Xu Yinzhen… a coincidence?
Xu from Xu Liling, Yin from the Mysterious Immortal Lord, and Zhen from Huai Zhen.
Ying Ran glanced at Xu Liling.
His expression remained unchanged, and when he saw her looking, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Ying Ran shook her head and asked the old man, “Could you tell me about this Xu Yinzhen?”
“Of course.”
The old man’s cloudy eyes cleared, filled with nostalgia.
“It was a winter day, with all the trees withered. Back then, there was no Wuyin Village. A sorcerer of the Yin-Yang Path, along with his allies, herded our villagers together. I was only four, sitting on the ground, crying helplessly as waves of crimson fire swept toward us.”
“Then, my savior descended from the sky. He was covered in wounds, his splendid robe soaked in blood, his hairpiece shattered. I later learned he was only just past his fifteenth birthday…”
Ying Ran held her teacup, listening intently.
Da Hua and Xiao Huang also raised their heads, listening to the old man’s tale.
Only Xu Liling gazed at the sky, seemingly distracted.
“The sorcerers shouted at him, ‘Don’t meddle in others’ affairs.’
At that moment, my savior was too weak to interfere.
He meant to leave, but perhaps because he heard my cries, he looked back.
That one glance stopped him from abandoning us.
Despite his injuries, he turned back and drove the sorcerers away.
Afterward, he brought us to Wuyin Village and sent the other villagers away. But I, with no name, no surname, no family, stayed in Wuyin Village… and he lived here with me for a time.
His injuries were severe.
He often writhed in pain on his bed, banging his head against the wall until his face was covered in blood, biting his lips until his mouth was filled with it.
When he calmed down, he would stare at the heavens, lost in thought.
I asked him, ‘Do you miss your home or family?’
He said he had no home, no family.
I asked, ‘Did the people chasing you destroy your family?’
He said it was his own family chasing him. Shocked, I asked, ‘Why?’
He said, ‘Perhaps, from the day I was born, they were waiting for this moment.
That winter, they invited him home under the pretense of celebrating his birthday.
In past years, they only celebrated his twin brother’s birthday—this was the first time they wanted to celebrate his.
When he returned, his brother took him to gather Wuji grass, but in that wilderness, they encountered demons.
Slaying demons and protecting the innocent was what everyone had taught him to do since birth.
Because of this, he’d left home young and rarely saw his family.
Even then, he upheld his duty, protecting his brother and holding on until help arrived.
But it was only at that moment he realized they didn’t want him to survive. They had aided the demons attacking him, and he escaped in the chaos, pursued all the way here…”
“I was too young to comfort him or understand what he’d been through. I only cursed those people as villains and begged him to stay and live with me here, where the mountains and rivers are beautiful, peaceful, and safe.
He smiled and said that, if not for that ordeal, he had originally planned to come find us. He was studying the Yin-Yang Path, the only discipline he wasn’t proficient in, and our village’s heritage could greatly aid his cultivation.
Yin-Yang Path…
Ying Ran glanced at Xu Liling in surprise.
He sipped his tea leisurely.
I was thrilled and gave him our heritage as thanks for saving my life.
During that time, he studied the Yin-Yang Path in Wuyin Village.
He was a true genius—photographic memory, profound insight, and a natural understanding of the Dao… But not long after, his pursuers came.”
The old man’s cloudy eyes grew wet, and he sighed deeply, staring at the sky.
“That day, a boy who looked somewhat like him found him—his twin brother. The boy said their parents had allied with others to hunt him down, but he wanted to help him escape. My savior hesitated, but his brother was his closest kin. He spoke of their past bond, and in the end, my savior left with him…”
“That day, I chased after him, saying I’d wait for him here, hoping he’d come back someday. After that, I stayed in Wuyin Village alone.
Later, many newcomers arrived, and I asked each one if they’d seen my savior.
But I never heard news of him again.”
