Lin Dalu froze for a moment, then solemnly cupped his hands, "I shall undress now, but my heart has no other thoughts, I hope Xiang'er... you will not blame this lack of etiquette." He slowly removed his outer garment, leaving only a layer of inner robe, revealing his strong arms and the faint red claw marks. Xiang'er turned away, her eyes lowered, her expression shy as she said softly, "Please take out your personal belongings, Young Master Lin, it is not convenient for me to approach."
Lin Dalu did as she said, feeling around his waist, but found nothing. Suddenly, Xiang'er's gaze intensified, pointing to a corner showing from the interlayer of his inner robe, "Wait—what is that?"
Lin Dalu followed Xiang'er's gaze and reached out to pull; a corner of red thread was faintly visible. He tore open the seam, and a red Xiang Embroidery pouch slowly appeared, the craftsmanship exquisite, with an ancient seal script character for "Blessing" embroidered in gold thread.
Xiang'er's eyes flickered, her expression suddenly changing drastically.
"This... this is actually—the Zhenyuan Heaven-Earth Pouch (Fortune Pouch)!"
"What?" Lin Dalu was stunned, "You recognize it? This is the Fortune Pouch my mother gave me, I've worn it since I was a child. She always said it could keep me safe, and every time I changed clothes, mother would personally sew it into the garment."
As he spoke, a soft light appeared in his eyes, as if he had fallen into a memory.
That was a few years ago at the end of spring, Lin's mother was sewing by the window, the sunlight spilling over her temples. She handed the pouch to the youth, "Dalu, this pouch was embroidered by my own hands, no matter where you go, you must keep it with you, do not lose it."
"Mother, what use is such a small cloth bag?"
"Good child, this is a token of my heart. If you carry it, I can be at peace."
In his memory, his mother's smile was as gentle as water, and the sound of the needle and thread echoed "click-clack" in his ears.
When he came back to his senses, Lin Dalu smiled slightly, "I've carried this Fortune Pouch from childhood to now, it has never left my side."
Xiang'er gazed at the red bag, her eyes growing more and more astonished. She reached out to take it, her fingertips trembling slightly, "This item looks like an ordinary product, but in truth, runes are hidden within the embroidery threads, like some kind of restriction. Young Master Lin, do you know that all Cultivators use Storage Pouch as personal belongings? This item can contain mountains and rivers, and collect all things. In the hands of a Mortal, it is almost impossible to obtain."
Lin Dalu's eyes widened, "You mean, this Fortune Pouch... can hold things?"
Xiang'er smiled slightly and took out her own Lotus-Embroidered Storage Pouch from her bosom, ancient and elegant. She channeled her Spirit Qi, white light circling the pouch at her fingertips, the lotus patterns glowing slightly; a wisp of soft light flashed, and as the pouch opened, she actually took out a folded garment from within.
Lin Dalu was so shocked his jaw almost dropped.
"Heavens, this... this is truly miraculous!"
Xiang'er's face turned red, and she quickly put the woman's clothing back into the pouch, explaining softly, "This Storage Pouch requires Spirit Qi to control, Qi Refinement Level 2 is enough. Anything that can enter will have its size automatically adjusted, and its weight does not increase. It can protect against weapons and is not afraid of water or fire; it is truly a common item for Cultivators."
"That is truly a good item!" Lin Dalu's eyes shone, "If I had this in my daily life, why would I need a cart to deliver goods for the dyehouse? One pouch could hold it all, wouldn't that save so much effort!"
But before his words had even landed, his thoughts shifted, and he muttered with a frown, "Only... how could Mother have such an Immortal item? If it's truly a treasure, why has my family had to hire a cart to deliver cloth until now? Father often carries it until his back and waist ache..."
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He fell into a memory—back then, he and his father were loading fabrics in the backyard, Father's face was covered in sweat, yet he still smiled and said, "Doing business is also about being grounded, you must not cheat others to benefit yourself, otherwise, Heaven will know. Dalu, do not think of taking shortcuts; the long road ahead must also be relied upon by oneself."
Lin Dalu answered, yet in his heart, he felt pained by his father's hard work...
Thinking of this, a hint of bitterness flashed in his eyes.
Lin Dalu tried to pull at the red Fortune Pouch with force, but the body of the pouch was indestructible. So he walked to the stove and thrust it into the fire. The flames licked the red embroidery, yet there was not even a trace of a scorch mark.
"It truly doesn't fear fire!" Lin Dalu marveled.
