Cloud Retainer's abode.
For those seeking immortal destiny, this place was no secret. Many people had found this abode before, hoping Cloud Retainer would take them as her disciple.
Unfortunately, the adeptus kept her doors closed, and those people, having no other choice, simply refused to leave. So, Cloud Retainer wrote a note saying: Those who wish to become my disciple must first devise ninety-nine ways to cook Qingxin, and make one every day…
In the end, no one could persevere.
Therefore, to this day, no one knows what the inside of this abode truly looks like.
Mortals who had been to the front of the abode had imagined it in many ways, but unfortunately, they all stopped at the entrance, unable to see the truth.
In reality, an adeptus's abode is ever-changing. Even if those people could enter the abode, they might end up with different answers.
The true living space, that piece of heaven and earth, had probably only been visited by Cloud Retainer's direct disciples.
At this moment, Shenhe was sitting quietly on her bed, her expression somewhat dazed, not knowing what she was thinking.
"Another nightmare?"
"...Master?" Shenhe finally came back to her senses when she heard her Master's voice.
She looked up, and at some point, an intellectual beauty wearing glasses had appeared before her.
Ever since her Master returned from outside yesterday, she had remained in her human form and had not reverted to her original adeptus bird form.
Shenhe found this a bit strange, because ever since she was adopted by Cloud Retainer, Cloud Retainer had never transformed into a human in front of her.
She didn't know what had happened yesterday.
However, Shenhe didn't ask too many questions.
"No." Shenhe shook her head. She hadn't had a nightmare, after all, she had listened to her Master's instructions and hadn't taken off the red string even when sleeping.
"It's just that the strange feeling has become even stronger."
Shenhe covered her rather ample chest with one hand, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Hmm…" Cloud Retainer looked at Shenhe, pondering silently for a while, then slowly spoke again:
"Let's not cultivate today. Go out for a walk and clear your mind."
She couldn't see what was wrong with Shenhe's body. If she wanted to solve it, it would be better to let Shenhe follow that feeling.
She would secretly follow behind Shenhe, and she didn't think there would be any problems.
"Yes, Master." Shenhe nodded. She had always been very obedient to her Master.
"Hmm." Cloud Retainer turned and left.
Shenhe sat on the bed for a moment longer, then got up and left the abode, coming to the pond by Mt. Aocang.
She looked down at her reflection in the water and smoothed her white hair.
Even though Shenhe was ascetic and lived with adepti for many years, having lost most worldly desires, she still knew to groom herself before going out.
Although her so-called grooming was very simple, nothing more than tidying her appearance and putting on that red string earring.
Once everything was ready, Shenhe descended the mountain.
Her Master told her to go for a walk, and Shenhe didn't know where to go. She simply followed the stirring in her heart and instinctively headed towards a certain place.
Not long after she left, Cloud Retainer, who had transformed back into her adeptus bird form, also soared into the sky and followed behind her disciple.
----
"Sigh, why can't I find anything to eat after searching for so long?" Star sighed helplessly.
She couldn't cook for Xiangling herself, otherwise, Xiangling's body might not be able to handle it.
Actually, they still had some dry rations, but only eating dry rations was a bit too monotonous, so Star decided to come out and find something to eat.
Yesterday, when she was touring the mountains and waters nearby with Xiangling, Xiangling had introduced her to some plants and wild fruits that could be eaten raw, and Star had silently noted them all down.
However, when she came out to search again this morning, she couldn't find anything.
"Am I only able to bring back some Qingxin?" Star looked up at a small peak not far away.
Qingxin could be used as medicine, and there was no problem with chewing it raw. It could also be eaten as a vegetable.
The only problem was that it tasted a bit bitter, and most people might not like it.
But for now, there really wasn't anything else to find.
Star made up her mind. She couldn't come out and bring nothing back.
She immediately rolled up her sleeves, clapped her hands, and prepared to climb the mountain.
Qingxin usually grew in high-altitude areas, so collecting it was very laborious. For this reason, its market price was relatively high.
Star roughly estimated that climbing such a small peak, if she used all her strength, would only take a few steps.
She wouldn't climb up slowly like ordinary people and then climb down slowly; that would be too much of a waste of time.
Star turned and took a few steps back. After estimating the run-up distance, she immediately began to move.
First, a very fast sprint, then upon reaching the designated spot, she leaped high, landing on a protruding rock on the small mountain, and then leaped upward again with force.
With such a seemingly light set of movements, Star quickly reached the top of the small peak.
Two Qingxin plants were at her feet, with a few drops of dew still clinging to their leaves.
Star unceremoniously pulled up both Qingxin plants and put them in her pocket.
"Done, let's go back." Star had been out for a while and hadn't found anything. If she didn't go back soon, Xiangling would probably worry.
However, just as she was about to jump directly from the peak, an accident suddenly occurred.
Perhaps it was because of the morning fog, which caused the air to be a bit humid, but the rock under Star's feet was very wet.
Just as she took off, her foot suddenly slipped.
Star, in mid-air, completely lost her balance.
"Ugh!" Star let out a somewhat embarrassed sound, but from such a small peak, Star simply didn't have time to adjust her body in mid-air.
Although with her physique, falling like this wouldn't really matter, it would still hurt.
Star closed her eyes in a bit of despair, just waiting for her body to hit the ground.
However…
After waiting for a long time, she didn't feel any pain.
"Hmm?" Star opened her eyes in confusion.
In her line of sight was a white-haired woman she had never seen before.
She was being held in a princess carry.
"Are you alright?"
The white-haired woman's voice was somewhat cold and indifferent, but to Star's ears, it was indescribably pleasant.
"N-no, I'm fine…"
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!