Chu Yin and Madam Chunhan stayed in Tianxing City for a few days before setting off to leave.
The Tianxing Academy’s collection of books was indeed substantial, and among them were many Scriptures of Destiny and Divination.
However, they no longer served any purpose for Chu Yin at his current level.
At this point, he was more eager to see the Manuscripts left by his predecessors—those often containing personal insights and heartfelt reflections beyond the Technique itself, embodying wisdom and unexpected discoveries.
Only the “unexpected” recorded by those predecessors could truly bring about change, something worth Chu Yin’s attention.
Unfortunately, Tianxing Academy did not house such works.
Since it was difficult to gain anything here, Madam Chunhan was unwilling to let Chu Yin linger in this unfamiliar place.
It was better to return to Luoshui City and rest in a familiar environment.
Back in Luoshui City, Madam Chunhan rented out a farmhouse and carefully tended to Chu Yin’s daily life.
“Chu Yin, you were struck by heavenly punishment after deciphering that Chess Puzzle.
If I manage to solve it and see this so-called True Immortal, do you think the True Immortal could cure you?”
Seeing the sorrow etched on the beautiful woman’s face, Chu Yin’s heart ached.
To him, this was merely the end of one chapter, even a relief—a burden lifted.
He had cleverly steered the wedding banquet away from disaster, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a success.
But to Madam Chunhan, his ending felt unbearably heavy.
He could only keep his tone lighthearted and smile:
“Madam, you don’t need to worry about it for now~ The Stone Inscription won’t reset for another five or six years. There’s no need to fret about it so early—it’s just more trouble.”
“What do you want me to do then…”
Her voice faltered, and every time her sorrowful eyes met the deadpan expression on Chu Yin’s face, tears welled uncontrollably at the corners.
She was not a woman to sit idly by and despair.
Even when Luoshui City had fallen into such a low point in the past, as long as things were not over, she would always seek a way out.
Yet now, in the present situation, she found no solution, pacing anxiously and unable to find any direction in which to strive.
“I don’t want you to cry every day—that only makes me sad too.
Since we’re here at this farmhouse, we should relax and take it easy, right?”
Hearing that she affected his mood, Madam Chunhan nodded repeatedly, forcing herself to hold back the emotion threatening to break loose, squeezing out a smile through her tears:
“Alright, Madam won’t be sad anymore.”
Chu Yin opened his arms and embraced her, gently soothing:
“Reaching this day, I’m actually happy and satisfied. I have repaid your kindness from long ago and given Luoshui City’s second grand wedding a good conclusion, so your hard work for the city won’t go to waste.”
“I shamelessly take credit—if I hadn’t interfered, I’m afraid the Lord of Tianxing City would have succeeded. Just thinking about it makes me break out in a cold sweat, but also fills me with pride~”
“Madam, just treat this as a dream. I just woke up a little earlier. Be happy, so that when you wake, you’ll remember it was a good dream. We’ll see each other as usual~”
In the days that followed—the last days of their time together—Madam Chunhan no longer showed sadness. She calmly accompanied him in reading, grinding ink, spreading paper, and adding fragrance with her red sleeves.
One night, as Chu Yin lay down to rest, footsteps sounded outside.
Before he could rise, the door was pushed open, and a vibrant figure in bright red flashed into the room.
The intruder was a woman draped in a Red Veil and Red Bridal Dress, her unmistakable, graceful curves revealing her identity.
Admittedly, seeing this late at night was quite startling—one might have mistaken it for stumbling onto the set of a ghost bride film.
Before Chu Yin could even stand, he felt “ghost pressure” pinning him down—just as he tried to move, a soft, delicate peach-like hand restrained him firmly, rendering him immobile.
The bride made no move to let Chu Yin up; her face was hidden beneath the Red Veil, making her expression impossible to read.
“…Madam, what are you doing?” Chu Yin asked cautiously.
“The groom and bride who have just performed the wedding ceremony, what should they do at night?” she replied, then, noticing his silence, continued: “You’re so good at repaying kindness clearly, as if you owe nothing. When we meet again in the future, you might not even remember this child. What then?”
“……”
Chu Yin knew better than to say more. Madam had gone this far, exposing all her shame and breaking every boundary.
He slowly lifted the Red Veil, first revealing a sharp, pale chin—skin so fair it looked flawless. As the veil was lifted further, full, red lips inviting a kiss came into view.
When the veil was finally pulled away, the enchanting bride met his gaze. Deep within her eyes was a mixture of embarrassment and hidden heartbreak.
“…Where’s your usual slick talk?” she teased with a smile, trying her best to look cheerful.
“I just thought of several phrases, but none seemed quite right. You’re so beautiful I’m at a loss for words, hehe~”
“Silly boy!” The woman’s eyes reddened as she lightly scolded him, then put on a mock stern tone: “Lie still and don’t move, or you’ll get tired…”
The red string knot at the collar of the bridal dress loosened, revealing a small pouch embroidered with a “Koi Carp Bringing Blessings” pattern. Even the slightest movement made the koi appear to swim vividly through the pristine white waves.
The bed curtain was drawn, and after a silent yet profound exchange of gazes, the shadows behind the curtain gradually overlapped, intertwining inseparably.
For several days, their gazes became the language through which they communicated.
But Chu Yin had to break the silence, apologizing softly: “Madam, I hope this encounter won’t give you nightmares…”
……
For the following years, Madam Chunhan remained by the farmhouse, barely leaving its grounds. She even stationed guards nearby to prevent strangers from approaching the Stone Inscription.
Next to the Stone Inscription, Madam Chunhan built a small pavilion where she waited every day, staring blankly at the Stone Inscription.
At last, with the turn of the Year of Jiazi, a Divine Phenomenon appeared—the disordered Chess Pieces moved by themselves to restore the Stone Inscription to its original state.
Despite her cultivation, Madam Chunhan still could not detect any other aura emanating from the Stone Inscription.
Yet, witnessing this phenomenon before her eyes, she had to admit that there were forces in this world beyond her understanding.
“Is there really a True Immortal?”
She hurriedly followed the note Chu Yin had left behind, solving the Stone Inscription’s Chess Puzzle by moving the Chess Piece from the Origin Point all the way to the End Point.
But no further phenomenon appeared around; the sky was clear and the mountains silent.
Just as Madam Chunhan lowered her gaze in disappointment, a strange, crystal-like white deer stepped out from behind the Stone Inscription, its movements elegant.
The White Deer slowly approached Madam Chunhan, seemingly inquiring who had solved the Chess Puzzle.
Before Madam Chunhan could speak, two ghostly images reappeared beside the Stone Inscription—depicting Chu Yin and Madam Chunhan’s first visit here.
Chu Yin lifted the Wooden Carving, a strand of white hair drifting down, the image frozen at that moment.
The White Deer gazed at him, evidently already knowing the answer.
Looking at Chu Yin’s image, Madam Chunhan’s eyes filled with longing as she asked:
“Can the True Immortal bring him back to life?”
“To want him to come back to life? Dream on.” The White Deer spoke human words, her voice calm and feminine.
“…?” Madam Chunhan was puzzled by the True Immortal’s attitude, believing she had shown no disrespect.
“You will see when you awaken from your dream. For now, that child has truly solved the Chess Puzzle and passed it on to you. So, come with me to cultivate first.”