The old man looked at Xu Liling, smiling wistfully, “I wonder if my savior has been well since then?”
Xiao Huang looked up at Xu Liling.
Ying Ran was slightly stunned.
Could it be a coincidence?
Xu Liling’s birthday was also in winter.
The travelogue in the Immortal’s Tomb also ended abruptly before his fifteenth birthday.
Ying Ran gripped Xu Liling’s hand.
His expression remained calm.
Ying Ran said to the old man, “Your savior was a good person. I’m sure he’s lived a very good life since then.”
The old man nodded, smiling kindly, “Perhaps he later married a lovely, charming girl like you and lived a peaceful, happy life in seclusion.”
Ying Ran smiled and chatted with the old man a bit more.
He rarely had the chance to talk with outsiders and shared some interesting stories about the outside world, then invited Ying Ran to stay for a meal.
Ying Ran agreed.
The old man asked Ying Ran to rest a bit and pointed to the main house, “That’s the room my savior once lived in. It’s been renovated a few times, but I’ve kept it empty. There are no other spare rooms, so if you’re tired from your journey, you can rest there.”
Ying Ran thanked him, wanting to speak with Xu Liling, and took his hand to head to the main house.
Though unoccupied, the main house was clean and tidy.
A vase of unknown flowers sat inside, clearly tended with care.
Ying Ran didn’t want to disturb the room’s arrangement and sat with Xu Liling on a bench. “Did you bring me here on purpose?”
Xu Liling countered, “Why do you say that?”
Ying Ran: “I want to study the Yin-Yang Path, and this place happens to be connected to it.”
Xu Liling: “I just remembered this place existed, so we passed by to see if it was still here.”
Ying Ran: “Huai Zhen, are you proficient in the Yin-Yang Path?”
“Somewhat.”
“When did you start learning it?”
“Before I became a demon.”
Ying Ran’s heart stirred with understanding.
After a moment of silence, she sat on his lap, her arms around his shoulders, changing the subject, “Are we staying here for a while?”
“The heritage of Wuyin Village’s people will greatly benefit your Yin-Yang Path cultivation.”
Xu Liling’s arm encircled her waist, his hand gently holding hers as it rested on her leg. “If you don’t want to stay, we can go elsewhere.”
Ying Ran: “Then let’s stay here for a while… I just don’t know if the old man will agree. But though he knows you’re not Xu Yinzhen, he still seems to see you as him. If you ask to stay, he might agree right away.”
Xu Liling: “I’ll talk to him later.”
Ying Ran held his face, half-jokingly asking, “Are you Xu Yinzhen?”
Xu Liling: “No.”
Ying Ran hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder.
She desperately hoped he wasn’t the Xu Yinzhen betrayed by his family on his birthday, but simply her Huai Zhen.
At noon, during the meal, Xu Liling mentioned to the old man their wish to stay for a while.
The old man’s face lit up with joy, agreeing enthusiastically.
Ying Ran didn’t want to deceive him and said honestly, “I want to study the Yin-Yang Path. I heard you mention that Wuyin Village’s heritage is greatly beneficial to its cultivation, so I’d like to stay and learn. If you’re unwilling to share your heritage, we’ll leave soon and won’t trouble you.”
“Yin-Yang Path, huh…”
The old man stroked his long beard, sizing up Ying Ran. “I see your eyes are clear and your aura upright—you’re no follower of evil ways. If you wish to study here, stay. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.”
Ying Ran bowed in gratitude, sincerely thanking him.
The old man returned the gesture, “Meeting is fate.”
He introduced himself as Xier, saying there was no need to call him “old man”—“Uncle Xi” would do. His wife was named Huan Niang, or “Aunt Huan.”
Ying Ran introduced herself as well, and they finished the meal together. Afterward, she offered to wash the dishes.
Uncle Xi stopped her, “Since you want to study the Yin-Yang Path, go meditate on it.”
He and Aunt Huan took the dishes to the kitchen.
