After Forgetting Two Exes - Chapter 3

Faced with this sudden turn of events, Ji Xun Yue looked toward the source of the voice. She saw a man with handsome features, holding a folding fan. He appeared as gentle and refined as jade, yet his eyes were sharp, suggesting he was not someone to be trifled with. She recognized his reputation as Immortal Lord Fang Qingchen of the prestigious Yanming Sect.

Most of those present were rogue immortals. Upon hearing Fang Qingchen speak, several showed dissatisfaction, but none raised an objection.

Yue Heng asked, “Are you willing to apprentice under Immortal Lord Qingchen?”

Ji Xun Yue had not expected to be so sought after, but she remained calm. She cupped her hands in a respectful bow. “I thank Immortal Lord Qingchen for his high regard. However, I already have a teacher in mind. I hope the Immortal Lord can forgive me.”

The atmosphere in the hall instantly chilled. She paid it no mind and spoke sincerely to Xuan Huai. “This disciple wishes to join the sect of Immortal Lord Xuan Huai.”

The crowd erupted into an uproar, and many turned to look at Xuan Huai with expressions of idle curiosity. Xuan Huai watched her quietly, his expression composed, offering no immediate response.

Fang Qingchen possessed nearly four thousand years of cultivation, ranking him high among these immortals. Being from a famous sect, he was already displeased at being rejected. Hearing Xuan Huai’s name only made his expression darken further.

“Oh? I consider my conditions to be no less than Xuan Huai’s. Furthermore, joining the Yanming Sect grants access to far more cultivation resources. You truly are unwilling?”

Ji Xun Yue quickly devised a response, apologizing, “Immortal Lord Qingchen may not know, but the young lady Zhong Ling and I felt an immediate connection. I wish to accompany her on the long road of cultivation. I know I am being headstrong, and I hope the Immortal Lord will grant my wish.”

By a twist of fate, Zhong Ling had become her excuse to apprentice under Xuan Huai. Fang Qingchen gave a cold snort, tapping his folding fan against his palm. “You certainly are silver-tongued. However, being in different sects does not forbid you from private visits.”

He then turned to Xuan Huai. “Immortal Lord Xuan Huai, what do you say?”

The latter lowered his eyes, appearing to have reservations. One was aggressive, while the other remained silent. Fang Qingchen’s tone grew heavier. “Xuan Huai, you have already taken one disciple. Why not let this one go to me?”

Upon hearing this, Xuan Huai glanced at Fang Qingchen and then looked at Ji Xun Yue, finally speaking. “Is that the only reason you wish to be my disciple?”

What did he mean by that? Meeting his probing gaze, Ji Xun Yue could not decipher whether he wanted a yes or a no. “This disciple…”

Before she could form an answer, Xuan Huai addressed Fang Qingchen. “Immortal Lord Qingchen, it is fate that these two met. Traditionally, the disciple’s preference comes first in choosing a master. Why do we not both do a good deed and fulfill her wish?”

Fang Qingchen sneered, his eyes sharp. “If everything is decided by the disciples, should the rest of us even bother?”

Xuan Huai replied, “What if I also wish to take her as my disciple?”

His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable firmness. This was a blatant challenge to Fang Qingchen. Not only Ji Xun Yue, but everyone in the hall was startled. Fang Qingchen’s face looked terrible. He opened his folding fan and fanned himself lightly, adopting an air of magnanimity. “Since that is the case, I shall not force the matter.”

After these twists and turns, the dust finally settled. Ji Xun Yue breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for your understanding, Immortal Lord Qingchen. Thank you, Master!”

Fang Qingchen cast a sidelong glance at her, a cold laugh escaping his throat. Xuan Huai looked at her briefly before withdrawing his gaze.

As soon as she walked over to Zhong Ling, the girl was already overjoyed, her eyes curving into crescent moons. “Sister Jin Yue, no, I should call you Senior Sister! We can cultivate together from now on!”

Ji Xun Yue could not resist teasing her. “You entered the sect before me; I should be the one calling you Senior Sister.”

“What,” Zhong Ling froze, sounding frantic, “that will not do! Sister Jin Yue, please do not make things difficult for me!”

“Alright, alright, I am just teasing.” Ji Xun Yue smiled and stood beside her, continuing to watch the remaining cultivators choose their masters.

When it came to the last cultivator, she chose Fang Qingchen. Still in a foul mood after his rejection, he refused her ruthlessly. “Your talent is too poor. I have no interest in you.”

The girl actually began to cry on the spot, determined to apprentice under him. After Yue Heng failed to persuade her, he turned to Fang Qingchen, who remained adamant. The scene became quite awkward. Those who wanted to see Fang Qingchen embarrassed joined in the persuasion, and after much back-and-forth, he finally nodded.