Xiang'er hurried forward and reached out to stop him, " Young Master Lin, do not be reckless! This item can indeed resist fire, and Storage Pouch is never ordinary products. They must be controlled by Spirit Qi to be opened." Xiang'er condensed Qi in her hand, light swirling in her palm as she slowly directed it toward the Fortune Pouch. But after trying for a long while, the mouth of the pouch remained motionless.
"Strange... with my cultivation of Qi Refinement Level 7, I still cannot open it? This bag... where did it come from?"
Lin Dalu gave a bitter smile and took back the Fortune Pouch, "Never mind, do not force it. We can try again later when Xiang'er's cultivation is deeper."
Xiang'er nodded gently, her eyes still carrying a hint of confusion.
Lin Dalu tucked the Fortune Pouch back into the interlayer of his inner robe, hiding it close to his body, and patted his chest.
Xiang'er pursed her ruby lips, looking at Lin Dalu's clumsy expression, and suddenly felt warmth in her heart. The Wind Chime outside sounded crisp, each soft ring between the two seeming to be a silent response.
Lin Dalu put on his clothes, sat side by side with Xiang'er, and asked in a concerned tone, "Xiang'er, last night you suddenly flared up, the pain like a knife twist, why exactly was that?"
Xiang'er's expression dimmed, her brows locked in a frown; after thinking for a long time, she slowly raised her head, her eyes a mix of hatred and sorrow, like a pool of deep water stirring up cold waves, as she said softly, "Although you call me Xiang'er, my name is Fang Yun, a maidservant of the Yin Spirit Pavilion, a sub-sect of the Gui Chi Sect."
She suddenly raised her eyes, a hint of weariness not belonging to her age flickering in them, "Five hundred years ago, the Yan Shi Sect of this realm obtained a Sacred Object from the upper realm."
Xiang'er's voice grew heavy, like autumn rain knocking on a window, "This sect is the main sect of the Yin Spirit Pavilion, so the Yin Spirit Pavilion was ordered to cultivate the Sacred Object on behalf of the Gui Chi Sect, waiting for the Sacred Object to take shape. At that time, the Pavilion Master was Fang Qidui, an ancestor of my family, with a cultivation of Mid Core Formation. Unfortunately, his lifespan was nearing its end and he could not take a step further; before he passed away, he passed the position of Pavilion Master to his disciple, Qiu Shengshui." Her knuckles suddenly turned white, "And Qiu Shengshui immediately swore an oath that once a descendant of the Fang family reached Core Formation, he would return the position of Pavilion Master. Little did we know... this person's heart was sinister; after taking the position, he used interests to win over the disciples and turned to suppress my Fang family lineage. Before the ancestor's bones were even cold, he destroyed our clan's oath; all outstanding members of my Fang family had their life essence snatched away to cultivate the Sacred Object, until their breath was completely extinguished."
When Xiang'er spoke to this point, her hands were clenched tightly, tears trembling in her eyes, and her voice carried a sob, "My father was for this reason... forced to his death by him, his body and soul vanished without a trace. My mother was imprisoned by him in a secret chamber, her life and death uncertain, suffering all kinds of coercion..."
Xiang'er's tears rolled down her collar, spreading into dark stains. Lin Dalu's fists were clenched tight, his veins showing. He suddenly reached out and grasped Xiang'er's trembling wrist, his voice low and raspy, "Heavenly justice is clear, how can such an evil person be allowed to live in this world!"
The wind outside swirled bamboo leaves, tapping against the window lattice with a "shasha" sound, as if mourning for Xiang'er.
Xiang'er smiled through her tears, shaking her head as she said softly, "Heavenly justice? In the world of Immortal cultivation, it is merely the logic of the strong." She lowered her eyes and continued, "In the year I was thirteen, the Dual-Life Profound Yin Spirit within my body manifested. Qiu Shengshui saw me as the best person for cultivation, so he used secret techniques and cultivation methods to raise my cultivation to Qi Refinement Level 1 to provide for the cultivation of the Sacred Object. After the Sacred Object entered my body, he taught me the Qi Refinement Technique and Tranquil Spirit Art to help the Sacred Object absorb my life essence. Since then, every three days I must endure a flare-up, a suffering called 'Nine Blades Nine Ants'—my veins seem to be carved by knives, and my body and mind feel as if eaten by ants. What you saw just now was this suffering."
