Chapter 101: Cloud Yao’s Farewell
Under the moonlight.
Inside the private room of the Gathering Immortals Tower, Lin Changan was a little puzzled. The third auction was about to begin—why had Cloud Yao suddenly shown up?
It had to be said, ever since Foundation Establishment, she had been secretive and distant.
And now, in the middle of the night, she had come to meet him.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, I didn’t expect that, in the end, only you and I would make it to Foundation Establishment.”
“Indeed, the path of cultivation is long and arduous.”
Hearing this, Lin Changan felt a bit emotional, but when the corner of his eyes glanced at Cloud Yao’s attire tonight, his expression turned a little strange.
A form-fitting outfit of white Heavenly Silkworm Silk, a white jade belt tightly cinching her slender waist, flowing cloud patterns embroidered with golden thread on her shoulders, and a white jade hairpin securing her hair.
This outfit looked oddly familiar.
“Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Cloud, on your progress in cultivation.”
Turning back, Lin Changan revealed a look of envy. He had only just reached Foundation Establishment, but judging from Cloud Yao’s presence, she must have already reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
The difference between people truly was immense.
With the aptitude of a top-grade spirit root, her cultivation speed had not slowed at all after Foundation Establishment.
Whereas his low-grade spirit root had already begun to show signs of decline.
“Progress in cultivation!?”
Faced with Lin Changan’s congratulations, Cloud Yao’s beautiful face revealed a self-deprecating smile. She lifted her head to look at Lin Changan, her eyes filled with confusion and a trace of envy.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, did you know? From the first day we met, I’ve always envied you.”
“In the mortal world, you were free and unrestrained, while I was imprisoned within the royal palace. Do you know what my first thought was when I learned about cultivation?”
Cloud Yao took a sip of wine, then suddenly shifted the topic, leaving Lin Changan momentarily baffled.
“To fly!”
In Cloud Yao’s deep black eyes, there was a longing.
“To be as free as a bird. Maybe you think I’m naïve, Fellow Daoist Lin, that I don’t understand the hardships of the outside world.”
At this point, Cloud Yao let out another self-mocking laugh. Lin Changan, however, seemed to understand and shook his head.
“That’s just because everyone has different pursuits.”
The peddler longs for wealth and luxury; those with wealth and luxury long for power; and those with power long for immortality.
In the end, desire has no limit. With different statuses come different desires.
“After I became a cultivator, I thought that if I worked hard and reached Foundation Establishment, I would be free and unrestrained, that the skies would be wide open to me.”
Cloud Yao’s gaze drifted toward the night outside, watching the countless cultivators rushing about. Yet in her heart, she thought of her current situation.
“In the end, after going full circle, I realized—it’s just flying from one golden cage into a bigger golden cage……”
The excitement she had felt upon reaching Foundation Establishment was shattered the moment the truth was revealed. She realized how laughable her idea of freedom had been.
So-called personal disciple of a Golden Core elder—was nothing more than a furnace to be used for enhancing cultivation.
Lin Changan said nothing, simply listening quietly to her words.
Everyone had different pursuits. What Cloud Yao sought was freedom.
But the more he listened, the more something felt off.
It felt almost like she was leaving final words. Thinking back to how Master Lu of the Blackwater Turtle in Tianxuan City was planning to help his disciple form a Core—
And how the Palace of Blazing Fire surely would not want that to happen.
Lin Changan seemed to understand something. He couldn’t help but shake his head secretly, while a sense of caution arose in his heart.
It looked like the Palace of Blazing Fire was planning something big.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, I must have made a fool of myself.”
After a moment of silence, Cloud Yao suddenly smiled. That usually cold face unexpectedly revealed a rare smile.
“Not at all. It’s just that in this life, who doesn’t want to live as they please.”
Lin Changan chuckled and shook his head. He too wished to become a mighty Nascent Soul cultivator, to unify several kingdoms around Yue Country, and act with impunity as a patriarch.
But for now, he still had to quietly cultivate and keep a low profile.
A cup of wine downed, Cloud Yao’s expression calmed, then she retrieved several items from her storage pouch.
“Lin… big brother, I’m leaving. I hope there will be a day we meet again. These things are for Shen Lie, Qingqing… don’t tell them.”
“This!”
Looking at those items, especially the damaged jade slip intended for himself, Lin Changan was momentarily stunned.
But Cloud Yao simply waved her hand calmly and said, “Just some things obtained while clearing out the remnants of the Demonic Sect. Nothing worth mentioning.”
Seeing Cloud Yao’s demeanor, Lin Changan let out a long sigh and took out several Quasi-second-rank Talismans from his storage pouch to hand over to her.
Under the moonlight, inside the private room of the Gathering Immortals Tower, only Lin Changan remained, and the cup of wine across from him that had yet to be finished.
“This… being the personal disciple of a Golden Core elder from the Palace of Blazing Fire, does she really need to risk her life?”
At this moment, Lin Changan looked at the jade slip Cloud Yao had left behind in astonishment.
Even if the Palace of Blazing Fire wanted to prevent Master Lu of the Blackwater Turtle’s disciple from forming a Core, wasn’t that a matter for the higher-ups?
Would it come down to a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Cloud Yao to gamble her life?
Yet as he looked down at those few items, Lin Changan fell silent.
Second Bull, Lu Qingqing, Shen Lie, even Wei Buyi had received something—there was even a piece of an incomplete talisman master inheritance for him.
“A Second-rank Talisman Master inheritance. Though much of it is missing, most of the insights into the path of talismans remain. And there's also the inheritance for the Second-rank Ice Talisman.”
Looking at the jade slip in his hand, and recalling how Cloud Yao had been deliberately distancing herself over these past years, Lin Changan furrowed his brows tightly.
He could understand it this time, but why had she acted that way before?
“What secret is Cloud Yao hiding, that even as a personal disciple of a Golden Core elder from the Palace of Blazing Fire, she would go so far to alienate them?”
Lin Changan then shook his head with a light sigh. This damned world of cultivation—everyone had their hardships and secrets.
All he could do was wish this friend a long and evergreen immortal path.
“Still, the Ice Talisman happens to fill in the gap in my current lack of control-type talismans.”
The Second-rank Ice Talisman, once activated, could freeze an opponent and restrict their movements.
“And with this Ice Talisman, once the bustle in Tianxuan City dies down, I can even sell them discreetly without anyone noticing.”
Lin Changan nodded secretly. Cloud Yao truly was his lucky star.
Each time, she managed to bring him something new and unexpected.
As a guest cultivator, he had openly exchanged for the Vajra Talisman, Divine Speed Talisman, and Firebird Talisman in Tianxuan City. Now, by secretly selling the Ice Talisman, no one would suspect a thing.
“Moreover, mere Quasi-second-rank Talismans—even if there are a few more—at most might raise suspicion among Foundation Establishment cultivators. Such a small matter wouldn’t alert Golden Core cultivators.”
After all, which Golden Core cultivator would be so idle?
Besides, right now all the Golden Core cultivators in Tianxuan City had their eyes fixed on Master Lu’s disciple forming a Core.
“And this precious Second-rank Talisman Master insight—that’s the real treasure.”
Lin Changan carefully stored away the jade slip. This was a priceless treasure that would rapidly improve his proficiency with talismans.
Right now, what he lacked were cultivation resources. If he could reach Mid-grade Second-rank Talisman Master soon, even Tianxuan City would take him seriously.
More importantly, the higher the status, the different the circle one would enter.
If one day he could become a Third-rank Talisman Master, even Tianxuan City would treat him as a highly honored guest.