Watching the farce, Ji Xun Yue caught a glimpse of the internal strife within the Immortal Realm. Once all the cultivators had chosen their masters, Yue Heng ordered each to offer a cup of Master-Greeting Tea. Zhong Ling carefully presented her cup, saying timidly, “Master.” Xuan Huai gave a soft acknowledgment and drank the tea.

After Zhong Ling stepped back, Ji Xun Yue carried her tea to Xuan Huai and met his gaze. She had to admit, Xuan Huai was truly handsome. His facial contours were perfect, his features gallant, and his nose bridge high. However, his pale complexion seemed to indicate he had been busy all night without sleep.

This was her rival of a thousand years? Why was it that now that she saw him, her resentment found no outlet? Feeling inexplicably guilty, Ji Xun Yue lowered her head to avoid his eyes. “Master, please drink this disciple’s tea.”

She had expected apprenticing under him to be awkward, but it felt unexpectedly natural. The tray lightened, and she could not help but look up again. Xuan Huai lifted the tea lid and lowered his eyes to drink, his long lashes casting shadows that hid his emotions.

In his peripheral vision, he saw Ji Xun Yue staring at him in a daze. Xuan Huai maintained a surface of calm, but his heart was in a turmoil of emotion. Ji Xun Yue did not know that although she had changed her appearance and hidden her power, Xuan Huai had recognized her the very first moment they met on the platform.

He knew she had forgotten everything. Whatever her purpose in the Immortal Realm was, it had nothing to do with him. Yet, seeing her close relationship with Zhong Ling and her anxiety on the girl’s behalf, he could not help but step in.

But in the gaze she directed at him, there was only a flash of gratitude, followed by probing, suspicion, and even hostility. He thought their intersection would end there, only to hear her say she wanted to be his disciple. Why? Just because of Zhong Ling? And why, despite forgetting the past, did she still remember the name Ye Jin Yue, the name she used when they first met?

He feared he was being sentimental, yet he could not stop wondering. But at the very least, he had finally seen her again. Xuan Huai replaced the teacup. Seeing her still in a daze, he curled his lips slightly, his voice masking a nearly inaudible sigh.

“From now on, I am your Master.”

Nightfall, Qionghua Palace in the God Realm

“You came so quickly?”

Yu Qian Chan looked at the suddenly appearing Ji Xun Yue but was not surprised. Ji Xun Yue had discarded her disguise. She walked over to the tea table and sat down, propping up her head with a composed air. “How could I dare neglect an invitation from the Princess?”

Yu Qian Chan raised an eyebrow and chuckled. She dismissed the Immortal Ladies waiting outside and sat beside her. “You seem to be in a great mood. You do not look like you are here for revenge; you look like you are on vacation.”

Ji Xun Yue tilted her head and smiled. “Does revenge require one to be miserable all day?” Now that she had successfully apprenticed under Xuan Huai and gained a cute junior sister, her mood was naturally good.

“You did not expose your identity on the way here?”

“Do you ever need to worry about my work?” Ji Xun Yue retorted with a smile. “Rest assured, Xuan Huai is in seclusion refining medicine. I only came after I saw the light in my Junior Sister’s room go out.”

After the ceremony, Xuan Huai had brought them back to Cangxing Province, where the Yunxing Sect was located. After a brief introduction to the sect environment, he had gone into seclusion to deal with the Soul-Seeking Grass. He even mentioned that it took twelve hours to refine one batch and nine days to finish them all. It was as if he had said it specifically for her to hear.

Soul-Seeking Grass was a new species from the God Realm. Ji Xun Yue knew its use but not the refining process. If it took twelve hours, how could he have refined it in a single night?

He is full of lies. I almost let that face of his fool me.

Ji Xun Yue sat up straight, her expression turning serious. “What was that misunderstanding you mentioned?”

Yu Qian Chan seemed to have something difficult to say. She poured tea for both of them before slowly speaking, a hint of frustration appearing on her elegant face. “First, let us talk about why the God Realm was short on Soul-Seeking Grass. A few days ago, my sixth brother, Yu Qian Shun, took it all to study new medicines. By the time Huo Chengfeng arrived, it had all been wasted by him. I was so angry I sent him to the Hall of Reflection.”

Ji Xun Yue furrowed her brow and let out a cold sneer. “I knew it. How could a simple herb fetch cause so much trouble? So it was that brat Yu Qian Shun!”

Yu Qian Chan continued, “Xuan Huai is an expert in medicine and handles many refining tasks for the God Realm. A newly harvested batch was only sent to him yesterday.”

