a... shall we say, feminine taste," Blue Star cackled.

"Down the hatch, then," Yun Xiao murmured, thinking it'd help sober him up. Seating himself amidst the verdant forest, he began to draw in the spiritual energy surrounding him. His Dantian pulsed, melding with the Heavenly Dao Sariras as he channeled the Primordial Void Technique, summoning a profound power.

"You should focus on claiming Ye Guying's Twin Dantians soon," Blue Star sighed, breaking the meditative silence. "Your current mortal form is... a tad frail."

"Frail? I battled until dawn!" Yun Xiao retorted defensively.

"And you don't think that's a sign of weakness?" Blue Star scoffed.

Suddenly, an epiphany struck Yun Xiao. With a mischievous grin, he lifted Blue Star by the scruff of the neck, peering at it closely. Bursting into laughter, he exclaimed, "Ah! You don't have a... certain something!"

Both Blue Star and Red Moon were silent, faces unreadable. "We just don't have a defined gender yet," Blue Star finally countered, a bit defensively.

"Watch, I'll grow one!" Red Moon piped in. "No, make it ten! One on my head, back, and even my mouth!"

Yun Xiao was in stitches, his laughter echoing throughout the forest. Inside his Dantian, the formless dragon absorbed the Heavenly Dao Sariras and spiritual energy, growing rapidly. He had reached the Late Dragon Spring Realm. The formless dragon now bore three claws and seemed to be growing ever larger.

In that moment, Yun Xiao's cultivation equaled Cai Maomao's. Yet, when it came to raw combat prowess, he might have already been on par with a five-clawed cultivator at the Establishment Dragon Spring Realm.

"However, I've heard that the pinnacle of each major realm, the Establishment stage, is always a cut above the previous four stages," he mused. So whether he could challenge the pinnacle of the Dragon Spring Realm was still an open question. It was, after all, the strongest stage beneath the Divine Sea Realm.

"The Seven Swords Conclave is just days away," Yun Xiao murmured, eyes sharpening. "I must find a way to grow stronger to face the Divine Sea Realm challengers." Suddenly, he rose to his feet, his aura robust and ever-growing.

"Junior Brother Yun!" As Yun Xiao returned, Cai Maomao appeared flustered, his hair a messy sprawl.

"What happened?" Yun Xiao asked.

"You were gone all night! I thought you might've fallen into a ditch while disposing of bodies or something," Cai Maomao admitted, exhaling deeply.

Then, sniffing Yun Xiao, his eyes widened. "Where'd you get the wine? I didn't see you bring any to the Azure Spirit Sword Sect."

"Never mind that, Senior Brother Cai. Weren't you taking me to the Sword Pavilion today?" Yun Xiao quickly diverted.

"Right! Everyone's waiting for you! Let's go," Cai Maomao smacked his forehead, hurriedly saying.

"Alright, lead the way," Yun Xiao nodded.

Before leaving, Cai Maomao leaned in, conspiratorially whispering, "One more thing you should know."

"What?"

"Senior Sister Zhao might be there," Cai Maomao said, lowering his voice further.

"Oh? She's the current head of the Sword Pavilion?"

"Yes! But be careful," he cautioned. "She's as beautiful as her name suggests, but you must watch your words around her. She's dangerous. Our brothers have often suffered under her hand."

"Her name represents her looks?" Yun Xiao asked, puzzled.

Cai Maomao looked around, lowering his voice to a near whisper, "Her name is Zhao Xuanran."

"That sounds rather masculine. Does it mean she looks like a man?" Yun Xiao blinked.

"Are you dense? It's an idiom! A four word idiom that starts with her name," Cai Maomao replied exasperatedly.

"Xuanran? Great big, big... b-bazong—" Yun Xiao nearly bit his tongue trying to process it. "What the hell! Lewd!" It reminded him of the night before. Back then, his vision was blurred, and he thought he saw two white lanterns swaying in front of him. Later, he realized they were not lanterns at all.