After Xiang'er finished speaking, her face was deathly pale, and she trembled slightly. Lin Dalu could bear it no longer and reached out to pull her into his arms, only feeling that her body was so light it was almost without bone, cool and trembling. He stroked Xiang'er and said in a deep voice, "For this hatred and this pain, I, Lin Dalu, will certainly seek justice for you!"
After a long time, Xiang'er said softly, "Now the Sacred Object is about to condense and take shape; if the condensation is complete, it will be tightly bound to my body and soul. At that time, if it is taken out, I will surely not survive. Three months ago, the Yin Spirit Pavilion offered me to the Gui Chi Sect; while the ceremony was in chaos, my mother used her Spirit Qi to forcibly help me escape... Although I have temporary freedom, the Sacred Object is still within my body, and I still suffer the torment of Pain-and-Itch Torment every three days. The Tranquil Spirit Art Qiu Shengshui taught me can indeed alleviate the pain. However, when it flares up, I fall into a coma and it's hard to wake, my mind in turmoil; even with the cultivation method, I am powerless to use it. After losing consciousness, my body becomes silently heavy and wanders on its own; when I wake, I have a brief loss of memory, often not knowing where I am. My appearance at the dyehouse was also because of this."
Lin Dalu suddenly recalled two days ago, when Lu Han was delivering goods, that heavy box, and couldn't help but take a sharp breath. Enlightenment dawned in his heart as he said, "So every time Xiang'er has a flare-up, her memory becomes chaotic and she wanders unintentionally—that day you must have entered the cargo box while in a daze, and were thus delivered to the dyehouse."
Xiang'er leaned in his arms, her tears falling, but she said no more. The room was silent for a while, only the charcoal fire in the stove could be heard cracking slightly, with two soft "pa-da" sounds.
After a short while, Xiang'er looked up at Lin Dalu, her expression somber, "The hunchbacked Daoist from before, the old pattern of the Yin Spirit Pavilion was embroidered on his Daoist robe; he must also be a person from the Yin Spirit Pavilion. After I saw him, I regained my memory."
"No wonder Liu Taifei suddenly gave medicine, it was to keep us still!" Lin Dalu suddenly stood up, the sunlight stretching his shadow long. He said urgently, "If he recognizes you, he has likely already reported back to the sect. If they find their way here, you... might be in danger." Xiang'er's voice suddenly tightened, "Since they have already discovered my tracks, I fear... from last night until now, it has been enough for them to send a message!"
As the two looked at each other, both saw a thunderclap in the other's eyes. Just then, the sound of horse hooves came from outside the courtyard, approaching from far away and then gradually receding, making their hearts leap wildly.
Xiang'er suddenly remembered something, "I have heard that on Tianxing Mountain—the Qingsong Sect has the Taixu Divine Elixir, bestowed by the upper sect, the Tianhua Sect; it can expel all poisons and dissolve strange curses, perhaps it can resolve the disaster of the Sacred Object."
"Since that's the case, I will accompany you," Lin Dalu said decisively. "Since you cannot leave me by a hundred zhang, I shall be your protective talisman within those hundred zhang."
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Xiang'er looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears, her lips slightly parted, and she said softly, "Thank you... it is Xiang'er... who has brought trouble to Young Master Lin..."
Lin Dalu's voice was firm, "Xiang'er, say no more; time is of the essence, we set off immediately."
Lin Dalu walked quickly to the southeast corner of the courtyard wall, brushed away the wild grass, and took out a ceramic jar. Amidst the rustling of falling soil, he took out all the silver intended for use as a betrothal gift, then tore a piece of his collar and wrote with ink, "Tianxing Mountain, Qingsong Sect," stuffed it back into the jar, covered it with soil, and reburied it firmly.
The mountain breeze blew through the hall, carrying the unique indigo scent of the dyehouse. The two packed their bags and, facing the midday sun, left the small courtyard where they had lived for many years. On the bluestone path, their figures grew distant, leaving only the inked words in the jar, glowing faintly in the darkness.
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——
Three months ago, on the night Fang Yun fled from the Yin Spirit Pavilion—
The moonlight was like silver, and in the forbidden area of the Yin Spirit Pavilion, a gap was broken in the formation. As the girl stumbled out, on the cliff behind her stood a ghost-like shadow. A mysterious black cloak flapped in the night breeze, revealing half a face covered in cursed markings. That person watched Xiang'er disappear at the end of the mountain path, and the corners of his lips slowly curled into a chilling, cold smile.
——(End of Chapter)