After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 107

The upheaval and purge within the upper echelons of the Profound Cloud Sect were like a giant rock dropped into a lake, the ripples constantly spreading outwards. Battle Maniac Peak was entirely taken over by the Disciplinary Hall, Elder Lieyang was ordered to go into seclusion and reflect, and several elders and disciples closely associated with Situ Kuang were taken away for investigation. For a time, Battle Maniac Peak, once the most arrogant and overbearing, was filled with fear, and everyone was on edge.

In sharp contrast to this was the unprecedented bustle of Cloud Elixir Peak. Resident Mu Yun was entrusted with the important task of handling the subsequent negotiations with the Azure Water Pavilion and the internal compensation and rewards for the sect. Every day, elders and core disciples from various peaks came to visit and ask for instructions in an endless stream. Ye Li, as the newly promoted Core True Disciple, was the focal point of all attention. No small number of disciples came to offer congratulations, probe, or even seek to align themselves with her.

However, Ye Li politely declined most visits, citing her ongoing recovery and need for quiet cultivation, and kept a low profile. Her newly acquired independent immortal’s cave was located by a serene spiritual spring on the back mountain of Cloud Elixir Peak. It was personally arranged by the sect’s formation masters with a spirit-gathering array and a protective grand array, offering abundant spiritual energy and a peaceful environment.

Inside the cave, Ye Li sat cross-legged on a jade couch, not rushing to cultivate but calmly sorting through the events of the recent days. Situ Kuang’s downfall was expected, but his critically injured and comatose state carried a hint of strangeness. The Sect Master, Xuan Chengzi, had seized the opportunity to purge Battle Maniac Peak with seasoned ruthlessness, showing that his years of forbearance were for a grander scheme. Ye Li’s move to hand over a portion of her gains in exchange for the Core True Disciple status and resources was the right step, providing great convenience for the development of the Hidden Chamber (You Ge) and her own actions.

But all these internal sect conflicts paled in comparison to the concern she felt for that cold, solitary figure.

Qin Yixuan was recuperating at the Azure Water Pavilion’s dedicated guest peak within the Profound Cloud Sect, “Water Cloud Stream.” Ye Li had wanted to visit, but considering the severity of the other party’s injuries and the need for absolute rest, coupled with the certainty that Elder Yun of the Azure Water Pavilion would be guarding her, she temporarily held back. Instead, she monitored the news from Water Cloud Stream daily through Lin Feng and sent some spiritual liquid she had carefully formulated, which was beneficial for warming the meridians and nurturing the soul.

On this day, as dusk settled and the moonlight first appeared, Ye Li was practicing the “Frost Condensation Finger” from the recently comprehended Ice Emperor Heaven-Sealing Art in the small courtyard outside her cave. Wherever her finger-wind passed, fine ice crystals condensed in the air, carrying a potent sealing power. Suddenly, she sensed something and looked up, seeing a familiar, slightly slender figure slowly walking along the mountain path, bathed in moonlight.

The visitor wore a light blue dress with a white gauze outer robe, her raven hair like a waterfall, simply tied up with a jade hairpin. Her complexion was still pale from her injuries, which made her look even more delicate and touching in the cool moonlight. It was precisely Qin Yixuan. Although her steps were slow, she no longer needed assistance, though her aura was still somewhat weak.

Ye Li was slightly stunned, and then a hint of imperceptible surprise flashed in her eyes. She quickly retracted her power and went to meet her: “Senior Sister Qin? Why are you here? Your injuries…”

Qin Yixuan stopped near her, her clear, cold eyes exceptionally bright in the moonlight. She looked at Ye Li, a very faint yet genuine smile curving her lips: “I’ve been lying down for too long, my bones are almost stiff. I heard Junior Sister Ye has opened a new immortal’s cave, so I wanted to take a walk, and also… to thank you in person.” Her voice was softer than usual, carrying a slight post-injury weakness, which added to her captivating charm.

“Senior Sister, you exaggerate. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have…” Before Ye Li could finish, Qin Yixuan gently interrupted her.

“Let’s not mention the past.” Qin Yixuan shook her head, her gaze sweeping over the serene environment surrounding Ye Li’s cave, “Your place is indeed elegant and quiet.”

“If Senior Sister doesn’t mind, feel free to look around.” Ye Li stepped aside. The two then slowly strolled through the courtyard, which was bathed in moonlight.

The evening breeze blew, bringing the moist scent of the spiritual spring and the faint fragrance of flowers and plants. For a time, neither of them spoke, with only the sound of their footsteps and the rustling of leaves in the breeze. The atmosphere was not awkward at all; instead, there was a rare sense of peace and tranquility.

After walking for a while, they stopped beneath an ancient osmanthus tree. The moonlight filtered through the gaps in the branches, casting dappled light spots. Qin Yixuan looked up at the bright moon in the sky and sighed softly: “Although I narrowly survived this serious injury, it also made me understand many things.”

Ye Li watched her quietly, waiting for her to continue.

“Before, in the Azure Water Pavilion, everyone called me a prodigy, the future hope of the sect. I also used this to encourage myself, cultivating diligently, not daring to slack off in the slightest,” Qin Yixuan’s voice carried a hint of ethereality. “I always felt a great burden on my shoulders, as if an invisible pair of eyes was constantly watching me, urging me to become stronger and complete some kind of… unknown mission.”