Through the kitchen window, Ying Ran could see the two elders leaning close, whispering. Aunt Huan turned, smiling warmly at Uncle Xi.
It reminded Ying Ran of the days she’d spent with Xu Liling.
Her gaze softened, and she smiled, linking her arm with Xu Liling’s. “When will you teach me to cultivate?”
Xu Liling: “Right now, if you’d like.”
He led Ying Ran out of the courtyard, strolling through the village.
The villagers, having just finished their meals, were gathered at home. They cast curious glances at the pair.
Ying Ran smiled at them warmly.
Some shyly hid, while others returned bold smiles. Innocent children, if not held back by their families, seemed eager to run over and play with her.
The village was serene and joyful. Even without cultivating, Ying Ran would want to stay longer.
Following Xu Liling from the village’s head to its tail, they entered a forest.
Ying Ran asked curiously, “Aren’t you teaching me to cultivate? Are we just taking a walk to digest?”
Xu Liling: “Feel carefully.”
Ying Ran: “Feel?”
Xu Liling: “Feel the mystery of the existence of Wuyin Village’s people. This mystery is closely tied to the Yin-Yang Path.”
Ying Ran calmed her mind, focusing on her senses.
Da Hua and Xiao Huang followed them the whole way.
Da Hua tried sensing too but soon gave up, grumbling, “What mystery? Can’t you just explain it?”
Ying Ran: “The reason it’s called a mystery is because it’s indescribable, something you can only feel with your heart. Everyone’s experience is different, and describing it might lead you astray.”
Da Hua: “You’re pretty mysterious yourself.”
Ying Ran ignored it, continuing to sense.
She and Xu Liling had reached the forest outside the village.
It was midsummer, the trees lush and green, like an emerald lake, their leaves rustling in waves with the breeze.
Ying Ran’s mind relaxed, and as she closed her eyes, a thick fog suddenly rose in her vision, with fleeting images flashing by. She opened her eyes, blinking in shock.
Xu Liling asked, “What did you see?”
Ying Ran: “I don’t know, I couldn’t see clearly.”
Xu Liling reassured her, “Whatever you saw, don’t be afraid. Focus and look again.”
Ying Ran: “Does this mean I’ve already entered the path?”
Xu Liling: “The Yin-Yang Path is different from other paths. Even mortals can touch it, but without spiritual aptitude, they can’t delve deeper. For you to formally enter the path, we’ll need to wait for the moon tonight.”
Ying Ran looked up. The trees blocked the sunlight, but she could tell the sun was still high.
Xu Liling’s voice was gentle, like a patient teacher.
“The Yin-Yang Path places great emphasis on fate. The division of Yin and Yang unifies all things. People say humans are Yang, and souls are Yin. But in medicine, the flow of human energy also divides into Yin and Yang. If the living can be Yang, then souls can also be divided into Yin and Yang…”
Ying Ran pondered, forming an incredible guess:
Could the people of Wuyin Village be souls living in the Yang world?
But how could souls walk and live under daylight, growing from children to adults and aging?
On the way back, Ying Ran paid close attention to every flower, blade of grass, person, and tree in Wuyin Village.
When they returned to Uncle Xi’s house, it was late afternoon.
Uncle Xi was enthusiastic, “It’s been a long time since Wuyin Village had guests. I told the villagers you’re staying, and they’re thrilled. Tonight, we’re holding a bonfire gathering for you. Would you like to join?”
Ying Ran was eager to attend.
Not only was it a great chance to observe the villagers, but a bonfire gathering sounded fun.
She’d never experienced one before.
Uncle Xi asked with concern, “Miss Qin, have you gained any insights from Wuyin Village’s heritage?”
Ying Ran, confused: “I just went for a walk…”
Uncle Xi smiled meaningfully, “My savior, after spending a morning comprehending our heritage, left behind a poem. Tonight at the bonfire, I’ll show it to you. It might help with your Yin-Yang Path cultivation.”
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