Since the herbs were all with Xuan Huai, no wonder he acted so confidently.

Seeing Ji Xun Yue’s irritation, Yu Qian Chan added, “But Soul-Seeking Grass requires twelve hours of refining to remove its bitter, cold essence. Fortunately, Xuan Huai is skilled; he spent a great deal of effort to cut that time in half. That is why Qing Li was saved in time.”

Ji Xun Yue was stunned. “It truly takes twelve hours?!”

Xuan Huai had actually found a way to shorten the time to help her? If it really took twelve hours, Qing Li would never have made it. The idea of a rival turning into a benefactor was bizarre, especially one who had targeted her for a millennium. It seemed Xuan Huai at least understood right from wrong.

“But,” she still had doubts, “the words he said to Chengfeng and everything from the past, surely those cannot all be misunderstandings?”

A playful glint flashed in Yu Qian Chan’s eyes. “Pondering the past is no match for seeing the truth with your own eyes. Since you are already here, why not take this chance to personally deal with your rival? Then, our Great Demon Lord can settle scores or return favors as she sees fit.”

Ji Xun Yue smiled and took a sip of tea, her tone hesitant. “A-Chan, why did you not stop me?” Her friend was highly trusted by the God Sovereign and managed much of the Immortal Realm’s affairs, yet she had not intervened.

Yu Qian Chan saw through her concern. “What, worried your involvement will affect other cultivators and change their fates?”

Ji Xun Yue nodded. “Like Zhong Ling. If not for me, she might not have apprenticed under Xuan Huai.”

Yu Qian Chan laughed. “I do not see a problem. Cultivators enter the Immortal Realm by Destiny and break through via Opportunity. It all comes down to a single word: Destiny. The path to immortality is fraught with obstacles. Whether a cultivator has destiny or not depends on their own luck; meeting you is simply part of their trial. For Zhong Ling, it might be a turning point.”

“Destiny?” Ji Xun Yue looked at the clear tea in her cup, lost in thought. “I remember you saying that Heavenly Destiny is unpredictable, and we are all beneath the Great Way.” She looked up, asking seriously, “A-Chan, did you have a selfish motive for letting me come here?”

Yu Qian Chan neither confirmed nor denied. “How did you figure it out?”

“If you had cleared everything up beforehand, I probably would not have come.”

Having ruled the Demon Realm for years, Ji Xun Yue always acted with stability. Yu Qian Chan knew her personality, so she had delayed the clarification.

Yu Qian Chan smiled. “I wanted to let you have a few more days of peace, but I did not expect you to go looking for trouble yourself.”

Though she felt a bit used, Ji Xun Yue was not angry. Their friendship was rarely affected by the grudges between Gods and Demons. If Yu Qian Chan was asking for help, it was no small matter. She asked, “What happened?”

“Among the cultivators, someone is using forbidden arts to strip others of their Immortal Bones and steal their cultivation,” Yu Qian Chan said calmly. “In the last few centuries, the number of fallen cultivators has been several times the usual rate. Furthermore, multiple immortals have complained to me that their disciples disappeared just a few years after joining the six major sects. Though I want to investigate, they act covertly, and I have found no evidence.”

Ji Xun Yue understood. “So, you need someone to be an undercover agent in the Immortal Realm?” She was not surprised by the filth within the Immortal Realm.

“You are the only one who can do this and walk away unscathed.”

That was true. These people only targeted low-level disciples; the victims had no power to resist. Ji Xun Yue asked, “What should I do?”

“No rush. Familiarize yourself first before deciding whether to wade into these muddy waters.” Yu Qian Chan rubbed her teacup, her tone suddenly serious. “Xun Yue, I have a five-word piece of advice. Do you want to hear it?”

Yu Qian Chan was the only one of the current God Race to awaken the Spirit Sight of the ancient gods. Although the power was incomplete, it often allowed her to see blurred glimpses of the future. Restricted by this power, she could only offer minor warnings.

“What did you see?” Ji Xun Yue grew nervous.

“Nothing like that. I just want to advise you to not stick your neck out. I am truly afraid you will tear the Immortal Realm apart one day, adding new chaos before the old grudges are even resolved.” Yu Qian Chan teased.

Ji Xun Yue laughed back. “You are the one who asked for my help. And according to your words, even if I destroy the Immortal Realm, that would just be the Immortal Realm’s Destiny.”

Yu Qian Chan smiled faintly and lowered her head to drink tea. After chatting for a while longer, she saw Ji Xun Yue off. Gazing at the thick darkness of the night, Yu Qian Chan looked weary. It seemed the plan she had been preparing for four thousand years could finally begin.