She turned her head to look at Ye Li, her eyes showing a trace of confusion and exploration: “Ye Li, what do you think we are striving for by cultivating so desperately, pursuing immense power? Is it just to surpass others and stand at the peak of all beings? Or… is there a deeper meaning?”

This question touched upon the core of the Dao heart. Ye Li was silent for a moment, her past and present lives flashing through her mind. The obsession with revenge, the desire to protect, the pursuit of truth, the control over her own destiny…

“Perhaps, everyone has their own answer.” Ye Li’s voice was exceptionally calm in the moonlight. “For me, power is a means, not an end. I need power to protect those I want to protect, to clarify the past’s fog, to break the shackles that bind me, and to possess… the right to say no.”

She paused, then looked at Qin Yixuan: “As for the mission… since you have a feeling, then face it. Whether it brings fortune or disaster, is destiny or tribulation, only by moving forward will you know. But no matter what, the so-called ‘mission’ should not completely consume the self. Senior Sister is Senior Sister, she is Qin Yixuan, not the shadow of any other existence.”

These words were both Ye Li’s own realization and an attempt to resolve Qin Yixuan’s confusion. She pointed out that Qin Yixuan might bear a destiny, but she emphasized the importance of maintaining one’s original self even more.

Qin Yixuan listened intently. Ye Li’s words were like clear spring water, flowing through her perplexed heart. Yes, she was Qin Yixuan. No matter what power slept within her or what mission rested on her shoulders, first and foremost, she had to be herself. This realization made the heavy stone that had been pressing on her heart feel as if it had loosened a bit.

“To protect those I want to protect… to possess the right to say no…” Qin Yixuan repeated softly, her gaze falling on Ye Li’s profile outlined by the moonlight. That subtle flutter in her heart reappeared. The girl before her seemed outwardly cold, yet possessed such firm and warm inner strength. She couldn’t help but recall the scene of Ye Li disregarding her own well-being to treat her injuries, and the sight of her back standing in front of her to confront a powerful enemy…

“Ye Li,” Qin Yixuan suddenly asked, her tone carrying a hint of curiosity, “You seem to have… experienced many things far beyond your peers. Sometimes, I feel your eyes are not those of a teenage girl, but rather… someone who has seen through the vicissitudes of life.”

Ye Li’s heart tightened slightly. She knew that the occasional glimpses of her past life’s experience had caught the other party’s attention. Naturally, she couldn’t reveal the matter of her rebirth, so she vaguely said: “Perhaps it’s inherent nature, or perhaps it’s… some unwilling-to-be-mentioned past that forced me to mature early.”

She didn’t elaborate, and Qin Yixuan was considerate enough not to pry. Everyone has their own secrets, just like the divine origin within her body.

The two then chatted about their insights on cultivation. Qin Yixuan shared some of her realizations from the upper part of the Nine Heavens Profound Water Scripture regarding the resilience of water and the nourishment of life, which gave Ye Li a deeper understanding of the smooth and versatile control over ice-elemental power. In turn, Ye Li articulated some of her insights on extreme coldness and the laws of sealing, gleaned from the Ice Emperor Heaven-Sealing Art, which also gave Qin Yixuan a new perspective on the fierce side of the Dao of Water. This exchange, completely detached from sect interests, was a pure mutual verification on the path of Dao, leaving both feeling greatly enlightened.

The moonlight deepened, and the coolness intensified.

Qin Yixuan coughed lightly twice, her face growing paler. Seeing this, Ye Li frowned slightly: “Senior Sister, your injuries are not fully healed; it’s not good to stay out in the night wind for long. I’ll see you back.”

Qin Yixuan nodded, not refusing. The two walked slowly side by side along the path they had taken.

Nearing Water Cloud Stream, Qin Yixuan stopped and turned to look at Ye Li. In the cool moonlight, her eyes seemed to have a shimmering glow: “Ye Li, thank you. Not just for treating my injuries, but also for our talk tonight.”

Ye Li looked into her eyes, and beneath the coolness, she saw a trace of subtle reliance and warmth. Her heart stirred slightly, and she softly said: “Senior Sister, you are too kind. Take care of yourself. If you need anything, you can come and find me anytime.”

“Mhm.” Qin Yixuan gently responded, a pleasing arc curving her lips. “You too, take good rest. The sect… may seem peaceful, but undercurrents are surging. Now that you’re in the spotlight, you need to be even more careful.”

This was a kind warning. Ye Li nodded: “I understand.”

Qin Yixuan turned and walked toward the pavilion of Water Cloud Stream, which was enveloped in hazy water vapor, her figure gradually disappearing into the moonlight.

Ye Li stood in place, watching the direction she had left, remaining still for a long time. The evening breeze lifted her hair, bringing a faint, almost imperceptible cold fragrance that belonged to Qin Yixuan.

This moonlight conversation was the first time the two had so candidly touched upon their inner confusions and convictions. The distance between them had silently narrowed significantly. A feeling transcending mere friendship, akin to that of a true confidante, subtly intertwined and grew like the vines under the moonlight.

Ye Li withdrew her gaze and turned toward her own immortal’s cave. Her steps seemed a bit firmer than when she arrived. In this tumultuous world, to find a confidante and walk side by side might just make the road ahead less lonely and cold.